The corona virus thread

[Tractionman]

I fear some of this country are getting blaise already. Went to local Asda yesterday, queue up as usual keeping distance, with security controlling numbers entering. Once inside, there were some people reaching over others to get what they want, blocking aisles while on phone, and this is with controlled numbers in store.
I told one geezer that stood along side me getting some cheese, to "get the fuck away from me", ( not really the right thing, I know), and he looked at me as if I was mad, ( I am), It was me who made the move as the penny didn't drop with him. As I am working on the lc, I can hear groups of kids/adults going past on foot or bike. WTF

 

[ram]

I see it all the time on my street, groups of 6-8 people all walking together. I don't think people really relize how serious this is and are of the opinion that if they do fall ill they'll be sorted like they have always been.

 

[Shayne]

I sensed the same

blaise

while visiting a supermarket today . Daughter occasional visit's so we can talk to the kids 5 metres across the garden but today somehow every forgot caution the house was invaded and things were back to normal for an hour . I did question the wisdom of it but provided my own answer insomuch as they make every effort to avoid infection as do we so while it undoubtedly is a risk multiplier which of us after 3 weeks in isolation is likely to be infected with no symptoms at all .

Familiarity breeds contempt - but who lives in mortal fear of catching flu ?

Human nature will prevail or else the cure is indeed worse than the disease .

Depends what you do i suppose but while trying very hard to keep a small business afloat i cannot help but notice the big multinationals are broken links while the little players are working flat out to supply whats needed to where . A bank can't manage to renew my business cash card while a man so busy running his supply company on his own sounding very panicked asked me to call back 3 times because he couldn't keep up did find the time to put my order together and email an invoice so i could pay by bank transfer . He and I need each other but the bank don't need me so it seems .

 

[Tractionman]

Shayne, the pratts of the bank don't seem to realise that indirectly customers are paying their wages.
No customers money = no bank = no job. If they were small independents, you would have your new card.

 

[Shayne]

Perhaps its my punishment because i won't have credit cards only debit - they charge me for that !

 

[Chris]

In answer to my own question, it seems that following yesterday's briefing, the plan hinted at was that we all stay in this state of house arrest until they come up with either a vaccine or drugs to cure it. Can't recall the technical term, but basically prevention and / or a cure. The media didn't seem to pick up on that but they will.

It's a plan, can't deny that. Just keep going with the T rate at less than 1 and sit here quietly until the solution arrives. But in the meantime people are going to find out what the true meaning of living in poverty actually is. It's all still a bit bit of a laugh to some folk, but reality will start to bite at some point if we went down that route. But what's the alternative? We expose people in a controlled way? OK let's start with once county at a time and give all those normally well people a controlled dose? it would be a bit like doing a controlled burn on a grouse moor, but it's an option. But how long would that take?

I saw this week that the number of confirmed cases - that's people tested and proven positive, world wide had reached, wait for it .....and this is world wide


2 million. OK so let's triple that 6 million. Just because we can. Oh heck let's just x it by 10. That's 20 million. It's not even got going yet.

But in this there is some good news. I heard Mr Trump say yesterday that it was pretty much over in the States. Which is fantastic news given that they didn't even have a strategy.

 

[flint]

I've also heard that Trump sure plays a mean pinball.................

 

[jibberjabber]

Perhaps its my punishment because i won't have credit cards only debit - they charge me for that !

Blimey, I thought I was the only person that had'nt got or didn't need credit cards, if you can't afford it don't buy it, or as my Mum and Dad did, save up for it.

 

[Tractionman]

Yep, same as you guys, no credit cards.

 

[Towpack]

I pay for everything I can on a credit card for 3 reasons..

1. You have more consumer protection than paying by cash or debit card.
2. The card I use gives points which can be cashed in for vouchers at the end of the year. Last year I got £30 of Halfords vouchers. Not much but they're for nothing.
3. I ALWAYS pay it off before the end of the month so never pay any interest.

The first 2 reasons alone are worth it IMO. I only use a debit card for cash withdrawals from ATM's and the, now rare, occasions when credit cards are not accepted.

 

[Shayne]

Coronavirus Cases:
2,192,597
view by country
Deaths:
147,376

Influenza

The World Health Organization estimates that worldwide, annual influenza epidemics result in about 3-5 million cases of severe illness and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths. [21] In the United States, individual cases of seasonal flu and flu-related deaths in adults are not reportable illnesses; consequently, mortality is estimated by using statistical models

When it becomes manageable it will cease to be newsworthy . I seem to recall A.I.D.S was going to wipe out the human race when it offered sensationalist headlines but it's rarely mentioned now though they still have no cure what 30 odd years later .

