Coronavirus (Covid19) Corner

[Stanley]

Maz, Mick thinks he might have had it already about 2 months ago but we shall see. I'm glad he is there looking after Susan who is eating well and sleeping a lot.
Two useful charts Cathy.
Not a lot of point comparing what different countries have/are doing Maz. The clue is in the word 'different'.
As for me, so far so good.
P. I had a word with the Buddha and he said he likes being picked up and polished......

[Marilyn]

Not a lot of point comparing what different countries have/are doing Maz. The clue is in the word 'different'.

...though I think we are both glad we do not live in India!

[Marilyn]

Not a lot of point comparing what different countries have/are doing Maz. The clue is in the word 'different'.

And from things you have said, I think you are pretty happy you don’t live in America either!

Not that there is a lot of point comparing. Yeah, right...

[Cathy]

At my supermarket today , they now have a ‘store greeter’ that select a trolley / basket for you, then wipes it with cleaner for you. Nice.
We still have our supermarkets opening 7 - 8 am for seniors and disabled people on Mon, Wed, Fri.
Tuesday and Thursday at same times are now reserved for our Health Workers and Emergency Service Workers.

[Stanley]

Just been announced that the US has more Covid infected people than any other country (Over 82,000) and remember that many are outside any medical system. Trump puts this down to the number of tests they are doing. Yea right.....
You're right Maz, I think we are one of the best countries to be because we have the NHS, it may be that attitudes to state run health systems might change. There could be overwhelming public pressure in the US for a more 'socialist' attitude to health.
Cathy, what a good idea!

[Cathy]

Today our PM told us that it is likely we will see disturbing footage from poorer countries over the next few months. Maybe he was alluding to India.

[Marilyn]

...imagine the death rate when it sweeps through refugee camps in Iran and places in Africa.
Zero health care.
Can we, as more affluent nations, afford to help these people?

[Big Kev]

I donated an armful of blood last night, all the donors were 'social distancing' and there were strict controls on how many were allowed in the donation hall. I felt sorry for the staff, not one had a mask...

The restrictions in Tesco, on the way home, were tight as well. 2m markers on the ground outside and a 'one in, one out' policy (there were around 20 inside at any one time) at the door. Plenty of marking on the floor as guidlines.

The cost of diesel has dropped considerably too, £1.08 a litre in Sainsbury's at Colne.

[Marilyn]

Fuel prices have dropped here too. Bitter sweet - we can’t go anywhere!

[PanBiker]

Aldi is the same on social distancing, queue about the length of the building (2m apart) and a security bloke on the door controlling one in one out. Once inside only about 15 or so shoppers in the building. Tills marked with tape markers on the floor and I noticed they did not allow the queue to back out into the isles, they would just open another till to maintain no more than two at the conveyor. One at the front at checkout and one at the back loading to the conveyor. Contactless payment encouraged. I noticed that Barlick has not yet got the perspex screens in place for the staff at the till, they are working towards that according to the virus info on their website.

On the blood donor regime Kev, I read in their Coronavirus notes that the staff don't use masks as they are not considered effective for short term contact. They would not have anyone through the doors if they were coughing. Interesting to note that donations will not be screened for the virus as there is not a single case of transfer of the virus via transfusion. Not taking temperatures either as that in itself is not a definitive indicator of being infected. When you read the guidance you can see that they are being as cautious as possible under the circumstances.

[Cathy]

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[PanBiker]

A good response on the Croft last night for the communal thanks for the key workers, according to FB the clapping could be heard all around town, well done Barlick.

[Big Kev]

I see Boris has it now BBC

[plaques]

Lovely hand written letter from next doors kids age 10 & 7 offering help if we need anything. Two emergency numbers to ring, mum's and dad's mobile numbers. It finished off with the offer to lend us some of their board games if we got bored.
Mrs P rang 'Mum' to say thank you. It turned out it was their own idea totally spontaneous to do something to help. I've always said there are a lot of good kids knocking about.

