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The Coronavirus and its impact on sport/Fans Return (Merged)


Loderingo

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45 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

At least I don't run a restaurant. :blush2:

I can't help but think this "only test people if they've come back from abroad or know they've been in contact with people who have" is a cheapo way of trying to hide that they just do not have the resources to do so. South Korea at one time was the world's most infected country and what they did was test anyone who thought they had symptoms, if positive test those who were known to come into contact with them, and if those are positive test those in contact with THEM and so on. The rigorous testing regime and isolation of those with covid-19 has successfully slowed the progress of the virus right down there.  Over here, we have umpteen people who have no idea if they have the virus or not and we are relying on no one basically doing anything for the foreseeable for it just to vanish. Which seems very optimistic.

 

A bloke from the industry talking on R4 this morning said it was highly unlikely most hospitality industry outlets would have insurance that paid out even if they were legally ordered to shut, and even for those that did, the delay in payouts would mean they still wouldn't have the cash-flow to continue paying staff. He said yesterday's announcement effectively made 1 million redundant. Numerous pubs and restaurants are likely to never re-open and parts of our heritage and the UK we know could be lost forever.  :crying:

 

The more I think about the way this is being tackled - the economic impact, the social isolation and worry with likely increases in mental health problems/suicides, plus the lack of exercise for many and long-term health problems that will cause - the more I'm beginning to think that the expert's "cure" for this virus could be worse than the virus itself. Particularly if these measures last all year, as many suggest they will. 

No way will the economy "come roaring back" as Mr Blobby suggests, once a vaccine is developed. We're looking at deep, deep economic hardship and a very slow recovery.

I agree with much of this. My big worry - and this isn't a criticism of any particular government but the general approach - is that there doesn't seem to be much of a long-term plan beyond hoping we get a vaccine. I have an underlying health condition and am now going to be moving back to Bristol with my Mum for twelve weeks because of the difficulty in cutting down social contact in shared accommodation. It is going to have a massive psychological effect on me and various other people. I have a full time job, which luckily I can do from home, but it is still a massive ask to do a job that involves a lot of networking without doing any networking whilst living with your Mum.

But, after those twelve weeks? What then? My guess is it will be extended but, if it isn't, then the virus might come back. Maybe then it is possible to identify, track and shut down a second outbreak before it escalates but, if not, we're straight back to square one again. And there are few small businesses in the hospitality or entertainment industries that could survive a three month shutdown, let alone a year one if it comes to that.

We are doing a massive amount of damage to society at the moment and, whilst we may not have a choice, the world is going to look very different when we come out of the other side.

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56 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

At least I don't run a restaurant. :blush2:

I can't help but think this "only test people if they've come back from abroad or know they've been in contact with people who have" is a cheapo way of trying to hide that they just do not have the resources to do so. South Korea at one time was the world's most infected country and what they did was test anyone who thought they had symptoms, if positive test those who were known to come into contact with them, and if those are positive test those in contact with THEM and so on. The rigorous testing regime and isolation of those with covid-19 has successfully slowed the progress of the virus right down there.  Over here, we have umpteen people who have no idea if they have the virus or not and we are relying on no one basically doing anything for the foreseeable for it just to vanish. Which seems very optimistic.

 

A bloke from the industry talking on R4 this morning said it was highly unlikely most hospitality industry outlets would have insurance that paid out even if they were legally ordered to shut, and even for those that did, the delay in payouts would mean they still wouldn't have the cash-flow to continue paying staff. He said yesterday's announcement effectively made 1 million redundant. Numerous pubs and restaurants are likely to never re-open and parts of our heritage and the UK we know could be lost forever.  :crying:

 

The more I think about the way this is being tackled - the economic impact, the social isolation and worry with likely increases in mental health problems/suicides, plus the lack of exercise for many and long-term health problems that will cause - the more I'm beginning to think that the expert's "cure" for this virus could be worse than the virus itself. Particularly if these measures last all year, as many suggest they will. 

No way will the economy "come roaring back" as Mr Blobby suggests, once a vaccine is developed. We're looking at deep, deep economic hardship and a very slow recovery.

If "Mr Bobby" gives the population what might well be the stark reality about the future then the mental health and suicide issues you mention could well rocket. 

As Jack Nicholson said in A Few Good "you want the truth - you can't handle the truth!" 

 

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32 minutes ago, wood_red said:

eBay should be removing all adverts that are cashing in on this (according to their own T&Cs), this is where I do get very cynical though - the higher the prices due to demand then the more money they make from the sellers....

