Coronavirus: social, economic and other changes as a result of the pandemic

[french frank]

Perhaps I should have appended an apposite emoticon.

Perhaps I should have!

[Serial_Apologist]

Perhaps I should have!

I may be wrong here, but my impression is that sociopathology seems to be regarded as a given rather than a phenomenon to be understood as to its causes and possible cures?

I have my own ideas (eg prejudices) on why this might be!

[Joseph K]

Thanks for those thoughts, S_A. There is the added tension between (individual) libertarianisn on the one hand and (collective) conformity on the other. I'm not sure that this troubles right wingers for whom caring about others is a matter of individual choice/preference rather than a duty/obligation.

Thank you, JK - will have a look.

See also this: https://chomsky.info/government-in-the-future/

[Dave2002]

I noticed a really interesting article on Sky news a couple of days back, which I'm trying to find again. In the meantime, this article is also good - https://news.sky.com/story/coronavir...he-uk-12029604

[Dave2002]

I've still not found the article from a day or two back which presented some data very clearly, but I did find this one from the ONS which may also be of interest - https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulat...icators/latest

I don't particularly want to tell HMG what they're doing wrong, but the emphasis on returning to work - perhaps so as to keep sandwich bars open close to large office blocks - sorry - that's madness.

What they might usefully do though is to put effort and resources in to retraining, as surely many jobs are really not necessary, so people who can retrain to do things which are (arguably) more worthwhile should be given encouragement and incentives.

[teamsaint]

This is a really significant statement from parkrun.

For those who are unaware, parkrun is a weekly free 5k run, 9.00 saturday, which is designed to get people exercising together in an inclusive manner. I really do recommend reading this, as it speaks to physical and mental wellbeing issues . Hundreds of thousands of people take part each week.

https://blog.parkrun.com/uk/2020/09/07/the-time-to-act-is-now/

[oddoneout]

This is a really significant statement from parkrun.

For those who are unaware, parkrun is a weekly free 5k run, 9.00 saturday, which is designed to get people exercising together in an inclusive manner. I really do recommend reading this, as it speaks to physical and mental wellbeing issues . Hundreds of thousands of people take part each week.

https://blog.parkrun.com/uk/2020/09/...to-act-is-now/

Given that gyms were a germ/infection problem even before Covid-19 struck, and that increasing financial pressures are going to make such establishments less of an option for many, it seems more than sensible to me to support and encourage initiatives such as parkrun. Increased use of public open space has many benefits, not least perhaps helping to ensure that they stay as that, but organised activity such as parkrun is a way of reducing friction between different groups of users as fixed time and place enables avoidance by those who don't want to get involved in,or face problems from (eg pressure on path space for those wanting to keep their distance) , groups.

[teamsaint]

Given that gyms were a germ/infection problem even before Covid-19 struck, and that increasing financial pressures are going to make such establishments less of an option for many, it seems more than sensible to me to support and encourage initiatives such as parkrun. Increased use of public open space has many benefits, not least perhaps helping to ensure that they stay as that, but organised activity such as parkrun is a way of reducing friction between different groups of users as fixed time and place enables avoidance by those who don't want to get involved in,or face problems from (eg pressure on path space for those wanting to keep their distance) , groups.

Update

https://news.google.com/articles/CAIiEItHgvZmBSlzzEuf1bFgTJ4qFggEKg4IACoGCAowl6p7MN-zCTDlkko?hl=en-GB&gl=GB&ceid=GB%3Aen

There is a clear intention to have parkrun events by the end of October in England.
I think their statement of intent is clear and sensible.

[teamsaint]

Well, of all the bad news days we have had, I suspect today will turn out to be one of the worst. We are being manipulated into a world of enormously greater government control, as nudge theory runs amok in government.
Dark days may be ahead, unless we can stand up to those who seek to control us.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I'd rather not wait 2 or 3 weeks to see whether intensive care fills up with over 60 years olds and other vulnerable people. At the moment its possible to say there is "no evidence" but I don't think that argument stands up.

And those who are able to book foreign holidays and negotiate airline bookings say they are "confused" about the more nuanced restrictions in force for arrivals from one destination to another. Such references to confusion seem to me, most often, to be a cover for not wanting to observe the precautions so that others can be educated, keep their jobs and work in healthcare without being endangered or overwhelmed.

