Re: Coronavirus
 

"from food processing to transport to Border Force"

oh come on, that phrase is about as meaningless as you can get, but let's go with it to make you happy.

Food Processing:
butchers, bakers, fishmongers, fast food outlets, restaurants, hotels, raw food suppliers, food factory workers (including agency/zero contract) . . and more.

Transport:
hauliers/drivers (from HGV to light vans), warehouse workers, bus drivers, train/tube drivers and platform staff, taxi drivers, airport and ferry personnel . . and more.

Border Force:
customs officials, police, immigration services, and all the departments that associate with them . .

I'm no expert or mathematical genius, but that lot there adds up to well over 100,000 people . . before you start adding hospital workers (from cleaners to consultants) doctors surgeries, opticians, dentists, refuse collectors, shop workers, social workers, care workers . . and many more.

I'll ask again (because nowhere is giving me a decent answer) . .

What is a 'key worker' and why are there only 100,000 of them?

Re: Coronavirus
 

Perhaps you need to contact the person who said it (or his advisors, press officers, aides, etc.), as I assume most, if not all of the CF’ers, are in that group of people?

However, in the spirit of trying to be helpful, I googled "who are the key workers boris johnson mentioned" with a filter of "last 24 hours", and this was the first thing that came up…

https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/ke...om-10-january/

Re: Coronavirus
 

The thing is Hugh, everywhere I look has almost the same answer you gave me earlier.

Surely there must be some media outlet that has the same question as a 68yr old bloke on a forum, or does every journalist, reporter and news program just decide to print/repeat what they're told 'because it's true, honest'?

Is journalism that 'dead' that nobody looks at a statement and questions its obvious lack of clarity?

The best I could find is from this Gov. Covid page from 4th Jan:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/p...sting-measures


. . . and that doesn't mention hospitals etc either, unless it's all 'wrapped up' in the 'critical national infrastructure' part?

and again, only 100,000 people?

Re: Coronavirus
 

You should have taken part in Johnson's Monday evening phone-in and asked the man himself. It would have been more relevant than The Sun's question about reducing VAT on energy.

However, Sky's running a live Q&A now until 7.30pm, so why not put your question to them here: https://news.sky.com/story/ask-a-que...l-now-12495443

Re: Coronavirus
 

They won't let me anywhere near the shysters :D

Re: Coronavirus
 

:D

Did you see this addition to my post?

Re: Coronavirus
 

Perhaps they dont really care that much as they know full details will come in time, like it has done every other time "key workers" has been used as a phrase.

Still, once its defined you can ask why the total isnt exactly 100,000, as stated :angel:

Re: Coronavirus
 

I’m classed as a key worker, I’m not being tested.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Not key enough evidently.

Re: Coronavirus
 

No Paul, it's just more garbage thrown to the media that has no substance and is sufficiently vague enough to have no merit whatsoever.
The numbers don't add up. They might add up once (if) things become clearer, but that's no excuse to throw out something so 'piss poor' to the media in order to say 'hey look, we have a plan'

If the Government want me - and others - to take this Covid stuff seriously, they shouldn't release news that makes me think "if that's the best you can do, I'm going to ignore everything you say in future, so stuff your Covid" :rolleyes:


In 2019, there were 400,000 employed in food manufacturing, if just 25% of those 'qualify' for daily tests, that's 100,000 right there.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/...ed-kingdom-uk/




NHS Workforce Statistics - January 2021
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-info...s/january-2021


Again, if just 15% of that group 'qualify', it gets you over the 100,000 mark.


so . . just how important, or 'critical' is a role in Transport or Health Care in order to 'qualify' as one of the 100,000 to test daily?

and that's without adding all the other jobs/roles/professions in the muddied list.

Re: Coronavirus
 

I really dont care that much what the definition is tbh, certainly not enough to keep ranting on about it.

Ouch ... meoooww.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Cut them some slack Carth it's not easy to make stuff up as you go along bound to be the odd slip up.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Well, if anyone is on here via Virgin Media……………my pleasure.

Re: Coronavirus
 

I didn’t question whether you were a “key worker”.

As Carth points out 100,000 touted now (critical workers seems to be Government parlance) is far fewer than those who in retail, manufacturing, healthcare, critical national infrastructure, Civil Servants. The total under the key worker definition would be well into the millions.

Re: Coronavirus
 

aye, true enough I guess.
Probably I'm just an old (fashioned) fart that, for some strange reason, expects to see a little more 'professionalism' from those making the news, and those reporting it :blush: :erm:

Never, not in a million years . . . that would equate to at least 7 million tests a week . . . do we have enough test kits? ;) :ninja: