Think it was Vallance this evening who said he was pleased that guidance was being followed. What planet is he on? For every careful, cautious and responsible person out there heeding advice, there are a dozen more ignoring it either through selfish choice or necessity!

All signs point to stronger words tomorrow and Friday. It can't come soon enough - the public need stronger words and even then there will be some who ignore it (hopefully an ever-shrinking minority).

Today, it seems weirdly like some sort of game when you reach a milestone...

"You've passed 100 deaths from Covid-19! You have unlocked: closing schools" 

Funny how all the direst predictions and florid claims come from sites promoting free-market economics isn't it?

In a couple of weeks..

"You've passed 1,000 deaths from Covid-19! You have earned "Locked in for 2 weeks"!

and then later in the spring...

"You've passed 10,000 deaths from Covid-19!  You have lost "all the pubs and small businesses in your area".

Gallows humour, I know, but hopefully those predictions won't come true.

You are not as groovy as London, around here most places still rock!

Yes it was him , that's what caused me to send the post , they are so out of touch its untrue 

You've passed 1,000,000 deaths from Covid-19! You are now dead. 

Today was the first day I noticed the roads being quieter - bearing in mind that I'm on them before 6AM (so catch "white van man" going to work) and just after 4 PM (school run).

The lack of traffic in the morning was marked (albeit what little there was all seemed to be heading to Tesco). This afternoon was much as usual, looking at Google traffic. It was certainly busy enough as I drove home at half seven this morning!

I suspect by the time I next go on the roads (next Wednesday, all being well!) things will be quite different.

• Italy is likely to extend the lockdowns after 3 April


• The first new (field) hospital is ready to open in Cremona and another one is being built in Bergamo


• Lombardy had 319 deaths in the last 24h


• Lombardy keeps increasing their ICUs to a total of 924 now


• An infographic is available here https://www.epicentro.iss.it/coronavirus/bollettino/Infografica_18marzo%20ENG.pdf

I only pay in cash, so if Wetherspoon bans cash I will go to the private pub down the road as long as he stays open. Much more expensive but I don't like using my debit card

Don't you get it?

Cummings wants this to rip. 

Well you are trying your best to help him aren't you

Well Cromer definitely can’t be called groovy in any shape or form, yet all the coffee places, restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs are all open. The only things that have announced closures today are the local cinema, and the end of the pier theatre. Madness. 

King Boris doesn't wake up till about 11am

Utterly lame by Johnson and Vallance. The daily White House briefing is far more impressive. Trump bizarrely is beginning to look slightly more with it and Pence is increasingly presidential. The medical professionals actually give real insights unlike at the UK briefing.  The US Dr today flagged up concerns about the impact coronavirus is having on the young in France and Italy as well as discussing surface transmission.  

Does it affect sperm count? This would be devastating for the human race

I don’t think there is a stage called ‘under control’ without on-going tight restrictions; at least until there’s a vaccine or we get to herd immunity the hard way.

Updated data for Italy by age groups for deaths.

0-9 - 0
10-19 - 0
20-29 - 0
30-39 - 7 (0.3%)
40-49 - 18 (0.8%)
50-59 - 65 (2.7%)
60-69 - 220 (9.2%)
70-79 - 856 (35.8%)
80-89 - 995 (41.6%)
90+ - 229 (9.6%)

Total 2,390* 

Male - 59.3%*
Female - 40.7%*

*8 deaths age group not known

I live alone. I don't have any friends or family to pass it onto. I only have social contact with people already in the pub or Tesco or the corner shop

Slightly quieter  this morning.  About normal this evening.

Work is like the Marie Celeste though.  Only a few "engineering types" there (me included !)   trying to  get the machine working from a scheduled shutdown.

A bit concerned this evening for The Folks though.  They are  mid  80s, so isolating.  I arranged  for a on line grocery order to be delivered  on Sat for them - which as far as I know still stands.  Given it was  week lead time  for that I thought I had better book another Sat slot for them for next week.  No chance !!  Tesco and Sainsburys have no slots (they go out to 3 weeks).  Ocado have shut up shop  and I couldn't even log on to Waitrose.  As vulnerable people, they really need this service otherwise they will be tempted to go out "scavenging" at  local shops - although probably  without much luck given  what  I've just seen on the telly.

I don't think this is going to work if people in isolation end up  having to go out scavenging for food !

The canteen  at work has scaled down to covered take away meals and given the lack of numbers  at the place I suspect it might close completely soon - assuming the whole place doesn't shut becuase key  engineering disciplines  are off looking after kids ill or in quarantine  - which would be a real shame given that we  are actually currently engaged in Corona Virus research.

I'm really wondering how this can go on fro months on end.  I'm incredibly fortunate in have a pretty rock solid  job and a reasonable savings buffer, but most don't have either.  The economic collateral damage is mind boggling -   I'm wondering if you spent the Billions of  cocooning  vulnerable groups and let the rest of us carry on as normal taking our chances would  be a better way forward.  At least you wouldn't be totally decimating the economy as well as spending the money !

Where is that 30% diarrea claim from?

Yes, Trump knows he has to solve this before November. Boris doesn't care. He has already achieved his ultimate ambition of getting his name engraved on the Hall of Fame at Eton College

No news on London for at least 2 days apparently:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/mar/18/london-coronavirus-lockdown-tougher-measures

That should give the virus chance to spread nicely. Surely Khan should say something.

They will lockdown without telling anyone overnight to avoid people fleeing

I think it hopefully be in Zone 1 only

Lots of people have seen army vehicles around