Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

Bozza said:

Those who are charged with trying to manage the finite resources available to the NHS during these unprecedented times have been repeatedly telling us that they need Covid-19 infection levels low (not eradicated) in order to perform all of the duties asked of them.

I do not know enough about healthcare management to challenge that view, so I have to take the word of those who dedicate their lives to saving others.

I can't imagine anyone who works in the health profession wants to deny anyone care that could make the difference between life and death if it can possibly be avoided.

Another thing that absolutely can't be ignored is the risk that Covid-19 presents to the immunosuppressed. We hear about how operations are cancelled and cancer patients have not treated, but there is rarely, if ever, mention of the risk involved in bringing these patients into hospital.

Whilst it can be tragic that some people can't get operations as scheduled, there may be a very real risk to them of contracting covid during that treatment. Yes, test can be done at the point of entry into hospital, but those tests are only accurate at the point of taking them and results may not be available until the following day. In short, it is essentially impossible to stop people bringing Covid-19 into hospitals.

Also, when viral spread in the community is high, oncologists need to decide, with their patients, what holds the greater risk for them - receive treatment and battering their immune system which leaves them highly vulnerable, or postponing treatment leaving them in better shape to fight Covid-19 should it reach them. These must be truly horrific decisions for those who want to save lives to have to make.

It's very easy to criticise from our keyboards, and suggest the NHS has handled things incorrectly, to suggest that Covid-19 has been given priority over all other health matters, but in many cases it's for a VERY good reason, and it's certainly not because medical professionals, advisors and hospital administrators want people with other issues to die, quite the contrary.

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Sussexscots said:

To comment from my wife's recent experience, she was due an op that had been twice postponed because of Covid.

This time thank goodness, it went ahead. She had to have a Covid test three days beforehand, after which we both had to isolate before her surgery.

We attended the drive through centre. I thought we had better arrive early, in case they were very busy. There was nobody else there bar us. Nobody.

When she went in for her op they said her test was negative so it's all good. Asked no questions about whether she/we had isolated since the test (we had). That was it. General tenor of concern seemed more around MRSA than Covid.

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Wrong-Direction said:

I've seen more people and traffic about in the last 2 days than I have in months!

Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk

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The Complete Badger said:

Just catching up on the news and tonight alone I’ve read that according to one source the R in London is 1.1, but another says it is 2.9.

I’ve also seen a survey reveal the country currently has 100,000 cases a day, but another study says 52,000.

SAGE says the spread of the virus is worse even than the scientists’ worst case scenario, while King’s College London says the spread is “steady” and even slowing in Scotland.

Does anyone actually know what the **** is going on?

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Wozza said:

UK national lockdown: November 4 until December 1, according to The Times. *sigh*

[tweet]1322294630906503171[/tweet]

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The Complete Badger said:

Just catching up on the news and tonight alone I’ve read that according to one source the R in London is 1.1, but another says it is 2.9.

I’ve also seen a survey reveal the country currently has 100,000 cases a day, but another study says 52,000.

SAGE says the spread of the virus is worse even than the scientists’ worst case scenario, while King’s College London says the spread is “steady” and even slowing in Scotland.

Does anyone actually know what the **** is going on?

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Wozza said:

UK national lockdown: November 4 until December 1, according to The Times. *sigh*

[tweet]1322294630906503171[/tweet]

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Solid at the back said:

I support the measures and will follow them.

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Solid at the back said:

I support the measures and will follow them. But it's criminal negligence that it wasn't implemented 3-4 weeks ago, when cases were manageable. This government are an absolute disgrace. Surely the worst government in GB history

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worthingseagull123 said:

I wont be going to work then. If it is not safe for me to visit a non essential shop, or have a family member or friend over, then it cannot be safe to sit in an office. I work in public sector and can work from home, as much as employer wants people in the office.

As for Christmas Shopping, it’ll be all done on Amazon. Sorry high street and independent stores, but you can thank this hysterical government.

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The Complete Badger said:

Does anyone actually know what the **** is going on?

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Solid at the back said:

I support the measures and will follow them. But it's criminal negligence that it wasn't implemented 3-4 weeks ago, when cases were manageable. This government are an absolute disgrace. Surely the worst government in GB history

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worthingseagull123 said:

I wont be going to work then. If it is not safe for me to visit a non essential shop, or have a family member or friend over, then it cannot be safe to sit in an office. I work in public sector and can work from home, as much as employer wants people in the office.

As for Christmas Shopping, it’ll be all done on Amazon. Sorry high street and independent stores, but you can thank this hysterical government.

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Poojah said:

It’s a difficult case to argue, as no British government in modern history has had to grapple with something as challenging as this. But again, as in March, we seem to have a strategy based on inaction tempered only by what others do.

“Oh, erm, gosh. France are having a bloody lockdown then. Blimey, maybe we should too, chaps?”

I’m not for or against lockdowns - I honestly don’t know what the right thing to do is. But what I’m against is this fúcking dithering about, ignoring scientific advice until such a time things look so bleak that there is apparently no other option but to shut the whole country down again.

As far as the developed world goes, this is Europe and America’s problem now. The East for the most part has had the problem under control for a while. And I’m not just talking about the likes of China and their ‘draconian’ regimes - to the best of my knowledge Australia and New Zealand are democratic nations and relatively nice places to live.

I just read this hugely depressing article on the BBC which suggests we’ve got another five years of this nonsense:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54661843

I’m not suggesting for a moment that I take the piece for it’s word; the media seem to have a raging appetite for depressing hyperbole at the minute, but if we are truly in this past the spring or summer I think we’re going to see some serious social unrest on a scale way above anything we’ve seen so far.

I’m posting this at 5:40 on a Saturday morning not because I have somewhere to be today, who does anymore? I just can’t sleep. The next few months are going to be tough, but unless this wretched government gets a bailout in the form of a near-perfect vaccine, I think it’s fair to say this is only the beginning.

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Kinky Gerbils said:

Wonder if Rishi will follow through on his threat to resign?

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