I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
If no further policy change tomorrow then it's time to get the shotgun and head for the woods.
The problem is I'm long past believing in fairy tales.
There is no evidence that ANY party has a fucking clue how to advance Wales.
Plaid is a weird hybrid - one part hard-left liberation movement, one part Welsh language campaign group and one part special interest party for rich farmers - that has a low ceiling of support in a country where integration (i.e. Abolish the Assembly) is a more popular proposition than independence.
Meanwhile, Labour means government by, of and for the Valleys, i.e. it concentrates its appeal and funds on those voters in what are often genuinely dirt poor seats - benefit claimants being one leg of the three-legged stool (along with bourgeois Marxists and ethnic minorities) on which what's left of the Labour Party now sits.
The Tories can therefore crack much of the neglected rural hinterland of the country, but the Language Belt and the whole swathe of territory roughly between Torfaen and Llanelli remain mostly closed to them.
This is a recipe for an endless series of Labour minorities propped up by Plaid, or Labour/Plaid coalitions.
Another personal update. Had a chat with my friend tonight who was going to accompany my wife and I to see Bryan Ferry in London on Friday. His parents are 77 and 79. My Mum is 77. We reluctantly decided to abandon our plans and give the concert a miss. Not that happy but we have to think of our parents.
Now I kind of hope that between now and Friday the Government bans large gatherings so they either postpone or I get my money back.
I feel your pain Richard, I have tickets for three football matches in the next eleven days (two of which could see Liverpool win the title) but I don't want to take that risk for similar reasons.
My daughter has just cancelled her weekend break to London with her 17year old daughter leaving on friday. Was going to shows and museums
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
If no further policy change tomorrow then it's time to get the shotgun and head for the woods.
I just can't believe it will be no change....if the egg-head model says keep calm and carry on...I would say your model is wrong.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
It is not just bored or fed up, it is desperate. How many businesses will go under if people can't work? I am lucky in that I can genuinely work from home for 95% of what I do but if the timing is wrong on this and I can't do the 5% I need to do in the client office then I will be out of business very quickly.
I do agree that we need a lock down. But getting the timings right is vital otherwise people will ignore it because the alterative is bankruptcy.
Another personal update. Had a chat with my friend tonight who was going to accompany my wife and I to see Bryan Ferry in London on Friday. His parents are 77 and 79. My Mum is 77. We reluctantly decided to abandon our plans and give the concert a miss. Not that happy but we have to think of our parents.
Now I kind of hope that between now and Friday the Government bans large gatherings so they either postpone or I get my money back.
I feel your pain Richard, I have tickets for three football matches in the next eleven days (two of which could see Liverpool win the title) but I don't want to take that risk for similar reasons.
My daughter has just cancelled her weekend break to London with her 17year old daughter leaving on friday. Was going to shows and museums
Loss of circa £450 after refund of train fares
I had trips to US, Japan and Australia planned for later in this year. They are now binned. And I have tickets for I think about 10 music / comedy events over the next 3-4 months, again I won't be going to those.
Dr Foxy, as I posted a few days ago I have basically locked my elderly parents away, however they need to visit the GP surgery for blood tests for underlying conditions.
Obviously any interaction with locations that revolve around health care provision for the sick have to be high risk.
What would you suggest to try and minimise risk?
I would travel by car, spend the minimum time possible there. Touch as little as possible, wash hands and clothes immediately upon getting home. I would go this week rather than next.
Thanks.
Obviously, we all disagree on stuff on here, we josh about, but I am sure I speak for all of us when we say massive support for what you are about to have to go through.
I hit 'like' on your reply but not sure that is the right emotion. We need an 'Empathise' button.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
It is not just bored or fed up, it is desperate. How many businesses will go under if people can't work? I am lucky in that I can genuinely work from home for 95% of what I do but if the timing is wrong on this and I can't do the 5% I need to do in the client office then I will be out of business very quickly.
I do agree that we need a lock down. But getting the timings right is vital otherwise people will ignore it because the alterative is bankruptcy.
If the government ordered that all those who can work at home do so (on any given day) contacts would be vastly reduced without much if any economic damage. That to me is a sensible step.
Anyone care to enlighten me about this 5G conspiracy?
Friend of mine (works in healthcare!!!!) has been going on about this supposed 5G-coronavirus link for ages, can't fathom what truth she sees in it. Thought she was just being "special" but turns it pops up on various places over the interwebs, I certainly see it in comments sections in places less educated than PB.com.
As levels of scientifically illiterate fake news go, this one is just spectacular. Electromagnetic radiation causes zoonotic viral epidemic? Seriously?
Part of me wonders if the whole rumour started as an elaborate joke by someone who should know better and it turned out there are enough daft folk around to propagate it. Or did it originate with a genuine conspiracy theorist/nutter?
I know the government needs to tackle coronavirus fake news, but stuff this fake almost doesn't deserve rebutting ... nobody who takes it half-seriously is going to be persuaded by an official government denying, they'd probably take that as the ultimate proof of its truth!
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
I am hoping this is the day that the "just a flu, lol at the bedwetters" tendency are going to shut up. The situation in Italy now is clearly, on impeccable first hand evidence, at least as bad as the most pessimistic forecasts made by anybody here
I don’t see how that’s really true. The most pessimistic forecasts are 60% of the country getting it and 1-2% of the country dying. It may be that they are matching pessimistic forecast for the period since their first case, but that’s not quite the same.
A crisis is when people who need icu beds can’t get them, or when operating theaters are turned into icu beds and surgery for urgent cases gets postponed. We’re supposed to be an advanced civilization who can handle these issues, time the politicians stood up to the plate. It’s not % but knock on impact.
You would have preferred we wasted tens of billions on unneeded ICU beds over the past decades just to be ready for this? Given the finite resources available to the NHS, it is not really a surprise that they do that.
