Coronavirus in UK

[bones]

He’s obviously concerned about his own job and that is fine.
People are going to lose a lot in this time and the it could take years to recover BUT saving lives should always come before saving (or making) money.

That's the point - we're not saving lives though are we? We're losing lives and people are losing their jobs, soon people will be losing their homes and others will be sadly suffer so much they'll take their own lives.

Other countries have managed this pandemic, they have actually saved lives and they haven't bought the population to a grinding halt.

So I ask again - where is your evidence that a lockdown does save lives any better than what Japan and Taiwan have done.

 

[Rana]

The same people dodging the question of a crashed economy have no answer to how the government expects to fund an NHS they are trying to save with a crashed economy?

 

[HitWicket]

Do we know for sure that it would be far worse had the pandemic been allowed to run its full course, and herd immunity would play its role in the course of things?

All speculations aside, what you do have in concrete is 800,000 small businesses on the brink of being bust, millions of people unemployed and plenty others locked at home with abusive family members.

I guess it’s all worth it

The health services are already struggling with multiple large capacity temporary hospitals popping up over the country. Not limiting the spread with a lockdown would clearly have seen them overrun and result in deaths from those unable to get inadequate healthcare. I guess it comes down to how much people value human life compared to businesses.

 

[bones]

The health services are already struggling with multiple large capacity temporary hospitals popping up over the country. Not limiting the spread with a lockdown would clearly have seen them overrun and result in deaths from those unable to get inadequate healthcare. I guess it comes down to how much people value human life compared to businesses.

You're completely missing the points and you have deliberately like many other posters not answer the question with evidence. Where is yoru evidence that the British and Italian governments to name a few have handled the situation well. Other countries haven't enforced a lockdown and they have not suffered anywhere near the same level.

So yes we could have done well without a lockdown but the media and people like you wanted this lockdown, almost as if there was no other option. Clearly Japan and Taiwan have shown there are other options.

 

[Rana]

The health services are already struggling with multiple large capacity temporary hospitals popping up over the country. Not limiting the spread with a lockdown would clearly have seen them overrun and result in deaths from those unable to get inadequate healthcare. I guess it comes down to how much people value human life compared to businesses.

I guess a 4 week lockdown makes sense. 4 weeks should be sufficient in ensuring that the virus does not spread to the point where the NHS cannot manage, and 4 weeks is enough time for the NHS to equip themselves with the extra equipment and staff they need to deal with a peak wave of this virus. However it is injustice to destroy lives rather than saving them after this 4 week period.

People hate Trump, but one thing I rate about the guy is that he understands how this situation should be handled financially rather than emotionally.

 

[HitWicket]

You're completely missing the points and you have deliberately like many other posters not answer the question with evidence. Where is yoru evidence that the British and Italian governments to name a few have handled the situation well. Other countries haven't enforced a lockdown and they have not suffered anywhere near the same level.

So yes we could have done well without a lockdown but the media and people like you wanted this lockdown, almost as if there was no other option. Clearly Japan and Taiwan have shown there are other options.

I'm assuming you're not suggesting her that reducing contact between people (as a lockdown should) won't reduce infection rates, so what do you think Japan and Taiwan have done differently other than the lockdown (which in terms of infections it would be illogical to suggest it would do anything other than help reduce the rate)?

 

[MenInG]

The Department of Health has confirmed 2,352 people have died after testing positive for covid-19 in the UK which is an increase of 563 reported deaths since yesterday

 

[bones]

I'm assuming you're not suggesting her that reducing contact between people (as a lockdown should) won't reduce infection rates, so what do you think Japan and Taiwan have done differently other than the lockdown (which in terms of infections it would be illogical to suggest it would do anything other than help reduce the rate)?

Of course a total lockdown will prevent the spread, but it's not a total lockdown though is it? People can still go out for exercising, for essential goods and a couple of other things. But you'd need a total lockdown for a period of 3 weeks with no leaving the home and no contact with anyone other than those in your house for it to work.

That actually would have been a better option that the mess we have right now. The situation is actually a joke and I sit on my chair laughing at how people are justifying this semi lockdown as if it's making things better.

If Japan and Taiwan didn't need a lockdown to control the spread and it's not like they are tiny countries, then neither did we. If the excuse is that those 2 countries are islands, well what is the UK?

People are dying in the hundreds and the economy is in the middle of a depression so how on earth can anyone sit and tell us we're doing the right now. We're losing on both fronts when we have been shown an example it's possible to win on both.

 

[MenInG]

A&E doctors at a hospital in Essex are warning that they could limit their work with patients to a "bare minimum" if they don't receive more personal protective equipment as a matter of urgency.

In a letter to the chief executive of Southend Hospital, the medics say they've been made to feel like "naughty children" for demanding the kit.

BBC News has been told that one in four medical staff at the site are off sick with coronavirus symptoms.

Hospital bosses say they are complying fully with official guidance.

In Tuesday's daily press conference Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England, apologised to NHS staff over delays in distribution.

But she said the UK's stocks of PPE were among the best in the world and that the equipment "should go to match where the critical, clinical risk is”.

 

[Technics 1210]

The same people dodging the question of a crashed economy have no answer to how the government expects to fund an NHS they are trying to save with a crashed economy?

Spot on.

Simple, create more money, which #11 has confirmed.

It is the golden question, if government can create money to bailout businesses, why not create money to fund the NHS.

Let's see what answer are provided.

 

[HitWicket]

Of course a total lockdown will prevent the spread, but it's not a total lockdown though is it? People can still go out for exercising, for essential goods and a couple of other things. But you'd need a total lockdown for a period of 3 weeks with no leaving the home and no contact with anyone other than those in your house for it to work.

