Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[peterward]

Idiotic response.

I don’t want to be PM, I missed Johnson’s speech so I’m eager to find out about the plans the poster is referring to. They have stated that Johnson would do things differently, I’m keen to see what the alternative plan would have been?

 

[CHAPPERS]

The Czech response seems bizarre to me. Restarants/bars to close at 8 in the evening for 30 days
is going to decimate bars, nightclubs and restaurants in the country

There’s a catering conference going on at the moment at which they are talking of shutting all restaurants here for a period of 5/6 weeks in 2/3 weeks time.

 

[Weststander]

Trouble is we are still learning about the virus. Some statistics suggest that ALL the countries with a high growth rate of the virus had temperatures below 20 deg C, and all the countries with a slow spread of the infection were above 20 deg C. It isn't a definitive conclusion as other factors like the amount of sunlight you're getting, your latitude, humidity may all be factors. Some countries may well be slowing the spread because of their climate as much as their actions.

Taiwan is a small country with previous experience of dealing with SARS and MERS, however there are many similarities with how the UK has traced and slowed the spread down through the identification of contacts around identified cases.

The government aren't using Italy's response as our model, their using the spread data as a model, which is sensible given Italy has shown a potential worse case scenario.

Excellent post, nailed the issues.

Scientists across the world are in unison that no one know’s which nation’s strategy will ultimately lead to a lower mortality rate. Everyone is in new territory and learning.

Even then, as you point out, differences in climate will give differing outcomes.

 

[The Clamp]

You are right we should have been tougher on visitors. I’ve had clients arriving from overseas saying we were the only country not to temperature check arrivals. Up until a couple of days ago we were letting in people from all over Italy with no checks. There were 3,000 Spaniards in Liverpool city centre last night with no checks.

We should now be discouraging people from travelling unnecessarily (e.g. to football) and insisting on working from home where possible. Instead we (the gov’t) seem to be resigned to the fact that we are all going to get it and just delaying the inevitable.

Screening at airports should have been in place . But I think the logic behind the measures outlined today is sound.

 

[sparkie]

It could be that a deliberate strategy of encouraging immunity in more of the population could pay dividends if there is a 2nd wave of the virus before there is a vaccine.

 

[daveinplzen]

There’s a catering conference going on at the moment at which they are talking of shutting all restaurants here for a period of 5/6 weeks in 2/3 weeks time.

Always hear that the majority of restaurants work on tight margins. Going to lose a lot of restaurants I think. I can certainly see that happening here.

 

[Driver8]

Unforgivable from me and I have fallen from my usual standards of posting.
However, to hold a view such as the one you expressed truly shocked me, and in my astonishment that someone could hold such a view in the time of a serious crisis led me to believe that the poster could not possibly be in full command of his usual faculties.

Fair enough but I have heard at least two interviews (with members of the scientific community) where the suggestion was that the gov’t were putting pressure on the scientists not to suggest anything too draconian so as to not upset the economy.

 

[peterward]

Considering what we know about the virus and how it spreads, this is a relatively low number.

Thats relative. Its very high compared to where it wouldve been a week ago, its low to where it will be next week.

Its growing at 350% a week. If total infected versus confirmed is between 10-20x as they suggest?

this week 550 confirmed - 5-10k with it.

next week 2000+ 20-40k infected

week after 9000 90-180k infected

week after 40000 400-800k infected (beginning of April)

Thats the current trajectory. Just hope the mass quarantine will heed that somewhat, because surely it has to come.

 

[Weststander]

It was impressive because there was no scientific rhetoric, or greying of the subject area, and having thought about it, you're right that their presentation with honesty and plain English did engender a sense of trust that what they were saying is what they truly believed was the right thing to be doing. To be honest, at present that is good enough for me.

What I would say I thought about the Taiwan response is they have a press conference like that everyday, sometimes twice a day. Feel we could be wheeling these two out a bit more to reassure the public and keep hammering home the message.

I didn't really listen to the buffoon stood in the middle.

On that last sentence, I agree. Beth Rigby of Sky News tried her typically sensationalist, stirring style of questioning [The Kay Burley School of Infantile Journalism], trying to pin down Boris on contentious, complete unknowns, WTF. The best answer to her was to tell her to piss off, but he politely steered her to the experts.

