Gobsmacked by UK response

[Aspoonfullofjam]

Stay at home for one week if you’ve a cold (even though all evidence is that incubation is two weeks)

People over 70 don’t go on cruises.

WHAT!!!

134 new cases in a day and no action. 13 EU countries have closed all schools, another 11 partial closures but apparently no action needed in Uk.

Jesus.

Yeah but imagine how healthy the pension funds will look when we get rid of a chunk of pensioners!
I bet we could leverage that in some way.

I laughed because it's too close to the truth DG I can see him now out with a brand new broom and spanking high viz.

I'm getting really wound up listening to these 2 guys. What a fumbling, bumbling mess, we are going to be a laughing stock.
Boris needs to stop this shit show right now.

I'm watching it live and the PM is absolutely NOT answering the questions asked. So he's either incapable; or doesn't want to say.

Well, I'd rather listen to WHO. I wish we would do what they advised weeks ago.

Notice there was no mention of the effect on the economy or on people’s individual finances. That’s why they are minimising disruption and the time of isolation. It’s all to do with £££ not people’s health.

Just rang 111 as DS has a cough. She told me there is no reason for DS to self isolate and the NHS advice hasn't changed. He will be going to nursery tomorrow as normal as he just has a cough. And apparently, as he has been screened for CV, he doesn't need to self isolate. Such differing advice

I think they are right to view this as a long term situation. It’s not going to be over in a month, it might be over in six, maybe more likely twelve.

Shutting everything now will do exactly as the experts predict - lead to widespread ignoring of the rules when it matters most. Can you keep everyone at home for six months? All small businesses closed? All schools shut? Transport down? We could maybe do a month at the most, and even that would be chaos. Choosing the month wisely is key.

I despise Boris, but I think on this one they are being pragmatic.

If you earn thousands of pounds a week playing football, it's probably quite easy to self isolate. The ordinary man or woman on the street, many of whom work on zero hours contracts, or who are self employed aren't going to stay at home for any amount of time. They're going to have a lemsip and get on with it because their family need their wages and statutory sick pay just isn't enough to pay the mortgage.

Cummings is going to get the eugenics plan he wanted all along.

I’m baffled.

DS had a high temperature and cough from last Friday until today. Temperature has come down, cough subsiding but is still there. He has been off school for 4 days. When should I send him back in?

I have a close relative that I care for who has stage 4 cancer and is having chemo. They’ve had no more advice than the average Joe. Just ‘self isolate if you get ill’. Very worried about them.

I’m delivering training to a large group of people who are all frontline workers (working with vulnerable kids, as do I) on Monday. It is going ahead, as no advice to the contrary. But I’m starting to worry...

111 are useless in this situation. Obviously overstretched and reading from a script. No personalised advice.

I’m in a no way a panic merchant and I’ve just been carrying on as usual. But I’m not feeling confident today. I don’t understand how the WHO gives advice and different countries do completely different things.

Arghhhh. Head hurts.

It's alright. Calm down. Boris is absolutely the sort of intelligent, considered, moral leader we need at this conjecture in history. He will definitely make decisions based entirely on the safety of the public and not think about his own popularity or wealth.

Our 'scientific' response though is couched within our UK social reality - a fucked NHS, relatively small and low paid specialist care workforce, an over-reliance on women caring for children and parents, and a terrible benefits system.

The 'science' does not exist without a specific social context.

"I must level with you. Many people will die. But, I won't be one of them, so that's all that matters."

I agree @enjoyingscience We are in this for the long haul and if we went into close down now people would protest as shortages hit, services start not happening.

BlackCatSleeping exactly.

'Wash your hands and we will get through this' i.e. 'Keep calm and carry on'... Basically there is a shit storm on its way and at some point we will shut down but they've weighed up the risks and done a collateral damage equation and they're going for slowly slowly...

Our 'scientific' response though is couched within our UK social reality

A social reality that has allowed science and expertise to be co-opted for political ends. Hence the scepticism, cynicism, and downright hostility depending on which side of whatever divide you are ...

I thought it good

@Aspoonfullofjam

17000-odd people die of 'flu each year. Do we hear all this about them?

Or what are we really not being told?

Because money matters more than people's lives.

I despise Boris, but I think on this one they are being pragmatic.
China is a continent sized country, with endemic corruption and some serious poverty in parts. They've almost nipped it in the bud after three months. Despite also starting at a massive disadvantage to everyone else as having an absolute mad and sudden outbreak in out city to kick things off. 1.4 billion people and 80,000 cases and 3000 deaths. Tragic, but they did what they could after being caught unawares the first couple of weeks.
What the fuck is the UK doing? being pragmatic for our small and wealthy country is sitting around and letting it infect millions with thousands of deaths having had all the advantages in the world to get prepared.? Yes, sure, well played Boris.

There's nothing to stop anyone who feels strongly that the advice is wrong self isolating themselves for the next 3-4 months

The virus is not airborne, you catch it by touch, Which is why we are asking people to wash their hands. it doesn’t affect children as such, we know more about the virus which is why isolation is only 7 days, they will stop testing soon as loads of people will have it and have symptoms or have it and be a carrier. No antibiotics work the only thing that does is oxygen, we make our own oxygen in the uk. This will last for a good 6 months then we are back to winter pressures and flu.

I thought it was a great press conference from the two experts. They explained their rationale clearly and in detail.

And DON’T phone 111 if you just have a cough or temperature. Just stay at home as they’re said.

I thought you needed to get a note from 111 to get sick pay?