COVID-19 Pandemic

[feb1991blizzard]

7 minutes ago, Snowy L said:

The overreactions have been ridiculous. People seem to have this idea that places like Italy and France for example gave out all this cash relief when the very first case was announced. People need to remember we are several weeks behind Italy and a week or so behind France. France only announced their 300billion to help a couple of days ago. So relative to our phases into our respective epidemics we have offered cash quicker than France have.

Isn't it better you do it sooner though?

[Zak M]

6 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Probably a kind of protest thinking that it might shut the school, kids get afraid too you know.

To the point where they deliberately pull out a container of hand sanitizer from the wall? 

I understand that it could be some kind of protest, but considering the amount of hand sanitizer is available in some stores due to panic buying, pulling the container out of the wall wasn't the most smartest idea!

Edited March 17, 2020 by Zak M

[BarnetBlizzard]

5 minutes ago, Onding said:

I'm glad people are confident about this. I'm not. We are in unchartered territory and the idea that it'll only be 6-7k deaths in Italy is wide of the mark. There won't be a vaccine for some time and we've got the autumn and winter to get through, when there is likely to be further peaks potentially worse than this one. Countries will be better prepared yes, but health systems only go so far. There's a reason even conservative estimates have 20k deaths for the UK - this will be active for some time, in repeated peaks and troughs until we're all vaccinated.

I'm confident the lock down will reduce deaths in the coming weeks based on whats happened in China and what is happening in the last few day in Italy. 

It won't just be 6-7k deaths though, once they resume some sort of normal life then this virus will hit back. Hopefully by this point we will have a better understanding on how to treat severe cases, have more Doctors and nurses, more ventilators etc and as a result less deaths.   This virus won't stop however until we have herd immunity - either through the majority of people contracting it or via a vaccine. 

 

 

[Summer Sun]

 

[Dami]

1 minute ago, Zak M said:

To the point where they deliberately pull out a container of hand sanitizer from the wall? 

I understand that it could be some kind of protest, but considering the amount of hand sanitizer is available in some stores due to panic buying, pulling the container out of the wall isn't the most smartest idea!

Should be expelled, but maybe thats the idea?

[Cheshire Freeze]

23 minutes ago, Man With Beard said:

Watching the chancellor at the press meeting. Swift and sizeable action to counter financial problems caused by coronavirus.

On this occasion, impressed!

What a talent Sunak seems to be. Really quite refreshing!

[Zak M]

1 minute ago, Dami said:

Should be expelled, but maybe thats the idea?

They should without a doubt be expelled, but unfortunately, no one at our school knows the kids names.

This isn't the only thing they have done that is outright awful and disgusting either.

[feb1991blizzard]

4 minutes ago, Zak M said:

To the point where they deliberately pull out a container of hand sanitizer from the wall? 

I understand that it could be some kind of protest, but considering the amount of hand sanitizer is available in some stores due to panic buying, pulling the container out of the wall wasn't the most smartest idea!

Yes, its the only time i would ever say this and still not saying it would be right and would never encourage this but thieving it would have at least been a smarter move and also more understandable.

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Dami said:

Asked about closing schools and he just mumbled into his desk.

You know what i did before school today. I went upstairs and had a little cry. I feel like i am leading my daughter  to slaughter.

 

Sorry to hear that  It is really surreal in schools at the moment. There's not a lot we can say to the kids, who are full of questions as to what might happen, even though we have our opinions it isn't right to project those onto the kids. We keep emphasising good hygiene, supervising washing hands after playtime and before lunch, etc. We have also stopped assemblies.

I expect the government to announce closures by the end of the week. As I said previously, schools are having to take measures into their own hands as staff and pupil sickness takes hold. Our school has two staff isolating this week with another two isolating from tomorrow - cover is stretched as thin as it can be right now.

Given Boris's short answer tonight, there will be more to come from him regarding schools in the coming days. Given their language in the press conference this evening, a full lockdown type scenario sounds like the next step "in the coming days".