Actually casino made some suggestions that he hoped the government were already taking behind the scenes to manage this. There might be a reason why most other European countries have more icu beds per head than the UK . I’m just paranoid, no apologies just hoping the health service ‘In spain’ doesn’t break down when I need it for the first time
Paranoia is not paranoia in this context. Do not under any circumstances get infected by this disease - I mean, don't anyway, but especially not with your other issues.
I’d worry about having a heart attack or coming down with any serious condition, at the moment, and ending up in a virus-ridden stress-tested hospital. A bigger risk than dying from the virus, I’d say.
I think the death rate from the virus itself is likely to increase as medical facilities get more stretched and ICU beds aren't available. We are in the early stages in the UK and I expect all people testing positive are getting very good treatment at the moment
Do not go en masse to stock up in supermarkets: it is the worst thing because you concentrate and the risk of contacts with infected people who do not know they are higher. You can go there as you usually do.'
Despite his warning, many Italians have done exactly that today with long queues forming outside supermarkets.
Surely it makes sense to try and dovetail the new measures and the budget? If you're telling people to take cover, WFH and all that, it makes sense that you'll want to announce the measures to protect business at the same time.
Hence why tomorrow is clearly the logical time to do what the Govt has been suggesting what they're going to do, and move to delay.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
Yes, I am positively impressed with how quickly it is fading in China and Korea. It is a severe storm, but a brief one. It will pretty much be over by the summer, I think.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
The Government's right to hold off taking Draconian measures for as long as possible. The effects of mass isolation on mental health as well as economic productivity are not to be underestimated, and the more that radical measures can be safely delayed, the better.
Beyond that, yes, one would hope that businesses where home working can be made practical are making provisions to switch to it as and when necessary, although this won't be practical for a great many of us of course. Many finance workers and creative types in London will be able to work perfectly satisfactorily from home, but the same evidently doesn't go for people who have to keep the supermarkets well-stocked, manufacture goods or wipe the bottoms of the frail elderly. Remote working only enables one to accomplish so much.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
It is not just bored or fed up, it is desperate. How many businesses will go under if people can't work? I am lucky in that I can genuinely work from home for 95% of what I do but if the timing is wrong on this and I can't do the 5% I need to do in the client office then I will be out of business very quickly.
I do agree that we need a lock down. But getting the timings right is vital otherwise people will ignore it because the alterative is bankruptcy.
If the government ordered that all those who can work at home do so (on any given day) contacts would be vastly reduced without much if any economic damage. That to me is a sensible step.
I agree. And I would abide by it. Unfortunately I may well still end up losing my business unless the client ceased operations entirely for the duration.
Dr Foxy, as I posted a few days ago I have basically locked my elderly parents away, however they need to visit the GP surgery for blood tests for underlying conditions.
Obviously any interaction with locations that revolve around health care provision for the sick have to be high risk.
What would you suggest to try and minimise risk?
I would travel by car, spend the minimum time possible there. Touch as little as possible, wash hands and clothes immediately upon getting home. I would go this week rather than next.
Thanks.
Obviously, we all disagree on stuff on here, we josh about, but I am sure I speak for all of us when we say massive support for what you are about to have to go through.
I think Mrs Foxy is more exposed than me, but there is a scary incidence of infections in health care workers. I am less in the front line than a lot of my colleagues, but it could be all hands to the pumps.
The only thing that makes me nervous is the protective equipment issue. I am not confident that stocks will last.
Anyone care to enlighten me about this 5G conspiracy?
Friend of mine (works in healthcare!!!!) has been going on about this supposed 5G-coronavirus link for ages, can't fathom what truth she sees in it. Thought she was just being "special" but turns it pops up on various places over the interwebs, I certainly see it in comments sections in places less educated than PB.com.
As levels of scientifically illiterate fake news go, this one is just spectacular. Electromagnetic radiation causes zoonotic viral epidemic? Seriously?
Part of me wonders if the whole rumour started as an elaborate joke by someone who should know better and it turned out there are enough daft folk around to propagate it. Or did it originate with a genuine conspiracy theorist/nutter?
I know the government needs to tackle coronavirus fake news, but stuff this fake almost doesn't deserve rebutting ... nobody who takes it half-seriously is going to be persuaded by an official government denying, they'd probably take that as the ultimate proof of its truth!
Anyone care to enlighten me about this 5G conspiracy?
Friend of mine (works in healthcare!!!!) has been going on about this supposed 5G-coronavirus link for ages, can't fathom what truth she sees in it. Thought she was just being "special" but turns it pops up on various places over the interwebs, I certainly see it in comments sections in places less educated than PB.com.
As levels of scientifically illiterate fake news go, this one is just spectacular. Electromagnetic radiation causes zoonotic viral epidemic? Seriously?
Part of me wonders if the whole rumour started as an elaborate joke by someone who should know better and it turned out there are enough daft folk around to propagate it. Or did it originate with a genuine conspiracy theorist/nutter?
I know the government needs to tackle coronavirus fake news, but stuff this fake almost doesn't deserve rebutting ... nobody who takes it half-seriously is going to be persuaded by an official government denying, they'd probably take that as the ultimate proof of its truth!
Unfortunately I think it is genuine.* I like to occasionally trawl the loony end of the t'interweb looking for good story ideas or just for a bit of entertainment and this one has been around for a while.
*By genuine of course I mean a genuine conspiracy theory which people actually believe it in very large numbers, not that it actually makes any sense or has any basis in fact.
Dr Foxy, as I posted a few days ago I have basically locked my elderly parents away, however they need to visit the GP surgery for blood tests for underlying conditions.
Obviously any interaction with locations that revolve around health care provision for the sick have to be high risk.
What would you suggest to try and minimise risk?
