Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[summerisle]

Nor me. I guess that in the early days of this, someone, or a family, got it like you say from abroad, and it knackered the area before the lock down, which is now working.

You mentioned the Cheltenham festival. My sister lives there, and was pissed right off that it went ahead, but so far, there hasnt been a statistical spike there. Even though my Niece had it.

Mt Sister in Law, (senior kids doctor at Alder Hay), has been on standby for a few weeks now cos of the match at Anfield. Not needed at the time of writing.

 

[Neiler]

I just dont know. We have a passive political culture in this country. Just look at the behaviour of the LP.

But if there's much more of these stories about protective equipment running out (or not materialising, as today), testing targets nowhere near reached and the death rate surging then I think all bets are off about how far the political class can manage this situation.

Their best defence so far has been the inability of the public to voice protests because they're fearful of gathering on the streets. But look at the upsurge abroad with people on the streets in the US and Brazil. If people here aren't seeing dramatic improvement in leadership and a plan set before them then it'll blow. Utterly blow.

What is interesting to look at mate is the narrative of political capital specific governments are using particularity the far right ones during this crisis. Specifically those who have gotten in on a nationalistic, jingoistic and protectionist mandate - using the like of Make America Great Again and Brexit - like Boris and the Don. Many people fool themselves that these leaders are buffoons, anything but its all part of the political misdirection.

Boris to my mind understands very well the psyche of the UK electorate … the constant eulogising and alliging with he NHS and “the front line soldiers in this war against this damned virus which we will win !!” and constant thanking of the brave British public for their sacrifices to date is a deliberate deflection from the lack of governmental planning and resultant continued lack of co-ordinated delivery of testing and PPE etc to same NHS (and the forgotten care homes & staff). When all else fails blame a local administrator or a foreign invader.

Laterally of course comes the party to end end all parties, a massive “We beat the damned thing” commemoration / celebration event to rival LiveAid in size.

The establishment may not have invented the concept of “commemoration” as a distracting tactic but they have made it into an art form.

Alan Bennett’s character in his brilliant play The History Boys put it thus; "It’s not so much lest we forget, as lest we remember . . . the Cenotaph and the Last Post and all that stuff . . . there’s no better way of forgetting the horror and mistakes of something than by commemorating it.” - Irwin, The History Boys

I believe in the people of the UK to be wise on all of the above and where mistakes have been made, those responsible will be held accountable if its justifiable, whether that be through public inquiry or through democratic processes.

 

[davek]

How many of them due to Covid19, I wonder...and I'd also wonder if the proportion of that type was being fully reported - it'd be politically explosive if the races and the nearby health trust's disproportionately higher death rate were firmly linked.

 

[roydo]

Wow. Not been picked up by locals that.

 

[Hickson9]

You cant break through in to that echo chamber with reasoned argument supported by scientific fact.

This is the result of the culture wars.

 

[paultheblue]

How many of them due to Covid19, I wonder...and I'd also wonder if the proportion of that type was being fully reported - it'd be politically explosive if the races and the nearby health trust's disproportionately higher death rate were firmly linked.

Not to mention all the people who have gone home and passed it on in other towns and cities

 

[davek]

What is interesting to look at mate is the narrative of political capital specific governments are using particularity the far right ones during this crisis. Those who have gotten in on a nationalistic, jingoistic and protectionist mandate - using the like of Make America Great Again and Brexit - like Boris and the Don. Many people fool themselves that these leaders are buffoons, anything but its all part of the political misdirection.

Boris to my mind understands very well the psyche of the English electorate … the constant eulogising and alliging with he NHS and “the front line soldiers in this war against this damned virus which we will win !!” and constant thanking of the brave British public for their sacrifices to date is a deliberate deflection from the lack of governmental planning and resultant continued lack of co-ordinated delivery of testing and PPE etc to same NHS (and the forgotten care homes & staff). When all else fails blame a local administrator or a foreign invader.

Laterally of course comes the party to end end all parties, a massive “We beat the damned thing” commemoration / celebration event to rival LiveAid in size.

The establishment may not have invented the concept of “commemoration” as a distracting tactic but they have made it into an art form.

Alan Bennett’s character in his brilliant play The History Boys put it thus; "It’s not so much lest we forget, as lest we remember . . . the Cenotaph and the Last Post and all that stuff . . . there’s no better way of forgetting the horror and mistakes of something than by commemorating it.” - Irwin, The History Boys

I believe in the people of the UK to be wise on all of the above and where mistakes have been made, those responsible will beheld accountable, whether that be public inquiry or through democratic election.