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Item number:
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1 minute ago, Coppello said:

I've just had an email from Sky saying they're going to increase my subscription by £5 a month. It's pretty poor timing given that there is absolutely nothing on TV at the moment aside from Coronavirus news coverage! 

they asked me for £60 to downgrade my package by removing sport!

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6 minutes ago, Markman said:
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I am sort of hoping that some of the bids on some items are just not real per se, and certain accounts are bidding stupidly on purpose to pee off the seller, so they just won't pay at the end of the auction.

To try and get people to pay just isn't worth the hassle, even though it is so say "a binding contract". The scummy seller then has to start over again.

Shame eBay haven't got a simple algorithm that can just make some items buy it now only (sanitisers, toilet rolls etc), and at a maximum price per item. It could easily be done. They way it is at the moment with auctions is the seller will say they haven't put an inflated price on the items themselves.

 

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27 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

No better time for this country to move on from toilet paper and start using bidets or one of these. Toilet paper is fairly archaic and gross when you think about it.

Disgusting to see people profiteering from selling it though. 

 

There was a shortage of shit-tickets when I went to the shops the other day, so I bought a 'toilet brush' - not the most comfortable device in the world, and I'm sure I flicked clag-nuts all over the place, but I guess this is just trial and error.

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5 minutes ago, Coppello said:

I've just had an email from Sky saying they're going to increase my subscription by £5 a month. It's pretty poor timing given that there is absolutely nothing on TV at the moment aside from Coronavirus news coverage! 

I read yesterday that quite a few were ringing up cancelling and were getting offered better deals, but message straight away was a minimum 45 minute wait.

If you can cancel then surely when this is hopefully all over, they will probably all be offering deals to get you back.

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23 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

I agree with much of this. My big worry - and this isn't a criticism of any particular government but the general approach - is that there doesn't seem to be much of a long-term plan beyond hoping we get a vaccine. I have an underlying health condition and am now going to be moving back to Bristol with my Mum for twelve weeks because of the difficulty in cutting down social contact in shared accommodation. It is going to have a massive psychological effect on me and various other people. I have a full time job, which luckily I can do from home, but it is still a massive ask to do a job that involves a lot of networking without doing any networking whilst living with your Mum.

But, after those twelve weeks? What then? My guess is it will be extended but, if it isn't, then the virus might come back. Maybe then it is possible to identify, track and shut down a second outbreak before it escalates but, if not, we're straight back to square one again. And there are few small businesses in the hospitality or entertainment industries that could survive a three month shutdown, let alone a year one if it comes to that.

We are doing a massive amount of damage to society at the moment and, whilst we may not have a choice, the world is going to look very different when we come out of the other side.

 

Tough one for you there, LB. I guess everyone, bar undertakers, is braced for a downturn. And even undertakers might not be that happy at having a job that precludes "working from home" and social isolation.

I'm not particularly going to criticise Johnson for the way his government has dealt with the virus. I'm not sure what I'd do in his position. Probably the same, but take a leaf from Macron's book and start cancelling future and past tax debts for small businesses and making other measures to keep firms alive while this de facto lockdown goes on. Macron has the advantage that the French weren't stupid enough to privatise all their utilities, so he's been able to order that these are provided for free as well.

Where I think the chickens will come home to roost for the Conservative Party is the way the crisis is exposing the damage done to the NHS by 10 years of austerity and the death of a thousand cuts. We have much lower numbers of ICU beds than the rest of Western Europe. In fact, even Russia and China have more beds per million than we do. And other aspects of the health service, from ambulance numbers to blood analysis laboratory workers have been similarly run-down leaving an NHS that is now highly unlikely to cope for very long at all.

This systematic neglect may already be reflected in our death rate per infection which, if you look at the tables in this excellent data site, seem very high compared to much of the world.

Spain has just nationalised all private hospitals and clinics. We should consider doing likewise.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

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Against my better judgment I have had some sympathy with Alex dP and his running of the crisis so far. However apparently on a call with leaders of industry regards manufacturing more ventilators this morning  he suggested they should call the project ‘operation last gasp’. The man is a ***t of the highest order.  

 

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4 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Tough one for you there, LB. I guess everyone, bar undertakers, is braced for a downturn. And even undertakers might not be that happy at having a job that precludes "working from home" and social isolation.

I'm not particularly going to criticise Johnson for the way his government has dealt with the virus. I'm not sure what I'd do in his position. Probably the same, but take a leaf from Macron's book and start cancelling future and past tax debts for small businesses and making other measures to keep firms alive while this de facto lockdown goes on. Macron has the advantage that the French weren't stupid enough to privatise all their utilities, so he's been able to order that these are provided for free as well.