 

[Swansman]

They carefully explained their adaptive strategy, adopted by the government, in the long press conference this evening. Explained in plain English so that anyone would understand, if they bothered to listen.

Are some are refusing to listen, off on a childish party political tangent?

Sadiq Khan was brilliant this morning, in a long radio interview about the virus and Londoners. Despite shit-stirring leading questions, he refused to criticise Boris, he said repeatedly “I’d be the first to call out Boris, but I’m not going to. I agree whole heartedly with the strategy set out by the scientists. Now’s not the time for petty party politics”.

I cant speak for British politics but its seemingly the same shit in every country on earth: people invest emotionally for or against a party and politican and no matter what they do, they will consider it shit. I have slowly developed a disgust against democracy, since it seems pointless when actions and arguments counts for nothing.

Doing it like LF Celine nowadays: “I have never voted in my life... I have always known and understood that the idiots are in a majority so it's certain they will win.”

 

[BLOCK F]

They carefully explained their adaptive strategy, adopted by the government, in the long press conference this evening. Explained in plain English so that anyone would understand, if they bothered to listen.

Are some are refusing to listen, off on a childish party political tangent?

Sadiq Khan was brilliant this morning, in a long radio interview about the virus and Londoners. Despite shit-stirring leading questions, he refused to criticise Boris, he said repeatedly “I’d be the first to call out Boris, but I’m not going to. I agree whole heartedly with the strategy set out by the scientists. Now’s not the time for petty party politics”.

Hi Weststander, I don't think you can have seen my earlier post re the LBC interview with James O'Brien and Sadiq Kahn, but I basically said what you have done.
I really don't get some on here!

 

[paulfuzz]

2000: Bisphenol A (BPA)
2001: Anthrax
2003: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
2006: Bird Flu (H5N1)
2009: Swine Flu (H1N1)

Here are but a few of the panics that have happened in the last 20 years, how many were called a pandemic and turned out to be nothing or only seriously effected very few people per % of population?
In the grand scheme of things I predict more people will be killed this year as a result of driving than of any of a number of flu/cold viruses/epidemics/pandemics.
Lets ban the car!! Oh wait they are already doing that by forcing everybody to buy an electric car which few can afford, even though it was only a few years ago that government "Experts" told us that diesel cars were better for the environment than petrol.

Chill out please. Ask yourself the first question that most investigators ask themselves, Who stands to gain from the incident?

Big Pharma? Bio-chemical organisations?
I for one will not change my habits or voluntarily lock myself away, if I get the virus and it turns out to be fatal then it was my turn.

 

[Weststander]

Hi Weststander, I don't think you can have seen my earlier post re the LBC interview with James O'Brien and Sadiq Kahn, but I basically said what you have done.
I really don't get some on here!

Hi, yes sorry, I didn’t see that post. So many posts here, I had thread fatigue.

 

[Baker lite]

Seems like an appropriate response for the moment. Measured. Taking all factors into account. I hope I’m not wrong but I think the U.K. is reacting the correct way thus far. Our low level of infection bears this out. For now.

I know some here were looking for a heavy lock down and I haven’t read all the reactions but I hope this has tempered their anxiety rather than raised it.
Let’s hope we’ve got it right.

Good grief, I find myself in agreement with every word you say.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Notters]

2000: Bisphenol A (BPA)
2001: Anthrax
2003: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
2006: Bird Flu (H5N1)
2009: Swine Flu (H1N1)

Here are but a few of the panics that have happened in the last 20 years, how many were called a pandemic and turned out to be nothing or only seriously effected very few people per % of population?
In the grand scheme of things I predict more people will be killed this year as a result of driving than of any of a number of flu/cold viruses/epidemics/pandemics.
Lets ban the car!! Oh wait they are already doing that by forcing everybody to buy an electric car which few can afford, even though it was only a few years ago that government "Experts" told us that diesel cars were better for the environment than petrol.

Chill out please. Ask yourself the first question that most investigators ask themselves, Who stands to gain from the incident?

Big Pharma? Bio-chemical organisations?
I for one will not change my habits or voluntarily lock myself away, if I get the virus and it turns out to be fatal then it was my turn.

Blimey.

