Ahem, you are a 'pleb' voting for Brexit!

I think its additional deaths to what is normal, based on the virus spreading uncontrolled over a period of months until a vaccine can be used

It would still overwhelm the NHS, but better than shutting down towns and cities and going into recession, with a hard Brexit going to hit us anyway

Stock market dropping like a brick.

My employer has just sent a company wide email asking for

1. Recent travel history and proposed travel history in the next two months


2. Planned face to face meetings with overseas visitors during the next six weeks


3. Travel history of those you reside with


4. Any current or recent symptoms and action taken

A minor correction.

"Fear and panic doesn’t help.

"People can have concerns and rightly so. People can be worried and rightly so.

"The most important thing is to calm down and do the right things to fight this very dangerous coronavirus"

In fairness, Tedros is bang on here...

How do you have a future or proposed history?

Here is my proposed future history - I am going to win the National Lottery next week, get an Aston Martin and a yacht and travel the world with a bevy of topless beauties (avoiding corona virus hotspots like the plague).

Rather than wait for it to get worse - We should think of this here in this country now.

Japanese prime minister orders the closure of ALL schools in the country for a month in a bid to halt the spread of coronavirus

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8050869/Japanese-prime-minister-orders-closure-schools-country-month.html?ito=push-notification&ci=8228&si=790494&fbclid=IwAR2L-oPhEqH6t4IfBpy1Ip52zJFH9ZBW0-UJCdpc1ELECO-odJYqXIhmGdc

I threw the history bit in by mistake in my haste. 

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it would be fatal for any country to assume it would not get cases. But he said that - with the right measures - it was clear the virus could be contained.

That would be a complete over reaction at this stage in this country. Not to mention the fact that children do not seem to be getting the virus and their probability of dying from it is 0.2%.

No, because the "right measures" means quarantining whole towns and shutting down businesses and transport and building new hospitals in a week.

Now, if the WHO had called this right in the first place, the "right measures" would not be needed outside of China.

For me the most worrying data point is that Trump is relaxed about the whole thing.

Well why don't you get on to your man Boris and tell him to:

1) Instruct firms to order their employees to work from home where possible

2) Close down schools until further notice

3) Cancel flights and long distance train travel

BBC:

"

Iran bars Chinese citizens

Iran has banned Chinese citizens from entering the country, state media say.

Officials also cancelled Friday prayers in Tehran because of health concerns.

Iran has reported 26 deaths from the virus - the highest number outside China."

Horse! Stable door! Bolted!

Never actually met him. However:

1) Instruct firms to order their employees to work from home where possible

- sensible for people in our line of work.

2) Close down schools until further notice

- over reaction at this stage - schools should only close if a connected person proves positive.

3) Cancel flights and long distance train travel

- over reaction. However, FCO should advise against travel to countries with an epidemic - SK, Italy, Iran, plus most countries in Far East. Suggest that those who insist on travel to those regions do so at own risk and are uninsured.

Amusingly the FTSE 100 is now below where it was in 1999 - the UK really does suck.

Meanwhile the S&P 500 (in the States) is still over double what it was at the height of the dot-com bubble.

Now, this is what I call an over-reaction:

The FTSE 250 was 5897 June 98. It's was 21,988 in January.

Chap walks into a pub and asks if they do  70s style  fizzy drink.

The barman says "Yes, you can only get Corona via us"

I find it strange and irresponsible that there still hasn't been a useful and re-assuring public campaign by the government regarding the virus. There might still be some people who will go to their GPs or A&E if they suspect they have been infected. 

Contrast this with the daily 'get ready for Brexit on 31 October' campaign, which was misleading, unnecessary and very political.

Yesterday, much was made of the Pope greeting the faithful in Rome for Ash Wednesday.

Today's news:

"Pope Francis is sick and skipped a planned Mass in Rome, officials said, just a day after he was seen touching masked well-wishers in the city."

Now, even if Pope Francis caught the virus yesterday, he would not have any symptoms yet - but it is an amusing juxtaposition nonetheless.

P.S. Another piece of whimsy:

"A British company called "Corona Holidays" has been caught up in the coronavirus outbreak alarm, despite having no direct connection to any of the virus hotspots. 

A spokesperson told our travel writer Greg Dickinson that members of the public have started to call them asking for general travel advice"

- great name for a travel company at the moment.

---------------------------------------------------

Iran - government affected as senior members of the government succumb to the virus - that could have a massive effect.

Health experts have suggested Iran is underplaying the extent of the virus, with one group of Canadian-based researchers estimating 18,000 infections throughout the country.

That in itself is likely a huge underestimate.

UK still on 15. Slower than Chris Tavare at the moment.

Last week the guy next door to me had a new VW Golf delivered. Following day he adds a new BMW, day after a Mercedes, followed by a Ford, a Volvo, Peugeot, Kia and a Toyota.

I asked him what was going on and he explained he just can't stop himself buying new automobiles. Turns out he's got the car owner virus.

Another bloke I know has spent the last week locked up in his room doing nothing but singing songs by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Pery Como, Matt Monro & Dean Martin.

He's got the crooner virus.