Coronavirus

[Chris152]

Most European countries have a demographic problem - too many old people sucking resources and not producing. Any country that reduces it's pension liability will be better off financially. Whether that is a moral decision is another question. I imagine that if the average age of fatalities was 25, rather than 75 or whatever it is, different decisions would be made.

I was thinking of the damage done to the vulnerable as a secondary outcome - that the actual goal might be to keep the economy working as fully as possible regardless, giving an edge over other nations at the end of the crisis?

 

[doctor Bob]

It does appear that while the virus is not an issue for the majority of people, the economic fallout from all of this will be cataclysmic ...

But "every cloud", "it's an ill wind" etc. The biggest factory in my local town has added extra shifts and increased production as a result of all this. What do they make? Toilet rolls. I can't understand why this is the commodity so many people panic buy but it is certainly helping my local economy.

Not really, people are not shiiting more .................. at some point the factory will go deathly quiet as people use stock.

 

[doctor Bob]

I see zero benefits ..............
I've spent 15 years building up a successful business, I can see that potentially going.
My parents are 87, OK fair do's they have had a good innings but if they catch it they are probably goners.
Wife is asmatic.
Son been in job 8 months loves it, they love him as well but last in first out..........

Makes me feel sick hearing people looking forward to a few weeks of self isolating so they can get job's done around the house and garden.

funny old world

 

[Geoff_S]

I believe it was decided in the COBRA meeting, but not announced yet, that our schools will close next Friday, the week before Easter.

Cobra is a good alternative to Corona but I do prefer a Stella Artois.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

I see zero benefits ..............
I've spent 15 years building up a successful business, I can see that potentially going.
My parents are 87, OK fair do's they have had a good innings but if they catch it they are probably goners.
Wife is asmatic.
Son been in job 8 months loves it, they love him as well but last in first out..........

Makes me feel sick hearing people looking forward to a few weeks of self isolating so they can get job's done around the house and garden.

funny old world

If, like me, you subscribe to the "We're all doomed!" school of economics, you may believe that the downturn currently starting is long overdue, and the last ten years growth has been built entirely on fake, printed wealth. We need to have bankruptcies, and lots of them, to clear out the dead wood, failed ideas and uneconomic businesses that are still tottering along because of zero interest rates and free money (if you know the right people).

If you believe that the last ten years have been an exemplary recovery, with solid grass-roots economic growth and lots of new business creation, then this little virus hiccough will be merely a blip on the balance sheet.

It's early days yet, but there may not be any tourists this year, which would cut my gross income by two thirds. There may not be any tourists for several years, which will be interesting to say the least. Think of all those assets the banks are going to collect due to failure to pay mortgages...banks always make money in a recession, and they can't lose now, thanks to the government - what a business model!

Some chap on the BBC this morning was saying that the government has to just hand out free money to all the big businesses, paid for by the tax payer for another three generations. We haven't paid for the last bailout yet, and it is time for the next one. I wonder how much they can screw out of Greece this time around?

 

[Irish Rover]

You get tuppence back on your Corona pop bottle.
Can Stella match that?

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Lastminutecruises.com: Book a week's cruise, get two weeks extra - free!

Use discount code: "Corona"

(Via the wife's farcebook - not all my own work)

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Just a thought - is anyone else convinced they are coming down with a cold/influenza/coronanvirus/cancer every morning?

Or is it just me?

Hang on, I'll let you know once I've got the Night Nurse off me.

No rush: I can wait until you've finished.

 

[Chris152]

Of course we are all experts.
However in my opinion what is being done to curb this situation does make sense. It's about timing coupled with the fact that a largeish proportion of the population needs to catch it in order to develop herd immunity. This has to be squared with the publics likely reaction to drastic measures which end up going on for too long... apathy. You then end up with a situation where people are off guard at the very height of the infection.

So, what is it that you think we're doing right that Italy did wrong at this relatively early stage? Because from what I can see, we're heading in exactly the same direction as Italy in the early stages, based on today's figures. Is the cunning plan to end up in the same situation as Italy - or worse - but with 'herd immunity' as the justification?

