Now is not the time...

[SydneyRover]

Some say you're a gentleman  by the way ask an Australian how long he would need to live in the UK before he starts barracking for England?

[selby]

  I would hope it would never Happen, couldn't see any Rovers fan actually cheering the convicts on. it would be like changing horses and becoming a Barnsley or Rotherham fan.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Got to say, the quality of the message the Govt is giving to the public is f**king dreadful.

Government advice clearly says that when you are self isolating, you do not go out for a walk.

Grant Shapps was on the radio this morning saying it's fine to take the dog for a walk.

It's not f**king hard is it? If you are going on the radio to tell people what Govt advice is in a massive national crisis, read the f**king advice first.

But this is what happens when you elevate this quality of person to the Cabinet. He's a barrowboy with a string of dodgy cases behind him. Including one where he ran a get-rich-quick scam under a false name, while he was a Minister, then threatened to sue a constituent who called him out.

This is not the quality of person we want guiding the country through an emergency like this.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I have to say I'm fast losing confidence with the Govt approach.

The press conference tonight was a car crash.

1) "Advising" people not to go to pubs and restaurants. That cuts off businesses from claiming on insurance.

2) Asked about fiscal stimulus to the economy, Johnson talked about "liquidity" which is a totally different thing.

3) No word at all on sick pay for people who don't currently qualify. Or the fact that people being expected to drop from a decent wage to £94/week SSP for an extended period of time will tip some families over the edge.

Hancock then goes to the Commons and announces the wrong number of deaths.

And now THIS comes out.

https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2020/03/government-documents-show-no-planning-ventilators-event-pandemic

That New Statesman article is appalling if true.

As I keep saying. This is NOT party political. It is about competence in the face of the worst crisis for 80 years.

It's worth remembering that the men who were PM at the start of WWI and II were got rid of when they turned out to not be up to the job.

[wilts rover]

Compare and contrast what ANYBODY currently in government has had to say on the covid-19 outbreak with the South Korean ambassador on Marr yesterday.

Dodgy, evasive, uninformative, ignoring questions and passing off theory as facts with someone who was measured informative and could evidence every answer to every question they were asked.

Johnson needs to shape up very, very quickly.

[BillyStubbsTears]

The more I think about it, this lack of ventilators is horrific.

Estimates are we might have 2-300,000 cases needing ventilators at the peak.

We have 5000.

We knew this was a critical shortage 4 years ago.

We knew a respiratory pandemic was a nailed on certainty to happen sometime.

We could have stockpiled 100,000 for £2billion. Half of what we spent preparing for a No Deal Brexit.

Instead we have done f**k all.

We had the first case of C-19 in the UK 6 weeks ago. By that time, China was in full on crisis.

We still did nothing about this lack of ventilators until Hancock went in the TV yesterday, asking JC-f**king-B to see if they could make them.

[BigH]

The Health Minister, Helen Whately on Newsnight:

Mark Urban (Presenter): 'If I'm planning a wedding in 3 weeks' time is it off?'

Whately: 'The overall guidance I think is pretty clear as announced today is that people should be reducing unnecessary social contact...!

Urban: 'A wedding might be something people have yearned for...'

Whately: 'It's going to be really, really tough. I mean I'm not going to go through the specifics of scenarios like that, I mean we're being asked to work from home if we can, avoid public transport particularly at busy times, avoid unnecessary socialising, that means going to the pub...

Urban: 'Just to be clear, the wedding is off, in that sense...'

Whately: 'I would think that's pretty hard to say that's (err) necessary socialising but, can I honestly, I don't want to pre-empt what will be in the detailed, err, full guidance...'


And that's from the HEALTH MINISTER!

FFS

[drfchound]

The presenter sounds like the idiot there BigH.

[BigH]

The presenter sounds like the idiot there BigH.

Not his best work I grant you.

However, let's not beat about the bush. A 'yes' or 'quite probably' would have been the right response from a Minister.

But, of course, that wouldn't be 'on message' would it.

My point, I guess, is that this now transcends politics.

[River Don]

It's quite amazing that amongst all these restrictions on theatres, pubs etc... Nobody in government has yet said worshiping at churches, temples and mosques is not recommended.

To my knowledge only the Pope has said don't do it, and if you must pray, go at a quiet time to an empty church.

[drfchound]

Is it necessary to go to Church to pray?

[IDM]

The government has advised to avoid non essential travel and gatherings etc.  If people see going to churches etc as non essential then they won’t go. However there will be many folks for whom their religion is the most essential thing outside family..