I think that's a fair enough comment to make at this moment in time. But, as I said, there's a time element in play. If there's a continuation of these promises on testing failing to materialise, a continuation with the implicit attack on "mis-use" of PPE by health care workers, a refusal / inability to do what other nations are doing regarding setting out a post lockdown vision, a sustained period of mass deaths - it wont really matter how much or a reptilian smarmer Johnson is.

How the whole thing is spun in the future will be determined by the outcome of the above.

In short: this lot better start pulling rabbits out of hats or they'll be buried.

 

[Walken]

What is interesting to look at mate is the narrative of political capital specific governments are using particularity the far right ones during this crisis. Specifically those who have gotten in on a nationalistic, jingoistic and protectionist mandate - using the like of Make America Great Again and Brexit - like Boris and the Don. Many people fool themselves that these leaders are buffoons, anything but its all part of the political misdirection.

Boris to my mind understands very well the psyche of the English electorate … the constant eulogising and alliging with he NHS and “the front line soldiers in this war against this damned virus which we will win !!” and constant thanking of the brave British public for their sacrifices to date is a deliberate deflection from the lack of governmental planning and resultant continued lack of co-ordinated delivery of testing and PPE etc to same NHS (and the forgotten care homes & staff). When all else fails blame a local administrator or a foreign invader.

Laterally of course comes the party to end end all parties, a massive “We beat the damned thing” commemoration / celebration event to rival LiveAid in size.

The establishment may not have invented the concept of “commemoration” as a distracting tactic but they have made it into an art form.

Alan Bennett’s character in his brilliant play The History Boys put it thus; "It’s not so much lest we forget, as lest we remember . . . the Cenotaph and the Last Post and all that stuff . . . there’s no better way of forgetting the horror and mistakes of something than by commemorating it.” - Irwin, The History Boys

I believe in the people of the UK to be wise on all of the above and where mistakes have been made, those responsible will be held accountable if its justifiable, whether that be through public inquiry or through democratic processes.

Brilliant quote, but unfortunately your last sentence will be wishful thinking. You can see a small segment of johnsons tribe on here and their blind devotion to him, you can others who have rallied to his cause based on a single issue that has become so tribal for them no amount of facts or expertise will dissuade them to their beloved brexit and the deaths of thousands won't make them think twice about the man they have chosen to deliver their unicorns.

Johnson and cumming will get away with their negligence, their type always do as politics is a very easy game to play when you have no moral compass and requires only a low level base cunning. If they have no morals how can they ever find difficulty in being compromised from their grubby goals.

 

[bullybeef]

Wow. Not been picked up by locals that.

Do you mean the same locals who were so desperate for it to go ahead because their local economy depends on it?

 

[Brisan123]

Tbf it is something that most countries seem to have struggled with. The reporting procedures seem far more robust/established for hospital settings but not when there are significant numbers at home/in care facilities.

I do think the extra context those figures give is quite important though, not only from coronavirus but to get a clearer picture of the disease‘s secondary impacts on the community as a whole. Lot of worry from doctors that they aren’t seeing their ”regular” E.R. patients like heart attack/stroke that (unlike say car accidents) there doesn’t seem to be much explanation as to why there is a reduction other than fear.

Could be important in setting up “non coronavirus” places where people with other medical issues/symptoms feel safe to turn up to.

In Ireland 40% of Covid deaths are in nursing homes
They are included in the daily figures but they are being re-examined in case that figure is low
There is no reason to believe the figures in the UK will not turn out to be similar almost doubling the official death rate

 

[bullybeef]

The truth is starting to out now.

BOJO and his cronies could be in serious bother for their complete neglect and total disregard that has caused so much death and devastation.

And rightly so too!

 

[roydo]

because their local economy depends on it?

Since when? Pubs and hotels do well for a few days, the rest cant stand it.

 

[bullybeef]

BOJO thought he was the next Churchill.

This Virus pandemic will ensure he goes down in history for all the wrong reasons.

 

[bullybeef]

Since when? Pubs and hotels do well for a few days, the rest cant stand it.

Sorry pal I didn’t realise you lived in Cheltenham.
I bow to your superior local knowledge and intellect!

 

[Chris O'Connor]

If true this would perhaps show just how reckless and crass it was to let that festival go ahead.- I'm always a little suspicious of facts on social msdia but said at the time this was a decision that will possibly be regretted by many for a long, long time.

There is population density to take into account when comparing different area in the South West but there aren't that many closely populated areas, the cathedral city of Gloucester is relatively close (,less than 10 miles) and may even be in the same NHS trust area. In fact the area may well be a relatively populated area of the south west comparative to others, although I would guess Plymouth may be more.

Whatever if true it seems a reckless decision may be having easily foretold consequences.