Off Topic Coronavirus

Regardless of interpretation of guidelines, I think and hope all will take this very seriously. People all over the world are dieing on a daily basis, that is a fact. The only fact we can actually rely on at present. How one interpretates the guidelines is purely up to them and their concience. I have changed my mind so much throughout this pandemic so can totally understand the confusion. I am now following the guidelines. I dont have to make any essential travel and I luckily have a large garden backing on to countryside. Now of course, earning a wage to pay utility Bill's and for food is essential, it is to everyone. Wouldn't be essential if they were no longer with me though.

 

There seems to be a growing opinion that maybe, just maybe, the amount of lives lost could be far greater due to the aftermath of lockdown, than due to the virus itself.
I'm not saying I agree with this, but it is something to ponder.

 

Almost certainly. Suicides/depression will go up as jobs are lost and businesses close. Obesity will rise and I expect alcohol consumption too. Not to mention all the people whose chemo gets delayed, operations postponed etc.

 

Without doubt. The economic destruction will ruin people on a personal scale and the country on a national scale. Austerity will be vast and inevitable, public spending will stop in order to re-pay unprecedented debt.

As I’ve said, sledgehammer to swat a fly, massively disproportionate.

Will be interesting to see mortality stats for March once they’re published.

 

Just walked 40m down the road to the bakery and passed police checking people have the paperwork required to be out their homes. They really aren't messing around here. I think I read that around 250,000 have already been fined for being out with no reason.

 

We all need something to look forward to.

 

That has always been my fear, hence my prediction of social disorder, the rise of the Left etc. Despite the government’s praising of the NHS, there’s many on Twitter denouncing the lack of preparedness and poor ongoing response when it comes to testing and PPE.

Paying for all of this is going to be a massive challenge. I heard Ed Balls on the One Show earlier in the week saying he recalls, whilst Chief Secretary to the Treasury, signing off final loan repayments to the US & Canada in respect of WWII. This will be on a similar scale.

I’m pretty sure I’m ****ed going forward, but will have to wait & see.

 

I saw a tweet yesterday about this cheering and it said it was a bit disingenuous as the bill was about more than nurses. But twist it as you will.

 

The time they went to war with and shat on junior doctors if you prefer. Or the time they scrapped nursing bursaries.

The point is, for all the praise they’re heaping on the NHS now, they’ve treated it with disdain for some time.

 

Total agree i bet hardly anyone knew about that figure and cared at the time (other than those families).

 

Well let’s hope they are right. Though now IC have moved from 500k deaths, to 250k to 20k to 6k. At least it’s directionally consistent, but it doesn’t give me much confidence, and then I heard that the latest modelling is based on Wuhan which firstly had a much tougher lockdown (a real lockdown) than here and secondly where we can’t trust any of the statistics because they come from the Chinese Communist Party. See, I don’t just pick on Oxford.

 

I think we are all having mixed feelings. I gather some on here think the necessary steps are over the top? (Unless I read wrong).

 

I don't believe anyone has treated the NHS with disdain mate. They have a set amount of money and didn't put in enough. I am sure after this the NHS will be Treated differently.

 

Agree with China and pretty much the rest.

 

Still seeing Trump and his posse shoulder to shoulder whilst simultaneously saying it’ll all be done in five minutes and signing off a $2tn stimulus. New York seems to be doing everything it can and is struggling. Once this thing gets a grip in the ****tier bits of places like Detroit they’re done.

 

Business Watch

It’s a positive one Stortford! Just had a message from The Halifax (ie Lloyd’s) saying I can take a 3 month payment holiday for credit card payments and any personal loan repayments should I need to, without even talking to anyone, just clicking something on a website, and that this will not affect my credit rating. I don’t require these facilities, but it’s a decent offer. Well done.

 

They realised what was coming and put measures in place earlier than we did. ​

Quite simply, they had more equipment (it's called planning for emergencies not simply keeping taxes down) a population that is compliant and generally a .bit more savvy than over here.

 

We're now in the same lockdown as the UK, came in at midnight last night and will initially last until Easter Sunday. Cocooning for the over 70's also in place.....

Stay safe all.....