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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Labour must get over its myth of 2017 if it is to win again

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  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,617

    Sandpit said:

    eadric said:

    I fear the coronavirus is out of control in Italy, and now in France
    ttps://twitter.com/flolauvergnat/status/1233759149026091009?s=20

    The real problem is Iran, where the reported numbers make even less sense than those that came out of China in the initial stages of the outbreak.
    Canadian epidemiologists estimate that the mid-point for the range of likely infections in Iran is 18,000. And that the Iranian government was slow to act because it didn't want public health measures to interfere with i) the anniversary of the revolution and ii) the election.
    The Iranians have completely screwed up the response, and have sent the virus all over the Middle East as a result. Their initial statements were suggesting that Qom is a holy place where people come to be healed, therefore there was no need to lock the place down despite huge crowds of pilgrims.

    As someone who lives 200 miles from Iran, that’s rather concerning, I’m certainly avoiding public transport and large groups of people at the moment.
  • eadric said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Nigelb said:

    eadric said:

    Chameleon said:

    Seems to be good news on the whole. 3 imported cases caught, 1,500 tests done in 24 hours. So far the Govt. response has been good.
    We are doing better than Italy, France or Germany

    "Situation already hectic in hospitals"

    https://twitter.com/COVID19_WUHAN/status/1233728494674366464?s=20

    But is that luck or judgement?
    Bit of both, probably.
    One thing we ought to set up on a large scale, ASAP, is drive-in testing along the lines of what they’re doing in S Korea. Would save a lot of people turning up at hospitals/GPs and risking passing it on - and enable a ramp up of community testing.
    We definitely need a large scale public education campaign running on tv and social media ASAP. Otherwise we are definitely going to have loads of people turning up in A&E and doctors surgeries complaining of illness and needing to be seen.

    I actually don't know what I am supposed to do if I suspect I might have it?
    You should take action if:



    Stay indoors and self-isolate. Avoid all possible contact with other people.
    Ring the relevant number below and advise them of your recent travel or contact.
    In England and Wales ring 111.
    In Scotland, ring your GP during opening hours and 111 (NHS24) out of hours.
    In Northern Ireland, ring the coronavirus 24/7 helpline on 0300 200 7885.
    Follow their advice and do not leave your home until you been given advice by a clinician.
    Do not use a taxi or public transport if you are advised to go to hospital.
    Do not visit your GP - they do not have facilities in place to isolate you and prevent transmission of the infection to others

    https://patient.info/news-and-features/covid-19-how-to-protect-yourself-against-coronavirus
    That sounds like good advice.

    But look at this:

    https://twitter.com/business/status/1233413326035718150?s=20

    Many if not most infections are occurring within families: inside the household. Might this be because they are ordered to remain at home, in close confineemt, thus ensuring everyone in the family catches it from everyone else?

    https://twitter.com/hbdchick/status/1233758450917744640?s=20

    "Stay home" could be the worst possible advice, if you are a nuclear family
    Or live in a high density urban environment.

    Ten to a house low pay gig economy doesn't look too clever now.
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    Has the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan not been annouced every six months for the last decade? They will most likely still be there in five years time imo.
    There has never been a peace deal with the Taliban before, only temporary ceasefires, if the Taliban sticks to the terms US forces will be out of Afghanistan within 2 years
    2011 - Complete withdrawal by 2014 announced
    2014 - Complete withdrawal by 2016 announced
    2015 - Complete withdrawal by 2016 announced
    2016 - Review in 2017
    2017 - Hasty withdrawal announced
    2017 - Add more troops instead
    2020 - Reduce troop numbers back to 2016 levels
    202x - More of the same
  • eekeek Posts: 28,405
    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
  • OllyTOllyT Posts: 5,006
    edited February 2020

    MaxPB said:

    The civil service is the nation's largest roadblock to any kind of reform or change to the status quo. This is an extremely unsurprising outcome when you have one one side a government with a majority and mandate for big change and on the other an immovable roadblock to those changes. Ultimately the case will come down to that and hopefully the government win. It's time for the civil service to bend the knee.

    It's sad that you hate your country in this way. I have enormous admiration and respect for the way that it functions - truly world class for centuries. The suggestion that everything was crap until the likes of Boris, Cummings and Patel turned up is grotesque.
    As time rolls on it will become increasingly clear that selecting a cabinet from the limited gene pool of Tory Brexiteers was far from optimal. Raab and Patel would never have got near those two offices of state under normal circumstances. The mass exodus of Tory Remainers will eventually be seen to have been highly detrimental.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,119
    edited February 2020



    I don't know enough to praise or criticise the Government on the current siuation, but I agree with you on the media. There was once a threatened U-turn by the (Labour) government which would have affected my constituency badly, and the Guardian had a half page article about the "impending betrayal". I was able to head it off, and contacted the editor, who said "If they're doing what they should, that's not news", and refused to publish a word to tell readers that the "betrayal" actually never happened.

    They are best seen as a branch of the entertainment industry, which incidentally provides news when it fits with the entertainment.

    I wouldn't go that far. I think a lot of media criticism of government is perfectly valid.

    My point was more about in this particular exceptional circumstances, it does appear that in the recent past the authorities have done a really good job. Instead we are just fed tales of the likes of some idiot who ignored the advice given and now wants to blame everybody else.

    My elderly parents were affected by Monarch going bust and said the authorities were very good, but still at the airport you had people getting really mouthy about why they couldn't fly today, they demand they get flown back now as they have terribly important things etc etc etc. Rather than, understand this is an exceptional situation and the government are still getting us home free of charge, albeit it a day or two late.

    The media aren't dummies, they realise organising getting 250,000 people back to the UK is a massive undertaking, and there is of course going to be the odd case where it doesn't work out perfectly.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,148
    edited February 2020
    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    I don't think so, Fox celebrated the death of Bin Laden even under Obama.

    The main aim of the invasion was not to topple the Taliban, they took power 5 years before 9/11 but to remove Al Qaeda and kill Bin Laden after 9/11
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,841
    edited February 2020
    IshmaelZ said:

    IanB2 said:

    Nigelb said:

    eadric said:

    Chameleon said:

    Seems to be good news on the whole. 3 imported cases caught, 1,500 tests done in 24 hours. So far the Govt. response has been good.
    We are doing better than Italy, France or Germany

    "Situation already hectic in hospitals"

    https://twitter.com/COVID19_WUHAN/status/1233728494674366464?s=20

    But is that luck or judgement?
    Bit of both, probably.
    One thing we ought to set up on a large scale, ASAP, is drive-in testing along the lines of what they’re doing in S Korea. Would save a lot of people turning up at hospitals/GPs and risking passing it on - and enable a ramp up of community testing.
    We definitely need a large scale public education campaign running on tv and social media ASAP. Otherwise we are definitely going to have loads of people turning up in A&E and doctors surgeries complaining of illness and needing to be seen.

