Coronavirus (Covid19) Corner

[Big Kev]

Me too, 2m for me, no public transport and as few shops as possible. We have a river cruise booked for our 50 th next year, fingers crossed. Meanwhile we are still trying to get our money back for our lost Crete holiday. We are trying via the credit card company who want proof the plane did not fly No one is responding to our emails!. Meanwhile they have our money, and will probably go bust taking it with them. The travel company are not responding either.

We were fortunate that we'd only paid the deposit for this year's cruise. P&O have let us use it for a future cruise (if booked before the end of 2021). Been trying to get the hotel and parking, in Southampton, refunded through the credit card but no luck so far.

[Gloria]

Me too, 2m for me, no public transport and as few shops as possible. We have a river cruise booked for our 50 th next year, fingers crossed. Meanwhile we are still trying to get our money back for our lost Crete holiday. We are trying via the credit card company who want proof the plane did not fly No one is responding to our emails!. Meanwhile they have our money, and will probably go bust taking it with them. The travel company are not responding either.

We were fortunate that we'd only paid the deposit for this year's cruise. P&O have let us use it for a future cruise (if booked before the end of 2021). Been trying to get the hotel and parking, in Southampton, refunded through the credit card but no luck so far.

We have had two cancelled holidays refunded with no problems, and parking at Manchester airport repaid in full. We have a coach tour in sept and a cruise in October still on. I can’t see the coach tour taking place, but that will be a refund or transfer to future trip, and the cruise, the ones they are cancelling are offering 125% against future booking till end 2022 or cash refund. I cannot see either taking place.

[Wendyf]

As we never go on holiday and have long and untamed hair most of the time we haven't suffered!!

[Sue]

Gloria, this holiday in Crete we have been trying to sort since late April. No one answers emails or phones, we just get a standard reply that they will get back to us in 72 hours which they don’t. This is why we are trying the credit card company who want official notification that our flight did not go. No flights to Crete went out that day but we need the flight company to confirm it. We have been refunded for our family ‘big birthdays’ reunion in May. The ferry company will not give us refunds just a voucher which we have to use to rebook, even though they are supposed to give us a refund. We used the vouchers to pay for other ferries that we had deposits on. The Crete holiday was ABTA and ATOL protected so eventually someone should respond.

[Sue]

As we never go on holiday and have long and untamed hair most of the time we haven't suffered!!

Ha ha Wendy! Thats me when we are in France.

[Marilyn]

Hubby has a barber who works from home, bookings only, one person in at a time, and he is as quick as quick.
Meanwhile, I am becoming “windswept and interesting” as Billy C would say.

[Gloria]

Gloria, this holiday in Crete we have been trying to sort since late April. No one answers emails or phones, we just get a standard reply that they will get back to us in 72 hours which they don’t. This is why we are trying the credit card company who want official notification that our flight did not go. No flights to Crete went out that day but we need the flight company to confirm it. We have been refunded for our family ‘big birthdays’ reunion in May. The ferry company will not give us refunds just a voucher which we have to use to rebook, even though they are supposed to give us a refund. We used the vouchers to pay for other ferries that we had deposits on. The Crete holiday was ABTA and ATOL protected so eventually someone should respond.

Not good Sue, which Travel Agent are you using for Crete?

[Cathy]

My last haircut was on 14th Feb, I’m quite good at snipping a bit off here and there. I don’t think I will bother having a proper ‘in salon’ cut until just before I’m called back to Volunteering, which I hope will be quite soon.

[Gloria]

My last haircut was 27th Feb, luckily it was very short, but now it’s a tousled mess so it’s getting tucked behind my ears. Hopefully I’ll soon be able to tie it right back. Darent try scissors.

[Big Kev]

Gloria, this holiday in Crete we have been trying to sort since late April. No one answers emails or phones, we just get a standard reply that they will get back to us in 72 hours which they don’t. This is why we are trying the credit card company who want official notification that our flight did not go. No flights to Crete went out that day but we need the flight company to confirm it.

A long shot but might be worth a go if you have the flight details and, if the result (if there is one) is something your CC company will accept https://uk.flightaware.com/

[Tizer]

Me too, 2m for me, no public transport and as few shops as possible.

That's our strategy too. There are too many people out there who are selfish and don't give a damn about whether they catch and transmit the virus. I've just read that a survey showed 1 in 6 people in Britain will refuse to wear a mask on public transport.
That's a good article you posted about distancing, thanks.

China is now grappling with another outbreak, this time in Beijing and said to be from the Xinfadi market which has been described as the biggest wholesale market in all of Asia. The 10,000 staff are got to be tested. Just imagine how many customers it must have! Also, the BBC reports this: The chief epidemiologist of China's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the virus strain found in Beijing did not resemble the type circulating across the rest of the country, suggesting it might have been brought in from elsewhere.
`Coronavirus: Beijing spike continues with 36 new cases' LINK

[Big Kev]

Also, the BBC reports this: The chief epidemiologist of China's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the virus strain found in Beijing did not resemble the type circulating across the rest of the country, suggesting it might have been brought in from elsewhere.

Be interesting to know from where...

