Prime minister announcement at 12

[Hugglespuffed]

Is it going to be drastic changes? Or just 'work at home if you can'?

DS is working from home from today, as he travels to work on public transport they've told him he'll be working from home for the foreseeable future. He's in IT, and can do everything from home quite easily.

DD is a waitress in a pub/restaurant, so no chance of her working from home, but she's being extra careful about hygiene anyway, but I am worried, she's healthy as anything, but I'm chronically ill. Her boss is a bloody twat, and they are all scared to take time off sick because he's such an arsehole to them. She is looking for a new job, but I can't see much hiring going on at the moment.

The self isolate if you have a cold, fever, etc etc is stupid.

They have already said that people can carry the virus and not show symptoms for 14 -17 days.

Sure, if you feel unwell you ought to stay at home but so many people will already have it who are unaware.

Closing schools early is inevitable but I don't think they'll actually do it for another week. At the current rate of growth there will be around 2200 active cases by next Friday and I think that's when they'll (have to?) pull the trigger. I completely see why they are reluctant to, of course, but they have to, eventually.

Today's announcement will be another "wash your hands" one with a bit of WFH thrown in for good measure.

From the article linked to above:

"Proactive school closures—closing schools before there’s a case there—have been shown to be one of the most powerful nonpharmaceutical interventions that we can deploy. Proactive school closures work like reactive school closures not just because they get the children, the little vectors, removed from circulation. It’s not just about keeping the kids safe. It’s keeping the whole community safe. When you close the schools, you reduce the mixing of the adults—parents dropping off at the school, the teachers being present. When you close the schools, you effectively require the parents to stay home."

Parents have been told at my Ds's sixth form college that teachers are preparing online work and skype calls will be available if there is a shutdown and so were asking parents to make sure children had an internet connection and laptop/pc/tablet available at home or a mobile phone with data.

I think schools are limping along until Easter. It's predicted that is when things will peak then so the kids will be off for 2 weeks then anyway and I suppose it could be extended.

I'm a bit worried about the death rate in Italy, much higher than the supposed rate in China (lack of testing/autopsy?).

won't it be the "public gatherings" that go today - so sporting events etc?

No, they will change happy birthday to head shoulders knees and toes as it is a longer song.

Yes, I think there will be some restrictions announced today but not schools yet. Not sport either. Dr Jenny Harries said only yesterday that there was no point banning outdoor events.

ANd this mornig in the news they said cross party talks to happen today to pass laws next week for the next phase. So school closures wont happen yet. next week maybe.

I can’t help wondering whether the people calling for lockdown/school closures etc now to delay the virus will be saying it was all done too soon when restrictions are lifted again in a couple of weeks and the virus peaks again. Because it is going to peak, it’s just a question of when.

It’s called delay for a reason.

Fair point @Fatasfooook, as I say I've no medical background it's just another part of the information I'm hearing.

Either way I do think that a lock down is the most sensible option for those that can to atleast slow the spread for now. I will still be going to work (he works weekday days I will work evenings and weekends) not ideal but if it helps protect us then so be it.

I work with very vulnerable kids who have no homes to go to so will need to be healthy to care for them too.

Lucky we didn’t just blow £130billion on Brexit with another £70 billion of costs and lost investments by the end of the year (and plenty more to follow)... Oh shit, we did. Still, we saved £9 billion in payments! Fuck it, the magic money tree will ride to the rescue.

completely see why they are reluctant to
Prioritizing the economy and a bit of temporary relative hardship over possibly thousands of lives?

I work at a university and I’m feeling not hugely well cared for by my employer. They’re still hosting events for external businesses from all over the country and no work from home directive yet- despite the fact that many staff can. I think they’re worried the staff that can’t will feel it’s unfair? We do have students living on campus and I know they don’t want to disrupt exams if they can avoid it but I don’t see why they’re not further along with minimising footfall on campus

@AlternativePerspective I thought that was the point?

Delay it until spring/summer when the NHS is (slightly) less strained.

If large gatherings are to be banned where does that leave me and the other 349 people I work with on a factory production floor? Is that classed as a "large gathering"? We work a metre apart from each other and can't work from home. I guess we just have to go in and hope for the best.

Is he actually making an announcement or is it just a meeting? I can't see that he is making an announcement at 12 on main stream media.

If large gatherings are to be banned where does that leave me and the other 349 people I work with on a factory production floor? Is that classed as a "large gathering"? We work a metre apart from each other and can't work from home. I guess we just have to go in and hope for the best.

Or schools with 1500 in the corridors 6 times a day.

I think it will be if you have a fever AND cold/flu symptoms stay at home. Wash your hands.

Another uni person here. We have been advised to prefer online alternatives for the exams and to expect up to 12 months of online-only teaching when it hits us. I guess we'll have 1-2 weeks before buildings are closed.

@AnyoneGotCoffeePlease we can’t actually ever completely close as I understand it. Even if the students leave there are plants and technical apparatus to maintain for research purposes. Of course a lot of our students can’t fly home it might be estranged/care leavers etc so we’d never be totally empty and they need food etc.

What about the children with minor respiratory systems?

@JinglingHellsBells
*The self isolate if you have a cold, fever, etc etc is stupid.

They have already said that people can carry the virus and not show symptoms for 14 -17 days.

Sure, if you feel unwell you ought to stay at home but so many people will already have it who are unaware.*

It's not stupid. It won't stop all spread, but it will reduce spread. It is a compromise. Plus, there is a good argument that spread is greater when you are symptomatic that when you are not, as the coughing and sneezing will spread more.

I don't even think we'll get WFH/cancel gatherings after last night's HoC responses.

Certainly not schools.

So repeat the mantra after me, lemmings: "Wash your hands" and "Follow the Science"

AKA, we are so confident in our own guidance: "Let's get Covid done."

We have switched to online Skype and telephone consultations only. No face to face with clients. No conferences or courses. Already approved annual leave requests to be reviewed etc.

I also can't see anything about an announcement and have searched for prime minister briefing today.

Honestly it will be to wash our hands with more vigour than ever before singing Jerusalem.

Us plucky brits...

FIDDLING WHILST ROME BURNS