Coronavirus

[loppylugs 8,427]

You have a valid point, Col.  Just seems to me that humanity faces a common crisis here and it is hardly time to be playing politics with it.

[Brew 5,408]

I think we all recognise politics are deeply ingrained in all aspects of out lives though I don't subscribe to the melodramatic WW1 analogy .

You are right about my use of the word 'socialist' when I need to express my distaste for those who put dogma in place of common sense and claim it's for the common good. I don't think I have ever inferred its illegal to be a socialist. and empathy is not the sole domain of the left, being a socialist does not automatically give them the moral high ground.

 

There is a fine line between under-funding deliberately and 'prudently'  balancing the books. No government has a bottomless pit of money.

 

As for the lockdown we were later than some, earlier than others, a judgement call that history will tell us the rights and wrong of.

The  donations you speak of were admittedly more than the airline workers union donations to Labour but how much influence it bought is open to doubt.

 

 

[HSR 286]

IHow many runners will J.P. have at next year's Cheltenham Festival....

[Cliff Ton 10,457]

Another strange side-effect of CV is the disappearance of real money.

 

I've used card payments for years anyway, but now a lot of places are actively encouraging people to not use coins.

 

I've got about £2.50 in loose change which I've had for over 6 weeks. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to get rid of it.

[DJ360 6,721]

I had 5 pound coins on my bedside table for weeks on end. I used three of them to repay a neighbour who picked up a couple of things for me yesterday.  I bleached them first.  I also bleached the stuff she got me. No offence intended or taken. 

My wallet had £70 in it.  All plastic notes which have had the bleach treatment. I can't recall if I mentioned finding three £10 notes under a hedgerow a few weeks back.. in a place where the young 'stoners' tend to park up and do their 'deals'.   I brought all three home clutched in the same hand before dunking them straight in bleach.  They then went into my wallet but £30 was added to my own donation to the 'Big Night In'.

 

I keep 20p coins in  the centre console of my car... mostly for feeding parking meters etc., but also handy for emergencies.  There's probably about £25-30 in there and now covered in a layer of fine dust...

[DJ360 6,721]

This arrived today with a Chinese made car battery charger.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/6Cxwg5xaXvvm2kYD7

[DJ360 6,721]

So.. as I said last night.. Johnson has precipitated chaos.. His recorded announcement last night allowed for no questions and already this morning his Govt is contradicting itself.

 

Reports indicate that London Underground trains are packed with people going to work.  General chaos reigns. Nobdy understands the rules/directives/advice because Boris doesn't do detail.. or leadership.. or anything much.

 

Utter criminal negligence and stupidity on the part of this Govt.

 

I am now going to predict that there will be a spike in hospital admissions with Covid-19 in 2-4 weeks time.

 

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[philmayfield 6,115]

He specifically stated ‘avoid public transport’ so you can hardly blame him for packed underground trains.

[DJ360 6,721]

OK. I'll take that.. but he has opened Pandora's Box. 

 

He clearly didn't think instruct TFL to enforce strict social distancing on the Tube, not did he give them time to plan.

 

What is happening today, is a very clear indication that what Johnson said last night was not clear or precise enough.  He's too busy trying to play Churchill and not busy enough formulating clear and easily understood advice.  In fact I'd go so far as to say that 'advice' is not enough in these times.  People need firm direction.

 

Expecting people to go back to work when many live miles away from their jobs and have no other realistic way to get there is idiocy.  As I said. Johnson doesn't do detail.  Somebody needs to.

[philmayfield 6,115]

The guy’s in an impossible no win situation. He’s got to give people some hope without opening the flood gates. It’s so easy to criticise him but nobody seems to come up with a solution that will keep everyone happy.

[DJ360 6,721]

I accept it's very difficult, but he keeps making schoolboy errors.  He is incompetent.

[philmayfield 6,115]

The full 50 page ‘roadmap’ is due to be published today. Let’s see what that has to say before we brand people as incompetent. 
The Tories won the election with a landslide. That was the democratic will of the people. Labour didn’t stand a chance as they showed themselves to be dithering and incompetent and the people didn’t want a hard left wing government. No matter how much you shout Boris down he’s here to stay for duration of this parliament. As I’ve said, the guy’s in a no win situation. All he can do is to try and keep up the morale.

[Rob.L 1,088]

I don’t think he’s in an impossible position. His real problem is a total lack of clarity in how he and the rest of the government are communicating with the people. This leads to contradictions and confusion.

 

I’d hazard a guess that this is because he and his cabal are trying to control everything themselves rather than allowing each minister to form their own policies.

 

This was seen only yesterday when he had already recorded his broadcast before even discussing it with his cabinet.

[philmayfield 6,115]

But the problem is that no one in the Government has got ‘the final solution’. Everyone has got their own ideas and it’s impossible to condense these into a firm policy. At the moment there can be no firm plan because nobody knows which way things will swing. The ‘lock down’ policy does seem to be having an effect but the public need a bit of morale boosting from time to time as well.

