General Chat

I listen to information from a very small number of people, and only those people.

Our Provincial Health Official Dr Bonnie Henry, who is emerging as one of the "stars" in this situation that we find ourselves in. Her advice is always right on the ball, and can be trusted ........ she is an infectious disease specialist having been involved in SARS in Toronto in 2003, H1N1 in 2009, Ebola in Africa and polio in Pakistan.

The Canada Public Health Officer Dr Theresa Tam, who is also calm, well prepared and knowledgeable.

Canada Health Minister Patsy Hadju and BC Minister of Health Adrian Dix, who attend media and public information sessions with the their respective Health Officials, listen to them, and repeat ONLY what the specialists say.

The Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who announces all Canada-wide-orders and information, and is proving very calm and determined.

We have just been listening to updates from Trudeau, including only 4 airports to receive international flights, including from the UK.

I'm now listening to Adrian Dix and Bonnie Henry.

It is important to note that the provinces have to obey federal edicts but can also enlarge those edicts to cover more people or bans. One of the things that thye cannot do is close the borders of Canada as that is a Federal responsibility.

BC would love to close its border with the US state of Washington, which has been a centre of covid-19, and has many cases and deaths.

The Lancet on testing ...
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30074-7/fulltext

the word cash springs to mind, money is the real sickness in this world
yes businesses will fold, jobs be lost and people will die but there will always be money

may it be used to pick up the pieces in the right way

que sera sera

My daughter sent me an article from the Lancet which confirmed the expressed concern over the weekend that ibuprofen worsens the effects of COVID-19 as do some treatments for high blood pressure.

In another report it was stated that the number of deaths in Italy could have been exacerbated by the use of the two most prescribed ace-inhibitors,

The Lancet Quote:
We therefore hypothesise that diabetes and hypertension treatment with ACE2-stimulating drugs increases the risk of developing severe and fatal COVID-19.
The Lancet End Quote

I will defer to experts and my GP with whom I am booked for a conversation this afternoon.

'Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.'

Well, consider.The UK approach has not been adopted by any other country ( the USA does not have any coherent policy at all. )
They are all using containment +++ with extensive testing. isolation of carriers etc. This approach appears to be working in S Korea, China, Singapore etc etc.

There is no precedent at all for the current UK approach which is just an elaboration of Johnson's remark a couple of weeks ago that the best policy is to "take it on the chin".

Practically nothing has been done on the ground commensurate with the gathering storm.

If the UK experiment does not work out then it will be far too late to back track. By the end of May if not before the truth will out.

I am working from home. We have let go all non essential staff and will be very sparing on contract rollovers. The only business option right now, regardless of size and type of business, is to guard cash flow as the blood of life. Ryan Air understands this, Branson apparently not.

i'm free but can't get there :-)

I agree Maddie I am sick to death of hearing about it and can't even avoid the doom and gloom on this site. :-D. I have plenty to do at home, anyone want to isolate with me and give me a hand :-D :-D :-D

too much coverage, 24/7 with tom dick and harry putting their tuppanceworth in.
a daily bulletin will do or updates where neccessary and the news channels may then report on others issues happening in the world.

i agree reporting on panic buying has made it much worse, sometimes i think what i don't know can't worry me. i am housebound and can't go go out without help so am used to being stuck inside

maybe more pepole will join gr so research and chatting can continue, it is one of my lifelines

chin up and keep well

However rollo who is to say which of them is right and which Wrong?

Which experts?

The current lot in charge appear to be very far apart from others at the WHO and other countries. They cannot both be right.

We should trust the experts who admit they will reassess their advice hourly if necessary.

Dragging out illinformed 'social scientists' with their doomsday predictions is not at all helpful.

Of course we need the bald facts but I stress the word facts.

Plus we are all responsbile for our own actions and that means adopting safeguarding efforts without being told to.

There is little doubt that this pandemic is going to be absolutely devastating and many of us will worry about our wellbeing as well as that of relatives.

Sue

from the front line

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/16/doctors-scared-coronavirus-crisis-nhs-consultant-staff

hi ho hi ho

How on earth can a long term house arrest of the over 70s be enforced?
It can't be and as the "science" it is based on is so controversial the required support just won't be there.

Hi ho hi ho.
It’s off to work we go.
With a bucket and spade.
And a hand grenade.
Hi ho.

Just a bit of nonsense really, hope it makes you smile. :-D

We already think for ourselves and have only gone out twice in the past week so semi self containment. We have also tried to organise things so that being incarcerated for four months will not mean we die of boredom, stocked up on compost and plants for the summer in the garden, organising what else needs doing. I have stocked up on craft stuff. I can't believe that people our age are joining huge queues at the supermarket so they can stockpile, putting themselves right where they are likely to catch the virus among so many people.

Rollo we need our spirits being raised we don't need doom and gloom (which we already know) to deflate us.

The poor have lived without hope for years.

(The Times 03.01.14).

I am with Rollo here. Laissez-faire is Boris's stock-in-trade and his sycophantic followers need a boot up the proverbial.

Boris is waiting for ....... what exactly?

The virus to spread by it not being contained?

The nation's pension bill to fall somewhat?

MP's families to stock up well while denigrating the efforts of the rest of the nation to do the same?

Our children and grandchildren to be part of the experimental herd-immunity? (Bear in mind many travel on public transport with all that it entails.)


We know that school closures are coming soon. I am told that teachers are preparing lessons for online/distance learning by pupils and in the meantime schools remain open. What is wrong in closing them with immediate effect? So what if pupils have a two-or-three-day break before schools have completed their preparation!

I think, that like so many sports managers, local and big league, we have to think for ourselves and not rely on a seemingly dithering government - more so when so many scientists have come out in opposition to government strategy.

Given ukgov laissez faire policy on containment of C-19 and the imminent breakdown of the food import chains esp from the EU it is hardly surprising that fud is rampant.
Trust In supermarkets and BJ's trio is low.

It can only get worse.

Well it's lonesome away from your kindred and all
By the camp fire at night
Where the wild dingos call.
But there's nothin' so lonesome
Morbid or drear
Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer.

I am really fed up with all this Coronavirus misinformation, sorry but I feel this is the case as far as media reporting goes, it is causing people to panic where they wouldn’t normally and those that really need help aren’t getting it, I think it should be hard facts and stop panic buying and being selfish.
What do others think?