    I actually don't know what I am supposed to do if I suspect I might have it?
    https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
    So NHS says fine to continue going to work and school whereas patient.info says avoid all contact with other people.......
    NHS advice is to everybody. patient.info to the infected.
    They need to make that clear. Also it says you "may" be "asked" to self isolate if infected, indicating you do not have to do so by default.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,148

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    Has the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan not been annouced every six months for the last decade? They will most likely still be there in five years time imo.
    There has never been a peace deal with the Taliban before, only temporary ceasefires, if the Taliban sticks to the terms US forces will be out of Afghanistan within 2 years
    2011 - Complete withdrawal by 2014 announced
    2014 - Complete withdrawal by 2016 announced
    2015 - Complete withdrawal by 2016 announced
    2016 - Review in 2017
    2017 - Hasty withdrawal announced
    2017 - Add more troops instead
    2020 - Reduce troop numbers back to 2016 levels
    202x - More of the same
    So no full peace deal agreed with the Taliban during that time then, thanks for confirming
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,164
    WRT the Civil servant - surely he is right to resign and claim constructive dismissal and fight his case in the courts. However, entirely wrong to give the press conference and create a political confrontation with the government. In doing the latter he calls into question his own and the entire CS position of neutrality thereby weakening his case. At the end of the day the government has the right to expect its servants to foster the programme upon which they have been elected. If he is concerned about illegality the place for that is the courts and not the press.
  • TimTTimT Posts: 6,468
    kle4 said:

    Certainly, there is no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater – but there is a need to throw out the bathwater.

    It's a fair point. Fair enough not changing entirely, but even if they take a path different to what I might think they should so, there's still basic facts to confront rather than avoid.

    Shouting and screaming is not “bullying”, in my book, even if it’s unpleasant.

    I think Patel is probably the least qualified Home Secretary in my lifetime, worse than hapless Jacqui Smith, but mendacious and malevolent as well.

    But not convinced yet Mr Rutnam has a cast iron case. Look forward to seeing the evidence.

    There are very few occasions in an office environment that shouting and screaming would be warranted and thus such action is more likely to be bullying behaviour than not, in my view, but it depends very much on whether there was a pattern of behaviour to assess. Everyone blows up now and again, but a general approach of pettiness, viciousness, aggression or just low grade nastiness as a boss will show through and be indicative of a bully, whether or not there is screaming and shouting.

    Sometimes people need a bollocking, and swearing can be useful when exercised appropriately to make a point. It's people who think to act like Malcolm Tucker that get my goat, people who seem to think reasonable manners are a weakness or that to be cool and powerful they need to rant and swear like the children of South Park.

    We all know it is possible to be a good leader without screaming and shouting (habitually at any rate) so no one needs to do it. It's like caning children - its possible to control schoolkids without it, so choosing to do it is pathetic on top of being wrong.
    Pretty much my view. The very occasional display of anger can be very useful, but two things:
    1. separate the issue from the person - direct the anger at what they are doing/not doing, rather than at their person;
    2. there's no need to shout to display anger.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,148
    De Gaulle who spent WW2 in exile in Britain
  • felix said:

    WRT the Civil servant - surely he is right to resign and claim constructive dismissal and fight his case in the courts. However, entirely wrong to give the press conference and create a political confrontation with the government. In doing the latter he calls into question his own and the entire CS position of neutrality thereby weakening his case. At the end of the day the government has the right to expect its servants to foster the programme upon which they have been elected. If he is concerned about illegality the place for that is the courts and not the press.

    In what world is the press the wrong place to deal with illegal acts by govt ministers?
  • ChameleonChameleon Posts: 4,264
    eadric said:

    Something more encouraging, the graph for deaths and cases on

    https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/


    show a distinct levelling off.

    However this might be because the data is distorted by Chinese under-reporting, and/or the uniquely draconian Chinese reaction; added to which, the new rise in cases around the world has yet to impact on overall numbers.

    The next week should tell us. But maybe there's a glimmer of hope.

    As you well know, China cases are irrelevant to the worldwide spread. Look at the map excluding China cases.

    Open up this: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    Maximise the chart in the bottom right, and look at the yellow line (cases outside China).

    29/02: 6.4k (so far)
    28/02: 5.3k
    27/02: 4.3k
    25/02: 2.8k
    20/02: 1.2k
    14/02: 0.6k

  • eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
  • eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    Whatever the news, there is always a Trump tweet for it...
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,148
    edited February 2020

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    Whatever the news, there is always a Trump tweet for it...
    Trump was warning in his book 'The America We Deserve' Bin Laden should have been taken out even before 9/11

    https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PV6qZU_xev8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=america+we+deserve&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=bin laden&f=false
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,617

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    I think he’s learned that actually being the guy in charge means sometimes you have to talk to ‘bad’ people elsewhere.

    I’ll believe the US troops are all coming home when it actually happens though, there’s been way too many false starts over the years.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,466

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    Whatever the news, there is always a Trump tweet for it...
    Not sure The Donald is going to be entirely happy with the Taliban's spokesman's reported remarks.
    "I hope that with the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan the Afghan nation under an Islamic regime will take its relief and embark on a new prosperous life,"
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,868
    Sandpit said:

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    I think he’s learned that actually being the guy in charge means sometimes you have to talk to ‘bad’ people elsewhere.

    I’ll believe the US troops are all coming home when it actually happens though, there’s been way too many false starts over the years.
    False stops, surely?
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,868
    felix said:

    WRT the Civil servant - surely he is right to resign and claim constructive dismissal and fight his case in the courts. However, entirely wrong to give the press conference and create a political confrontation with the government. In doing the latter he calls into question his own and the entire CS position of neutrality thereby weakening his case. At the end of the day the government has the right to expect its servants to foster the programme upon which they have been elected. If he is concerned about illegality the place for that is the courts and not the press.

    Exactly right. His resignation looks politically motivated and due to a political disagreement with the new government agenda. It's extremely transparent that he's being put up to this by the union to try and hurt the government.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,228
    MaxPB said:

    felix said:

    WRT the Civil servant - surely he is right to resign and claim constructive dismissal and fight his case in the courts. However, entirely wrong to give the press conference and create a political confrontation with the government. In doing the latter he calls into question his own and the entire CS position of neutrality thereby weakening his case. At the end of the day the government has the right to expect its servants to foster the programme upon which they have been elected. If he is concerned about illegality the place for that is the courts and not the press.

    Exactly right. His resignation looks politically motivated and due to a political disagreement with the new government agenda. It's extremely transparent that he's being put up to this by the union to try and hurt the government.
    Except that his statement claims he went public because such behaviour was widespread within the department.

    Whether that it true or not will become clear in time, but if he is right, your certainty about what he has done is. simply not justified.
  • TimTTimT Posts: 6,468
    Chameleon said:

    eadric said:

    Something more encouraging, the graph for deaths and cases on

    https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/


    show a distinct levelling off.

    However this might be because the data is distorted by Chinese under-reporting, and/or the uniquely draconian Chinese reaction; added to which, the new rise in cases around the world has yet to impact on overall numbers.

    The next week should tell us. But maybe there's a glimmer of hope.

    As you well know, China cases are irrelevant to the worldwide spread. Look at the map excluding China cases.

    Open up this: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    Maximise the chart in the bottom right, and look at the yellow line (cases outside China).

