Current Affairs

[towny44]

The change of wording doesn't trouble me at all, the position changes regularly and so thereforee will the wording.

Sorry Ken but to critisice any such change is, for me, on a par with nitpicking rather than being informed.

I guess I just expect the government to abide by its own statements and comments and not to unnecessarily back pedal to make them fit political posturing and manipulation. Maybe it is because I, and other members of my family, are/could be directly affected by this means I expect higher standards of honesty at the minute and for the government to keep its word.

What I took from the rewording of the ‘test’ that I mentioned (a second peak not overwhelming the NHS) was that any second peak at the level of the first peak would be acceptable, as the NHS was not overwhelmed this time.

When you consider how many people have lost their lives in this wave, it’s very daunting to consider that this is likely to happen again in any second wave.

I understand why that would be of concern, but it would require things to be exactly the same. But they won't be, there will be a level of "herd immunity" that the first wave did not encounter, and assuming that the resumption of some elective surgeries continues then the number of ICU beds available for Covid would be lower than at their height. All along the "experts" have been assuming that further waves would be lower until, over time, they disappear or a vaccine becomes available. The current govt view, stated at every briefing, is that we have to avoid a second peak being as bad as the first, and therefore the timing, and how we ease the restrictions is crucial.

[Manoverboard]

What I took from the rewording of the ‘test’ that I mentioned (a second peak not overwhelming the NHS) was that any second peak at the level of the first peak would be acceptable, as the NHS was not overwhelmed this time.

When you consider how many people have lost their lives in this wave, it’s very daunting to consider that this is likely to happen again in any second wave.

Why does all this remind me of ' Yes Minister ' ?

We all seem to interpret these messages with a slightly different emphasis but at the end of the day we surely all regret the number of deaths and do not want to witness a second wave .... for me I would add ' of significant proportions ' because a second wave is extremely likely to happen (imo).
.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I could be wrong but I think some are reading too much into a few additional words of clarification. Personally I don't think they're looking for an excurse to end lockdown early, but as with Brexit, let's just wait and see. None of us, nor the journalists, have a seat in the Cabinet.

But here's today's conundrum.

When Germany, who had a vast pre-existing laboratory infrastructure, were doing 500,000 tests a week they were being praised.

Now, having expanded our much smaller infrastructure in little more than a month, we are doing 50,000 plus tests a day (that's 250,000 a week) and have capacity for over 70,000 a day (that's 350,000 a week) and that's, according to some, a failure. At the rate it's rising I'm sure we'll hit the arbitrary target of 100,000 a day (700,000 a week) and more shortly.

This is exactly why the government is reluctant to publish details, because the critics store them up to throw bricks later.

If the government announced to day a target to end lockdown on 31st May and it turned out to be 1st June there would be wailing in the streets.

[Frank Manning]

Exactly Mervyn. When I read that the BBC loaded the Panorama programme with NHS staff having known links to the very far left of the labour party without disclosing their affiliations it confirmed what I thought. OK it was in 'the Wail', but even so....it stinks.

[david63]

The latest from the Donald is that the coronavirus is a Chinese plot to stop him being re-elected!!!

[Mervyn and Trish]

The latest from the Donald is that the coronavirus is a Chinese plot to stop him being re-elected!!!

Not that he's his own worst enemy of course! The sad thing is he probably will be! The level of stupidity in the US electorate can't be overestimated.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Exactly Mervyn. When I read that the BBC loaded the Panorama programme with NHS staff having known links to the very far left of the labour party without disclosing their affiliations it confirmed what I thought. OK it was in 'the Wail', but even so....it stinks.

Ah yes of course. The middle centre Wail that has a known hatred for the BBC. I wouldn't believe a thing they say in that matter.

[towny44]

Exactly Mervyn. When I read that the BBC loaded the Panorama programme with NHS staff having known links to the very far left of the labour party without disclosing their affiliations it confirmed what I thought. OK it was in 'the Wail', but even so....it stinks.

This situation is by no means isolated, there are far too many items on news programmes which rely on left leaning organisations to provide the data and impetus for the article. Similarly, even in the NHS, when asking professional organisations for comments on any issues that may be troubling to the staff, is bound to elicit a left wing trade union response, but the reporting of this never provides this attribution.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm sure most of us realise trades unions are generally left wing. They'd have to go out of their way to find a right wing one.

Having said that in the current crisis there are those who still think this is caused by 5G. So maybe the public aren't all so clever!