Take care  

[Zak M]

1 minute ago, Onding said:

Sorry to hear that  It is really surreal in schools at the moment. There's not a lot we can say to the kids, who are full of questions as to what might happen, even though we have our opinions it isn't right to project those onto the kids. We keep emphasising good hygiene, supervising washing hands after playtime and before lunch, etc. We have also stopped assemblies.

I expect the government to announce closures by the end of the week. As I said previously, schools are having to take measures into their own hands as staff and pupil sickness takes hold. Our school has two staff isolating this week with another two isolating from tomorrow - cover is stretched as thin as it can be right now.

Given Boris's short answer tonight, there will be more to come from him regarding schools in the coming days. Given their language in the press conference this evening, a full lockdown type scenario sounds like the next step "in the coming days".

Take care  

They will 100% announce closures.

If they don't, all protests and hell will break lose.

[Dami]

6 minutes ago, Onding said:

Sorry to hear that  It is really surreal in schools at the moment. There's not a lot we can say to the kids, who are full of questions as to what might happen, even though we have our opinions it isn't right to project those onto the kids. We keep emphasising good hygiene, supervising washing hands after playtime and before lunch, etc. We have also stopped assemblies.

I expect the government to announce closures by the end of the week. As I said previously, schools are having to take measures into their own hands as staff and pupil sickness takes hold. Our school has two staff isolating this week with another two isolating from tomorrow - cover is stretched as thin as it can be right now.

Given Boris's short answer tonight, there will be more to come from him regarding schools in the coming days. Given their language in the press conference this evening, a full lockdown type scenario sounds like the next step "in the coming days".

Take care  

Thank you for your kinds words.

 

[Sky Full]

2 hours ago, Summer Sun said:

Ocado currently have a waiting time of approximately 2-hours to access the website!

You're lucky you live an area where Ocado deliver at all!  We'd love to have access to a home delivery service!   So it's a trip to the local Spar for us when the cupboard is empty....

[Zak M]

Up to 55,000 people could be infected with coronavirus in the UK and 20,000 are expected to die, according to the government’s top scientific officer.

Sir Patrick Vallance said the number of predicted deaths was ‘horrible’ but would still represent a ‘good outcome’ given the amount of people expected to become infected with the deadly disease. At a Health select committee in the House of Commons, chairman Jeremy Hunt had asked about estimates there will be one fatality for every 1,000 cases, which would mean that there are ‘potentially 55,000 cases’ at present. Sir Patrick said this was a ‘reasonable ballpark way of looking at it’ based on modelling information, adding ‘it’s not more accurate than that’. Sir Patrick Vallance: 'I think we need a big increase in testing'. Asked whether it was hoped that deaths could potentially get below 20,000, Sir Patrick said fewer than this would be considered a ‘good outcome’ in terms of where the government is hoping to get to with containing the epidemic. He added: ‘That’s still horrible, it’s still an enormous number of deaths and an enormous pressure on the health service, and having spent 20 years as an NHS consultant as well as an academic, I know what that looks and feels like.’ However he said the stringent social distancing measures introduced on Monday should ‘have a very significant effect on the peak’ and lead to a reduction in cases and deaths after two to three weeks. The chief scientist said he wanted to ramp up testing across the UK in an effort to slow the spread of the disease. At present, the policy is to test only those in hospital already, or those at a care home or prison infected with the virus. So far, 50,442 people have been tested, of which 48,492 were confirmed negative and 1,950 were confirmed as positive – a jump of almost a third from yesterday’s figures.

 

More: 

UK has about 55,000 coronavirus cases, says chief scientist

METRO.CO.UK

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Sir Patrick Vallance said the government's aim was for fewer than 20,000 people to die with 55,000 people expected to be infected.

 

[nick sussex]

At least with a lot of countries  splashing the cash an economic recovery after the virus has a better chance of happening sooner rather than later .

