The Chinese have been doing this for months. And we could have set this up over the summer. ...Much of our testing capacity is taken up by what is essentially asymptomatic screening, whether it is testing of hospital inpatients and staff, testing in care homes, or lack of triage for members of the public arriving at test centres. At the same time there is no surveillance supporting schools, universities, and businesses as they attempt to return to normal.
Pooled sampling of what is essentially asymptomatic swabs would allow rolling surveillance programmes in schools, care homes, universities and colleges, and high-risk factory settings without having a major impact on the daily covid-19 test capacity in the UK. These pooled samples could be tested in labs dedicated to pooled sample testing meaning well-established labs would not need to suddenly change or adapt their current automated protocols....
I see Cambridge University are aiming to test all students weekly, using pooled testing of those who share a kitchen or whatever. It makes sense to do it that way when you expect the vast majority of results to be negative. (Of course it's a different situation to most universities, since most students live in college.)
What's infuriating is that this is not some 'moonshot' technology. It's a testing modality that's been around for months.
To be honest that is what I would have predicted before the debate even happened. It does no more than reflect the fact that Biden has a lead of that amount and there was no clear winner.
Alok Sharma, the thinking man's Gillian Keegan is on Radio 4 now. A bit tetchy with Martha Kearney.
If one needs to know the rules, go on line, is Mr Sharma's go to statement.
Actually that is the best advice any politician can give
Here in Conwy CBC we were instructed to go into lockdown tonight and everyone I know and on social media spoke about Conwy web site that provides all the information that is necessary
We are not allowed to cross into another authority's area apart from for work, we are not allowed to leave to go away on holiday, and those on holiday here must go home
My hometown of Llandudno was just recovering and now Mark Drakeford has slammed the door on our hotels and guest houses
I have relations with a holiday caravan on Anglesey. They live in Lancashire. I assume that the caravan is now inaccessible by road. After all one cannot, without an enormous detour get from just N of Manchester to Beaumaris by road without going through Conwy. AIUI they're intending to visit next week.
There was a similar question on 5 live yesterday. Apparently Anglesey is not in the restricted area, so fine to go and stay. At least it was fine yesterday...🙄
They cannot get there as most authorities from the border are closed to traffic coming in from England
I didn't see that on the M4 - maybe the case for minor roads? And as you can still travel for work, I doubt this it true.
You do realise this comes in at 6.00pm tonight in North Wales
I went through areas ALREADY under these rules last week. There was no barrier. I know during the first lockdown there were police checks in areas - I am sceptical that that is the case now. Or indeed in Conwy when the new measures come into place.
"Can I travel through Conwy County Borough to reach a destination not in the Borough? If you have to travel along a road that passes through the area and you have no other reasonable option to travel to your destination, then this is allowed."
Not for leisure purposes
Its a direct quote from the document you linked FFS. Under Travel and public transport.
Anyone intending coming across the border from tonight will have to have a genuine reason including work and medical issues but not leisure and I expect this will be enforced
There will not be roadblocks. There aren't on the M4 in south wales now. You are over-reacting.
Alok Sharma, the thinking man's Gillian Keegan is on Radio 4 now. A bit tetchy with Martha Kearney.
If one needs to know the rules, go on line, is Mr Sharma's go to statement.
Actually that is the best advice any politician can give
Here in Conwy CBC we were instructed to go into lockdown tonight and everyone I know and on social media spoke about Conwy web site that provides all the information that is necessary
We are not allowed to cross into another authority's area apart from for work, we are not allowed to leave to go away on holiday, and those on holiday here must go home
My hometown of Llandudno was just recovering and now Mark Drakeford has slammed the door on our hotels and guest houses
I have relations with a holiday caravan on Anglesey. They live in Lancashire. I assume that the caravan is now inaccessible by road. After all one cannot, without an enormous detour get from just N of Manchester to Beaumaris by road without going through Conwy. AIUI they're intending to visit next week.
There was a similar question on 5 live yesterday. Apparently Anglesey is not in the restricted area, so fine to go and stay. At least it was fine yesterday...🙄
They cannot get there as most authorities from the border are closed to traffic coming in from England
I didn't see that on the M4 - maybe the case for minor roads? And as you can still travel for work, I doubt this it true.
You do realise this comes in at 6.00pm tonight in North Wales
I went through areas ALREADY under these rules last week. There was no barrier. I know during the first lockdown there were police checks in areas - I am sceptical that that is the case now. Or indeed in Conwy when the new measures come into place.
"Can I travel through Conwy County Borough to reach a destination not in the Borough? If you have to travel along a road that passes through the area and you have no other reasonable option to travel to your destination, then this is allowed."
Not for leisure purposes
Its a direct quote from the document you linked FFS. Under Travel and public transport.
Anyone intending coming across the border from tonight will have to have a genuine reason including work and medical issues but not leisure and I expect this will be enforced
There will not be roadblocks. There aren't on the M4 in south wales now. You are over-reacting.
Could almost say he was using too much hyperbole and he should stop it
Assuming that the next president market is a two donkey race (i.e. neither drops out) the book with BF is less than 100%.
1.66 Biden, 2.56 Trump (99.3% book).
There is value in this market - and despite recent shortenings in price I think Biden is a good value bet. It feels to me that Trump should be significantly longer than 6/4.
Edit: BF commissions of course.
The 538 model - which is more Trump friendly than most others - gives him a 22% chance. That's way longer than 6/4. Something is still supporting his price. Just a "feeling" that it will be much closer than the polls indicate, I suppose. It appears that the possibility of the polls being out the other way is being assigned a probability of near zero. I can't see why personally.
A question: I know the various models (538, Economist) take a number of factors into account in their modelling. Do they factor in vote suppression? If they don't, they are bound to underestimate the chance of Trump winning, and maybe punters are being more realistic in estimating the effect of suppression.
To the extent that opinion polls factor in turnout, based partly on what has happened in the past. I don't think they factor in any prediction of voter suppression being more effective this time around, in ways that aren't captured in the polling.
"It seeks to reflect the vote as cast on Election Day, assuming that there are reasonable efforts to allow eligible citizens to vote and to count all legal ballots, and that electors are awarded to the popular-vote winner in each state. It does not account for the possibility of extraconstitutional shenanigans by Trump or by anyone else, such as trying to prevent mail ballots from being counted."
Thanks for quoting that - interesting turn of phrase! I agree it would be difficult to quantify the effect, and it would need to done on a state-by-state basis, so they are no doubt wise to avoid trying to do it.
Another thing is that to a large extent, the voter supression that occurred in previous elections has worked it's way into the prediction models. So only new levels of voter supression will be a problem with those models.
Alok Sharma, the thinking man's Gillian Keegan is on Radio 4 now. A bit tetchy with Martha Kearney.
