Thank you reluctant we’ll not hear for a while yet if it is covid. Still no word on how she is doing.
Ferrets are considered the gold standard animal model for respiratory infections, they have been used for influenza research for years.
The 8pm clapping thing (does it have a name) is amazingly uplifting but Im worried that it will get hijacked by right wing nationalists. Perhaps I'm being oversensitive but blasting out Rule Britannia during it, as someone nearby did, seems to be missing the point.
OOB I really don't care whether you're convinced or not, I know what Burnley is like normally and what it was like this afternoon. It was far from quiet. Plus the trading estate I had to visit which is full of small businesses was rammed, cars parked everywhere, lots of people working, few were essential businesses.
Whilst lots of people are taking the guidance to heart, lots aren't.
Edit, the clapping thing seems to have taken on a life if it's own. Tonight included banging pots, lots of shouting and fireworks! Plus people leaving cupcakes at the end of people's drives, is this a thing now?
We have bagpipes!
EU states have finally agreed a rescue package & Germany are starting mass antibody testing
https://www.ft.com/content/fe211ec7-0ed4-4d36-9d83-14b639efb3ad
Tho no details on specifcs of tests
We have bagpipes!
My deepest sympathies.
We have bagpipes!
Fantastic!
Air horns and pan bashing seem meek in comparison.
Plus people leaving cupcakes at the end of people’s drives, is this a thing now?
Yup has been for a week or two.
The 8pm clapping thing (does it have a name) is amazingly uplifting but Im worried that it will get hijacked by right wing nationalists. Perhaps I’m being oversensitive but blasting out Rule Britannia during it, as someone nearby did, seems to be missing the point.
Marseillaise trumps Rule Brittania every time - roll out your stereo and let it rip next week
Germany are starting mass antibody testing
https://www.ft.com/content/fe211ec7-0ed4-4d36-9d83-14b639efb3ad
Tho no details on specifcs of tests
According to google that exact same story appeared in the Mail 10 days ago. Great news if true but it seems unlikely that there's been a working antibody test for 10 days and nobody except the Daily Mail thought to mention it.
Be good if it's true though, an antibody test would get a lot of us back to normal overnight.
Been said before though, an antibody test could have major negative impacts. If people who are positive are allowed out again there will be a mass rush to get infected in with some quarters.
Been said before though, an antibody test could have major negative impacts. If people who are positive are allowed out again there will be a mass rush to get infected in with some quarters.
Still better than the alternatives.
Ferrets are considered the gold standard animal model for respiratory infections, they have been used for influenza research for years.
In that case, they should have done more to protect Bojo, his lazy ferret approach to life appears to have been a risk from the off.
OOB, not if the NHS gets swamped, makes everything we've done over the last three weeks a bit pointless if that happens. Glad I don't have to come up with the exit strategy, it's going to a series of judgement calls and minimising the down sides, hope the current shower of idiots are up to it.
Drac - hope your Gran pulls through.
I've generally opted out of posting due to so much windbaggery and uninformed comment; a review of the past few pages confirms that was the correct decision.
As for celebrating the NHS, I'm all in favour of that but if all they have is the memory of being cheered that would be a shit result; handclaps and the rest doesn't cut it.
There is a comment somewhere up there ^^^ about supermarkets 'profiteering'; sure, their sales have seen a massive increase but no profiteering - panic buying initially and now increased spending by households with kids at home, adults wfh/furloughed so the spending pattern has changed with less through food service companies and more on the high street.
Might be helpful if whoever posted about profiteering looked up the definition the word.
Supermarkets have been doing an admirable job IMHO. We can slag them off but otoh they mostly employ people who don't have especially good reasons to be super-motivated and supply chains can be difficult to manage in these times.
While it's tremendous that people are showing their support, fundamentally we've all under valued the NHS, we've recently voted for a government that was always unlikely to increase tax in order to increase NHS spending, in fact has arguably plotted to flog more bits of it off, we've a massive shortfall in staff, made that situation worse through brexit, and relatively recently bursaries for studying nursing and midwifery ( I think) have been curtailed. Now we need them. Now we clap.
While I'm at it, we're now also asking teaching staff, who've been poorly paid and frankly shat on for years and years, to give up their holidays in order to help out.
