Coronavirus in the UK - news, lockdown and discussion

[Mation]

More here on the work going on at Porton Down:

Why the coronavirus tests you've never heard of hold the key to exit from lockdown

Scientists working at the high security laboratories at Porton Down are testing blood samples from across Britain

www.telegraph.co.uk

Mentions an initial sample group of 800, which will presumably have been used to calibrate the tests themselves and check their reliability. They're now looking to study a randomised sample up to 20,000 people who will be tested repeatedly over a period of time. This should allow some conclusions about how many people have been exposed, how many of those exposed develop symptoms, and how long acquired immunity might persist. We're looking at a timescale of months rather than weeks for that data though.

Sorry, but every time I see the words Porton Down in connection with this, I am really not reafuckingssured

Can't they rename it Windscale, or something?

 

[SheilaNaGig]

I had that, for the first time ever, about 6 weeks ago. Do you have a source?

I tagged you in the post where I gave links.

Have you had any other symptoms?

 

[SheilaNaGig]

.

 

[editor]

For FUCK'S SAKE

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Crowdfunder have raised over £70 million for start-ups, business ideas, charities, community groups, social enterprises, sports clubs, political movements and so much more through crowdfunding. Get extra funding, learn about crowdfunding, and learn h

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*please let it be a pisstake

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

Jesus fuck. Where did they find the Scottish 'musician' ranting on question time right now? And why isn't he just being cut off?!?

That's Darren McGarvey. He's a good guy.

 

[Petcha]

That's Darren McGarvey. He's a good guy.

He wouldn't let anyone else speak

 

[brogdale]

He wouldn't let anyone else speak

You wanted to listen to Brandon Lewis or Rachel Reeves?

 

[Petcha]

You wanted to listen to Brandon Lewis or Rachel Reeves?

Ha, well...hmmm.. good call. It was a completely shit line-up all in all. But he was the most irritating.

 

[Mation]

I tagged you in the post where I gave links.

Have you had any other symptoms?

Thank you

Don't think I've had other symptoms. No cough, bar my usual. Felt a bit hot, on and off, but thermometer says normal. Bit short of breath, but could be anxiety-related. Not breathless. Had some headaches a couple of weeks ago.

It's all a bit hard to tell without testing. I doubt I've got it/had it, but fuck knows.

 

[Mr.Bishie]

For FUCK'S SAKE

Explore projects | Crowdfunder.co.uk

Crowdfunder have raised over £70 million for start-ups, business ideas, charities, community groups, social enterprises, sports clubs, political movements and so much more through crowdfunding. Get extra funding, learn about crowdfunding, and learn h

www.crowdfunder.co.uk

*please let it be a pisstake

A James Purdey to blow his fuckin head off crowd funder!

 

[brogdale]

Ha, well...hmmm.. good call. It was a completely shit line-up all in all. But he was the most irritating.

Didn't watch the programme; what was it that McGarvey said that you found irritating?

 

[Petcha]

Didn't watch the programme; what was it that McGarvey said that you found irritating?

I dont even remember what he was saying. He just ranted and wouldn't let anyone else talk so I tuned him out. A monologue. Anyway. I'm sure there's more interesting things to discuss!

 

[The39thStep]

He wouldn't let anyone else speak

 

[Petcha]

What a bullshit explanation... if you watch it you could see he just didn't want to let anyone else speak. I'm sure he had some valid points but personally I had to put it on mute and change windows whenever it went to him and a few minutes later switch back and he will still ranting away.

 

[Petcha]

Clearly the coke dealers haven't been practising social isolation up there!

 

[SheilaNaGig]

Thank you

Don't think I've had other symptoms. No cough, bar my usual. Felt a bit hot, on and off, but thermometer says normal. Bit short of breath, but could be anxiety-related. Not breathless. Had some headaches a couple of weeks ago.

It's all a bit hard to tell without testing. I doubt I've got it/had it, but fuck knows.

