Worried About Coronavirus- thread 38

[TheStarryNight]

New thread

[Oakmaiden]

888 is a lot for a weekend day isn't it

Saturday is gernally reasonably high, it is Sunday and Monday that are lower, as they are deaths that actually happen at the weekend. The ones reported today are yesterday's deaths.

[mrshoho]

Yes quite Helena and they've also leeched onto that wonderful Captain Tom and will be dragging him up to Harrogate to open another flagship Nightingale hospital. I'm sure his family said in an interview that they feel he's done his bit and now it's over to the rest of the UK to take over. Why can't they leave home be now?

[mrshoho]

*leave him be

[HeIenaDove]

@mrshoho I agree. Ive seen another one where an elderly lady is walking up and down up and down her stairs to raise money Im worried shes going to have an accident.

[LilacTree1]

Surely Tom isn’t going in person?

Helena the lady probably thought that risk was better than dying of boredom.

[mrshoho]

Yes I thought the same thing Helena! it is admirable what these fantastic elderly people are doing but the government and press also use them as propaganda to distract from the real mess we are in.

[mrshoho]

Lilac yes that's what that dickhead Jenrick said in the briefing today.

[LilacTree1]

Well, I can only guess Tom wants a trip out and I don’t blame him.

[mrshoho]

actually maybe it will be via video link 🤭 but still should stop pestering him now!

[TheCanterburyWhales]

There's an appropriate meme doing the rounds about Captain Tom.

[mrshoho]

That's very true Canterbury! If the funds raised were to go to bereaved families of the victims of this virus it may be more understandable but I'm sure even the national lottery money is not allowed to be given to any part of the NHS.

[OldQueen1969]

I'm another who cannot understand why the entire country isn't up in arms that the NHS is being bolstered by charity at this crucial time of crisis...

Don't get me wrong, I applaud the Captain and all those doing their bit because their intentions are admirable and give a glimmer of hope for humanity in general, however, it is a well known fact that those who give most often have the least, and where personal circumstances are precarious demonstrating charity is noble but possibly misguided - if one doesn't husband ones resources optimally, that charitable donation might be missed from a household budget down the line.

There also seems to be an element of psychological manipulation ripe for the plucking - we already pay for the NHS through taxes, directly and indirectly, but now we have evidence that people are willing to put their hands deeper and deeper into their pockets to fund what is, I agree a worthy cause. Is this a good way to soften us up for systems like the US and Germany - our own variation of course, but also an opportunity to separate the NHS from the state and hand it to those desperate for privatisation and all the opportunities for profit that would ensue? Last time I looked Captain Tom's efforts had garnered over 20 million. How many donors? How many will think it's worthwhile to make that contribution every month directly? How many will be subject to a two tier system? I am genuinely flummoxed by the enthusiasm for these fund raising efforts and the lack of sustained outcry about the potential loss of the NHS in any form we recognise once things are re-structured.

[WhyNotMe40]

I prefer to have more optimistic view of the captain's fundraising phenomenon.
I think it shows that people are willing to pay more towards the NHS. Certainly I am. And I think that there should be a distinct NHS deduction from wages - I think it shows the government could probably increase taxation or national insurance contributions if it was ring fenced for the NHS.

[SummerSazz]

Toms money is not going to core NHS but charities that support works alongside it. Still not idea that it needs propping up but hopefully won't get 'lost' funding the nhs for 38 minutes Or whatever the number is (def less than an hour)

[EmeraldShamrock]

Thank you for the thread.

[Flaxmeadow]

Captain Tom and will be dragging him up to Harrogate to open another flagship Nightingale hospital

He's from Yorkshire originally, so maybe he likes the idea if going back for a visit

[Purpleheadgirl]

He's not going in person, bbc news says it's video link from his home :)

[Maighdeann]

I read a similar tweet saying the NHS shouldn't be treated like Comic Relief it's the governments job to fund it properly.

[StrawberryJam200]

VERY interesting story about one elderly lady's asymptomatic case being discovered, don't be fooled by the title:

Elderly mum collapsed non covid related but lives alone 250 miles away - can I travel to see her www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3883260-Elderly-mum-collapsed-non-covid-related-but-lives-alone-250-miles-away-can-I-travel-to-see-her

[MollyButton]

There is a lot of positive work going on. A friend of mine is making scrubs. My road has come together to support each other and several residents who are shielding.
And the Oxford vaccine has been injected into its first human having passed safety tests so far.

There are grounds for hope, people can be great.
If we go around just looking for the bad that is all we will get.
Yes the government is betraying us. But people can make a difference. It was public pressure that pushed for the lockdown, and in the UK there isn't much real pressure to end it.

[ToffeeYoghurt]

I just posted on that thread. Yes there are some asymptomatic people of all ages. Despite that we're seeing a very high death rate - predicted to be the highest in Europe. Millions of people in the UK are at increased risk from Covid. It's far too soon to lift lockdown.

I agree with everything you say MollyButton

[MollyButton]

Oh and for one hope for cure there is a very worrying twitter thread showing that the science for it is bad science https://twitter.com/jeremyfaust/status/1251018179981316097?s=21
Not that the drug isn't helpful, just that without controls we don't know.
And very interesting explanation on why Severe COVID isn't that bad.

[ToffeeYoghurt]

That Twitter thread makes me think even more that Boris was given remdesivir. He was at the stage that it seems to help (not yet ventilator stage). Everything I've read about all the possible treatments suggests earlier treatment is best. Which makes sense. It's always better to tackle any problem, medical or anything else, sooner rather than later. Obviously we can't get get our hopes up too high, not least because there are only very limited stocks, but it's something to be positive about. There is some hope.

[middleager]

I'm reading most papers right now.

Even when this pandemic first rocketed in the UK I was frustrated to see that Harry and Meghan's 'farewell tour" Kate and William's official engagements and the PM and Carrie's baby joy were headlining above C19.

Then the paper changed track completely and C19 was all the news, with bits on the royals.

Now it's changed gear again, with the royals prioritised.

Have they been told to spread other news or is it merely that royalty gets more clicks than Covid, whic readers think might be getting rather boring now after several weeks without seeing a Windsor or Kardashian?

The change is really noticable.

[middleager]

Sorry - that was about the DM.