I would travel by car, spend the minimum time possible there. Touch as little as possible, wash hands and clothes immediately upon getting home. I would go this week rather than next.
Thanks.
Obviously, we all disagree on stuff on here, we josh about, but I am sure I speak for all of us when we say massive support for what you are about to have to go through.
I think Mrs Foxy is more exposed than me, but there is a scary incidence of infections in health care workers. I am less in the front line than a lot of my colleagues, but it could be all hands to the pumps.
The only thing that makes me nervous is the protective equipment issue. I am not confident that stocks will last.
I think we are going to have to pray that this news that China are sending stuff to Italy is going to be widespread across Europe. China has the capacity to do it, we can find the money if required. Depends if there is political will on both sides.
I saw something about their ramp up of production of protective equipment and it was orders of magnitude in a matter of weeks. It would certainly be in the interest of China to make money out of keeping that extra capacity raking in the cash.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
It is not just bored or fed up, it is desperate. How many businesses will go under if people can't work? I am lucky in that I can genuinely work from home for 95% of what I do but if the timing is wrong on this and I can't do the 5% I need to do in the client office then I will be out of business very quickly.
I do agree that we need a lock down. But getting the timings right is vital otherwise people will ignore it because the alterative is bankruptcy.
I think we need, and can come up with, some creative solutions to those sorts of issues. They are controllables. A hospital with 200 beds and 1000 people needing them there and then, I fear not so much.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
Indeed so, that’s exactly the case David. Our company moved to an 80% remote model today and I have heard of several others today doing similarly.
Surely it makes sense to try and dovetail the new measures and the budget? If you're telling people to take cover, WFH and all that, it makes sense that you'll want to announce the measures to protect business at the same time.
Hence why tomorrow is clearly the logical time to do what the Govt has been suggesting what they're going to do, and move to delay.
That's why I said that tomorrow will give us our best insight yet as to how bad the government thinks its going to be.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
I've generally been satisfied with Hancock's performance at a very difficult time though part of me wonders if Hunt would have been a safer pair of hands.
But his wishy-washy answers to anything involving home-working, and a couple of other relatively low-cost individual or business-led actions, have been unconvincing I think. There is some stuff that is only going to happen at full tilt e.g. at smaller firms (rather than the better-prepared MNCs which already have secure alternative locations etc) when government gives a more positive green or red light. For example "now's a time when it would be good to take action X if you can, even if right now we're not dictating that you absolutely must; moreover, even if you decide not to go ahead with it right now, you really need to get prepared and investigate how you will do it soon, because we may be pushing it firmly in the near future".
Part of me wonders if the whole rumour started as an elaborate joke by someone who should know better and it turned out there are enough daft folk around to propagate it. Or did it originate with a genuine conspiracy theorist/nutter?
It was heavily pushed by Russian trollfarms for a while, and seems to have taken on a life of its on. There are basically subcultures obsessed with it now.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
Nudge theory. Government is running a lot of "future" measures up the flagpole in the hope that those who can follow those measures painlessly will enact them anyway. That allows them to delay mandating them for those for whom it will cause significant economic (or other) harm.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
It is not just bored or fed up, it is desperate. How many businesses will go under if people can't work? I am lucky in that I can genuinely work from home for 95% of what I do but if the timing is wrong on this and I can't do the 5% I need to do in the client office then I will be out of business very quickly.
I do agree that we need a lock down. But getting the timings right is vital otherwise people will ignore it because the alterative is bankruptcy.
Oh I take that. There are no easy or perfect solutions here. But the indications from the far East is that it gets you past the peak and on the down slope within weeks. The way we are acting at the moment the peak is not in sight yet.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
Or the Nudge Unit is rather good at its job? (Is there one, still?)
Scotland, an SNP government failing on the NHS and education.
Wales almost voted against having an Assembly let alone for independence and voted Leave just like England, it might make sense that Wales has a Tory majority but little more
Anyone would think you were implying that if each of these nations united with good old Tory-run England and accepted the benevolence of Conservative administration they would be happier, wealthier and no one would ever have the wobbles again.
Scotland, an SNP government failing on the NHS and education.
Wales almost voted against having an Assembly let alone for independence and voted Leave just like England, it might make sense that Wales has a Tory majority but little more
Anyone would think you were implying that if each of these nations united with good old Tory-run England and accepted the benevolence of Conservative administration they would be happier, wealthier and no one would ever have the wobbles again.
True for Wales
I have always been a firm opponent of Welsh Devolution and would be delighted to see the Assembly abolished - but it remains true that its purse strings are controlled by Westminster.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
Indeed so, that’s exactly the case David. Our company moved to an 80% remote model today and I have heard of several others today doing similarly.
Unfortunately my employer, despite being extremely large and extremely high risk, is waiting on government recommendations.
People are asking if I can attend a large event in two weeks time?
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
I've generally been satisfied with Hancock's performance at a very difficult time though part of me wonders if Hunt would have been a safer pair of hands.
But his wishy-washy answers to anything involving home-working, and a couple of other relatively low-cost individual or business-led actions, have been unconvincing I think. There is some stuff that is only going to happen at full tilt e.g. at smaller firms (rather than the better-prepared MNCs which already have secure alternative locations etc) when government gives a more positive green or red light. For example "now's a time when it would be good to take action X if you can, even if right now we're not dictating that you absolutely must; moreover, even if you decide not to go ahead with it right now, you really need to get prepared and investigate how you will do it soon, because we may be pushing it firmly in the near future".
This. Social distancing well short of draconian lockdowns has a chance of working when the numbers are as low as they currently are. I get the feeling the government are being somewhat tardy in their advice.
I understand the difficulty, as large scale following of such advice is going to kill retail and leisure business for a period of time. But if they don’t act that is going to happen in any event.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
Or the Nudge Unit is rather good at its job? (Is there one, still?)
