When will this shit end?

[Peter_Quaife]

52 minutes ago, Deaf Nobby Burton said:

I’m pretty sure it was all over the news that the Pubs in Dublin had to be closed by the government, as the public didn’t listen initially and they were full to the rafters. No different to what happened in the U.K. albeit a few days earlier in terms of being official.

Derry is in the UK. The pubs / clubs closed of their own accord and not because of any government say so Nobby. 

Hopefully everyone is keeping well in these surreal times. 

[bamber]

On 4/10/2020 at 1:22 PM, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

Thanks for the info bamber. 

Not sure why, but it reminded me of this;

 

Christ I was drunk whence I wrote that.

It is a bit like keeping a balloon down right now.

[Neil]

10 hours ago, Rumblestripe said:

To those (few) who still think Johnson has done a reasonable jobm I came across this comparison with the Irish Republic.

We started the year with roughly the same number of ICU beds per capita

As of yesterday, there have been 320 deaths from the coronavirus in Ireland, and 9,875 deaths in the UK. But the UK has a bigger population. So we adjust per capita - how many deaths per 100,000?

Ireland - 6.5 deaths per 100,000
UK - 14.8 deaths per 100,000

This is even worse if we compare just England with Ireland the rate is nearly three time the Irish.

So what happened?

Ireland closed down faster and the communication was clearer. Simple. While Boris was telling the British people to wash their hands, the Taoiseach was closing the schools. While Cheltenham was going ahead, Ireland had "cancelled" St Patrick's Day.

Ireland cancelled Paddy's Day on 9 March, initiating a series of rolling, controlled restrictions, from school closures & large group bans (12 March), to closure of non-essential businesses & social distancing, to full lockdown. It was precise, clearly communicated, controlled. The UK closed schools on 20 March, a full week after Ireland. Full lockdown came to the UK on 23 March. Ireland, from the same starting position effectively locked down two weeks earlier.

Johnson is culpable for a lot of our loved ones dying.

You can argue over whether it was calculated (herd immunity) or incompetence, but he must answer for this. So as we prepare for his return and the political posturings to divert our eyes from a simple truth, remember.

 

IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS.

I pretty much agree with all that, and yet NI has about the same stats as Ireland, yet worked to the UK govt measures - so it's not quite as simple as you've said it.

9 hours ago, Peter_Quaife said:

Bars etc closed down early, not because they were told to, but they knew it was the correct thing to do for the people.

that's not something that only happened in NI. It happened with most of the pubs around me, and from what i read it was much the same all round the UK. Some things shut down early and some things didn't.

-----

So while I think the UK shut down too late, there's also a strong aspect of 'hotspots' in what's happened, where Ireland (north & south) for whatever reasons was less of a hotspot for the virus than the UK* as a whole was - otherwise NI would be more like the UK than it is Ireland.

* PS: it's worth noting that it's London that skews the UK figures. NI is much better than the UK average, but so is Scotland, and SW England, etc, etc, etc.

Edited April 13, 2020 by Neil

[steviewevie]

This is a pretty good listen, scientific look at lifting lockdown.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2020/apr/09/covid-19-how-do-you-lift-a-lockdown

 

Edited April 13, 2020 by steviewevie

[WhoamI?]

9 hours ago, dotdash79 said:

 

anyway Ireland locked down earlier and less people have died.

Italy locked down even earlier, and more people have died.

 

 

[steviewevie]

9 minutes ago, WhoamI? said:

Italy locked down even earlier, and more people have died.

 

 

but did Italy lock down earlier relatively?...they got an outbreak earlier than all others in europe....and as they are 2 to 4 weeks ahead can't really compare number of deaths.

Actually, I think pointless comparing countries at moment as we still are in the middle of it...

[jparx]

Feels like criticism of the government's response is really mounting now. 

The inevitable review of this whole thing is going to be an uncomfortable experience for Johnson, Hancock and co. Initially I was all for giving them slack given how insane the circumstance was, but it's becoming clear now there have been a number of key failings that, with all the data and expertise at their disposal, should have been foreseen.

[Ommadawn]

6 minutes ago, jparx said:

Feels like criticism of the government's response is really mounting now. 

