Westministenders: Crisis, which crisis ?

[BigChocFrenzy]

Main crises facing the government:

. Negotiating a Brexit deal with the EU
. Coronoavirus
. Floods
. Allegations of some ministers - and Cummings - bullying civil servants
. More trouble threatened from Turkey / Syria

Unfortunately with all these parallel crises, we have a workshy lying arse as PM
and the worst collection yet of incompetents in Cabinet
who seem to have decided on a strategy of bullying their civil servants to avoid hearing any facts that don't fit with current Tory party ideology

Now Trump has The Fear of it personally, I'd expect his voters to follow behind maybe a week or two later

Now Trump has The Fear of it personally, I'd expect his voters to follow behind maybe a week or two later

I dunno, a few might be able to read.

Prob is that they are going to drag underinsured African American and Hispanic communities w/ high rates of comorbidities down with them.

Which has a nasty echo of the antebellum situation which led to the civil war ... the moment it started dawning on the landowners that they were massively outnumbered by their slaves.

I've spoken to lots of people over the past 2 weeks and even people Know to be intelligent are downplaying the risk.

Perhsps its arrogance? Fear?

As someone with family members with lung conditions I'm not so blase.

If your social circle is younger people in good health they are probably rational not to worry too much because they are not individually at high risk.

The hard task for government is to get these people worried enough to comply with restrictions on their personal freedom, and more generally to get people to think collectively in a highly individualistic society.

I've spoken to lots of people over the past 2 weeks and even people Know to be intelligent are downplaying the risk. [] Perhsps its arrogance? Fear?

Experience ? Sorry, to say this, but growing up in the 70s, when MAD was a Real Thing, and we had power cuts, strikes, and a pretty efficient IRA bombing campaign, you kind of learn how to take life in your stride and not worry about what you can't control.

As someone with family members with lung conditions I'm not so blase.

So you aren't in the bell-curve of the population, I'm afraid. It doesn't diminish your approach. But not everyone is the same.

The hard task for government is to get these people worried enough to comply with restrictions on their personal freedom, and more generally to get people to think collectively in a highly individualistic society.

Sounds dangerously like socialism. And nobody wants that.

I’ve had people who are in the at risk category telling me they aren’t worried because the nhs is great and will sort it all out.

I think the big issue is that people are now so used to catastrophising titles that their first reaction is to say. It’s all made up. After all, we’ve had news of a (possible) pandemy about once a year for the last 20 years. Add to that conflicting information and decision at odds with said information and you have the perfect storm to not be believed.

Back to Brexit ...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51825089

New rules could spell the death of a "throwaway" culture in which products are bought, used briefly, then binned.

The regulations will apply to a range of everyday items such as mobile phones, textiles, electronics, batteries, construction and packaging.

They will ensure products are designed and manufactured so they last - and so they're repairable if they go wrong.

It should mean that your phone lasts longer and proves easier to fix.

That may be especially true if the display or the battery needs changing.

It's part of a worldwide movement called the Right to Repair, which has spawned citizens' repair workshops in several UK cities.

The plan is being presented by the European Commission. It's likely to create standards for the UK, too - even after Brexit.

That's because it probably won't be worthwhile for manufacturers to make lower-grade models that can only be sold in Britain.

(contd).

Remind me - again - what was the fucking point ?

@DGRossetti, once the virus really takes a hold, people with saliva dribbling out of their mouths will be wandering into cafeterias with shopping bags, screaming about socialism 😉

.

Amongst my circle of 30 somethings, we're all quite worried. Perhaps not for ourselves (although a few of us have underlying conditions) but absolutely for our elderly relatives and friends, and children.

Although we'd hate it, we are "ready" to self isolate (thanks, Brexit stash) and I am terrified of my brother catching it as he is severely compromised and would likely die. I've have pneumonia in the past and have an autoimmune disease so I'm also worried for myself.

I'm not particularly worried personally as I am healthy with no underlying health issues (as is dh). However, if I believed I had been compromised (either by meeting someone with CV-19 or if I had any symptoms), I would self-isolate. It helps that I still have most of my No-Deal Brexit stash

My dad at 83 has said he's not that worried. He has no relevant pre-existing medical conditions and, as he puts it, he's already had a good innings (I beg to differ: I want him around for a good few more years ).