That actually would have been a better option that the mess we have right now. The situation is actually a joke and I sit on my chair laughing at how people are justifying this semi lockdown as if it's making things better.

So what happens when people start to run out of food in that 3 week period and begin to starve? What about medical workers, are we just closing the hospital and leaving those that would die without medical care to do just that? What about those that need care at home, are we just leaving them to die as well?

If Japan and Taiwan didn't need a lockdown to control the spread and it's not like they are tiny countries, then neither did we. If the excuse is that those 2 countries are islands, well what is the UK?

People are dying in the hundreds and the economy is in the middle of a depression so how on earth can anyone sit and tell us we're doing the right now. We're losing on both fronts when we have been shown an example it's possible to win on both.

So my question is if Japan and Taiwan are doing it better what is it that they're doing that is so effective? I think we're both in agreement that any form of lockdown whether total or partial should reduce infection rates (by how much is another debate).

 

[bones]

So what happens when people start to run out of food in that 3 week period and begin to starve? What about medical workers, are we just closing the hospital and leaving those that would die without medical care to do just that? What about those that need care at home, are we just leaving them to die as well?

So my question is if Japan and Taiwan are doing it better what is it that they're doing that is so effective? I think we're both in agreement that any form of lockdown whether total or partial should reduce infection rates (by how much is another debate).

That's why I said a semi lockdown is a joke. They haven't thought about it and neither have you. If 1 person remains with the infection at the end of the lockdown period it can spread. So if you want to use the lockdown method to try and stop it you have a total lockdown. If people begin to starve? Ah now you're starting to think about other factors a bit like what we've been trying to ask you to do for a while. We want you to consider things like where is the food for people going to come from in a month? How are people going to pay for their bills? How is the NHS going to be funded after this semi-lockdown ends.

That is why I was against the partial lockdown. It has to be a full lockdown or no lockdown, what we have is neither here nor there and it not only allows for the infection to still spread but our economy is in in a total mess and won't recover for decades.

The next generation are going to study history and when they look back they're going to ask just how the population was so stupid it allowed their elected leaders to run the country like a circus clowns.

 

[Technics 1210]

It's true what they say, FEAR is the currency of control.

 

[bones]

As to the question of what Taiwan and Japan are doing, I believe they are doing targeted testing and prepared properly. I am going to put most of the members of this forum, the wider public and the mainstream media into a bracket of people I will call the fear people and the sensationalists. You have created this mass hysteria demanding action which is not proportional to the sitution.

Taiwan used their widely affordable health system and targeted testing. They didn't create this huge mass panic and their public didn't either. They were quick to act and created many policies including price capping for PPE and ensuring health care officials got them first. You can do some reading on it, but the key points are that they realised a total lockdown wasn't possible and a partial one was both ineffective and very costly in the long run.

 

[Iqbal'sh]

As to the question of what Taiwan and Japan are doing, I believe they are doing targeted testing and prepared properly. I am going to put most of the members of this forum, the wider public and the mainstream media into a bracket of people I will call the fear people and the sensationalists. You have created this mass hysteria demanding action which is not proportional to the sitution.

Taiwan used their widely affordable health system and targeted testing. They didn't create this huge mass panic and their public didn't either. They were quick to act and created many policies including price capping for PPE and ensuring health care officials got them first. You can do some reading on it, but the key points are that they realised a total lockdown wasn't possible and a partial one was both ineffective and very costly in the long run.

That’s all well and good but how much of Japan’s initial strategy was to ensure that there was no chance of the Summer Olympics being postponed?

 

[Iqbal'sh]

It's true what they say, FEAR is the currency of control.

The continued increase in the numbers of daily deaths in the UK will naturally make people fearful.
The NHS may already be at breaking point - deaths of teens as young as 13 year old with no underlying health issues are a cause of concern.

 

[the Great Khan]

Full lockdown is only days away now. Dont be surprised if it happens within the next seven days.

 

[Rana]

That’s all well and good but how much of Japan’s initial strategy was to ensure that there was no chance of the Summer Olympics being postponed?

Why are you blaming Japan for being resolute in their stance? I am 100% sure that had these games been in London or New York, you would see a completely different style of reporting to this whole Pandemic in the Media outlets.

 

[Rana]

Full lockdown is only days away now. Dont be surprised if it happens within the next seven days.

All anti Lockdown people have argued that the first lockdown announced a week ago should have been a complete shut down, not this joke of lockdown where families are treating it like a holiday in the parks. Where families enjoy the adventure of using the money saved up from committing to enjoy extra strolls to the supermarkets.

A lot of people are so deluded from the entire reality of the situation

 

[Iqbal'sh]

Why are you blaming Japan for being resolute in their stance? I am 100% sure that had these games been in London or New York, you would see a completely different style of reporting to this whole Pandemic in the Media outlets.

Where did I blame them? I asked a simple question regarding the stance they took and what if anything motivated it.

 

[Technics 1210]

The continued increase in the numbers of daily deaths in the UK will naturally make people fearful.
The NHS may already be at breaking point - deaths of teens as young as 13 year old with no underlying health issues are a cause of concern.

Of course, just like healthy sportsman drop dead in their 20s with no underlying cause.

The NHS has been at breaking point since I can remember.

Anyone who lived through the 80s when AID/HIV arrived on the scene, that was fear. 100% death rate, no idea what cause it, no idea how it was transmitted, in an age where there was no internet, no social media, no mobile phones etc.

