Coronavirus Thread (Off Topic, Politics) (70 Viewers)

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

There's an interesting article about our testing issues on Bloomberg. Of course mentions that we declared we would have a world beating system and are now behind everyone else. From what the article says the issue is that everything has been contracted out to private contractors who have then tried to do everything on the cheap.

Testing centres here employing staff to just dish out tests you have to do yourself which could be leading to a large number of incorrect results as people don't know how to properly administer the test. Apparently in other countries you get given the test by someone who knows what they are doing to ensure it is correct.

Seems a lot of the staff employed to man the labs setup by the private contractors were medical students who had time on their hands as universities were closed. Sure you can all work out what's happened now that the students are going back to uni. Which has left the private contractors handing the tests over to the NHS to process but they don't have the capacity so there's a growing backlog.

Would we not have been better off giving funding to local public health teams to administer testing locally and funding to the NHS to increase their lab capacity?

But then their mates wouldn't get the contracts and money. So no, it's a stupid idea

 

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[ajsccfc]

Some hopeful news

Trial Resumes

covid19vaccinetrial.co.uk

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

3500 again. Don’t know where they're coming from as you can’t get a test for love nor money

 

[SkyBlueDom26]

Fed up of this now, worried about losing my job

 

[Grendel]

Fed up of this now, worried about losing my job

Staying safe is all that matters

 

[Sky_Blue_Daz]

So how long till we go into full lockdown again ? I know of 1 school that has closed already till the end of September and another school I’ve worked at have sent at least 16 pupils home for at least a week . I personally think middle of October

 

[SkyBlueDom26]

Staying safe is all that matters

It’s making me depressed

 

[skybluetony176]

3500 again. Don’t know where there coming from as you can’t get a test for love nor money

Conveniently.

 

[skybluetony176]

Fed up of this now, worried about losing my job

Sorry to hear that Dom

 

[SkyBlueDom26]

Sorry to hear that Dom

It’s horrible isn’t it, it’s like it’s never going to end

 

[Ian1779]

It’s making me depressed

Not trying to point score here, but you should be able to feel safe in terms of your health and also your job security. One should not be compromised for the other.

I hope it all is OK for you.

 

[SkyBlueDom26]

At least the vaccine is back on! Let’s pray it works

 

[SkyBlueDom26]

Not trying to point score here, but you should be able to feel safe in terms of your health and also your job security. One should not be compromised for the other.

I hope it all is OK for you.

Thanks mate just bills and that if I lose my job I’m fucked

 

[chiefdave]

It’s horrible isn’t it, it’s like it’s never going to end

It'll end eventually mate, even if we do nothing. Hopefully either a vaccine or improvements in treatment can come through before the end of the year. Everyone is concentrating on a vaccine but if we get treatment to a point where its a couple of weeks off work and popping a few pills we're in business.

But we need to get a grip in the meantime and do what we can to minimise the spread. People aren't taking it seriously, when you venture out you see very few people in masks and people just going about their lives as usual. Someone near me is having a full on party tonight complete with live band, what goes through their heads?

 

[skybluetony176]

It’s horrible isn’t it, it’s like it’s never going to end

I think most people are feeling like that. I know I am. You’re not alone.

 

[Ian1779]

Thanks mate just bills and that if I lose my job I’m fucked

That rubbish. Let’s hope someone sees sense and extends the furlough scheme if that will give you more security job wise.

 

[ajsccfc]

Sports centre on campus had to close for the afternoon on Friday when the uni's test and trace system identified someone who'd tested positive had used the facility. Considering there is basically nobody on campus I've got no idea what it'll be like when nearly everyone is ether back or there for the first time in a few weeks

 

[Grendel]

Not trying to point score here, but you should be able to feel safe in terms of your health and also your job security. One should not be compromised for the other.

I hope it all is OK for you.

99% of people of working age as a conservative estimate haven’t been compromised by this regarding health have they?

 

[Saddlebrains]

Still cannot get a test for the mrs.

48 hours now. Shes started to feel better this evening. The system is that shit that you could end up recovering before getting a test.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

99% of people of working age as a conservative estimate haven’t been compromised by this regarding health have they?

Really?

