Coronavirus

[Lovejoy]

British Horseracing Authority announce sport will take place behind closed doors due to coronavirus outbreak.

https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/new ... ors/178337

[Thor]

Germany has closed its land borders, only allowing in and out freight and people who can prove its work related.

[tuffers#1]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51898146

5 Valencia staff including players diagnosed with Corona

[NuneatonO's]

Looking back through the news, the UK was initially considering Corona Virus as a problem on 31st January.

Even from 1st Feb until now (16th March) that's 45 days?

On average, 5 people per day, die on UK roads.

45 x 5 = 135.

How many deaths have there been in the UK due to Corona Virus?

Errrr..sorry how many?

It begs the obvious question - when are we shutting roads and banning cars?

[DonaldRocks]

Looking back through the news, the UK was initially considering Corona Virus as a problem on 31st January.

Even from 1st Feb until now (16th March) that's 45 days?

On average, 5 people per day, die on UK roads.

45 x 5 = 135.

How many deaths have there been in the UK due to Corona Virus?

Errrr..sorry how many?

It begs the obvious question - when are we shutting roads and banning cars?

Really, are you taking the piss. I dont think you really understand how many people will be affected due to gross incompetence and lack of action!

[Dunners]

I think the CMO and CSO explained the government strategy perfectly well. There is no magic bullet here, but I'd rather our government continue to follow the advice of these two, who lead teams of genuine experts, rather than just follow the herd and succumb to mass hysteria and rent-a-gobshites like Piers f*cking Morgan.

Timing is crucial. And success in dealing with this will be measured in years, not months. China may be looking okay for now, but we'll see how they cope when the"second wave" hits them and their public has not developed resistance.

[Mistadobalina]

My worry is that the UK government is making a pretty risky assumption that it's not worth buying ourselves extra time. Obviously a vaccine won't be developed for a long while but better treatments, improved infrastructure and capacity, better public education and community led care could all happen if just a couple of extra weeks or months could be secured. But, I'm sure the experts have modelled all that and have still come to the conclusion that it's better to let cases begin to spread now than shut everything down, have a lull in new cases, then be right back where you were again in a month's time.

Only testing those with serious symptoms seems strange to me though - surely you'd want to know about those who had caught the disease and recovered, and presumably had become immune? From a mental health perspective more than anything. A lot of people are going to distance themselves from elderly relatives and loved ones for the foreseeable future, which will take an enormous toll for everyone involved. Knowing you were free of risk of catching and spreading, particularly given the length of asymptomatic period, would be a huge relief. Plus you'd free up sections of the population for voluntary and professional work to help offset some of the outcomes of all this.

One thing is for certain though - a decade of underfunding the NHS, local government and social care is about to come bite us spectaculatly on the arse. The government has effectively admitted there is an alarming lack of staff, ventilators and ICU spaces. You can't ramp up capacity for a crisis by flicking a switch, chronic underinvestment in services comes at a price. The spillover of turning a creaking health service fully onto this is going to be significant.

[Long slender neck]

I think the CMO and CSO explained the government strategy perfectly well. There is no magic bullet here, but I'd rather our government continue to follow the advice of these two, who lead teams of genuine experts, rather than just follow the herd and succumb to mass hysteria and rent-a-gobshites like Piers f*cking Morgan.

Timing is crucial. And success in dealing with this will be measured in years, not months. China may be looking okay for now, but we'll see how they cope when the"second wave" hits them and their public has not developed resistance.

Is it proven that it is possible to develop immunity?

[slacker]

Most news photos of queues are depressing, but the Dutch lining up to grab a stash of cannabis before the, er, coffee shops were closed (along with bars & restaurants) in The Netherlands last night did give me a chuckle.

Wonder how long it will be before our Govt falls into line and orders (non-food and pharmacy) social leisure spaces to lock up? Not long, I reckon.

[Lovejoy]

The Irish are shutting all pubs for St Patrick's night so it must be serious.

[BoniO]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... spitalised

So China have almost eradicated this virus after 3 and a half months but we are expecting over a year and more deaths than the Chinese. Something seriously wrong with our approach if that's the case.

Maybe because China took isolation seriously - people were isolated away their homes and family, away from everyone, even if they weren't confirmed positive. That's not happening here.

