Worried About Coronavirus- thread 35

[TheStarryNight]

New thread

Just posting the update from Peak Prosperity for those who haven't found this yet. I find it strangely comforting and empowering (I am sick of hypocrisy, lies and PR) because it stresses what YOU can do for yourself and your community and values people above the economy.

In the age of social media, it's very difficult to gag the whole NHS. People can speak out anonymously via Twitter and other social media platforms.

If the government are trying to cover things up, it will come out, and they will end up just looking worse.

More than one hospital in England has already surged and is now nursing ventilated COVID19 patients in operating theatres because they have run out of ICU beds.

TFL had (has) huge staff shortages due to self-isolating if individuals and households. They had no choice but to cut services and close stations. The govt refusal to close non-essential businesses and construction caused overcrowding on the reduced TFL network.

Funny how they are even more affected than the hospital workers.

And also have the most militant unions.

There’s been a few things trickling out. The Dr on LBC call. A nurse started an anonymous thread here. She did say they’ve been asked not to (but said it was ok without her name and anonymous).

It will come out. We don’t have state control over speech here. Anecdotally, hospitals are struggling already in places though. I’m in North London and the NHS workers that I know (or know family members of) say they are struggling here.

Right now, I imagine a lot of NHS staff are in survival mode- but things will start to come out afterwards when they have more time, I think.

The junior doctors strikes made good use of social media to combat the mainstream narrative- they can do it again if they feel the need.

The most sobering numbers so far. 563 deaths in the UK today, giving a total of 2,352 deaths. We have now passed Italy at the same point. Make of that what you will.

That jump ahead is sobering for sure

Yes we where advised the numbers would double every 3 days, we had 1000 Sunday and 3 days later we have 2300; next it will be nearly 5000 on Sunday, then 10,000 we’d 20,000 Sunday 40,000 Wednesday 80,000 Sunday.- this is in 3 weeks.
I’m not catastrophising but this maybe our reality.
I hope not, however I saw loads of people out in south east london today.all in an open space but it looked very busy.
It’s scary. This morning the only sound I hear where 3 ambulances with sirens blazing. I felt sad as I’m jumping to the conclusion they are seeing corona virus patients.

That's scary alright. However... we have more knowledge and the opportunity to be more prepared than Italy at this stage.

I'm not saying we've taken full advantage of that, but our hospital situation seems better.

Now we 'just' need to support our NHS staff with proper PPE.

I was waiting for that @CrunchyCarrot. Not sure why, it's not s good read is it.

Boris will hide for another week I think.

It helps to explain why the government position has shifted in the last day or two from “We are following the science, unlike everywhere else. We have this under control and there’s no need to worry. Everywhere else in the world is overreacting because they aren’t following the science” to “It’s China’s fault that we didn’t act sooner. They didn’t make it clear enough that this was serious and we didn’t have enough information to make decisions”

Who said that? The second part?

Anecdotal I am seeing on my FB that several local friends who attended Cheltenham are now feeling very poorly.... So it might be connected to the current jump.

Those numbers

I heard Sadiq Khan this morning on the radio this morning-in fairness he sounded extremely angry that he wasn't allowed to shut down the tube and limit the buses more but can't due to demand from construction industry etc.

Anecdotal I am seeing on my FB that several local friends who attended Cheltenham are now feeling very poorly.... So it might be connected to the current jump.

I also know of a couple of people who were at Cheltenham, one of whom is on a ventilator in Cheltenham hospital.

They also decided to go ahead with the half marathon in my city. ...

Care home update: four more staff off sick. Tomorrow was my only day off this week or next. Now working. Dead dead tired. My boss tried to renege on the temp pay rise he had agreed for my staff ( a whole pound an hour). I refused point blank to tell them that.
He then saw the light. And also that I was furious. So he allowed them to keep their quid. £9.47 an hour they are getting. FFS!!

Asda up the road recruiting new staff on £14ph. I think a lot of mine will go if this carries on much longer.

Danny, that's awful :( . I am somewhat local to Cheltenham so have been watching the Gloucestershire numbers absolutely spiking these last few days, and lots of horsey friends went. Lots. I am so glad I pulled my kids out a week early now, although of course I still have to go to work at my school....

Murray, I have no words.... :(

I don't understand the economics of care homes, Murray. They cost individual residents a phenomenal amount, clearly they don't pay staff adequately. Where does the money go?

Fanny not Danny.... Autocorrect is a bit prudish it seems

A retired doctor who came out of retirement to help the NHS treat coronavirus patients has died after contracting the virus, his family has said.

news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-retired-nhs-doctor-who-returned-to-treat-covid-19-patients-dies-11967020

@MurrayTheMonk you are really getting the shittiest end of the stick in care homes. It's back breaking labour for piss poor wages at the very best of times and yet a good carer makes so much difference to quality of life. You and your staff deserve so much more.

Italy at the stage the UK is now though was already in a much tighter lockdown nationally than the UK is but the cases were much more concentrated in one or two areas. Two regions had been locked down earlier which is why we don't have such widespread infection.
Everyone I speak to in Italy is surprised that I know of 3 people in the UK who are close friends with Covid and one family member has died, yet here I don't know anyone. Because I'm in a region largely untouched and very locked down.
I can't believe still Boris hasnt agreed to further restrictions. Is there any sign he might?

@MurrayTheMonk I would highlight that £14ph to him- point out how hard it will be to recruit new staff as well. He sounds very short sighted. Are you/staff in a union?

I hope you are well. Your work situation always sounds incredibly stressful.