Coronavirus

[pauld]

It is unbelievable TBH, and yes bordering on madness is correct!

And now Trump is actively encouraging the protests in 3 states, coincidentally all with Democrat governors, tweeting "LIBERATE VIRGINIA" etc. He's effectively inciting rebellion in his own country. Absolutely criminal.

[pauld]

Hancock refuses to give assurance that hospitals won't run out of PPE gowns this weekend. Some hospitals are already having to decontaminate single use PPE in an attempt to reuse it. Fucking shambles.

And this is now official advice. To reuse PPE that is designed to be single use. Criminal.

[Flashheart]

Absolutely criminal.

I'm not a legal person, but I'd hazard a guess that it is, actually, criminal. Not that anything would happen about it.

[JBZ]

I'm not a legal person, but I'd hazard a guess that it is, actually, criminal. Not that anything would happen about it.

As you say, you are not a lawyer.

[Pax Romana]

That is more likely to achieve the opposite of what you want. By and large, bar the occasional exception, the current rules have been pretty well observed and people seem to have adapted quite well. Making the rules themselves more stringent only makes violations more likely. There's a large amount of buy-in for things as they stand, make it much tougher and that will evaporate. FWIW, I think the current lockdown rules are one of the few things the govt has got about right in it's generally abysmal handling of the crisis

Difficult to know what is for the best and I sympathise with the 'harder not softer' viewpoint, but I think you are probably right.  Retaining public support is vital.

[Pax Romana]

And this is now official advice. To reuse PPE that is designed to be single use. Criminal.

It's appalling that they have insufficient supplies, but where that is the reality then what do you suggest as a less criminal course of action?

Not treating the patient?   Treating without any protection?

[pauld]

It's appalling that they have insufficient supplies, but where that is the reality then what do you suggest as a less criminal course of action?

Not treating the patient?   Treating without any protection?

Sorry, I was perhaps a little ambiguous. I meant the decision to run down/fail to maintain the stockpile of PPE for precisely this eventuality over the last 7 years, then the more immediate failure to get adequate supplies of PPE in Jan/Feb/early March when it was clear this was coming, and even now the ongoing failure to engage with small manufacturers who I keep seeing on Twitter crying out to supply PPE but claim that they are being ignored. All of which has led to the current situation where, as you say, health workers are faced with the choice of treating patients without proper protection or simply not treating them which is no choice at all. That is what I meant was criminal.

[Banker]

Difficult to know what is for the best and I sympathise with the 'harder not softer' viewpoint, but I think you are probably right.  Retaining public support is vital.

Just think, one asymptomatic at the Deers Leap lock-in last Thursday night and the consequences won't be apparent for weeks. It's reasonable to assume similar is going on up and down the country during this partial lockdown. Longer it goes on, fatigue will set in, even more will be tempted to push their luck.

IMHO the only way to bring active cases down to a level that doesn't threaten NHS capacity, and importantly, over a sustained period of time, is to impose a much stricter and enforceable lockdown. We're just delaying the inevitable.

[Ardiles]

Sorry, I was perhaps a little ambiguous. I meant the decision to run down/fail to maintain the stockpile of PPE for precisely this eventuality over the last 7 years, then the more immediate failure to get adequate supplies of PPE in Jan/Feb/early March when it was clear this was coming, and even now the ongoing failure to engage with small manufacturers who I keep seeing on Twitter crying out to supply PPE but claim that they are being ignored. All of which has led to the current situation where, as you say, health workers are faced with the choice of treating patients without proper protection or simply not treating them which is no choice at all. That is what I meant was criminal.

In Jan, the focus of the government was entirely on Brexit and the Jan 31st deadline.  There was no time for anything else.  In Feb, they were all knackered.  Massive relief, no doubt, to have jumped the Brexit hurdle.  Probably explains why Johnson went missing for 12 days in Feb, just as the crisis was escalating.  By March, it was too late.  Other countries were ahead of us in the procurement queues for PPE...which makes it all the more despicable that we opted out of the EU scheme because it would have been politically embarrassing for the Tories.  The opportunity cost of Brexit has been horrific, and this is the most tragic example of it.

[Batch]

well that's it isn't it. missed the PPE boat, if there was one, and now can't get them quick enough..

except I take Pauls point about seemingly not engaging with manufacturers that could help.

there are some that are helping regardless though.my sister is a community nurse. the local tech college manufactured full face masks for the team.

[@mwooly63]

well that's it isn't it. missed the PPE boat, if there was one, and now can't get them quick enough..

except I take Pauls point about seemingly not engaging with manufacturers that could help.

there are some that are helping regardless though.my sister is a community nurse. the local tech college manufactured full face masks for the team.

If on twitter have a look thru Jefferson MFG timelines.

Barbour making 1500 gowns a day in South shields
Numatic making 10k face shields a day in Chard.
JCB in Rocester making face shields.
Cadbury in Birmingham making face shields

Along with
The British automotive sector has responded to the urgent call for PPE and medical devices, including:
▪️Aston Martin (Visors & gowns)
▪️Mercedes (CPAP machines)
▪️Rolls-Royce (Visors)
▪️Nissan (Visors)
▪️Ford (Ventilators)
▪️JLR (Visors)
▪️McLaren (Ventilators)

Plenty about that you rarely if ever see on MSN

[Ardiles]

That's really positive, if true.  Let's hope the equipment starts arriving ASAP.  Well done to the companies involved.

[Arriba]

A resident in the care home my Mrs works in now has the virus. First one.
Waiting for my daughter to get in from the 12 hour shift from another home and will see how she's got on today.

[Ardiles]

Trying to be positive. And this is one of the more hopeful bits of analysis I've seen for a while.  Follow the link and scroll down to 7.03pm.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-uk-latest-cases-deaths-lockdown-vaccine-update/#update-20200418-1903

[StfcRusty]

Pretty damning expose on Boris Johnson by that lefty rag, The Sunday Times:

https://twitter.com/thesundaytimes/status/1251563504118771712

tldr: they allege Johnson skipped five Cobra meetings on coronavirus, calls to order protective gear were ignored and scientists’ warnings fell on deaf ears