If one needs to know the rules, go on line, is Mr Sharma's go to statement.
Actually that is the best advice any politician can give
Here in Conwy CBC we were instructed to go into lockdown tonight and everyone I know and on social media spoke about Conwy web site that provides all the information that is necessary
We are not allowed to cross into another authority's area apart from for work, we are not allowed to leave to go away on holiday, and those on holiday here must go home
My hometown of Llandudno was just recovering and now Mark Drakeford has slammed the door on our hotels and guest houses
I have relations with a holiday caravan on Anglesey. They live in Lancashire. I assume that the caravan is now inaccessible by road. After all one cannot, without an enormous detour get from just N of Manchester to Beaumaris by road without going through Conwy. AIUI they're intending to visit next week.
There was a similar question on 5 live yesterday. Apparently Anglesey is not in the restricted area, so fine to go and stay. At least it was fine yesterday...🙄
They cannot get there as most authorities from the border are closed to traffic coming in from England
I didn't see that on the M4 - maybe the case for minor roads? And as you can still travel for work, I doubt this it true.
You do realise this comes in at 6.00pm tonight in North Wales
I went through areas ALREADY under these rules last week. There was no barrier. I know during the first lockdown there were police checks in areas - I am sceptical that that is the case now. Or indeed in Conwy when the new measures come into place.
"Can I travel through Conwy County Borough to reach a destination not in the Borough? If you have to travel along a road that passes through the area and you have no other reasonable option to travel to your destination, then this is allowed."
Not for leisure purposes
Its a direct quote from the document you linked FFS. Under Travel and public transport.
Anyone intending coming across the border from tonight will have to have a genuine reason including work and medical issues but not leisure and I expect this will be enforced
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
Alok Sharma, the thinking man's Gillian Keegan is on Radio 4 now. A bit tetchy with Martha Kearney.
If one needs to know the rules, go on line, is Mr Sharma's go to statement.
Actually that is the best advice any politician can give
Here in Conwy CBC we were instructed to go into lockdown tonight and everyone I know and on social media spoke about Conwy web site that provides all the information that is necessary
We are not allowed to cross into another authority's area apart from for work, we are not allowed to leave to go away on holiday, and those on holiday here must go home
My hometown of Llandudno was just recovering and now Mark Drakeford has slammed the door on our hotels and guest houses
I have relations with a holiday caravan on Anglesey. They live in Lancashire. I assume that the caravan is now inaccessible by road. After all one cannot, without an enormous detour get from just N of Manchester to Beaumaris by road without going through Conwy. AIUI they're intending to visit next week.
There was a similar question on 5 live yesterday. Apparently Anglesey is not in the restricted area, so fine to go and stay. At least it was fine yesterday...🙄
They cannot get there as most authorities from the border are closed to traffic coming in from England
I didn't see that on the M4 - maybe the case for minor roads? And as you can still travel for work, I doubt this it true.
You do realise this comes in at 6.00pm tonight in North Wales
I went through areas ALREADY under these rules last week. There was no barrier. I know during the first lockdown there were police checks in areas - I am sceptical that that is the case now. Or indeed in Conwy when the new measures come into place.
"Can I travel through Conwy County Borough to reach a destination not in the Borough? If you have to travel along a road that passes through the area and you have no other reasonable option to travel to your destination, then this is allowed."
Not for leisure purposes
Its a direct quote from the document you linked FFS. Under Travel and public transport.
Anyone intending coming across the border from tonight will have to have a genuine reason including work and medical issues but not leisure and I expect this will be enforced
There will not be roadblocks. There aren't on the M4 in south wales now. You are over-reacting.
Who needs roadblocks when we have drones? Take them out!
Alok Sharma, the thinking man's Gillian Keegan is on Radio 4 now. A bit tetchy with Martha Kearney.
If one needs to know the rules, go on line, is Mr Sharma's go to statement.
Actually that is the best advice any politician can give
Here in Conwy CBC we were instructed to go into lockdown tonight and everyone I know and on social media spoke about Conwy web site that provides all the information that is necessary
We are not allowed to cross into another authority's area apart from for work, we are not allowed to leave to go away on holiday, and those on holiday here must go home
My hometown of Llandudno was just recovering and now Mark Drakeford has slammed the door on our hotels and guest houses
I have relations with a holiday caravan on Anglesey. They live in Lancashire. I assume that the caravan is now inaccessible by road. After all one cannot, without an enormous detour get from just N of Manchester to Beaumaris by road without going through Conwy. AIUI they're intending to visit next week.
There was a similar question on 5 live yesterday. Apparently Anglesey is not in the restricted area, so fine to go and stay. At least it was fine yesterday...🙄
They cannot get there as most authorities from the border are closed to traffic coming in from England
I didn't see that on the M4 - maybe the case for minor roads? And as you can still travel for work, I doubt this it true.
You do realise this comes in at 6.00pm tonight in North Wales
I went through areas ALREADY under these rules last week. There was no barrier. I know during the first lockdown there were police checks in areas - I am sceptical that that is the case now. Or indeed in Conwy when the new measures come into place.
"Can I travel through Conwy County Borough to reach a destination not in the Borough? If you have to travel along a road that passes through the area and you have no other reasonable option to travel to your destination, then this is allowed."
Not for leisure purposes
Its a direct quote from the document you linked FFS. Under Travel and public transport.
Anyone intending coming across the border from tonight will have to have a genuine reason including work and medical issues but not leisure and I expect this will be enforced
Patrol boats on the Wye?
Apparently an invasion force is mustering off Swansea Bay, aiming to secure England's supply of Brains beer.
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
Is he right?
The viral load remains viable on cardboard for 24 hours (presumably a similar surface to paper) according to this study
Alok Sharma, the thinking man's Gillian Keegan is on Radio 4 now. A bit tetchy with Martha Kearney.
If one needs to know the rules, go on line, is Mr Sharma's go to statement.
Actually that is the best advice any politician can give
Here in Conwy CBC we were instructed to go into lockdown tonight and everyone I know and on social media spoke about Conwy web site that provides all the information that is necessary
We are not allowed to cross into another authority's area apart from for work, we are not allowed to leave to go away on holiday, and those on holiday here must go home
My hometown of Llandudno was just recovering and now Mark Drakeford has slammed the door on our hotels and guest houses
I have relations with a holiday caravan on Anglesey. They live in Lancashire. I assume that the caravan is now inaccessible by road. After all one cannot, without an enormous detour get from just N of Manchester to Beaumaris by road without going through Conwy. AIUI they're intending to visit next week.
There was a similar question on 5 live yesterday. Apparently Anglesey is not in the restricted area, so fine to go and stay. At least it was fine yesterday...🙄
They cannot get there as most authorities from the border are closed to traffic coming in from England
I didn't see that on the M4 - maybe the case for minor roads? And as you can still travel for work, I doubt this it true.
