Coronavirus - how is it/has it affected you?

About to be told to work from home. Bizarre, as I have little enough to do in the office, let alone at home. At least I won't have to pretend to work, but then they may find out how little I do!
 
Look on the bright side...

Yesterday afternoon I had to take someone to Edinburgh Airport for 5 pm, (Middle of the rush hour) over the Queensferry Crossing and main road in/out of Edinburgh. Normally at that time of the day I would expect the journey to take about two hours each way, but yesterday it was just over 90 minutes there and back!
 
Hacker Khan said:
I think some of the fake news narrative and encouragement by politicians to use social media and not previously trusted news organizations is coming home to roost a bit. As it's frightening how much some stupid people believe some gash they read on Facebook or Instagram when you are dealing with deadly diseases, and don't have the intelligence to do a basic look up on google of coronavirus facts from someone like the world health organization. Fine if you want to believe Aliens landed in Area 51, not so clever if you dealing with life and death.
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Or just look on the BBC website...as it'll be helping with the myth debunking - and links straight to PHE and NHS (and the equivalents for Scotland, Wales and NI)

Handy isn't having a having a national pubic broadcaster. Heard Tony Hall this morning saying BBC is liaising with arts, theatre, music and culture groups of all sorts to see what can be done live or otherwise made available to us all across all of the BBC platforms to help folks (us all) in isolation get through the days. And once we've paid the licence fee it's all free.
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
I have a major dilemma on this matter.

I and a friend run a support group for very vulnerable individuals - all-ages, male, female whatever - it's for everyone and anyone. For many of the individuals - coming to the group can (literally) be a matter of life and death. And it is very important that the group is available for anyone to come along who hasn't been before.

The venue is open if we wish to use it.

What do I do? For me I'd rather avoid it and cancel the meeting.

But in speaking with my wife on this, and with her OK, I have decided that I must keep the group open for as long as government policy allows us to keep it open.

I will set chairs out in the room to give the necessary spacing - and might indeed pause the meeting every ten minutes for us to play musical chairs to avoid anyone sitting beside anyone else for 15 minutes. And I'll have to ask any with a cough - and there is one who has a terrible persistent cough - if they can perhaps isolate even more (sit in the corner of the room like a naughty boy) - and as a minimum cough into a tissue if he must.

Bottom line is that it is dead easy for me to talk about my principles in seeking guidance on doing the right thing - especially in a difficult situation - in trying to determine what is the right thing to do as opposed to what my will might want me to do myself or for myself - but thoughts without action are worthless.

Difficult. But I guess I must rely on my much maligned faith.
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You do come across as a very nice person very unselfish and caring.
Unfortunately there are not enough people like you now.
I hope you and your wife stay safe and keep up the good work.
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
I am willing the government to be doing the right thing and praying that they continue to do it - but I just don't understand at all why front line service providers (health, police, fire services etc) who display any symptoms that might possibly be cv are not being tested - but are having to go into self-isolation along with their family. And it is a fact that many. many health professionals are married or partnered with other health professionals. And so when one goes down with a cough - they are both taken-out. Why are they not being tested immediately? I really just don't get it and if anything really worries me that we are not being told everything it is that.

I need to believe absolutely in the government and their chief advises.
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Yes my sons a pharmacist and his wife a nurse they are both at home now because their son has a temperature and they have not been tested.
 
huds1475 said:
Isn't who gets paid what, and how that affects business models the wrong debate?

Surely its about changing a society based on consumption of commodities to something more holistic.

Now where's my new irons....
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Well we are finding out just who is a key worker!
And guess what it just happens some of them are the worst paid in the country.
We may learn lessons but I dought it.
 
huds1475 said:
Isn't who gets paid what, and how that affects business models the wrong debate?

Surely its about changing a society based on consumption of commodities to something more holistic.