[BillyStubbsTears]

Big test for the Govt today. They are announcing emergency measures to protect the economy.

This HAS to include, as a minimum.

1) Guarantee if a fund to support companies through this, so no company goes bust through no fault of its own. If we have mass bankruptcy of companies, where do people work once we are through this?

2) Increase in sick pay to at least living wage level, and guarantee that anyone who is self isolating can get it.

3) Funding for massive increase in social care emergency squads. People to take food to old folk who we are asking to stay indoors for the next 6 months. Help them with washing and cleaning. And not in 15 minute blitzes. Sit down and talk with them.

All that costs money. The Govt debt will go through the roof. But this is about societal survival. We didn't worry about debt in WWII. We spent fifty years after the war paying it off. If we have to spend the next 50 years doing the same, so be it.

[BillyStubbsTears]

And if anyone tells you that's too much or can't be done, tell them to b*llocks.

France is suspending bills for rent, gas and electric. Macron has pledged that no company will go bust as a result of C-19.

It's ALL do-able. You just need the will to do it.

[River Don]

I'd like to see them do more for zero hours contract workers.

My partner is working for an agency at the moment, she's had two days work in three weeks. I imagine finding permanent work will be nigh on impossible now, it's looking bleak. Luckily she has plenty of savings , though I suppose that means she won't be entitled to owt. but for others...

So, I suppose she'll be pushed towards universal credit, which by the look of it takes weeks to come through.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Actually RD, I can see this being the spur for Universal Basic Income.

There are all sorts of reasons why we should have this, but it's never been prioritised.

It's a big priority now.

[Superspy]

On the point of jobs...I'm half way through my notice period at my current place and supposed to be starting a new job on 6/4. Hope they've got a contingency in place for on-boarding me in the event of a lockdown otherwise I'm well-f**ked. Fortunately my job itself can be done remotely as long as they can get me into their system and get me some kit to work with.

[turnbull for england]

Im 47 and have had a doddle of a life all things considered, as  in general has anyone born since the 50s.

This the first time we have been in a real full weight crisis and its  already showing what the lack of  investment and quality government over the years has  left us with.

Unless people feel they have a supportive competent  government ( of  any denomination)   who can really deal with the issues at  hand , im genuinly concerned for what will be  left   behind   .

When the water supply in Thorne was contaminated a few years ago ( as close to an issue as has ever affected me)   police had to be deployed to stop horders and speculators taking all the supplies Yorkshire water were providing . That  was a localised  issue only for drinking water and we still nearly went feral inside a week.

How are people going to cope when like now shops are stripped bare even before the illness side of it kicks in for weeks at a time ?     

[IDM]

I’ve heard of folks panic buying petrol now. Crazy..

[drfchound]

I’ve heard of folks panic buying petrol now. Crazy..

..........and bread.......loads of it to shove in their freezers.

[scawsby steve]

At least Morrison's have shown some initiative. Apparently, everything is rationed now to just 2 of any item; and the self service machines have been modified accordingly.

[IDM]

2 of nothing is still nowt though.!

[sha66y]

So let’s look at the snippets we are afforded then:

Huge amounts of Air time regarding global warming pretty much rammed down our gobs for the last year ...
( I guess we’ve cured that one because it’s just become un newsworthy)

Some mysterious outbreak in a town in China and a town in Italy suddenly manifests itself...

It supposedly kills the old, the vulnerable ....and those with “ UNDERLYING HEALTH PROBLEMS” .... very limiting information at best...and old age is subjective ... I don’t know anyone who knows anyone who’s had it or got it? ( ex serviceman with muckers all over the UK)

It has symptoms similar to many illnesses we know, yet no medications are prescribed?

It’s all very strange ...the language being used is almost hypnotic, delivered with so much authority yet little substance?

Do this , do that, don’t do this , don’t do that! .... Peter says “all stay at home and worry” .......and we shall call that “ SELF MEDICATING” ....seriously???

I am going to follow all the rules with a sceptics grace....but if something doesn’t add up...it doesn’t add up!