I believe the original egg-heads who ran it left and set up a private business that now advises lots of organisations. I also seemed to remember one of the leader had a break down, possibly alcoholism related, and stepped away from it.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
I've generally been satisfied with Hancock's performance at a very difficult time though part of me wonders if Hunt would have been a safer pair of hands.
But his wishy-washy answers to anything involving home-working, and a couple of other relatively low-cost individual or business-led actions, have been unconvincing I think. There is some stuff that is only going to happen at full tilt e.g. at smaller firms (rather than the better-prepared MNCs which already have secure alternative locations etc) when government gives a more positive green or red light. For example "now's a time when it would be good to take action X if you can, even if right now we're not dictating that you absolutely must; moreover, even if you decide not to go ahead with it right now, you really need to get prepared and investigate how you will do it soon, because we may be pushing it firmly in the near future".
This. Social distancing well short of draconian lockdowns has a chance of working when the numbers are as low as they currently are. I get the feeling the government are being somewhat tardy in their advice.
I understand the difficulty, as large scale following of such advice is going to kill retail and leisure business for a period of time. But if they don’t act that is going to happen in any event.
As many as '60 to 70 per cent' of Germans will be infected with the deadly coronavirus, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned today, as the contagion threatened to rip through Europe.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
Or the Nudge Unit is rather good at its job? (Is there one, still?)
Not sure Mrs May was quite such a fan. Not nearly authoritarian enough.
Scotland, an SNP government failing on the NHS and education.
Wales almost voted against having an Assembly let alone for independence and voted Leave just like England, it might make sense that Wales has a Tory majority but little more
Anyone would think you were implying that if each of these nations united with good old Tory-run England and accepted the benevolence of Conservative administration they would be happier, wealthier and no one would ever have the wobbles again.
Scotland, an SNP government failing on the NHS and education.
Wales almost voted against having an Assembly let alone for independence and voted Leave just like England, it might make sense that Wales has a Tory majority but little more
Anyone would think you were implying that if each of these nations united with good old Tory-run England and accepted the benevolence of Conservative administration they would be happier, wealthier and no one would ever have the wobbles again.
True for Wales
I have always been a firm opponent of Welsh Devolution and would be delighted to see the Assembly abolished - but it remains true that its purse strings are controlled by Westminster.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
Nudge theory. Government is running a lot of "future" measures up the flagpole in the hope that those who can follow those measures painlessly will enact them anyway. That allows them to delay mandating them for those for whom it will cause significant economic (or other) harm.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
Nudge theory. Government is running a lot of "future" measures up the flagpole in the hope that those who can follow those measures painlessly will enact them anyway. That allows them to delay mandating them for those for whom it will cause significant economic (or other) harm.
Indeed but as I and others have repeatedly said why not just say “if your employees can work from home on any given day please have them do so”. It would still trigger a vast decrease in contacts without mandating it immediately (or at all). And would cause little or no economic damage.
As many as '60 to 70 per cent' of Germans will be infected with the deadly coronavirus, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned today, as the contagion threatened to rip through Europe.
Just total fatalism from our Western leaders. 60% of China? What rubbish.
Something is seriously wrong with the decision making here.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I rather agree. Did people start ignoring the 'Blackout' in World War 2 after a few months? I rather think not - though carrying gasmarks became much less common as time went on.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
I've generally been satisfied with Hancock's performance at a very difficult time though part of me wonders if Hunt would have been a safer pair of hands.
But his wishy-washy answers to anything involving home-working, and a couple of other relatively low-cost individual or business-led actions, have been unconvincing I think. There is some stuff that is only going to happen at full tilt e.g. at smaller firms (rather than the better-prepared MNCs which already have secure alternative locations etc) when government gives a more positive green or red light. For example "now's a time when it would be good to take action X if you can, even if right now we're not dictating that you absolutely must; moreover, even if you decide not to go ahead with it right now, you really need to get prepared and investigate how you will do it soon, because we may be pushing it firmly in the near future".
This. Social distancing well short of draconian lockdowns has a chance of working when the numbers are as low as they currently are. I get the feeling the government are being somewhat tardy in their advice.
I understand the difficulty, as large scale following of such advice is going to kill retail and leisure business for a period of time. But if they don’t act that is going to happen in any event.
Too slow. It's immensely frustrating.
Government following not leading.
Two things which ought to be possible without unacceptable costs are ramping up the official social distancing advice, and greatly increasing the rate of testing.
At one point there was a theory that Trump public utterances were all part of an act and A/B testing messages until he hit the right one.
I think we can definitely once and for all debunk that one.
What is weird is that when you look at old footage he is comes across quite well. Still the slightly odd way of talking, but not total rambling nonsense.
Anyone care to enlighten me about this 5G conspiracy?
Friend of mine (works in healthcare!!!!) has been going on about this supposed 5G-coronavirus link for ages, can't fathom what truth she sees in it. Thought she was just being "special" but turns it pops up on various places over the interwebs, I certainly see it in comments sections in places less educated than PB.com.
As levels of scientifically illiterate fake news go, this one is just spectacular. Electromagnetic radiation causes zoonotic viral epidemic? Seriously?
Part of me wonders if the whole rumour started as an elaborate joke by someone who should know better and it turned out there are enough daft folk around to propagate it. Or did it originate with a genuine conspiracy theorist/nutter?
I know the government needs to tackle coronavirus fake news, but stuff this fake almost doesn't deserve rebutting ... nobody who takes it half-seriously is going to be persuaded by an official government denying, they'd probably take that as the ultimate proof of its truth!
Unfortunately I think it is genuine.* I like to occasionally trawl the loony end of the t'interweb looking for good story ideas or just for a bit of entertainment and this one has been around for a while.
*By genuine of course I mean a genuine conspiracy theory which people actually believe it in very large numbers, not that it actually makes any sense or has any basis in fact.
