Coronavirus

[Mick McQuaid]

See Mikero's reply above. We are only testing people with symptoms in hospital. 80% ish of people don't need hospital treatment, those thar do take 10 days plus to get there. We easily have 10 times more people infected than the figures suggest.

Sorry, that should say people in hospital and rich people who are asymptomatic but getting them privately. I doubt those figures are included though.

[Dunners]

It's probably still too early to run meaningful comparisons between different countries. We'll need to consider everything from healthcare investment through to cultural differences. There's also an inconsistent approach to testing so, for now, all we can compare is death rates and how they increase from the date of first known fatality.

[Mick McQuaid]

Other countries have shown us how it's done, I accept we can't do it in the brutal way China did it but massive testing and isolation is the answer and we had almost a two month period to get capabilities up to speed and wasted it while Dominic Cummings was pushing for it to 'you know, just sweep through the population'.

One of the problems is that London is way ahead of other parts of the country but everything so far has been a national response but all we have done so far is to make sure the rest of the country is right behind us.

[Mick McQuaid]

.

[Disoriented]

Under no circumstances can we make any comparisons with China as their statistics are undoubtedly massaged and downright unreliable.

[Lucky7]

Under no circumstances can we make any comparisons with China as their statistics are undoubtedly massaged and downright unreliable.

Taiwan and Singapore are possibly a bit more reliable than China and they seem to have it under control for now

[RedDwarf 1881]

Under no circumstances can we make any comparisons with China as their statistics are undoubtedly massaged and downright unreliable.

Agreed. Apparently China was battling this virus for at least a month before bothering to tell the rest of the world about it . In which time that helped the spread globally.

[Mikero]

Thank goodness we have bumbling Boris who appears to be listening to his scientific advisors rather than Trump who seems bent on sacrificing thousands of his own people to get re-elected.

Mikero

[ContrifibulatoryFred]

According to The Times newspaper I bought yesterday, London has one of the youngest populations in Europe, with a low ratio of over 65 year olds. Whilst this will not affect the spread of coronavirus it might mean a lower death rate.

Without being political, I feel that it is unfair to criticise our Government unduly as no country has been prepared for this event. I think the latest initiative could slow the spread, and hopefully save a lot of our loved ones - so long as we follow the guidance given.

Best wishes to all on Mothering Sunday

CF

[Currywurst and Chips]

Hopefully when this is all over it leads to lasting change in China in terms of transparency and an end to its wet markets

Somehow I doubt it

[Lovejoy]

I wonder if any pub landlords will succumb to temptation and have 'afters' for their regulars in their pub?

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Think the pub over the road was playing very loud music until 2am last night.

Dont know if there's a difference between a pub being open to the public and being a 'private event'.

[BoniO]

Other countries have shown us how it's done, I accept we can't do it in the brutal way China did it but massive testing and isolation is the answer and we had almost a two month period to get capabilities up to speed and wasted it while Dominic Cummings was pushing for it to 'you know, just sweep through the population'.

One of the problems is that London is way ahead of other parts of the country but everything so far has been a national response but all we have done so far is to make sure the rest of the country is right behind us.

Agreed once more. Personally, I'm still waiting for the total lockdown that would help prevent further spread of the disease. I just don't see how the government cannot recognise the need for this. They missed the boat to perform early widescale testing, they missed the boat to enforce lockdown before the virus spread through the population, they missed the boat to begin increasing capabilities back in January. We are where we are now and it seems that what we're doing is too little, too late and the government is still kitty-footing around.

When this is all over there needs to be a thorough independent Inquiry into the way this has been/is being handled by the government. My belief is that decisions have been taken which have, plainly put, unnecessarily sentenced 10's or maybe 100's of thousands of us to death. I don't say this lightly and it's nothing to do with political allegiances. It's so bloody sad.

[BoniO]

Think the pub over the road was playing very loud music until 2am last night.

Dont know if there's a difference between a pub being open to the public and being a 'private event'.

You should've called the old bill mate. Let them decide.

[Disoriented]

Under no circumstances can we make any comparisons with China as their statistics are undoubtedly massaged and downright unreliable.

Taiwan and Singapore are possibly a bit more reliable than China and they seem to have it under control for now

Agree. Again.

[Real Al]

I wonder if any pub landlords will succumb to temptation and have 'afters' for their regulars in their pub?

Apparently Whitstable had a Bank Holiday atmosphere yesterday, with hoards of daytrippers and restaurants and bars open. Council are moving to close them down, but seriously, how stupid is the British public?

Judging by the numbers of people buying Mothers' day flowers this morning, a lot of old dears are going to be in trouble over the next few weeks.

[Lucky7]

I wonder if any pub landlords will succumb to temptation and have 'afters' for their regulars in their pub?

Apparently Whitstable had a Bank Holiday atmosphere yesterday, with hoards of daytrippers and restaurants and bars open. Council are moving to close them down, but seriously, how stupid is the British public?

Judging by the numbers of people buying Mothers' day flowers this morning, a lot of old dears are going to be in trouble over the next few weeks.

Same in Brighton & Hove and Snowdonia as well
On a personal note my old dad is terminally ill with cancer and it kills us as a family to have to stay away at the moment thank god for Skype etc etc

[BoniO]

I wonder if any pub landlords will succumb to temptation and have 'afters' for their regulars in their pub?

Apparently Whitstable had a Bank Holiday atmosphere yesterday, with hoards of daytrippers and restaurants and bars open. Council are moving to close them down, but seriously, how stupid is the British public?

Judging by the numbers of people buying Mothers' day flowers this morning, a lot of old dears are going to be in trouble over the next few weeks.

Shouldn't the old bill be enforcing this?

[Lucky7]

Oh dear has that ratbag Cummings been found out

[DonaldRocks]

Oh dear has that ratbag Cummings been found out

This needs to be examined alot further when we get through this.

I know it's not overly natural and can be hard for people to do. Please enjoy mothers day but don't visit your mother's. Please self isolate and help protect lives. We can do this.

[slacker]

Well, you can see the utilitarian thinking behind Cummings & Johnson’s early strategy - accept that a certain number of covid deaths/icu needs are going to happen anyway, so rather get that done with minimal restrictions to daily lives and don’t completely tank the economy.

But as it’s become clearer that thinking would completely overwhelm the health service, including less available care for the other, usual illnesses and accidents as serious virus cases spike. So they’ve had to concede the situation needs to be managed to spread things out as much as possible if they aren’t to be guilty of causing tens (hundreds?) of thousands of avoidable deaths.

[DonaldRocks]

In Italy, a mixed message from politicians lead many people to continue life as normal. The Italians now wish the could have reversed that.

Boris didn't cancel large events like Cheltenham or the Champions League or any large events at all. The sporting organisations themselves eventually acted. Lack of leadership and lack of a collective policy sadly will lead to many people loosing their lives.

The networks in America need to shut down in real time the Trump misinformation that he has been allowed to give daily. Enough is enough. Let the medical experts talk to the people, full stop.

[BIGRON]

I fancy a days fishing to get away from it all , i wonder if the venues are allowed to open

[StillSpike]

Golf is continuing up here - with some changes in practice to keep everyone apart (with my appalling golf I'm already well versed in social distancing - I'm never withing 50 yards of my partners anyway)

At the moment it's being seen as a safe form of exercise so long as clubhouses are shut, no-one touches pins, swaps cards, touches anyone else's equipment or shakes hands etc.

I wonder how much longer it'll carry on.

[Lucky7]