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We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 7:41 am
by Gob
Boris Johnson has outlined strict new measures to tackle the spread of coronavirus, including a ban on public gatherings of more than two people.

In a televised statement on Monday evening, the prime minister ordered people to leave their homes only under a list of "very limited purposes".

He also ordered the immediate closure of shops selling non-essential goods.

But police chiefs warned of phone lines being inundated with calls about what movements were still permitted.

As of Monday, some 335 people have died with the virus in the UK.


Speaking from Downing Street, Mr Johnson said the country faced a "moment of national emergency" and staying at home was necessary to protect the NHS, save lives and tackle "the biggest threat this country has faced for decades".

He said people should leave home only to exercise once a day, to travel to and from work where "absolutely necessary", to shop for essential items and to fulfil any medical or care needs.

Police and local authorities will have powers to disperse gatherings, including through fines.

The restrictions would be under constant review and a relaxation of the rules would be considered in three weeks, he said.

"To put it simply, if too many people become seriously unwell at one time, the NHS will be unable to handle it - meaning more people are likely to die, not just from coronavirus but from other illnesses as well," he said.

The prime minister's spokesman said many ministers would dial into Tuesday's cabinet meeting remotely, to comply with social distancing measures.

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 4:05 pm
by rubato
Good. The method will work but will likely take two months. The number of republican states doing nothing and blaming it on politics is alarming and will slow the efforts a great deal.

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 5:31 pm
by Lord Jim
Based on the experience of some other countries, eight weeks (or 2 months) of strongly followed stay-at-home and social distance practice seems to be the requisite time period to achieve the kind of spread control needed to begin to ease restrictions. If The Moron-In-Chief really tries to short circuit that (he may just be blowing smoke in yet another pathetic attempt to reassure the markets) the good news is that the Governors and Mayors who have had the good sense to put lock-down in place will just ignore him.

The bad news is that if you happen to live in a state where the state authorities would actually listen to this imbecile, even if now your infection rate is low now, your community will probably wind up looking like Milan...

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 7:48 pm
by Burning Petard
Lord Jim, we must have similar models of crystal balls. I agree with your prediction entirely.

snailgate

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 12:12 pm
by Lord Jim
Someone else who's joined the lock down:
Coronavirus: Prince Charles tests positive

LONDON — Prince Charles has tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said Wednesday.

The Prince of Wales, 71, who is first in line to the British throne, is experiencing mild symptoms "but otherwise remains in good health," Clarence House said in a statement.

Charles is now self-isolating and working from home at the Balmoral Estate in Scotland. His wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, tested negative for the virus, the statement said.

The prince has carried out a high number of public engagements during the past few weeks and therefore it was not possible to know when or where exactly he had caught the virus, the statement said.

Charles is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, who is aged 93. The queen moved from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle a week earlier than planned for the Easter period.

"Her Majesty The Queen remains in good health," Buckingham Palace said in a statement. "The Queen last saw The Prince of Wales briefly on the morning of 12th March and is following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare."

"We are all being advised to change our normal routines and regular patterns of life for the greater good of the communities we live in and, in particular, to protect the most vulnerable within them," the queen said in a statement last week.

There have been 8,077 recorded coronavirus cases so far in the United Kingdom and 422 deaths.

Like several other European countries, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has imposed strict controls on daily life, shuttering many businesses and ordering people to stay indoors for all but essential trips.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/coro ... s-n1168256

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 12:28 pm
by Gob
I bet he's hoping his mum gets it, he may never wear the crown if she keeps going!

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 12:33 pm
by Scooter
If it hasn't been done already, this news will probably lead to some separation between the remaining members of the direct line of succession (Prince William and his three children) to reduce the risk that they would all be infected.

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 1:01 pm
by Gob
That would be sensible.

