Covid-19

[John Cook]

I like the idea of self-isolation.  Already retired so don't go out unless I have to anyway.  It means I have a legitimate excuse to ignore people who I'd otherwise talk to out of politeness. 14 days isn't long enough.  Just as long as it is over by Colours.

[Dr Dave]

I think the current UK Government is treating the whole thing as a "peasant cull" and will not order any kind of ban on travel, work, schools, events, etc so as to limit the loss of money to the bigwigs - and to hell with all the poor!

I am, thankfully, currently well but I am avoiding crowds, public transport etc. (not attending Hammerhead out of an "abundance of caution")

What utter nonsense - is it mostly what you call "peasants" and "the poor" who have died? I've a strong suspicion you have no idea as to the socioeconomic make up of the, so far, 21 fatalities. The virus certainly has no idea.

[Scorpio_Rocks]

What utter nonsense - is it mostly what you call "peasants" and "the poor" who have died? I've a strong suspicion you have no idea as to the socioeconomic make up of the, so far, 21 fatalities. The virus certainly has no idea.

Yes the Virus doesn't care about your socio-economic group but not putting any kind of measures in place ensures the spread and it is, inevitably, those in lower paid jobs that are less capable of working from home / taking time off and are much more likely to live in closer proximity to others so far more likely to catch the virus. Also conditions such as Asthma, Diabetes, Lung issues, etc all of which contribute to the increased fatality rate are all MUCH more prevalent in low wage and "struggling" areas.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/14/coronavirus-outbreak-inequality-austerity-pandemic?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1584182568
This article does have some figures from professional bodies which support the idea that austerity and the governments lack of action WILL have a huge impact on who and how many die!

I was trying to be light-hearted in my initial post and didn't expect that level of vitriol in response... I have no desire to antagonise anyone - have a good day and stay safe.

[flamingpig0]

What utter nonsense - is it mostly what you call "peasants" and "the poor" who have died? I've a strong suspicion you have no idea as to the socioeconomic make up of the, so far, 21 fatalities. The virus certainly has no idea.

The virus is obviously not an intelligent actor in this but it is recognised that it will impact more on some more than others.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-poor-and-marginalized-will-be-the-hardest-hit-by-coronavirus/

Having grown up watching 70;s sc-fi dystopias all this seems very familiar - hmmm

[steve_holmes_11]

There's a thread here that does a decent job of assessing the direction (and inherent threats) in a herd-immunity strategy.

https://twitter.com/iandonald_psych/status/1238518371651649538


There's a serious concern whether the scientific civil service or the weirdos and misfits are driving.

[Dr Dave]

Yes the Virus doesn't care about your socio-economic group but not putting any kind of measures in place ensures the spread and it is, inevitably, those in lower paid jobs that are less capable of working from home / taking time off and are much more likely to live in closer proximity to others so far more likely to catch the virus. Also conditions such as Asthma, Diabetes, Lung issues, etc all of which contribute to the increased fatality rate are all MUCH more prevalent in low wage and "struggling" areas.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/14/coronavirus-outbreak-inequality-austerity-pandemic?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1584182568
This article does have some figures from professional bodies which support the idea that austerity and the governments lack of action WILL have a huge impact on who and how many die!

I was trying to be light-hearted in my initial post and didn't expect that level of vitriol in response... I have no desire to antagonise anyone - have a good day and stay safe.

I meant no vitriol in my response. Just dismay.

[flamingpig0]

There's a thread here that does a decent job of assessing the direction (and inherent threats) in a herd-immunity strategy.

https://twitter.com/iandonald_psych/status/1238518371651649538


There's a serious concern whether the scientific civil service or the weirdos and misfits are driving.

That the  government is using  cyberpunk characters for a person specification  does not fill me with confidence.


https://theconversation.com/ive-studied-the-weirdos-dominic-cummings-is-talking-about-im-not-sure-he-really-understands-who-they-are-129418

[paulr]

My wife is currently in Melbourne, Australia having just attended a friend's wedding

Her flight back is scheduled to land at 11:55pm tonight, Sunday

Yesterday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced, "From midnight Sunday, everyone arriving in New Zealand will have to isolate themselves for 14 days"

I'm assuming that she won't be through customs by midnight so will have to isolate for 14 days (will find out once she is through customs etc)

I'll probably be working from home for the next three days before starting a planned 'stay-cation' to reduce my leave balance before the end of the financial year

We'll have to "maintain social distancing" and I won't be going into the airport to collect her, she can come to the car

I did a large grocery shop this morning, plenty on the shelves, except for hand sanitizer, only two very small bottles in one of our three local supermarkets
We have two large bottle from my wife's work so I left them for someone else

The NZ government have now pushed back the deadline to 1am Monday and clarified that it is the touch down time that counts

I didn't realise the virus was that good at telling time

My boss is still checking if I need to work from home and my wife is checking with her boss, particularly important as she works with support workers for the aged and ill

All of the extra groceries I bought will keep for weeks or months so no harm there

[Techno]

A couple of changes in "the area" of Techno Towers.

