International News Covid-19 .....

[werthersoriginal]

My wife works in a nursing home and she tells me that they have recently received two new residents - these are not people returning to the home from a spell in hospital. Neither have been tested for C19 and consequently have to be quarantined (which means being confined to a room) and barrier nursed (you can only enter gowned up and masked).

The risk to staff and residents, although unquestionably there, is thus reduced but just spare a thought for those elderly people that are being placed in unfamiliar surroundings and who will only have a minimal human contact, and that from people that they don't know, for fourteen days.

That doesnt bear thinking about, poor things. What a tough job for your wife.

 

[Manorlounger]

My wife works in a nursing home and she tells me that they have recently received two new residents - these are not people returning to the home from a spell in hospital. Neither have been tested for C19 and consequently have to be quarantined (which means being confined to a room) and barrier nursed (you can only enter gowned up and masked).

The risk to staff and residents, although unquestionably there, is thus reduced but just spare a thought for those elderly people that are being placed in unfamiliar surroundings and who will only have a minimal human contact, and that from people that they don't know, for fourteen days.

I've always said that it takes a very, very special kind of person to be a (good) carer. Please tell your wife that she is appreciated. I had enormous respect for those who looked after my Mum and my Father-in-law. When this awful time is over we must all take time to make things better.

 

[Manorlounger]

This is just a f*****g disgrace!

Pay cut plans detrimental to NHS - PFA

The Professional Footballers' Association warns that proposals for a 30% pay cut in the Premier League would be "detrimental to our NHS".

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[MJB]

This is just a f*****g disgrace!

Pay cut plans detrimental to NHS - PFA

The Professional Footballers' Association warns that proposals for a 30% pay cut in the Premier League would be "detrimental to our NHS".

www.bbc.co.uk

Is the reduced tax on wages not a justified point? I guess they could offset lost tax revenues further from their wages, but why are footballers being highlighted specifically? Is this a blanket policy across all high-earners?

 

[Oxymoron]

The solution is simple then - don't cut wages and continue to pay £200m to the revenue AND THEN DONATE £300m directly from your members wage packets to the NHS....

 

[uptheus]

Bit of an epic, but an informative overview of what CV19 is and a few other facts too ... cut and pasted from elsewhere, (where it had already been cut and pasted)....

John Robb
1 hr ·

From Jayne Casey Facebook page...long read about the virus and where it comes from - bit more complex than making a guess about 5G or Wuhan labs.
''Scientific advancements in molecular dating suggest Coronaviruses are close to 290 million years old. As such, they have an extremely long and complex genome.
However, as they are so ancient, they are made not of DNA, but of RNA, which is a more primitive single stranded, genetic material. With a highly unstable membrane, this can easily be disturbed and killed, prior to hijacking our cells, that is. Imagine the sensitivity of a balloon; which is why heat, or the simple act of vigorous hand-washing and bleaching is so effective at destroying it.
Humans have dealt with Coronaviruses in the form of the common cold all of our lives. And more recently, and far more seriously, during the SARS & MERS outbreaks of 2003 and 2012.
Since these more deadly diseases presented, scientists have been warning public health officials and governments of the dangers of such a pandemic. Hence all of the sci-fi movies, books, apocalyptic drama series, featuring mutated Corona-respiratory viruses. Especially in Asia, where they are commonly found, and have caused such public health emergencies in the past.
Coronaviruses are split into 4 groups, 2 of which are found in birds, and 2 in bats.
Bats, like us, are mammals. They are also a natural reservoir of many viruses, as they have an extremely powerful immune system. This means they can host them without producing an inflammatory response and actually becoming sick themselves.
This is, however, worse for us, as when bats fly twice daily -some at speeds exceeding 90 miles per hour- their body temperature mimics that of a fever, and the viruses they host must mutate to withstand this.
Of course, fever is the human body’s way of attacking and killing pathogens, so if we become infected by a virus built to withstand this response, we are in trouble.
I keep seeing people talking about “eating bats”...
Here in Asia, bats are eaten commonly across many cultures. However, it is not ingesting the meat of a bat which caused this virus to enter a human. And no scientist ever said this. The simple act of cooking would kill a Coronavirus anyway.
No, in China, it is common practice to keep a wide variety of live wild animals, including bats, in wet markets, where they are sold. Keeping live bats in a confined space, with human contact, could easily lead to exposure and transmission through a bite, blood contact during killing, or simply excessive “viral shedding”, which occurs when an animal becomes stressed, and the immune response changes, causing the previously suppressed virus to replicate rapidly.
Similar to how we may develop a cold sore when we become ill with a cold or flu, if we are already unfortunate enough to host the herpes virus.
In the past many viruses have also entered the human population from bats via a secondary host. Which could well be the case with the novel Coronavirus, as bats were kept in filthy conditions alongside a variety of “exotic animals” at the markets where the outbreak originated.
Incidentally, following the SARS-COV-1 outbreak in 2003, a virology institute was founded in the Hubei province where many hundreds of Coronaviruses are isolated from wild bats and stored and studied by scientists everyday. It is also possible that infection occurred through scientific contact with a virus. One thing is clear though, it was certainly a single human infection that led to this pandemic. If the virus leaped into more than one human, the researchers would expect a greater number of genetic mutations.
What non-science people don’t realise is, that science leaves a trail, that all scientists can follow. Even unaffiliated ones.
If this virus “didn’t exist” or was “genetically engineered” or didn’t resemble what the published information was saying, then it would require thousands of research assistants, PhD students, doctors, virologists, immunologists the world over, who are looking at the sequence of the genome, looking at the virus under the microscope, reading the scientific literature, to be staying silent.
If one asks any member of the scientific community, academic or medical, even a high school science teacher; they all say the same thing. This was an accident waiting to happen. They’ve been expecting it for years. They’ve even used their research grants to study this stuff and issue stark warnings. Singapore set up a centre for infectious disease research following SARS-COV-1. Hence their exemplary response to this situation.
But I guess the idea of a 5G conspiracy is just sexier than reading up, listening to experts from all walks of life, and then accepting our governments wilful ignorance and total disregard for human life.''.....

