I’ve just watched the video of one of my BA colleagues in Shanghai.
A normal passenger 777, packed full of PPE, both in the cabin & hold. Each seat has a box of 2000 masks strapped to it. Plus boxes in every overhead locker, wardrobe and galley stowage.
They aren’t allowed to stop in China, so 7 pilots are flying it there and back, with 2 hours turnaround in Shanghai.
We are sending one every day, and I know Virgin are doing similar.
Being delivered to the UK, I guess?
As of this afternoon there is an exit strategy here in Switzerland. The diy shops, garden centres, florists, hairdressers, nail salons and massage parlours can reopen on 27th April. The primary schools go back on the 11th May, secondary schools and colleges have staggered reopening from June. Social distancing and maximum of 5 people gathering rules remain in effect. No masks or dedicated phone app required (The Swiss government has already said that it is using data from mobile phone companies to check on movement and gathering of people).
Yes
Talk from our director today, & he was saying the Uni currently believes they wont be able to open until next academic year
we'll keep being told theres a 3 week extension every week until then, with a few gradual easings, but as testing is so far behind where it needs to be no way this can be lifted
thankfully Starmers request for details seems to have some results today as government starting to detail what needs to happen to exit, good job too, at some point government need to be honest with the country
massage parlours can reopen on 27th April. The primary schools go back on the 11th May
The Swiss have their priorities right.....
They aren’t allowed to stop in China, so 7 pilots are flying it there and back, with 2 hours turnaround in Shanghai.
And they say flying isn't glamourous. Who's serving the in flight meals? I'm impressed, BTW.
As there is cargo in the cabin, cabin crew are required for fire watch, so they carry 4 cabin crew taking turns. Galley on 777 is right outside the flight deck, so tea/coffee/meals simple enough. It’s almost a 24 hr duty. Well outside normal operational limits, but agreed with the CAA.
I’m impressed, BTW.
I'm sure there's so much impressive stuff going on in the background while we all moan about the govt. Pumas, Chinooks and Transporters (usually 2 in tandem) over us most days.
Yes, some of my RAF helicopter mates are deployed around the country to help out.
Jason Leitch, Scotland's National Clinical Director said today that in Scotland the Govt. would look at relaxing restrictions when there had been an overall transmission rate <1 for a sustained period of time. He also said that he believed the current transmission rate in Scotland is sub 1, but generally "in the wild" it is running at around 3.
Without widespread testing we are effectively in the dark, and without the testing we simply cannot make any informed decisions, only beta-test ideas on society.
No other country has committed to any kind of exit plan.
USA. All though it’s not much of a plan, and the states are trying to resist what the big man is blurting on about.
Looks like Trump backed down on today's governor's call.
'President Trump told governors that some could begin reopening their states by May 1 or earlier if they wanted to, but he backed down from his confrontation with them by making clear that he would not seek to impose his will on when they reopen businesses, schools and everyday life.
“You’re going to call your own shots,” Mr. Trump said in a telephone call on Thursday with the governors, according to an audio recording provided to The New York Times.'
Delegation!
I’m impressed, BTW.
While we need these supplies, there's more than a few UK citizens still not home.
Interesting they can find planes, crew and budget for this, but not for repatriation.
This is hard reading - just imagine if that was you.
Virgin have already done 4 out of 8 return flights to China to collect PPE - good to hear BA are doing the same but ultimately there are too many countries trying to buy it and too few companies making it.
A charlatan writes - for those interested, here is today's prediction, showing convergence between near and forecasting models. As I said before, I don't model incidence, I plot it because that is what people like to see. The convergence is pleasing, the size of the epidemic - which is very sensitive to model choice is not so pleasing.
EDIT BTW the short sharp peak is due to periodicity in the reporting - that model uses a 7-day and 14-day lag time to make forward predictions, so looks at the spikes due to weekend lags.
only beta-test ideas on society.
We're two weeks behind some countries so other countries are doing beta testing that we can learn from. I'm glad we're not total pioneers here.
Has this been posted? I feel like it has but once again for good measure.
Remind me, these are the folks that are going to turn Britain into a swashbuckling global trading power, right?
https://twitter.com/jane__bradley/status/1250827774073491458
Matt - there are plenty of planes and crew, but not many countries we are allowed to fly to/take passengers from. Globally, countries have pulled down the shutters and are petrified about letting in the virus.
If we carry freight, we only need 4 cabin crew for firewatch. If we had 1 passenger, we would need about 30 cabin crew for a return trip. Very few places will allow crews to layover.
Lots of FB MTB pages already seem to be deciding the publication of the police guidance means long road trips to ride are on again...
"Driving to the countryside and walking – where more time is spent doing the latter than the former – is among a list of reasonable excuses for Britons leaving their home during the coronavirus lockdown, according to advice issued to police."
So it is ok afterall?
Was always a gamble ordering untested kits
Mark of desperation , we may be 2 weeks behind other countries, but as we wasted those weeks not ramping up testing Hancock was forced into desperate moves & thanks to that lockdown will be around for longer.