[auckleyflyer]

My two girls off school 9yrs old from Wednesday last week 14yr old from today. Sore throat, 24hrs seams to get better for 6hrs then temperature and barking cough. 2of them and not a tissue in sight!!!! Sent home from work yesterday morning half hr after arrival. I'm good as is the missus but we're both sure we had this mid December?!?!
Either way it's real. We're in Cornwall so don't panic!! (never thought it would make it down here! Although our lass was in sheffield 2 wkends ago!?!? Doh that's how it get into the Dutchy

[scawsby steve]

My two girls off school 9yrs old from Wednesday last week 14yr old from today. Sore throat, 24hrs seams to get better for 6hrs then temperature and barking cough. 2of them and not a tissue in sight!!!! Sent home from work yesterday morning half hr after arrival. I'm good as is the missus but we're both sure we had this mid December?!?!
Either way it's real. We're in Cornwall so don't panic!! (never thought it would make it down here! Although our lass was in sheffield 2 wkends ago!?!? Doh that's how it get into the Dutchy

You may have a point there Auckley. None of us know exactly how long it's been in this country. I had a nasty dose of flu-like symptons about a month ago that put me on my back for two days.

It may have been something else, but we don't know for sure.

[ravenrover]

My two girls off school 9yrs old from Wednesday last week 14yr old from today. Sore throat, 24hrs seams to get better for 6hrs then temperature and barking cough. 2of them and not a tissue in sight!!!! Sent home from work yesterday morning half hr after arrival. I'm good as is the missus but we're both sure we had this mid December?!?!
Either way it's real. We're in Cornwall so don't panic!! (never thought it would make it down here! Although our lass was in sheffield 2 wkends ago!?!? Doh that's how it get into the Dutchy

Pre christmas for my wife and myself but can't have been Covid 19 because China didn't announce until 2020 !!!! I don't believe for 1 minute that it only started  when China chose to announce it to the world then. JMHO

[drfchound]

My two girls off school 9yrs old from Wednesday last week 14yr old from today. Sore throat, 24hrs seams to get better for 6hrs then temperature and barking cough. 2of them and not a tissue in sight!!!! Sent home from work yesterday morning half hr after arrival. I'm good as is the missus but we're both sure we had this mid December?!?!
Either way it's real. We're in Cornwall so don't panic!! (never thought it would make it down here! Although our lass was in sheffield 2 wkends ago!?!? Doh that's how it get into the Dutchy

Pre christmas for my wife and myself but can't have been Covid 19 because China didn't announce until 2020 !!!! I don't believe for 1 minute that it only started  when China chose to announce it to the world then. JMHO

I think that the first case of Coronavirus in China was mid November last year.

[ravenrover]

My two girls off school 9yrs old from Wednesday last week 14yr old from today. Sore throat, 24hrs seams to get better for 6hrs then temperature and barking cough. 2of them and not a tissue in sight!!!! Sent home from work yesterday morning half hr after arrival. I'm good as is the missus but we're both sure we had this mid December?!?!
Either way it's real. We're in Cornwall so don't panic!! (never thought it would make it down here! Although our lass was in sheffield 2 wkends ago!?!? Doh that's how it get into the Dutchy

Pre christmas for my wife and myself but can't have been Covid 19 because China didn't announce until 2020 !!!! I don't believe for 1 minute that it only started  when China chose to announce it to the world then. JMHO

I think that the first case of Coronavirus in China was mid November last year.

Hadn't picked up on that Hound, goes a little way to verify my point

[BigH]

So let’s look at the snippets we are afforded then:

Huge amounts of Air time regarding global warming pretty much rammed down our gobs for the last year ...
( I guess we’ve cured that one because it’s just become un newsworthy)

Some mysterious outbreak in a town in China and a town in Italy suddenly manifests itself...

It supposedly kills the old, the vulnerable ....and those with “ UNDERLYING HEALTH PROBLEMS” .... very limiting information at best...and old age is subjective ... I don’t know anyone who knows anyone who’s had it or got it? ( ex serviceman with muckers all over the UK)

It has symptoms similar to many illnesses we know, yet no medications are prescribed?

It’s all very strange ...the language being used is almost hypnotic, delivered with so much authority yet little substance?

Do this , do that, don’t do this , don’t do that! .... Peter says “all stay at home and worry” .......and we shall call that “ SELF MEDICATING” ....seriously???

I am going to follow all the rules with a sceptics grace....but if something doesn’t add up...it doesn’t add up!

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-whats-coming-is-extremely-big-uk-consultant-says-outbreak-could-be-worse-than-in-italy-11960994

Shaggy, very soon it'll add up.

[BobG]

Thank you BigH. It's what happens when you say there is no such thing as society, promote rampant individualism, free market ideology, deregulation, privatisation and undermining of public services  collective responsibility and accountability whilst pursuing national, political and economic self interest.


BobG