Westminstenders: Events...

[RedToothBrush]

Events have taken over. EU / UK negotiation have been put on ice due to covid-19.

The US has banned all travel from Europe - apart from to the uk and Ireland - in a manner which is highly political to drive wedges.

The effects of leaving the European Medicines Agency may be much more serious than anyone could have anticipated.

There's a oil price war going on between Saudi Arabia and Russia which has further driven market fears led by covid-19.

There the crisis in Turkey with Syrian refugees which is also distracting the EU.

We are facing lockdown and economic turmoil over the next weeks and months.

Johnson is having his leadership moment with deaths projected to possibly exceed UK WW2 deaths.

We are desperately trying to recruit negotiators as it's suddenly become apparent we don't have enough to carry out all the trade deals we want.

The civil service will be stretched to its limited by covid-19. Yet we also have Brexit to consider.

Where next? How bad are things going to get?

Yahoo Financee@YahooFinance*

Highlight: "You did disband the White House pandemic office... what responsibility do you take to that?"

President Trump: "I just think it's a nasty question... You say we did that. I don't know anything about that."

Russia and India also seem to magically have no cases ....
India reported their second death due to it today

Back to Brexit:

SInce both sides published their negotiating guidelines about 2 weeks ago, the pound has fallen about another 10% against the Euro

BCF

Highlight: "You did disband the White House pandemic office... what responsibility do you take to that?"

President Trump: "I just think it's a nasty question... You say we did that. I don't know anything about that."

Jesus Christ. That's just... awful.

iirc Russia has reported about 3 cases

Yolo That's the level he works at

He disbanded the WH pandemic office, because Obama started it
and is now denying he even knew about it

Like a spiteful 5-yr-old running the #1 superpower

France hasn't the same history as Denmark, so the trust that Danetobe mentioned is absent here. An experience like Vichy leaves scars, as does the corruption prevalent in certain regions. Some people are saying that Macron's speech yesterday was a smokescreen to hide the way he's pushing through pension reforms.

No one is giving advice on hygiene door to door and few seem even vaguely bothered about distancing.

Our campus is shut as of Mon "to the public" (ie not staff).
We are to do online teaching as much as possible - some colleagues want to refuse because of budget cuts and ongoing staff shortages. They fear it will be used afterwards as a pretext for recruiting even fewer staff and scrapping classroom teaching.

One of my friends is a nurse and provides medical care for patients in their homes.
The hospital has been sending patients home to keep vulnerable ones away from expected CV cases. Her caseload includes an elderly patient recently operated on for a lung tumour, who has gone home far too early. She knows it will end badly. There are lots like that.
She usually works one heavy week on and one week off, but is clear that very soon one or more colleagues will fall ill and she'll work nonstop. She looks shellshocked in advance.

There is a shortage of facemasks. The ones that are any use were requisitioned a while ago and supplies are running short.

On the radio today, a doctor said that the good thing about the French medical system is that it is multi-layered. So in a situation like this, the hospital staff will be "on the frontline" and "when they fall", the GPs, nurses and others can move up to the frontline. Military language, like Macron's yesterday.

Outgoing and incoming exchange students are emailing me non stop.

DS2 has come home with a folder full of work. His teacher will send instructions every day about what tasks to complete.

India : second largest population after China with a HUGE level of COPD
Russia : population larger than the USA with the worlds highest level of COPD
but neither has a functioning healthcare system
go figure

I know BCF, it's just the way it was set out like that... how on earth did all this shit happen?!

FT graphs:

I wonder what all the older people with comorbidities feel about their tory vote now?

Hmm.

Really worried about mum. But know realistically there is little I can do.

"how on earth did all this shit happen?!"

The US public elected a populist who is a psychopathic narcissist and an utter fool

(yes, I know Clinton won the popular vote,
but someone like Trump should never have been a serious choice to selected by a major party
and shouldn't have got more than about the 2% Nazi vote if he did)

The UK public only chose their leader more wisely in comparison to the USA

I wonder what all the older people with comorbidities feel about their tory vote now?
They don't
not forriners right

Just came to see what you were all saying about it all. Exactly what I needed, thank you everyone!

It's been a weird day here. Very little traffic on the roads, it's noticeably quiet outside. I went out for a few things yesterday and there was a big red warning sign on the door of the chemist telling people not to come in if they had any of the listed symptoms. There has been yellow posters around for a while. The local supermarket has a wipes, gloves and sanitizer station.

Lots of warnings about not bringing children on playdates or to see relatives. DH's work cancelled all meetings till the end of March and he's wfh.

My DM is not going to get Communion if she goes to Mass at all (she likes to go daily) although the priest is using sanitiser between each person. Her friend's DH had a heart attack and she's not allowed into the hospital to see him (the friend not my DM, none of the family are allowed in), and the hospital is planning to send him home asap.

Cafes and restaurants are open and have taken out a lot of tables to create more space between customers, and a lot are offering take away and free delivery, that kind of thing. Some have closed. Soft play, pet farms, bowling and all those type of places have closed. Libraries, museums, Dublin Zoo, all closed. All events cancelled, from tiny local bingo halls to big charity fundraisers and concerts/exhibitions/plays.

It's very strange. It's a bit like what it was like during Ophelia except with electricity and no wind.

Squid

Schools are all shut from Monday here, a lot of offices shut.
All large gatherings closed down.
The state I live in and many others aren't waiting for Trump to manage the situation.

Putting huge effort into treating pneumonia in people with COPD is futile.

thanks so treating me is futile???!!!😮 So nice to know I'm so irrelevant to other human beings!

Everyone should be treated unless they ask not to be

Ditto on age limits:
age does not determine how much you enjoy life and wish to continue

Thanks bigchoc I have already had phonecall from my doctor's informing me not to go to surgery, to socially withdraw asap for my own safety because a) on cancer treatment tablets b) I'm in my late 60s and in risk bracket blah blah blah! I said I will do so but A) I have 3 hospital appointments next week B) the hospital won't tell me if is safe enough for me to go and C) I will go stir crazy if I cannot go out D) because I can't even get hand sanitizer here for the last 2 weeks even though we didn't have a case in our county till this week because of a selfish idiot who went to Italy and did not isolate themselves when they got back! And now the fear they may not bother treating me if I get it. Makes me feel like my life is worth nothing!

I've told mum she won't be seeing the kids for a while.
Now to tell pil! That'll be fun and I'll be the evil dil 🙄😥

R4 this morning says half the population is going to contract it.

On my calculations that's over half a million dead.

Good old R4.

I think that's correct mockers
We srd supposed to be going to north wales in july.
Honestly not sure whether to cancel...
Sigh.
Ds2 has woken up with a cough and cold (no temp) but as per govt guidelines I'll keep him in for 7 days.

Everyone should be treated unless they ask not to be

In normal times. Decisions being made in Italy that no doctor should have to make.

I'm at risk. I'm not going out, I've cancelled my physiotherapy sessions and I will be cancelling my hospital appointment (check up for broken wrist).

Told daughter in Paris to self-isolate for a week and then we'll consider getting her home. She doesn't want to come home, but being stuck for weeks in a 15m2 studio isn't ideal either.

Also, on the subject of vulnerable populations.

I read something v interesting yesterday about why things are so bad in Italy. Theory is that the % of prime working age (30-50) people who still live with their parents is a key factor. The number of old people infected in Lombardy is far higher than in for eg S Korea and Germany, where few working age people live with parents. This may help explain the different trajectory of deaths (although it certainly won't be the only factor).