Does anyone if it’s possible to get an antidote against this virus from bats?

 

[Navegante]

Is this a blanket policy across all high-earners?

Haven't seen Ant & Dec put under this pressure. Where's the unity?

 

[QR]

'...without any consultation with the industry' why do they keep doing this

 

[QR]

If the lockdown had started a few weeks early when many were clamoring for it, contagion levels were much lower and the weather was crap there may have been more success.


UK’s Covid-19 lockdown could crumble as frustration grows, police warn

UKâs Covid-19 lockdown could crumble as frustration grows, police warn

Isolation fatigue could set in if period is extended beyond three weeks

www.theguardian.com

 

[chuckbert]

If the lockdown had started a few weeks early when many were clamoring for it, contagion levels were much lower and the weather was crap there may have been more success.


UK’s Covid-19 lockdown could crumble as frustration grows, police warn

UKâs Covid-19 lockdown could crumble as frustration grows, police warn

Isolation fatigue could set in if period is extended beyond three weeks

www.theguardian.com

We've been on course for this since a prime minister emphatically pointed out that society is really just a group of individuals. Well it isn't. If you treat it like that it erodes what makes it a society, and erodes that society's ability to overcome short-term individual desires in the interests of the physical health of the whole of society.

On a separate note, I really need to go and watch Idiocracy again. I always thought it was a parody of America, but current events are making it look more global.

 

[Manorlounger]

If the lockdown had started a few weeks early when many were clamoring for it, contagion levels were much lower and the weather was crap there may have been more success.


UK’s Covid-19 lockdown could crumble as frustration grows, police warn

UKâs Covid-19 lockdown could crumble as frustration grows, police warn

Isolation fatigue could set in if period is extended beyond three weeks

www.theguardian.com

What makes this so ironic is that it comes from a Commissioner whose own force was criticised for "lockdown shaming" with the use of drones. The antagonisitic approach to the very same people that the force is serving proving a provocation to many to flaunt the instructions to stay at home. Underline the reasons for staying home and maintaining "social distancing" and most of us, if not the vast majority, will comply. Yes, it's frustrating, but so is spending time in hospital on a ventilator. I know which option I would choose.

 

[Steve McAvoy]

We've been on course for this since a prime minister emphatically pointed out that society is really just a group of individuals. Well it isn't. If you treat it like that it erodes what makes it a society, and erodes that society's ability to overcome short-term individual desires in the interests of the physical health of the whole of society.

On a separate note, I really need to go and watch Idiocracy again. I always thought it was a parody of America, but current events are making it look more global.

You may well have missed the start of history being re-written. Earlier in the week Charles Moore was talking about the context of Thatcher’s remarks being lost/misunderstood. Protecting our icons is a serious business.

 

[Marked Ox]

This is just a f*****g disgrace!

