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fairweather
18 March 2020 18:52:49

There have been some quite cruel and cynical remarks on here in the last couple of days and lack of empathy for those youngsters having their exams cancelled. The following may help you to see how devastating it can be in their lives and remind you of how it was to be an 18 year old:-


My grandson and his parents live in a poorer area of South Essex. He passed his eleven plus but no posh grammar school in this area. So after finishing at the comprehensive he is doing his A'levels in Southend which involves a journey by train and a thirty minute walk, an hour in all. He was a couple of marks short in his S levels to get the predictive grades he wanted. Since then he has secured a conditional offer from Bristol University and has been working his balls off to get the grades. Tonight his world has been torn from beneath his feet. He doesn't know if and when he can take the exams, if and when he will get to Uni. He has had to cancel his big 18th birthday party in May (you only get one of those in a lifetime), cancelled his driving test and he had his first ever holiday with his mates booked for Spain which has gone. He will possibly miss saying goodbye to his school friends or at least doesn't know how that will work. He won't be able to work at the part time job he does in his holidays and weekends because it is in a play centre. He won't get to have his first (official) pint with his friends in the pub or take his grandad to the pub and buy him a pint for the first time.


Yes, I know, nobody died. But at that age it's harder to see that it will get better. Do you remember how you felt the time your first truelove chucked you? These kids are doing this for the benefit of the vulnerable and 70 year olds alike me,  they will be largely unaffected, so please have some sympathy for them.


 


S.Essex, 42m ASL
Caz
  • Caz
  • Advanced Member
18 March 2020 18:53:12


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. 


Originally Posted by: chelseagirl 

Our nearest theatre has closed too!  Sister had an email to say they were refunding her for tickets she’d bought for a show this weekend!


Market Warsop, North Nottinghamshire.
Join the fun and banter of the monthly CET competition.
bledur
18 March 2020 18:55:15


Interesting from a frontline virologist in Germany:


Almost all infected people we interviewed (>100), and this applies to a good two thirds, described a loss of smell and taste lasting several days. It goes so far that a mother could not smell the full diaper of her child. Others could no longer smell their shampoo, and food began to taste bland. We cannot yet tell exactly when these symptoms will appear, but we believe a little later in the infection.


Diarrhea also occurred in our infected people in 30 percent of the cases, which is more common than previously thought.


https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/gesundheit/coronavirus/virologe-hendrik-streeck-ueber-corona-neue-symptome-entdeckt-16681450.html


Originally Posted by: xioni2 


and food began to taste bland.


 I noticed that after i got married nearly 40 years ago.

speckledjim
18 March 2020 18:58:06


There have been some quite cruel and cynical remarks on here in the last couple of days and lack of empathy for those youngsters having their exams cancelled. The following may help you to see how devastating it can be in their lives and remind you of how it was to be an 18 year old:-


My grandson and his parents live in a poorer area of South Essex. He passed his eleven plus but no posh grammar school in this area. So after finishing at the comprehensive he is doing his A'levels in Southend which involves a journey by train and a thirty minute walk, an hour in all. He was a couple of marks short in his S levels to get the predictive grades he wanted. Since then he has secured a conditional offer from Bristol University and has been working his balls off to get the grades. Tonight his world has been torn from beneath his feet. He doesn't know if and when he can take the exams, if and when he will get to Uni. He has had to cancel his big 18th birthday party in May (you only get one of those in a lifetime), cancelled his driving test and he had his first ever holiday with his mates booked for Spain which has gone. He will possibly miss saying goodbye to his school friends or at least doesn't know how that will work. He won't be able to work at the part time job he does in his holidays and weekends because it is in a play centre. He won't get to have his first (official) pint with his friends in the pub or take his grandad to the pub and buy him a pint for the first time.


Yes, I know, nobody died. But at that age it's harder to see that it will get better. Do you remember how you felt the time your first truelove chucked you? These kids are doing this for the benefit of the vulnerable and 70 year olds alike me,  they will be largely unaffected, so please have some sympathy for them.


 


Originally Posted by: fairweather 


πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘


Thorner, West Yorkshire


Journalism is organised gossip
Heavy Weather 2013
18 March 2020 18:58:49
I am sick of the same lines during the press conference. Both from Vallance and Boris.