 

[Trainee neophyte]

So, what is it that you think we're doing right that Italy did wrong at this relatively early stage? Because from what I can see, we're heading in exactly the same direction as Italy in the early stages, based on today's figures. Is the cunning plan to end up in the same situation as Italy - or worse - but with 'herd immunity' as the justification?

Herd immunity just means everyone caught it. The only benefit that I can see is that next year there won't be a crisis, because everyone is now either immune or dead (or very lucky). Those countries that actually manage to stamp it out will be fighting it every year - I don't think the genie will go back in the bottle this time. On that basis, the reality is that everyone is going to catch it anyway - you might as well sell the benefits and make people feel they are contributing to the solution.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

. The biggest factory in my local town has added extra shifts and increased production as a result of all this. What do they make? Toilet rolls. I can't understand why this is the commodity so many people panic buy but it is certainly helping my local economy.

Apparently the shortage originated in Australia - it was reported that they had a shortage because theirs comes (or doesn't come) from China, ours doesn't but idiots everywhere else took it to be universal.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Ok, it officially just got serious.

Greece has closed the municipal beaches. Apparently everyone in Athens is bored at home, so they all went to the beach because it's a nice day. Fun police now jumping all over that.

 

[Nelsun]

It's also worth noting that the word "immunity" is misleading as cases of reinfection are increasing. You can get rid of it but, being a virus, you can catch it again. I know, I initially thought I'd rather just have it and be done with it... but then the better half (a staff nurse) burst that bubble PDQ.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I had double pneumonia. I was working part time and when I returned to work a rather sweet elderly lady inquired after my health. Oh, I'm fine now, I said. I hear you had double pneumonia? Yes, that's right. She hesitated for a moment. Well, you know the best thing about that don't you? No, I said. Well, when you get it again you'll know exactly what you've got.

Surely enough, I got it again. I rung the doctor and he said what makes you so sure it's pneumonia? I've had it before. Right, you've got pneumonia, come in a quickly as you can. I told him the story and he said unfortunately she was right. I've had the jab now.

 

[Geoff_S]

I had double pneumonia. I was working part time and when I returned to work a rather sweet elderly lady inquired after my health. Oh, I'm fine now, I said. I hear you had double pneumonia? Yes, that's right. She hesitated for a moment. Well, you know the best thing about that don't you? No, I said. Well, when you get it again you'll know exactly what you've got.

Surely enough, I got it again. I rung the doctor and he said what makes you so sure it's pneumonia? I've had it before. Right, you've got pneumonia, come in a quickly as you can. I told him the story and he said unfortunately she was right. I've had the jab now.

When I feel unwell I always know what's wrong with me. The doctor just gives it a name.

 

[That would work]

Of course we are all experts.
However in my opinion what is being done to curb this situation does make sense. It's about timing coupled with the fact that a largeish proportion of the population needs to catch it in order to develop herd immunity. This has to be squared with the publics likely reaction to drastic measures which end up going on for too long... apathy. You then end up with a situation where people are off guard at the very height of the infection.

So, what is it that you think we're doing right that Italy did wrong at this relatively early stage? Because from what I can see, we're heading in exactly the same direction as Italy in the early stages, based on today's figures. Is the cunning plan to end up in the same situation as Italy - or worse - but with 'herd immunity' as the justification?

I'm not a doctor.
But that does not make me untrustworthy. I was saying that as far as my sense of logic goes, it makes good sense.

 

[thetyreman]

mods what's with the title change? it's supposed to be 'coronovirus and masks'

it was originally about how the masks are not really working to stop the spread of the disease. :shock:

 

[That would work]

The mods are an unknown and distant force on this forum it seems. Bizarre action.

 

[Trevanion]

It makes you wonder how people in these poor Subsaharan countries survive where AIDS/HIV, Diahorrea, Tuburculosis and Malaria kills on average 6000 people per day between them, many of them children.

And we're having a panic attack about not having enough toilet roll, over by some accounts, a mild version of the flu.

On the thread name change, I think the mods have merged both Corona threads into one.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

On the thread name change, I think the mods have merged both Corona threads into one.

I rather liked the separation of silliness and serious discussion. It all looks a bit disjointed now, and somewhat lacking in civility. I apologise to anyone who doesn't appreciate coffin humour.