Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[Mr Bridger]

These crowds at the shops are surely going to make the situation much much worse. They looked crazy this morning. Surely something has to be done?

Perhaps have it so surnames A-D can shop on a Monday, E-H on a Tuesday and so on? Seems a shame people can't just be sensible.

Allocate a whole day for over 70's , say the day after they get their state pension paid.
A day for key workers, NHS, care, police etc.
Then the rest of the week for the scavengers.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Allocate a whole day for over 70's , say the day after they get their state pension paid.
A day for key workers, NHS, care, police etc.
Then the rest of the week for the scavengers.

What about the non-scavengers ?

 

[Mr Bridger]

What about the non-scavengers ?

Fit enough to take on the scavengers

 

[The Wizard]

Pictures emerging or packed pubs in London, absolute disgrace.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Spot on. BJ's rhetorical style is perfect for

a) working a crowd of devoted supporters (where he is brilliant)

b) the combative cauldron of Parliament (where he is great at working up his back-benchers into a lather)

He is lost when it comes to cool, analytical, detailed stuff. To fill the vacuum he resorts to his usual style of bluster, exhortations of how wonderful things are (eg the British public - perhaps he hasn't visited Tesco's lately.) He makes up figures (250,000 tests) and produces over-optimistic targets (12 weeks). He loves the three word slogan - turning the tide/ send it packing (get Brexit done). You could almost hear the two scientists squirm.

He reminded me of an under-prepared lecturer who thinks he's funny but who is playing to the wrong audience and thinks he can get away with it (I've been there). This is not a crowd of adoring Tory supporters but a room full of cynical journos. You could see him looking more and more uncomfortable - 'beam me up Scottie'.

This wouldn't matter if the stakes were not so high and the need for leadership (and credibility) so vital.

Meanwhile we had Spoon's finest on the radio this morning. Really, I thought we'd had quite enough of him, but he was defending Johnson's reluctance to close down pubs. Now there's a shock! He dribbled on about the need for balance (quite important for the average Spoons customer) and the observance of social distancing. My observation of Worthing's Spoons showed that few take a blind bit of notice. Indeed, the Spoons contribution to public health seems to the only of keeping its doors open to circulate fresh air.

I can't for the life of me see why the PM isn't closing the pubs. How can you tell people not to go there and in the same breath keep them open? It's either some sort of populist opportunism or a principle of freedom of the individual (a bit of both in my view). What I cannot see is how this is driven by 'the science'.

Rant over.

I think he has also found out that in order to do these daily briefings, he has to put some work into them, something which he has always had an allergy to.

Expect them to be pulled in the next few days

 

[Weststander]

The number of deaths probably will, the mortality rate won’t. It appears that it takes longer to recover from the illness than it does to die, meaning deaths are always some way ahead of recoveries. If we look only at known outcomes in the UK to date, we have a death rate of 61%.

That would be terrifying if it were an accurate reflection of mortality. But it isn’t, because the vast majority of cases are recent and haven’t had the opportunity yet to become free of the virus.

A 61% mortality rate from the virus in the UK - is that the sort of unsubstantiated fake 'news' that should be posted on a responsible and open forum?

Remember too, that the NHS and scientists have made it very clear this week that many people will get COVID-19 with no, minimal or minor symptoms throughout. The vast majority of those will simply knowingly or unknowingly recover, with no interaction with the NHS.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

These crowds at the shops are surely going to make the situation much much worse. They looked crazy this morning. Surely something has to be done?

Perhaps have it so surnames A-D can shop on a Monday, E-H on a Tuesday and so on? Seems a shame people can't just be sensible.

It's a fing joke. People queuing up outside just helps the virus spread, even worse indoors when people are waiting to get through the checkouts with their shopping. Government has to step in soon, stop fighting the money and start fighting the virus and start putting parts of the country on lockdown.

 

[drew]

Unfortunately Boris can’t make a decision possibly proving to be one of the worst PM’s in history. The public have made decisions for him ie. parents already keeping the children out of schools. No wonder the pound is getting smashed every time the fool speaks the market moves against him.

Has done the usual Tory move and backed businesses and home owners with two fingers up at the less fortunate. They never learn 2008 they propped the banks and not a penny to the people who needed some help. I’m amazed the nation voted Tory especially the north of England.

I wonder whether part of the reason they are not forcing closure is because they would then have an obligation to compensate the pubs etc. That may well come but maybe they are holding off as long as possible to save money!!

 

[dingodan]

Unfortunately Boris can’t make a decision possibly proving to be one of the worst PM’s in history. The public have made decisions for him ie. parents already keeping the children out of schools. No wonder the pound is getting smashed every time the fool speaks the market moves against him.