[PanBiker]

Yes BoJo has tested positive and I think it is totally irresponsible of him to continue in his own words to "lead the fight" against the virus. His stance may just encourage lots of others with mild symptoms to continue or try to return to work. It's not as if he is actually indispensable, we can all see that it is the medics, scientists and the Chancellor who are actually running the show and Boris is just there to try and get the details across, pretty badly as the record shows. He can't string a coherent sentence together at the best of times, he has no chance if he is going to be short of breath. He should just follow the rules like anyone else, update him by all means but in the main we should not hear from him again for at least a fortnight.

Trying to score hero brownie points is unforgivable under the present circumstance.

[Tripps]

Sky news saying that the Health Secretary Matt Hancock has now become infected with a mild form of the virus. He will carry on working at home, and is self isolating.

PS - Just shown a video of him at home making the announcement. I like to see the home backgrounds (shelfie) they have. Some have impressive gigantic bookcases - Hancock's is a shambles, but the redeeming feature is that he seems to have a black racing jacket from a trap 4 greyhound, with the sponsor's (Bookmaker Blue Square), name prominent on a shelf.

I'm warmimg to him. . . .

[PanBiker]

Boris and Hancock's diagnosis begs the question whether the entire cabinet, Cobra and the journalists at the daily Borisothons should all now be self isolating. Boris has been utilising do as I say not as I do, as has been clearly evident on his TV appearances. He could have been carrying and spreading for 5 to 11 days or so. A potential "Typhoid Mary" of his time.

[plaques]

Typical! All the rich and the famous claiming to have coronavirus. First Prince Charles, Second Boris Johnson now its Hancocks turn by the time it gets down to me all the kudos will have gone and I'll be left with just a common cold.

[PanBiker]

Good job you have not reached 90 yet. They are asking all the Nonagenarians to take a bullet for the rest of us by staying at home and not being taken to hospital if they catch the virus. Could this be classed as a pre triage operation I wonder?

[Marilyn]

Of course it is, Panbiker. They have no resources to waste trying to save old folk or those with underlying health conditions. No point clogging up the corridors. Ambulances don’t want to deal with you either.
Stay home if you want to stay alive.

[Stanley]

Of course resources won't be wasted on crumblies.
I am slightly puzzled. Nobody is talking about the brave new future when, as infection rates go down and restrictions are lifted Covid-19 just becomes another virus out there like seasonal flu but more dangerous. In other words we will have to live with it and the risks.
Perhaps mapping this out clearly is regarded as a bit too grown up for us plebs.

[Tizer]

More likely it's because everybody is fully occupied in trying to get us out of the present emergency and trying to develop vaccines and antiviral drugs.

We've said earlier that much of that food stockpiled by panic buyers will probably end up as waste. Now there's a different but related problem. The supermarkets have put in a huge effort to get food on the shelves but now people aren't buying it. The shops were almost empty of customers this morning and the shelves are loaded with food - and prices are having to be dropped to try and shift it! It was only a week or two ago that people were abusing staff for not having enough food on the shelves. There's nowt so queer as folk!

[Tripps]

Is this silly or is it time to swing the entire National Lottery round to help in the NHS / Corvid 19 situation in some way? I guess it would be just a drop in the ocean, but it seems the best 'good cause' around at the moment. I would increase my purchase from less than once a year to every draw.

It can all be done online, and I'd be OK with them sending me the cheque through the post, which surprisingly seems to be still fully running.

[Tizer]

They're already in action...
`National Lottery Community Fund frees up £300m to help charities with Covid-19 crisis' LINK
`All National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) funding decisions in the next six months will be devoted to responding to the Covid-19 crisis. This involves up to £300m of funding. NLCF said it will accelerate the cash part of this funding as much as possible.'...

Here are two web pages that show the type of EU-funded research planned to improve our understanding of the coronavirus...
`Coronavirus: What’s beyond the science frontier' Link 1
`COVID-19: Commission steps up research funding and selects 17 projects in vaccine development, treatment and diagnostics' LINK 2

Here's a short film to help guide you in how to avoid the virus... LINK

[PanBiker]

There is a post circulating on FB from a senior nurse who is warning everyone to stay inside tomorrow as it is the first day of the main incubation period for the virus. NHS is expecting a peak in the number of patients from tomorrow onwards. So far has been the pre-amble or to draw an analogy "the phoney war". S.... hits the fan properly from now on.