[Onelife]

I was pleased to hear Boris comments about using face masks as it can only be a matter of time before we are all advised to wear them. On that note one would presume they’ll be ramping up production of both masks and rubber gloves… for everyone?

I’ll be venturing out for the first time in 5 weeks as I need fuel for the mower… mask and rubber gloves at the ready

[oldbluefox]

I’ll be venturing out for the first time in 5 weeks as I need fuel for the mower… mask and rubber gloves at the ready

We'll be looking out for you

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[Onelife]

I can siphon off a gallon in less than 3 minutes.........drop by anytime

[Onelife]

Trump isn't doing USA/ China relations much good but China's reluctance to deny rumours that the Wuhan outbreak was due to a laboratory accident has to be of great concern to all world leaders.

[Stephen]

Trump isn't doing USA/ China relations much good but China's reluctance to deny rumours that the Wuhan outbreak was due to a laboratory accident has to be of great concern to all world leaders.

.......or sabotage!


It does make you wonder if there's more to this than meets the eye. I wouldn't mind betting there's a cover up somewhere.

[barney]

Exactly Mervyn. When I read that the BBC loaded the Panorama programme with NHS staff having known links to the very far left of the labour party without disclosing their affiliations it confirmed what I thought. OK it was in 'the Wail', but even so....it stinks.

I thought the same on that subject Frank.
They should have disclosed for credibility.
One of the five NHS workers was actually a Labour candidate and the other four were activists.
Their social media postings were very easy to find.
They were hardly objective.
Panorama totally lacks credibility.

[Onelife]

Trump isn't doing USA/ China relations much good but China's reluctance to deny rumours that the Wuhan outbreak was due to a laboratory accident has to be of great concern to all world leaders.

.......or sabotage!


It does make you wonder if there's more to this than meets the eye. I wouldn't mind betting there's a cover up somewhere.

Funny you should say that Stephen as l was only talking to a very intelligent lady friend a few weeks back and she alluded to something along the same lines.

[towny44]

Trump isn't doing USA/ China relations much good but China's reluctance to deny rumours that the Wuhan outbreak was due to a laboratory accident has to be of great concern to all world leaders.

.......or sabotage!


It does make you wonder if there's more to this than meets the eye. I wouldn't mind betting there's a cover up somewhere.

But it is extremely unlikely that we will ever know the full story.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I always worry about such rumour stories. A bit like the Americans not landing on the moon. If it is a big enough story there will be enough people who know and enough media money slopping about to make sure it gets out. "Refuses to deny" is a typical media phrase to cover vague hints of a story that probably isn't true. As Towny says we'll never know the full story but personally I doubt it's that dramatic.

[screwy]

The theory is that the Chinese have been eating Bats etc for centuries and this Virus hasnt materialised till now.? Why not.?

[Mervyn and Trish]

We ate cows for centuries. Why did BSE/CJD only emerge when it did? Viruses mutate all the time. Therin lies the problem with them.

[screwy]

Good point, well put.

[barney]

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/ma ... -to-brexit

A very interesting story that could appeal to our Europhile friends on here.

It appears on the surface, that under current EU treaty, an EU citizen can only have their citizenship revoked with their specific consent.

This could be a win for those who didn't wish to leave the political institutions of the EU.
They my be able to retain all EU citizen rights depending on the outcome of the judgement, even if the UK is a third country.

[Manoverboard]

The theory is that the Chinese have been eating Bats etc for centuries and this Virus hasnt materialised till now.? Why not.?

The theory I thought was that some animal or other eats the bats and the Chinese eat the animal ... ergo the animal is no longer imune to the bat virus .... ish.

[Onelife]

Trump isn't doing USA/ China relations much good but China's reluctance to deny rumours that the Wuhan outbreak was due to a laboratory accident has to be of great concern to all world leaders.

.......or sabotage!


It does make you wonder if there's more to this than meets the eye. I wouldn't mind betting there's a cover up somewhere.

But it is extremely unlikely that we will ever know the full story.

In a country where whistle blowers disappear without a trace you could well be right.

[Onelife]

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/ma ... -to-brexit

A very interesting story that could appeal to our Europhile friends on here.

It appears on the surface, that under current EU treaty, an EU citizen can only have their citizenship revoked with their specific consent.

This could be a win for those who didn't wish to leave the political institutions of the EU.
They my be able to retain all EU citizen rights depending on the outcome of the judgement, even if the UK is a third country.

It sounds like her legal challange has every chance of succeeding however having your cake and eating on both sides of the channel will be harder to swallow for our X European partners l would surmis8