You do realise this comes in at 6.00pm tonight in North Wales
I went through areas ALREADY under these rules last week. There was no barrier. I know during the first lockdown there were police checks in areas - I am sceptical that that is the case now. Or indeed in Conwy when the new measures come into place.
"Can I travel through Conwy County Borough to reach a destination not in the Borough? If you have to travel along a road that passes through the area and you have no other reasonable option to travel to your destination, then this is allowed."
Not for leisure purposes
Its a direct quote from the document you linked FFS. Under Travel and public transport.
Anyone intending coming across the border from tonight will have to have a genuine reason including work and medical issues but not leisure and I expect this will be enforced
Patrol boats on the Wye?
Apparently an invasion force is mustering off Swansea Bay, aiming to secure England's supply of Brains beer.
Is @HYUFD aware of this perilous diversion of forces away from the Gibraltar invasion?
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
I remembered reading something about the packaging in supermarkets being a potential problem but we seem to have decided to ignore it, I thought on the basis it was too hard but maybe on the back of that assessment. Thanks.
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
I remembered reading something about the packaging in supermarkets being a potential problem but we seem to have decided to ignore it, I thought on the basis it was too hard but maybe on the back of that assessment. Thanks.
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
I remembered reading something about the packaging in supermarkets being a potential problem but we seem to have decided to ignore it, I thought on the basis it was too hard but maybe on the back of that assessment. Thanks.
PS I'm not sure that the lifetime on paper is short enough for your court to be relaxed about it.
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
Even this is now somewhat in doubt, as the early research into fomites reported on detection of viral nucleic acids, not on viable virions and so represented an upper bound of detectability, rather than a measure of viability.
My understanding is that current research is showing fomites not to be a significant source of transmission.
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
Is he right?
The viral load remains viable on cardboard for 24 hours (presumably a similar surface to paper) according to this study
Which isn't quite the same question as whether anyone has been infected by this route. I would assume people have.
I've often wondered how many people do get infected from e.g. parcels (which also use glossy plasticky parcel tape, too) - it must be impossible to tell the origin of illness in such cases (in contrast to e.g. a track and trace in a pub). But the incidence is presumably low enough that it's not a big lump in the stats.
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
Is he right?
The viral load remains viable on cardboard for 24 hours (presumably a similar surface to paper) according to this study
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
Even this is now somewhat in doubt, as the early research into fomites reported on detection of viral nucleic acids, not on viable virions and so represented an upper bound of detectability, rather than a measure of viability.
My understanding is that current research is showing fomites not to be a significant source of transmission.
It is and it doesn't rely upon the electrification of the network. I didn't realise the technology was there yet, if it is then this should be a good alternative to electrification.
It is and it doesn't rely upon the electrification of the network. I didn't realise the technology was there yet, if it is then this should be a good alternative to electrification.
Not so sure it s a runner. Diesels are bad enough in accidents when the fuel tanks rupture - H2 is much worse, unless there is something I am missing.
It is and it doesn't rely upon the electrification of the network. I didn't realise the technology was there yet, if it is then this should be a good alternative to electrification.
Not so sure it s a runner. Diesels are bad enough in accidents when the fuel tanks rupture - H2 is much worse, unless there is something I am missing.
Don't know about diesel specifically, but this discussion has come up for aviation safety and the possibility of moving to H2 instead of kerosene (paraffin). The explosion risk is apparently similar, but hydrogen has two advantages over jet fuel: it is non-toxic and being lighter than air spread s up and away instead of flowing across the vehicle.
It is and it doesn't rely upon the electrification of the network. I didn't realise the technology was there yet, if it is then this should be a good alternative to electrification.
Not so sure it s a runner. Diesels are bad enough in accidents when the fuel tanks rupture - H2 is much worse, unless there is something I am missing.
Getting the hydrogen in the first place is an inefficient process. It's OK if you're using wind power that would be wasted otherwise.
Alok Sharma, the thinking man's Gillian Keegan is on Radio 4 now. A bit tetchy with Martha Kearney.
If one needs to know the rules, go on line, is Mr Sharma's go to statement.
Actually that is the best advice any politician can give
Here in Conwy CBC we were instructed to go into lockdown tonight and everyone I know and on social media spoke about Conwy web site that provides all the information that is necessary
We are not allowed to cross into another authority's area apart from for work, we are not allowed to leave to go away on holiday, and those on holiday here must go home
My hometown of Llandudno was just recovering and now Mark Drakeford has slammed the door on our hotels and guest houses
I have relations with a holiday caravan on Anglesey. They live in Lancashire. I assume that the caravan is now inaccessible by road. After all one cannot, without an enormous detour get from just N of Manchester to Beaumaris by road without going through Conwy. AIUI they're intending to visit next week.
There was a similar question on 5 live yesterday. Apparently Anglesey is not in the restricted area, so fine to go and stay. At least it was fine yesterday...🙄
They cannot get there as most authorities from the border are closed to traffic coming in from England
I didn't see that on the M4 - maybe the case for minor roads? And as you can still travel for work, I doubt this it true.
You do realise this comes in at 6.00pm tonight in North Wales
I went through areas ALREADY under these rules last week. There was no barrier. I know during the first lockdown there were police checks in areas - I am sceptical that that is the case now. Or indeed in Conwy when the new measures come into place.
"Can I travel through Conwy County Borough to reach a destination not in the Borough? If you have to travel along a road that passes through the area and you have no other reasonable option to travel to your destination, then this is allowed."
Not for leisure purposes
Its a direct quote from the document you linked FFS. Under Travel and public transport.
Anyone intending coming across the border from tonight will have to have a genuine reason including work and medical issues but not leisure and I expect this will be enforced
It is and it doesn't rely upon the electrification of the network. I didn't realise the technology was there yet, if it is then this should be a good alternative to electrification.
Not so sure it s a runner. Diesels are bad enough in accidents when the fuel tanks rupture - H2 is much worse, unless there is something I am missing.
Getting the hydrogen in the first place is an inefficient process. It's OK if you're using wind power that would be wasted otherwise.
Or tidal. It's the combination of gaseous hydrogen and the safety standards of the railway industry that seems odd, so I'd be glad to know more if anyone does. A bit like going back to gaslit pasenger coaches with the hideous fires that resulted after a crash.
It is and it doesn't rely upon the electrification of the network. I didn't realise the technology was there yet, if it is then this should be a good alternative to electrification.
Not so sure it s a runner. Diesels are bad enough in accidents when the fuel tanks rupture - H2 is much worse, unless there is something I am missing.