What have we been doing?
Del +1
And also, any firm numbers anywhere for Sweden yet? Curious as they seem to be a (European) outlier in terms of approach so far.
Rydster,
The Tescos delivery driver that delivered to my sister would disagree with you. He felt the supermarkets were putting the staff in jeopardy by not limiting numbers of items people could buy early enough and not implementing social distancing early enough, thus turning supermarkets into a culture dish for coronavirus. He also mentioned the huge dividends that were about to be issued to shareholders and how they were trying to cash in as much as possible before the (useless) government instituted social distancing measures. They knew full well what they were doing and put profit before people.
Frankconway
Profiteering - Wikipedia definition.
'A pejorative term for the act of making profits by methods considered unethical'
I'd say that allowing your stores to be rammed to the rafters during a pandemic, endangering your staff and customers was unethical.
I'd say letting customers purchase unlimited numbers of essential items, thus leaving shelves empty and forcing people to go to numerous shops to get essential items was unethical.
My comment concerned the actions of the supermarkets before the lockdown, after the lock down the supermarkets were forced to comply with gov't guidelines. Before the lockdown they didn't give a toss.
I think you are the one who needs to look up the definition of the term unethical. Suggesting that someone look up the definition of the word unethical when you don't understand the term yourself is the perfect definition of an uninformed comment.
I'll refrain from calling you a windbag though, (I think the Wikipedia definition of windbag is 'old fart' by the way.)
Got to agree with you about the clapping for the NHS though, I was out there banging my saucepan but thinking how this could all be glossed over in a few months time. They don't need applause as much as they need funding and the ability to recruit staff amidst the Brexit shambles.
Bagpipes are one thing, but I was bringing the noise last night:
Curious as they seem to be a (European) outlier in terms of approach so far.
The Dutch have a fairly unique approach unless it’s changed in the last few days. Something called an intelligent lockdown.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52135814
fundamentally we’ve all under valued the NHS
Collectively at least. Plenty of individuals who’ve been valuing the NHS highly for a long time. Although the frequency of Cancer in my family does influence perspective.
I’m aware that some value (or claim to) the work that it does but have been convinced the model of funding is wrong.
That’s a long term insidious ideological undermining at work IMO.
Supermarkets profiteering - who'd a thought it? Ocado cancelling our existing pre-booked and paid delivery slots. The price of our standard basket of stuff has gone up 15-20% - no more special offers, own-branded goods replaced by premium price, branded stuff. My wife's carer for her housebound disabled mother who lives over the road but not considered vulnerable because she doesn't live in our household.
Well I find it a huge moral boost not heard a single colleague say they find it cringe worthy.
Chatting to an Austrian colleague yesterday, hey are looking to relax some of the lock down next week.
A gradual opening will commence with fully open by mid-May. Masks and distancing will continue.
It's good to see that there could be a light at the end of the tunnel. Pretty good for a country that butts up to (northern) Italy.
very interesting comment from my friend who is an NHS worker, about people offering to buy their shopping for them
The ability to queue jump after a long shift is greatly welcomed, and the sentiment is understood, but they don't need it. They're in full employment and pay. There are millions on low pay, no pay, furloughed, having to pay for kids meals where they'd have had at least one decent meal a day at school...... if 'we' think banging pots and pans and offering to shell out £15 for an NHS staffer's grabbed basket of ready meals and crisps absolves us of addressing these inequalities once it's all over, then we really need a hard look in the mirror.
They told the person to use the money to buy stuff for the foodbank instead.
(meanwhile on the sidebar - Enve launches £1800 wheelset......)
Supermarkets profiteering – who’d a thought it? Ocado...
...who have this morning just offered to refund people the money they paid for now unobtainable pre paid delivery slots. Bogoff was cancelled to prevent even more greediness during the panic but process, and yesterday in Sainsbury’s I saw a lot of reduce priced essential items.
prices are up because bogoff vanished due to our selfishness causing short supply, your’re at home eating and not out, and many of us have kids at home that would have been fed twice a day at school. My shop yesterday was equal to our normal weekly shopping cost which would have had top ups, this week of course it won’t.