The inevitable review of this whole thing is going to be an uncomfortable experience for Johnson, Hancock and co. Initially I was all for giving them slack given how insane the circumstance was, but it's becoming clear now there have been a number of key failings that, with all the data and expertise at their disposal, should have been foreseen.

.....  and hindsight?

[steviewevie]

Different governments are trying to find best way through this...and all have made mistakes....but whatever the strategy, a lack of PPE equipment for NHS staff dealing with this is unforgiveable imo.

[stuartbert two hats]

22 minutes ago, Ommadawn said:

.....  and hindsight?

No. At the time-sight. 

[Sawdusty surfer]

This isfrom the other side of the pond.

'Coronavirus: Healthcare expert predicts concerts and festivals will not return until autumn 2021'

 

https://www.nme.com/news/music/coronavirus-healthcare-expert-predicts-concerts-and-festivals-will-not-return-until-autumn-2021-2645626?fbclid=IwAR1JvFoKAUlDUXoLqdc4lDqII8JDJ8CpNHZr00ah9nQoZZs3QoCb_3-RmmA

Edited April 13, 2020 by Sawdusty Surfer

[Ayrshire Chris]

Whatever you think about the politics of Boris Johnston it’s been good to hear him thank the Portuguese and New Zealander nurses that cared for him. Hopefully that might go some way to change the minds, if that’s possible, of the narrow minded who see immigration as something to be criticised.

When this shit is over let’s hope no one forgets the role played by those from other countries on whom the NHS depends 

[Crazyfool01]

14 minutes ago, Sawdusty Surfer said:

This isfrom the other side of the pond.

'Coronavirus: Healthcare expert predicts concerts and festivals will not return until autumn 2021'

 

https://www.nme.com/news/music/coronavirus-healthcare-expert-predicts-concerts-and-festivals-will-not-return-until-autumn-2021-2645626?fbclid=IwAR1JvFoKAUlDUXoLqdc4lDqII8JDJ8CpNHZr00ah9nQoZZs3QoCb_3-RmmA

Im presuming that’s worst case scenario with no vaccine being available ?  At least I’m hoping it is 

[PolygonWindow]

4 minutes ago, Sawdusty Surfer said:

This isfrom the other side of the pond.

'Coronavirus: Healthcare expert predicts concerts and festivals will not return until autumn 2021'

 

https://www.nme.com/news/music/coronavirus-healthcare-expert-predicts-concerts-and-festivals-will-not-return-until-autumn-2021-2645626?fbclid=IwAR1JvFoKAUlDUXoLqdc4lDqII8JDJ8CpNHZr00ah9nQoZZs3QoCb_3-RmmA

First time poster - I saw an article the other day on Twitter saying that the government predicted 50k dead on Easter Sunday (can’t remember the source, did anyone else see it?)

I’m really struggling to buy into any of these figures and dates they are throwing up because I’m convinced that people who are supposed to know what they are doing at the very top really don’t have a clue, the decision to not go into a lock down earlier really damaged us and the decision to still not be in a proper lock down is something I can’t quite get my head around. True assistance/funding appears to be coming from places and people who are offering it out of good will - all NHS workers, donations from celebrities, footballers (I know they have riches but they shouldn’t be pushed by the government to give in efforts to hide government issues), the public.

The worst thing about all of this is that Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson will be remembered as legends who saw Britain through a tough time by some. They’ve literally done fuck all.

 

I’d say a positive out of this is that maybe people will see that socialism can work however as soon as we are allowed back in the pubs it will all go back to how it was because that’s just the type of country we are, so fuck it.

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

12 minutes ago, Sawdusty Surfer said:

This isfrom the other side of the pond.

'Coronavirus: Healthcare expert predicts concerts and festivals will not return until autumn 2021'

 

https://www.nme.com/news/music/coronavirus-healthcare-expert-predicts-concerts-and-festivals-will-not-return-until-autumn-2021-2645626?fbclid=IwAR1JvFoKAUlDUXoLqdc4lDqII8JDJ8CpNHZr00ah9nQoZZs3QoCb_3-RmmA

I personally think that’s overly pessimistic, but obviously that’s my completely non scientific opinion. Glastonbury is still 14 months away. If you believe the German antibody study then by the time this lockdown is over on the U.K. we will have had about 5 million of the 40 million that would need to be infected for the virus to stop spreading. By the time we get to this time next year we won’t be far off that figure and/or we’ll have a vaccine. There is going to be a lot of pain on the way but one way or the other it won’t be the same issue in a years time.