Getting the hydrogen in the first place is an inefficient process. It's OK if you're using wind power that would be wasted otherwise.
Or tidal. It's the combination of gaseous hydrogen and the safety standards of the railway industry that seems odd, so I'd be glad to know more if anyone does. A bit like going back to gaslit pasenger coaches with the hideous fires that resulted after a crash.
Edit: just seen FF43's comment. Thanks.
Which I also qualify. These studies suggest hydrogen is WAY safer than gasoline, provided the explosion happens in the open. Hydrogen dissipates so quickly it doesn't have the density to ignite.
It is and it doesn't rely upon the electrification of the network. I didn't realise the technology was there yet, if it is then this should be a good alternative to electrification.
Not so sure it s a runner. Diesels are bad enough in accidents when the fuel tanks rupture - H2 is much worse, unless there is something I am missing.
Getting the hydrogen in the first place is an inefficient process. It's OK if you're using wind power that would be wasted otherwise.
Apparently one German strategy is effectively to propduce what sounds like clean diesel using Fisher'Tropsch process to make it from H2 and Co2 directly from the atmosphere or biomass - ergo no net C02 emissions and no pollution (assumiong complete combustion). Ergo no need to buy new trains or infrastructure, I imagine particularly problematic for long rural lines (e.g. Cornwall or North Devon or Mallaig/Kyle).
Some wag pointing out Trump doing better against Biden in CNN ' first debate win' poll than he did against Clinton. A street behind in CNN world of course but still better....
Some genuinely heart rending stories of people suffering with cancer being ignored by the NHS on the radio this morning.
But hey, the virus that's killing fewer than flu, right?
How long have I been saying that every other illness is being ignored in favour of Covid. Deaths were above average again in the ONS stats. The madness has to stop. Get Surgeries and Hospitals back to treating people, not just using Covid as an excuse to do nothing.
Some people on here are affronted when persons such as Sir Karel Sikoria ask impertinent questions about the NHS's criminal and disgusting neglect of non-covid mental and physical illness.
Its outrageous.
He's not a 'Sir' though I'm sure it's only a matter of time..
Were you the bloke who made masks out of his old pants? Dunno why but I always imagine you wearing a repurposed pair during your sojourns on PB.
The Chinese have been doing this for months. And we could have set this up over the summer. ...Much of our testing capacity is taken up by what is essentially asymptomatic screening, whether it is testing of hospital inpatients and staff, testing in care homes, or lack of triage for members of the public arriving at test centres. At the same time there is no surveillance supporting schools, universities, and businesses as they attempt to return to normal.
Pooled sampling of what is essentially asymptomatic swabs would allow rolling surveillance programmes in schools, care homes, universities and colleges, and high-risk factory settings without having a major impact on the daily covid-19 test capacity in the UK. These pooled samples could be tested in labs dedicated to pooled sample testing meaning well-established labs would not need to suddenly change or adapt their current automated protocols....
I see Cambridge University are aiming to test all students weekly, using pooled testing of those who share a kitchen or whatever. It makes sense to do it that way when you expect the vast majority of results to be negative. (Of course it's a different situation to most universities, since most students live in college.)
What's infuriating is that this is not some 'moonshot' technology. It's a testing modality that's been around for months.
The US used it during WW2 to test their troops for STIs, or so I heard on R4 this morning.
Some genuinely heart rending stories of people suffering with cancer being ignored by the NHS on the radio this morning.
But hey, the virus that's killing fewer than flu, right?
How long have I been saying that every other illness is being ignored in favour of Covid. Deaths were above average again in the ONS stats. The madness has to stop. Get Surgeries and Hospitals back to treating people, not just using Covid as an excuse to do nothing.
Some people on here are affronted when persons such as Sir Karel Sikoria ask impertinent questions about the NHS's criminal and disgusting neglect of non-covid mental and physical illness.
Its outrageous.
He's not a 'Sir' though I'm sure it's only a matter of time..
Were you the bloke who made masks out of his old pants? Dunno why but I always imagine you wearing a repurposed pair during your sojourns on PB.
yeh and you;ve got your tracksuit trousers round your ankles, blah blah insult insult. No debate, no reasoning no reply, just insults.
Some genuinely heart rending stories of people suffering with cancer being ignored by the NHS on the radio this morning.
But hey, the virus that's killing fewer than flu, right?
How long have I been saying that every other illness is being ignored in favour of Covid. Deaths were above average again in the ONS stats. The madness has to stop. Get Surgeries and Hospitals back to treating people, not just using Covid as an excuse to do nothing.
Do you think we should ignore social distancing in our waiting areas to do so? Cease screening planned admissions with covid tests? Cease wearing PPE when doing Aerosol Generating Procedures so that we can return to normal productivity? Stop staff self isolating when symptomatic or exposed to Covid-19 to reduce absences?
The Chinese have been doing this for months. And we could have set this up over the summer. ...Much of our testing capacity is taken up by what is essentially asymptomatic screening, whether it is testing of hospital inpatients and staff, testing in care homes, or lack of triage for members of the public arriving at test centres. At the same time there is no surveillance supporting schools, universities, and businesses as they attempt to return to normal.
Pooled sampling of what is essentially asymptomatic swabs would allow rolling surveillance programmes in schools, care homes, universities and colleges, and high-risk factory settings without having a major impact on the daily covid-19 test capacity in the UK. These pooled samples could be tested in labs dedicated to pooled sample testing meaning well-established labs would not need to suddenly change or adapt their current automated protocols....
I see Cambridge University are aiming to test all students weekly, using pooled testing of those who share a kitchen or whatever. It makes sense to do it that way when you expect the vast majority of results to be negative. (Of course it's a different situation to most universities, since most students live in college.)
What's infuriating is that this is not some 'moonshot' technology. It's a testing modality that's been around for months.
The US used it during WW2 to test their troops for STIs, or so I heard on R4 this morning.
Not PCR, I think
But sure, the principle has been around for ages. Point is that it's been a practical, tested proposition for Covid for months. There are issues (cross contamination is a bigger risk, for example), but they've been sorted out. Pooling of samples at source, rather than in the lab, is particularly effective.
Some genuinely heart rending stories of people suffering with cancer being ignored by the NHS on the radio this morning.
But hey, the virus that's killing fewer than flu, right?
How long have I been saying that every other illness is being ignored in favour of Covid. Deaths were above average again in the ONS stats. The madness has to stop. Get Surgeries and Hospitals back to treating people, not just using Covid as an excuse to do nothing.
Do you think we should ignore social distancing in our waiting areas to do so? Cease screening planned admissions with covid tests? Cease wearing PPE when doing Aerosol Generating Procedures so that we can return to normal productivity? Stop staff self isolating when symptomatic or exposed to Covid-19 to reduce absences?
If not, then how should we do so?
