To think that if the threads on MN are anything to go by....

[Ethelfleda]

Then most of the UK population seemingly aren’t taking this lock down and epidemic situation seriously?

Good
It's pointless now

From the BBC website about Italy:

”But more than two weeks into the nationwide lockdown, progress is slow and uneven. And the awful news keeps coming: 46 doctors have now died since the outbreak began. What is clear is that the containment measures will have to be extended – possibly for months, says the national health council.

That will cause anxiety not just here, where the lockdown is crushing the Italian economy, but around the world, where Italy’s restrictions are a model for many other countries”

It was cute here today. All the oldies were out in the street, two metres apart, having cocktails.

I’m not sure I’m totally into this lockdown thing.
I don’t want people to die, but I think the economic disaster that’s now waiting for us trying to pay for this is is probably going to kill more
People. Especially if the Torys are in charge.
More people in poverty, more children in poverty, less money for the nhs, schools, old people.

The disabled cast out and not supported.
I’m very worried that this lock down is going to leave the richer fine and leave the poorer in our society to die.

If MNer threads are anything to go by, everyone is twitching their curtains sharp eyed looking out for "violators"!! They KNOW that someone has congregated at beach, had BBQs, gone to work with persistent cough, etc. Even though they themselves are virtues of 'shelter at home' and haven't been out anywhere they shouldn't, somehow they have millions of opportunities to observe all this stuff happening rampantly everywhere.

I imagine they left their dozens of eyeballs in secret places last week, telepathically transmitting forbidden behaviour back to them.

I would say the complete opposite.

And agree completely with lljkk

ps: I share your concerns, haggis.

What if (fantasty scifi short story I am too lazy to write) on the back of this epidemic, society discuses a million scenarios about when it's ok to destroy the economy or not to save lives of just a certain demographic. It's all discussed politically and voted on for years at length... but then in 2070, the next great plague comes and the decisions have to be implemented.

What if the oldies expected to be accept their deaths in 2070 were same folk who as young people had overwhelmingly voted that the oldies should be sacrificed back in 2025, as political backlash to the global severe depression and hardship that followed covid19.

See you could make all sorts of great human stories out of that, quarrels, ethical dilemmas, the young people of 2070 protesting they didn't want to lose their grandparents, etc. Some would go peacefully others would insist they had right to change their minds, the decision was immoral, etc. Elderly Americans would barricade in with their guns...

I’m very worried that this lock down is going to leave the richer fine

Because the global cessation of trade and tourism won't affect wealth? By the way? Who do you imagine is bankrolling the welfare state?

As a higher rate tax payer @BovaryX I imagine I’m paying my fair share to the welfare state. I certainly claim no benefits. But I think the benefit system has been whittled down to a sad and desperate place.
It should be better.
And I think it’s going to get worse.
I don’t think bojo and the like will feel the pinch though

And I think it’s going to get worse

Global trade has ceased. Global tourism has ceased. Flights are grounded. Borders are closed. This is an unprecedented shut down and the economic consequences will reverberate for the foreseeable future. Your post shows a bizarre failure to grasp the enormity of what is happening and the economic implications. As a 'higher rate' tax payer, I am baffled by your apparent ignorance of the effect of this pandemic on wealth, commerce, industry. You know. The sectors thatare bankrolling the welfare state.

Ach well BovaryX, it’s Friday night where I am.
I’m exhausted after a long worrying week which I have smiled laughed and jollied my way through due to my children looking to me for reassurance and leadership.
I am not, as you appear to be, out to fight with a stranger on the internet.
Fill your boots though, it’s just making you look bad.

The disabled cast out and not supported.

Nothing new there.

The more people seek out loopholes in the rules, the longer this lockdown will last

• and the govt will keep restricting even more things, to stop the loopholes

The twats who are too special for rules are increasing the risk to the economy,
which is bleeding out
We're facing a global Depression, not just a recession, far worse than 2008
Damn near everyone will be poorer

Boris was (for once) clear about the strategy:
"Stay home unless it is essential to go out"

not "think up a justification / loophole to continue doing the things you want"

Varadkar tonight has just imposed an even tighter lockdown in Ireland
and includes rules like exercise only allowed within 2 km of home

• they obviously have twats there too that drive to somewhere pretty first, because they are too special to exercise somewhere boring

What we need is a fecking rain storm and for the weather to work against us like it normally does (obviously not flooding type of rain), but that grey dreary drizzle.
I have exercise equipment in the house but the sunshine is making want to go for a 20 minute bike ride. Should I be worried about coming off my bike, thereby risking injury?