Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[crazy canuck]

Agreed and I think in terms of our political culture we would be better off bailing out businesses and people directly than even allowing insurance to pay out and then bailing out another, broadly anonymous and unpopular bit of the financial sector.

Good point.

Yeah, government needs to start making direct payments.  I am really hoping our government makes the EI reform announcement I thought they were going to make yesterday.

[Sheilbh]

It appears that Iceland and possibly Lidl are implementing a two hours a week period (seems to be Wednesday mornings mainly - market day) that's exclusively for the elderly or other vulnerable people to use the shop.

Mentioned this starting to happen but it's a good move and I just really hope we all respect it.

[Maladict]

Unofficial reports coming out of Dutch hospitals of many otherwise healthy 30 and 40 years olds on ventilators. The old are still more likely to die, but the under 50 age group seems to be abnormally large.

I most certainly hope that is not true.

The dates of admission seem to correspond with infections during carnival, that may explain the aberration.

[celedhring]

It appears that Iceland and possibly Lidl are implementing a two hours a week period (seems to be Wednesday mornings mainly - market day) that's exclusively for the elderly or other vulnerable people to use the shop.

Mentioned this starting to happen but it's a good move and I just really hope we all respect it.

Are you sure it is a good move? Do you really want to concentrate a large number of vulnerable population in the same place?

[Sheilbh]

Maybe not. But they're being asked to quarantine for 3 months and I imagine not all will be able to rely on deliveries - and will want to leave the house.

I think the plan is that for the first two hours of a day a week (so the supermarket will be fully stocked and clean) the elderly and vulnerable get free rein and don't have to fight with us well stock-piling monsters.

[Sheilbh]

Also on Mongers' point someone did the sums which really shows how the UK is 3 weeks behind Italy, but London is further ahead


I feel like there's definitely a ski-trip element to this

But also Westminster, Southwark and Lambeth - I think - have some of the biggest hospitals in London so may have a little bit more than you'd expect. Although curious that Tower Hamlets isn't on there, given that they've got the Royal London which has about 1,000 beds.

[garbon]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/mar/17/coronavirus-live-news-updates-uk-us-australia-europe-france-italy-who-self-isolation-travel-bans-borders-latest-update?page=with:block-5e70c4508f085e564ad85af9#block-5e70c4508f085e564ad85af9

Stanley Johnson, father of the UK prime minister, has indicated he would ignore official advice to tackle the spread of coronavirus and still go to the pub.

His comments came a day after Boris Johnson urged everyone to "avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues".

The Prime Minister said the advice was particularly important for people over 70. But Stanley Johnson, 79, said: "Of course I'll go to a pub if I need to go to a pub."

Speaking on ITV's This Morning, he said landlords "don't want people to be not in the pub at all".

His comments come as the industry voices concern that the measures could result in mass job losses and permanent pub closures. He suggested his son's Government would produce a major financial package to support businesses.

[alfred russel]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/mar/17/coronavirus-live-news-updates-uk-us-australia-europe-france-italy-who-self-isolation-travel-bans-borders-latest-update?page=with:block-5e70c4508f085e564ad85af9#block-5e70c4508f085e564ad85af9

Stanley Johnson, father of the UK prime minister, has indicated he would ignore official advice to tackle the spread of coronavirus and still go to the pub.

His comments came a day after Boris Johnson urged everyone to "avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues".

The Prime Minister said the advice was particularly important for people over 70. But Stanley Johnson, 79, said: "Of course I'll go to a pub if I need to go to a pub."

Speaking on ITV's This Morning, he said landlords "don't want people to be not in the pub at all".

His comments come as the industry voices concern that the measures could result in mass job losses and permanent pub closures. He suggested his son's Government would produce a major financial package to support businesses.

I don't blame him. My father is 75 with a serious heart condition (he has trouble going up a flight of stairs). He is torn because on the one hand he wants to isolate himself because he understands he is most at risk and could easily die if infected, but on the other hand the rodeo was last weekend and he really wanted to go. He went to the rodeo. What is the point of squeezing a few more months out of life if they are spent socially isolated and scared?

Meanwhile, job losses are going to be in the millions, lost economic value in the 10s of trillions, and the cost to social structures immeasurable.

[Maladict]

50,000 face masks stole from a warehouse in Cologne. 

[Tamas]

50,000 face masks stole from a warehouse in Cologne. 

If they catch them they should be made an example of.

[Legbiter]

The economic reset will be Biblical. This will ruin countless lives.

[Sheilbh]

FCO advising people against all but essential travel outside the UK. This is apparently the first time they have advised against travel to the entire world

[alfred russel]

The economic reset will be Biblical. This will ruin countless lives.

I had a conversation last night on what the impact would be if there was an outbreak like this that killed 40% or 50% of people infected across all age groups.

[celedhring]

The economic reset will be Biblical. This will ruin countless lives.

I had a conversation last night on what the impact would be if there was an outbreak like this that killed 40% or 50% of people infected across all age groups.

Actually those epidemics are easier to contain. There's a reason Covid-19 will kill far more people than Ebola.

[Sheilbh]

I'm seeing right-wing, Thatcherite people proposing that the government probably needs to nationalise airports, airlines, railways and some elements of the supply chain (at the minute Amazon Prime Now etc are really essential infrastructure - but also we need people who work in supply chain roles to feel empowered to self-isolate/take time off) plus cash payments to individuals and small/medium businesses.

Again, just extraordinary - it all strikes me as sensible.