What if everyone in the world isolated for the same three weeks....

[Rissole]

.....or whatever time period was deemed appropriate. Wouldn't that rid us of Covid once and for all as it would die out?

All we would have to do is get enough food in for the time period and stay in. A collective whole world self isolation. Job done!

Maybe everyone in the world could wear level A hazmat suits for a couple of months 😁😁

You also can't just shut down the economy for three weeks. It just doesn't work like that. People would lose their businesses as they'd still have overheads but no income or financial support.

@trappedsincesundaymorn

One more from me....dead people, what do we do with them? I mean Johnson did say (allegedly) "let the bodies pile high" but even so.

Jeesus. How do people still support that F**KER?!?!?!

@festivefuschias

Ignoring the fact that many people wouldn’t be able to, it would have to be for longer because it would still be spreading within households at a staggered pace during that time.

Totally agree!

You would think that would have been something that was learned early in the first lockdown.

How we about we just vaccinate the whole world instead? How quickly could that be done with a concerted effort do you think?

@Scoobydoowhereareyou21

‘Hello you’ve reached the voicemail for 999, please leave a message after the beep and we will get back to you on the 29th when world isolation is over’

Great idea, just not going to work.

Sorry this cracked me up😂

There are two types of people that mean this couldn't happen, those who are desperately poor and live hand to mouth and would starve (quite a large proportion of world population sadly) and those who don't believe Covid exists or that aggressive self-confidence will defeat it (looking at you America but other countries too).

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar

There are two types of people that mean this couldn't happen, those who are desperately poor and live hand to mouth and would starve (quite a large proportion of world population sadly) and those who don't believe Covid exists or that aggressive self-confidence will defeat it (looking at you America but other countries too).

Or those who need supporting? Medical treatment? Personal care? Anyone who’s suffered an emergency?

@TheKeatingFive

The issue is that many privileged people had an equally privileged experience of lockdown. But they haven't the faintest notion what it would be like if we did strip services right down to the bone.

Limited power, no wifi, no broadcasting, nothing but basic food packages, very limited essential services, restricted policing, etc, etc. Most of the most pro-lockdown types wouldn't last two minutes if we stripped right back to actual 'essentials'.

And that's before we get to convincing developing nations (who have far more pressing concerns than covid) of this great plan.

This is true.

And while obviously this thread is daft, the existence of that mentality is evident in a lot of covid discussion, has been throughout, and is significant.

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar

There are two types of people that mean this couldn't happen, those who are desperately poor and live hand to mouth and would starve (quite a large proportion of world population sadly) and those who don't believe Covid exists or that aggressive self-confidence will defeat it (looking at you America but other countries too).

Or the disabled? Those with medical conditions?

I am sure you can see by now op that it just won't work. I wish it would, maybe we could also get rid of headlice, chicken pox, some STIs etc...... but nope never gonna happen.

And I am slightly offended at the flippant suggestion that us HCPs should just stay in work for 3 weeks We have done our bit thankyou, we are done!

Are you joking OP? I can’t believe anyone would genuinely think the entire country could do this, never mind the entire world.

It would be virtually impossible in this country- essential and emergency services, utilities etc would all have to keep going- as would many essential industries which cannot be shut down and restarted quickly due to supply chain issues. Even isolating people at work would not help- if patients were going in and out of hospital or carers going between clients, for instance, there will still be potential for spread. Many workplaces are not set up for residential working and lack even basics above a toilet. Even where there are some facilities, probably not enough for the entire workforce to stay. Who is going to look after the children/dependents or even pets of these people who are going to be forced to stay at work for the duration of this period? Who is going to pay the loss of income from business forcibly shut down for this period?

So, unlikely to be possible in this country. BUT do you really have such little understanding of the conditions in the rest of the world that you cannot see that this is even less possible in many countries? Do you really think the infrastructure in the developing world would facilitate staying at home for 3 weeks (3 weeks would probably not be sufficient, by the way)?

Many people don’t have reliable (or any) access to running water so they have to travel to collect it, alongside many others. They often live in crowded accommodation where isolation is impossible. Nor do they have access to weeks worth of food at a time- either because the supply is not there or because they would not have the funds to buy sufficient quantities of food to last weeks (and no way to store most of it, even if they were given it). Few, if any, of these countries have a welfare state- if you don’t work, then you don’t earn any money- what do you expect these people do? Starve? Even if they were given food for 3 weeks of isolation, and the means to store and cook it, what would they do after that? I am genuinely astonished at the ignorance on display.

I take the point about people who need personal or medical care, but they are not likely to be massive spreaders in the way that the other two groups are. They would not by themselves cause a world lockdown to fail because, IME of people that I personally know in this category, they are generally already being more cautious and careful than they are required to be.

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar

I take the point about people who need personal or medical care, but they are not likely to be massive spreaders in the way that the other two groups are. They would not by themselves cause a world lockdown to fail because, IME of people that I personally know in this category, they are generally already being more cautious and careful than they are required to be.

This is ridiculous.