Where I think the chickens will come home to roost for the Conservative Party is the way the crisis is exposing the damage done to the NHS by 10 years of austerity and the death of a thousand cuts. We have much lower numbers of ICU beds than the rest of Western Europe. In fact, even Russia and China have more beds per million than we do. And other aspects of the health service, from ambulance numbers to blood analysis laboratory workers have been similarly run-down leaving an NHS that is now highly unlikely to cope for very long at all.

This systematic neglect may already be reflected in our death rate per infection which, if you look at the tables in this excellent data site, seem very high compared to much of the world.

Spain has just nationalised all private hospitals and clinics. We should consider doing likewise.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

If you believe the government (I know I know) they say they have increased spending on the NHS above the rate of inflation for the past ten years. If that's the case where the hell has all the money gone? and why are they always saying they need more? I would be genuinely interested to hear from someone that knows about these things.

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2 minutes ago, Markman said:
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Local to where I live, there have also been reports of corner shops buying up supermarket toilet paper so they can charge double for it in their own shops. It is really depressing how much of the supposed panic buying is actually opportunism to create a shortage...

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1 minute ago, LondonBristolian said:

Local to where I live, there have also been reports of corner shops buying up supermarket toilet paper so they can charge double for it in their own shops. It is really depressing how much of the supposed panic buying is actually opportunism to create a shortage...

Those shops may gain short term but generally people will despise them, and longterm it really could be the end of them. I remember the fuel "crisis" years ago with some independent garages doing the same, and when the country got back to normality nobody went there and they shutdown. A poor decision by the business owners making stupid money on essentials.

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6 minutes ago, pillred said:

If you believe the government (I know I know) they say they have increased spending on the NHS above the rate of inflation for the past ten years. If that's the case where the hell has all the money gone? and why are they always saying they need more? I would be genuinely interested to hear from someone that knows about these things.

Apparently for every pound spent on the NHS in 2010, 86p was spent in 2019.

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My particular beef at the moment is with the BBC and their treatment of self isolation for the over70's

They inevitably interview a 70 plus luvvie who witters on about more time to bake biscuits or enjoy the garden or catch up with friends on Skype.

I'd rather hear about  Doris from Wigan who lives alone in a council block and has no internet or mobile phone and is worried sick

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2 minutes ago, wood_red said:

Those shops may gain short term but generally people will despise them, and longterm it really could be the end of them. I remember the fuel "crisis" years ago with some independent garages doing the same, and when the country got back to normality nobody went there and they shutdown. A poor decision by the business owners making stupid money on essentials.

Yep, I saw someone say they had always supported a local pharmacy, despite prices being a bit higher....but when they put up hand sanitizer 5 fold, they lost one if not many customers.

On the flip, if suppliers have driven up prices, then be transparent.

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2 minutes ago, NOTBLUE said:

Apparently for every pound spent on the NHS in 2010, 86p was spent in 2019.

That might explain it then, whenever you hear anyone from the government discussing the NHS they give the impression the budget has gone up year on year, sounds like they're massaging the figures a bit. 

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5 minutes ago, pillred said:

That might explain it then, whenever you hear anyone from the government discussing the NHS they give the impression the budget has gone up year on year, sounds like they're massaging the figures a bit. 

The actual sum of money may well of increased,but once you take inflation and the rising cost of providing health care in to it,it’s been cut.

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15 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Yep, I saw someone say they had always supported a local pharmacy, despite prices being a bit higher....but when they put up hand sanitizer 5 fold, they lost one if not many customers.

On the flip, if suppliers have driven up prices, then be transparent.

Exactly, I go to my local shop for a few things and a local butcher (think that is better quality though) knowing I can probably save a few quid at a larger chain.

If a local pharmacy has put their prices up 5 fold for sanitiser and have been charged more by the manufacturer/supplier then surely they would make a point of stating that fact. I would guess they haven't though.

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I must admit that when I saw Boris’s press conference my first thought was for the poor pub and restaurant owners and the low paid workers on zero hours contracts that depend on them. The government has told us to stay away from them but not told them to close. 
this is an unprecedented situation and this is exactly what governments are employed to deal with. All non-essential businesses should close but with guarantee of income that enables them to survive. Yes it will cost £billions but not as much as having no economy and millions of jobless and homeless when this thing finally blows over. 
It’s not normal for a Tory government to subsidise businesses, but what is happening isn’t normal either and if we want our economy to recover we need those businesses to be able to pick up from where they left off. 