[Brew 5,408]

As PhilMayfield has  said he specifically stated go by car , walk or bike and if you can and avoid public transport. 

 

He is under the cosh really trying to balance public health and limit the degree to which the economy tanks but I admit there is confusion and obfuscation by our glorious leaders.

 

Prof Ferguson (advisor) says we need to tighten the lockdown further, Europe is easing up more than the UK, Sturgeon says she's having none of it. Some university research has said let it spread but protect the vulnerable (the herd immunity theory again). With so many fingers in the pie clarity is never going to happen, nor is it helping when Raab sings a different hymn.

 

I do think it too early and note there is a new outbreak in Wuhan now the restrictions are lifted. Col is right, there will be a spike in infections, there will be an increase in deaths and until we have a vaccine containment is the only sensible way forward.

 

I think there is a danger that the longer the virus continues to circulate the greater the chance it will mutate and become endemic.

[mercurydancer 1,104]

Boris has got it wrong this time, not necessarily because of what he said but how he said it. People should go back to work.... But who? I work in a hotel where the risk of coronavirus is high. Should I go back to work? I cannot socially distance at the hotel. 

 

At this time, when we are all looking to some kind of normality, firm rules are to be issued and adhered to. A list of people who can go back to work and who cannot would be a good idea. 

[Brew 5,408]

Actually MD he has given you guidance. Go back to work if you can work safely, it's up to you and your employer to do the risk assessment. I'd rather he said stay at home but many are now seriously struggling financially and the pressure on him to pull a rabbit out of the hat is enormous. I don't envy him.

[philmayfield 6,115]

As Brew says. It’s up to the individual and the employer to assess the risk. There’s no right or wrong in this matter, it’s just a question of sensible judgement. It’s impossible for the Government to judge the risk for every possible situation. A degree of common sense has to be applied. If in doubt - don’t!

[Rob.L 1,088]

As regards hotels, the government says...

 

For the time being, certain businesses and venues are required by law to stay closed to the public. These include:

restaurants and cafes, other than for takeaway

pubs, cinemas, theatres and nightclubs

clothing and electronics stores; hair, beauty and nail salons; and outdoor and indoor markets (not selling food)

libraries, community centres, and youth centres

indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, gyms, arcades and soft play facilities

some communal places within parks, such as playgrounds and outdoor gyms

places of worship (except for funerals)

hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses for commercial/leisure use, excluding use by those who live in them permanently, those who are unable to return home and critical workers where they need to for work

Food retailers and food markets, hardware stores, garden centres (from Wednesday 13 May) and certain other retailers can remain open. Other businesses can remain open and their employees can travel to work, where they cannot work from home. From Wednesday 13 May, the government will also allow outdoor sports facilities – such as tennis and basketball courts, golf courses and bowling greens – to open, but you should only use these alone, with members of your household, or with one other person from outside your household, while keeping two metres apart at all times.
 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing#businesses-and-venues

[loppylugs 8,427]

4 hours ago, Cliff Ton said:

Another strange side-effect of CV is the disappearance of real money.

 

I've used card payments for years anyway, but now a lot of places are actively encouraging people to not use coins.

 

I've got about £2.50 in loose change which I've had for over 6 weeks. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to get rid of it.

Personaliy I think this is part of a more hidden agenda.  That being, to do away with cash and bring in a one world currency.  What better way to do it than by a highly contagious virus that does tremendous damage to our respective economies?  The implications are more frightening than the virus.

The credit / debit card was just the beginning.

[Brew 5,408]

This is part of  'The New World Order'

The New World Order conspiracy theory  is supposed to be the creation of a "global government" run by a few bankers and mega rich that have connections to  the  Royal Family, the Rockefeller's, and the Rothschild family etc.. I can't find the source or origin but it's been knocking about for some time.

 

Basically it states that  the world should be run like a feudal dictatorship or a Caliphate if you like and  wants to move the entire world into a one currency system that issues a digital currency. 

 

If you can all form a queue outside my door and deposit all your wealth in the box provided I will be more than happy to issue a digital IOU so you will be ready when the time comes... Thank you

 

[Jill Sparrow 10,304]

Is this the barmy theory that involves reptilian shape shifters?  I think that was started by David Icke. Been hit on the head too many times with a football!

[Brew 5,408]

Very similar Jill but Ickes lot have to wear purple robes and are required to makes themselves look complete prats on national television

[Jill Sparrow 10,304]

Complete pratts on national television?  It's many years since I got rid of my tv but, even then, there was no shortage of those who aspired to be complete pratts.  Perhaps their numbers have multiplied since then.

 

Still, who am I to argue with their perception of reality?

[MargieH 7,599]

Did Boris mention water supply when answering someone's questions this afternoon - or did I dream/mishear it?

https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2020/04/researchers-concerned-that-covid-19-could-infect-the-water-supply/