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

What I've seen reported/stated as the most likely scenario for now is repeated easing and reintroduction of harsher restrictions to keep the virus at bay so as to not overwhelm the NHS.

Problem is separating the rumours from fact. My guess is most countries in Europe won't be changing much until after Easter at the earliest. It'll depend on how soon the number of new cases starts to flatten and the health services have a bit of unused capacity.

National Theatre to stream productions for free: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/at-home?queueittoken=e_safetyevent25mar20~q_94cf5e32-7b20-4f4d-84e2-684649df9831~ts_1585229061~ce_true~rt_safetynet~h_6f29dd591fadb63fa294c78f4b84e2b5922c5d19987a25eebf63d474eeae76e8

They still expect the peak to be 3 weeks away don't they? So can't see anything getting relaxed for a while yet

Here is south London until Monday you couldn't find pasta anywhere within a couple of miles, my corner shop had rationing in place, but you could still get weed delivered to your door in under 2 hours, though PPE was a bit slack. Those who stockpiled before Monday,that's where the really sensible panic buying was going on, and home growers are feeling pretty smug right now.

Distribution has obviously got trickier since Monday, I saw two undercover police cars and 6+ officers operating a zero public distancing policy being all up close and personal with a Deliveroo moped driver yesterday. I suspected it was not pizza he was delivering, but who knows maybe the undercovers are really interested in smuggled pizza delivery now. This could be the new normal. Maybe drug dealers are simply dressing up as cyclists, joggers and dog walkers now?

As with any market forces I'm sure diversification is already happening, and while one door closes others will be looking at new opportunities. Hijacked Ocado trucks and uniforms for doing local weed runs anyone?

Who knows, pasta has a greater mark-up, higher demand and is legal, so maybe lots of gangsters will finally be able to go legit and make money :). I expect to see an increase in the macaroni mafia. I remember seeing a TV programme with old London gangster Mad Frankie Fraser, and they absolutely loved wartime London and made a killing selling food to bypass rationing, and ate like kings themselves.

I hope Johnson is on the podium for today's briefing. He needs to be directly questioned on the decision to not join the EU procurement scheme.

I also suspect there will be clearer answers with regard to the change in counting deaths.

EU procurement scheme

'We've left the EU, Brexit is done, next question from, aah, yes, Laura?'

'We've left the EU, Brexit is done, next question from, aah, yes, Laura?'

Probably right. But hopefully it's not let to drop. It is very possible it will have been a tangible life/death situation which a real leader (which we know Johnson is not) would have been able to rise above.

Derbyshire shaming those out walking in the peaks
https://twitter.com/DerbysPolice/status/1243168931503882241

http://www.change.org/jointprocurement

Would we have been able to join it? Are there any non-EU countries in it?

Everything I've read has said yes - including just now in the Guardian when a spokesperson was asked. I believe the EU has confirmed this, but don't have a source on hand.

We were offered the chance to join it as we are in a transition period.

Haha I was waiting for that one... however, I think you'll have to agree that currently procuring flour from somewhere is definitely a more convincing way of showing your love. ;)

This seems fraught with grey areas as the replies suggest, but I like the intention of the video.

Cheers. I've seen lots of mentions of it but nothing really definitive about whether we could actually join it as we've left the EU.

nm! edit - pointless post

AIUI, the EU graciously and generously invited the UK to take part, despite not being part of the EU. HMG's response was to tell the EU to go fuck itself, and instead order 10,000 ventilators of a new, untried and untested design from a company now based in Singapore which is most famous for making vacuum cleaners. Go us.

One of the more infuriating things recently is the amount of general emails I get, where the subject line promises some kind of Covid-19 related info. Worst one so far was an email from NatWest about how they could help you during these difficult times, and from reading a long email it turns out what they are offering in terms of help is that you can do banking via the app on your phone.

Yeh the replies is full of people disagreeing, guess it is good to at least generate a discussion and shows the ambiguity in what has been communicated

There was one departure from Leeds Bradford Airport yesterday. Not exactly business as usual!

http://www.change.org/jointprocurement

lol, thought this was a continuation of the drugs chat then.

Wash your mouth out!

Now more than ever!

its mayhem out there.. this from my uncle in a tiny village in East Sussex

"The hearse of the first person to die in our village from Covid 19 , [name redacted], went past our house at lunchtime today. [name redacted] the widow was not allowed a funeral so the village just stood outside their houses as the hearse went by. Very sad."