    29/02: 6.4k (so far)
    28/02: 5.3k
    27/02: 4.3k
    25/02: 2.8k
    20/02: 1.2k
    14/02: 0.6k

    True, but what the Chinese data might help us understand is how long the disease will persist in a given location once it hits. Of course, both the level of infections and the duration of outbreak in each place will be impacted by the effectiveness of the public health measures, but China is giving us some baseline data.
  • Activist investor Elliott Management Corp. has taken a sizable stake in Twitter Inc. and plans to push for changes at the social media company, including replacing Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey, according to people familiar with the matter.

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-29/singer-s-elliott-is-said-to-seek-to-replace-twitter-ceo-dorsey
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,148
    edited February 2020

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    Whatever the news, there is always a Trump tweet for it...
    Not sure The Donald is going to be entirely happy with the Taliban's spokesman's reported remarks.
    "I hope that with the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan the Afghan nation under an Islamic regime will take its relief and embark on a new prosperous life,"
    Even the current Afghan Government is Islamic, the main aim of the invasion and the deal is to stop the Taliban harbouring Al Qaeda terrorists
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,228
    edited February 2020
    Chameleon said:

    Nigelb said:

    eadric said:

    Chameleon said:

    Seems to be good news on the whole. 3 imported cases caught, 1,500 tests done in 24 hours. So far the Govt. response has been good.
    We are doing better than Italy, France or Germany

    "Situation already hectic in hospitals"

    https://twitter.com/COVID19_WUHAN/status/1233728494674366464?s=20

    But is that luck or judgement?
    Bit of both, probably.
    One thing we ought to set up on a large scale, ASAP, is drive-in testing along the lines of what they’re doing in S Korea. Would save a lot of people turning up at hospitals/GPs and risking passing it on - and enable a ramp up of community testing.
    We did it before South Korea. We are scaling it up.
    They have centres up and running across the country.
    Do we ?
    https://www.england.nhs.uk/2020/02/nhs-comments-on-coronavirus-drive-through-testing-service/

    (That is not a criticism - I’m just curious, as it hasn’t been widely publicised.)
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,466
    HYUFD said:

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    Whatever the news, there is always a Trump tweet for it...
    Not sure The Donald is going to be entirely happy with the Taliban's spokesman's reported remarks.
    "I hope that with the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan the Afghan nation under an Islamic regime will take its relief and embark on a new prosperous life,"
    Even the current Afghan Government is Islamic, the main aim of the invasion and the deal is to stop the Taliban harbouring Al Qaeda terrorists
    My understanding is that the present Afghan Government is composed of somewhat more liberal Muslims than yer average Talib!
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,218
    Chameleon said:

    eadric said:

    Something more encouraging, the graph for deaths and cases on

    https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/


    show a distinct levelling off.

    However this might be because the data is distorted by Chinese under-reporting, and/or the uniquely draconian Chinese reaction; added to which, the new rise in cases around the world has yet to impact on overall numbers.

    The next week should tell us. But maybe there's a glimmer of hope.

    As you well know, China cases are irrelevant to the worldwide spread. Look at the map excluding China cases.

    Open up this: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    Maximise the chart in the bottom right, and look at the yellow line (cases outside China).

    29/02: 6.4k (so far)
    28/02: 5.3k
    27/02: 4.3k
    25/02: 2.8k
    20/02: 1.2k
    14/02: 0.6k

    That shows a pretty dramatic slowing of the infection rate:

    20.75%
    23.26%
    53.57%
    133.33%
    100.00%

    (Although, of course, there might be a number of countries which - errrrr... - aren't doing a very good job of tracking infections. Like, the US.)
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,148

    HYUFD said:

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    Whatever the news, there is always a Trump tweet for it...
    Not sure The Donald is going to be entirely happy with the Taliban's spokesman's reported remarks.
    "I hope that with the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan the Afghan nation under an Islamic regime will take its relief and embark on a new prosperous life,"
    Even the current Afghan Government is Islamic, the main aim of the invasion and the deal is to stop the Taliban harbouring Al Qaeda terrorists
    My understanding is that the present Afghan Government is composed of somewhat more liberal Muslims than yer average Talib!
    Not to a great degree, the current Afghan Government is composed of Pashtuns who are the Afghan majority and warlords
  • TimTTimT Posts: 6,468
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    Whatever the news, there is always a Trump tweet for it...
    Not sure The Donald is going to be entirely happy with the Taliban's spokesman's reported remarks.
    "I hope that with the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan the Afghan nation under an Islamic regime will take its relief and embark on a new prosperous life,"
    Even the current Afghan Government is Islamic, the main aim of the invasion and the deal is to stop the Taliban harbouring Al Qaeda terrorists
    My understanding is that the present Afghan Government is composed of somewhat more liberal Muslims than yer average Talib!
    Not to a great degree, the current Afghan Government is composed of Pashtuns who are the Afghan majority and warlords
    Surely you mean the Pashtun are the plurality, not the majority, of the Afghan population. They make up 38%
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,218
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    Whatever the news, there is always a Trump tweet for it...
    Not sure The Donald is going to be entirely happy with the Taliban's spokesman's reported remarks.
    "I hope that with the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan the Afghan nation under an Islamic regime will take its relief and embark on a new prosperous life,"
    Even the current Afghan Government is Islamic, the main aim of the invasion and the deal is to stop the Taliban harbouring Al Qaeda terrorists
    My understanding is that the present Afghan Government is composed of somewhat more liberal Muslims than yer average Talib!
    Not to a great degree, the current Afghan Government is composed of Pashtuns who are the Afghan majority and warlords
    Approximately what percentage of Pashtuns do you think are warlords?
  • TimTTimT Posts: 6,468
    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    Whatever the news, there is always a Trump tweet for it...
    Not sure The Donald is going to be entirely happy with the Taliban's spokesman's reported remarks.
    "I hope that with the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan the Afghan nation under an Islamic regime will take its relief and embark on a new prosperous life,"
    Even the current Afghan Government is Islamic, the main aim of the invasion and the deal is to stop the Taliban harbouring Al Qaeda terrorists
    My understanding is that the present Afghan Government is composed of somewhat more liberal Muslims than yer average Talib!
    Not to a great degree, the current Afghan Government is composed of Pashtuns who are the Afghan majority and warlords
    Approximately what percentage of Pashtuns do you think are warlords?
    LOL. Had the same thought. Some of my favorite Pakistnis are Pashtun, and they are not warlords. They have nice cloth caps, though.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,868
    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
  • ChameleonChameleon Posts: 4,264
    edited February 2020
    rcs1000 said:

    Chameleon said:

    eadric said:

    Something more encouraging, the graph for deaths and cases on

    https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/


    show a distinct levelling off.

    However this might be because the data is distorted by Chinese under-reporting, and/or the uniquely draconian Chinese reaction; added to which, the new rise in cases around the world has yet to impact on overall numbers.

    The next week should tell us. But maybe there's a glimmer of hope.

    As you well know, China cases are irrelevant to the worldwide spread. Look at the map excluding China cases.

    Open up this: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    Maximise the chart in the bottom right, and look at the yellow line (cases outside China).