My circle of friends inc DH are not worried. This is difficult. We are all supposed to be having a social event Fri. I guess if one of us already has it the chances are some of the others already have it as we have such a close social circle.

On the school run I was told someone was Hazmatted away in an ambulance last night. This afternoon it's been confirmed that the first case in the area has been diagnosed. I've no idea if the two are the same but it's a little disconcerting.

On the plus side DHs company has a covid-19 plan, he can work from home, they are financially in a good position and we are stocked up with everything as I did a supermarket run this morning. We we are stocked up on everything apart from enough fence paint...

Sunak says "we got brexit done" -did I miss something? As far as I know, it's far from done.

Off to Spain next week, returning via France. Providing the ferries are still running.

I am not worried even though, having ME, I know it will take a long time to fully recover from it (and I might well get the more serious effects from it).

However, I am worried of either being complacent OR too anxious about for others. ds has a cold (No fever, sore throat, cough etc...). Is he supposed to stay at home to protect others because as a teen he is more likely to have very mild symptoms/not all of the symptoms? I am working closely with people (hands on type of treatment). If someone is coming to see me with a cough, am I supposed to send them away? Should I ask everyone to wash their hands when they come in (Ive seen other practitionser asking that) when the NHS/hopsital doesnt ask anyone to do that???
I have to say I would love some guidelines that are more appropriate than 'its ok unless you have been to China or Italy'....

I also find it interesting to see how peole are worried about stockpiling and 'having a stash at home'.
I dont think this will be where the issues are. The issue will be the NHS not able to cope. To have to ration healthcare. For people with OTHER illnesses to not be able to receive the care they need (eg what will happen to the 2 weeks wait for cancer check?).
And then I am worried about the long term effect this will have on the economy, ESPECIALLY seeing how unreactive the USA are. If the hot spots are not tackled everywhere in the world, this has the potential to coming back again and again.

For me, having some stock at home is similar to having something to eat if you have the flu. You want something easy to prepare of you are really unwell wo having to go out OR do an online order (and having it delivered). Something we should all have really.

I’m not watching the Budget, but I’ve seen a few pictures inside the HoC today. They do sit very close together, don’t they? Considering that many of them had contact with Nadine Dorries, who seems to have carried on working after becoming symptomatic, it doesn’t seem all that sensible to me. And even though they’re as useless a bunch of halfwits as has ever been responsible for running the country, it would surely not benefit anyone if half the Cabinet is out of action. Or maybe things would improve, who knows!

I'm very interested to see what will happen as a result of Nadine's diagnosis.

NomdeDieu - I'm thinking in terms of "if I have to self-isolate, I can cope without needing to go to the shops for a few weeks"

Again back to brexit:

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/mar/11/london-brexit-talks-in-doubt-because-of-coronavirus

Hardly surprising but I wonder what will happen to the we'll-walk-away-if-no-progress-by-june stance...

There's obviously not going to be any progress by June. I doubt there will be progress by December even.

Brexit, wossat then? Have we got into fuel duty, fag duty, etc etc yet?

Loving the NF post DGR that's hilarious!

To me, the logic of having a stash at home is that in the coming weeks, the less we need to go out into public places, the better it will be for those who are vulnerable. It's not a fear of running out of food or being physically unable to go to the shops.

A French radio journalist called in from Rome this morning: she said there were 30m queues in front of the supermarket she went to last night, because they let a handful of people in at a time. Shortages aren't a problem, it's the measures imposed to try and avoid further contagion that make life hard.

Latest mortality figures from Iran are at 4% of known cases, whereas it's been established that the usual mortality rate is 1-2%. Which means it's likely Iran has a huge number of undetected cases. That's equally likely elsewhere where S. Korea-style testing isn't being done. The 2nd UK MP who's tested positive (because she was in contact with Dorries) is asymptomatic.
Asymptomatic carriers will infect the elderly and weak: if they're not nipping out to the supermarket and shedding their way round the aisles and on the trolley handles, so much the better.

In France, the Education and Health ministers went to a primary school to spread the happy word that there's no danger in sending your children in as usual.
I hope this doesn't come back and bite them soundly on the arse, because those clips will be replayed endlessly if/when things get really bad here.
I am quite shocked that the French universities are still running normally when they've been closed in a number of EU countries with far fewer cases.
I don't think France is learning the lessons coming from Italy. I hope I'm wrong.