This β€˜We will do whatever it takes’ being bounced around by every conservative is a joke. If that’s the case some of the actions should have been taken sooner. This phrase stinks of party political nonsense during a major crisis of which the majority of us have never seen in our lives
Mark
Beckton, E London
Less than 500m from the end of London City Airport runway.
Caz
  • Caz
  • Advanced Member
18 March 2020 19:02:37


 


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


 


Originally Posted by: The Beast from the East 

If they’re going to do it, Friday would be a good time. This allows commuters to get home for the weekend, then they won’t return on Monday.  Thus, fewer people in London for emergency services and hospitals to deal with if a major outbreak occurs. 


Market Warsop, North Nottinghamshire.
Join the fun and banter of the monthly CET competition.
xioni2
18 March 2020 19:03:43


If they’re going to do it, Friday would be a good time. This allows commuters to get home for the weekend, then they won’t return on Monday.  Thus, fewer people in London for emergency services and hospitals to deal with if a major outbreak occurs. 


Originally Posted by: Caz 


That's what will probably happen.

Heavy Weather 2013
18 March 2020 19:05:43


 


That's what will probably happen.


Originally Posted by: xioni2 


I agree this makes complete sense.


Mark
Beckton, E London
Less than 500m from the end of London City Airport runway.
Northern Sky
18 March 2020 19:06:03

As a teacher I'm totally confused about the implications of the measures. Do all schools stay open for the children who have key worker parents or do they mix pupils from different schools in certain schools? Do all vulnerable children stay in school and if so do all staff have to work or a skeleton crew?


As an update in my school we had about 2/3rds of our children off today - not through illness but with parents keeping them off. Also a handful of staff off self isolating because of coughs etc.

xioni2
18 March 2020 19:08:09


As a teacher I'm totally confused about the implications of the measures. Do all schools stay open for the children who have key worker parents or do they mix pupils from different schools in certain schools? Do all vulnerable children stay in school and if so do all staff have to work or a skeleton crew?


As an update in my school we had about 2/3rds of our children off today - not through illness but with parents keeping them off. Also a handful of staff off self isolating because of coughs etc.


Originally Posted by: Northern Sky 


You'd expect them to have a proper plan in place as there has been so much time to prepare, but nothing would surprise me.


 

Northern Sky
18 March 2020 19:14:22


 


You'd expect them to have a proper plan in place as there has been so much time to prepare, but nothing would surprise me.


 


Originally Posted by: xioni2 


I can see a flaw in your thinking...

Gavin D
18 March 2020 19:18:25
Spain have reported 2,920 new cases and 105 new deaths.

Total now 14,746 with 638 deaths
Essan
18 March 2020 19:19:28


Most pubs and bars have closed here voluntarily. 


Originally Posted by: Caz 



My local pubs closed years ago  


Andy
Evesham, Worcs, Albion - 35m asl
Weather & Earth Science News 

Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job - DNA
doctormog
18 March 2020 19:28:34


There have been some quite cruel and cynical remarks on here in the last couple of days and lack of empathy for those youngsters having their exams cancelled. The following may help you to see how devastating it can be in their lives and remind you of how it was to be an 18 year old:-


My grandson and his parents live in a poorer area of South Essex. He passed his eleven plus but no posh grammar school in this area. So after finishing at the comprehensive he is doing his A'levels in Southend which involves a journey by train and a thirty minute walk, an hour in all. He was a couple of marks short in his S levels to get the predictive grades he wanted. Since then he has secured a conditional offer from Bristol University and has been working his balls off to get the grades. Tonight his world has been torn from beneath his feet. He doesn't know if and when he can take the exams, if and when he will get to Uni. He has had to cancel his big 18th birthday party in May (you only get one of those in a lifetime), cancelled his driving test and he had his first ever holiday with his mates booked for Spain which has gone. He will possibly miss saying goodbye to his school friends or at least doesn't know how that will work. He won't be able to work at the part time job he does in his holidays and weekends because it is in a play centre. He won't get to have his first (official) pint with his friends in the pub or take his grandad to the pub and buy him a pint for the first time.


Yes, I know, nobody died. But at that age it's harder to see that it will get better. Do you remember how you felt the time your first truelove chucked you? These kids are doing this for the benefit of the vulnerable and 70 year olds alike me,  they will be largely unaffected, so please have some sympathy for them.