    29/02: 6.4k (so far)
    28/02: 5.3k
    27/02: 4.3k
    25/02: 2.8k
    20/02: 1.2k
    14/02: 0.6k

    That shows a pretty dramatic slowing of the infection rate:

    20.75%
    23.26%
    53.57%
    133.33%
    100.00%

    (Although, of course, there might be a number of countries which - errrrr... - aren't doing a very good job of tracking infections. Like, the US.)
    Ah sorry, I should have clarified that those were selected dates, not every date.

    The rough daily infection rates are:

    15th Feb-20th Feb: 15%
    21-25: 24%
    26-27: 24%
    28: 24%
    29: 23+% (depending on how many more cases are found. Another 100 would raise it to the standard 24%.)
  • AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 3,080
    IshmaelZ said:

    Nigelb said:



    Bit of both, probably.
    One thing we ought to set up on a large scale, ASAP, is drive-in testing along the lines of what they’re doing in S Korea. Would save a lot of people turning up at hospitals/GPs and risking passing it on - and enable a ramp up of community testing.

    We definitely need a large scale public education campaign running on tv and social media ASAP. Otherwise we are definitely going to have loads of people turning up in A&E and doctors surgeries complaining of illness and needing to be seen.

    I actually don't know what I am supposed to do if I suspect I might have it?
    You should take action if:

    You have returned from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau and experience symptoms, however mild, within two weeks.
    You have returned from Northern Italy (defined by a line above and not including Pisa, Florence and Rimini), Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos or Myanmar since February 19thand experience symptoms, however mild.
    You have returned from Iran, specific lockdown areas in Northern Italy or special care zones in South Korea since 19thFebruary, even if you don't have any symptoms.
    You have returned from Wuhan or Hubei Province of China in the last fourteen days.
    You have been in contact with someone with a confirmed case of coronavirus, even if you feel entirely well.
    If any of the above applies to you:

    Stay indoors and self-isolate. Avoid all possible contact with other people.
    Ring the relevant number below and advise them of your recent travel or contact.
    In England and Wales ring 111.
    In Scotland, ring your GP during opening hours and 111 (NHS24) out of hours.
    In Northern Ireland, ring the coronavirus 24/7 helpline on 0300 200 7885.
    Follow their advice and do not leave your home until you been given advice by a clinician.
    Do not use a taxi or public transport if you are advised to go to hospital.
    Do not visit your GP - they do not have facilities in place to isolate you and prevent transmission of the infection to others

    https://patient.info/news-and-features/covid-19-how-to-protect-yourself-against-coronavirus
    A serious issue is, how do you get there without using public transport or a taxi? Why would any neighbour or friend be willing to spend an hour or so cooped up with you in their car? What about other people who also may use that car?

    Good afternoon, everyone. Many thanks for all the informative and still entertaining threads & comments.
  • eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    And of those 2-3% how many would have died in the following year in any case ?
  • Covid-19 Testing

    26 Feb:
    UK: 7,132
    US: 445

    28 Feb:
    UK: 8,986 (+1,854)
    US: 459 (+15)

    Today, UK's total testing stands at 10,483, up 1,497.

    If the US was testing at the same rate as the UK they would have carried out 52,000 tests by now.
  • SirNorfolkPassmoreSirNorfolkPassmore Posts: 7,152
    edited February 2020
    I think you can make a good case to tone down the rhetoric generally on Twitter, but the implication of Dale's tweet is that Priti Patel should be exceptionally spared because she's female and of Asian origin.

    In fact, the conduct that led her to be sacked by May, and the conduct that has led to this extraordinary situation, are both perfectly legitimate targets for robust criticism.

    I also quite like the "styles himself" thing too. Dale "styles himself" as a political commentator.
  • rcs1000 said:

    Chameleon said:

    eadric said:

    Something more encouraging, the graph for deaths and cases on

    https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/


    show a distinct levelling off.

    However this might be because the data is distorted by Chinese under-reporting, and/or the uniquely draconian Chinese reaction; added to which, the new rise in cases around the world has yet to impact on overall numbers.

    The next week should tell us. But maybe there's a glimmer of hope.

    As you well know, China cases are irrelevant to the worldwide spread. Look at the map excluding China cases.

    Open up this: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    Maximise the chart in the bottom right, and look at the yellow line (cases outside China).

    29/02: 6.4k (so far)
    28/02: 5.3k
    27/02: 4.3k
    25/02: 2.8k
    20/02: 1.2k
    14/02: 0.6k

    That shows a pretty dramatic slowing of the infection rate:

    20.75%
    23.26%
    53.57%
    133.33%
    100.00%

    (Although, of course, there might be a number of countries which - errrrr... - aren't doing a very good job of tracking infections. Like, the US.)
    Does it? The dates aren't equidistant.
  • I think you can make a good case to tone down the rhetoric generally on Twitter, but the implication of Dale's tweet is that Priti Patel should be exceptionally spared because she's female and of Asian origin.

    In fact, the conduct that led her to be sacked by May, and the conduct that has led to this extraordinary situation, are both perfectly legitimate targets for robust criticism.
    Indeed, but Grayling does not do that - he suggests she's a female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    It shouldn't really matter that she is female or Asian, we tire of the woke/left when they hide behind minority-isms to deflect criticism. But, (having looked up what a succubi is!) it seems an overly personal term and inappropriate (in that it doesn't fit Priti Patel rather than the modern use of inappropriate as a passive aggressive way of saying "wrong")
  • TimTTimT Posts: 6,468

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    And of those 2-3% how many would have died in the following year in any case ?
    The next conspiracy theory will be that this virus was designed by the Japanese and Europeans to deal with the pensions problems.
  • AnneJGP said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Nigelb said:



    Bit of both, probably.
    One thing we ought to set up on a large scale, ASAP, is drive-in testing along the lines of what they’re doing in S Korea. Would save a lot of people turning up at hospitals/GPs and risking passing it on - and enable a ramp up of community testing.

    We definitely need a large scale public education campaign running on tv and social media ASAP. Otherwise we are definitely going to have loads of people turning up in A&E and doctors surgeries complaining of illness and needing to be seen.

    I actually don't know what I am supposed to do if I suspect I might have it?
    You should take action if:

    You have returned from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau and experience symptoms, however mild, within two weeks.
    You have returned from Northern Italy (defined by a line above and not including Pisa, Florence and Rimini), Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos or Myanmar since February 19thand experience symptoms, however mild.
    You have returned from Iran, specific lockdown areas in Northern Italy or special care zones in South Korea since 19thFebruary, even if you don't have any symptoms.
    You have returned from Wuhan or Hubei Province of China in the last fourteen days.
    You have been in contact with someone with a confirmed case of coronavirus, even if you feel entirely well.
    If any of the above applies to you:

    Stay indoors and self-isolate. Avoid all possible contact with other people.
    Ring the relevant number below and advise them of your recent travel or contact.
    In England and Wales ring 111.
    In Scotland, ring your GP during opening hours and 111 (NHS24) out of hours.
    In Northern Ireland, ring the coronavirus 24/7 helpline on 0300 200 7885.
    Follow their advice and do not leave your home until you been given advice by a clinician.
    Do not use a taxi or public transport if you are advised to go to hospital.
    Do not visit your GP - they do not have facilities in place to isolate you and prevent transmission of the infection to others

    https://patient.info/news-and-features/covid-19-how-to-protect-yourself-against-coronavirus
    A serious issue is, how do you get there without using public transport or a taxi? Why would any neighbour or friend be willing to spend an hour or so cooped up with you in their car? What about other people who also may use that car?