I think the NHS (as a bureaucracy) should be asking itself why it has not had a good war. There has been a lot of self congratulation, but there is a massive absence of objective analysis as to why we have one of the highest death per 100k figures in the world. Clinicians should be leading that question rather than being defensive. Perhaps the NHS as an organisation is not as exceptional as most UK residents have been told to think? Almost certainly.
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
Even this is now somewhat in doubt, as the early research into fomites reported on detection of viral nucleic acids, not on viable virions and so represented an upper bound of detectability, rather than a measure of viability.
My understanding is that current research is showing fomites not to be a significant source of transmission.
Some genuinely heart rending stories of people suffering with cancer being ignored by the NHS on the radio this morning.
But hey, the virus that's killing fewer than flu, right?
How long have I been saying that every other illness is being ignored in favour of Covid. Deaths were above average again in the ONS stats. The madness has to stop. Get Surgeries and Hospitals back to treating people, not just using Covid as an excuse to do nothing.
Some people on here are affronted when persons such as Sir Karel Sikoria ask impertinent questions about the NHS's criminal and disgusting neglect of non-covid mental and physical illness.
Its outrageous.
He's not a 'Sir' though I'm sure it's only a matter of time..
Were you the bloke who made masks out of his old pants? Dunno why but I always imagine you wearing a repurposed pair during your sojourns on PB.
yeh and you;ve got your tracksuit trousers round your ankles, blah blah insult insult. No debate, no reasoning no reply, just insults.
Hydrogen - the issue is production, electrolysis of water or atomisation of methane are both extremely energy intensive and while the grid is greenhouse gas heavy we should avoid it.
On energy, the Sparc fusion reactor design looks extremely promising, tokomanenergy in Oxford are using a very similar design. One of the advantages of the design is that the reaction could potentially use the exhaust He-3 as fuel to form stable lithium with excess neutrons forming part of the Li-7 nucleus or one He-4 nucleus and one proton. This is all in theory, of course, however either of these are a much better bet for producing meaningful fusion energy than ITER which looks more and more like a scientific jolly designed to be a French job creation scheme.
Some genuinely heart rending stories of people suffering with cancer being ignored by the NHS on the radio this morning.
But hey, the virus that's killing fewer than flu, right?
How long have I been saying that every other illness is being ignored in favour of Covid. Deaths were above average again in the ONS stats. The madness has to stop. Get Surgeries and Hospitals back to treating people, not just using Covid as an excuse to do nothing.
Do you think we should ignore social distancing in our waiting areas to do so? Cease screening planned admissions with covid tests? Cease wearing PPE when doing Aerosol Generating Procedures so that we can return to normal productivity? Stop staff self isolating when symptomatic or exposed to Covid-19 to reduce absences?
Alok Sharma, the thinking man's Gillian Keegan is on Radio 4 now. A bit tetchy with Martha Kearney.
If one needs to know the rules, go on line, is Mr Sharma's go to statement.
Actually that is the best advice any politician can give
Here in Conwy CBC we were instructed to go into lockdown tonight and everyone I know and on social media spoke about Conwy web site that provides all the information that is necessary
We are not allowed to cross into another authority's area apart from for work, we are not allowed to leave to go away on holiday, and those on holiday here must go home
My hometown of Llandudno was just recovering and now Mark Drakeford has slammed the door on our hotels and guest houses
I have relations with a holiday caravan on Anglesey. They live in Lancashire. I assume that the caravan is now inaccessible by road. After all one cannot, without an enormous detour get from just N of Manchester to Beaumaris by road without going through Conwy. AIUI they're intending to visit next week.
There was a similar question on 5 live yesterday. Apparently Anglesey is not in the restricted area, so fine to go and stay. At least it was fine yesterday...🙄
They cannot get there as most authorities from the border are closed to traffic coming in from England
I didn't see that on the M4 - maybe the case for minor roads? And as you can still travel for work, I doubt this it true.
You do realise this comes in at 6.00pm tonight in North Wales
I went through areas ALREADY under these rules last week. There was no barrier. I know during the first lockdown there were police checks in areas - I am sceptical that that is the case now. Or indeed in Conwy when the new measures come into place.
"Can I travel through Conwy County Borough to reach a destination not in the Borough? If you have to travel along a road that passes through the area and you have no other reasonable option to travel to your destination, then this is allowed."
Not for leisure purposes
Its a direct quote from the document you linked FFS. Under Travel and public transport.
Anyone intending coming across the border from tonight will have to have a genuine reason including work and medical issues but not leisure and I expect this will be enforced
There will not be roadblocks. There aren't on the M4 in south wales now. You are over-reacting.
Of course there will not be roadblocks and I cannot speak about enforcement in South Wales
However, here in North Wales all four local authorities close to the English border have put in the same regulations and the relevant regulation states:-
Residents cannot leave the area (in our case Conwy CBC ) without good reason. Similarly those who live outside the area cannot enter without good reason.
You can only be exempt from these rules if you have a reasonable excuse including work or visiting family for compassionate reasons
If you do not have a good reason to stay in the area you should leave as soon as practicable
Travelling to a second home is not considered a reasonable excuse
The only exception is if you have to travel along a road that passes through the areas and have no other reasonable options to reach your destination then that is allowed
The police in Wales have been given powers to enforce these regulations
All the above commences at 6.00pm tonight but one other difference from the previous lockdown is that travel by residents is not just limited to 5 miles, but to your county boundary.
And no this is not hyperbole, this happens in Wrexham, Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Conwy tonight
Interesting question (well, by today’s somewhat disappointing standards). In a “blended” proof where the key witnesses are giving evidence in person and others remotely a witness was referred to hard copy productions. The question arose whether the next witness could safely do the same. One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
Even this is now somewhat in doubt, as the early research into fomites reported on detection of viral nucleic acids, not on viable virions and so represented an upper bound of detectability, rather than a measure of viability.
My understanding is that current research is showing fomites not to be a significant source of transmission.
The problem with a lot of the COVID research published is that it is not peer-reviewed and it is really hard to know what to trust. Particularly anything coming out of China.
Some genuinely heart rending stories of people suffering with cancer being ignored by the NHS on the radio this morning.
But hey, the virus that's killing fewer than flu, right?
How long have I been saying that every other illness is being ignored in favour of Covid. Deaths were above average again in the ONS stats. The madness has to stop. Get Surgeries and Hospitals back to treating people, not just using Covid as an excuse to do nothing.
Do you think we should ignore social distancing in our waiting areas to do so? Cease screening planned admissions with covid tests? Cease wearing PPE when doing Aerosol Generating Procedures so that we can return to normal productivity? Stop staff self isolating when symptomatic or exposed to Covid-19 to reduce absences?
If not, then how should we do so?
