Coronavirus in the UK - news, lockdown and discussion

[LeytonCatLady]

UK public told to work from home, avoid pubs and abandon travel plans amid coronavirus outbreak

‘Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel,’ prime minister says

www.independent.co.uk

UK public told to work from home, avoid pubs and abandon travel plans amid coronavirus outbreak

‘Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel,’ prime minister says

www.independent.co.uk

Govt now say no unneccesary contact, to stay away from pubs, clubs, theatres etc., no mass gatherings from tomorrow (but can't see a number for "mass" yet).

Unless he closes them for a month though, no fucker's gonna listen.

 

[marty21]

We've been told to wfh half the week from now on, and limit visits to residents (I normally meet with residents most days)

 

[marty21]

Unless he closes them for a month though, no fucker's gonna listen.

My local is worried about the impact on pubs if they are closed down without government support.

 

[LeytonCatLady]

My local is worried about the impact on pubs if they are closed down without government support.

If they're forced to close,by government, they can at least claim insurance apparently,but not unless. So this current situation is shite for them.

 

[RTWL]

It would be a really good idea if we could at least test healthcare professionals.

 

[bimble]

Idris Elba’s got it, says he got the test result today. Has put a little video on Twitter encouraging people to not freak out but take it really seriously.

 

[platinumsage]

They have made many wild claims about testing to try to compensate for the disgraceful situation with tests there. I will wait till they actually materialise and get used.

The admiral later clarified that despite millions of test kits they hoped to be able to do tens of thousands of tests. The reason being that the person conducting the nasopharyngeal swab needs to change into fresh PPE for each patient they test.

 

[cupid_stunt]

If they're forced to close,by government, they can at least claim insurance apparently,but not unless. So this current situation is shite for them.

Most can't, pandemics are not covered by most business insurance.

Hundreds of businesses forced to close because of the coronavirus outbreak will have no protection for lost earnings, because their insurers have removed cover for disruption caused by pandemics or flu-type illnesses.

Disruption cover, which is standard in most corporate insurance policies, compensates enterprises that are forced to close while they recover from floods, fires or other disasters.

Many insurers have quietly inserted pandemic exclusion clauses in their policies, however, while others have an exclusion for closures arising from “influenza-derivative” illnesses. The exclusions were added following the Sars epidemic that hit Asia in 2003.

SOURCE

 

[muscovyduck]

UK public told to work from home, avoid pubs and abandon travel plans amid coronavirus outbreak

‘Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel,’ prime minister says

www.independent.co.uk

UK public told to work from home, avoid pubs and abandon travel plans amid coronavirus outbreak

‘Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel,’ prime minister says

www.independent.co.uk

Govt now say no unneccesary contact, to stay away from pubs, clubs, theatres etc., no mass gatherings from tomorrow (but can't see a number for "mass" yet).

How are people who work in pubs supposed to stay at home or avoid pubs

 

[elbows]

How are people who work in pubs supposed to stay at home or avoid pubs

When the government announce this sort of thing, the implication is that pubs etc will largely close themselves. Either because the pubs own risk assessments end up making that decision, or the business economics (reduced footfall) dont make staying open economically viable, or because of staffing issues, or indeed the fear of doing the wrong thing or bad publicity.

Some may try to corner the defiance market and remain open, hoping to hoover up the willing pub-goers whose regular pubs have shut, but I dont know how much of that we will actually see.

 

[cupid_stunt]

It strikes me as fairly sensible to give advice at this point in time, rather than order people around, as most people will follow that advice.

 

[LeytonCatLady]

Most can't, pandemics are not covered by most business insurance.

Wow. You'd think a pandemic would be exactly the type of thing business interruption insurance was designed for.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Wow. You'd think a pandemic would be exactly the type of thing business interruption insurance was designed for.

Sadly not, the insurance companies have to protect themselves from bankruptcy.

Of course such cover is still available, at a premium rate, but I'll me surprised if many go for that.

I am seeing my insurance broker tomorrow, if I remember, I'll ask him about it & post his reply.

 

[elbows]

Wow. You'd think a pandemic would be exactly the type of thing business interruption insurance was designed for.

Only if someone is insuring the insurers for such circumstances, they wont have the funds to pay out on that sort of thing because everyone claims at the same time = insurance doom.

 

[Pickman's model]

How are people who work in pubs supposed to stay at home or avoid pubs

On the positive side there is now virtually no chance of finding Boris Johnson in a pub

 

[lazythursday]

So they got the numbers wrong and the herd immunity strategy is over.