    Good afternoon, everyone. Many thanks for all the informative and still entertaining threads & comments.
    I think the plan is for appropriately trained staff to come to you - though how long that will survive a major outbreak, who knows. However, the advice to avoid surgeries and public transport is sound.
  • ChameleonChameleon Posts: 4,264

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    And of those 2-3% how many would have died in the following year in any case ?
    About 1/3rd of them. However the 2-3% mortality rate for widespread infection is optimistic if Wuhan is any guide.
  • IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    Shush you! The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,483
    Sandpit said:

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    I think he’s learned that actually being the guy in charge means sometimes you have to talk to ‘bad’ people elsewhere.

    I’ll believe the US troops are all coming home when it actually happens though, there’s been way too many false starts over the years.
    Going home surely.
  • I think you can make a good case to tone down the rhetoric generally on Twitter, but the implication of Dale's tweet is that Priti Patel should be exceptionally spared because she's female and of Asian origin.

    In fact, the conduct that led her to be sacked by May, and the conduct that has led to this extraordinary situation, are both perfectly legitimate targets for robust criticism.

    I also quite like the "styles himself" thing too. Dale "styles himself" as a political commentator.
    A least Grayling hasn't physically assaulted any OAPs.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,617

    I think you can make a good case to tone down the rhetoric generally on Twitter, but the implication of Dale's tweet is that Priti Patel should be exceptionally spared because she's female and of Asian origin.

    In fact, the conduct that led her to be sacked by May, and the conduct that has led to this extraordinary situation, are both perfectly legitimate targets for robust criticism.

    I also quite like the "styles himself" thing too. Dale "styles himself" as a political commentator.
    Of course politicians are fair game for criticism, but Grayling really doesn’t need to resort to such offensive sexist language to make his point clear.
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    Sandpit said:


    Given that Yes, Minister was more than 30 years ago, and many people who have been involved in government have said it was a good documentary, it’s quite amazing that the sort of blowup we have seen at the HO doesn’t happen a lot more often.

    This is why Gove / Cummings at education caused so many waves. They actually came to education having done a lot of research, and we know that Cummings can start an argument in an empty lift, but does consume masses of information on subjects that he becomes interested in.

    So when they got the usual civil service response "its not possible, that won't work, we have looked at it", I think they met their match.
    "caused waves", you mean gave the Whitehall mandarins exactly what they wanted?
  • Another contrast - the UK updates testing/infections every 24 hours. In the US:

    This page will be updated regularly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Numbers close out at 4 p.m. the day before reporting.

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,868
    edited February 2020
    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    So basically if you are under 75 and reasonably healthy, you really haven’t got much to worry about.

    I wouldn’t wish ill on anyone in their 80s. But this doesn’t look like an existential threat to the global economy. Except possibly for the cruise industry.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,466
    isam said:

    It shouldn't really matter that she is female or Asian, we tire of the woke/left when they hide behind minority-isms to deflect criticism. But, (having looked up what a succubi is!) it seems an overly personal term and inappropriate (in that it doesn't fit Priti Patel rather than the modern use of inappropriate as a passive aggressive way of saying "wrong")
    Too clever by half comes to mind. Like peppering speeches with Latin tags.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,466
    IanB2 said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    So basically if you are under 75 and reasonably healthy, you really haven’t got much to worry about.

    I wouldn’t wish ill on anyone in their 80s. But this doesn’t look like an existential threat to the global economy. Except possibly for the cruise industry.
    Thank you!
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,617

    Another contrast - the UK updates testing/infections every 24 hours. In the US:

    This page will be updated regularly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Numbers close out at 4 p.m. the day before reporting.

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

    The CDC seem to be really struggling to understand this virus, they’re lucky that’s it’s a small number of unrelated cases so far. If one of the large US cities gets hit then it could prove very difficult to contain.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,868
    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    So basically if you are under 75 and reasonably healthy, you really haven’t got much to worry about.

    I wouldn’t wish ill on anyone in their 80s. But this doesn’t look like an existential threat to the global economy. Except possibly for the cruise industry.
    You don't even begin to understand, do you?

    OMG, all my work has been in vain.
    No change there, then.
  • HYUFD said:

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    Whatever the news, there is always a Trump tweet for it...
    Trump was warning in his book 'The America We Deserve' Bin Laden should have been taken out even before 9/11

    https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PV6qZU_xev8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=america+we+deserve&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=bin laden&f=false
    That's not what tha says. It is a criticism of the fact we tried to bomb him then stopped actually. He's responding to the fact America tried to bomb Bin Laden not suggesting America does.
  • IanB2 said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    So basically if you are under 75 and reasonably healthy, you really haven’t got much to worry about.

    I wouldn’t wish ill on anyone in their 80s. But this doesn’t look like an existential threat to the global economy. Except possibly for the cruise industry.
    Isn't the economic concern less to do with mortality rates and more to do with the impact of measures designed to limit spread of the infection? Many economic activities may well be closed down or significantly reduced for a period.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 51,712
    Sandpit said:

    Another contrast - the UK updates testing/infections every 24 hours. In the US:

    This page will be updated regularly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Numbers close out at 4 p.m. the day before reporting.

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

    The CDC seem to be really struggling to understand this virus, they’re lucky that’s it’s a small number of unrelated cases so far. If one of the large US cities gets hit then it could prove very difficult to contain.
    The US has been described as a very rich third-world country. The virus could badly expose its institutional failings.
  • eadric said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    And of those 2-3% how many would have died in the following year in any case ?
    A large chunk, I think

    It's not so much the dead who are the problem, if I may be brutal (though 250,000 dead in Britain, if it happens, is grim) - it is the numbers of critically ill.

    Apparently hospitals in France are already struggling, and they have a few dozen cases. What will it be like if and when they have thousands, or tens of thousands? How would the NHS cope with that?

    They might not cope, and the health system will collapse, and then we are in deep shit.

    France today:

    "French hospitals face the coronavirus: "It's an incredible mess for a still low number of cases""


    https://twitter.com/COVID19_WUHAN/status/1233728494674366464?s=20
    How many people are treated in hospitals every day ?

    I suspect that a few dozen more has less of an effect than is being claimed.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,405
    edited February 2020
    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    So basically if you are under 75 and reasonably healthy, you really haven’t got much to worry about.

    I wouldn’t wish ill on anyone in their 80s. But this doesn’t look like an existential threat to the global economy. Except possibly for the cruise industry.
    Isn't the economic concern less to do with mortality rates and more to do with the impact of measures designed to limit spread of the infection? Many economic activities may well be closed down or significantly reduced for a period.
    Just a bit

    The collapse in China's economy in February was worse than 2008

    https://twitter.com/JhonWValdez1/status/1233636941175906304?s=20
    And the headline figure doesn't tally with the far worse figures underneath the headline.

    Now I know Chinese figures are usually dubious in the lot of ways but this seems even worse than usual.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,868

    IanB2 said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    So basically if you are under 75 and reasonably healthy, you really haven’t got much to worry about.