One country alone doing that really wouldn’t help because we’re so reliant on global growth .

I know economics shouldn’t be at the forefront at this time, as the main priority should be saving lives but it’s still important to protect as many businesses as possible .

[feb1991blizzard]

Coronavirus UK: Utility bills and council tax may be SCRAPPED | Daily Mail Online

WWW.DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

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Government economists laid out the extraordinary options as Chancellor Rishi Sunak prepares to unveil measures to stop the UK effectively going bust.

 

[Snipper]

32 minutes ago, Dami said:

Asked about closing schools and he just mumbled into his desk.

 

Yes but he is being led by the advice he is being given who are far more experienced about such matters than he is.  
 

Does anyone really think he is making decisions on anything other than what he is being told on this subject?

Edited March 17, 2020 by Snipper

[feb1991blizzard]

3 minutes ago, Snipper said:

Yes but he is being led by the advice he is being given who are far more experienced about such matters than he is.  
 

Does anyone really thing he is making decisions on anything other than what he is being told on this subject?

You sure you have the right end of the stick here?

[Rush2019]

26 minutes ago, Dami said:

Asked about closing schools and he just mumbled into his desk.

You know what i did before school today. I went upstairs and had a little cry. I feel like i am leading my daughter  to slaughter.

 

My heart goes out to you, it's a really desperate time, we are acting on advice given and praying it is the right thing to do. Perhaps now is a good idea to set up that thread of support you suggested on Sunday. 

[kold weather]

6 minutes ago, nick sussex said:

At least with a lot of countries  splashing the cash an economic recovery after the virus has a better chance of happening sooner rather than later .

One country alone doing that really wouldn’t help because we’re so reliant on global growth .

I know economics shouldn’t be at the forefront at this time, as the main priority should be saving lives but it’s still important to protect as many businesses as possible .

Well economics is important, the suffering and hardship is a well known factor in  reduction in life expectancy and things like suicide, mental health issues. Its certainly important.

[nick sussex]

The Sanctuary at Lourdes is now closed .

That hasn’t happened in over a hundred years . I think it shows the unprecedented nature of what we’re seeing .

 

[Snipper]

Just now, Rush2112 said:

My heart goes out to you, it's a really desperate time, we are acting on advice given and praying it is the right thing to do. Perhaps now is a good idea to set up that thread of support you suggested on Sunday. 

Please make your own decisions. At the end of the day nobody is going to do anything about it. If you don’t like your kids going to school take them out. 

[Joseph Hudson]

any one think this might mean anything

Edited March 17, 2020 by Joseph Hudson

[kold weather]

8 minutes ago, Snipper said:

Yes but he is being led by the advice he is being given who are far more experienced about such matters than he is.  
 

Does anyone really thing he is making decisions on anything other than what he is being told on this subject?

Its a balancing act really, one that is probably very difficult to strike, between economic factors and health issues, as well as just pure logistics.

I think we must now be getting very close to the point where many schools close purely because they cannot staff it anymore at a safe level, and once that arrives, I think school closures are inevitable anyway, whether its policy or not. 

They no doubt want to make it to Easter holidays, I think they might fall a little short though based on a quicker timetable.

Edited March 17, 2020 by kold weather

[nick sussex]

1 minute ago, kold weather said:

Well economics is important, the suffering and hardship is a well known factor in  reduction in life expectancy and things like suicide, mental health issues. Its certainly important.

This is a very difficult time for people who are not only worried about the impact of the virus on loved ones but also now having to cope with anxiety and stress over their jobs .

[Snipper]

4 minutes ago, nick sussex said:

The Sanctuary at Lourdes is now closed .

That hasn’t happened in over a hundred years . I think it shows the unprecedented nature of what we’re seeing .

 

Remember going to Lourdes.  One of the most tacky places I have been to. Get your luminous Virgin  Mary in one of the shops I saw. 

Edited March 17, 2020 by Snipper