[Albion] The NHS V The Premier League - what is more important ?

[ATFC Seagull]

Is there an argument (and please don't take this as me defending the Premier League or the shambolic handling of this whole pandemic by the government - I'm merely speculating) that the potential benefit in fighting the disease of millions of football fans staying indoors for large chunks of the weekend could offset of the cost in terms of testing that could be used elsewhere etc?

 

[Live by the sea]

If it’s a one word answer as much as I love football & BHA , I would still say NHS . I would have too look at the bigger picture . ( again ! )

 

[darkwolf666]

Is there an argument (and please don't take this as me defending the Premier League or the shambolic handling of this whole pandemic by the government - I'm merely speculating) that the potential benefit in fighting the disease of millions of football fans staying indoors for large chunks of the weekend could offset of the cost in terms of testing that could be used elsewhere etc?

Except staying indoors is more likely to spread the virus, so maybe not the gains you hope for!

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

not quite, because the NHS insists on only certain labs running tests, where as there is plenty of capacity in labs with technical capability that fall outside that.

Is nearly the correct answer. It is in fact the Government who have controlled which labs are running the tests rather than the NHS. There are many hospitals who have the equipment for the current testing but who are not being given access to the reagents needed. Likewise there are numerous private labs who also have the equipment and who are able to source the reagents. It is these which the football authorities and other enterprises are using to carry out their testing. Therefore, private testing makes absolutely no difference to the Government testing programme.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Is nearly the correct answer. It is in fact the Government who have controlled which labs are running the tests rather than the NHS. There are many hospitals who have the equipment for the current testing but who are not being given access to the reagents needed. Likewise there are numerous private labs who also have the equipment and who are able to source the reagents. It is these which the football authorities and other enterprises are using to carry out their testing. Therefore, private testing makes absolutely no difference to the Government testing programme.

Therefore, private testing makes absolutely no difference to the Government testing programme. true but the governments programme like the handling of everything else COVID is sh*t.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Except staying indoors is more likely to spread the virus, so maybe not the gains you hope for!

What, people watching TV in their own homes?

 

[Sorrel]

It really isn't either or.

 

[dsr-burnley]

Currently the Premier League players/ staff are being tested for COVID 19 twice a week and that equates to around 2000 tests a week.

Many NHS staff in Brighton have not been tested at all .

My wife had to self isolate in early April as she had symptoms . Shes works in an operating theatre at the RSC Brighton . She has not had a test yet and , like most of her colleagues , was not offered a test whilst she was ill. She now has an antibody test booked for the middle of July ( in one month - a limited number are available ) . You would have hoped tests for staff would have been conducted at the hospital regularly and sent to the homes of those self isolating . ( this may be happening now - however I would be surprised ).

So if Premier League players are being tested twice a week - NHS staff should be tested at least once every two weeks . The government and the Premier Leagues' priority is clearly to provide a watered down "opium for the people " event whilst turning a blind eye to the NHS staff testing and hoping the virus won't come back in hospitals .
Am I the only one that thinks this scenario is wrong ? By all means play the soulless footy matches so we don't have to pay shit loads of money back to the broadcasters - but for goodness sake let's get our priorities right and make sure there is regular and adequate testing for NHS staff before we do that .

Is your wife at the front of the queue for these tests, or at the back? If she's at the front, then she could be tested tomorrow. If she's at the back of the queue, then she will be tested sometime in 2025. So here's the same question put another way round - do you think it is worth suspending all football for 5 years so that your wife can have a test in five years' time?

 

[darkwolf666]

What, people watching TV in their own homes?

So you don't think groups of mates will congregate?

I see it everyday, people going into each others houses, who shouldn't, it's a gradual drip drip erosion and I think this will be a real test for some people's resolve!

 

[dazzer6666]

So you don't think groups of mates will congregate?

I see it everyday, people going into each others houses, who shouldn't, it's a gradual drip drip erosion and I think this will be a real test for some people's resolve!

.....but infection rates, numbers being admitted to hospital, number of deaths etc all continue to decline quite rapidly and the R remains below 1 so whatever abuse (and I agree there is some going on, it’s just not overall a significant number relative to the total population) of the rules that is going on at the moment (despite all the doom-mongering on social media and in the press) isn’t causing any material negative impact so far.

 

[darkwolf666]

.....but infection rates, numbers being admitted to hospital, number of deaths etc all continue to decline quite rapidly and the R remains below 1 so whatever abuse (and I agree there is some going on, it’s just not overall a significant number relative to the total population) of the rules that is going on at the moment (despite all the doom-mongering on social media and in the press) isn’t causing any material negative impact so far.

So far....

As we are shielding, in a very selfish way, I am quite happy to see mass gatherings, garden parties, beach BBQs and the like, as the more people that have had it will hopefully reduce the chances of my wife being infected when we eventually wander out into the light...

Selfish **** aren’t I?

 

[rogersix]

Is your wife at the front of the queue for these tests, or at the back? If she's at the front, then she could be tested tomorrow. If she's at the back of the queue, then she will be tested sometime in 2025. So here's the same question put another way round - do you think it is worth suspending all football for 5 years so that your wife can have a test in five years' time?

where do you get 2025 from?

 

[dazzer6666]

So far....

As we are shielding, in a very selfish way, I am quite happy to see mass gatherings, garden parties, beach BBQs and the like, as the more people that have had it will hopefully reduce the chances of my wife being infected when we eventually wander out into the light...

Selfish **** aren’t I?

I wouldn't say so........the selfish are those flouting the rules, simple......we had a BBQ at home with some friends last week, but stuck to the rules. It wasn't that difficult. Hope you get some kind of freedom soon.

 

[dsr-burnley]

where do you get 2025 from?

2000 tests per week used by the Premier league = 100,000 per year. 500,000 NHS front line workers, so it would take 5 years to test them all using the PL tests,

 

[southdownswolf]

Using the PL as a scape goat is pretty poor. This is the government and the NHS fault, nothing to do with football, either the PL or the EFL.

If IBM, Tesco, Travis Perkins or any other company was buying in tests privately and testing their staff, would there be the same uproar? I very much doubt it.

 

[brianwade]

Is your wife at the front of the queue for these tests, or at the back? If she's at the front, then she could be tested tomorrow. If she's at the back of the queue, then she will be tested sometime in 2025. So here's the same question put another way round - do you think it is worth suspending all football for 5 years so that your wife can have a test in five years' time?

She was simply not offered a test while self isolating for 2 weeks - there is NO regular testing procedure at RSCH .
Only two weeks ago a limited number of antibody tests were offered to staff . Those slots were snapped up and the demand outstripped the supply significantly

 

[rogersix]

2000 tests per week used by the Premier league = 100,000 per year. 500,000 NHS front line workers, so it would take 5 years to test them all using the PL tests,

and those numbers are fixed, are they?