 

[Tractionman]

Towpack, I agree you have that protection. Many years ago I did indeed have a credit card, and was using it mainly for diesel, up to £100 per week. I too used to pay off early, until one time my amount accrued interest.
Enquiring, I was told my payment had arrived late, I knew this was highly unlikely, so made enquiries at my bank, my payment had gone through 2 days prior to deadline, and after a big row the interest was deleted ,
I paid off the balance, cut the card up and told them to shove it.

 

[goodoldboy]

OK let's start with once county at a time

good idea .i vote the UK goes first.

But in the meantime people are going to find out what the true meaning of living in poverty actually is.

in the current economic system yes but 85 % of the worlds population are already familiar with this concept.From another perspective how much is a human life worth ? The current cost of the US bailout is 4 trillion , nearly all of it going to giant corporations who for decades have earned vast profits.why don't we just cut out the middleman & simply provide everyone with what they need to survive until a vaccine is available? Sports , betting , advertising & the airlines could all go to the wall & we could still pay the wages of all the employees & it would be cheaper than bailing them out.The free market is supposed to be a system of winners & looser with survival of the fittest.

 

[Gary820]

So this Is me at work!! Even though vehicles are sanitised before we get them, steering wheel, gear lever etc etc wrapped in clingfilm after being cleaned with anti bacterial solution, disposable seat cover etc.
When I need to get in to drive them or do anything inside!! We are dealing with a lot of NHS worker and police vehicles.
This is the current policy set by the company

 

[Towpack]

Looks like you’ve just stepped out of the spray booth Gary!

 

[Gary820]

Looks like you’ve just stepped out of the spray booth Gary!

Where do you think we pinched the suits from

 

[jibberjabber]

good idea .i vote the UK goes first.

in the current economic system yes but 85 % of the worlds population are already familiar with this concept.From another perspective how much is a human life worth ? The current cost of the US bailout is 4 trillion , nearly all of it going to giant corporations who for decades have earned vast profits.why don't we just cut out the middleman & simply provide everyone with what they need to survive until a vaccine is available? Sports , betting , advertising & the airlines could all go to the wall & we could still pay the wages of all the employees & it would be cheaper than bailing them out.The free market is supposed to be a system of winners & looser with survival of the fittest.

I agree, we should all go back to the stoneage, just like North Korea, Kim Jong-un is a fantastic leader, look what he has done for his countrymen. :-J

 

[goodoldboy]

agree, we should all go back to the stoneage,

Well I disagree.if you want to be my guest

 

[Shayne]

 

[MarkW]

Now 4.5 weeks into lockdown in Morocco. The state of emergency has been extended until the 20th May so we are about half way through. Weathers great with a steady 23 degrees and constant sunshine, we can go to the beach and walk along the coast without restriction. Fantastic group of people from across Europe here and alcohol poisoning is a bigger risk than the virus at the moment, far too many parties!

Morocco seems to be doing well with controlling the virus so far with 3000cases and 200 deaths, but like everywhere numbers are limited by the amount of testing. We have to have an official permit to travel, and can drive to the nearest big city for supplies and alcohol . Wearing of masks is mandatory if you are out of your home. Police are now tracking vehicle movements through checkpoints as people are abusing the travel restriction, lot of hippies in beaten up vans posting videos and photos of them moving around online doesn't create a good impression. Authorities are arresting around 3000 people a day for breaches of the restrictions.

The UK embassy is being pretty rubbish at doing anything, we keep getting asked to register with them and then never hear anything back, registered 4 times now. Yesterday a ferry to Barcelona was rumoured and some people here contacted the company and were told no ferries until 21st of May, but then we found out the ferry went ok. The ongoing misinformation is frustrating. Brittany Ferries have cancelled return tickets to the UK and only offer a voucher, no refund or alternative sailing. Weirdly the US has arranged an evacuation flight for its nationals, that goes to London, but UK Nationals can't get on it.

At present, as the UK hasn't left the EU, we can travel back through Europe without restriction, if we could get there. If the UK had left we would have zero ability to re-enter the EU until all borders reopened. Don't remember that being raised by the Brexit Brigade at any point.

All in, its a great place to be in lock down and I get to live out of the Cruiser. Apart from not being able to get back to friends and family, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else at the moment