 

[Weststander]

2000: Bisphenol A (BPA)
2001: Anthrax
2003: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
2006: Bird Flu (H5N1)
2009: Swine Flu (H1N1)

Here are but a few of the panics that have happened in the last 20 years, how many were called a pandemic and turned out to be nothing or only seriously effected very few people per % of population?
In the grand scheme of things I predict more people will be killed this year as a result of driving than of any of a number of flu/cold viruses/epidemics/pandemics.
Lets ban the car!! Oh wait they are already doing that by forcing everybody to buy an electric car which few can afford, even though it was only a few years ago that government "Experts" told us that diesel cars were better for the environment than petrol.

Chill out please. Ask yourself the first question that most investigators ask themselves, Who stands to gain from the incident?

Big Pharma? Bio-chemical organisations?
I for one will not change my habits or voluntarily lock myself away, if I get the virus and it turns out to be fatal then it was my turn.

I’ve been fairly laid back about this, not joining in the NSC and public outpouring of concern.

But at this evening’s press conference, a UK mortality rate of less than 1% due to the virus was stated. 1% would be 650,000 additional deaths.

1,800 die on our roads each year.

Are you very confident of your prediction?

 

[sparkie]

2000: Bisphenol A (BPA)
2001: Anthrax
2003: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
2006: Bird Flu (H5N1)
2009: Swine Flu (H1N1)

Here are but a few of the panics that have happened in the last 20 years, how many were called a pandemic and turned out to be nothing or only seriously effected very few people per % of population?
In the grand scheme of things I predict more people will be killed this year as a result of driving than of any of a number of flu/cold viruses/epidemics/pandemics.
Lets ban the car!! Oh wait they are already doing that by forcing everybody to buy an electric car which few can afford, even though it was only a few years ago that government "Experts" told us that diesel cars were better for the environment than petrol.

Chill out please. Ask yourself the first question that most investigators ask themselves, Who stands to gain from the incident?

Big Pharma? Bio-chemical organisations?
I for one will not change my habits or voluntarily lock myself away, if I get the virus and it turns out to be fatal then it was my turn.

You must be fishing.

 

[BLOCK F]

Fair enough but I have heard at least two interviews (with members of the scientific community) where the suggestion was that the gov’t were putting pressure on the scientists not to suggest anything too draconian so as to not upset the economy.

Driver, I understand that and there is always a balance to be had.
As they say, put a few 'experts' in a room and the chances are they will often come up with , let us say, 'different opinions' on any number of subjects.
No hard feelings.

 

[peterward]

2000: Bisphenol A (BPA)
2001: Anthrax
2003: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
2006: Bird Flu (H5N1)
2009: Swine Flu (H1N1)

Here are but a few of the panics that have happened in the last 20 years, how many were called a pandemic and turned out to be nothing or only seriously effected very few people per % of population?
In the grand scheme of things I predict more people will be killed this year as a result of driving than of any of a number of flu/cold viruses/epidemics/pandemics.
Lets ban the car!! Oh wait they are already doing that by forcing everybody to buy an electric car which few can afford, even though it was only a few years ago that government "Experts" told us that diesel cars were better for the environment than petrol.

Chill out please. Ask yourself the first question that most investigators ask themselves, Who stands to gain from the incident?

Big Pharma? Bio-chemical organisations?
I for one will not change my habits or voluntarily lock myself away, if I get the virus and it turns out to be fatal then it was my turn.

thats a really silly post with ridiculous conspiracy theories.

There's a 1001 ways any of us could die, we all recognise that, but none causes the biggest collapse of the stocks markets for 40 years, none has the ability to wipe out health systems around the world, there will be many companies going to the wall in retail, travel, many losing jobs, many employees on contracts who cant pay bills because this virus hammered them and they couldnt work.... i could go on and on....... look beyond the end of your own nose.

There has been nothing in my 50 odd years that has close to this and people of a certain age have seen lots of serious shit.

Maybe we wont die, bit it will leave a wake of destruction where many will and untold damage will be caused along the way.

 

[BLOCK F]

Hi, yes sorry, I didn’t see that post. So many posts here, I had thread fatigue.

Ha-ha, I'll let you off; I've spent some of the day looking incredulously at the fall in the markets.
Happy days: Coronavirus, financial doom and gloom, never ending rain and the first class cricket season starts in about a month or so..........I need another glass of wine!