Agree. I guess it was easier for the Chinese to do this than it will be over here. An authoritarian government like China with huge police and military resources was always going to be able to enforce this whereas we'd struggle in the UK. Also, in China they're more used to "doing as they're told" than we are but the UK government does need to take strong, and probably very unpopular, action NOW. As with most situations, if the options are laid out clearly and openly, and the people are treated as adults, then the government may (should really) be able to "sell" why certain actions are needed. As has been mentioned before, clear and honest communications from the government are absolutely key here.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

As has been mentioned before, clear and honest communications from the government are absolutely key here.

I can see a problem with this

[DonaldRocks]

The Irish are shutting all pubs for St Patrick's night so it must be serious.

No, all pubs are closed already. No St Patricks Day parades are going to be held. Most of the country is now in virtual lockdown.

[BoniO]

As has been mentioned before, clear and honest communications from the government are absolutely key here.

I can see a problem with this

Yeah, me too.

[JimbO]

Just for some perspective in Waltham Forest & Redbridge there's currently 3 cases in 575,000 people at the moment. So don't think that there's any need to close down the schools just yet. The government is well aware that if they close down the schools it's going to seriously hamper the economy. Also if you send the kids home what about the emergency services staff who don't have any one to look after their kids.

[Dunners]

I think the CMO and CSO explained the government strategy perfectly well. There is no magic bullet here, but I'd rather our government continue to follow the advice of these two, who lead teams of genuine experts, rather than just follow the herd and succumb to mass hysteria and rent-a-gobshites like Piers f*cking Morgan.

Timing is crucial. And success in dealing with this will be measured in years, not months. China may be looking okay for now, but we'll see how they cope when the"second wave" hits them and their public has not developed resistance.

Is it proven that it is possible to develop immunity?

I don't know. But either strategy is based on the assumption/hope that immunity is possible.

[BoniO]

I think the CMO and CSO explained the government strategy perfectly well. There is no magic bullet here, but I'd rather our government continue to follow the advice of these two, who lead teams of genuine experts, rather than just follow the herd and succumb to mass hysteria and rent-a-gobshites like Piers f*cking Morgan.

Timing is crucial. And success in dealing with this will be measured in years, not months. China may be looking okay for now, but we'll see how they cope when the"second wave" hits them and their public has not developed resistance.

Is it proven that it is possible to develop immunity?

I don't know. But either strategy is based on the assumption/hope that immunity is possible.

Then maybe the CMO and CSO didn't explain the situation that well then?

[JimbO]

on past viruses generally when people have it once they build up some immunity to it, so even if they get it again it's not as bad as before.

[Dunners]

As has been mentioned before, clear and honest communications from the government are absolutely key here.

I can see a problem with this

The briefing to press contacts and Matt Hancock publishing an update behind The Times' (initial) paywall was unacceptable. But the signs are that they've acknowledged that was wrong, and I'm prepared to look past that for now so long as there's not a repeat.

But part of the problem will be having politicians issuing updates. While I think it's important that a senior political leader is part of the daily briefings, their output should now be limited to clarifying policy. The rest should be communicated by the appropriate experts (i.e. CMO and CSO), which will help maintain trust and help prevent people from paying to much attention to various online quacks.

[tuffers#1]

Just for some perspective in Waltham Forest & Redbridge there's currently 3 cases in 575,000 people at the moment. So don't think that there's any need to close down the schools just yet. The government is well aware that if they close down the schools it's going to seriously hamper the economy. Also if you send the kids home what about the emergency services staff who don't have any one to look after their kids.

Surely you do what i & millions of others have done over the years , stay at home on your own , read comics or books , watch tv play games etc

Its only the under 8s.is who really need looking after & we used to have a neighbour " look in on us ".

Has the Human race become so pathetic that we cannot look after one another ?

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Its onkt the under 8s who really need looking after & we used to have a neighbour " look in on us ".

Things may have moved on slightly over the years.

[tuffers#1]

Its onkt the under 8s who really need looking after & we used to have a neighbour " look in on us ".

Things may have moved on slightly over the years.

Yeah .

Far to molly coddled .

[Lucky7]

Thor’s “kids don’t get it”
Stick to your fantasy lifestyle ffs

[Thor]

No her kid has not been tested nor confirmed that she has it.

[Lucky7]

No her kid has not been tested nor confirmed that she has it.

You obviously oblivious to how testing actually works