Re: Coronavirus
 

I look forward to the release of scientific advice for peer-review demonstrating that the extra 8 days for so 'flattened the curve'. I'm sure it will prove a valuable lesson for scientists around the world attempting to head off future pandemics.

---------- Post added at 16:21 ---------- Previous post was at 15:29 ----------

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-a9402441.html

Trump to add UK to his travel ban. Clearly the United States is not yet ready to import some herd immunity.

Re: Coronavirus
 

The risk associated with a total lockdown - aside from the economic, which shouldn’t be sniffed at, as the survivors still need jobs and state services - is that if it is too successful it risks pushing more cases into next winter’s seasonal flu, when health services will be under pressure again.

Trump faces an election later this year. He doesn’t have the UK government’s luxury of sticking to sound science despite the harping on of political opportunists and armchair experts. He has to be seen to be Doing Something, at the risk of losing the votes of people whose opinions run way ahead of their expertise.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Boris' plan is the high risk high reward strategy which will be judged by if it holds or ends in disaster.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Perhaps, but it is notable that HMG continues to get political cover from the most senior experts involved here. It is chief scientists and medical officers who are continually on the news explaining and defending the government’s strategy. Even in Scotland, where we have a first minister who finds it impossible to pass up the chance of a grand gesture or to exercise differentiation from England (and Tories in particular), the approach is near identical. Intervening to prevent gatherings of more than 500 people is the only significant difference in approach, and has been taken in order to free up emergency services personnel for other more pressing tasks rather than out of a fundamentally different weighing of the risk of further viral transmission. It pains me to admit it but Nippy Sturgeon is for once doing what she is handsomely paid for, and exercising devolved powers in order to best utilise the state services that are under her control, because they are organised in a way that best supports Scottish society and geography.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Ah the old experts excuse. Everyone's an expert and they all have different opinions. All based on what they think is scientifically right.

Re: Coronavirus
 

They're also employees of the Crown, so can't really go on telly and say anything else but Government policy.

The alternative is to resign.

Re: Coronavirus
 

But Bozo is taking advice from these 'experts'. Herd immunity... More like an excuse to thin the herd...

People will only take so much before they start taking matters in their own hands (started already). But even judging by some on here, some really do believe everything they hear and read and without questioning.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Luckily (he said hopefully), I changed our flights this morning to fly back Monday night, rather than Thursday...

Re: Coronavirus
 

Correct.

Note that they haven't exercised their right to refuse to go on the telly at all, and they have not resigned.

I understand how desperate you are to paint this as an unfolding disaster caused by Tory incompetence, but this is daft even by your blinkered standards.

---------- Post added at 17:53 ---------- Previous post was at 17:52 ----------

Quite. And it looks like you probably ought to question the sources you've apparently been leaning into, just a little more carefully.

Re: Coronavirus
 

It's too early to say if the theory will work. A point we both accepted in consecutive posts earlier this afternoon.

The only difference is you believe it to be sound and I do not. Time will tell. The scientific community is observably divided around the world on this - I'm sure you'd accept that?

Re: Coronavirus
 

There's no simple answer to what is right and what is wrong. It all depends on so many factors, such as geography, demographics, societal behaviour, time of year, weather, timing of epidemic, etc. Eg Kids being kept in schools is a form of curfew. It keeps them away from the general population. If now they will be milling around with everybody else and getting up to who knows what(see example from Thailand in post #449), that is a very different situation. If cold or other bad weather kept them at home, it would be different. It's different from school holidays because overseas travel also tends to happen then, eg half-term trips to Northern Italy.


If the policy of keeping of schools open is abandoned, we will never really know if it was going to be a good idea.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Ocado has taken it's app offline after unprecedented demand. I'm glad I got my orders booked for a few weeks in advance.

Tesco, Morrisons & Sainsburys are to share depots and vans if need be as the government will also waive competition law, allowing supermarkets to share data with each other to ensure there is no food shortage.

In the coming days, adverts will appear encouraging people to buy food and supplies for those affected by the virus.

Re: Coronavirus
 

There is plenty of Paint stock at your local DIY store, as people are already stocking up in order to decorate when they self isolate.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Even in normal times, having set up an order doesn't guarantee the products will be available at the time. The items are picked off the shelves the same as for any other shopper.


A lot of people should now have enough set aside to ride out a period of self-isolation. It should now mostly be a matter of normal routine buying to keep going.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Ocado don't have stores, it is all done from warehouses.