Once the dust settled, panic over.

I found this article thought provoking :

Italy’s Mild Flu Season May Give Clues to Virus Death Rate

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...eason-may-solve-mystery-of-coronavirus-deaths

 

[bones]

That’s all well and good but how much of Japan’s initial strategy was to ensure that there was no chance of the Summer Olympics being postponed?

I don't understand the question entirely. But I'll take a guess that you're asking why did they have to postpone the Olympics if things were well planned.

It could be for any number of reasons, but most probably they are concerned about people travelling bringing the virus into the country. If other nations have put bans on international travel, where are the spectactors and more importantly the athletes going to come from.

 

[Iqbal'sh]

Anyone who lived through the 80s when AID/HIV arrived on the scene, that was fear. 100% death rate, no idea what cause it, no idea how it was transmitted, in an age where there was no internet, no social media, no mobile phones etc.

Mate seriously, it was clear which section of society AIDS/HIV targeted.
If you were not that way inclined then you still had a chance of getting the infection via a blood transfusion, use of infected syringe etc however this reduced dramatically.
The chances of anyone else getting the infection were pretty much negligible (less than 1 in a 1000 I would surmise).

Just not the same with this virus which doesn’t differentiate between which humans will get the virus.

In terms of the NHS, yes it is a national shame the way it has been mistreated especially in the last two decades. The breaking point I referred to is the position wherein the numbers of people requiring treatment are now too great for the emergency services to deal with.
I hope I am being overly pessimistic in my judgement but the data is reinforcing this.

 

[bones]

Full lockdown is only days away now. Dont be surprised if it happens within the next seven days.

Utter farce - not because they're doing it, but because they're doing it now.

Also clear evidence that the lockdown as it is doesn't work.

 

[Technics 1210]

Mate seriously, it was clear which section of society AIDS/HIV targeted.
If you were not that way inclined then you still had a chance of getting the infection via a blood transfusion, use of infected syringe etc however this reduced dramatically.
The chances of anyone else getting the infection were pretty much negligible (less than 1 in a 1000 I would surmise).

Just not the same with this virus which doesn’t differentiate between which humans will get the virus.

In terms of the NHS, yes it is a national shame the way it has been mistreated especially in the last two decades. The breaking point I referred to is the position wherein the numbers of people requiring treatment are now too great for the emergency services to deal with.
I hope I am being overly pessimistic in my judgement but the data is reinforcing this.

My friend. It was clear AFTER the panic of AIDS/HIV subsided. In the 80s we were told not to sit on public toilet seats, but now we know AIDS/HIV cannot be transfered airborne. Even then there were cases of AIDS/HIV outside of the section of society your refer too. Even today too.

My point is that during a panic phase, be it Stock Market, Health, Emergencies etc, people just don't think straight, which is why the first rule is to stay calm.

Right now were at a stage where anyone with a cough, temprature, etc is considered C19 positive.

This is why I found the Bloomberg article interesting given Italy has suffered the brunt, and now after some time, more data is collected allowing the pros to determine patterns/cause. Granted still some time to go, but slowly we will get there.

As for NHS, I dont understand why businesses, including banks, get bailed out because they are too big to fail and but cannot fund the NHS. On top of this, there was a national campaign to edcuate people on when to call upon the NHS, and when not.

Challenging times.

 

[MenInG]

Government briefing due as UK deaths top 2,000

Today’s Downing Street press conference, expected in around half an hour, comes after the confirmed death toll for people with coronavirus in UK hospitals rose earlier to 2,352.

That’s a rise of 563 since yesterday's total, the biggest daily rise so far.

In the UK 29,474 people have now tested positive for the virus, up 4,324 since Tuesday.

 

[Iqbal'sh]

I don't understand the question entirely. But I'll take a guess that you're asking why did they have to postpone the Olympics if things were well planned.

It could be for any number of reasons, but most probably they are concerned about people travelling bringing the virus into the country. If other nations have put bans on international travel, where are the spectactors and more importantly the athletes going to come from.

The South Koreans have criticised the Japanese approach for the lack of testing and the high threshold limits before an individual with symptoms underwent testing/treatment.
The assertion is that the Japanese initial strategy was conceived with emphasis on ensuring the Olympics were not endangered.
They had to postpone the Games due to international reaction not due to national thinking.
The number of people infected in Japan could well be under reported due to their testing protocols.

 

[Abdullah719]

Preliminary study finds UK lockdown is slowing spread of COVID-19

LONDON (Reuters) - Lockdown and social distancing measures introduced by the British government to slow the spread of COVID-19 may already be working, according to preliminary research findings, and could soon see Britain’s epidemic of infections declining.

Scientists used an online survey to ask 1,300 people in Britain to list their contacts for the previous day - and found that the average number of contacts now is more than 70% lower than before the lockdown.

“If we see similar changes across the UK population, we would expect to see the epidemic to start to decline,” said John Edmunds, who led the study at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

He added, however, that the findings were very preliminary and should not be seen as suggesting “job done”.

“Rather, they should be used as motivation for us all to keep following UK government instructions,” Edmunds said. “It’s imperative we don’t take our foot off the pedal. We must continue to stop transmission of the virus to reduce the burden on the National Health Service now and over the coming months.”

Like many other countries affected by the pandemic of disease caused by the new coronavirus, Britain has imposed strict social distancing measures including shop and school closures. Authorities are also asking everyone to stay at home except for essential travel.

REPRODUCTION NUMBER

The research, which was not peer-reviewed but was posted on LSHTM’S Centre for the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases website, looked at a key feature of infectious disease epidemics known as the reproduction number, sometimes called the R0, or ‘R nought’.

