Silvio Dante

Here’s the thing I don’t understand from Rodmans audio. Per him, they won’t be playing in front of a crowd until January. How the **** would the playing squad of the gas know the difference???

Yep, undoubtedly. It’s a mix of people who are gym bunnies and those who haven’t run before and are in a real mish-mash of gear - I’m talking 20 year old tops, non running daps and Ill fitting shorts. No problem with that, we’ve all been there, and fair play to them!

Southern League (Weston & Yate level) looking to terminate season immediately. To be decided whether null and void or final table worked on ppg basis: https://www.betvictorsouthern.co.uk/News/124013/League-Statement-24th-March-Season-201920-

Saw Rovers trending and thought they’d gone bust. Disappointed to see it was just this

This isn’t a subject for Levity. But Edwina Currie having no idea is very, very funny:

I think they haven’t limited alcohol to three items only in Sweden yet.

Why don’t we do “The OTIB virtual 10k race”. Do it as handicap - everyone says what their best 10k time is and then the winner is worked based on how close they get to that? Get everyone out in a weekend, easy to track in Strava?

Really? Off the top of my head, I can remember him trying to introduce unnecessary and unneeded end of the pier acts on at least two of the five occasions. Think on “how many is this” debacle for example. These press conferences have been good not because of Boris but despite him. What people need is surety - not soundbites. That’s why Sunak was so good - clear policy, rationally explained. Likewise Whitty and Vallance. Boris has been bluster, vaugeness and vapid. Bizarrely, the best thing to happen to this country in the last three months was Javid resigning. I can’t say how he would have done here, but it’s apparent that Boris and Dom wanted Sunak as he was easy to control - and in the GE campaign he seemed to be a lick spittle. He’s come in - and has grasped the nettle fantastically - and I say that as a Labour man. He’s clearly realised he is unsackable - losing a second chancellor in 3 months would make the PM untenable - and therefore driven the agenda. You can see it was his work today. In short, things are happening despite BoJo (why wasn’t his first point to clarify Hancocks claim on QT that we had an immunity test which contradicted BoJo claim yesterday for example). He inspires no calm - he’s lucky with Whitty, Vallance and Sunak to give him that but it is really showing up his own shortcomings (NB - I think, realistically, there are now limited guns to fire. I’d probably suggest that daily conferences have limited impact from here and would rather hear a statement from Whitty at 5pm, to be followed by Boris at 7pm if deemed required)

I’m shamelessly bumping this. Now we’re in a position with gyms closed and pretty much any socialising banned, one thing that is allowed - and even encouraged - is running, while still keeping the appropriate distance. In the next few months it’s going to be vital for us all to get out and about as and when we can for our mental well-being so join the Strava club (whether you’re an everyday runner or just need something to help you focus) and push on with your fellow reds

Wage guarantee of up to 80% of wages, up to a max of £2500 per month, backdated to 1st March

Just back from picking the kids up from school for the last time until who knows. Strangely emotional, feels very real. We’re trying to be honest with them about what they’re about to go through - probably at least two months of not seeing anyone but their parents. For 8 and 11 year olds, that’s a bit of a fear! We’re setting routine in and making sure they do things like get up and dressed normal time, do school work in a different room etc. Expecting there will be rows. Everyone will be stressed in different ways, but it’s needed and at least we’ve got eyes open. Luckily will still be in work (2m away from anyone and using private transport to get there) to keep structure but reckon that’s finite. The mental health piece is very important here. And that’s why I agree that posting speculation and theories on here is probably doing more harm than good.

I think the real game changer, as the CSO said yesterday, is the test for whether someone has had COVID 19. Although not 100% confirmed, the working medical assumption is that if you’ve had it you develop at least some immunity, and assumedly you can get a test out quicker than you can a vaccine as there’s less likelihood of complications arising?

I realise it’s an addiction, but the single maddest thing I’ve seen today was a bloke of around 70 having a fag outside a pub while spluttering. Insane.

The logic of having to cancel football training while they’re still in school is one I’ve yet to convince my son of. Where are you more likely to get COVID? In an enclosed room of 30 for 5 hours or in the open air in a wide space with 20 for an hour. Difficult to answer the question “But dad, why are we still in school?” with anything other than it being an FA rule - got asked if I’d have to go to prison if we didn’t obey ?

Yep. Same thing happened with my U8s tonight. We had to stop training halfway through and now can’t play for the foreseeable. Gutted.

Agree. Which is different from closing pubs, clubs and theatres. As I said - “Self Regulating”

Latest measures: - Now self isolate for 14 days if anyone in house has symptoms - The self isolation at the end of this week will be for 12 weeks for the elderly - Police and ambulance not supporting large gatherings - Everyone if possible to work from home, avoid isolated places like pubs and restaurants - Avoid non essential travel and contact Noticably: - No school closures - No ban on pubs etc, self regulating - No ban on mass gatherings- just won’t be policed

And, to be honest, this is the problem with the current government mixed message - people will die but just wash your hands. It’s the epitome of contradictory. And as such people carry on as normal. I’ll reiterate - I do not know if our approach is the right one (Herd Immunity). It’s either genius or madness. But the government need to level fully as to what the long term strategy is, rather than leaving it to loons on forums (myself included) to speculate as to what’s likely. We’re not at war with other countries. This isn’t Brexit. All that needs to happen is honesty. Unfortunately, that’s totally contrary to Johnson and Cummings way of thinking.