I think the NHS (as a bureaucracy) should be asking itself why it has not had a good war. There has been a lot of self congratulation, but there is a massive absence of objective analysis as to why we have one of the highest death per 100k figures in the world. Clinicians should be leading that question rather than being defensive. Perhaps the NHS as an organisation is not as exceptional as most UK residents have been told to think? Almost certainly.
Indeed. Attentive PBers will have noted that I am often critical of the NHS.
I think in this outbreak the centralised Command and Control imposed by the DoH is a significant part of the problem. See
Hydrogen - the issue is production, electrolysis of water or atomisation of methane are both extremely energy intensive and while the grid is greenhouse gas heavy we should avoid it.
On energy, the Sparc fusion reactor design looks extremely promising, tokomanenergy in Oxford are using a very similar design. One of the advantages of the design is that the reaction could potentially use the exhaust He-3 as fuel to form stable lithium with excess neutrons forming part of the Li-7 nucleus or one He-4 nucleus and one proton. This is all in theory, of course, however either of these are a much better bet for producing meaningful fusion energy than ITER which looks more and more like a scientific jolly designed to be a French job creation scheme.
Do you have any basis for that claim other than simple Francophobia?
The peak is due to changes in the number of tests in the "UK Gov testing programme" - so I think these are the Pillar 2 tests.
So it could be that there was a decision at some level to prioritise areas of England (or NI/Wales), or the Scottish government having earlier requested a surge didn't repeat that request.
There's a lot that's opaque about the testing system. As far as it's possible to tell it looks like the devolved administrations have been worse at testing than the UK government, though I don't know what emergency funding they are able to access to expand testing on their own initiative.
Alok Sharma, the thinking man's Gillian Keegan is on Radio 4 now. A bit tetchy with Martha Kearney.
If one needs to know the rules, go on line, is Mr Sharma's go to statement.
Actually that is the best advice any politician can give
Here in Conwy CBC we were instructed to go into lockdown tonight and everyone I know and on social media spoke about Conwy web site that provides all the information that is necessary
We are not allowed to cross into another authority's area apart from for work, we are not allowed to leave to go away on holiday, and those on holiday here must go home
My hometown of Llandudno was just recovering and now Mark Drakeford has slammed the door on our hotels and guest houses
I have relations with a holiday caravan on Anglesey. They live in Lancashire. I assume that the caravan is now inaccessible by road. After all one cannot, without an enormous detour get from just N of Manchester to Beaumaris by road without going through Conwy. AIUI they're intending to visit next week.
There was a similar question on 5 live yesterday. Apparently Anglesey is not in the restricted area, so fine to go and stay. At least it was fine yesterday...🙄
They cannot get there as most authorities from the border are closed to traffic coming in from England
I didn't see that on the M4 - maybe the case for minor roads? And as you can still travel for work, I doubt this it true.
You do realise this comes in at 6.00pm tonight in North Wales
I went through areas ALREADY under these rules last week. There was no barrier. I know during the first lockdown there were police checks in areas - I am sceptical that that is the case now. Or indeed in Conwy when the new measures come into place.
"Can I travel through Conwy County Borough to reach a destination not in the Borough? If you have to travel along a road that passes through the area and you have no other reasonable option to travel to your destination, then this is allowed."
Not for leisure purposes
Its a direct quote from the document you linked FFS. Under Travel and public transport.
Anyone intending coming across the border from tonight will have to have a genuine reason including work and medical issues but not leisure and I expect this will be enforced
There will not be roadblocks. There aren't on the M4 in south wales now. You are over-reacting.
Of course there will not be roadblocks and I cannot speak about enforcement in South Wales
However, here in North Wales all four local authorities close to the English border have put in the same regulations and the relevant regulation states:-
Residents cannot leave the area (in our case Conwy CBC ) without good reason. Similarly those who live outside the area cannot enter without good reason.
You can only be exempt from these rules if you have a reasonable excuse including work or visiting family for compassionate reasons
If you do not have a good reason to stay in the area you should leave as soon as practicable
Travelling to a second home is not considered a reasonable excuse
The only exception is if you have to travel along a road that passes through the areas and have no other reasonable options to reach your destination then that is allowed
The police in Wales have been given powers to enforce these regulations
All the above commences at 6.00pm tonight but one other difference from the previous lockdown is that travel by residents is not just limited to 5 miles, but to your county boundary.
And no this is not hyperbole, this happens in Wrexham, Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Conwy tonight
But you were suggesting that someone cannot legitimately travel from an area with no restriction in England, to an area of Wales outside the new restrictions because they can't go into Conwy, which is not true. Travel to that destination is a legitimate reason. Do you really believe the police are going to be stopping cars at the border? That may have occurred during the first, national, lockdown, but we are in very different times, with keeping the economy going a concern. Traffic levels are at or close to normal now. I don't understand why you think it is illegal to travel across Conwy to Anglesey as described above.
Alok Sharma, the thinking man's Gillian Keegan is on Radio 4 now. A bit tetchy with Martha Kearney.
If one needs to know the rules, go on line, is Mr Sharma's go to statement.
Actually that is the best advice any politician can give
Here in Conwy CBC we were instructed to go into lockdown tonight and everyone I know and on social media spoke about Conwy web site that provides all the information that is necessary
We are not allowed to cross into another authority's area apart from for work, we are not allowed to leave to go away on holiday, and those on holiday here must go home
My hometown of Llandudno was just recovering and now Mark Drakeford has slammed the door on our hotels and guest houses
I have relations with a holiday caravan on Anglesey. They live in Lancashire. I assume that the caravan is now inaccessible by road. After all one cannot, without an enormous detour get from just N of Manchester to Beaumaris by road without going through Conwy. AIUI they're intending to visit next week.
There was a similar question on 5 live yesterday. Apparently Anglesey is not in the restricted area, so fine to go and stay. At least it was fine yesterday...🙄
They cannot get there as most authorities from the border are closed to traffic coming in from England
I didn't see that on the M4 - maybe the case for minor roads? And as you can still travel for work, I doubt this it true.
You do realise this comes in at 6.00pm tonight in North Wales
I went through areas ALREADY under these rules last week. There was no barrier. I know during the first lockdown there were police checks in areas - I am sceptical that that is the case now. Or indeed in Conwy when the new measures come into place.
"Can I travel through Conwy County Borough to reach a destination not in the Borough? If you have to travel along a road that passes through the area and you have no other reasonable option to travel to your destination, then this is allowed."
Not for leisure purposes
Its a direct quote from the document you linked FFS. Under Travel and public transport.
Anyone intending coming across the border from tonight will have to have a genuine reason including work and medical issues but not leisure and I expect this will be enforced
There will not be roadblocks. There aren't on the M4 in south wales now. You are over-reacting.