This describes the number of people, on average, who will catch a disease from a single infected person. If that number can be brought down to below 1.0, this signals that an epidemic will decline.

Using the change in contact patterns, the Edmunds’ team calculated a change in reproduction number between the pre-lockdown and post lockdown periods.

The finding that the mean number of contacts per person measured is more than 70% lower now than before the lockdown suggests that the R0 reproduction value now would be between 0.37 and 0.89, they said, with the most likely value being 0.62.

Independent experts not directly involved in the research said its findings were useful and encouraging.

“Given the flattening in new cases and that we have some measures in place now for over two weeks and a type of lockdown for over one week, their conclusion that R0 may be below 1 is credible,” said Keith Neal, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at Nottingham University.

Jennifer Cole, a biological anthropologist at Royal Holloway University of London, added: “It is also valuable that this study shows that R0 can be reduced significantly even when people are still allowed to go out for essential food and medicines and with essential workers still operating.”

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-h...n-is-slowing-spread-of-covid-19-idUKKBN21J56O

 

[MenInG]

A further 563 patients with coronavirus have died in the UK, taking the total number of deaths in hospitals to 2,352.

The Department of Health said 29,474 people have tested positive for the virus, up 4,324 since Tuesday.

Just yesterday health officials were talking about "green shoots" amid signs the virus maybe plateauing.

Yet today we have seen a big rise in deaths. Have things got worse?

Not necessarily. We know the number of deaths are going to go up - that is to be expected.

What matters is the trend over a few days - not what happens over the course of 24 hours.

Any signs of progress will be seen in the number of cases first.

For the past five days the new cases has been hovering between 2,500 and 3,000 each day.

Now it has gone up by 4,300. That is a substantial rise, but over the course of the past week the trajectory has still slowed from what it had been.

All eyes will be on what happens in the next few days to see if the hope of a slow down was misplaced.

 

[Saj]

Transfers of prisoners between jails in England and Wales have been banned, unless there are "exceptional" circumstances.

The restrictions have been imposed by the Prison and Probation Service as part of emergency measures designed to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Newly arrived inmates remanded or sentenced by the courts will be, in effect, quarantined for 14 days - in a separate part of each prison.

The rules, seen by BBC News, also mean that inmates with symptoms of the virus will be held in "protective isolation" units for seven days.

Those assessed as susceptible to catching the disease are to be contained in a "shielding unit" (SU) in each jail for at least 12 weeks.

The number of prisoners who are confirmed to have Covid-19 has risen to 69 across 25 prisons, with around 1,200 believed to be self-isolating.

 

[Saj]

Back to the issue of testing for coronavirus in the UK - the subject of several questions from journalists at today's Downing Street briefing.

The government has made it "a lot harder" for the UK by choosing to delay the introduction of widespread testing and buying more ventilators, a GP and former MP says.

"For us to be arriving at the party a bit late in terms of widespread testing... I've not really followed the logic of that," Dr Phillip Lee said.

The former Lib Dem MP said the government should have reacted back in January when he says it knew that the illness was going to have a significant impact on lung function in some cases.

"It beggars belief that we didn't act quicker. We'd done an exercise, we knew we had these challenges."

Downing Street says the first batch of 30 new ventilators produced by a consortium of companies will be delivered this weekend, with "hundreds more" to follow in the coming weeks.

 

[Saj]

Boris Johnson has said today's confirmation of 563 more coronavirus deaths marks a "sad, sad day" for the UK in a video posted on his Twitter account.

The PM, who is self-isolating in Downing Street after testing positive for the virus himself last week, said his thoughts were with the families of the victims.

He also said "massively increasing" testing will be the key to allowing the UK to "unlock the coronavirus puzzle" and "defeat it in the end".

 

[Saj]

The UK will call up 3,000 military reservists as part of its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Their duties will include "providing additional medical and logistical support for the NHS, acting as liaison officers and deploying specialist skills such as engineering and accounting", the Ministry of Defence said on its website.

They will be deployed for six months initially, and no-one already working for the NHS or delivering essential services will be mobilised to ensure they can continue in their roles, the ministry added.

Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said: "I know our reservists will answer the nation's call with real enthusiasm and will play a key part in our response to Covid-19."

 

[sweep_shot]

Latest UK statistics:

Coronavirus Cases:
29,474
Deaths:
2,352
Recovered:
135

Source: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk.

 

[Iqbal'sh]

Only 2,000 of the estimated 500,000 frontline NHS staff have so far been tested for Covid-19.
Seriously what is the Government upto?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52130230

 

[the Great Khan]

All anti Lockdown people have argued that the first lockdown announced a week ago should have been a complete shut down, not this joke of lockdown where families are treating it like a holiday in the parks. Where families enjoy the adventure of using the money saved up from committing to enjoy extra strolls to the supermarkets.

A lot of people are so deluded from the entire reality of the situation

I have heard on the grapevine that the larger employers are already making preps for a full lockdown

 

[the Great Khan]

Boris Johnson has said today's confirmation of 563 more coronavirus deaths marks a "sad, sad day" for the UK in a video posted on his Twitter account.

The PM, who is self-isolating in Downing Street after testing positive for the virus himself last week, said his thoughts were with the families of the victims.

He also said "massively increasing" testing will be the key to allowing the UK to "unlock the coronavirus puzzle" and "defeat it in the end".

He's a criminal who's negligence has lead to this. If he had tried at the start to minimise deaths he could say what he has. But he didnt. he was on holiday. After this is over he should resign and be put on trial.