 


Originally Posted by: fairweather 


I couldn’t agree more and I know his situation and your words will resonate with families up and down the country (and my house).


fairweather
18 March 2020 19:35:38


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.  


Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 


Not looking that way to me to be honest. Quite the opposite, especially our advisers but it's good to see the smirk wiped off Johnson's face. 


 


S.Essex, 42m ASL
Maunder Minimum
18 March 2020 19:35:53

I am sick of the same lines during the press conference. Both from Vallance and Boris.

This ‘We will do whatever it takes’ being bounced around by every conservative is a joke. If that’s the case some of the actions should have been taken sooner. This phrase stinks of party political nonsense during a major crisis of which the majority of us have never seen in our lives

Originally Posted by: Heavy Weather 2013 


But would you have supported the one measure which could really have made a difference - closing borders and cancelling people's holidays as the first indications of what was occurring in Italy became apparent?


 


New world order coming.
xioni2
18 March 2020 19:40:56


But would you have supported the one measure which could really have made a difference - closing borders and cancelling people's holidays as the first indications of what was occurring in Italy became apparent?


Originally Posted by: Maunder Minimum 


Do you have a personal goal of how many times you are going to mention borders every day? 

David M Porter
18 March 2020 19:48:22

I am absolutely astounded that the government have still not closed down bars and pubs.

WE ARE LOSING TIME

Originally Posted by: Heavy Weather 2013 


This government are IMO the political equivalent of the crew that were in charge of the Titanic in 1912.


Lenzie, Glasgow

"Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom, and we must always be ready to listen and respect other points of view."- Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022
Maunder Minimum
18 March 2020 19:48:55


 


Do you have a personal goal of how many times you are going to mention borders every day? 


Originally Posted by: xioni2 


It is extremely relevant - when I suggested that borders between Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland and France with Italy, should be closed almost two weeks ago, I was told I was "hysterical". When I said cruises should be cancelled and the WHO should advise that back in January, I was called "hysterical". When I said that the UK should suspend flights to and from virus hotspots, I was called "hysterical". I was told the economic damage would be too great, that people's holidays would be ruined, that people might lose the money they had spent in advance on their holidays. Compare the economic damage of restricting borders and cancelling holidays with what is occurring now!


People thought they could carry on their open borders, travel anywhere, liberal universalist daydream, whilst the looming pandemic was knocking on the door!


So no, I won't shut up about this - people were deluded, many still are deluded and most are still deluding themselves about this - we could have kept this catastrophe at bay, if and only if European countries, including the UK, had appreciated the danger and suspended business as usual well in advance.


Now we have disaster and catastrophe across the whole of Europe, because people were deluded, still are deluded and never grasped the nettle!


New world order coming.
springsunshine
18 March 2020 19:53:00


Most pubs and bars have closed here voluntarily. 


Originally Posted by: Caz 


They either have very deep pockets or they will go out of business. I work in the hospitality industry and also am a landlord of a commercial property(Restaurant) and the announcement on Monday by the govt has send a shockwave through the industry off the scale!!! There are millions of jobs on the line which a lot are min wage and businesses that run on tight margins.A major downturn let alone forced closure will send many to the wall even with all the measures  made yesterday. In the hotel where I work I have had my hours cut by 10 a week some have got no hours anymore.There was a couple of large groups due in this weekend about 140 people in total,all have cancelled.Having said that many restaurants/pubs have still got lots of bookings for this sunday,mothers day, and word is in the trade people are going to go out and have one last treat,we have a hundred booked for sunday lunch. It will be next week when people dessert and stop socialising.


As a landlord as well I have agreed to give my tenants a 25% rent reduction until the end of the year and the rent they will now pay will only cover my motgage on the property and tax.It makes no sense to see my tenants loose their business which iam confident they wont as they also do deliveries via Deliveroo and this has skyrocketed this last week.


I say thank you to all the people who are supporting a vital part of the economy in these extreme times whilst taking sensible precausions

David M Porter
18 March 2020 19:54:04


 


But would you have supported the one measure which could really have made a difference - closing borders and cancelling people's holidays as the first indications of what was occurring in Italy became apparent?


 


Originally Posted by: Maunder Minimum 


If the government had chosen to do that once the deteriorating situation in Italy and then elsewhere in Europe became apparent, they would have been applying what I would call basic common sense.