 

[Grendel]

That rubbish. Let’s hope someone sees sense and extends the furlough scheme if that will give you more security job wise.

According to NW being furloughed is causing huge stress to people on it as they believe that’s one step from redundancy - do you think prolonging the agony is a good idea?

 

[Grendel]

Really?

yep

 

[SkyBlueDom26]

With the furlough ending and because I work in events fuck knows what will happen

 

[shmmeee]

With the furlough ending and because I work in events fuck knows what will happen

Sorry to hear that mate. I hope if things stay shut they’ll extend furlough for you. Job insecurity is fucking horrible, look after yourself. I’m sure you’ll be OK.

 

[clint van damme]

It’s making me depressed

Keep your chin up Dom. You'll get through it.

 

[SkyBlueDom26]

Keep your chin up Dom. You'll get through it.

Everything is shit at the moment

 

[clint van damme]

Everything is shit at the moment

I know mate. Redundancy affecting my family as well so I know where you're coming from.

All you can do is try and stay positive and put all your efforts into getting something else.

 

[Ian1779]

According to NW being furloughed is causing huge stress to people on it as they believe that’s one step from redundancy - do you think prolonging the agony is a good idea?

Why don’t you cut out the foreplay and just tell them to eat cake....

 

[Grendel]

Why don’t you cut out the foreplay and just tell them to eat cake....

So if people shouldn’t have to worry about health or job security I assume we should close every hospital as hospital workers are more at risk of Covid then any other sector? Also I assume all shops and supermarkets should close? Germany has part time furlough and the vast majority furloughed have worked during the pandemic. Are they risking the lives of their people?

 

[Ian1779]

So if people shouldn’t have to worry about health or job security I assume we should close every hospital as hospital workers are more at risk of Covid then any other sector? Also I assume all shops and supermarkets should close? Germany has part time furlough and the vast majority furloughed have worked during the pandemic. Are they risking the lives of their people?

What point are you actually trying to make?
People have a risk to their livelihood due to things completely out of their control, is it so beyond the state to look after them?

 

[Grendel]

What point are you actually trying to make?
People have a risk to their livelihood due to things completely out of their control, is it so beyond the state to look after them?

No Im saying should we protect everyone or are some like nurses supermarket assistants required so get on with it and accountants and office workers can stay at home and just get State aid and stay safe - what a charming society

 

[Ian1779]

No Im saying should we protect everyone or are some like nurses supermarket assistants required so get on with it and accountants and office workers can stay at home and just get State aid and stay safe - what a charming society

Surely if we can reduce the chance of transmission by allowing people to stay at home (or work from home if viable) in turn it should reduce the risk to those ‘key workers’ that are in places of work.
It doesn’t seem to be such a bad idea does it? Admittedly far from perfect.

 

[Evo1883]

It’s horrible isn’t it, it’s like it’s never going to end

I lost mine at the start... Starting a new one Tuesday... Thing is with the job I'm starting... A further lockdown would probably increase my hours/ work load

 

[Walsgrave]

No Im saying should we protect everyone or are some like nurses supermarket assistants required so get on with it and accountants and office workers can stay at home and just get State aid and stay safe - what a charming society

I think that's the crux of the issue and is why targeted support is necessary. Jobs that cannot be done from home but should conceivably still exist when things are 'normal' again e.g. in hospitality, tourism and leisure should be kept on furlough. Office workers should have furlough removed, since if they are not useful enough now to be working, then they almost certainly won't be useful in future when there is a transition period between the kinds of services that existed before the pandemic and the kind of vacancies made available afterwards.

 

[Sick Boy]

Not sure where in my post I said that but if its a straight choice between putting education on hold for a few months, or even a year, or causing an increase in virus circulation that could lead to thousands of deaths I think you have to give it serious consideration.

Of course a competent government would have already run through the scenarios and have worked out a plan to resolve the glaringly obvious issues in schools that were being flagged up before kids went back.

Even relatively simple things like do we have a nationwide remote learning system ready to go if needed? Last time round the excuse was nobody was expecting this and therefore nothing was prepared but that was months ago so surely something in place now.

They managed to do all teaching online here from March to June - some schools have gone back but the older pupils return on Monday with protocols in place, including desks being 1 metre apart.