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

The Northern Ireland Covid app, based on the Google / apple model is out.

Needs Bluetooth and location, so it will drain battery a bit, so far so good. Amnesty is happy with data protection too. I think it cos 80K or so to build.

We installed it and will activate it when out and about.

Did anyone see this. The reporter has since deleted her account...

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So why does it seem so likely for cruise ships to be hit by the virus? Is it because passengers are from such disparate countries in many cases, many will have flown out from far away to board their ship, or because medical care for on-board staff, whose working conditions are known to be poor, is woefully inadequate? Probably a bit of all of that.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/03/two-cruise-ships-hit-by-coronavirus-weeks-after-industry-restarts

This map is useful as it breaks down weekly cases to a very granular local level. I am pretty concerned that where I live (the border between Stamford Hill and Stoke Newington) appears to be the middle of a hotspot. I looked at it last week and only two areas had cases - now six do. And that's the data from the week before last.

From lasr week: https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/health/hackney-public-health-director-on-covid-1-6768361

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-53645036

A small outbreak in Newcastle, they also closed and deepclean a pub. Nobody tested positive, I think the T&T here asked them to do this.

I am surprised Belfast hasn't had any outbreaks yet... it is the biggest city here. But once schools go back and people go back to work, it is bound to happen.

This definitely affected me in the beginning:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/aug/02/coronavirus-lockdown-increase-insomnia-uk-sleep-mothers

It's got better since, but at first getting used to it was quite hard.

How do the forum feel about distancing at bike shops? My local shop in north London is small so they have a policy of only one customer at a time. It’s silly but ive been several times in the past month and I’ve yet not seen anyone else wear a mask inside and the employees don’t seem to mind but it really bothers me. A lady even told me I could take my mask off if I wanted! There’s no screens or anything, even the cash&carry next door has a plastic sheet hung up at the register. smh

I couldn’t try a helmet on before buying because of Covid guidelines but then their staff hold customers up on their bikes by the handlebars for minutes at a time to test their for, how does that work?

The north starts at Euston Road.

ftfy

Just don’t go in if they’re not taking it seriously. The LBS I occasionally work in is very strict about masks, distancing etc. Mask and gloves at all times, separate customer area at the front with 2 customers max. No mask, no entry. Card machine sanitized after every transaction, contactless preferred. Customers cannot try anything on; if they want to see a product it is brought to them then wiped down if they don’t buy it. Repairs are left at the front then contact points wiped down before work begins then when handed back. Sure, 8 1/2 hours in a mask isn’t super comfortable all the time but a small gesture. If you don’t feel comfortable, don’t shop there; awkward if that’s your LBS I appreciate.

I was dishonest, it’s where I work, a small ‘family owned and operated’ bike shop that also fixes bikes. Really questioning my life choices at this point, have even broken down crying a couple of times because of the stress of people and the other staff not giving a toss. Sorry to mislead you mate but I just don’t know what to do at this point and need a benchmark if I’m being irrational or not.

I was pointed to a study at the weekend, if you’re in an enclosed space for a length of time with other people there seems to be more risk. If I was in your shoes I’d be upset too.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/8/20-1274_article

The shop owners gave a duty of care to keep you safe, even from COVID. Poor form and illegal if they haven't taken steps.!

Haven't been going out much but have seen 0 shops (of any kind) that do this, so it's nice to hear the LBS you work at takes it seriously. Is it London-based?

That must be so frustrating and stressful, I'm sorry! Maybe showing them some info like the source marco linked will get them to step up? It's not okay to be putting workers and customers at risk like that.

Where I live employers are legally obligated to provide a safe working environment. Without it staff can take preemptive sick leave and the employer is liable for all costs. Focuses the mind a bit.

Edinburgh, at a co-operative. I did my first shift in four months the other week; only when I was convinced that a) the virus was largely under control up here and b) proper procedures were in place to mitigate risk did I go back.

The business owner should be setting the standards here, my work has a one strike policy if you are caught not abiding by the rules you are banned from working in the labs. Everyone has unsurprisingly taken it really seriously which is great.

Sorry to hear that man; I prevaricated for a long time before going back and felt nervous as fuck for the first part of my 8+ hour shift. Ironically, our business has gone through many different shifts in provision from selling literally any bike in the store to fixing way more old clunkers that had been bought cheap/found in a shed to the current situation. I am mainly just fielding phone calls about availability, which is very patchy. As an example, Giant will have no real stock until February, Whyte fucked their entire season’s offering by mislabelling frame size on a huge number of hybrid models (meaning we’ll get a skewed number of XL frames we won’t be able to shift full price). All I’m doing is booking repairs in and dealing with minor workshop jobs. As has been said above, your employer has a duty to ensure your workplace is as safe as possible, especially now. The shop I work in is in a largely affluent part of the city where you can occasionally be treated like mere hired help (I am indeed paid minimum wage) but it’s been quite nice to see a mild power shift in that if someone is being arsey - difficult/demanding/not observing the rules - you can politely tell them to fuck off until they cease being arsey.

Edinburgh, at a co-operative.

Is the clue in the name, by any chance?

Well deduced.

Kudos for giving a shit. Maybe show your bosses this thread as an example of what others are feeling / tolerating etc.

Yes, the level of risk is mostly related to exposure time. If you just pop into shops very quickly, it's low.

Exposure time, physical proximity, air flow, amounts of saliva droplets in the air (i.e. is the The Plague Person breathing through their nose gently with a mask on or shouting at the top of their voice in full spittle-spray Alex Ferguson mode about why masks are useless). Those are the risk factors as I understand it. So if someone walks in without a mask and you tell them to fuck the fuck off ASAP, you're probably OK.

Short exposure has not been shown to be very risky. It's only prolonged exposure that appears to spread a sufficient viral load. The usual exceptions prove the rule.