This virus is tricksy, eh!

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

Clearly the coke dealers haven't been practising social isolation up there!

Go fuck yourself for that comment.

 

[Petcha]

Go fuck yourself for that comment.

If you a) have ever sat in a room with a load of coked up people (and in the past ive often been one of them) and b) observed his performance you might know what I'm talking about.

Oh. And go fuck yourself.

 

[sheothebudworths]

There was fuck all wrong with it - I thought he was great - and it was very clear that there were issues with him hearing what was being said, too.
Maybe you'd have got that if you'd actually bothered to watch/listen instead of muting it every time he was speaking.
Makes it even more bizarre that you then came on here to slag him right off, too - wtf?

 

[DaveCinzano]

Press release on the Bristol Nightingale:

NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol

NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) South West region has asked North Bristol NHS Trust to oversee the new NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol alongside its existing group of hospitals.

The specialist hospital based at the University of West of England Frenchay campus, will care for up to 1,000 people affected by COVID-19, and is due to accept its first patient week commencing 20 April 2020. The NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol will enhance and support critical care capacity across the Severn network.

North Bristol NHS Trust has an established and resilient group operating model which could embrace a fifth hospital without detriment to the services the Trust currently provides. In addition, the site is situated within the Trust’s catchment area in Frenchay.

The Trust’s Chief Executive Officer, Andrea Young, will be the Accountable Officer for the hospital’s services, and Marie-Noelle Orzel, has been seconded to lead the management team, which is being assembled from a number of NHS bodies in the south west.

Elizabeth O’Mahoney, NHS Regional Director for the South West, said: “This is the single biggest challenge facing our country for generations. We can learn from what is happening across the country and we want the NHS in the South West to be as well prepared as possible.

“The Nightingale Bristol will support our hospitals to care for critically ill patients as and when needed. We would prefer never to even admit a patient, but it will be in place if needed. We would ask that everyone in the south west follows the national recommendations to stay at home, observe social distancing, protect your local NHS and each of you will help save lives.”

Andrea Young, Chief Executive of North Bristol NHS Trust, said: “We are deeply grateful to NHS staff and partners across the region for the support they are providing at this very challenging time. The Nightingale Bristol will enhance and support our critical care capacity across the South West and is a real collaborative partnership between all NHS providers, commissioners and partner agencies and organisations.

“On behalf of the NHS I want to thank the public for their extraordinary support in maintaining self-isolation if symptomatic or vulnerable and through social distancing. Those actions are definitely helping us manage this pandemic and we need everyone to sustain them."

The full leadership team is:

• Marie-Noelle Orzel, Hospital Chief Officer
• Paula Clarke, Deputy Chief Officer/COO (Director of Strategy and Transformation at United [sic] Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust)
• Mr Tim Whittlestone, Medical Director (Deputy Medical Director at North Bristol NHS Trust)
• Hayley Peters, Nursing Director (Chief Nurse at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust)
• Brian Johnson, Director of Estates and Facilities (Royal United Hospitals Bath Foundation Trust)
• Catherine Phillips, Finance Director (Director of Finance at North Bristol NHS Trust)
• Neil Darvill, IM&T Director (Chief Information Officer at North Bristol NHS Trust)
• Jane Harris, Communications Director (Head of Communications and Engagement at Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group)
• Steve Aumayer, HR Director (EKIM Consulting Limited, former UHBFT)
• Xavier Bell, Director of Governance (Director of Corporate Governance and Trust Secretary at North Bristol NHS Trust)
• Adrian Coombs, Programme Director (Major Events Boss Limited)

This senior team is made up of people seconded from their own organisations for an initial three month period or volunteering their skills and experiences for the project.