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 1:47 pm
by MajGenl.Meade
Charles is happy - some positive news for a change

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 2:17 pm
by BoSoxGal
It’s my understanding that there has not been a single reported death from covid19 in a human being under 10 years of age - so I’m not sure that it would make any sense to separate Kate and William from their 3 children in such a stressful and upsetting time. I’d be surprised if they agreed to such a suggestion, were it made. Some things rise above the duty to the institution of monarchy, especially in a time when it must be very clear to the younger generation that the certainty that the institution will endure is less clear than ever.

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 2:22 pm
by Lord Jim
It’s my understanding that there has not been a single reported death from covid19 in a human being under 10 years of age
That may be, but a number of them have become ill enough to require hospitalization...

That being said I suspect, (If they've spent any recent time with Charles) that the whole family may self-quarantine together for a time (so long as none are displaying symptoms...presumably they've all been tested.)

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 2:41 pm
by BoSoxGal
I stand corrected; there has been one recorded death in a very young child with preexisting condition. And yes, some percentage of young children become seriously ill requiring hospitalization.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wired. ... ot-all/amp

Still, I couldn’t imagine separating young children from their parents in a time like this except in the case of a known infection. I should think at this point all 5 of them have been tested? The perks of the very rich.

And for those whose priority concern is the monarchy, there are two spares along with the heir.

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 2:53 pm
by Big RR
Still, I couldn’t imagine separating young children from their parents in a time like this except in the case of a known infection.
I agree, but then I don't really place any imprtance on the monarchy and its continuation; I imagine there are some who would say preserving the succession is far more than some damage to the psyches of the children. Hell, just look at the royal family and we can see there is no compunction in doing that, so we wind up with the maladjusted adults.

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 3:00 pm
by Scooter
I am not a parent, but I would imagine that saving the lives of my children would rank above any and all other considerations. If, in this case, that happens to coincide with preserving the succession, I'm not really clear on what the downside is.

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 3:12 pm
by BoSoxGal
Well we are all agreed then, as public health officials have made no recommendations to separate healthy children and parents. Should Wills or Kate become infected, certainly the issue would be reconsidered. At present guidance here has been for families that live together to refrain from kissing and other forms of physical intimacy - not sure how folks in the UK are being advised. I suspect a great many parents aren’t following the guidelines when it comes to fearful children who need hugs and reassurance- although the royal children are so young that they likely aren’t fully aware of why they’ve been sent home from school or what’s going on.

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:07 am
by Econoline
Image

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 4:22 am
by Long Run
MajGenl.Meade wrote:
Wed Mar 25, 2020 1:47 pm
Charles is happy - some positive news for a change
Is that pandering to get moved to the front of St. Peter's line?

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:54 am
by Lord Jim
The Brits step up to help their own :ok :
Britain Enlists an Army of Volunteers to Help Fight the Coronavirus

LONDON — Two days after Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed a lockdown on Britain to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the government has recruited an army of more than 400,000 volunteers to help elderly people quarantined in their homes, as well as the beleaguered public health system.

The recruiting drive, which drew nearly twice its goal in less than 24 hours, was one of several rays of hope in a country that has been girding itself for an onslaught of infections. Officials also expressed guarded optimism that the National Health Service could cope with the flood of patients now that Britain has adopted the sweeping social-distancing measures of other European countries.

“This is going to be a close-run thing,” Chris Whitty, the country’s chief medical officer, said at a Downing Street news conference with Mr. Johnson. “This gap will probably be manageable by the N.H.S., but we can’t guarantee that.”

The statement was a striking turnaround from last week, when officials and outside experts warned that Britain was on a course to be the next Italy, with a growing number of cases that would hopelessly swamp hospitals. It was also evidence that Britain, which only grudgingly accepted the isolation measures of Italy, France and Spain, was pulling together to meet a national challenge.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/worl ... ogin=email

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 8:17 am
by Gob
I'm doing my bit by giving blood tonight. (O Rh neg, universal donor, much in demand.)

That should be an interesting experience.

Re: We've joined the "lockdown" crowd.

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 11:09 am
by ex-khobar Andy
Having spent time in the UK I can't give blood in the US. Mad cow disease. For along time I was forbidden from donating in the UK because i'd had malaria. But my blood, like me, is A+!