Now where's my new irons....
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It's amazing how Socialism is never the answer.... Until business is in trouble.. Then it's all about the Government handouts... It would be funny if... Actually, no.. It's never funny
 
clubchamp98 said:
Well we are finding out just who is a key worker!
And guess what it just happens some of them are the worst paid in the country.
We may learn lessons but I dought it.
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The wife is a teacher so classed as a key worker. They have been told that checkout staff and supermarket/shop workers are no key workers so their kids will be found places at schools (if needed due to no childcare). The wife is waiting to find out if she will be needed or can stay at home with the kids.
 
clubchamp98 said:
You do come across as a very nice person very unselfish and caring.
Unfortunately there are not enough people like you now.
I hope you and your wife stay safe and keep up the good work.
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Thankyou for that. Thoughts and words about principles and doing the right thing are easy to say, but when the s hits the f they are a lot harder to put into action when my will tells me to look after myself, my wife and my family.

BTW - OS and others advised that playing musical chairs was the WRONG thing to do - obvious when I thought about it :)

I find myself leading a big meeting tomorrow evening in addition to the one I'll do tonight. Now that wasn't on my plan... However needs must. I'm just asking that folks only turn up if they feel very vulnerable...many go along for ongoing support and companionship, but are basically pretty much OK. Too many folks turning up will make it harder for me to maintain the precautions we must adhere to. And I'm (obviously) going to have to be strict on these precautions...and exclude if required - and exclusion is absolutely not something that is normally done. But these are not normal times.

[EDIT] I'll add - I can be an irritating pita at times also...but only with friends...:)
 
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bluewolf said:
It's amazing how Socialism is never the answer.... Until business is in trouble.. Then it's all about the Government handouts... It would be funny if... Actually, no.. It's never funny
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I don't think I'm saying socialism is the answer.

But definitely that capitalism isn't.

Something new feels necessary before we all self combustion.

I just wish I knew what so I could get some merch out before everyone else does :)
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
Thankyou for that. Thoughts and words about principles and doing the right thing are easy to say, but when the s hits the f they are a lot harder to put into action when my will tells me to look after myself, my wife and my family.

BTW - OS and others advised that playing musical chairs was the WRONG thing to do - obvious when I thought about it :)

I find myself leading a big meeting tomorrow evening in addition to the one I'll do tonight. Now that wasn't on my plan... However needs must. I'm just asking that folks only turn up if they feel very vulnerable...many go along for ongoing support and companionship, but are basically pretty much OK. Too many folks turning up will make it harder for me to maintain the precautions we must adhere to. And I'm going to have to be strict on these precautions...and exclude if required - and exclusion is absolutely not something that is normally done. But these are not normal times.
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Well you know you are doing things right if you are oversubscribed.
Regards.
 
Russ_D said:
The wife is a teacher so classed as a key worker. They have been told that checkout staff and supermarket/shop workers are no key workers so their kids will be found places at schools (if needed due to no childcare). The wife is waiting to find out if she will be needed or can stay at home with the kids.
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My daughter is a SEN teacher and has just been told she is on a rota for this.
She has been told she will have to work weekends as well.

Just one thing that hasn’t been mentioned who is going to mind these kids when their parents are on the night shift.?
 
huds1475 said:
I don't think I'm saying socialism is the answer.

But definitely that capitalism isn't.

Something new feels necessary before we all self combustion.

I just wish I knew what so I could get some merch out before everyone else does :)
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Be careful mate.. You're likely to get lynched on here for preaching against the Free Market mantra..
 
After only 6 days in semi isolation I've put on about a stone , ate all the food, the fridge and cupboards are bear also drank all the booze in the house.
Looking for a volunteer to go shopping for more booze and maybe some food :eek::p
 
williamalex1 said:
After only 6 days in semi isolation I've put on about a stone , ate all the food, the fridge and cupboards are bear also drank all the booze in the house.
Looking for a volunteer to go shopping for more booze and maybe some food :eek::p
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I bulk buyed Easter Eggs, as that seemed to be the only product going. So far, I have 6 to enjoy on my week off next week :)
 
bluewolf said:
Be careful mate.. You're likely to get lynched on here for preaching against the Free Market mantra..
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How can you not use free market capitalism, or a version of it, when you are competing in a global market? And that's part of the trouble. Come at it from the other direction. Salaries go up, great, but costs make the product uncompetitive.

How do you get around it? Subsidise? Isn't that what tax credits are, a type of subsidy? But that needs a govt that subscribes to the idea of doing back door subsidies.... don't forget, under EU law its been illegal to give business subsidies without EU approval, even though products made in, say, Greece might have lower costs
 
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