    I wouldn’t wish ill on anyone in their 80s. But this doesn’t look like an existential threat to the global economy. Except possibly for the cruise industry.
    Isn't the economic concern less to do with mortality rates and more to do with the impact of measures designed to limit spread of the infection? Many economic activities may well be closed down or significantly reduced for a period.
    Fair comment.

    Nevertheless when people start to realise that for the healthy this virus is mostly harmless, and aided by summer weather it starts to subside, I am coming round to considering that a summer market rebound is more likely. Followed by more pain in the autumn.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,617
    edited February 2020

    IanB2 said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    So basically if you are under 75 and reasonably healthy, you really haven’t got much to worry about.

    I wouldn’t wish ill on anyone in their 80s. But this doesn’t look like an existential threat to the global economy. Except possibly for the cruise industry.
    Isn't the economic concern less to do with mortality rates and more to do with the impact of measures designed to limit spread of the infection? Many economic activities may well be closed down or significantly reduced for a period.
    Yes, it’s the severe disruption that’s the economic threat, rather than a large population ‘adjustment’ among mostly economically inactive groups.

    Sporting, cultural events and exhibitions are also getting cancelled everywhere, authorities in many countries don’t want large crowds of people gathering. It sounds as if the French football league will be being played entirely behind closed doors this weekend.

    It was OPEC who called it first, that China’s demand for oil and gas was 25-30% off during January. That’s still a pretty good estimate for how much Chinese economic output has been down - which is why the authorities are now desperate to get the factories open again.
  • IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    So basically if you are under 75 and reasonably healthy, you really haven’t got much to worry about.

    I wouldn’t wish ill on anyone in their 80s. But this doesn’t look like an existential threat to the global economy. Except possibly for the cruise industry.
    Isn't the economic concern less to do with mortality rates and more to do with the impact of measures designed to limit spread of the infection? Many economic activities may well be closed down or significantly reduced for a period.
    Fair comment.

    Nevertheless when people start to realise that for the healthy this virus is mostly harmless, and aided by summer weather it starts to subside, I am coming round to considering that a summer market rebound is more likely. Followed by more pain in the autumn.
    Buying some June call options around the 7000-7100 mark seems low risk, solid upside.

    Most likely we are now heading for recession, earnings downgrades, credit problems, further barriers to international trade and tensions between the powerful nations of the world though so hard to feel optimistic.
  • AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 3,080

    AnneJGP said:

    IshmaelZ said:



    We definitely need a large scale public education campaign running on tv and social media ASAP. Otherwise we are definitely going to have loads of people turning up in A&E and doctors surgeries complaining of illness and needing to be seen.

    I actually don't know what I am supposed to do if I suspect I might have it?

    You should take action if:

    You have returned from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau and experience symptoms, however mild, within two weeks.
    You have returned from Northern Italy (defined by a line above and not including Pisa, Florence and Rimini), Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos or Myanmar since February 19thand experience symptoms, however mild.
    You have returned from Iran, specific lockdown areas in Northern Italy or special care zones in South Korea since 19thFebruary, even if you don't have any symptoms.
    You have returned from Wuhan or Hubei Province of China in the last fourteen days.
    You have been in contact with someone with a confirmed case of coronavirus, even if you feel entirely well.
    If any of the above applies to you:

    Stay indoors and self-isolate. Avoid all possible contact with other people.
    Ring the relevant number below and advise them of your recent travel or contact.
    In England and Wales ring 111.
    In Scotland, ring your GP during opening hours and 111 (NHS24) out of hours.
    In Northern Ireland, ring the coronavirus 24/7 helpline on 0300 200 7885.
    Follow their advice and do not leave your home until you been given advice by a clinician.
    Do not use a taxi or public transport if you are advised to go to hospital.
    Do not visit your GP - they do not have facilities in place to isolate you and prevent transmission of the infection to others

    https://patient.info/news-and-features/covid-19-how-to-protect-yourself-against-coronavirus
    A serious issue is, how do you get there without using public transport or a taxi? Why would any neighbour or friend be willing to spend an hour or so cooped up with you in their car? What about other people who also may use that car?

    Good afternoon, everyone. Many thanks for all the informative and still entertaining threads & comments.
    I think the plan is for appropriately trained staff to come to you - though how long that will survive a major outbreak, who knows. However, the advice to avoid surgeries and public transport is sound.
    Thank you, that sounds more appropriate in my circumstances. However, surely hospital car parks will rapidly fill up with the cars of those who come for testing and are swept straight into hospital quarantine. Minor problems, I know.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,228
    Sandpit said:

    Another contrast - the UK updates testing/infections every 24 hours. In the US:

    This page will be updated regularly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Numbers close out at 4 p.m. the day before reporting.

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

    The CDC seem to be really struggling to understand this virus, they’re lucky that’s it’s a small number of unrelated cases so far. If one of the large US cities gets hit then it could prove very difficult to contain.
    Well Trump did sack their entire pandemic response team when he took office.
    Probably because they did an excellent job for Obama over Ebola.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,868

    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    So basically if you are under 75 and reasonably healthy, you really haven’t got much to worry about.

    I wouldn’t wish ill on anyone in their 80s. But this doesn’t look like an existential threat to the global economy. Except possibly for the cruise industry.
    Isn't the economic concern less to do with mortality rates and more to do with the impact of measures designed to limit spread of the infection? Many economic activities may well be closed down or significantly reduced for a period.
    Fair comment.

    Nevertheless when people start to realise that for the healthy this virus is mostly harmless, and aided by summer weather it starts to subside, I am coming round to considering that a summer market rebound is more likely. Followed by more pain in the autumn.
    Buying some June call options around the 7000-7100 mark seems low risk, solid upside.

    Most likely we are now heading for recession, earnings downgrades, credit problems, further barriers to international trade and tensions between the powerful nations of the world though so hard to feel optimistic.
    Optimistic is over stating things. The question is how long it will be sensible to maintain a solid sell position.
  • eadric said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    And of those 2-3% how many would have died in the following year in any case ?
    A large chunk, I think

    It's not so much the dead who are the problem, if I may be brutal (though 250,000 dead in Britain, if it happens, is grim) - it is the numbers of critically ill.

    Apparently hospitals in France are already struggling, and they have a few dozen cases. What will it be like if and when they have thousands, or tens of thousands? How would the NHS cope with that?

    They might not cope, and the health system will collapse, and then we are in deep shit.

    France today:

    "French hospitals face the coronavirus: "It's an incredible mess for a still low number of cases""


    https://twitter.com/COVID19_WUHAN/status/1233728494674366464?s=20
    How many people are treated in hospitals every day ?

    I suspect that a few dozen more has less of an effect than is being claimed.
    Yeh right. This will be a walk in the park for the NHS.

    I'm far more worried than most on here seem to be today.
  • eadric said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    And of those 2-3% how many would have died in the following year in any case ?
    A large chunk, I think

    It's not so much the dead who are the problem, if I may be brutal (though 250,000 dead in Britain, if it happens, is grim) - it is the numbers of critically ill.

    Apparently hospitals in France are already struggling, and they have a few dozen cases. What will it be like if and when they have thousands, or tens of thousands? How would the NHS cope with that?

    They might not cope, and the health system will collapse, and then we are in deep shit.