 

[MenInG]

Figures from the Department of Health show the number of COVID-19 deaths reported in the UK has risen by 569 to 2,921 and the number of confirmed cases has risen by 4,244 to 33,718

 

[MenInG]

Another 569 people have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus - bringing the total number of deaths to 2,921.

The number of deaths, tallied in the 24 hours up to 5pm on Wednesday, is again the UK's largest daily increase so far.

 

[Saj]

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the health service's capacity is "significantly above demand" and more intensive care beds are also being added.

Intensive care capacity in London will be bolstered further when the new 4,000 bed Nightingale hospital opens, Prof Stephen Powis says.

He adds that one in four beds are currently available for potential patients in the capital.

 

[James]

I have heard on the grapevine that the larger employers are already making preps for a full lockdown

I have also heard these rumours within my industry (which is classed as essential).

Apparently there are some big conference calls happening tomorrow, which could go on into the night.

 

[MenInG]

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that Premier League footballers should "take a pay cut and play their part" to help out during the coronavirus pandemic.

 

[MenInG]

The government is under growing pressure to explain how it will meet its target of increasing coronavirus testing ten-fold by the end of April. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said he wants 100,000 tests to be carried out every day

But the Labour party said there were no details on how this could be achieved or what sort of testing would be involved

Meanwhile, a new hospital that will treat intensive care Covid-19 patients is set to open in east London later today. The temporary facility - known as the NHS Nightingale Hospital - has a capacity for up to 4,000 patients

It comes as the government said it would write off £13.4bn ($16.6bn) of historic NHS debt, so that hospital trusts are in a "stronger position" to deal with the outbreak

Heathrow Airport has said it will close one of its runways next week as air traffic continues to fall globally

The number of people with the virus who have died in the UK rose by 569, according to figures released on Thursday. It brings the total to 2,921

And 163,194 people have so far been tested for the virus, of which 33,718 were confirmed positive

 

[Robert]

We have lost 1100 citizens in 48 hours to this thing. What really scares me is when the clinical staff start to get infected or drop from exhaustion.

We have been woefully ill prepared. 30,000 nursing positions unfilled. Half the number of beds in Italy.

 

[Theo_14]

The quicker the government and society see this as a war, the better.

Serious measures need to be implemented. There must be a complete lockdown honestly.

 

[bones]

We have lost 1100 citizens in 48 hours to this thing. What really scares me is when the clinical staff start to get infected or drop from exhaustion.
We have been woefully ill prepared. 30,000 nursing positions unfilled. Half the number of beds in Italy.

Whilst the numbers are bad, when you growth rates and death rates for our population 1100 is a small fraction of the population. I still don’t understand how the NHS and other health authorities are prioritising Covid-19 patients over other patients suffering from terminal illness.

The quicker the government and society see this as a war, the better.
Serious measures need to be implemented. There must be a complete lockdown honestly.

Here we go again, the type of comment that creates more fear and panic like they want without any thinking behind it. It’s not a war and we don’t need to see it as a war. We don’t the army, guns or fighter planes. It’s a disease that spreads quickly that should be handled like that.

It’s been about 2 weeks since the partial lockdown and you haven’t see the results of it yet here or elsewhere, need a few more days. But before we see the results you want a total lockdown without any thought of how to actually enforce it and what the ramifications are.

If you enforce a full lockdown right now, what do people do about their dwindling supplies? We neither have the government or the population smart enough to work with a full lockdown, they can’t even do a partial lockdown properly.

 

[MenInG]

Prince Charles will open the new 4,000-bed NHS Nightingale later today - less than two weeks after work started on the giant specialist coronavirus field hospital.

With 80 wards, the temporary facility at the ExCel Centre in London's Docklands is now the largest critical care unit in the world.

Soldiers, carpenters, stewards and volunteers have worked around the clock to ensure NHS Nightingale could be ready for use in record time.

The Prince of Wales, who earlier this week completed self-isolation following his Covid-19 diagnosis, will launch the temporary facility via video-link from his Scottish home Birkhall.

The prince is expected to say a few words in tribute to all those who have worked to create the new medical facility, and to people across the UK who continue to deliver frontline care to those affected by the crisis.

Attending the ceremony in person will be Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who recently came out of isolation after recovering from the virus, Professor Charles Knight, chief executive of NHS Nightingale, and representatives from the Ministry of Defence, contractors and volunteers.

The facility will be used to treat COVID-19 patients who have been transferred from other intensive care units (ICU) across London.

Those who are admitted to the hospital will already be on a ventilator and will remain at the Nightingale until their course of ventilation is finished.

Coronavirus patients suffering from other serious conditions - such as cardiac issues - will be cared for at other specialist centres.

But the hospital's design means it will be able to operate as a large intensive care unit or as a normal ward, depending on demand.

More than 16,000 members of staff could be needed to run it should the hospital reach full capacity.

Staff will also be offered accommodation in nearby hotels.

While all the equipment being used at the Nightingale is "new kit", according to leaked documents, some health officials have expressed reservations about how communications might work in the vast, open building, normally used as a venue for trade fairs and exhibitions.

Draft clinical models seen by the Health Service Journal show the building's poor acoustics has been a cause of concern.

Although the most acute cases will be sent elsewhere, the leaked documents also reportedly show that officials have modelled that between 16% and 20% of those admitted to the hospital could die.

Two more Nightingale hospitals will also be opened in Bristol and Harrogate.

The Bristol hospital will be able to look after up to 1,000 patients, while Harrogate can care for up to 500.

They will join other sites due to open at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre and Manchester's Central Complex.

