It'll give the mask police something to do.

That feels like an unnecessarily jaundiced response?

Logic says that a mask helps reduce the spread of any virus so, with the various caveats (*) it should be a no-brained.

* Making sure we’re not affecting PPE availability for people in healthcare and social care - and with appropriate use.

From New Scientist..

Why it’ll still be a long time before we get a coronavirus vaccine

Trials of experimental coronavirus vaccines are already under way, but it’s still likely to be years before one is ready and vaccination may not even be possible

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24632804-000-why-itll-still-be-a-long-time-before-we-get-a-coronavirus-vaccine/

I wonder what the impact on security and crime will be once masks become widespread?

It's not at all bad, Gandalf - and I'm certainly not going to nit pick if they have not hit their ambitious target exactly.

Roger

ps

I had a good day in Lincoln but your inbox is full - I'll tell you about it later but let's say "problem sorted"!

Given the penalty is a paltry £30 (if paid within two weeks) I'm not surprised some selfish idiots see it as worth the money. Whack a zero on the end of that total and we'll see if they keep breaching the restrictions 

Could be, might be, likely,  expert, x says .......

Other experts say other things.   I prefer to be optimistic

Don't forget that the fine doubles each time, so by the sixth time he/she is looking at £1,920 - but still halved for prompt payment, I assume. But even at the lower rate that's a total of almost £2,000 - so far - and close to £4,000 if they're not being paid on time.

I think the fines should double each tome you are collared - Some people  are just thick and need things rammed home !!

"bank robbers and letter boxes"?

I certainly wont be wearing one unless the govt gives me one for free

Two, for me, obvious issues with this article.

Firstly, the research is from a few years ago and would be based on the then conventional approach to vaccine development: the newer techniques are claimed to be both much quicker and more likely to be effective.

Secondly, the claimed 'bottleneck' in gearing up production is being addressed. It was announced today that Astrazeeca is gearing up for production in parallel with the trials: they said limited supplies could be available by December.  That may be ambitious but it is significantly better than the timescales quoted in that article, which again are based on past evidence.

UK data

54,575 tests
6,032 positive

Confirmed rate has fallen to 11.05%.

Just heard on the local news Thames Valley Police have issued more penalty notices than any other force 

As I alluded to yesterday- from Alex Wickham. 

“We are handing out tests to everyone and their mum to try and get demand up,” one Tory says

There has been a “massive ramp up” in the final hours, Whitehall sources claim

But NHS Providers warn there is no clear sense of who is getting tested

—-

I fear this is the real reason confirmed rate percentages are falling - pointless tests being doled out to meet an arbitrary target. 
Also as Beast mentioned, many are having to do these uncomfortable tests themselves which may not be accurate. 

You can make your own using a scarf or t-shirt.

Anyhow, the Chinese have apparently augmented their facial recognition software so that it can still identify those wearing face masks.

People already going back to the office. 

There is also a decrease in the number of people working from home, with the amount of those saying that they had done so in the past week down to 44.6 per cent from 49.2 per cent the week before.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/04/30/people-going-work-coronavirus-lockdown-frays-ons-survey-reveals/

I thought it was 85,000 tests?

Not so long ago, random testing was being advocated as a means to finding out whether we were getting close to herd immunity or not.

But, the media is apparently obsessed with testing targets, so you cannot blame the government for getting as many people tested as is humanly possible.

But there is only any point to it, if those confirmed positive are isolated and contact tracing is carried out.

I continue to advocate randomised testing using both antigen and antibody kits. However, handing them out aimlessly isn't necessary randomised testing and it certainly isn't controlled. 

A number of people are adamant (four on this forum for instance) that we have reached herd immunity or are very close. The theory should be tested.

I'd think it was zero, not four! I don't think anybody on here has said we have reached herd immunity.

What I've said, and sincerely believe, is that the levels we will have - which, depending on reports, would be anywhere from 3% to 10%, will take the edge off any second surge, such as is to be expected if lockdown is lifted too quickly, or too completely.

It's a far cry from the 60 or 70% needed for full herd immunity to kick in, but every single person that recovers from Covid-19 is helping build immunity.

We do, IMO, need antibody tests ASAP. If it's shown someone has good levels of antibodies, that's someone who can get back to work as normal without fear of catching the disease. I would be back at the school quite happily if I knew I was immune, for example. It's the uncertainty that's problematic.

some are complete prat’s

A British police constable has spoken of the "horror, shock, and anger" he felt when he was spat at during the UK's coronavirus lockdown.

Nottinghamshire Police officer Anthony Brice was detaining Daniel Hagerty when the 32-year-old spat at him and his colleague.

PC Brice said he "would rather have been punched in the face".

The officer has since tested negative for Covid-19,

via sentence 6 months 

This sentence sends a clear message that vile acts such as this will not be put up with in any shape or form and especially not now in the current climate

I think Brian meant the poster Four, not the number four. I echo what you say about the antibody tests and there were some encouraging news yesterday.

Some encouraging signs from the govt too in terms of how they are handling the crisis.