The Severn network region includes:

• Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• North Bristol NHS Trust
• Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
• Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust*
• Yeovil District Hospitals NHS FoundationTrust

* University Hospitals Bristol, which runs the BRI, Bristol Children's Hospital, St Michael's maternity, and various other specialist hospitals, mostly in central Bristol, had been planning to take over engage in an equal partnership with the Weston Trust for some time, though COVID put the brakes on for a while. Some bright spark obviously thought April Fool's was a great day to marry the two together.

 

[brogdale]

Clearly the coke dealers haven't been practising social isolation up there!

You’ve clearly not read his book.

 

[bimble]

What is this, is it right?
Claims to show - from leaked home office phonecalls - that the government is still convinced by the herd immunity idea and will act accordingly.
If this is right then they (home office officials) are assuming that no vaccine will come along, we will all get it sooner or later and the main thing is to get the economy back up and running.

COVID-19 SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: Leaked Home Office Call Reveals Government wants Economy to ‘Continue Running’ as ‘We Will All Get’ COVID-19 Anyway – Byline Times

Nafeez Ahmed reports on Home Office private advice suggesting a 'zombie herd immunity' policy risking hundreds of thousands of deaths.

bylinetimes.com

 

[Chilli.s]

There is no exit from lockdown without some kind of testing and tracing of further outbreaks. Well, no exit that doesn't include a high probability of going back to an out of control outbreak.

There is no solid proof that re-infection doesn't happen. Therefore any immunity is just a hopeful guess.

Nice to see the NHS being funded a bit more sensibly ,a real change. How about some pay rises?

 

[LDC]

Warning: early morning wild speculation time....

There are some things not quite adding up for me with this. The dates of the projected peak, the way public expectations of lock-down and length of time it'll be there for, the construction of all these mega-hospitals around the country that won't be ready for quite a while, the already near collapse some hospitals seem to be in, and a few other things.

I can't quite articulate it exactly, but it does make me feel that this is going to be a much longer and more destructive and chaotic period of time than is being generally acknowledged at the moment.... or am I way off the mark?

 

[Supine]

Warning: early morning wild speculation time....

There are some things not quite adding up for me with this. The dates of the projected peak, the way public expectations of lock-down and length of time it'll be there for, the construction of all these mega-hospitals around the country that won't be ready for quite a while, the already near collapse some hospitals seem to be in, and a few other things.

I can't quite articulate it exactly, but it does make me feel that this is going to be a much longer and more destructive and chaotic period of time than is being generally acknowledged at the moment.... or am I way off the mark?

It's going to be going on until the majority of the population has had it. The Gov don't seem keen to discuss this though. 2020 is going to be shite all year

 

[planetgeli]

What is this, is it right?
Claims to show - from leaked home office phonecalls - that the government is still convinced by the herd immunity idea and will act accordingly.
If this is right then they (home office officials) are assuming that no vaccine will come along, we will all get it sooner or later and the main thing is to get the economy back up and running.

COVID-19 SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: Leaked Home Office Call Reveals Government wants Economy to ‘Continue Running’ as ‘We Will All Get’ COVID-19 Anyway – Byline Times

Nafeez Ahmed reports on Home Office private advice suggesting a 'zombie herd immunity' policy risking hundreds of thousands of deaths.

bylinetimes.com

I've always been of the opinion their reluctance to move to lockdown was entirely rooted in a belief of the importance of the economy over people's safety and health. I would not be at all surprised to see a move back to 'herd immunity' at some point with the justification of 'we just can't afford this anymore'.

Warning: early morning wild speculation time....

There are some things not quite adding up for me with this. The dates of the projected peak, the way public expectations of lock-down and length of time it'll be there for, the construction of all these mega-hospitals around the country that won't be ready for quite a while, the already near collapse some hospitals seem to be in, and a few other things.

I can't quite articulate it exactly, but it does make me feel that this is going to be a much longer and more destructive and chaotic period of time than is being generally acknowledged at the moment.... or am I way off the mark?