Torygraph reporting that new data from Holland implies infection rates much lower that thought & possible herd immunity a long way off.
https://twitter.com/Hardeep_Matharu/status/1250893995967946753?s=19
It was always ok unless you were some brainless rule-obsessed drone or a police officer with delusions of being in the Stasi. Just use common sense and don’t take the piss. It’s really not that difficult.
JP
^ +1
Terrific story from our ups driver. Apparently one of his colleagues stopped and asked if his journey was essential...
Torygraph reporting that new data from Holland implies infection rates much lower that thought
Wow, lucky nobody published an exit strategy based on the infection rate available before today.
So you think I can drive to the Peaks (1.2h) and go cycling all day and come back?
Just use common sense and don’t take the piss.
This means different things to different folk, obviously. There are plenty of other threads where that has been made plain.
So you think I can drive to the Peaks (1.2h) and go cycling all day and come back?
IANAL but I'd be amazed if that passed the “reasonable excuse” threshold.
So you think I can drive to the Peaks (1.2h) and go cycling all day and come back?
Yes, I suppose you can! The guidance doesn't mean you should though. Think of the risks involved as always, it always will happen to someone else and not you.
Someone my wife knows has ended up in ICU after he came off motorbike. The ICU he is in has 10 CV19 cases, good luck to him.
Wow, lucky nobody published an exit strategy based on the infection rate available before today.
Also lucky that no one asked for that
Luckily Raab answered Starmers questions with what's actually needed
... at the pointy end, my line manager is self isolating while waiting for CV19 test results.
Our boss is in hospital with confirmed CV19.
I spent last night working on ITU watching a colleague being ventilated, prone, with CV19.
I'm waiting for my test results and am unable to work tonight.
But yeh, you interpret the 'rules' however you want to.
I live in the middle of a city and although it's better to cycle in now than in living memrory, it still would be great to get out to N.Wales etc. Lockdown now looking like it will remain in place till June at least. That's pretty depressing really. Well jealous of the guys/girls who live with bridleways etc. on their doorsteps!!
Well the Dutch paper is consistent with U.K. experience. Say 6% infected, that’s 3.6M people, and if there is a 0.3% case fatality rate then that becomes 11K deaths. This epidemic has a long way to run, and makes the Oxford paper look a lot more speculative, although to be fair, they did caveat their predictions with a big IF.
In the paper they samples about 1.5k of 9k health workers. They found that only 3% had been in contact with known COVID19 cases so conclude that most acquisition must been community acquired. Healthcare workers would probably put an upper bound on the prevalence due to contacts in their line of duty.
It’s not interpreting the rules, it’s using common sense. Is there a greater risk of my infecting myself or others if I drive for 10 minutes to some deserted woods, or ride in the woods opposite my home, where I’m likely to encounter far more people? I think you know the answer.
JP
If you want to risk carrying the virus between areas, you crack on. Or stay at home.
crikey - that's shit; hope all works out.
Seconded. Hope you and your colleagues are OK.
IANAL but I’d be amazed if that passed the “reasonable excuse” threshold.
I would suggest that the reasonable part of the excuse would require you not to drive past any other places which are suitable for exercise on the way.
crikey
Member
… at the pointy end, my line manager is self isolating while waiting for CV19 test results.
Our boss is in hospital with confirmed CV19.
I spent last night working on ITU watching a colleague being ventilated, prone, with CV19.I’m waiting for my test results and am unable to work tonight.
But yeh, you interpret the ‘rules’ however you want to.
Terrible update from you there my friend. Nothing I can say means much I know but I'm willing some good news your and your colleagues way.
I'm hardly riding but when I do I'm riding from home and just riding the (now) quiet roads on my mtb. A circular loop and then home. A little boring perhaps but it's just nice to be out for a short while. I can't take the risk of winding up in A@E for various reasons and I really don't want to burden you guys either.
All the best @crikey and keep us posted.
What’s the thinking on a vaccine? I can’t see it being realistic to maintain this level of lock down until one can be developed and proven safe and effective.
That’s shit Crikey shows the true reality of those treating the ill. Hope all recover soon.
Article talking about the Dutch Anti Body testing.
Gets its numbers from blood donors.
https://nos.nl/artikel/2330658-mogelijk-3-procent-van-nederlanders-heeft-coronavirus-gehad.html
They’ve also struggled with testing
Incidentally, the material to actually carry out that number of tests still has to become available first. Yesterday it appeared that the Netherlands has secured the supply of materials to perform 14,000 tests per day in the next six months . Now, on average, only about 5,000 tests are performed per day.
I don’t know much about what is manufactured where regarding tests. But is the German testing regime benefiting from the strength of the German chemicals industry?
Edit, https://www.chemlandscape.cefic.org/
Over 3 times the turnover of the U.K. according to that. No idea if any of it’s relevant to testing admittedly. Quite an interesting website that.
I spent last night working on ITU watching a colleague being ventilated, prone, with CV19.
Shit, crikey doesnt really cover it does it. Good luck and take care of yourself. I have a good mate who is an ITU nurse have spoken to him a few times, it sound horrific but he seems to remain calm. Wish you all the best.
Plus lab size and equipment and staff levels Germany also has a big Pharma production base , BAyer for example