What's the betting the origin of this 5G crap was a server farm near Moscow?
Biden and Sanders campaigns cancel Cleveland rallies In the first major cancellations of the presidential campaign because of concerns about the coronavirus, Mr. Sanders and Mr. Biden both called off primary night campaign events Tuesday as they awaited the results of voting in six states.
“Out of concern for public health and safety, we are canceling tonight’s rally in Cleveland,” said Mike Casca, a Sanders campaign spokesman. “We are heeding the public warnings from Ohio state officials, who have communicated concern about holding large, indoor events during the coronavirus outbreak. Senator Sanders would like to express his regret to the thousands of Ohioans who had planned to attend the event tonight.”
Anyone care to enlighten me about this 5G conspiracy?
Friend of mine (works in healthcare!!!!) has been going on about this supposed 5G-coronavirus link for ages, can't fathom what truth she sees in it. Thought she was just being "special" but turns it pops up on various places over the interwebs, I certainly see it in comments sections in places less educated than PB.com.
As levels of scientifically illiterate fake news go, this one is just spectacular. Electromagnetic radiation causes zoonotic viral epidemic? Seriously?
Part of me wonders if the whole rumour started as an elaborate joke by someone who should know better and it turned out there are enough daft folk around to propagate it. Or did it originate with a genuine conspiracy theorist/nutter?
I know the government needs to tackle coronavirus fake news, but stuff this fake almost doesn't deserve rebutting ... nobody who takes it half-seriously is going to be persuaded by an official government denying, they'd probably take that as the ultimate proof of its truth!
Unfortunately I think it is genuine.* I like to occasionally trawl the loony end of the t'interweb looking for good story ideas or just for a bit of entertainment and this one has been around for a while.
*By genuine of course I mean a genuine conspiracy theory which people actually believe it in very large numbers, not that it actually makes any sense or has any basis in fact.
What's the betting the origin of this 5G crap was a server farm near Moscow?
Unfortunately it doesn't seem to need Russian troll farms to dream up some of these lunatic theories. They were always there of course but now the internet allows them to reach hitherto undreamed of audiences.
At one point there was a theory that Trump public utterances were all part of an act and A/B testing messages until he hit the right one.
I think we can definitely once and for all debunk that one.
What is weird is that when you look at old footage he is comes across quite well. Still the slightly odd way of talking, but not total rambling nonsense.
I know somebody who has had business dealings with Trump.
They said Trump actually thinks he's the most intelligent person ever, he thinks everything is worthy of a Nobel Prize.
He has no self awareness and thinks his critics are just jealous of his success.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
This is the infuriating thing. People *want* to do the right thing. But there are still a bunch of people out there who won't take it seriously until enough people have died to make it hard for a lot of people to start working from home or whatever in case they're thought badly of by their boss. They just need everybody to be told it's what they should be doing.
Scotland, an SNP government failing on the NHS and education.
Wales almost voted against having an Assembly let alone for independence and voted Leave just like England, it might make sense that Wales has a Tory majority but little more
Anyone would think you were implying that if each of these nations united with good old Tory-run England and accepted the benevolence of Conservative administration they would be happier, wealthier and no one would ever have the wobbles again.
Scotland, an SNP government failing on the NHS and education.
Wales almost voted against having an Assembly let alone for independence and voted Leave just like England, it might make sense that Wales has a Tory majority but little more
Anyone would think you were implying that if each of these nations united with good old Tory-run England and accepted the benevolence of Conservative administration they would be happier, wealthier and no one would ever have the wobbles again.
True for Wales
I have always been a firm opponent of Welsh Devolution and would be delighted to see the Assembly abolished - but it remains true that its purse strings are controlled by Westminster.
It is not that it is how they spend it
The inability to raise revenue clearly limits the services provided in terms of quality and quantity.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
This is the infuriating thing. People *want* to do the right thing. But there are still a bunch of people out there who won't take it seriously until enough people have died to make it hard for a lot of people to start working from home or whatever in case they're thought badly of by their boss or whatever. They just need everybody to be told it's what they should be doing.
Why is your government so shit?
Perhaps the effect is so small at the moment that it's not worth it? They spent a lot of the previous press conference going on about how timing the response is critical.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
Indeed so, that’s exactly the case David. Our company moved to an 80% remote model today and I have heard of several others today doing similarly.
Unfortunately my employer, despite being extremely large and extremely high risk, is waiting on government recommendations.
People are asking if I can attend a large event in two weeks time?
Normalcy bias for real.
Reminds me of my 81 year old bridge playing friend talking about his planned trip to Milan in April with Scottish Opera on Saturday night. I honestly think my jaw dropped.
As many as '60 to 70 per cent' of Germans will be infected with the deadly coronavirus, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned today, as the contagion threatened to rip through Europe.
So why have 80,000 Chinese rather than getting on for a billion been infected?
I was going to ask if Trumptons in America are really so stupid that they can't see what everyone else is seeing but I guess I already know the answer.
At one point there was a theory that Trump public utterances were all part of an act and A/B testing messages until he hit the right one.
I think we can definitely once and for all debunk that one.
What is weird is that when you look at old footage he is comes across quite well. Still the slightly odd way of talking, but not total rambling nonsense.
I know somebody who has had business dealings with Trump.
They said Trump actually thinks he's the most intelligent person ever, he thinks everything is worthy of a Nobel Prize.
He has no self awareness and thinks his critics are just jealous of his success.
Another personal update. Had a chat with my friend tonight who was going to accompany my wife and I to see Bryan Ferry in London on Friday. His parents are 77 and 79. My Mum is 77. We reluctantly decided to abandon our plans and give the concert a miss. Not that happy but we have to think of our parents.
Now I kind of hope that between now and Friday the Government bans large gatherings so they either postpone or I get my money back.