I thought the UK government pissed-offness with Wales for 'jumping the gun' on extending lockdown spoke volumes yesterday. As if the whole country doesn't realise nothing has changed, except for the worse. As if it was a major shock that Wales should announce what it did. It's politics isn't it? Most of us can see we're in for a long period of chaos, whatever form that takes. But the government feel they can't let that particular cat out of the bag yet. Partly because they don't want to freak everyone out (social unrest?). And partly because they are an incompetent bunch of fuckwits managing this on the hoof.

 

[Steel Icarus]

Tell you what, it'll be a brave MP of any stripe who goes private for so much as an ingrown toenail for the next forever.

 

[redsquirrel]

What is this, is it right?
Claims to show - from leaked home office phonecalls - that the government is still convinced by the herd immunity idea and will act accordingly.
If this is right then they (home office officials) are assuming that no vaccine will come along, we will all get it sooner or later and the main thing is to get the economy back up and running.

COVID-19 SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: Leaked Home Office Call Reveals Government wants Economy to ‘Continue Running’ as ‘We Will All Get’ COVID-19 Anyway – Byline Times

Nafeez Ahmed reports on Home Office private advice suggesting a 'zombie herd immunity' policy risking hundreds of thousands of deaths.

bylinetimes.com

Again this website is making claims that its own evidence does not back up. Even if all those quotes given to Shute are correct (and they probably are otherwise they are going to have a huge lawsuit on their hands), at no point does anything said indicate that this is government policy rather than Shute's own views

EDIT: I mean Rupert Shute sounds like a bit of a prick and does not appear to have any background in the area of biosciences, epidemiology or public behaviour but I'm more and more convinced that the Byline Times is as shite as Skwawkbox.

Rupert Shute
Rupert is Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser at the Home Office. His career has spanned the development of robotic systems for nuclear decommissioning, pioneering the application of VR and AR to engineering design and developing distributed sensor networks. He began his career as an Electronic Engineering Apprentice, following which he won a prestigious Sir Joseph Whitworth Scholarship to undertake academic studies.

In addition to his Engineering career, Rupert has a keen interest in community ownership business models and has been a guest speaker on this topic at the Henley Business School. In a voluntary capacity, he chaired a community co-operative with over 500 hundred members; during his six-year tenure, the organisation won the BBC Food and Farming Awards – Best Retail Initiative.

 

[mx wcfc]

and the estate agents, being estate agents, are doing everything they can to help them.

Coronavirus: Londoners escaping to Winchester in bid to find rural space despite lockdown rules

ESTATE agents in Winchester have seen a sharp increase in the number of people from London seeking to flee the capital to move to the local area…

www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk

 

[zahir]

Warning: early morning wild speculation time....

There are some things not quite adding up for me with this. The dates of the projected peak, the way public expectations of lock-down and length of time it'll be there for, the construction of all these mega-hospitals around the country that won't be ready for quite a while, the already near collapse some hospitals seem to be in, and a few other things.

I can't quite articulate it exactly, but it does make me feel that this is going to be a much longer and more destructive and chaotic period of time than is being generally acknowledged at the moment.... or am I way off the mark?

The preparations for temporary mortuaries would fit in with this.

But if this goes to confirm that the Covid-19 death rate is being deliberately underplayed, it seems there are no official illusions about the real magnitude of the problem. While ministers have been quick to parade the creation of the so-called "Nightingale Hospitals", with no fanfare at all an emergency programme has been running in parallel to build a national network of temporary mortuaries.

Although we are aware of the new facility in East London as well as Birmingham Airport, what has not been announced centrally is the sheer scale of this new programme, even though it is being planned and coordinated by the Cabinet Office alongside local authorities.

The first clue came from my own local paper, the Bradford Telegraph & Argus which yesterday devoted its front page to a plan to turn the "iconic" Richard Dunn sports complex into a mortuary.

A spokesman for Bradford Council is cited as saying: "All Local Authorities across the country are having to make arrangements for temporary mortuaries as a precaution, to cover all eventualities in the current medical emergency".

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