Coronavirus

[oddoneout]

Hummmmm

Would you choose someone who refers to the 30th February 2020 as a "medical officer" ?

Asking for a friend

Pants on fire again

As on other occasions it's great fun watching the signer. Such people are in a good position to air their views without anyone being able to take action it seems to me.

[Dave2002]

As on other occasions it's great fun watching the signer. Such people are in a good position to air their views without anyone being able to take action it seems to me.

Some of those signs are grotesque. I assume they are genuine. Maybe I should ask someone in my family who's a specialist in sign language - though she's not at all deaf. For all we know, there are "bad" 'words' in sign language!

I actually so far have had considerable respect for Prof van Tam - I assume that was a "genuine" mistake. 30th February - many of us didn't notice!

[Simon B]

I actually so far have had considerable respect for Prof van Tam - I assume that was a "genuine" mistake. 30th February - many of us didn't notice!

Ditto. At the very least, he has so far been the least unconvincing and most straight talking of any figure appearing on (sort of) behalf of the government IMO. Anyone, however direct and in command of their brief, can make a trivial mistake like this without it being a "tell" for an attempt to deceive.

As in science itself, if you start out looking for evidence to support a preconception you're quite likely to find it.

This may have been mentioned upthread as it has in many places elsewhere, but e.g. "Stay Alert; Control the Virus; Save Lives" is an anagram of "Easily survives travel north to castle". Enough said

[johnb]

Does anyone seriously believe that test-trace-isolate would have been announced to go live with less than 24 hours notice if it wasn't for the government's desire to move the story on from Dominic Cummings?

My guess is that the "go live" was prematurely brought forward and that has caught those involved on the hop.

The way this government puts politics before public health is infuriating.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/englands-coronavirus-tracing-plan-beset-by-conflict-and-confusion#maincontent

[Simon B]

Does anyone seriously believe that test-trace-isolate would have been announced to go live with less than 24 hours notice if it wasn't for the government's desire to move the story on from Dominic Cummings?

My guess is that the "go live" was prematurely brought forward and that has caught those involved on the hop.

The way this government puts politics before public health is infuriating.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...on#maincontent

Isn't the equivalent Scottish system also starting today? Given the degree to which Ms Sturgeon seems likely to do anything to help the Westminster govt manage its presentation issues (i.e. not to even the most minuscule extent possible) this seems a more meaningful coincidence.

Not that I don't share your cynicism more broadly...

Meanwhile, nobody seems to have noticed the glacial-to-the-point-of-laconic rate of progress on anything in Wales. Testing capacity, concrete plans, you name it, on the surface at least the governance appears almost laissez-faire...

[Serial_Apologist]

Someone at No 10 or the Beeb should ask Hancock to move back a little from his computer monitor when coming on TV, and also remove the image behind him of Her Majesty that shows an apparent explosion coming out of her right temple. The combination is making me feel quite ill.

[johnb]

Isn't the equivalent Scottish system also starting today? Given the degree to which Ms Sturgeon seems likely to do anything to help the Westminster govt manage its presentation issues (i.e. not to even the most minuscule extent possible) this seems a more meaningful coincidence.

Good point.

[Dave2002]

Clap for Carers - and streaming shows - including the National Theatre

Maybe Clap for Carers is going to end tonight.

Probably a bit late for this, but the NT streaming Live usually starts at 7pm on Thursdays. It might have been helpful if those streamings had a short gap say from 7.58pm to 8.05pm to allow more of us to participate. As it is, I only went out to clap on two occasions, and on several occasions we were totally absorbed in NT screenings.

If this show of solidarity is to end, then this is probably too late, though I heard that some NHS workers appreciated it, and would perhaps like to see it carry on a while longer.

[Bryn]

Maybe Clap for Carers is going to end tonight.

Probably a bit late for this, but the NT streaming Live usually starts at 7pm on Thursdays. It might have been helpful if those streamings had a short gap say from 7.58pm to 8.05pm to allow more of us to participate. As it is, I only went out to clap on two occasions, and on several occasions we were totally absorbed in NT screenings.

If this show of solidarity is to end, then this is probably too late, though I heard that some NHS workers appreciated it, and would perhaps like to see it carry on a while longer.

Though not the prime intent, Thursday clapping from the front doorstep also helps build neighbourliness. I have come to know my neighbours, both next door and across the road and beyond, much better since this started. We have even extended the neighbourliness to some Saturday events with quizzes, barbeques popular music discos (all socially distances, of course).

[Dave2002]

The press briefing tonight gave out a couple of factlets.

The risk of picking up CV19 at 1 metres range is 10-30 times greater than at 2 metres.
There is still a risk at 2 metres, but it is considered low.

What is a bit odd is the specific timing. 15 minutes = At risk, while presumably 14 minutes 59 seconds = not at risk.

I don't believe that. I think that longer proximity timings must surely increase the risk, while a short time would be less risky. On the other hand, if someone sneezed in the first minute the risk might be greater even in an otherwise short session.

NT's This House - has just started. Worth watching I think. Probably won't learn anything new (we've seen it before) but as I recall it does show a lot of the rubbish which we have in our political "democracy".

[Bryn]

. . . NT's The House - has just started. Worth watching I think. Probably won't learn anything new (we've seen it before) but as I recall it does show a lot of the rubbish which we have in our political "democracy".

NT? National Trust?

[Dave2002]

NT? National Trust?

National Theatre. The play showing tonight is This House by James Graham.

[Bryn]

National Theatre. The play showing tonight is This House by James Graham.

Ah. Google suggested Netflix but I doubted that option.

[teamsaint]

Can anybody figure out if the new rules would allow a few people to meet up for socially distanced exercise, eg a group run ?

From what I have read this would seem to fall within the rules.

[oddoneout]

Can anybody figure out if the new rules would allow a few people to meet up for socially distanced exercise, eg a group run ?

From what I have read this would seem to fall within the rules.

Follow your instinct!
But as this is what today's statement says I think you are probably right.

So from Monday we will allow up to six people to meet outside - provided those from different households continue strictly to observe social distancing rules by staying two metres apart.

This bit is simply regularising what a great many folk have been doing for some time now...

At the moment, as you know, people can meet in parks but not in private gardens. This was a cautious first step - but we know that there is no difference in the health risk. So we will now allow people to meet in gardens and other private outdoor spaces.

I never saw the logic in not allowing a socially distanced meeting with a friend in their garden but a game of basketball on a court was OK.