[Tizer]

The article says: `Local media reports say the virus was discovered on chopping boards used for imported salmon at the market, prompting major supermarkets in Beijing to pull the fish from their shelves.'
They import salmon from all over the world, including Scotland. I can't find any reports on google of coronavirus infecting fish, let alone salmon, but I did find this in China Daily for 20th March: `Can freshwater fish transmit novel coronavirus?' LINK So it looks like the virus has got onto the salmon chopping boards by the boards being used for some other animal meat and then not washed properly. So perhaps that's what the epidemiologist meant by `from elsewhere'.

[Sue]

Gloria, this holiday in Crete we have been trying to sort since late April. No one answers emails or phones, we just get a standard reply that they will get back to us in 72 hours which they don’t. This is why we are trying the credit card company who want official notification that our flight did not go. No flights to Crete went out that day but we need the flight company to confirm it. We have been refunded for our family ‘big birthdays’ reunion in May. The ferry company will not give us refunds just a voucher which we have to use to rebook, even though they are supposed to give us a refund. We used the vouchers to pay for other ferries that we had deposits on. The Crete holiday was ABTA and ATOL protected so eventually someone should respond.

Not good Sue, which Travel Agent are you using for Crete?

Its Barrhead Travel, we have used them before a couple of times. We went on our Alaskan and Norwegian cruises with them. We just think they are too busy. They sent us am email in April saying they were dealing with customers holidays in turn. We didn’t worry, ours was the end of May. I suppose it is still early days, we would have just come back.

[Gloria]

Don’t know them Sue. I should thinks it’s like being in a nightmare doing that job at the moment.

[Whyperion]

They are probably all furloughed with no new bookings happening.

China has fired the Market Manager and other officials, so looks like it is not intially trying to blame some kind of import, more a lack of procedure.

We dont hear much about other european numbers now, but Germany has some problems with Berlin Apartment Blocks ( presumably more residents than buildings), Overall on Sunday the country reported 247 new infections and six new deaths. Which is lowish but not as low as I think they would want.

[Tripps]

There seem to be regional differences as what constitutes a distance of two metres.

Cambridge. I notice no one has a face covering on -

2metres Cambs.jpg

Whereas down in London - almost everyone has a face covering. Maybe they think that will keep them safe, and they can stand closer together?

2m London.jpg

[Whyperion]

London I think is the NIke Store ( there are not many of them in the UK ). Why the desire to get new trainers is beyond me.

Numbers 1,056 confirmed positive UK new cases to last night, it is about 0.5% of the total number of (confirmed) cases. I do not see it falling much below that for a while as long as folk are close to one another, will there be a rise with the shopping and travelling? Deaths up about 38 and all said to have underlying health issues, which to me still means the health and care services have not got situation under control.

Cases Up to Monday 1,279 increase of new persons, reported deaths up by 233. While two days dont make trends, the words of the PM indicating that there is some controlling of the disease does not seem correct. However there could be mild optimism. a Steroid mainly Asthma treatment has shown mitigation and likely life saving effects on the worse cases Dexamethasone . Interestingly it appears no statistical effectiveness on outcomes on less worse cases. I am slightly surprised as early information I heard sounded to me that Steroids would not make , or make some aspects worse rather than better. Like too the question of why does it work - again it is assisting the body to repair itself or at least to less deteriorate, and why do not all people in the same situation benefit. Some indications this could have saved 5000 lives lost, I suspect it is best in younger, or heathlier in the first place people, though worth a try for all at the stage they get to.

[Sue]

My last haircut was on 14th Feb, I’m quite good at snipping a bit off here and there. I don’t think I will bother having a proper ‘in salon’ cut until just before I’m called back to Volunteering, which I hope will be quite soon.

My last cut was end of Januaryish. I was due for a cut and colour the Monday we were expecting to be back from France, and that was an overdue cut. I too have been snipping, it looks quite respectable when first washed and blow dried, but my exercise classes and walks on windy hills soon put paid to that!

[Sue]

Don’t know them Sue. I should thinks it’s like being in a nightmare doing that job at the moment.

Yes their first email apologised but staffing levels were low and they were snowed under trying to deal with all the cancellations

[Stanley]

More than 2 metres except for Mick and Susan, I cut my own hair and hate shopping. I don't go on holiday either, life is one long holiday here.

[Whyperion]

Didnt you get your day trip to Stockport in the last few months, plus a trip to Skipton (Well known Moors Gateway Holiday Destination) for shoe work ?

[Tizer]

`US withdraws emergency use of hydroxychloroquine' LINK
Trump's response? "I took it and I felt good about taking it," he told reporters on Monday, adding: "I can't complain about it, I took it for two weeks, and I'm here, here we are."

[Big Kev]

Screenshot_20200616-185308_Chrome.jpg

Some good news and the media say we could have saved 5000 lives if it had been used at the start if the pandemic. Nobody knew it would save 5000 lives then, what is wrong with them?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-53061281

[chinatyke]

Called CDM CDA here, compound dexamethasone acetate, and cheap as chips and available over the counter.

Got my Cadbury's Dairy Milk mixed up!