The UK Only Realised "In The Last Few Days" That Its Coronavirus Strategy Would "Likely Result In Hundreds of Thousands of Deaths"

Scientists advising the government say an aggressive new approach adopted to attempt to "suppress" the virus may have to be in place for 18 months.

www.buzzfeed.com

Lockdown / restrictions for potentially 18 months!

 

[spitfire]

On the positive side there is now virtually no chance of finding Boris Johnson in a pub

*am not really going to the pub.

 

[agricola]

I see that the likes of Wickham and Peston (and probably others) have been given the green light to start attacking the Government's previous advice, presumably in an attempt to deflect blame onto Whitty and his chums when this goes horribly wrong:




To say they didn't realise what their previous policy would do is absurd; it was the only way that herd immunity (a phrase which may be about to go extinct on Fleet Street) could have come about in the time frame they were talking.

 

[mauvais]

Most can't, pandemics are not covered by most business insurance.

I'm no expert but I'm not sure this is true. Closing due to pandemic would be if the staff all got sick and couldn't run the business. Closing because they're ordered to by government in turn because of a pandemic is potentially something else.

 

[elbows]

I will not defend tories and their instincts. But as I've driven myself mad saying in recent days, this is also a story about orthodox approaches and rigidity of thought.

I can sleep a bit better tonight knowing that the old orthodoxy is dead, long live the new one that has been cobbled together in its place. I hope it evolves here, and everywhere else around the world, in a manner that really helps defeat this virus.

I do hope to have the time to zoom in on details and see what the story is with getting numbers wrong in the modelling, whether that was ever really a factor. The 4 weeks behind Italy thing still blows my mind but I'm hoping that its replacement, '3 weeks', does not end up eating as much of my time and mental energy.

 

[LeytonCatLady]

Only if someone is insuring the insurers for such circumstances, they wont have the funds to pay out on that sort of thing because everyone claims at the same time = insurance doom.

That makes sense.

 

[PD58]

Kind of yes and no. It doesn't seem like enough but Asking people first is actually pretty reasonable. It gives them time to gauge what the general public response is and to put other measures in accordingly. To just come out of the blue and put the police and the military on the streets to keep people in is risky as fuck. I live in the inner city and if they tried that round here I can properly see it kicking it off. Also the neccasary legal measures for these kinds of restrictions on people's lives just isn't there at the moment. As much as I hate these cunts and think their response upto now has been absolutely woeful and believe these measures are not quite far enough reaching. I don't think they are that far off the mark here. Bringing that in by force might work in suburban towns but in other places its playing with fire.

Edit to add:

I'm not convinced it's even come into their reasoning on the matter tbh but there's an important psychological aspect to this too. If everyone is sensible and stays away from people and shops and limits everything then people can still get out for exercise. Part of the advice today said as long as you stay away from people you can go out for exercise if self isolating. That's a big thing. That will do wonders for people's psychological well being its also going to help people stay healthy which boosts their immunity. It will make people more able to withstand long periods of isolation. Not saying that that's their reasoning at all. I don't think they even care. But if everyone stays away from shops, bars and restaurants we've all got a chance for this to go a bit easier. So there's that too no faith in anyone being sensible about it tho tbh

I don't disagree re pubs etc and he did mention liberal democracy and I appreciate the notion of trusting people, but for example he did not ban events but said they would not be providing public service support - this shifts the moral duty to organisers and already tonight I know of organisers of certain events, which are their livelihood, who are now asking participants if they want to go ahead with this...surely this was not the intention was it, because if so the strategy is not going to work.

 

[spitfire]

I'm no expert but I'm not sure this is true. Closing due to pandemic would be if the staff all got sick and couldn't run the business. Closing because they're ordered to by government in turn because of a pandemic is potentially something else.

As a food manufacturer I follow a lot of catering establishments and industry types on twitter. The general consensus seems to be they think they can claim on their insurance and I haven't seen anyone saying otherwise.

That doesn't mean they're correct though and cupid stunt may well be right.

I'll ask my insurance broker tomorrow, she specialises in food related insurance.

 

[mx wcfc]

As a food manufacturer I follow a lot of catering establishments and industry types on twitter. The general consensus seems to be they think they can claim on their insurance and I haven't seen anyone saying otherwise.

That doesn't mean they're correct though and cupid stunt may well be right.

