OK just reading the ST now - it is being as alarmist as a tabloid, although I was amused by the article about ISIS telling its adherents to avoid suicide bombing in Europe now, since it is too risky 😁

Originally Posted by: Maunder Minimum 

Going back to something Brian mentioned, I rather like the idea of street Whatsapp groups to keep everyone updated without having to see them directly and risk spreading germs.

Anyone else thinking of similar when the stuff really starts hitting the fan?

Originally Posted by: John p 

Thanks (and to the others that replied).

I guess things may be looking completely differently by midweek so think I will decide then👍

Originally Posted by: John p 

I am so mad this morning. Boris needs to address the nation and clear up this confusion.

Originally Posted by: Heavy Weather 2013 

Quick read of the ST has left me very worried indeed. Approx stats:

1) UK has half as many intensive care beds and ventilators as Italy. It has about a fifth as many as Germany (Per capita)

2) It is proving very difficult to for Italian hospitals to buy more ventilators - not because of cash issues but because of production constraints

3) The UK is at the "back of the queue" because most ventilators are manufactured in EU countries

The above is why Hancock and Johnson are now crapping themselves and talking to companies like JCB. I have no idea how easy it will be for production lines to start making ventilators in large numbers in the UK.

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 

She has been tested, apparently.

Originally Posted by: Justin W 

I think the number of infected is far higher than the headline figure.

Originally Posted by: Justin W 

Going back to something Brian mentioned, I rather like the idea of street Whatsapp groups to keep everyone updated without having to see them directly and risk spreading germs.

Anyone else thinking of similar when the stuff really starts hitting the fan?

Originally Posted by: John p 

That's incredibly unlucky for her! On the plus side, at least she'll be one of the very few immune people in a couple of weeks.

Originally Posted by: Retron 

WRT to  setting up a manufacturing plant  for ventilators from scratch.  If they are envisaging a "screwdriver plant" type operation - maybe.  In that   circumstance though  I very much doubt the component parts  manufactured in  other countries  will be forthcoming. They will want them to make their own !

If  they are thinking about manufacturing from scratch, you can forget it.  There is serious lead times for  this activity and especially so  for medical equipment that will need thoroughly testing and accreditation before being rolled out. Even getting plastic parts will need  molding equipment and  tooling to be constructed. Presumably you also need  to design and thoroughly test the electronic control  and monitoring systems.  This isn't  something that can be done in a few weeks - we will most likely have a vaccine long, long before the new product is available to roll out on a production line !

Originally Posted by: Bugglesgate 

This morning's "Broadcasting House" Radio 4 interviews already back-pedalling on over-70s isolation. Apparently it means to go out as little as possible but still collect prescriptions and go shopping when necessary, not completely locking yourself in for 3 months. A definitive and consistent statement would be welcome - it may arise from the Andrew Marr interview which I haven't time to sit through.

Another tidbit from the same programme - Boots to initiate first private prosecution of shoplifter by a store chain (believed to be so, anyway) because police said it wasa civil matter and wandered off. The scrote was csught red-handed with £160-worth of goods, already had 21 prosecutions, incl 16 for shoplifting. An open-and-shut case and they hadn't got time to do anything even before the virus emergency got going.

Originally Posted by: DEW 

 That makes a lot of sense to me. TBH the distinction between a "screwdriver plant" and manufacturing from scratch is one that will probably need explaining to Boris and Hancock.

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 

I did notice in my local Tesco last week (as I bought a pack of Imperial Leather bar soap, the same stuff I've used since the 90s) that there was plenty of the old-fashioned soap left, even though there were massive gaps in the "squirty" soap section. And, of course, no hand gel to be seen anywhere.

Oh, there was loads of shower gel too and I believe that works the same as soap.

Originally Posted by: Retron 

The fiasco that some of us have been predicting for a few weeks is now unfolding. This Government is unfit to handle this national emergency.

Originally Posted by: Justin W 

Johnson & co have been caught like the proverbial rabbit in the headlights of a car over this crisis through their failure to take effective action when what was developing elsewhere was becoming abundantly clear.

Originally Posted by: David M Porter 

...ok with leaving dog pooh on the floor of his apartment. 

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 

Going back to something Brian mentioned, I rather like the idea of street Whats-app groups to keep everyone updated without having to see them directly and risk spreading germs.

Anyone else thinking of similar when the stuff really starts hitting the fan?

Originally Posted by: John p 

Yes I did chuckle when Hancock said HMG were requisitioning car plants to make ventilators. We manufacture most of our own products and buy in a lot of the raw material from overseas. The design and CAD programming itself will take months, alpha and beta testing another six (it’s a medical device so strict rules and testing criteria), then maybe another three to release assuming all goes well. 
Anyone with even a basic understanding of a production process would acknowledge the plan to ‘magic’ ventilators (even using existing templates) in a few months is black magic.

Originally Posted by: nsrobins 

Yes I did chuckle when Hancock said HMG were requisitioning car plants to make ventilators. We manufacture most of our own products and buy in a lot of the raw material from overseas. The design and CAD programming itself will take months, alpha and beta testing another six (it’s a medical device so strict rules and testing criteria), then maybe another three to release assuming all goes well. 
Anyone with even a basic understanding of a production process would acknowledge the plan to ‘magic’ ventilators (even using existing templates) in a few months is black magic.

Originally Posted by: nsrobins 

Various reports coming in from friends via text and social media that things are getting out of control in supermarkets.

Queues round the block in some places, 50 mins plus queue for check outs. 

We need some emergency legislation to combat this - not sure exactly how, but something needs to be done. 

Originally Posted by: Joe Bloggs