Has done the usual Tory move and backed businesses and home owners with two fingers up at the less fortunate. They never learn 2008 they propped the banks and not a penny to the people who needed some help. I’m amazed the nation voted Tory especially the north of England.

Take your political point scoring and stick it in some other thread would you?

I hear the Brexit thread is still open.

Thanks.

 

[dazzer6666]

Pictures emerging or packed pubs in London, absolute disgrace.

WTF is wrong with people ?

 

[Is it PotG?]

Unfortunately Boris can’t make a decision possibly proving to be one of the worst PM’s in history. The public have made decisions for him ie. parents already keeping the children out of schools. No wonder the pound is getting smashed every time the fool speaks the market moves against him.

Has done the usual Tory move and backed businesses and home owners with two fingers up at the less fortunate. They never learn 2008 they propped the banks and not a penny to the people who needed some help. I’m amazed the nation voted Tory especially the north of England.

Goodness me that's dull.

 

[Bodian]

It's a fing joke. People queuing up outside just helps the virus spread, even worse indoors when people are waiting to get through the checkouts with their shopping. Government has to step in soon, stop fighting the money and start fighting the virus and start putting parts of the country on lockdown.

The lockdown in other countries still allows you to go food shopping - so it will still happen. This is a people thing, not a government thing, although they could explain that even in Italy you can go to the shop for food, so there is absolutely no need to panic buy.

 

[drew]

Unfortunately Boris can’t make a decision possibly proving to be one of the worst PM’s in history. The public have made decisions for him ie. parents already keeping the children out of schools. No wonder the pound is getting smashed every time the fool speaks the market moves against him.

Has done the usual Tory move and backed businesses and home owners with two fingers up at the less fortunate. They never learn 2008 they propped the banks and not a penny to the people who needed some help. I’m amazed the nation voted Tory especially the north of England.

You're letting yourself down. 2008, it was Gordon Brown that propped up the banks. What do you think would happen if the banking system collapsed? People who rely on their savings to supplement their pensions etc would have lost out. As for the north voting tory, two reasons, Brexit and Corbyn, probably more to do with the latter!

Also, if you listen to labour politicians, they seem to readily accept that the Government is working with them. Yes they raise some issues but generally there is a consensus that they are all in it together.

 

[CHAPPERS]

WTF is wrong with people ?

Well Boris seems to want people to keep mixing so what are we supposed to think. Pubs and restaurants open, schools basically accepting all students even next week, tube still basically running.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Well Boris seems to want people to keep mixing so what are we supposed to think. Pubs and restaurants open, schools basically accepting all students even next week, tube still basically running.

Quite. Just heard from my own lad, from the school he teaches at -apparently they are still all expected in on Monday, because the list of 'key' workers is so long, that they have no idea just how many kids will turn up (nor how many teachers will be off sick).


The government guidance is an utter shambles. Like I've been repeating for a week or more - own this properly, or just drop the pretence that there is any real intention to stop the spread.

 

[Bakero]

Quite. Just heard from my own lad, from the school he teaches at -apparently they are still all expected in on Monday, because the list of 'key' workers is so long, that they have no idea just how many kids will turn up (nor how many teachers will be off sick).

Heard the same from my sister, a primary school teacher. They'll be open through the Easter holidays too.

 

[Rugrat]

The lockdown in other countries still allows you to go food shopping - so it will still happen. This is a people thing, not a government thing, although they could explain that even in Italy you can go to the shop for food, so there is absolutely no need to panic buy.

I'm wondering how that works elsewhere. We have been in lockdown for nearly a week and everything is orderly and shelves very well stocked. They only let a few into the shop at a time, give you gloves on entry. The queues outside (fairly short) are well controlled and everyone keeps their distance.

So all fine but nothing like the density of population to that of home. I just can't conceive how it (lockdown) would work in a high density urban area, once out to do your food shopping close contact is unavoidable. I guess they have managed it in places like Madrid and Milan but no idea if it has been successful

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

WTF is wrong with people ?

Notice in my local Co-op asking people not to be rude to staff and not to insult them when there's a shortage of stuff on the shelves. I know that adversity is 'meant' to bring out the best in people but in some it brings out the worst.

 

[Bozza]

Heard the same from my sister, a primary school teacher. They'll be open through the Easter holidays too.

Mrs B hears later today, but I'm expecting her to have to go in. She's not even a teacher, she's a science lab technician, but sounds like she will be required to supervise classes and the like. As you say, this will include Easter holidays and I'm assuming the Summer holiday too.

 

[pearl]

These crowds at the shops are surely going to make the situation much much worse. They looked crazy this morning. Surely something has to be done?

Perhaps have it so surnames A-D can shop on a Monday, E-H on a Tuesday and so on? Seems a shame people can't just be sensible.

Bring back ration books!