Pay cut plans detrimental to NHS - PFA

The Professional Footballers' Association warns that proposals for a 30% pay cut in the Premier League would be "detrimental to our NHS".

www.bbc.co.uk

Solution, the players get paid that 30% so the Govt gets the tax then the rest is donated to non playing staff to pay their wages (or difference after being furloughed) and the rest can be donated to NHS supporting charities and those charities helping the poor.

Also I bet furloughed PL staff will cost the Govt a good chunk of any player PAYE.

Further how are Burnley short £50m!!!!!

And that confirms they'd have to repay £762m if the season isn't finished.

 

[Manorlounger]

Solution, the players get paid that 30% so the Govt gets the tax then the rest is donated to non playing staff to pay their wages (or difference after being furloughed) and the rest can be donated to NHS supporting charities and those charities helping the poor.

Also I bet furloughed PL staff will cost the Govt a good chunk of any player PAYE.

Further how are Burnley short £50m!!!!!

And that confirms they'd have to repay £762m if the season isn't finished.

Just confirms what we all know already, the PL is awash with obscene amounts of money.
£200 million in tax revenue lost?!! And that equates to just 30% reduction in salary? Beggars belief.

 

[Gary Baldi]

The problem with the early shutdown, is it looks like the virus was in the UK a lot earlier than people thought it was.

I wasn't the only one to suffer from the specific symptoms of it in mid to late January/early Feb but in absolute ignorance, self isolated for a week as I do with colds and if it was it, stupidly worked from home because it was just a weird flu. I've never had such a persistently high temperature, headache and weird cough, with chills, etc.

Only in retrospect am I looking back and thinking, oh crap, it may have been the virus. I came in contact with colleagues and friends who had a trips through Asia in that time, so it would have easily got here without anyone realising

 

[Marked Ox]

Just confirms what we all know already, the PL is awash with obscene amounts of money.
£200 million in tax revenue lost?!! And that equates to just 30% reduction in salary? Beggars belief.

Player wage row a disgrace - Rooney

Derby striker Wayne Rooney says the power struggle over how footballers use their wages to aid the coronavirus fight is "a disgrace".

www.bbc.co.uk

Wayne Rooney responds. I'm sure he'll get hammered for this but he does make some fair points about why other rich people aren't getting stick about contributing etc.

 

[Manorlounger]

Player wage row a disgrace - Rooney

Derby striker Wayne Rooney says the power struggle over how footballers use their wages to aid the coronavirus fight is "a disgrace".

www.bbc.co.uk

Wayne Rooney responds. I'm sure he'll get hammered for this but he does make some fair points about why other rich people aren't getting stick about contributing etc.

And it could be said that he is right but, the problem has arisen in part, due to several clubs putting staff on furlough and claiming the 80% salary support all the while continuing to meet, albeit contractual, payments to their players. That's a matter for the PFA and the PL to sort however, the public just see some very well paid "footballers" not working/playing and still collecting enormous sums of money as other, less fortunate, have to hope for handouts.

At the same time I would agree with others who point to the wealthy owners of concerns, such as Branson, who sit on fortunes while their companies are claiming, or attempting to claim, subsidies from the government.
I would imagine that there are many wealthy types out there who are extremely grateful that it's a Tory, not Labour government! (Although I have a sneaking suspicion that it won't make any difference come the time when the economy needs to be rebuilt)

 

[Marked Ox]

And it could be said that he is right but, the problem has arisen in part, due to several clubs putting staff on furlough and claiming the 80% salary support all the while continuing to meet, albeit contractual, payments to their players. That's a matter for the PFA and the PL to sort however, the public just see some very well paid "footballers" not working/playing and still collecting enormous sums of money as other, less fortunate, have to hope for handouts.

At the same time I would agree with others who point to the wealthy owners of concerns, such as Branson, who sit on fortunes while their companies are claiming, or attempting to claim, subsidies from the government.
I would imagine that there are many wealthy types out there who are extremely grateful that it's a Tory, not Labour government! (Although I have a sneaking suspicion that it won't make any difference come the time when the economy needs to be rebuilt)

I agree with what you say. Just thought it was fair the points being made especially when some of the rich that aren't be contributing whilst complaining about footballers are in Govt.

 

[Sarge]

I agree with what you say. Just thought it was fair the points being made especially when some of the rich that aren't be contributing whilst complaining about footballers are in Govt.

(UK)tax evaders/ exiles some of them are too

 

[Foley]

It will be interesting to see what happens in Sweden
They have continued as normal with some minimal restrictions ( groups of 49 and uner are ok)
Their science support suggests that in a few weeks 60% of the population could have the disease at which time the herd immunity kicks in.
I know that some people appear to have all of the answers and many will suggest that this is what reckless? Let's see