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I can see the Tories (reluctantly) having to adopt some of the fiscal policies championed by Labour and the Greens.

A period of time with a universal basic income? A suspension of repayments or even temporary nationalisation of some services.

All of which will cost money, but even Boris must realise that the sick can't pay for housing, bills and food on SSP.

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5 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

I can see the Tories (reluctantly) having to adopt some of the fiscal policies championed by Labour and the Greens.

A period of time with a universal basic income? A suspension of repayments or even temporary nationalisation of some services.

All of which will cost money, but even Boris must realise that the sick can't pay for housing, bills and food on SSP.

It will be difficult when the Tories have been guided from the philosophy that it’s better for the soul of the poor to be working in poverty than idly secure. I know I’d rather be from Germany or France right now who still have security nets and not an economy built on private debt, high rent and insecure work. 

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59 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Tough one for you there, LB. I guess everyone, bar undertakers, is braced for a downturn. And even undertakers might not be that happy at having a job that precludes "working from home" and social isolation.

I'm not particularly going to criticise Johnson for the way his government has dealt with the virus. I'm not sure what I'd do in his position. Probably the same, but take a leaf from Macron's book and start cancelling future and past tax debts for small businesses and making other measures to keep firms alive while this de facto lockdown goes on. Macron has the advantage that the French weren't stupid enough to privatise all their utilities, so he's been able to order that these are provided for free as well.

Where I think the chickens will come home to roost for the Conservative Party is the way the crisis is exposing the damage done to the NHS by 10 years of austerity and the death of a thousand cuts. We have much lower numbers of ICU beds than the rest of Western Europe. In fact, even Russia and China have more beds per million than we do. And other aspects of the health service, from ambulance numbers to blood analysis laboratory workers have been similarly run-down leaving an NHS that is now highly unlikely to cope for very long at all.

This systematic neglect may already be reflected in our death rate per infection which, if you look at the tables in this excellent data site, seem very high compared to much of the world.

Spain has just nationalised all private hospitals and clinics. We should consider doing likewise.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

My wife is secretary to a consultant surgeon in his private practice.

He says that the private hospital in which he does his private work is gearing up to be utilised in dealing with coronavirus. They are cancelling elective surgery at the local NHS hospital and he expects that surgery at the private hospital will stop shortly, because anaesthetists will be needed in treating CV patients. The consultant is an orthopaedic surgeon but is getting training in using ventilators.

 

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29 minutes ago, bcfcredandwhite said:

I must admit that when I saw Boris’s press conference my first thought was for the poor pub and restaurant owners and the low paid workers on zero hours contracts that depend on them. The government has told us to stay away from them but not told them to close. 
this is an unprecedented situation and this is exactly what governments are employed to deal with. All non-essential businesses should close but with guarantee of income that enables them to survive. Yes it will cost £billions but not as much as having no economy and millions of jobless and homeless when this thing finally blows over. 
It’s not normal for a Tory government to subsidise businesses, but what is happening isn’t normal either and if we want our economy to recover we need those businesses to be able to pick up from where they left off. 

Great post. ??
 

edit: so far in two speeches he’s been reactive, 1) initially on Thursday 2) yesterday was a change of message, one positive is he appears to be reactive to the mood post-speech.

What will be get today.  Another change of message in reaction to being woolly yesterday, e.g. a message of financial support available, not just a suggestion?

At some point, hopefully today, he needs to get on the front foot and lay out what is going to happen, not use each press conference as a chance to rectify the poor message of the previous day.

 

Edited by Davefevs
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33 minutes ago, bcfcredandwhite said:

I must admit that when I saw Boris’s press conference my first thought was for the poor pub and restaurant owners and the low paid workers on zero hours contracts that depend on them. The government has told us to stay away from them but not told them to close. 
this is an unprecedented situation and this is exactly what governments are employed to deal with. All non-essential businesses should close but with guarantee of income that enables them to survive. Yes it will cost £billions but not as much as having no economy and millions of jobless and homeless when this thing finally blows over. 
It’s not normal for a Tory government to subsidise businesses, but what is happening isn’t normal either and if we want our economy to recover we need those businesses to be able to pick up from where they left off. 

I wouldn’t expect much leadership from Mr Johnson,the man who hid in a fridge and wouldn’t do TV interviews,and yesterday was waffling on about handshakes being able to be banned since 1984(I think that’s he said).He talked a lot but actually did the sum total of **** all,but did a lot of asking.

and on a side note,when someone asked his local MP how could people be expected to survive on £94 ssp,he was told to “ get a life”,charming.

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