Remebering we are still on the brink of capitalism and not wanting to be naive , I’m sure there is/was a Board director somewhere looking gleefully at P/L, but are now looking to ensure they are able to defend themselves to the situation somewhat.
With reference to shops being “rammed” I’m not sure about other places but our Sainsbury’s has a 2m queuing policy and 5 in 5 out entry with a man counting the first X number of customers in. I’m not sure what that number is but they are stopping the place being crowded.
if ‘we’ think banging pots and pans and offering to shell out £15 for an NHS staffer’s grabbed basket of ready meals and crisps absolves us of addressing these inequalities once it’s all over, then we really need a hard look in the mirror.
I’m not sure anyone does though.
We have bagpipes!
We have cow-bells - it seemed appropriately biker-ish. There were fireworks too, not ours. For some reason people round here seem fixated on fireworks. Fingers crossed they don't blow themselves up.
Well I find it a huge moral boost not heard a single colleague say they find it cringe worthy.
This is nice to hear and I think every effort counts. Our kids rugby coach’s shaved their heads this week for NHS sponsorship and the club raised £2000. A couple of hundred has gone to Easter goodies for the kids wards at Barnet Hospital and the remainder toward essential NHS supply’s at this time. I’m grateful we’re afforded the opportunity to help, even its to raise a little smile for a child or an NHS keyworker this Easter.
I’m not sure anyone does though.
I'm touched by your faith - I know of some that see the lack of petrol costs, reduction in going out expenses, reduction in kids clubs fees and the like as a benefit and are putting it all in a fund to ....... have a fantastic holiday when it's done because the holiday companies will be desperate to fill hotels again.
Looking at the wider value of key workers, not just nurses and "obvious" ones, what this country needs is to recognise that people doing vital work - cleaners, caterers, porters, shop staff, teaching assistants - which will probably always be relatively low paid, then the country needs to be providing good quality affordable social housing rather than pushing them into the private rental sector and almost by default, the housing benefit system.
Give them more money by all means, but giving many of them a stable, secure affordable home would make a huge difference
The ability to queue jump after a long shift is greatly welcomed, and the sentiment is understood, but they don’t need it. They’re in full employment and pay. There are millions on low pay, no pay, furloughed, having to pay for kids meals where they’d have had at least one decent meal a day at school……
My wife wholeheartedly agrees with this sentiment, no need for it, ditto local delivery services offering 25-50% discounts.
not heard a single colleague say they find it cringe worthy.
Maybe all their comments are censored too?
have a fantastic holiday when it’s done because the holiday companies will be desperate to fill hotels again.
Eh?
Maybe all their comments are censored too?
Maybe but not seen anything on the French news about it.
Oh and yes the free food thing isn’t necessary most staff I know agree but they’re grateful for it as again it’s a nice moral boost. The early entry thing is helpful I used it yesterday for the first time but it was to buy for my parents who can’t leave the house just now.
I’ll the discounts such as Berghaus though. 😀
And as a small update my Gran is confirmed covid. They’re treating with steroids and antibiotics she’s off O2 and doing ok but of course it’s very early days.
Oh and fwiw, applauding frontline workers, I think, also helps people feel that they're part of a wider community, which in turn makes it more likely that they'll abide by lockdown regs, social distancing etc.
Fingers crossed for your gran, Drac.
think, also helps people feel that they’re part of a wider community, which in turn makes it more likely that they’ll abide by lockdown regs, social distancing etc.
Thats a good point.
have a fantastic holiday when it’s done because the holiday companies will be desperate to fill hotels again.
Eh?
I said that when this is over I hope people don't think that they've settled their accounts because they clapped once a week and spent £15 on an ambulance drivers basket one time.
- you said 'I don't think anyone does'
I said I'm not sure; I'm aware of a few that are seeing the chance to save a bit of cash now as the opportunity to save up so they can have a belting holiday after, rather than addressing these inequalities either by charitable donations, or more formally by increased taxation. And they already expect there will be bargains because holiday companies will need to fill hotels again.
We're criticising the company owners and disaster capitalists that are using the situation to make more money but I don't have faith that this won't be repeated by individuals.
think, also helps people feel that they’re part of a wider community, which in turn makes it more likely that they’ll abide by lockdown regs, social distancing etc.
Absolutely.
And cheers.