I'll ask my insurance broker tomorrow, she specialises in food related insurance.

I've seen pubs on twitter and fb saying they are staying open because they can't claim on their insurance until the government forces them to close. I may well pop into the pub after work tomorrow.

 

[agricola]

I will not defend tories and their instincts. But as I've driven myself mad saying in recent days, this is also a story about orthodox approaches and rigidity of thought.

I can sleep a bit better tonight knowing that the old orthodoxy is dead, long live the new one that has been cobbled together in its place. I hope it evolves here, and everywhere else around the world, in a manner that really helps defeat this virus.

I do hope to have the time to zoom in on details and see what the story is with getting numbers wrong in the modelling, whether that was ever really a factor. The 4 weeks behind Italy thing still blows my mind but I'm hoping that its replacement, '3 weeks', does not end up eating as much of my time and mental energy.

TBH if they are trying to escape blame for a disaster they think is coming then noone should be sleeping better anywhere in the UK. The only government who could ever reassure people right now is one that would try to do its best to get the country through this even if it resulted in them losing office.

 

[spitfire]

I've seen pubs on twitter and fb saying they are staying open because they can't claim on their insurance until the government forces them to close. I may well pop into the pub after work tomorrow.

Sorry, yes I should have said that bit. ^^^

Some mixed messages here.

 

[editor]

This comment sums up the shitstorm perfectly:

Des de Moor

Bad to worse. The UK prime minister has just shafted the two industries closest to my heart, one of which provides a significant part of my income: brewing, pubs and hospitality, the other being the arts and performance sector. If there are good arguments for closing public meeting places to deal with Covid-19, and there very well may be, then force them to close and provide proper compensation and support to get those many small, independent and already cash-strapped businesses through the crisis. But telling everyone not to go out, and hinting darkly that venues should close voluntarily, is the worst possible combination, leaving them with a choice of staying open, with potential health and reputational risks and probably very few customers anyway, or closing of their own accord, unable to claim any insurance, rent and rate relief, compensation etc etc. Once again big business, banks and insurers come first. And meanwhile they're still pursuing their bloody Brexit by December. Sadly, in a moment of crisis that no-one could have predicted, we have the very worst people in charge.

 

[ska invita]

.and:

"There are claims this evening that the UK prime minister’s decision to stop just short of ordering businesses such as pubs, restaurants and theatres to close down altogether will make it harder for them to claim back losses on their insurance.

The shadow digital, culture and media secretary, Tracy Brabin, has said:

It is a tragedy for any arts venue when they have no choice but to close. From the West End to community theatres up and down the country, many artists, actors, stage crew, producers and other workers face a terrible time ahead. It’s unacceptable that the Tories seem to be prioritising the needs of the insurance industry in what could be an existential crisis for our sector.

The prime minister must urgently clarify that theatres, music venues, and other organisations in the creative industries affected by his statement can claim insurance. The same goes for the UK’s incredible hospitality sector. These industries are part of the lifeblood of the nation and Labour will fight for their future."

suggests it can be claimed for? guess it depends on the policy?

 

[elbows]

TBH if they are trying to escape blame for a disaster they think is coming then noone should be sleeping better anywhere in the UK. The only government who could ever reassure people right now is one that would try to do its best to get the country through this even if it resulted in them losing office.

I can only speak for myself. I already knew what sort of hideous disaster and horrors could await in this sort of pandemic. No sort of government could reassure me at all on that front.

I can sleep better because the horror was looking likely to be magnified by adherence to an orthodox approach. Well actually, it already has been magnified, because the orthodox approach adopted since January already means that we and many other countries 'containment' phase was not really a fully comprehensive attempt at keeping the virus away/contained. But I spoke about that at the time, I wont repeat the detail right now.

Point being, we've already had that magnification of the problem, and we are already going into this with umpteen political and practical disadvantages such as the state of the NHS after all that austerity and its most challenging winter. So its already going to be terrible. The last thing I wanted to hear in recent days was that the orthodox approach was going to carry on into the next phase. But thats what they said. And now things have changed, so I can sleep easier. That doesnt mean I sleep easy overall, but I'll take what I can get in terms of good news/slightly promising signs.

 

[ska invita]

Can anyone answer a question how long a shutdown might last?

How long was Chinas? Has China fully lifted?
Is there indication of how long to expect shutdown to last (at least on this occassion) in France/Spain/Italy?