[Crazyfool01]

8 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Whatever you think about the politics of Boris Johnston it’s been good to hear him thank the Portuguese and New Zealander nurses that cared for him. Hopefully that might go some way to change the minds, if that’s possible, of the narrow minded who see immigration as something to be criticised.

When this shit is over let’s hope no one forgets the role played by those from other countries on whom the NHS depends 

I took it with a little irony ... let’s hope it changes things for sure but I feel that we forget too quick ... along with our media not helping matters 

[steviewevie]

Glastonbury will be on, but only for the under 30s.

[Crazyfool01]

1 minute ago, steviewevie said:

Glastonbury will be on, but only for the under 30s.

That’s Michael and Emily out ... along with the legend , and McCartney 

[PolygonWindow]

14 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Whatever you think about the politics of Boris Johnston it’s been good to hear him thank the Portuguese and New Zealander nurses that cared for him. Hopefully that might go some way to change the minds, if that’s possible, of the narrow minded who see immigration as something to be criticised.

When this shit is over let’s hope no one forgets the role played by those from other countries on whom the NHS depends 

Yeah but come on, I remember seeing a quote once where he said he would stop immigrants from treating Britain as their own country. 

For me , publicly stating nonsense like that over-rules any forced gratitude you show later on.

[charlierc]

28 minutes ago, Sawdusty Surfer said:

This isfrom the other side of the pond.

'Coronavirus: Healthcare expert predicts concerts and festivals will not return until autumn 2021'

 

https://www.nme.com/news/music/coronavirus-healthcare-expert-predicts-concerts-and-festivals-will-not-return-until-autumn-2021-2645626?fbclid=IwAR1JvFoKAUlDUXoLqdc4lDqII8JDJ8CpNHZr00ah9nQoZZs3QoCb_3-RmmA

I don't think we can really get a definitive confirmed date yet either way. I'd like to think that it won't be that long, but even so, I do agree with the initial assessment events with big crowds will be one of the last things to go back to normal.

The only hope is that there is some way to be able to make sure the industry is not fully fucked up from a long period without income.

Not that its fun to speculate on that kind of thing. Its fucking shit its come to it, but this is where we are.

5 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

Glastonbury will be on, but only for the under 30s.

Like Logan's Run meets Underage Festival then.

Bet I still would fail to get a ticket.

[steviewevie]

25 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Whatever you think about the politics of Boris Johnston it’s been good to hear him thank the Portuguese and New Zealander nurses that cared for him. Hopefully that might go some way to change the minds, if that’s possible, of the narrow minded who see immigration as something to be criticised.

When this shit is over let’s hope no one forgets the role played by those from other countries on whom the NHS depends 

you think govt are going to change their points based immigration system now?

No, me neither.

[zahidf]

Ha ha

[Zoo Music Girl]

Scenes if only under-30s were allowed to go to Glastonbury. The veterans here would be spitting feathers about the "newbies" getting a go.

Edited April 13, 2020 by Zoo Music Girl

[philipsteak]

1 hour ago, jparx said:

Feels like criticism of the government's response is really mounting now. 

The inevitable review of this whole thing is going to be an uncomfortable experience for Johnson, Hancock and co. Initially I was all for giving them slack given how insane the circumstance was, but it's becoming clear now there have been a number of key failings that, with all the data and expertise at their disposal, should have been foreseen.

Getting sick, and the creepy deification from people like Allison Pearson and colleagues (I would have said friends, but I don't think people like that have friends) will be what saves Johnson after all this

[Ommadawn]

54 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

No. At the time-sight. 

In which case a number of other countries are guilty - not just the UK.

The Government haven't handled things perfectly by  any means but I shudder to think where we'd be if Labour had won the General Election.