Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[BlueToff]

7 days of self cert statuary sick is incentive enough especially on various age related minimum wage to grub about work that's if you are lucky enough to have contract, naff all for many in the big economy.

Also worth remembering sick notes were scrapped and fitness to work came in. It's good to work, it's best for the soul


Myself lucky would have full 6 months pay while off sick, but have 3 colds and off sick with all of them within the first year of first registered sickness my local authority willl look to terminate your employment.

All in all very easy to be grubbiing about while with a virus, very easy if it's just a slight tickcleled cough...

It's not really just about the pay.

I can count on one hand the amount of times i've called in sick over three jobs in the last 10 years.

Not wearing it as a badge of honour. That's just me - I wouldn't want to let people down. Also, luckily, I haven't been ill enough to warrant it and only when I was would I call in sick. Another one is that one of those jobs I've been able to work from home, and that will now be working from home permanently, so obviously that has helped.

If someone is regularly calling in sick, then it doesn't help them keep a job. Nothing to do with money - if they're not going into work, then really it's just not productive for anybody.

I suppose a major positive of covid in that sense is that if it's an office job, most have realised they are fine working from home. That should really mean less people calling in sick, as if they can work from home then the issue of spreading it is reduced. It would also I suppose help what I was discussing with @tsubaki about people having to isolate, if they can at least keep working in the meantime.

 

[davids]

If we all lived in fear of that every day mate then what'd be the point?

Wouldn't suggest you do,but it's worth bearing in mind when Covid is a thing of the past and people start to travel freely again . Hopefully if there is a next virus measures are taken more quickly and seriously.

 

[BlueToff]

Wouldn't suggest you do,but it's worth bearing in mind when Covid is a thing of the past and people start to travel freely again . Hopefully if there is a next virus measures are taken more quickly and seriously.

Might as well just never do owt again mate

But yeah, I take the point on board. It's on the governments then, isn't it.

 

[tsubaki]

Right. I mean, so what would the process be?

Someone calls in sick, then have to call this government/contractor for somebody to go round to their house to be tested? And they can't leave their home?

They could just be ill with a cold - I for one get really badly knocked out by a head cold usually once a year. Just a hangover from when I was really ill as a child. But I get on with my daily life because I'm used to it and it won't stop me being able to go on a walk (as an example, as that usually helps me get better) or to the shop if I need something (though of course now then I'd probably wear a face covering based on the experiences of this year).

I suppose I could easily have influenza in that instance, but I'm not sure - however much you sold it - you'd be able to convince people they needed to isolate in that case? A better example would probably be a parent who needed to go pick their kids up from school/drop them off?

I just think... it seems a bit pie in the sky to be testing for stuff on that level?

I fully agree that COVID and other highly transmittable, deadly viruses need to be tested and traced. Not sure that something we have a jab for, and that people generally don't get seriously because of a built-up immunity, is something that we should be tracking, tracing and isolating for?

I'm not having a dig here, just putting my thoughts on it down.

You could do it like that, or you could just say that you feel ill (with a relevant illness), phone them up and they send someone around to take a test, quickly and easily. If it came back with anything communicable (like flu) then they could explain what it is, the risks are and what you should do - this could include isolating depending on what you do (eg: if you work in food preparation / handling, or if you work with the elderly etc).

What we'd end up with as a country after implementing this is a much better surveillance system as to what illnesses are active, and where they are - plus the population would get a lot more familiarity with these sorts of illnesses, and what they'd need to do (and why). We'd be able to pick up new illnesses much faster than we do now. Side benefits would also include a much greater testing capacity (which would be needed to do the tests) and a lot of socially beneficial jobs, and as mentioned before we'd also cut down on the numbers of flu deaths.

This is what a world-class track and trace system might look like, and its what we do need to have. As was said earlier, even if you discount the semi-regular nature of pandemic illnesses there is the national security risk that not having an adequate defence poses, and I am sure every hostile state has been taking notes these past few months as to the amount of damage and social dislocation that can be caused.

 

[BlueStevie35]

Hospital figures - 468 deaths were announced today, up 15 on yesterday and up 167 on last Sunday. 386 deaths were in English hospitals, up 3 on yesterday and up 155 on last week. The 7 day rolling average rises to 477.43

All settings - for the 28 day cut off, 454 deaths were announced today, up 9 on yesterday and up 137 on last Sunday. The 7 day rolling average rises to an even 604

For the 60 day cut off, 468 deaths were announced today, down 22 on yesterday and up 141 on last Sunday. The 7 day rolling average rises to 676.71

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

It's not really just about the pay.

I can count on one hand the amount of times i've called in sick over three jobs in the last 10 years.

Not wearing it as a badge of honour. That's just me - I wouldn't want to let people down. Also, luckily, I haven't been ill enough to warrant it and only when I was would I call in sick. Another one is that one of those jobs I've been able to work from home, and that will now be working from home permanently, so obviously that has helped.



I suppose a major positive of covid in that sense is that if it's an office job, most have realised they are fine working from home. That should really mean less people calling in sick, as if they can work from home then the issue of spreading it is reduced. It would also I suppose help what I was discussing with @tsubaki about people having to isolate, if they can at least keep working in the meantime.

Reckon you've gone into work over that 10 year period and spread viruses about...
There will be no wholesale move working from home, the economy wont allow it. Hence the hundreds of millions spent on eat out to spread it about, various political right wingers and media screaming at people to get out and save Costa Pret A Manger and many others several months ago.

If someone is regularly calling in sick, then it doesn't help them keep a job. Nothing to do with money - if they're not going into work, then really it's just not productive for anybody.

Course its not dear...

 

[LinekersLegs]

 

[Goat]

What date did the kids go back to School again?

September, right?

 

[Toast]

Is that a school in Liverpool mate?

Didn't mean to tag you in @arminisgod sorry mate.

It’s in Hampshire mate.

 

[arminisgod]

It seems as though those who have followed the union advice don’t make up as large enough majority to close enough schools. This shows that, on the whole, teachers and school staff are willing to go into what have been deemed by medical experts as unsafe working conditions to teach children. Still, they will be vilified by the press.

Which medical experts?

 

[Seanjd]

Which medical experts?

SAGE

 

[arminisgod]

SAGE

But sage aren't saying its unsafe for teachers are they?

 

[dannyboy]

It seems as though those who have followed the union advice don’t make up as large enough majority to close enough schools. This shows that, on the whole, teachers and school staff are willing to go into what have been deemed by medical experts as unsafe working conditions to teach children. Still, they will be vilified by the press.

Putting yourself and loved ones at risk is the sacrifice you must make for these brave journalists who Tweet from their living rooms.

 

[Seanjd]

But sage aren't saying its unsafe for teachers are they?

They’ve told the government that they believe schools should be closed to contain the virus. Schools clearly play a significant role in the transmission of the disease. This was also before the new strain was taken into account. That should be enough for the government to take action.

 

[dannyboy]

But sage aren't saying its unsafe for teachers are they?

Is it safe for me to go in on Tuesday and return home to share a house with a cancer patient? Is it safe for teaching assistants and dinner ladies who are 60+ in my school?

The virus is out of control, schools are playing a huge role in that. Anyone who says it's safe for them to be open is basically saying the kids will be sound, sod the rest of society.