Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[Jebus_lives]

What I don't really understand is why this thing has resulted in such an uprising in nationalism. Germany had a test developed as early as January, yet many other nations, including Britain and the US, decided to develop their own test instead. While there is an element of logic to that so that you avoid buying dodgy stuff, as the Spanish did with the test from Bioeasy, it does obviously add a delay to proceedings. This delay also meant that the global market for the raw materials for testing hotted up. Germany has a strong industry in both biotech and chemicals, so would be arguably the main manufacturer of these raw materials in Europe, which again perhaps explains why they are so far ahead of Britain.

It's also arguable that the Robert Koch Institute is better suited to this kind of task than Public Health England. As was explained recently on NPR ()

“We have a culture here in Germany that is not supporting a centralized diagnostic system. So Germany does not have a public health laboratory that would restrict other labs from doing the tests.”

The simple answer would seem that political ideology has been the driving factor in most of the decisions.

 

[Tea_drinker]

Over 3 days late and only half a plane load. Unemployable in any other line of work.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The simple answer would seem that political ideology has been the driving factor in most of the decisions.

To an extent, but that's perhaps an oversimplification. Germany seems to have done well in part because they engaged a wide network of bodies from an early stage, both in terms of local institutions but also the private sector. The NHS/PHE are both highly centralised, and governance in the UK has been that way for a long time, and the phobia of involving the private sector in any form of public healthcare has been well documented.

France appears to have had similar problems, so it's not like it's solely reserved for the UK.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Over 3 days late and only half a plane load. Unemployable in any other line of work.

The delivery from Turkey would probably supply less than half of the daily requirements across the entire NHS. It would seem foolish to focus too much on one incident.

 

[PhilM]

African American fatalities in California under 50s account for 19% deaths when only make up 6% of population This despite only making up 5% pf recorded cases. Latino fatalities also elevated proportional to population

A friend of mine who works at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine said studies are taking place between the possible link of Sickle Cell and COVID-19 deaths.

Her take on it was that the deficient haemoglobin and lower % of oxygen uptake, alongside the common conditions of SC, could accelerate the virus's impact.

That's not saying that there is any link, but rather it's something they are considering alongside socio-economic conditions.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

People are focussing on nutritional value a lot but time is also a factor for eating healthily. Rich people have a lot more time. Resources are a factor, time is a factor, education is a factor.

the fact is there is a huge correlation between economics and health.

that isn’t directed at you by the way. it’s not directed at anyone. Just making the point.

Indeed, healthy eating is a balanced nutritional diet. It's the same mindset that used to wag fingers at people having smart phones, not understanding that even the lowest paid jobs, will require you to have constant access to one. You won't even get a below minimum wage care job without one, but we'll give um a clap... The center and right finger waggers have moved onto food, as have their manicured pointy finger.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Indeed. It's the same mindset that used to wag fingers at people having smart phones, not understanding that even the lowest paid jobs, will require you to have constant access to one. You won't even get a job below minimum wage care job without one, but we'll give um a clap... The center and right finger waggers have moved onto food, as have their manicured pointy finger.

You said healthy food was expensive. Don't move the goalposts now that's been proven to be false. @Brennan and I clearly said that time is a factor, but that cost shouldn't be.

 

[orchard]

The delivery from Turkey would probably supply less than half of the daily requirements across the entire NHS. It would seem foolish to focus too much on one incident.

Who raised the profile of this small fraction of required stock? One could equally assume that this is the apex of this particular government's capabilities.

 

[Tea_drinker]

The delivery from Turkey would probably supply less than half of the daily requirements across the entire NHS. It would seem foolish to focus too much on one incident.

I understand that but it was them who hyped it.

 

[orchard]

You said healthy food was expensive. Don't move the goalposts now that's been proven to be false. @Brennan and I clearly said that time is a factor, but that cost shouldn't be.

I think you guys need a stricter definition of 'healthy'. Yes, versus your earlier example of Mars bars and Monster Munch, those recipes are healthier, but there's still a lot of processed/frozen stuff in there...

 

[Jebus_lives]

To an extent, but that's perhaps an oversimplification. Germany seems to have done well in part because they engaged a wide network of bodies from an early stage, both in terms of local institutions but also the private sector. The NHS/PHE are both highly centralised, and governance in the UK has been that way for a long time, and the phobia of involving the private sector in any form of public healthcare has been well documented.

France appears to have had similar problems, so it's not like it's solely reserved for the UK.

I'm not just applying 'political ideology' to the Government.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I think you guys need a stricter definition of 'healthy'. Yes, versus your earlier example of Mars bars and Monster Munch, those recipes are healthier, but there's still a lot of processed/frozen stuff in there...

It's hard to imagine people would be overweight, with the associated cardiac and diabetes issues, if they lived on a diet of carrots and bananas, regardless of where those came from. It seems unnecessary to set a benchmark for nutrition that probably very few people in the entire country live up to.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I understand that but it was them who hyped it.

So you understand it's largely a side issue, yet focus on it nonetheless?

 

[Jebus_lives]

The delivery from Turkey would probably supply less than half of the daily requirements across the entire NHS. It would seem foolish to focus too much on one incident.

There is now, by and large, a 'just in time' model for delivery to the NHS. Lots and lots of PPE being moved on a daily basis. More PPE seems to be getting where it's needed.

The worry becomes if there is a delay or disruption to that supply chain, because that seems to be where the lack of PPE comments come from.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Is there a reason for the change? Ma just rang saying I should drive into the countryside for a walk but thought I wasn't allowed.

It isn't a change Nymz. Just clarification and confirms what the Health Minister briefly mentioned in one of the daily briefings a while back. The police locally were heavy handed in this respect leaving notes on parked cars and closing car parks just outside the village so many of the older residents couldn't drive to get a chance to walk in open spaces. You laid into me for complaining about it if you recall.

Seems I was right all along and it was police interpretation that was wrong.