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

No he doesn’t, he’s the PM

Although I also don’t blame them for controlling the narrative in order to balance transparency with discretion

For me it’s only his capacity to do the job that we should know. What tubes are stuck in or not is none of our business.
Can he push the big red button? yes, I do want to know who is in charge of that...

Trump last night mentioning the UK for the first time in the same breath as those who wanted to 'ride it out' initially (he's said for some time there were some who wanted to do this). Another pointer that we changed strategy from herd to where we are now.

Times reporting that Johnson was only given 4 litres of Oxygen last night. Normal threshold for a patient in ICU is 15 Litres apparently. Does that indicate he's been given a bed over someone who might have a greater need? I suspect he's pretty Ill and having a rough time but that his condition is a lot better than we're being led to believe. It's fantastic PR for him at the moment and will no doubt do his ratings a load of good.

I agree with you that there is no real point to speculation, however I think the test for public interest in someone's health is fairly exceptional for the PM. Anyhow there is no stopping the machine. PM's in an ICU, people are gonna talk until there's more news.

What is worrying me is that Raab clearly does not command the respect of his colleagues. I didn't think I would ever write this, but Gove needs to be acting PM. Whatever happens, there needs to be a lot more clarity provided on how government will function in the absence of the PM.

The only statements in the public domain appears to be Number 10 briefing yesterday (before news of Boris going into ICU) that Raab would deputise where necessary, and Gove on media this morning saying Cabinet would take decisions collectively. IMO, neither of those things will work.

my sisters hospital in Salford is after 3M 7500 replacement filters from the local Manchester area.

this could be sourced from paint shops, garages or anyone that works with spraypaint.

I'm thinking this could also maybe be frame builders / painters? Anyone know of any?

Thank you.

time scale up here on the wirral has been moved a week forward as the number of casualties has risen . The amount of oxygen available has been questioned. Hospital email fact.

Does that indicate he's been given a bed over someone who might have a greater need?

This stuff really has to stop

Or just take it to Twitter where it belongs.

Agreed about gove and agreed about never thinking I’d say it. He’s far more capable that Raab.

If the report is accurate that he was only given 4 Litres of Oxygen and the normal threshold for an ICU patient is 15 litres then does that not indicate that he doesn't need to be there? Obviously depends on whether the information The Times got is accurate.

Does that indicate he's been given a bed over someone who might have a greater need?

This stuff really has to stop

Or just take it to Twitter where it belongs.

Seconded. Toxic and unhelpful.

Seriously - just leave it. He is not there for shits and giggles. Yes he will receive preferential treatment. As would a PM of any political persuasion - even the pious and good St. Jeremy would be in ICU under the same circumstances. He would not even have a say in the matter.

Aren't Gove and Johnson mortal enemies now? After all the backstabbing in 2016? Or is that just a normal part of a friendship in the Tory party?

It’s a fair question but imo PM should get preferential treatment. That’s it’s Boris and I don’t particularly like the man is neither here or there.

I don’t see any problem with people speculating on an internet fixie forum

Interesting article on the SARS2 genome and how the virus works:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/03/science/coronavirus-genome-bad-news-wrapped-in-protein.html

Keep reading this. It might be right that Gove would be better - personally I don't think it'll make a blind bit of difference which of any of them is in charge. It's past the point of choosing the 'best of a bad bunch' out of them.

@Saffronspokes I'd imagine that assessments for admittance to ICU cover more than just oxygen requirements..

I think its fair to question the morality of whether the PM should receive preferential treatment though.
If a family member / loved one missed out on an ICU bed because of his preferential treatment, would you be so understanding?

Toxic how? It’s a fair question it should be asked.

Unhelpful how? What would be helpful, posting nothing? Neither action has any effect on events.

I do t know why people are keen to close down any speculation, this is a chat thread. If you want straight news you have all the usual media outlets.

He’s quite possibly not ventilated but requiring high levels of oxygen eg via nasal high flow which can o ly be given in an ITU/HDU setting.

Thanks. Now I'm a Creationist.

Without seeing all the medical notes and having the experience and training you can't make a judgement so it is better to say nothing than set a narrative based on your own biases. So low rent questions like 'only 5l of oxygen, does this mean that a more needy has been bumped?' is less helpful than nothing. It's also ignorant of the years of experience needed to make clinical judgements. Its not a no check list exercise.

The PM has bodyguards (armed police) that are paid for by taxes.

Most people don't.

That ain't unfair so why would this be?