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...es-worlds-largest-critical-care-unit-11967757

 

[MenInG]

 

[Rana]

Big achievement with this hospital.

All we need now is the Antigen testing, hopefully we can get back to normal life soon

 

[MenInG]

The deadliest peak of the UK's coronavirus outbreak could be on Easter Sunday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

Asked about reports that the death rate could peak on 12 April, Mr Hancock told Sky: "I defer to the scientists on the exact predictions,
I'm not going to steer you away from that.

"That is one perfectly possible outcome."

According to the most recent figures from Thursday, 2,921 people in the UK have died with the virus. The total rose by 569 from 2,352 the day before, which was the biggest day-on-day increase so far.

 

[Ronaldo7]

The deadliest peak of the UK's coronavirus outbreak could be on Easter Sunday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

Asked about reports that the death rate could peak on 12 April, Mr Hancock told Sky: "I defer to the scientists on the exact predictions,
I'm not going to steer you away from that.

"That is one perfectly possible outcome."

According to the most recent figures from Thursday, 2,921 people in the UK have died with the virus. The total rose by 569 from 2,352 the day before, which was the biggest day-on-day increase so far.

What will be the toll on that day?
Did he say?

 

[Robert]

Whilst the numbers are bad, when you growth rates and death rates for our population 1100 is a small fraction of the population. I still don’t understand how the NHS and other health authorities are prioritising Covid-19 patients over other patients suffering from terminal illness.

If they don’t, that 1100 is going to be 100,000 very quickly.

 

[Saj]

A further 684 people have died with coronavirus in the UK over a day, latest Department of Health figures show.

The total death toll now stands at 3,605, as of 17:00 BST on 3 April.

 

[IMMY69]

If they don’t, that 1100 is going to be 100,000 very quickly.

500k to 1m infected in one week worldwide
Daily Death rate in UK alone is doubling every three days...

We trying hard to save 230k people in the UK but some people think it’s a conspiracy

 

[Saj]

The Queen will address the nation in a televised broadcast on Sunday, Buckingham Palace has announced.

The broadcast will be aired at 20:00 BST (19:00 GMT).

The Queen has suspended her royal duties and is currently at Windsor Castle in Berkshire with the Duke of Edinburgh.

Last month she issued a message on the outbreak, saying the UK is “entering a period of great concern and uncertainty”.

Sunday's address will be only the fourth of her 68-year reign beyond her traditional message on Christmas Day.

The other three previous speeches to be aired came after the Queen Mother's death in 2002, ahead of Diana, Princess of Wales's funeral in 1997 and about the First Gulf War in 1991.

 

[Rana]

What will be the toll on that day?
Did he say?

Near 1000

 

[bones]

If they don’t, that 1100 is going to be 100,000 very quickly.

Nonsense. No evidence in any country anywhere that it can spread and kill that fast. Yes it can spread and kill, but nowhere near the levels you've stated or the media do every day.

 

[bones]

500k to 1m infected in one week worldwide
Daily Death rate in UK alone is doubling every three days...

We trying hard to save 230k people in the UK but some people think it’s a conspiracy

Clearly not trying hard enough. I can go out any time I want and all I have to say to anyone asking is, I'm getting my essentials. Same with everyone else.

It is a joke, it's almost as if they wanted people to die, then do a proper lockdown.

 

[Iqbal'sh]

Nonsense. No evidence in any country anywhere that it can spread and kill that fast. Yes it can spread and kill, but nowhere near the levels you've stated or the media do every day.

True indeed - you need millions of cases of ill patients for the daily deaths to get to 6 figure numbers. Currently UK has around 34k cases showing mild conditions and less than 1k in the seriously ill category.

 

[MenInG]

English football will not return until "it is safe and appropriate to do so", the Premier League has said as it accepts it will not restart on 30 April.

That was the date the suspension of the Premier League and English Football League was due to end.

Top-flight clubs have been heavily criticised as some furlough off-field staff - meaning public funds pay 80% of their wages - while footballers remain on their full huge salaries.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak says Premier League clubs, like other businesses, should "act responsibly".

The top-flight clubs have agreed to consult their players about a 30% pay cut.

They have donated £20m to "support the NHS, communities, families and vulnerable groups" and given "advance funds" of £125m to the lower leagues.

Their 20 captains have been in talks for several days and it is expected they will set up a collective charitable fund - with the NHS a likely beneficiary.

 

[The Viper]

The first British child known to have died after testing positive for coronavirus was buried earlier.
Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, 13, from Brixton in south London, died in hospital on Monday.

His immediate family were unable to attend the funeral as they are self-isolating after Ismail's younger brother and older sister developed mild symptoms of the virus.

They had hoped to follow the ceremony in Chislehurst via a livestream, but were unable to.

Giving a short speech at the ceremony, family friend Mark Stephenson told mourners they could be "comforted in the knowledge ...that prayers and supplications of thousands of people, not just in the UK but around the world, are also being offered for Ismail and his family."

 

[Saj]

The first British child known to have died after testing positive for coronavirus was buried earlier.
Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, 13, from Brixton in south London, died in hospital on Monday.

His immediate family were unable to attend the funeral as they are self-isolating after Ismail's younger brother and older sister developed mild symptoms of the virus.

They had hoped to follow the ceremony in Chislehurst via a livestream, but were unable to.

Giving a short speech at the ceremony, family friend Mark Stephenson told mourners they could be "comforted in the knowledge ...that prayers and supplications of thousands of people, not just in the UK but around the world, are also being offered for Ismail and his family."

View attachment 100315

Incredibly sad this.

