Friday 20th, what will the government announcements be?

[Hellsbells123098]

Just wondering what’s anticipated later in the update?

[AgnesNaismith]

Someone wants to be prime minister!

[Wannabangbang]

I agree havvaaana s* needs to get real i want some proper orders in place not all this waffle

[Scruffyoak]

I totally agree people need clarification on what social distancing means.

[Havanananana]

Johnson should be saying:

'The situation is serious; we are closing all restaurants, shops, hotels and leisure facilities as this seems to be working in stemming the spread in Europe. Food shops and pharmacies will remain open. All other businesses must close unless they are part of the food chain (dairies, logistics etc). Everyone except key workers must stay at home and can only go out to collect food (which will be rationed if you don't behave sensibly) and medicines.'

I don't want to hear:

'Wiff-waff, piffle-piffle... 20,000 new ventilators built out of tractor parts; all patriotic nurses under 80 to report for duty; it will be all over in 12 weeks if we just think positively, and to help us do this, I'm letting my friend and party donor Mr Martin keep his Wetherspoon beer halls open etc....'

He might of course try to deflect the whole crisis:

'In times like this, I'm conscious of the need for us all to pull together, so I'm setting up a government of national unity to take over. Naturally, I'll sit at the head, but just as when I was Mayor of London I'll take all of the credit when things go well - and put the blame on someone else when they go wrong.'

[FAQs]

www.gov.uk/government/news/further-details-on-exams-and-grades-announced?utm_source=96f31727-1fb9-408b-a7fa-d91d4ceaeb6b&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate&fbclid=IwAR3o0tTJRptpVQ5_xYb6aHhttA_vAl4bN6kr_f0UWC_u8eIIMLFulBOPFBc

[DGRossetti]

I think there seems to be some confusion over the concept of "lockdown" and "Bank Holiday".

[FAQs]

They have announced how the exam grades will be determined.

[NotQuiteUsual]

Aren't lockdowns generally announced in the early hours to prevent some of the people fleeing? There was a leka in Italy which was why so many people fled to their second homes and spread the disease. They certainly won't be announcing a lockdown at the evening press conference.

[Meandyouandyouandme]

@Kazzyhoward this is what I’m hoping for, help with NI and PAYE for our small business, this will help with our cash flow and mean we can keep people in their jobs. Our directors have already taken cuts to their wages, and we’ve made one person redundant, trying to get through this as best we can.

[adaline]

FT reporting that today will announce closure of all cafes, restaurants, leisure centres in London

It's such a shame they're not doing it nationwide (if it's true). They could massively slow the spread elsewhere but are choosing not to

[Inkpaperstars]

FT reporting that today will announce closure of all cafes, restaurants, leisure centres in London

[Scruffyoak]

Is it 5pm again

[adaline]

I think we absolutely need to go into lockdown (across the entire country) but Boris is too much of a wimp to announce it.

[Havanananana]

I think the whole point about "lockdown" is it's immediate and non-negotiable.

Here (in Europe) it was immediate (as in people had sufficient time to get home) and non-negotiable. Certain areas were closed off completely because they had to be put into total quarantine. People were prevented from travelling to areas where there are second homes - literally, all the roads were blocked and transport services reserved for permanent local residents only.

[Morgan12]

A lockdown won't work unless they do it countrywide.

[Grandmi]

I am hoping for full lockdown in the hotspots and all pubs ,restaurants etc made to close . Many people are not taking this seriously enough!

[ShellsAndSunrises]

Pubs, clubs, restaurants and gyms to close in London, according to The Independent...

[blue25]

Lockdown in London. Apparently a worrying increase of cases in Glasgow, so maybe lockdown there as well.

[adaline]

I think the whole point about "lockdown" is it's immediate and non-negotiable.

It often isn't, though. They give notice (for obvious, practical reasons) and people will use that gap to escape.

[nancypineapple]

Honestly the only thing to do is have a lockdown here in London. The gyms are still open, the pubs and cafes are as well. Lots of people I know still travelling into London via tube for their jobs in retail and the service industry. The figures they produce of total confirmed cases are bullshit. People are dropping like flies round here but still rushing out in vain to buy the last bogroll in tesco extra.

[HonestlyItsFine]

No, most people think pneumonia is something you get over in a few weeks (which the majority of people do, to be fair) They still wouldn't realise the seriousness.

[adaline]

I think London will be locking down this weekend. Pubs, clubs and restaurants will be closed.

No, I very much doubt it. Mothers' Day is on Sunday and that's potentially a big event (and money maker). I don't think lockdown will happen for another week or so unfortunately.

[Havanananana]

What I would like is for him to increase the amount of ventilators and borrow more to hire more temporary staff at nhs. We need more personnel and equipments in hospitals more than anything.

Medical ventilators are expensive pieces of machinery. There are about 5,000 in the UK, of which 4,000 are in use at any given time supporting people who are already in intensive care or who are on the operating table.

The UK manufactures a few hundred ventilators a year. The idea that JCB or whoever can make 20,000 within a few weeks or months is total nonsense. Even if there is an increase in the number of ventilators available, each ventilator needs peripheral machines such as monitors, and needs an oxygen supply line and the oxygen and gasses, and drugs for the patient. There is a shortage of all of these. This is all administered by specialist nurses who undergo a 12-month training course before they are let loose on a patient. Each patient/ventilator in ICU needs 3-4 specialist nurses to provide 24-hour care. There is already a shortage of specialist nurses.

[Wannabangbang]

I agree they need to name it viral. Pneumonia as that is what it is and maybe if more people heard this it would make them listen

[Orangeblossom78]

People are being arrested here in UK for failure to self isolate www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-51974140