I saw Bryan Ferry in concert and was right at the front, literally two yards from him.
It was great
Although I'm not sure I'd risk Coronavirus to see him.
I am really not sure I get this wait till things get much worse before the lockdown. The idea that people are going to get bored or fed up seems, well, a bit far fetched, especially as it clearly won't stop the dying.
The indications from China, SK, Singapore, Japan and some others is that hyper aggressive approaches of various kinds work and produce a much smaller peak than we might otherwise expect.
I have no doubt people are doing their best and working very hard at this but have we got it right? I am not sure.
I’m of your view David. Indeed so are many companies in London which have flipped to 80-100% homeworking. It needs to happen more widely.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
I've generally been satisfied with Hancock's performance at a very difficult time though part of me wonders if Hunt would have been a safer pair of hands.
But his wishy-washy answers to anything involving home-working, and a couple of other relatively low-cost individual or business-led actions, have been unconvincing I think. There is some stuff that is only going to happen at full tilt e.g. at smaller firms (rather than the better-prepared MNCs which already have secure alternative locations etc) when government gives a more positive green or red light. For example "now's a time when it would be good to take action X if you can, even if right now we're not dictating that you absolutely must; moreover, even if you decide not to go ahead with it right now, you really need to get prepared and investigate how you will do it soon, because we may be pushing it firmly in the near future".
This. Social distancing well short of draconian lockdowns has a chance of working when the numbers are as low as they currently are. I get the feeling the government are being somewhat tardy in their advice.
I understand the difficulty, as large scale following of such advice is going to kill retail and leisure business for a period of time. But if they don’t act that is going to happen in any event.
Too slow. It's immensely frustrating.
Government following not leading.
Two things which ought to be possible without unacceptable costs are ramping up the official social distancing advice, and greatly increasing the rate of testing.
It takes time once guidance has been released to start following it!
One more day to wait. Please please please give us something sensible tomorrow!
As many as '60 to 70 per cent' of Germans will be infected with the deadly coronavirus, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned today, as the contagion threatened to rip through Europe.
Just total fatalism from our Western leaders. 60% of China? What rubbish.
Something is seriously wrong with the decision making here.
It's hard to reconcile China closing temporary hospitals, as though the worst is over or at least they can take a breather, with forecasts of it eventually hitting such high numbers.
Unfortunately my employer, despite being extremely large and extremely high risk, is waiting on government recommendations.
Yes, this is what concerns me. There's a lot of "judge things for yourself", "you're best placed to assess your own risks", "people can look at the information and make their own decisions" kind of attitude from authorities at the moment. This applies in spades to travel advice as well as to working from home and various other issues.
In reality we are largely not well-placed to make decisions because what's going on is uncertain and the government are the ones with the best information and advice (and even they lack certainty!). Government is choosing, presumably for carefully considered reasons, not to release all of the information and advice they know - for example I presume their caution in revealing their "most likely" scenario, rather than their "worst case" one, is that they want people to take this thing seriously. But sometimes the rest of us would like a tip in the right direction.
I fear decision-making in a lot of companies and organisations is very much "we'll do it when we get officially prodded to do it", and that may be exacerbated by factors like nobody wanting to take a hit from being first-mover in their sector. As individuals we have a very substantial degree of freedom in this country (I'm especially lucky being self-employed and able to do most of my work remotely anyway) but important decisions for employees are often largely in the hands of their managers.
At one point there was a theory that Trump public utterances were all part of an act and A/B testing messages until he hit the right one.
I think we can definitely once and for all debunk that one.
What is weird is that when you look at old footage he is comes across quite well. Still the slightly odd way of talking, but not total rambling nonsense.
I know somebody who has had business dealings with Trump.
They said Trump actually thinks he's the most intelligent person ever, he thinks everything is worthy of a Nobel Prize.
He has no self awareness and thinks his critics are just jealous of his success.
What, even more intelligent that his super genius MIT professor uncle?
As many as '60 to 70 per cent' of Germans will be infected with the deadly coronavirus, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned today, as the contagion threatened to rip through Europe.
So why have 80,000 Chinese rather than getting on for a billion been infected?
You believe that the infection has been all but eradicated in China?
As many as '60 to 70 per cent' of Germans will be infected with the deadly coronavirus, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned today, as the contagion threatened to rip through Europe.
So why have 80,000 Chinese rather than getting on for a billion been infected?
Because Cathay was prepared to take measures that Western liberal democracies aren't prepared undertake.
It just makes you weep. America, what the hell were you thinking?
That he'd be preferable to Hillary Clinton, in almost all foreseeable circumstances.
What would Clinton be doing that Trump isn't?
Semi-rhetorical; I'm sure there are things, but it seems that the US healthcare system is woefully underprepared regardless of who's in charge. Clinton is as much in hock to Big Pharma campaign donations as anyone else (much more so than Trump) and this is an election year, which would hamper anyone's ability to take the necessary steps.
Obviously we'd have seen less inane tweeting about the stock market, but I think that may be somewhat of a sideshow, in terms of what actually matters.
At one point there was a theory that Trump public utterances were all part of an act and A/B testing messages until he hit the right one.
I think we can definitely once and for all debunk that one.
What is weird is that when you look at old footage he is comes across quite well. Still the slightly odd way of talking, but not total rambling nonsense.
I know somebody who has had business dealings with Trump.
They said Trump actually thinks he's the most intelligent person ever, he thinks everything is worthy of a Nobel Prize.
He has no self awareness and thinks his critics are just jealous of his success.
What, even more intelligent that his super genius MIT professor uncle?
Yes.
Trump has even told a sexually explicit joke about his intelligence.
As many as '60 to 70 per cent' of Germans will be infected with the deadly coronavirus, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned today, as the contagion threatened to rip through Europe.