Of course there will not be roadblocks and I cannot speak about enforcement in South Wales
However, here in North Wales all four local authorities close to the English border have put in the same regulations and the relevant regulation states:-
Residents cannot leave the area (in our case Conwy CBC ) without good reason. Similarly those who live outside the area cannot enter without good reason.
You can only be exempt from these rules if you have a reasonable excuse including work or visiting family for compassionate reasons
If you do not have a good reason to stay in the area you should leave as soon as practicable
Travelling to a second home is not considered a reasonable excuse
The only exception is if you have to travel along a road that passes through the areas and have no other reasonable options to reach your destination then that is allowed
The police in Wales have been given powers to enforce these regulations
All the above commences at 6.00pm tonight but one other difference from the previous lockdown is that travel by residents is not just limited to 5 miles, but to your county boundary.
And no this is not hyperbole, this happens in Wrexham, Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Conwy tonight
But you were suggesting that someone cannot legitimately travel from an area with no restriction in England, to an area of Wales outside the new restrictions because they can't go into Conwy, which is not true. Travel to that destination is a legitimate reason. Do you really believe the police are going to be stopping cars at the border? That may have occurred during the first, national, lockdown, but we are in very different times, with keeping the economy going a concern. Traffic levels are at or close to normal now. I don't understand why you think it is illegal to travel across Conwy to Anglesey as described above.
Definitely sounds like hyperbole to me, I think he should stop it
Conjunctivitis may be the first symptom of coronavirus, according to a study. Ophthalmologists from the Madrid Hospital Clínico San Carlos have evaluated the prevalence and clinical characteristics of the pathology associated with COVID-19. The study has been prepared from 301 patients hospitalized at the Clinic, with a mean age of 72 years and is the first in the country to describe the clinical characteristics of conjunctivitis in a wide series of patients
Yeah, don't understand why it's taken so long for them to drop below evens. The early voting data continues to look good for them alongside the polling.
Some genuinely heart rending stories of people suffering with cancer being ignored by the NHS on the radio this morning.
But hey, the virus that's killing fewer than flu, right?
How long have I been saying that every other illness is being ignored in favour of Covid. Deaths were above average again in the ONS stats. The madness has to stop. Get Surgeries and Hospitals back to treating people, not just using Covid as an excuse to do nothing.
Some people on here are affronted when persons such as Sir Karel Sikoria ask impertinent questions about the NHS's criminal and disgusting neglect of non-covid mental and physical illness.
Its outrageous.
He's not a 'Sir' though I'm sure it's only a matter of time..
Were you the bloke who made masks out of his old pants? Dunno why but I always imagine you wearing a repurposed pair during your sojourns on PB.
yeh and you;ve got your tracksuit trousers round your ankles, blah blah insult insult. No debate, no reasoning no reply, just insults.
Same old same old.
I don't think it's an insult to refer to something a poster has actually referred to themselves. That someone who's a fanboi of 'Sir' Karol Sikora (a Covid Polyanna whose every unqualified prediction on the length and severity of the pandemic has proved to be a load of shyte) also wears his own pants on his head is just a happy coincidence.
It is probably easier to just report the accurate claims Trump made. Rather than the massive laundry list of BS.
I dunno - how easy is it to find a needle in a haystack?
Which is what I was saying earlier, how can you have any sort of a debate with a man who simply lies about everything and dismisses any thing he doesn't like as "fake news". It's like trying treason with a toddler in mid-tantrum. Sadly his supporters no longer seem to care about the truth.
Alok Sharma, the thinking man's Gillian Keegan is on Radio 4 now. A bit tetchy with Martha Kearney.
If one needs to know the rules, go on line, is Mr Sharma's go to statement.
Actually that is the best advice any politician can give
Here in Conwy CBC we were instructed to go into lockdown tonight and everyone I know and on social media spoke about Conwy web site that provides all the information that is necessary
We are not allowed to cross into another authority's area apart from for work, we are not allowed to leave to go away on holiday, and those on holiday here must go home
My hometown of Llandudno was just recovering and now Mark Drakeford has slammed the door on our hotels and guest houses
I have relations with a holiday caravan on Anglesey. They live in Lancashire. I assume that the caravan is now inaccessible by road. After all one cannot, without an enormous detour get from just N of Manchester to Beaumaris by road without going through Conwy. AIUI they're intending to visit next week.
There was a similar question on 5 live yesterday. Apparently Anglesey is not in the restricted area, so fine to go and stay. At least it was fine yesterday...🙄
They cannot get there as most authorities from the border are closed to traffic coming in from England
I didn't see that on the M4 - maybe the case for minor roads? And as you can still travel for work, I doubt this it true.
You do realise this comes in at 6.00pm tonight in North Wales
I went through areas ALREADY under these rules last week. There was no barrier. I know during the first lockdown there were police checks in areas - I am sceptical that that is the case now. Or indeed in Conwy when the new measures come into place.
"Can I travel through Conwy County Borough to reach a destination not in the Borough? If you have to travel along a road that passes through the area and you have no other reasonable option to travel to your destination, then this is allowed."
Not for leisure purposes
Its a direct quote from the document you linked FFS. Under Travel and public transport.
Anyone intending coming across the border from tonight will have to have a genuine reason including work and medical issues but not leisure and I expect this will be enforced
There will not be roadblocks. There aren't on the M4 in south wales now. You are over-reacting.
Of course there will not be roadblocks and I cannot speak about enforcement in South Wales
However, here in North Wales all four local authorities close to the English border have put in the same regulations and the relevant regulation states:-
Residents cannot leave the area (in our case Conwy CBC ) without good reason. Similarly those who live outside the area cannot enter without good reason.
You can only be exempt from these rules if you have a reasonable excuse including work or visiting family for compassionate reasons
If you do not have a good reason to stay in the area you should leave as soon as practicable
Travelling to a second home is not considered a reasonable excuse
The only exception is if you have to travel along a road that passes through the areas and have no other reasonable options to reach your destination then that is allowed
The police in Wales have been given powers to enforce these regulations
All the above commences at 6.00pm tonight but one other difference from the previous lockdown is that travel by residents is not just limited to 5 miles, but to your county boundary.
And no this is not hyperbole, this happens in Wrexham, Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Conwy tonight
But you were suggesting that someone cannot legitimately travel from an area with no restriction in England, to an area of Wales outside the new restrictions because they can't go into Conwy, which is not true. Travel to that destination is a legitimate reason. Do you really believe the police are going to be stopping cars at the border? That may have occurred during the first, national, lockdown, but we are in very different times, with keeping the economy going a concern. Traffic levels are at or close to normal now. I don't understand why you think it is illegal to travel across Conwy to Anglesey as described above.
