Westministenders: Lockdown continues

[BigChocFrenzy]

The UK has been on lockdown since 23 March,
with no end in sight.

The deaths peak is predicted to be around 17 April,
with the controversial IHME prediction that the UK will have considerably more total deaths - 66,000 - by summer than other European countries.

Supermarkets are struggling to satisfy demand for online slots for the vulnerable
and to keep shelves supplied for other customers

Like all countries, the UK economy is being hammered and heading for a deep recession.
Estimates are for UK GDP to fall 15% this year.

A million people have applied for Universal Credit
The self-employed and small - and some large - businesses are struggling to stay solvent.

They don't know how long to plan for.

The PM is in ICU and Raab has taken over as stand-in, but needs Cabinet approval for decisions.
Probably BJ will be unfit to resume his duties as PM for several weeks, if ever.

WIll he stand down soon and let the Cabinet choose a new PM,
or will the UK continue for weeks with a stand-in leader during the worst crisis since WW2

What's the plan, anybody?

BTW where are the Dyson ventilators?

Apparently they suck.

Apparently they suck.

This reminds me of the biggest NHS work crisis experienced by my DH when he was a hospital manager, when a machine used in nuclear medicine (ie containing a source of ionising radiation) got "suck" and "blow" the wrong way round.

The BBC are supplying some ventilators from the Holby City props store.

DGR you should go sit in the corner in shame for that joke.

Apparently the Tories are now blaming us for using too much PPE.

My fault, I set DGR up for that one!

DGR

For the nerdy ones on the thread:

How covid19 has affected air traffic over the last month.

I'll get me coat ...

Yes your right Squid my DD only got masks this week but she's not allowed to wear one until one of the residents contracts Covid. talk about lock the stable door after horse has bolted! She's also been told if one of residents gets Covid she has to do isolation at the home to continue to look after the residents. ( Blow the fact that she's a single parent with sick 18yr old at home alone in fear of bleeding to death at any time cos her private care agency deem her DD an adult!) I told her not to do such a thing. All the care staff should be sent home to isolate and the firm should have back up team to replace them!

Has Keir Starmer said anything about the lack of PPE and testing ? He should be on this if he isn't already.

Tell me not to go on twitter, there's a massive pile on on doctors and nurses this morning for "wasting PPE"... I know tories will tory but the general public just fucking hates us doesn't it!!!

I'm tired. Coffee

I can't get the graphics on the Flight Radar link to work

Scroll down from the first picture put the cursor on the bar or the arrow on the picture and it should move.

Squid - do you think those are bots piling on, on twitter? I.e. is the Tory party getting rattled?

What about all those people clapping for the NHS?

there's a massive pile on on doctors and nurses this morning for "wasting PPE"...

This is all part of the "Nudge" policy from the Government: getting the subliminal message out there that it's the public's fault that we're having to stay in lockdown nothing to do with the peak still coming from the mass events that they not only allowed to take place but positively encouraged ; that the shortage of PPE is due to NHS workers using it unnecessarily and using up the "scarce resource" nothing to do with the government not getting its fucking act together and organising supplies early on ; that deaths in care homes are because care workers aren't following procedures nothing to do with the fact that they can't get hold of PPE ; that shortages in supermarkets are because the public has been panic buying and nothing to do with the 30 or even 40% increase in food and supplies needed at home with restaurants and takeaways shut and people not being in at their workplace

I tried that Peregrina - I can see the arrows and the different dates, but they won't move/change. I'll try again on my laptop later.

I know tories will tory but the general public just fucking hates us doesn't it!!!

Twitter is not real life. There are a lot of bored incel-types, shit stirrers, Russian troll factory and bot posters. Back in the real world, the vast majority of the public are hugely grateful for what you and your colleagues do squid, as well as angry that you aren’t being properly protected during this crisis. I can only speak for my own social circle, but everyone I know is rallying around the doctor, nurse & social workers in our network and supporting in practical ways.

Squid - I think the vast majority of people support the NHS , and are really worried about the plight of doctors, nurses , porters, cleaners, care workers - essentially anyone who is at the front line.
I can't imagine anyone buying into the wasting of PPE....... there are obviously a few morons around. Feel free to throw some grenades into the mix...
The thought of the Tories using bots to attack doctors- that would be a new low.... it doesn't bear thinking about. Putin using this crisis to further distabilise countries - that I can definitely see

squid4 thank you for all you do . I think people appreciate people like you more than ever.

Are any of the opposition parties onto the PPE issue ?

Squid we have a huge handmade sign on our window thanking NHS staff and our road has everyone banging saucepans every Thursday without fail. Fireworks go off in the town too! Even ppl who voted Tory seem to be doing that, so I don't believe anyone with an ounce of sense believes the lack of PPE is down to NHS.

Difficult call for the opposition As Prettybird notes, the Tories are gently spinning this now and will rapidly revise history when it's over. Opposition must be loyal and supportive whilst holding govt. to account.

The return of Parliament, perhaps online, will be a big step to calling out Gove's gibberish, Raab's bluster and Handcock's crap. And wtach Sunak. He can handbrake turn back the way he was facing in the first place as easy as he could turn Keynsian in a blink.

violet Keir and a few other MPs of multiple colours have come out and said blaming NHS workers for wasting PPE is a disgrace and the problem has always been in the getting and distributing it area, not the usage.

For squid - picture taken yesterday of the garden with two cats relaxing on the braai cover. Cherry tree might be over but the plum tree is blossoming. And there's a wee patch of colour from tulips (to the left of the cats) but the tulip bed itself is still to get going.

squid what Hancockup said was disgusting and anyone with half a brain cell will think the same. Did he actually engage his brain before allowing his mouth to say that? He'll live to regret it.