Don’t get me wrong - I agree that it would have arrived here irrespective. My point is that until very recently we did little to curtail/monitor people coming into the country from affected areas, and our monitoring has been sub par overall (BBC local news for example reporting a school trip that went to Italy a week ago and had to return on Monday - why was there not guidance to stop that flight to start with) I also agree we should listen to the experts. It troubles me that our expert advice is different to most other countries experts but we’ll see how it pans out. If they’re right, fantastic - if they’re wrong, it doesn’t bear thinking about

I think one of the things that has to be considered in whether or when the season restarts is the overall Government strategy. The chief scientific officer has stated that we’re looking for “Herd Immunity”, which relies on a large proportion of the population gaining immunity from either a) Vaccinations; or b) Gained Immunity through exposure Now, as noted, a vaccine is progressing but won’t come for some time - so they’re going for b). It’s risky as it isn’t known if exposure gives some/all sufferers ultimate immunity, but that’s what the game is. Linking that to banning mass gatherings. Football has stopped not because of the risk of contagion (see above - the strategy relies on contagion, it’s just not wanted too fast at present so the NHS has more resources due to other seasonal illnesses not occurring), it’s stopped because teams are now reporting cases which means whole squads are unavailable (evidence: Prem on as at Thursday 9pm, only called off when Arteta/Hudson-Odoi ill). The Chief Medical and Scientific officers also believe that banning mass gatherings have no effect, so the U Turn is Boris trying to look like he’s in charge when football made the decision for him. Back to the strategy. Because we failed to take early preventative steps, COVID is here and likely in far wider numbers than reported (CSO). Working on the basis of current estimate of one person infecting three others, this now cannot be controlled fully - by the time symptoms emerge, you’ve already infected others reducing the benefits of isolation. Add in that the CMO has already told the most vulnerable they may have to self isolate even if no symptoms (which can only be because it’s so widespread that if they didn’t they’d be statistically likely to pick it up), and the overall plan, to me, suggests we’re heading for this: - A return to effective ‘BAU’ for the majority of the population sometime in April/May. This will be predicated on the virus now being unable to be contained but will be driven in large part by economic factors - With that, a removal of the need to self isolate if you’ve had contact. Means only those with covid have to isolate and squads not affected. - An ability to run mass gatherings again (on the basis that there is no point suspending if you can’t contain the virus anyway) BUT with the specific exclusion of the most vulnerable, who will remain in self isolation in line with guidance. Shorter version - the plan appears to be for most of us to get it in a managed way, and once you’re over the winter months, under that strategy mass gatherings are almost desirable. Not saying it’s right - but that is certainly what the “Herd Immunity” plan suggests would happen if you balanced it with economic requirements

Another angle to the potential rescheduling of games is teams, like us, with multi-use stadiums. Its reasonable to suggest that we cancel the euros, and possibly restart in May with the season ending in June. However, many teams, including ourselves, will have concerts at their grounds during the summer - with all the preparation/takedown time and pitch damage that causes. Its not unreasonable to suggest that the loss of commercial streams from those events may drive clubs, if the season is extended, to not play at their normal ground on occasions rather than lose the concert income

So. Our approach in moving to “delay” is to stay at home if you think you have Coronavirus, and to not go on a cruise if you’re over 70. Somehow, our science is better than the rest of the worlds and our attitude of “We’re British, we’ll get through” will serve us well. Realise that this isn’t a politics thread, but the blokes a f****** moron. Gives warning that many will die and then does nothing to prevent it.

Guys, I’ve clicked on the link so you don’t have to give the Daily Mail clicks. The woman is 29 and has had specialised hospital treatment. Therefore, in the COVID Venn diagram, she fits in the rare middle group - lowest risk, highest treatment. Most people of her age won’t get hospital treatment due to priority Most of us who are fit and healthy normally will be fine, the point is the risk of carrying and passing onto someone who is in the high risk group. And as more people get it, it’s less likely they can get the medical attention they need

The U8s team I help coach had a game this morning. Handshakes after the game weren’t allowed. With the news of a lower level team in NI having a player positive for COVID-19, and the measures taken there, it does seem that even if the season isn’t postponed it might be extended for some. Logically, if a player tests positive and has to self isolate for 14 days, so do his teammates in view of the close working environment- hence no game for two weeks. Taking this a step further, if (say) Denis Odoi is announced as having COVID on Monday, it’s likely not only Fulham but BCFC players would be caught by an isolation requirement. I would hope in such a circumstance that the league would be pragmatic rather than try and force, say, 4 games in 10 days at the end of the season to finish on schedule. Looking further afield, deaths in Italy have jumped today and there is now a major quarantine. The season is likely to be extended there - behind closed doors at moment but with 15m people (including Milan) in quarantine, teams in that area also can’t travel so not to breach the quarantine area. It’s highly unlikely professional athletes are at mortal risk from COVID - but in view of the wider safety measures that may/will be needed to protect the at risk population, an extension is very much on the cards now for me.

Strava, as pointed out previously, is great. It’s like a running diary and allows me to have a laugh at the gas at the same time!