Heartbreaking.

 

[Saj]

A further 684 people with the virus have died in the UK, bringing the total to 3,605 - a total which is now higher than the official death toll in China

A 4,000 bed emergency field hospital has opened in London, while plans for two more have been announced - in Bristol and Harrogate

Staying home is "not a request", Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned - as warmer weather is forecast over the weekendTwo nurses have died with coronavirus in the past 24 hours - with England's chief nurse urging the public to "stay at home for them

"Health officials have called on patients to volunteer to take part in three new clinical trials looking at how existing drugs could be used to treat the virus

Meanwhile, the Queen will give a televised address to the country on Sunday, Buckingham Palace has announced

And Boris Johnson will carry on self-isolatingafter continuing to display mild symptoms of the coronavirus

 

[MenInG]

The funeral of the UK's youngest coronavirus victim went ahead without his mother and siblings after two of them developed symptoms.

Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, 13, passed away in the early hours of Monday at King's College Hospital.

He was buried at Kemnal Park Cemetery in Chislehurst, south east London. on Friday by undertakers wearing protective equipment, as a small number of mourners watched on.

The Brixton schoolboy's immediate family members were not among them, however, as two of his siblings have developed symptoms of the COVID-19 disease and the household has been forced to self-isolate.

Mourners spaced out for social distance during a prayer at the funeral in the Eternal Gardens Muslim Burial Ground, Chislehurst of Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, 13, from Brixton, south London, who died alone in King’s College Hospital in the early hours of Monday after testing positive for the coronavirus. PA Photo. Picture date: Friday April 3, 2020. The teenager was buried in the Eternal Gardens at Kemnal Park Cemetery in Chislehurst without his family present as his mother and six siblings are f

Because the coronavirus is so infectious, Ismail's family had also not been allowed to be with him when he died.

He passed away in hospital after being put on a ventilator and then into an induced coma, having been admitted after suffering breathing difficulties last Thursday.

The teenager, who had no known underlying health problems, tested positive for coronavirus the following day.

Following his death, his family said in a statement: "We are beyond devastated."

Donations have continued to pour in for a GoFundMe page set up to pay for Ismail's funeral and support his family, smashing the original £4,000 target and now standing at more than £72,000.

Many of the donations are in the hundreds of pounds, with one topping £3,495.

According to the page, set up by Madinah College, Ismail was the younger brother of one of the teachers there.

Mourners spaced out for social distance during a prayer at the funeral in the Eternal Gardens Muslim Burial Ground, Chislehurst of Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, 13, from Brixton, south London, who died alone in King’s College Hospital in the early hours of Monday after testing positive for the coronavirus. PA Photo. Picture date: Friday April 3, 2020. The teenager was buried in the Eternal Gardens at Kemnal Park Cemetery in Chislehurst without his family present as his mother and six siblings are f

Organisers of the fundraiser have since posted a longer tribute from the family, describing Ismail as "gentle, kind" and with a "heartwarming" smile.

They thanked staff at the hospital for their efforts and for the money that has been raised, saying they were "extremely grateful and overwhelmed by the amount of support".

"We are all praying at this difficult time for all the people affected by this COVID-19 virus and we wish everybody a speedy recovery," they added.

"We also want to reiterate the need for people to listen to government guidance. COVID-19 is a virus attacking all members of our society, not just older people or those with pre-existing conditions.

"So please do everything you can to ensure that we adhere to social distancing; that people stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives."

Another 684 people in the UK were announced as having died after contracting coronavirus earlier on Friday, which brought the total number of deaths nationwide to 3,605.

The Department of Health said as of 9am on Friday, 38,168 people had tested positive.

Britons have been warned to stick to lockdown measures ahead of what is set to be a sunny weekend.

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...o-miss-funeral-due-to-self-isolation-11968274

 

[MenInG]

Police face "one of their biggest challenges" of the lockdown this weekend as sunny weather risks drawing crowds to parks and beauty spots.

Katie Bourne, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, told the BBC officers were telling the public to "hang on in there" and avoid unnecessary trips.

Ministers have said "stay at home" is an instruction, not a request.

And senior medics urged people to avoid travel for the sake of two nurses who died of coronavirus.

A forecast of warm weather in some areas this weekend has led to warnings from local councils, tourism bosses and police urging people to stay away from coastal areas, national parks and other visitor destinations.

On Sunday, forecasters have predicted a temperature high of 20C in south-east England, while southern Scotland and the Midlands could reach 16C and 19C respectively.

"This weekend is going to be one of the biggest challenges for policing so far," Ms Bourne told BBC Newsnight.

"We've been through a lot, it's very disruptive but let's not give up, let's hang on in there. It's a collective endeavour, this is ultimately about saving lives and not putting a strain on the NHS and our other emergency services.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52162490

 

[Robert]

Nonsense. No evidence in any country anywhere that it can spread and kill that fast. Yes it can spread and kill, but nowhere near the levels you've stated or the media do every day.

You are ignoring facts. It has killed 1800 Britons in the last three days. Look it up.

It is much more infectious than flu. On average one person with flu infects 1.4 people. One person with C19 infects three people. That is a massive difference. Ten of those infection cycles means 10,000 are infected. Of those, at least 200 will die.

This will touch us all. Somebody each of us knows will die of this scourge.

 

[Robert]

Desperately sad for the family of the Brixton lad. They can’t even say goodbye.

 

[pakistani pride]

You are ignoring facts. It has killed 1800 Britons in the last three days. Look it up.