Vulnerable by age and other factors I am happy to greatly minimise my exposure to risk, so I think the nuanced / local approach was a reasonable balance between interests. But I suppose a simple, clear "one size fits all" approach is what is needed to get compliance from the necessary majority - and that has been invoked.

[teamsaint]

I'd rather not wait 2 or 3 weeks to see whether intensive care fills up with over 60 years olds and other vulnerable people. At the moment its possible to say there is "no evidence" but I don't think that argument stands up.

And those who are able to book foreign holidays and negotiate airline bookings say they are "confused" about the more nuanced restrictions in force for arrivals from one destination to another. Such references to confusion seem to me, most often, to be a cover for not wanting to observe the precautions so that others can be educated, keep their jobs and work in healthcare without being endangered or overwhelmed.

Vulnerable by age and other factors I am happy to greatly minimise my exposure to risk, so I think the nuanced / local approach was a reasonable balance between interests. But I suppose a simple, clear "one size fits all" approach is what is needed to get compliance from the necessary majority - and that has been invoked.

It is nonsense, and I am happy bet that it gets widely, and rightly flouted.

It will be ok for 6 men to meet inside a house to drink and watch football on TV, but it will be illegal, ( ILLEGAL)for the two of us to meet with our son’s five person household in a park. And that is just a close to home example.

We are being stripped of the ability or desire to make sensible choices, for the good of both ourselves and others.

And, we now have a health service that operates almost exclusively round the apparent dangers of a single disease, an approach which is in the process of destroying it.

[Bryn]

[/B][/B]

It is nonsense, and I am happy bet that it gets widely, and rightly flouted.

It will be ok for 6 men to meet inside a house to drink and watch football on TV, but it will be illegal, ( ILLEGAL)for the two of us to meet with our son’s five person household in a park. And that is just a close to home example.

We are being stripped of the ability or desire to make sensible choices, for the good of both ourselves and others.

And, we now have a health service that operates almost exclusively round the apparent dangers of a single disease, an approach which is in the process of destroying it.

Don't be so quick to underestimate the NHS's medics. As arranged, one of the GPs from my local practice telephoned me last Friday to carry out a long overdue medication review. I raised with her the need for a delayed blood test and of a developing problem with my right ankle (I broke both tib and fib close to the ankle in an RTC, back in 1977, and over the years the wear and tear on the ankle had weakened it). She arranged for me to pick up the relevant blood test request form from the surgery and arranged for an x-ray at the nearest hospital. I attended for both, yesterday, without problem. Necessary safety measures are in place and the NHS continues to operate, if not quite as before COVID-19 hit us.

[Padraig]

Necessary safety measures are in place and the NHS continues to operate, if not quite as before COVID-19 hit us.

On a personal level, though my details are quite different from yours, Bryn, I must agree. Things that used to be routine are hard to organise at GP surgeries. Yet I am being summoned for on-going treatments by the hospital and an x-ray is pencilled into the diary for mid September, with a scan to follow later. At a much wider level how's this for a busy bunch of medics!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-54079629

Btw - I'm glad to say that for my age and underlie I'm in tip-top condition.

[teamsaint]

Don't be so quick to underestimate the NHS's medics. As arranged, one of the GPs from my local practice telephoned me last Friday to carry out a long overdue medication review. I raised with her the need for a delayed blood test and of a developing problem with my right ankle (I broke both tib and fib close to the ankle in an RTC, back in 1977, and over the years the wear and tear on the ankle had weakened it). She arranged for me to pick up the relevant blood test request form from the surgery and arranged for an x-ray at the nearest hospital. I attended for both, yesterday, without problem. Necessary safety measures are in place and the NHS continues to operate, if not quite as before COVID-19 hit us.

Good news.

But I have little confidence in the service round here, which is closing surgeries, and moving “patients “ to external providers wherever possible.

[Serial_Apologist]

Good news.

But I have little confidence in the service round here, which is closing surgeries, and moving “patients “ to external providers wherever possible.

My own experience over the past week concurs more closely with Bryn's, having been able to have my likewise delayed (by the surgery) annual blood tests - which with caution as usual about sugar levels were OK, and my drugs régime re-confirmed with details to be passed on to the usual pharmacist, so I can only express my sympathies, TS.