To feel scared and embarrassed to live in the U.K. right now?

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We have a PM who is an arrogant muppet who really only cares about himself and doesn’t give a toss about anyone else.

Wes don’t have respirators, oxygen, or even basic medical equipment. The government knew this and should have started doing something two months ago when it all kicked off.

How is hand washing going to help my daughter who has to get a crowded bus to school, with people coughing and sneezing into her face.

It seems to be spreading quickly in the republic of Ireland in terms of population there's 169 positive cases now

Yes, I noticed that. I've given up looking at number of reported cases though tbh as without knowing how many are being tested, it doesn't mean much. Here in the UK, I think the death rates are going to give a better indication of the progress of CV.

alternatively other countries might start to follow us

First laugh of the night, thanks for that

If you want to live in a country where no one's allowed to criticise the government you'll have to move to North Korea

The UK response, both from individuals and the government baffles me

Do people not learn from China, Italy, Korea?

The number of people still going out unnecessarily is shocking, people still travelling, people still saying it's just flu, so weird

Here's another criticism of BJ. We'll likely get the vaccine later than the EU and have to pay more for it because he wants to take back control
www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/14/coronavirus-vaccine-delays-brexit-ema-expensive

@AlexanderBerry I am not completely convinced on the accuracy of that article.

What's been so interesting here in the States is that, while Trump has been incompetent at best and actively dangerous at worse (and gross throughout), we have a federated system.

Most of the big breakthroughs you're seeing don't come from the federal government but from state and local government, as well as from private enterprise. That's why you'll see some of this happening piecemeal.

California, NY, and Washington are going to go strongest soonest, partly because they're populous and partly because they're liberal. Right now there's a 30-40 point difference in how people plan to react based on political party, not least because both the president and, even longer, Fox news said that this was a liberal hoax. (That's the dangerous part.)

But you see this with the universitieseach university decided on its own, and then they all started to. And you see this with school districtsin some states, adjacent school districts are doing different things. The thing is that once one place starts to do it, the others often soon follow. It's a lemming-cascade effect.

On the other hand, the central government has resources that states really don't, particularly the poorer ones. The legislation that just got passed, for instance, could make a huge difference and is only possible at a national level, but it's taking a long time because it's caught up in some incredibly dumb politicking, particularly from the senate and early at the White House. (I never thought I'd be so delighted with Steve Mnuchin than I have been in the past five days--Trump refuses to meet with Pelosi because he thinks she'll humiliate him.)

The UK is significantly and enormously more centralized than the States. Sometimes this is a good thing. But other times, like when central government seems paralyzed, it means it lacks the ability to change nearly as quickly.

TL;DR: the safety measures we have in the States by and large don't come from Trump but from governors and even mayors.

Popsandevie That's great news. I shall look forward to us getting the vaccine at the same time and paying the same as the EU then. Although you haven't explained why you are confident that this will be the case.

I'm looking forward to your explanation though as it will affect other medicines too.

I agree totally. You expect a good govt today this is what we know and this is what we are doing to protect you, immediate actions to contain are taking place if you feel ill contact us so we can test you carry out contact tracing and isolate you all to protect others. These are the procedures you need to follow individually to protect yourselves. Education of individuals is essential this stuff isn't something we deal with every day. Ther say that the public will not respond, get bored and then just start mingling. Is that more likely to happen if you say nothing to worry about, wash your hands and sing the national anthem, loads of you are going to die, it is inevitable and as as the time to act was in the past and we did nothing, because of this we are going to carry on doing nothing, as your going to die anyway and if we did something it would affect the economy? Stiff upper lip etc

Or are you as an individual who is credited with some common sense and brains likely to start to protect yourself and your family if you are told this is what we face, the virus is airborne, these are the steps you need to take and extreme social distancing is required because of the way this transmits? They weigh this up with the % acceptable casualties and % time to minimise effects on the economy. Their own plan points out they are taking actions solely to reduce the effect on society and the economy.

They have the cheek to say the behavioural science suggests if we close the school children will get bored and get together any way. I mean that is just mind-blowing and not what we expect from our leaders. If it is not that bad maybe Boris will lend a hand at the local A&E and as long as he has plenty of opportunities to wash his hands he by his statements will be ok.