I expect spot border checks this weekend and to travel through these counties without reasonable reason is unfair to the populace of North Wales and I expect this loophole if it is one to be closed
It will be interesting to see what happens to anyone towing a caravan or camping trailer or a mobile home this weekend if they try to cross the border
PB is at its best when we are debating the issues, not each other.
I disagree. Some of the best laughs I've had on here are when people are sticking the fucking hoof into each other. A tory blue-on-blue swedge is a particular treat.
It sure is. But they always rally round the rosette when it comes to election time, so they can keep snouts in the trough.
Some genuinely heart rending stories of people suffering with cancer being ignored by the NHS on the radio this morning.
But hey, the virus that's killing fewer than flu, right?
How long have I been saying that every other illness is being ignored in favour of Covid. Deaths were above average again in the ONS stats. The madness has to stop. Get Surgeries and Hospitals back to treating people, not just using Covid as an excuse to do nothing.
Do you think we should ignore social distancing in our waiting areas to do so? Cease screening planned admissions with covid tests? Cease wearing PPE when doing Aerosol Generating Procedures so that we can return to normal productivity? Stop staff self isolating when symptomatic or exposed to Covid-19 to reduce absences?
If not, then how should we do so?
I think the NHS (as a bureaucracy) should be asking itself why it has not had a good war. There has been a lot of self congratulation, but there is a massive absence of objective analysis as to why we have one of the highest death per 100k figures in the world. Clinicians should be leading that question rather than being defensive. Perhaps the NHS as an organisation is not as exceptional as most UK residents have been told to think? Almost certainly.
Indeed. Attentive PBers will have noted that I am often critical of the NHS.
I think in this outbreak the centralised Command and Control imposed by the DoH is a significant part of the problem. See
My question would be why Sweden has ~10% less deaths per million than the UK, despite being near herd immunity according to its own experts? Maybe the locally-run Swedish NHS works more effectively than ours or they could just be spending more money on it (% of GDP).
Comments
It's a testing modality that's been around for months.
https://twitter.com/_b_meyer/status/1311200168864370688
One of parties, who is a publisher, states that there has not been a single example of the virus being transmitted via the printed page.
Is he right?
A genuinely decent idea
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/study-suggests-new-coronavirus-may-remain-surfaces-days
Which isn't quite the same question as whether anyone has been infected by this route. I would assume people have.
Edit: but not necessarily short enough for your case. And in any case IANAE.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/how-long-does-coronavirus-survive-on-different-surfaces
https://twitter.com/BBCPhilipSim/status/1311291423984156673?s=20
https://twitter.com/BBCPhilipSim/status/1311292162194247682?s=20
My understanding is that current research is showing fomites not to be a significant source of transmission.
https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/laninf/PIIS1473-3099(20)30561-2.pdf
Edit: Guessing wrong on the first, it seems...
Snake = Mk.82 GP bomb with Snake Eye retarding fins
Snake + Nape (napalm) was a popular combo in Vietnam
Supremacy 57-65 (equivalent to Biden 297.5 - 301.5)
Edit: just seen FF43's comment. Thanks.
https://hydrogen.wsu.edu/2017/03/17/so-just-how-dangerous-is-hydrogen-fuel/
https://h2tools.org/bestpractices/hydrogen-compared-other-fuels
https://www.railjournal.com/in_depth/hydrogen-and-battery-trains-end-for-diesel-traction
Anyway I am sure we will see more of this issue!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General-purpose_bomb#/media/File:North_American_F-100D-75-NA_(SN_56-3184)_in_flight_dropping_a_Snake-Eye_bomb_060922-F-1234S-005.jpg
Retarded...😏
LOL
Were you the bloke who made masks out of his old pants? Dunno why but I always imagine you wearing a repurposed pair during your sojourns on PB.
https://twitter.com/UKCovid19Stats/status/1311303644298518529?s=20
It could be masking even worse results.
Same old same old.
If not, then how should we do so?
But sure, the principle has been around for ages.
Point is that it's been a practical, tested proposition for Covid for months. There are issues (cross contamination is a bigger risk, for example), but they've been sorted out.
Pooling of samples at source, rather than in the lab, is particularly effective.
https://twitter.com/PandemicCovid20/status/1310110305448411136?s=19
On energy, the Sparc fusion reactor design looks extremely promising, tokomanenergy in Oxford are using a very similar design. One of the advantages of the design is that the reaction could potentially use the exhaust He-3 as fuel to form stable lithium with excess neutrons forming part of the Li-7 nucleus or one He-4 nucleus and one proton. This is all in theory, of course, however either of these are a much better bet for producing meaningful fusion energy than ITER which looks more and more like a scientific jolly designed to be a French job creation scheme.
A really needed tweet this election I think.
The most liked Maga tweet ?
https://twitter.com/MAGASecretly/status/1311143138753421313
Only Trump supporting police are the TRUE police.
Gone viral anyway, 750k likes for the tweet.
However, here in North Wales all four local authorities close to the English border have put in the same regulations and the relevant regulation states:-
Residents cannot leave the area (in our case Conwy CBC ) without good reason. Similarly those who live outside the area cannot enter without good reason.
You can only be exempt from these rules if you have a reasonable excuse including work or visiting family for compassionate reasons
If you do not have a good reason to stay in the area you should leave as soon as practicable
Travelling to a second home is not considered a reasonable excuse
The only exception is if you have to travel along a road that passes through the areas and have no other reasonable options to reach your destination then that is allowed
The police in Wales have been given powers to enforce these regulations
All the above commences at 6.00pm tonight but one other difference from the previous lockdown is that travel by residents is not just limited to 5 miles, but to your county boundary.
And no this is not hyperbole, this happens in Wrexham, Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Conwy tonight
The problem with a lot of the COVID research published is that it is not peer-reviewed and it is really hard to know what to trust. Particularly anything coming out of China.
I think in this outbreak the centralised Command and Control imposed by the DoH is a significant part of the problem. See
https://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2020/05/17/28-weeks-later-the-coronavirus-aftermath-for-the-nhs-and-its-political-implications/
So it could be that there was a decision at some level to prioritise areas of England (or NI/Wales), or the Scottish government having earlier requested a surge didn't repeat that request.
There's a lot that's opaque about the testing system. As far as it's possible to tell it looks like the devolved administrations have been worse at testing than the UK government, though I don't know what emergency funding they are able to access to expand testing on their own initiative.
https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/us-politics/senate-results/kansas
There have been a series of close polls there, even before the two released today that includes one with a Democrat lead.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-election-forecast/senate/kansas/
A few of the other Senate races that might fall to the Democrats on a landslide could be worth a look.
It will be interesting to see what happens to anyone towing a caravan or camping trailer or a mobile home this weekend if they try to cross the border