Just total fatalism from our Western leaders. 60% of China? What rubbish.
Something is seriously wrong with the decision making here.
It's hard to reconcile China closing temporary hospitals, as though the worst is over or at least they can take a breather, with forecasts of it eventually hitting such high numbers.
The Chinese do seem very confident at the moment. They're not only closing temporary hospitals, but donating medical equipment to the west.
Unfortunately my employer, despite being extremely large and extremely high risk, is waiting on government recommendations.
Yes, this is what concerns me. There's a lot of "judge things for yourself", "you're best placed to assess your own risks", "people can look at the information and make their own decisions" kind of attitude from authorities at the moment. This applies in spades to travel advice as well as to working from home and various other issues.
In reality we are largely not well-placed to make decisions because what's going on is uncertain and the government are the ones with the best information and advice (and even they lack certainty!). Government is choosing, presumably for carefully considered reasons, not to release all of the information and advice they know - for example I presume their caution in revealing their "most likely" scenario, rather than their "worst case" one, is that they want people to take this thing seriously. But sometimes the rest of us would like a tip in the right direction.
I fear decision-making in a lot of companies and organisations is very much "we'll do it when we get officially prodded to do it", and that may be exacerbated by factors like nobody wanting to take a hit from being first-mover in their sector. As individuals we have a very substantial degree of freedom in this country (I'm especially lucky being self-employed and able to do most of my work remotely anyway) but important decisions for employees are often largely in the hands of their managers.
Or maybe the Government does, in fact, know best/what it is doing? More so than the keyboard warriors.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
This is the infuriating thing. People *want* to do the right thing. But there are still a bunch of people out there who won't take it seriously until enough people have died to make it hard for a lot of people to start working from home or whatever in case they're thought badly of by their boss. They just need everybody to be told it's what they should be doing.
Another personal update. Had a chat with my friend tonight who was going to accompany my wife and I to see Bryan Ferry in London on Friday. His parents are 77 and 79. My Mum is 77. We reluctantly decided to abandon our plans and give the concert a miss. Not that happy but we have to think of our parents.
Now I kind of hope that between now and Friday the Government bans large gatherings so they either postpone or I get my money back.
I saw Bryan Ferry in concert and was right at the front, literally two yards from him.
It was great
Although I'm not sure I'd risk Coronavirus to see him.
Scotland, an SNP government failing on the NHS and education.
Wales almost voted against having an Assembly let alone for independence and voted Leave just like England, it might make sense that Wales has a Tory majority but little more
Anyone would think you were implying that if each of these nations united with good old Tory-run England and accepted the benevolence of Conservative administration they would be happier, wealthier and no one would ever have the wobbles again.
Scotland, an SNP government failing on the NHS and education.
Wales almost voted against having an Assembly let alone for independence and voted Leave just like England, it might make sense that Wales has a Tory majority but little more
Anyone would think you were implying that if each of these nations united with good old Tory-run England and accepted the benevolence of Conservative administration they would be happier, wealthier and no one would ever have the wobbles again.
True for Wales
I have always been a firm opponent of Welsh Devolution and would be delighted to see the Assembly abolished - but it remains true that its purse strings are controlled by Westminster.
It is not that it is how they spend it
The inability to raise revenue clearly limits the services provided in terms of quality and quantity.
You obviously have no idea about the Welsh labour government on devolved tax
As many as '60 to 70 per cent' of Germans will be infected with the deadly coronavirus, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned today, as the contagion threatened to rip through Europe.
Just total fatalism from our Western leaders. 60% of China? What rubbish.
Something is seriously wrong with the decision making here.
China (usual do you believe the figures issue) are currently suffering 56 cases per million people in total. The equivalent number for the UK would be 3,640 cases in total. I get the impression we are waiting to get somewhere near that figure before we act.
You get the impression that a lot of sensible things are being done (cancellations, restricted travel, more homeworking, less international travel, etc) despite the government instead of at its instance.
This is the infuriating thing. People *want* to do the right thing. But there are still a bunch of people out there who won't take it seriously until enough people have died to make it hard for a lot of people to start working from home or whatever in case they're thought badly of by their boss or whatever. They just need everybody to be told it's what they should be doing.
Why is your government so shit?
Perhaps the effect is so small at the moment that it's not worth it? They spent a lot of the previous press conference going on about how timing the response is critical.
Sorry, how can the effect be “so small” as to make a non-enforced WFH recommendation “not worth it”? What’s your logic here?
Just in case anybody whats a brake from talking about the virus and move on to the elections being held for the democratic Primarys today:
The following states are voting today:
Idaho (S) Michigan (S) Mississippi Missouri Washington North Dakota (S)
Sanders won 3 of them last time, Marked with an (S)
How many will he win this time?
If he loses all of them will he pull out before the next debate?
If he wins more than last time will his campaign get a second wind?
I'd like to see that, as I think he's best placed to make the US face up to its health crisis in this hour of need, but it must surely be all over for him, for the candidacy rather than as a movement.
Comments
Meanwhile, Labour means government by, of and for the Valleys, i.e. it concentrates its appeal and funds on those voters in what are often genuinely dirt poor seats - benefit claimants being one leg of the three-legged stool (along with bourgeois Marxists and ethnic minorities) on which what's left of the Labour Party now sits.
The Tories can therefore crack much of the neglected rural hinterland of the country, but the Language Belt and the whole swathe of territory roughly between Torfaen and Llanelli remain mostly closed to them.
This is a recipe for an endless series of Labour minorities propped up by Plaid, or Labour/Plaid coalitions.
Loss of circa £450 after refund of train fares
I do agree that we need a lock down. But getting the timings right is vital otherwise people will ignore it because the alterative is bankruptcy.
Friend of mine (works in healthcare!!!!) has been going on about this supposed 5G-coronavirus link for ages, can't fathom what truth she sees in it. Thought she was just being "special" but turns it pops up on various places over the interwebs, I certainly see it in comments sections in places less educated than PB.com.