One of the experts whose opinion the Guardian article is based on is a professor of European public health at the the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and one is a professor at Amsterdam Law School

@AlexanderBerry Three scientists are included in the article (none of which are experts in this field unless you can correct me?) one uses the word 'possible' at which point you translate that as 'likely'?

The 500,000 is based on the government's own prediction of 80% of population getting it and a 1% (?) death rate.

Yanbu. Boris Johnson is a grade A moron

As I said on another thread, in January and for 3 years before it, everyone has been focused on fucking Brexit.

ANd now we are out we cannot access the money being made available to EU countries to help deal with this.

And that may be why we are not in lock down, there isn't enough money.

Are we talking about a chimney problem (flue) or a seasonal illness (the flu)? At least this gave me a chuckle which is just what I need at the moment. Not much to laugh about at the moment as I am well old and likely to pop my clogs if I venture out to buy food and hopefully toilet paper as there are no longer delivery slots to be had. Not only a lack of equipment and a long dependence on overseas staff what about supplying and rationing hand sanitiser? As for face masks which all other countries appear to have in abundance, their answer is to say they don’t do much. Can’t see that they might not help when out and about. At least give us an opportunity to obtain them. The fact that people from overseas are allowed to walk through our airports without a check in place is unforgivable. Our politicians are as overwhelmed as the NHS and appear to be selecting advice from the various differing opinions of the experts. Meanwhile I look forward to being isolated for months on end or dying in a particularly nasty fashion. Suddenly, I don’t care if I put on weight I am going to enjoy doughnuts for the first time in years.

@wanderlust21

I agree it is not "just the flue". Even if it were most people saying that have not had the flu. I got it as a healthy 22 year old with no underlying conditions and was panicking about missing exams. My doctor put me on bedrest for two weeks. It completely floored me and I was delirious and had to have home visits and friends bring me food for two weeks. I had joint pain, fever and was in serious agony. I was out of breath walking. At one point the doctor was concerned I would suffer complications.

COVID-19 is infinitely worse. I urge people to watch documentary on BBC about 3 people in Wuhan and the virus. One is a young healthy nurse who catches it and you can see this is not something you want to contend with unnecessarily. This cavalier attitude of "just the flu" or that you are fit and healthy when in a high risk group and then irresponsibly exposing yourself is selfish and unhelpful.

FFS there are some utter tossers on here and all the other threads desperate to make this a Political point scoring exercise

shame on you

Oh piss off, of course politics is involved here given that we are all at the mercy of the government's response..

I would be critical of any government arrogant and/ or stupid enough to openly flout WHO and expert opinion regardless of which political party happened to be in power.

Same goes for the shameful state of the NHS due to chronic underfunding, I would criticise any government responsible.

one of which are experts in this field unless you can correct me?

Yes, a professor of European public health, compete novice in all this.

I'm totally ashamed. Who on earth would ever trade with these morons after this. No care or responsibility for the public. People should isolate themselves and stop sending their kids to school. This government does not care about you.

I wonder if you tallied up all the criticism of Corbyn over the last few years what % of it would actually be for things he has done and how much would be for things people assume he would do in any given situation

The most dangerous thing about this blanket negativity about Corbyn is that it reduces scrutiny of the current government as the alternative has consistently been seen as the bogeyman.

Boris is going against WHO advice, on an island where isolation would be easier than for most and knowing that the medical system is stretched at the best of times.

I do not presume to say the theory of her immunity is totally invalid, but is Britain really the best place in which to test that theory?

or alternatively other countries might start to follow us.

What and deliberately put their citizens at risk because

a. money

b. laziness

Doubt it.

The more I think about it, the more I think that what this government is doing is utterly despicable.

South Korea has offered to share what they did to get this under control but will it be accepted.

Trump is almost always so arrogant so I was rather shocked all the billions being put towards this. Offering some unprecedented things like paid leave, no co pays, free tests, $900 million into food programs.
Accepting help from private industry and other countries. Something I thought I would never ever see from someone like him.