Chat about Novel Coronavirus - 2019-nCoV - COVID-19

My guess is that Chris Whitty and Dominic Cummings will get the blame if this goes as badly as it potentially could.

What we're doing today in my household: preparing for the inevitably that we're all going to be ill at the same time. So, cooking meals to freeze and easily reheat and having plenty of stuff for the baby to eat. Making sure we have plenty of clean bedding and towels. And keeping the house as clean as possible.

What we're not doing: worrying about whether the government has made the right decisions or not.

I think Cummings is being sacrificed now with Johnson deploying the "I knew not what my evil advisors did in my name" strategy, as Cummings has been named explicitly rather than "a senior Downing Street source", and it's clear he's being briefed against to the normal courtiers - I'd expect to see Laura K get something shortly. Which likely means that Johnson has been shown where our curve is going to go and needs to shift responsibility for that pronto, before public opinion makes his position untenable and we get Sunak sooner rather than later.

Great idea about the batch cooking.

I don't think @Jimm has symptoms, so why would he be self-isolating?

I didn't suggest he needed to, merely that his attempt at self-isolating wasn't actually self-isolating

Because we should all be self isolating where possible

Haven't left the house for anything other than dog walking or supermarket runs for two weeks now.

Whatever else they qualitatively have or have not done, on a very strict “no. of deaths before locking down”, the government in the U.K. is lagging behind nearly every other country in Europe. Including Italy.

That scares the absolute living shit out of me.

https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1241463928271581185

Greenwich park rammed again today. A proper lock down can't come soon enough. We've seen what happens if people don't act quickly....and the results are being seen in Italy.

Mate at RP today - "Park rammed. People riding in big groups."

I wonder when this panic buying phase will end ... so that I can finally get some things I need.

I have a hard time believing that everyone is suddenly baking their own bread and making dhal ...

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From the Guardian ticker, taken in the lake district, just a cheeky little cycle, get some fresh air and Vit D:

No we should be social distancing...

https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/02/20/what-is-self-isolation-and-why-is-it-important/

This is from a month ago but it's still true, the difference is that people with symptoms have now been asked to self-isolate.

If you are well and don't have symptoms you should be social distancing.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

The difference is important. Self-isolation for months - which is how long this is going to go on for - is not sustainable.

Says who? It isn’t obvious to me. Or data scientists at the FT apparently.

No we should be social distancing...

There doesn't appear to be any communication/coordination between the shops and us - not going out now
https://www.fromthemurkydepths.co.uk/2020/03/22/no-social-distancing-queues-for-woolwich-tesco-90-minutes-before-opening/

Appealing to people to stop queuing for supermarkets has not worked – and many need to queue. There are essential NHS staff waiting who havn’t been able to buy for days. What’s the solution? Far stricter controls at the door preventing anyone but key workers – and for longer periods of the day?

Despite belated closures of schools and pubs there are still mass queues across supermarkets ignoring social distancing guidelines as this queue at Woolwich Tesco this morning shows.

Supermarkets appear to be a major blindspot in strategies to prevent the disease’s spread. It’s of course difficult to separate those who need essentials from those who do not, and those in need are forced to wait.
Since the photo was taken queues have extended further back:

That looks like one of the cafés in Richmond Park?

But given so many people’s failure at social distancing it appears self isolation is the best option.

Tesco at my parents have an “NHS Hour” now where only nhs staff and Tesco workers can get in and shop.

Don’t know if it’s company policy can only imagine it is.

I made my stupid remark before reading the Twitter thread and made a totally conflated argument, sorry.

I didn’t say I was,I said social distancing.

👍

My personal fear with the government plan is we are going for 3 from waaaay down town over an easy 2.

No, following the social distancing advice is the best option.

I don't think a lot of people understand what self-isolation is. It means literally not leaving the house, asking other people to deliver your food and medicines. It doesn't mean mostly staying home when you are the worried well.