covid dystopia

[garyboy]

There are far too many scientists waiting for all the 'facts' when they have plenty enough to act on.

It's up to the man paying said Scientists who will decide when they will act on it.
My personal thoughts are that our World is totally reliant on consumers, trade, travel etc so that is what we are aiming to return to asap. A virus is the biggest threat to World trade etc because it is unpredictable, difficult to control and respects no borders therefore we need to gain real World experience of dealing with them, for this outbreak and for the future. When we have 'flattened the curve' enough, for the health services to cope with the ongoing fallout, the economy MUST open back up to generate money and also allow the population to develop herd immunity by catching and recovering from the virus. This will happen well before we develop a vaccine.
Sadly there will be millions around the World who will not survive. We think we have it bad but it is nothing compared to other Countries.

Unfortunately, I agree with you.

There is no cure .. just a prevention of Spread strategy.
As you say, the world well-being is based on consumerism. .. and growth.
whatever they say, the UK government's strategy is still based on `herd immunity.`
That's what all those thousands of death beds are for.

[garyboy]

Does anyone else think that government's idea of ending or reducing `lockdown` is just crazy.??

its as if they think that we are actually Winning the war against the virus.
We are not.
We are just limiting its present opportunity to spread.
Once that is removed … bingo halleluiah .. wot a gay day.


Having said that ..
A CHANGE of policy seems a good idea.
keep social distancing, open up shops with sensible working distancing and hygiene, improve and increase ventilation and extract systems, modify work places, grant proper protection to front line staff, home made manufacture of hygiene items and other key products on a war footing type basis, distance learning for schools etc, and also for meetings and conferences and parliaments, digital voting of all sorts, ppe for construction workers that include enhanced filter masks and special gloves, adaption of vehicles for public transport, etc etc etc… its not rocket science, is it, and some are on their way anyway.

Eventually it will all die down anyway. And eventually things will get back to normal, but at least we are all saving a lot on petrol .. mostly. ..

[garyboy]

`Human trials of a potential coronavirus vaccine developed at Oxford University are to begin on Thursday, health secretary Matt Hancock has announced`.

it was really great of Boris to be the first to volunteer

[phil_h]

The problem with looking at numbers is that they mostly need to be put into perspective... but luckily worldometers have a lot of other numbers available.
The total population of the US is about the sum of uk, france, germany, spain put together, so they are not booming as quickly as they might... but they are awfully spread out, so I think they will keep on rising longer than smaller countries... and weve not seen any real figures for india yet.

I cant understand why were not doing the same as germany, as they have a much larger population and lower figures.

[bikenav]

I imagine the lockdown measures will be reduced in some kind of phased managed way such that the economy ,social life, leisure will be allowed to happen again, trying to balance the spread of the virus, load to medical services and ultimately deaths to an "acceptable" level, someone somewhere has probably had the cold job of calculating it out. There will be a time as it is now to a degree,that it will be personal choice as to how much risk you wish to take as an individual (and add to the cumulative risk), the older/more at risk you are the more difficult that balance will be, some unfortunately will have reduced personal choice due to their own needs or helping others. The wait for a proper fix whatever that may be will be too long to be sustainable otherwise. Just my Cold Hard thoughts I have no facts to back any of that up.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

The problem with looking at numbers is that they mostly need to be put into perspective... but luckily worldometers have a lot of other numbers available.
The total population of the US is about the sum of uk, france, germany, spain put together, so they are not booming as quickly as they might... but they are awfully spread out, so I think they will keep on rising longer than smaller countries... and weve not seen any real figures for india yet.

I cant understand why were not doing the same as germany, as they have a much larger population and lower figures.

There are grown-ups in charge in Germany. They have a strong economy based on manufacturing, an insurance-based health system and have had a budget surplus for the last 10 years. Sadly, the UK no longer has politicians who are able to deliver such things, but they can think up catchy slogans and soundbites so they get voted in by the gulible.

Some time ago the Gvt closed the national network of NHS labs, and farmed the testing out to Spain, which of course now has problems of its own. That's why all those outdoor, drive-though mass-testing centres which were opened with such a flurry of publicity aren't actually doing much testing.

I was told this by a lady who used to work in a hospital lab. It got shut down, and she started a dog-walking business. She's now sitting at home doing nothing. She could be doing tests, but the lab isn't there any more.

Over the years, this country has been hollowed-out to the extent that there is no resilience or strength-in-depth. Someone asked me why MoD hospitals aren't being used. Apparently, it's because they mostly got shut down some decades ago because the NHS 'could do the job.'

At the next election, we must all remember not to vote for clowns. If we had more people with scientific, engineering and medical backgrounds in Parliament we might have a better-run country. Instead, god help us, we've got clowns. Do stupid things, win stupid prizes.

[garyboy]

well said, Richard

also .. the Germans are more nationalistic than us in the UK, probably because of their war experience in losing, but also by their nature, making them more independent and aware of their solidarity as a nation.

I think they take hygiene and health more seriously too, as a daily fact of life, in outdoor exercise, and in the clean way they keep their landscape and cities clean and neat., not to mention their lovely fair skin and personal hygiene.

Like German engineering, they are immaculate and professional and efficient in all they do. and, as you say, are capable of electing real proper leaders who do not put themselves and their parties first. ..

All just my impressions, but there is truth there somewhere.


They seem to run a properly organised society; I worked there for a while .. and dont seem to do the hypocrisy thing of praising the medical institutions that they have systematically depleted and made ineffective.

[Sanqhar]

The problem with looking at numbers is that they mostly need to be put into perspective... but luckily worldometers have a lot of other numbers available.
The total population of the US is about the sum of uk, france, germany, spain put together, so they are not booming as quickly as they might... but they are awfully spread out, so I think they will keep on rising longer than smaller countries... and weve not seen any real figures for india yet.

I cant understand why were not doing the same as germany, as they have a much larger population and lower figures.

Today's (Weds) "More or Less" on Radio 4 covered this point (and more). Check it out on the Iplayer (or whatever it's called now).

tom

[garyboy]

The problem with looking at numbers is that they mostly need to be put into perspective... but luckily worldometers have a lot of other numbers available.
The total population of the US is about the sum of uk, france, germany, spain put together, so they are not booming as quickly as they might... but they are awfully spread out, so I think they will keep on rising longer than smaller countries... and weve not seen any real figures for india yet.

I cant understand why were not doing the same as germany, as they have a much larger population and lower figures.

Apparently, there are, as of now, over 30 new strains of this novel coronavirus .. so we are not actually talking about covid19 exclusively, any more, with more mutations on their way.

Apparently, the European effects are worse than in America, as we may be talking about a different strain? a more deadly strain in Europe.?

Statistics can prove anything you want them to prove, of course, but it seems that the US is still on a fast incline of cases, exponentially, .. which questions mr trumps election decision to ease their lockdown?

fortunately, the Americans have a higher intelligence to cope with their looming huge increases in infected numbers ..

[Sanqhar]

Just remember.

In general politicians know the right thing to do.
What they don't know is how to get reelected after doing it!

tom