Johnson et al have said on numerous occasions over the past couple of weeks "We are following the science". That is all fine and good, but perhaps if back in January/early February they had followed a bit of bloody common sense as well, we may well have avoided the godawful mess we now find ourselves in.


No wonder we're in the friggin' mess we are now in!


Lenzie, Glasgow

"Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom, and we must always be ready to listen and respect other points of view."- Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022
Justin W
18 March 2020 19:54:55

I have a fuel stockpile but I keep both the BMW and the Defender more than half full at all times. So if the needle is on the halfway mark, it is time to fill up.


This afternoon I went to fill the Defender. There was no diesel at the local garage, no diesel at Tesco in Ashford and none at Sainsbury’s. I had to drive 15 miles to Hythe to find some and then queue to get onto the forecourt.


Things are moving at pace. I do think there is a small but growing risk of a total economic collapse.


Yo yo yo. 148-3 to the 3 to the 6 to the 9, representing the ABQ, what up, biatch?
xioni2
18 March 2020 20:01:38

Merkel: Biggest Challenge Since World War II


Norway's government considers suspending EEA membership and introducing nationwide curfews.

SJV
18 March 2020 20:02:35


There have been some quite cruel and cynical remarks on here in the last couple of days and lack of empathy for those youngsters having their exams cancelled. The following may help you to see how devastating it can be in their lives and remind you of how it was to be an 18 year old:-


My grandson and his parents live in a poorer area of South Essex. He passed his eleven plus but no posh grammar school in this area. So after finishing at the comprehensive he is doing his A'levels in Southend which involves a journey by train and a thirty minute walk, an hour in all. He was a couple of marks short in his S levels to get the predictive grades he wanted. Since then he has secured a conditional offer from Bristol University and has been working his balls off to get the grades. Tonight his world has been torn from beneath his feet. He doesn't know if and when he can take the exams, if and when he will get to Uni. He has had to cancel his big 18th birthday party in May (you only get one of those in a lifetime), cancelled his driving test and he had his first ever holiday with his mates booked for Spain which has gone. He will possibly miss saying goodbye to his school friends or at least doesn't know how that will work. He won't be able to work at the part time job he does in his holidays and weekends because it is in a play centre. He won't get to have his first (official) pint with his friends in the pub or take his grandad to the pub and buy him a pint for the first time.


Yes, I know, nobody died. But at that age it's harder to see that it will get better. Do you remember how you felt the time your first truelove chucked you? These kids are doing this for the benefit of the vulnerable and 70 year olds alike me,  they will be largely unaffected, so please have some sympathy for them.


 


Originally Posted by: fairweather 


This is very sad to read, even more so knowing your grandson won't be alone in feeling his world is crumbling.


Society is effectively shutting down, slowly and painfully. We can say it is for the greater good, to minimise disruption as much as we can, but it doesn't change how we feel when one of our own is so deeply affected. There will always be individual stories like yours which bring a sobering reality to what is a surreal period in time.


My sympathies.

Gavin D
18 March 2020 20:03:22

A breakdown of the data from PHE is now available 


New cases



  • England - 2,182 +625

  • Northern Ireland - 68 +6

  • Scotland - 227 +32

  • Wales - 149 +13


Total new cases - 676


NHS Regions



  • London - 953 +332

  • South East - 285 +44

  • Midlands - 234 +94

  • North West - 180 +23

  • North East and Yorkshire - 168 +94

  • East of England - 128 +35

  • South West - 117 +22


Changes with yesterday 


Local Authorities top 10 with the most confirmed cases


 



  1. Hampshire - 77

  2. Southwark - 70

  3. Westminster - 68

  4. Lambeth - 61

  5. Wandsworth - 59

  6. Kensington and Chelsea - 55

  7. Hertfordshire - 50

  8. Brent - 45

  9. Ealing - 42

  10. Harrow - 40


Local Authorities with the fewest confirmed cases


 



  1. Hartlepool - 1

  2. Redcar and Cleveland - 1

  3. Blackburn with Darwen - 1

  4. Kingston upon Hull, City of - 1

  5. North Lincolnshire - 1

  6. Stoke-on-Trent - 1

  7. Bedford -1

  8. Knowsley - 1

  9. Solihull - 1

  10. Gateshead - 1

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