    France today:

    "French hospitals face the coronavirus: "It's an incredible mess for a still low number of cases""


    https://twitter.com/COVID19_WUHAN/status/1233728494674366464?s=20
    How many people are treated in hospitals every day ?

    I suspect that a few dozen more has less of an effect than is being claimed.
    Yeh right. This will be a walk in the park for the NHS.

    I'm far more worried than most on here seem to be today.
    And what are you going to do about ?

    Taking sensible precautions and not panicking is the thing to do.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,466

    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    I wouldn’t wish ill on anyone in their 80s. But this doesn’t look like an existential threat to the global economy. Except possibly for the cruise industry.
    Isn't the economic concern less to do with mortality rates and more to do with the impact of measures designed to limit spread of the infection? Many economic activities may well be closed down or significantly reduced for a period.
    Fair comment.

    Nevertheless when people start to realise that for the healthy this virus is mostly harmless, and aided by summer weather it starts to subside, I am coming round to considering that a summer market rebound is more likely. Followed by more pain in the autumn.
    Buying some June call options around the 7000-7100 mark seems low risk, solid upside.

    Most likely we are now heading for recession, earnings downgrades, credit problems, further barriers to international trade and tensions between the powerful nations of the world though so hard to feel optimistic.
    My IFA has sent this in his monthly Bulletin. I'd not heard of the Baltic Index, but the idea seems to make sense.
    'With sensationalist headlines and plenty of disinformation regarding the Coronavirus an objective way to take stock of the situation is to consider an index such as the Baltic Dry Index. In simple terms this measures shipping routes carrying coal, iron ore, grains and many other commodities and when the index falls it means that demand for such raw materials is waning. It is often seen as the canary in the coal mine in terms of what the immediate future may hold when gauging economic growth. Since September the Baltic Dry Index has fallen by 83% and remains at a historically low level. To put matters in perspective, the index fell by a similar level during the Global Financial Crisis and is thus supportive of our defensive move to reduce equities this month.'
  • eadric said:

    We can safely say that the French are panicking

    https://twitter.com/Conflits_FR/status/1233783666582720517?s=20

    You think there wont be photos like that in our press within days?
  • IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    You are Boris Johnson and I claim my £5.
  • eadric said:

    We can safely say that the French are panicking

    https://twitter.com/Conflits_FR/status/1233783666582720517?s=20

    You think there wont be photos like that in our press within days?
    It won't take much at all to get a photo like that in a supermarket, and it not necessarily mass panic, even a small change in demand.

    Remember the snow we had a couple of years ago, it was like that in my local stores and took 2 weeks to get back to normal, because the whole system runs on JIT...people stuck at home for a couple of days in the week and a missed delivery, and you get empty shelves within a day or two.
  • eadric said:

    eadric said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    And of those 2-3% how many would have died in the following year in any case ?
    A large chunk, I think

    It's not so much the dead who are the problem, if I may be brutal (though 250,000 dead in Britain, if it happens, is grim) - it is the numbers of critically ill.

    Apparently hospitals in France are already struggling, and they have a few dozen cases. What will it be like if and when they have thousands, or tens of thousands? How would the NHS cope with that?

    They might not cope, and the health system will collapse, and then we are in deep shit.

    France today:

    "French hospitals face the coronavirus: "It's an incredible mess for a still low number of cases""


    https://twitter.com/COVID19_WUHAN/status/1233728494674366464?s=20
    How many people are treated in hospitals every day ?

    I suspect that a few dozen more has less of an effect than is being claimed.
    Yeh right. This will be a walk in the park for the NHS.

    I'm far more worried than most on here seem to be today.
    It's Normalcy Bias, and maybe fear.
    And you know why there is a 'normalcy bias' ?

    Because things tend towards the normal.

    But that never stops some people trying to big up every event because they're fear junckies.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,617

    Sandpit said:

    Another contrast - the UK updates testing/infections every 24 hours. In the US:

    This page will be updated regularly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Numbers close out at 4 p.m. the day before reporting.

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

    The CDC seem to be really struggling to understand this virus, they’re lucky that’s it’s a small number of unrelated cases so far. If one of the large US cities gets hit then it could prove very difficult to contain.
    The US has been described as a very rich third-world country. The virus could badly expose its institutional failings.
    It’s certainly very decentralised, disparate and slow to react, and it’s healthcare system is a disjointed mess. A fast-moving viral health incident such as this one does seem almost designed to play up to its weaknesses.
  • eadric said:

    We can safely say that the French are panicking

    https://twitter.com/Conflits_FR/status/1233783666582720517?s=20

    You think there wont be photos like that in our press within days?
    And they will be the same misleading crap.
  • geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,720
    Older people with pre-existing conditions (I'm one) should avoid young ones who could be asymptomatic and unwittingly pass it on. E.g. grandparents shouldn't collect kids from school or ferry them to singing lessons etc.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    edited February 2020
    ...
  • geoffw said:

    Older people with pre-existing conditions (I'm one) should avoid young ones who could be asymptomatic and unwittingly pass it on. E.g. grandparents shouldn't collect kids from school or ferry them to singing lessons etc.

    That sounds like a sensible precaution.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,466
    geoffw said:

    Older people with pre-existing conditions (I'm one) should avoid young ones who could be asymptomatic and unwittingly pass it on. E.g. grandparents shouldn't collect kids from school or ferry them to singing lessons etc.

    Being in a similar category, I'm becoming concerned about my Sunday trip to the pub.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,868

    eadric said:

    We can safely say that the French are panicking

    https://twitter.com/Conflits_FR/status/1233783666582720517?s=20

    You think there wont be photos like that in our press within days?
    The value of the photo to the journalist and the newspaper is surely more than the value of the goods that were on the shelf beforehand?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,119
    edited February 2020
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Another contrast - the UK updates testing/infections every 24 hours. In the US:

    This page will be updated regularly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Numbers close out at 4 p.m. the day before reporting.

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

    The CDC seem to be really struggling to understand this virus, they’re lucky that’s it’s a small number of unrelated cases so far. If one of the large US cities gets hit then it could prove very difficult to contain.
    The US has been described as a very rich third-world country. The virus could badly expose its institutional failings.
    It’s certainly very decentralised, disparate and slow to react, and it’s healthcare system is a disjointed mess. A fast-moving viral health incident such as this one does seem almost designed to play up to its weaknesses.
    Also the society is setup to be one where the individual is expected to take a lot more responsibility for themselves. It works well for those in steady skilled careers, as they have health insurance through their job, and then have plenty of disposable income to decide what to spend it on.

    The working poor in very low paid and / or unreliable employment that are far more exposed to any disruption than in Western European countries.
  • eadric said:

    eadric said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    And of those 2-3% how many would have died in the following year in any case ?
    A large chunk, I think

    It's not so much the dead who are the problem, if I may be brutal (though 250,000 dead in Britain, if it happens, is grim) - it is the numbers of critically ill.

    Apparently hospitals in France are already struggling, and they have a few dozen cases. What will it be like if and when they have thousands, or tens of thousands? How would the NHS cope with that?

    They might not cope, and the health system will collapse, and then we are in deep shit.

