Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[Barnfred 55]

@Bruce Wayne it's been about 10 minutes, and having reflected on it..how on earth does the PM not know that people from overseas who have leave to remain have no access to public funds?

Utterly embarrassing

Not sure what you mean by public funds

 

[Barnfred 55]

Its about money Mikey, we have Brexit looming, we cant be seen as a damp squid.

And who cares if your Nan dies? Who cares if my mum dies, not like they have anything to offer the country anymore!

All of our parents have passed on Goal but we never thought we'd ever hear ourselves say that we were glad they were dead. But 3 of the 4 went through our care home system and I don't think we could cope with that in this crisis. My missus certainly wouldn't as she's a real worrier sometimes

 

[Barnfred 55]

Squib. Sorry mate, not normally pedantic but I always have to pick this one up!

I actually like damp squid better.

Not that I've ever seen a dry one, live anyway

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Not sure what you mean by public funds

Everything. No universal credit, no furloughing, no free school meals, no use of the NHS. Nada.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Such bad timing releasing this test, trace and isolate strategy now. The country is incensed after the Cummings fiasco. How do we expect the public to adhere to anything that comes from this shambles of a Government after their handling of it?

I'm hoping that most people will understand that this crisis is bigger than Cummings and will continue to do the right thing.

With luck the only people who will use the Cummings episode to act as they please going forward will be the millions who were already breaking the lockdown rules anyway

Still makes you wonder at the government 's decision to back him just as they're coming into a crucial stage in battlin the virus

 

[Barnfred 55]

Everything. No universal credit, no furloughing, no free school meals, no use of the NHS. Nada.

So people from the EU countries who have lived and worked here for years, like your good wife, will receive none of this under the new rules?

 

[OGG]

Nice one Kiwi’s!

Amazing what a difference some proper leadership can make.

Compare and contrast to the populists in Brasilia, Washington and London.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Absolutely next to no point. Same with closing borders, or quaratining arrivals. It's in the community in massive numbers already.

I despair. I'm so frustrated. We're attempting to return to normal work in hospital- general clinics and surgery- and because theres still so many either long term ill, or shielded (at risk people will likely be told to avoid clinical duties till at least september, if rumours are true)- I'll be doing up to an extra 70-90hrs over the next couple of months.

That was my first thought. Another 2016 new infections yesterday. Coming down I grant you but still far too many to effectively track and trace.

I could, however, fully understand them starting it in certain regions like London and the south west where new infections are relatively low. TTI would be a whole lot easier and it would also be a opportunity to try out the system before it's rolled out to the rest of the country

 

[Bruce Wayne]

So people from the EU countries who have lived and worked here for years, like your good wife, will receive none of this under the new rules?

Technically, if you have indefinite leave to remain then you have recourse to public funds, but there are already signs that cause me to doubt, such as with the NHS surcharge, which will be levied against all EU immigrants from January (despite all evidence showing that migrants already contribute far more to the exchequer than they take out in services). With no actual documentation you can call upon, I'm afraid I don't really trust the Home Office, especially as they still operate under the 'hostile environment' approach.

I'm afraid to say, the image of this country was already getting a battering overseas due to both the Brexit vote and the subsequent behaviour of the government during the negotiations, and that has been exacerbated by their behaviour during the pandemic. It's not a country to feel particularly proud of right now.

 

[PhilM]

That was my first thought. Another 2016 new infections yesterday. Coming down I grant you but still far too many to effectively track and trace.

I could, however, fully understand them starting it in certain regions like London and the south west where new infections are relatively low. TTI would be a whole lot easier and it would also be a opportunity to try out the system before it's rolled out to the rest of the country

In theory, this would be a sensible option because they'd have the lower infection rate needed like @DrEFC implies and any inefficiencies could be ironed out.

However on a purely political point, the idea of implementing a system in just the South, perhaps in the heartlands of a certain party, wouldn't be well perceived.

You can imagine the headlines now: "Leaving the North and the poor..." In reality, the infection rate is too high and they should be focusing on reducing it.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

In theory, this would be a sensible option because they'd have the lower infection rate needed like @DrEFC implies and any inefficiencies could be ironed out.

However on a purely political point, the idea of implementing a system in just the South, perhaps in the heartlands of a certain party, wouldn't be well perceived.

You can imagine the headlines now: "Leaving the North and the poor..." In reality, the infection rate is too high and they should be focusing on reducing it.

Wasn't that the whole point of it being tested on the Isle of Wight? A relatively low infection area that could iron out any inefficiencies. He's generally quite hopeless, but my brother, who lives there, has been looking daily for contact tracing roles as his previous job laid him off, and hasn't found a thing.

 

[orchard]

 

[Hickson9]

Sufficient data worldwide now exists to conclude that, to date, the UK has the highest rate of excess deaths in the Coronavirus pandemic in the world Free to read article with @jburnmurdoch 1/ https://t.co/hhmkQp93NT

 

[Barnfred 55]

So, despite being a doctor, you think track and trace is a waste of time, despite it being used by every country that has managed to get on top of the case numbers.

Pretty wreckless comment when all the evidence shows track and trace after reducing the initial number of cases is the way to control the number of infections.

Your answer is to, just give up and do nothing, as it's already there ....

In fairness that is not what he is saying. He is saying that it now is the wrong time to bring in contact tracing or indeed quarantine, because the virus is already in the community in too large numbers.

There are still over 2000 daily infections and we'd probably need a team of people 10 times the current number to effectively contact trace that many at once, plus a far higher testing capacity.

The poster isn't saying contact tracing is wrong, he is saying the timing is wrong and in my opinion he is spot on.

Also see my post above about introducing it in some areas initially which I think would work.

I just feel as if it's being rushed in to coincide with the schools reopening

 

[pierceck]

I'm hoping that most people will understand that this crisis is bigger than Cummings and will continue to do the right thing.

With luck the only people who will use the Cummings episode to act as they please going forward will be the millions who were already breaking the lockdown rules anyway

Still makes you wonder at the government 's decision to back him just as they're coming into a crucial stage in battlin the virus

The whole thing stinks and as you say, so shortsighted of the government to standby him when they still need everyone else to follow the rules to the letter.

I think people’s attitudes changed over the weekend and they’re now interpreting the rules in a way that suits them. I know the natter from my neighbouring gardens has increased, more cars parked up on the road. And I can’t blame them really. Surely it’s safer to have people in your back garden, if you’re lucky enough to have one of course, than meeting in the park or garden centre or car showroom.