It is much more infectious than flu. On average one person with flu infects 1.4 people. One person with C19 infects three people. That is a massive difference. Ten of those infection cycles means 10,000 are infected. Of those, at least 200 will die.

This will touch us all. Somebody each of us knows will die of this scourge.

Please stop spreading panic.
10.000 will be infected etc.

 

[bones]

You are ignoring facts. It has killed 1800 Britons in the last three days. Look it up.

It is much more infectious than flu. On average one person with flu infects 1.4 people. One person with C19 infects three people. That is a massive difference. Ten of those infection cycles means 10,000 are infected. Of those, at least 200 will die.

This will touch us all. Somebody each of us knows will die of this scourge.

I'm sure if these are facts as they could well have been manipulated but the facts are it's killed 3600 in UK since it began and infected about 40k. Everything else you've written is guessing.

I asked a couple of family friends recently who work in the NHS and you know their response? We aren't sure if you can class some of those killed as Covid19 kills, most of them had underlying conditions and Covid19 pushed them over the edge. That is the thing, if a person has lung or heart disease if they get Covid 19, we are told they died of Covid19 and not the other way around. The figures may well be heavily distorted.

I had to go out for some groceries and went past my local hospital earlier in the week. I was expecting sirens galore, ambulances coming and going and the A&E to be rammed. But from what I could see, there was none of the chaos that the media have warned us about. So last night I went exactly the same route and slowed down, was easy because lack of traffic and paused for a moment and peered in and the A&E has just a couple of people.

It's not adding up. More and more videos coming online from around the world where people are seeing the same thing. The media is telling it's chaos with the health systems struggling, bodies and patients everywhere, police and security outside but there's nothing of the sort.

You say this will touch us all, I don't dispute that, but it will touch us all in many other ways more.

 

[Rana]

COVID-19 has a politically correct style of referring to it.

Telling the honest truth and not spreading fear is politically incorrect

 

[Saj]

The epidemic is set to plateau in the next week to 10 days, but people's behaviour is critical to determining what happens next, Prof Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London, has told BBC Radio 4's Today programme

So far 3,605 people have died in the UK, according to figures released on Friday. Prof Ferguson said: "We want to move to a situation where at least by the end of May that we're able to substitute some less intensive measures, more based on technology and testing, for the complete lockdown we have now"

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has invited opposition leaders to discuss the response to the virus - including Keir Starmer, who has been elected as leader of the Labour party

Thirteen residents at a Glasgow care home have died in one week following a suspected outbreak of coronavirus

Up to 4,000 prisoners could be released from jails in England and Wales early, says the prison service. But those convicted of violent crimes and sex offences will be excluded from the scheme

Police and health officials are concerned the warmer temperatures forecast for much of the country this weekend will bring people out to parks and beauty spots

And mobile phone masts have been set on fire over “baseless” theories linking 5G to coronavirus. Masts were set alight near Birmingham on Thursday and in the Merseyside area on Friday.

 

[Robert]

Please stop spreading panic.
10.000 will be infected etc.

No. A lot more that 10,000 are infected already. 10,000 will die. Look at the numbers for Italy and Spain. We are a week behind them, and we have fewer acute beds.

We have to face facts before we can hold an inquiry about why we are so ill-prepared and what to do in future.

 

[Iqbal'sh]

No. A lot more that 10,000 are infected already. 10,000 will die. Look at the numbers for Italy and Spain. We are a week behind them, and we have fewer acute beds.

We have to face facts before we can hold an inquiry about why we are so ill-prepared and what to do in future.

You’re probably right and maybe more than 10k will die in the UK but in your earlier post you claimed the daily deaths could raise to 100k

If they don’t, that 1100 is going to be 100,000 very quickly.

This is absurd and frankly it is the sort of fear mongering that is not required

 

[Saj]

Another 708 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus - taking the UK's total to 4,313.

 

[Rana]

No. A lot more that 10,000 are infected already. 10,000 will die. Look at the numbers for Italy and Spain. We are a week behind them, and we have fewer acute beds.

We have to face facts before we can hold an inquiry about why we are so ill-prepared and what to do in future.

Stay home, stay safe when the lockdown measures are relaxed a bit also

 

[Saj]

The latest UK coronavirus figures have been released by the government.

Officials says that as of 17:00 BST on Friday, 3 April, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 4,313 have died - an increase of 708 from the previous day.

As of 09:00 BST on Saturday a total of 183,190 people have been tested of whom 41,903 have tested positive.

 

[Saj]

five-year-old is among the latest reported victims of the coronavirus in the UK, NHS England says.

The latest figures show 4,313 people with the virus have now died in the UK - up by 708 on Friday's figure.

There are now 41,903 confirmed cases, the Department of Health says.

 

[Shaddy86]

Why isn't the recovery data of UK being updated? It's been stuck on 135 for over a week.

 

[Saj]

Michael Gove says seven healthcare workers have now died after getting the virus.

"We offer our heartfelt condolences," he said.

He says their deaths and those of the five-year-old and 13-year-old Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab - whose mother and siblings are now showing symptoms - demonstrate the need to stay at home and maintain social distancing.

"You must stay at home," he said. "Take pride in keeping your own families safe."

 

[Saj]

Three hundred ventilators from China arrived on Saturday and the first new British-made ventilators will be ready this weekend, Mr Gove says.

"We've been buying invasive ventilators from partners abroad, including Germany and Switzerland, and today 300 new ventilators arrived from China. I'd like to thank the Chinese government," he said.

The British-made ventilators are being made by a consortium of aerospace, engineering and Formula One teams.

Ventilators take over the body's breathing process when disease has caused the lungs to fail.