    France today:

    "French hospitals face the coronavirus: "It's an incredible mess for a still low number of cases""


    https://twitter.com/COVID19_WUHAN/status/1233728494674366464?s=20
    How many people are treated in hospitals every day ?

    I suspect that a few dozen more has less of an effect than is being claimed.
    I refer you to foxy, who has more expertise, as a UK doc. I believe he is rather concerned.
    That's like saying I refer you to the Pope, who is Catholic. Foxy's job is to be concerned and he is on the frontline. He's concerned even without the virus. Doesn't mean it's right to be hysterical.
  • I would have thought one of the biggest concerns for the US authorities is that there is a very large illegal undocumented population (I believe thought to be at least 5% of the population) and they are overwhelmingly located in high density urban areas.

    Even before Trump's rhetoric, they obviously don't have healthcare and do everything possible from interacting with the authorities, and obviously their employment is all illegal and day to day.

    So you have millions of people in the high density areas whose motivation / necessity of their situation is to do everything against the general advice i.e. quarantine, seek medical assistance and report to authorities.
  • eadric said:

    eadric said:

    eadric said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    And of those 2-3% how many would have died in the following year in any case ?
    A large chunk, I think

    It's not so much the dead who are the problem, if I may be brutal (though 250,000 dead in Britain, if it happens, is grim) - it is the numbers of critically ill.

    Apparently hospitals in France are already struggling, and they have a few dozen cases. What will it be like if and when they have thousands, or tens of thousands? How would the NHS cope with that?

    They might not cope, and the health system will collapse, and then we are in deep shit.

    France today:

    "French hospitals face the coronavirus: "It's an incredible mess for a still low number of cases""


    https://twitter.com/COVID19_WUHAN/status/1233728494674366464?s=20
    How many people are treated in hospitals every day ?

    I suspect that a few dozen more has less of an effect than is being claimed.
    I refer you to foxy, who has more expertise, as a UK doc. I believe he is rather concerned.
    That's like saying I refer you to the Pope, who is Catholic. Foxy's job is to be concerned and he is on the frontline. He's concerned even without the virus. Doesn't mean it's right to be hysterical.
    I wouldn't refer you to the Pope, as he is likely to be dead soon. From coronavirus.

    See below.
    Given his cohort has an 85% survival rate and presumably he has access to the best medical care, you may be a tad pessimistic.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51674743
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,617
    Oh, and no-one trusts anything anyone says in the US either, when even official sources are full of fake news, and the TV news programming has been reduced to nothing but partisan political talking points. Military on the streets by next weekend?
  • eadric said:

    eadric said:

    IanB2 said:

    So the large majority of people are going to have a minor cold for a week and then that’s it?
    This has been known and accepted, by all, from the start. 80% of cases are mild or even asymptomatic. This itself causes problems because you can be carrying the disease, and handing it on, without even being aware you're infected

    15-20% of people will get more seriously ill. Around 10% will require acute care in a hospital. The German doctor believes around 2-3% will die.

    He is saying absolutely nothing new.
    And of those 2-3% how many would have died in the following year in any case ?
    A large chunk, I think

    It's not so much the dead who are the problem, if I may be brutal (though 250,000 dead in Britain, if it happens, is grim) - it is the numbers of critically ill.

    Apparently hospitals in France are already struggling, and they have a few dozen cases. What will it be like if and when they have thousands, or tens of thousands? How would the NHS cope with that?

    They might not cope, and the health system will collapse, and then we are in deep shit.

    France today:

    "French hospitals face the coronavirus: "It's an incredible mess for a still low number of cases""


    https://twitter.com/COVID19_WUHAN/status/1233728494674366464?s=20
    How many people are treated in hospitals every day ?

    I suspect that a few dozen more has less of an effect than is being claimed.
    Yeh right. This will be a walk in the park for the NHS.

    I'm far more worried than most on here seem to be today.
    And what are you going to do about ?

    Taking sensible precautions and not panicking is the thing to do.
    I'm taking sensible precautions. Doesn't stop me worrying about the potential scale of this.
  • That would keep Raab on his toes...

    Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Corbyn also left the door open to accepting a Shadow Cabinet role under the next leader....

    Asked what job he would take, Mr Corbyn said: "I think foreign policy actually because I have spent my life on human rights justice and environmental justice issues.


    https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/jeremy-corbyn/news/110218/jeremy-corbyn-calls-keir-starmer
  • That would keep Raab on his toes...

    Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Corbyn also left the door open to accepting a Shadow Cabinet role under the next leader....

    Asked what job he would take, Mr Corbyn said: "I think foreign policy actually because I have spent my life on human rights justice and environmental justice issues.


    https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/jeremy-corbyn/news/110218/jeremy-corbyn-calls-keir-starmer

    He is delusional isn't he.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,218
    TimT said:

    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Gabs3 said:

    US and Taliban sign historic agreement

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/us-taliban-deal-signing/index.html

    If it wasn't for coronavirus, Trump would have another thing to boast about.

    It is the sort of thing Fox News would be calling a surrender if Obama had done it.
    Now Bin Laden is dead, achieved by Obama, Trump has correctly concluded the main aim of the original invasion has been achieved so he got a deal with the Taliban and is taking US forces out
    I will take that as a Yes, were this a Democrat President Fox would be calling it surrender.
    Trump certainly would.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/157918533655871488?s=20
    Whatever the news, there is always a Trump tweet for it...
    Not sure The Donald is going to be entirely happy with the Taliban's spokesman's reported remarks.
    "I hope that with the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan the Afghan nation under an Islamic regime will take its relief and embark on a new prosperous life,"
    Even the current Afghan Government is Islamic, the main aim of the invasion and the deal is to stop the Taliban harbouring Al Qaeda terrorists
    My understanding is that the present Afghan Government is composed of somewhat more liberal Muslims than yer average Talib!
    Not to a great degree, the current Afghan Government is composed of Pashtuns who are the Afghan majority and warlords
    Approximately what percentage of Pashtuns do you think are warlords?
    LOL. Had the same thought. Some of my favorite Pakistnis are Pashtun, and they are not warlords. They have nice cloth caps, though.
    A lot of them hide their warlord-ness pretty well. You should directly ask them.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,218

    I think you can make a good case to tone down the rhetoric generally on Twitter, but the implication of Dale's tweet is that Priti Patel should be exceptionally spared because she's female and of Asian origin.

    In fact, the conduct that led her to be sacked by May, and the conduct that has led to this extraordinary situation, are both perfectly legitimate targets for robust criticism.

    I also quite like the "styles himself" thing too. Dale "styles himself" as a political commentator.
    A least Grayling hasn't physically assaulted any OAPs.
    Do you have an actual evidence he hasn't assaulted any OAPs? I've haven't heard him even deny going on regular weekend "granny bashings".
  • That would keep Raab on his toes...

    Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Corbyn also left the door open to accepting a Shadow Cabinet role under the next leader....

    Asked what job he would take, Mr Corbyn said: "I think foreign policy actually because I have spent my life on human rights justice and environmental justice issues.


    https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/jeremy-corbyn/news/110218/jeremy-corbyn-calls-keir-starmer

    Can't we make him our ambassador to Israel?
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,868
    At his desk while Bozo sleeps.....
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