People needing personal and medical care frequently require the input of more than one person. You presumably understand that there are individuals who need care from people with different specialisms. We aren't going to magic up enough doctors that every person who needs the care of multi disciplinary teams to stay alive gets their own one. People would have to share. And because covid is now so widespread, transmission would happen.

They would not by themselves cause a world lockdown to fail because, IME of people that I personally know in this category, they are generally already being more cautious and careful than they are required to be.

This is total hokum though, because they do need people to care for them, which is a contact. Every single contact is a link in a chain that can fail.

I don't think people grasp the reality of what the OP is proposing. To be successful we'd need to get to zero covid cases. Zero. And there's no goddamn way we'd do that in 3 weeks, it would be closer to 8 (though I don't even know how that works in slums or shanty towns, so perhaps make it 12).

We'd need no fuck ups anywhere, globally. How would anyone think that's achievable is beyond me. Literally just one person in the globe has it and spreads it and the whole thing is pointless.

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar

I take the point about people who need personal or medical care, but they are not likely to be massive spreaders in the way that the other two groups are. They would not by themselves cause a world lockdown to fail because, IME of people that I personally know in this category, they are generally already being more cautious and careful than they are required to be.

I’m disabled but not CEV. I need regular reviews at the moment. That means I’m at the hospital regularly. How am I not at risk of catching COVID?

I have hospital transport (can’t drive) and have to see multiple medical specialists.

You’re wrong.

@TheKeatingFive

They would not by themselves cause a world lockdown to fail because, IME of people that I personally know in this category, they are generally already being more cautious and careful than they are required to be.

This is total hokum though, because they do need people to care for them, which is a contact. Every single contact is a link in a chain that can fail.

I don't think people grasp the reality of what the OP is proposing. To be successful we'd need to get to zero covid cases. Zero. And there's no goddamn way we'd do that in 3 weeks, it would be closer to 8 (though I don't even know how that works in slums or shanty towns, so perhaps make it 12).

We'd need no fuck ups anywhere, globally. How would anyone think that's achievable is beyond me. Literally just one person in the globe has it and spreads it and the whole thing is pointless.

Agree with this!

How that isn't obvious I don't know.

I actually don't think covid will be eradicated. It's here for ever. It may be that it will become like another seasonal illness that we expect, like flu.

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar

I take the point about people who need personal or medical care, but they are not likely to be massive spreaders in the way that the other two groups are. They would not by themselves cause a world lockdown to fail because, IME of people that I personally know in this category, they are generally already being more cautious and careful than they are required to be.

It doesn’t matter how ‘cautious’ or ‘careful’ someone is. If they encounter other people, either in a pub or because they require multiple carers, there is a possibility they will contract the virus (or any virus).

It would be impossible. Surely you can see that?

@Rissole

I'm not saying it wouldn't take some massive organising

How would you organise your bins being emptied, babies being born, people dying, would you just leave bodies to rot where they died, what if there is a bad storm, power cuts, there are currently people still struggling with no electricity and heating after storm Arwen and that’s with people working round the clock to fix it. What about telecommunications, farms, food, how are you going to get food if everyone is on lockdown for weeks. Whose going to maintain the power grid, ensure our water supply is clean, fix gas leaks & burst water pipes. Then you have Drs, nurses, firefighters, paramedics, nursing homes, the homeless who don’t have homes to isolate in…

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar

There are two types of people that mean this couldn't happen, those who are desperately poor and live hand to mouth and would starve (quite a large proportion of world population sadly) and those who don't believe Covid exists or that aggressive self-confidence will defeat it (looking at you America but other countries too).

And what about those who need to leave isolation to Get medical treatment for long term conditions / accidents / emergencies / labour Treat the above or collect them in ambulances Support staff for the above Put out fires Get all those people to work Ensure the power stays on

I do think it must be nice to live in @rissole land though. Every one has enough money and space to buy in and store a months worth of food. Everyone lives in a secure and safe home without fear of violence. Everyone HAS a home. No one is ill apart from covid. People rarely die. Countries worth of people don't have to go out daily to collect even just water. It seems like a nice place.

I do think it must be nice to live in @rissole land though. Every one has enough money and space to buy in and store a months worth of food. Everyone lives in a secure and safe home without fear of violence. Everyone HAS a home. No one is ill apart from covid. People rarely die. Countries worth of people don't have to go out daily to collect even just water. It seems like a nice place.

Yup

The issue is that many privileged people had an equally privileged experience of lockdown. But they haven't the faintest notion what it would be like if we did strip services right down to the bone.

Limited power, no wifi, no broadcasting, nothing but basic food packages, very limited essential services, restricted policing, etc, etc. Most of the most pro-lockdown types wouldn't last two minutes if we stripped right back to actual 'essentials'.

And that's before we get to convincing developing nations (who have far more pressing concerns than covid) of this great plan.

Yes all those who could wfh (ignoring the enormous number of people who had to go to work to make their wfh arrangements possible) telling others to STAY AT HOME unless you're my ocado or amazon delivery person and even now all those saying its ridiculous and selfish that close contacts or house hold members are not still isolating, again forgetting that not everyone can wfh or live without wages for 2 weeks.