As levels of scientifically illiterate fake news go, this one is just spectacular. Electromagnetic radiation causes zoonotic viral epidemic? Seriously?
Part of me wonders if the whole rumour started as an elaborate joke by someone who should know better and it turned out there are enough daft folk around to propagate it. Or did it originate with a genuine conspiracy theorist/nutter?
I know the government needs to tackle coronavirus fake news, but stuff this fake almost doesn't deserve rebutting ... nobody who takes it half-seriously is going to be persuaded by an official government denying, they'd probably take that as the ultimate proof of its truth!
https://twitter.com/AmerIndependent/status/1237455233330098177
Hence why tomorrow is clearly the logical time to do what the Govt has been suggesting what they're going to do, and move to delay.
Beyond that, yes, one would hope that businesses where home working can be made practical are making provisions to switch to it as and when necessary, although this won't be practical for a great many of us of course. Many finance workers and creative types in London will be able to work perfectly satisfactorily from home, but the same evidently doesn't go for people who have to keep the supermarkets well-stocked, manufacture goods or wipe the bottoms of the frail elderly. Remote working only enables one to accomplish so much.
The only thing that makes me nervous is the protective equipment issue. I am not confident that stocks will last.
*By genuine of course I mean a genuine conspiracy theory which people actually believe it in very large numbers, not that it actually makes any sense or has any basis in fact.
I saw something about their ramp up of production of protective equipment and it was orders of magnitude in a matter of weeks. It would certainly be in the interest of China to make money out of keeping that extra capacity raking in the cash.
But his wishy-washy answers to anything involving home-working, and a couple of other relatively low-cost individual or business-led actions, have been unconvincing I think. There is some stuff that is only going to happen at full tilt e.g. at smaller firms (rather than the better-prepared MNCs which already have secure alternative locations etc) when government gives a more positive green or red light. For example "now's a time when it would be good to take action X if you can, even if right now we're not dictating that you absolutely must; moreover, even if you decide not to go ahead with it right now, you really need to get prepared and investigate how you will do it soon, because we may be pushing it firmly in the near future".
People are asking if I can attend a large event in two weeks time?
Normalcy bias for real.
Social distancing well short of draconian lockdowns has a chance of working when the numbers are as low as they currently are. I get the feeling the government are being somewhat tardy in their advice.
I understand the difficulty, as large scale following of such advice is going to kill retail and leisure business for a period of time. But if they don’t act that is going to happen in any event.
Something is seriously wrong with the decision making here.
Two things which ought to be possible without unacceptable costs are ramping up the official social distancing advice, and greatly increasing the rate of testing.
I think we can definitely once and for all debunk that one.
What is weird is that when you look at old footage he is comes across quite well. Still the slightly odd way of talking, but not total rambling nonsense.
Biden and Sanders campaigns cancel Cleveland rallies
In the first major cancellations of the presidential campaign because of concerns about the coronavirus, Mr. Sanders and Mr. Biden both called off primary night campaign events Tuesday as they awaited the results of voting in six states.
“Out of concern for public health and safety, we are canceling tonight’s rally in Cleveland,” said Mike Casca, a Sanders campaign spokesman. “We are heeding the public warnings from Ohio state officials, who have communicated concern about holding large, indoor events during the coronavirus outbreak. Senator Sanders would like to express his regret to the thousands of Ohioans who had planned to attend the event tonight.”
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My wife tells me I’m funny around one in every hundred attempts. I take that as a compliment.
They said Trump actually thinks he's the most intelligent person ever, he thinks everything is worthy of a Nobel Prize.
He has no self awareness and thinks his critics are just jealous of his success.
Here's the clip
https://twitter.com/NorthmanTrader/status/1237393224714481667
Why is your government so shit?
It was great
Although I'm not sure I'd risk Coronavirus to see him.
One more day to wait. Please please please give us something sensible tomorrow!
In reality we are largely not well-placed to make decisions because what's going on is uncertain and the government are the ones with the best information and advice (and even they lack certainty!). Government is choosing, presumably for carefully considered reasons, not to release all of the information and advice they know - for example I presume their caution in revealing their "most likely" scenario, rather than their "worst case" one, is that they want people to take this thing seriously. But sometimes the rest of us would like a tip in the right direction.
I fear decision-making in a lot of companies and organisations is very much "we'll do it when we get officially prodded to do it", and that may be exacerbated by factors like nobody wanting to take a hit from being first-mover in their sector. As individuals we have a very substantial degree of freedom in this country (I'm especially lucky being self-employed and able to do most of my work remotely anyway) but important decisions for employees are often largely in the hands of their managers.
What would Clinton be doing that Trump isn't?
Semi-rhetorical; I'm sure there are things, but it seems that the US healthcare system is woefully underprepared regardless of who's in charge. Clinton is as much in hock to Big Pharma campaign donations as anyone else (much more so than Trump) and this is an election year, which would hamper anyone's ability to take the necessary steps.
Obviously we'd have seen less inane tweeting about the stock market, but I think that may be somewhat of a sideshow, in terms of what actually matters.
But Italy needs both money and help.
The US (and the EU) is leaving the field, and China is filling the void.
That is the measure of Trump's ultimate achievement. He has allowed the western alliance to untangle, to nobody but China's benefit.
Trump has even told a sexually explicit joke about his intelligence.
The following states are voting today:
Idaho (S)
Michigan (S)
Mississippi
Missouri
Washington
North Dakota (S)
Sanders won 3 of them last time, Marked with an (S)
How many will he win this time?
If he loses all of them will he pull out before the next debate?
If he wins more than last time will his campaign get a second wind?
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tax-is-changing-in-wales
I rather hope I'm wrong, though.