The care home where the Mother in law resides, has gone into 'lockdown'......ie NO visitors.
To a great extent that's finally made our minds up about not visiting for at least a good while. (Basically, until they tell us we CAN go over....When that will be, who knows ?)

Von and I have been discussing for a fair while now, whether it be 'right' to go over and see her....Just in case ! We were erring on the side of caution, anyway.
Don't think it will worry 'Mum', as her short term memory is almost non-existant...So she probably won't notice anyway.

Far better safe than sorry, so we both fully approve.
Not all the residents suffer from dementia as badly as Mum.....So I DO feel sorry for them......There are others at the home that are a good bit worse. So they won't notice, bless 'em.

Second 'closure' is our local surgery.....Only urgent appointments.
I'm not due to go down there again until the middle of May..and that's only for a B12 jab....So it shouldn't really affect us.
Again, have to approve of the 'safety' element of this decision.

I hear on the radio that 'older' people may soon be asked to self isolate, whether they've got symptoms, or not.....I wonder if I'm going to fall into that bracket ?....Hope not.
We're all but self isolating already, anyway.

Stay healthy, Gang.

Cheers - Phil.

[paulr]

I think the aim of the elderly self isolating is to keep them safer as it reduces their potential exposure

I got a text message from my doctor on Tuesday
"Hi Paul, This is the UH Health Centre, If you think you may have Coronavirus phone Healthline 0800... PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE HEALTH CENTRE. Thank you, Plse do not reply."

Made me feel very appreciated

[Techno]

I think the aim of the elderly self isolating is to keep them safer as it reduces their potential exposure

I'm absolutely sure that that's the case, Paul.

Around here, there are a good number of farmers who are my age.....or a good bit older.

Practically, they wouldn't be able to self isolate....They have to keep checking their animals and collect feed and 'meds' for their animals from the local 'co-ops'......There wouldn't be enough 'young' farmers available to pick up the 'slack'.

If the Govt DO go down this route, it depends on where the 'cut off' for the age comes....and whether the relevant folk are 'asked' or 'told' to self isolate.  

Cheers - Phil.

Updating this from a quick gander from the Beeb's news site......' Self isolation for the over 70's within weeks'.
Yes....It's for their own good...But it could , and most likely would, go on for weeks and weeks and weeks....And I can't see many folk being 'mentally able' to cope with that. It'd drive me right 'round the bend.....(Alright...further 'round the bend than I already am.)
I could just about cope with two weeks, if I were unfortunate enough to catch the wretched thing.....or if there was a danger that I'd been 'exposed' to it...but beyond that, I personally, would find it really difficult to deal with.

Cheers, again - Phil.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Well being over 7000 Phil perhaps you should be isolated now !!

Seriously, catch Broadcasting House on Sounds, the Scots Chief Medical officer explained what they wanted. Itis not as bad as the headlines make it !

[Techno]

Look, Ian......

I've survived umpteen frigging plagues, and goodness knows what else, in all that time.

I'll try and listen to that, a bit later....Thanks, Matey !

Cheers - Phil

[Raider4]

Just been to my usual Sunday morning shop - 09:40 @ Tesco's, every Sunday, nice & leisurely (normally), can wander round in mostly empty aisles, nodding to a few regulars who do the same.

Today? Utter effing madness. You'd think it was Xmas week. People charging everywhere, obviously not used to this shopping lark. Everyone's got bog rolls - mostly 9 or 36 packs. I saw a couple of trolleys with 4 x 36 packs of bog rolls in them. No nappies, shortages of basic things like tins of beans & soup.

Obviously the "no panic buying" message is being completely ignored.

This is how we go, not with a bang but an orgy of over-buying stuff we don't need.

I despair of the human race at times. Maybe Adams was right, and we are all the descendants of marketing executives & telephone sanitisers . . .

[Techno]

I despair of the human race at times. Maybe Adams was right, and we are all the descendants of marketing executives & telephone sanitisers . . .

Sadly......Amen to that, Martyn.

So far, it hasn't been quite as bad in 'my' corner of Wales.

I've already said to Von, that I'll do the 'shop' tomorrow......(We usually do two medium sized 'shops' per week....Von on Monday....Me on a Thursday......As Von is a 'Night Owl'.....and me the ' Early Bird' I think It's better for me to go in early.... There's nothing we're anything like remotely short of....and I need to 'panic' buy)....But because of certain folk getting in a complete 'tizz', I'd rather Von didn't go in with the panic buyers.

In six months time (HOPEFULLY)....we'll be wondering what all the 'faff' was about.....I'm really sure we will.

(And there will be oodles of people with shelves full of out of date stuff in the backs of their kitchen cupboards.......Which will go into landfill.

Cheers - Phil