Government advice discussion

[Baxenden Bank]

I can see why things are running low in the supermarkets.

I've gone from only eating one meal a day at home to three.

Indeed, but somewhere in the supply chain is the food for those two meals that you used to eat away from home. As are the staff who prepare and serve it. Time for some co-ordination of resources and staff. From over-supplied to under-supplied and from quiet to busy. If nothing else they could become 'meals on wheels' type services to those expected to isolate for four months.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

The rather substantial problem with this is that you can have the virus and transmit it to others while exhibiting no symptoms yourself. Some people never even get symptoms, but they can still spread it. As the proportion of people infected with the virus increases, there is ever more likelihood that you are a carrier and that you are spreading it to other people more vulnerable than yourself.

There's a reason they didn't say "if you feel fine just go out anyway" and I'd appreciate it if you didn't increase the risk of my more elderly loved ones dying. Cheers.

Exactly.

Some people clearly didn't read the memorandum.

I'd much prefer it if nobody killed my elderly relatives by wandering about the place just to bag their last pacer. If it's not too much to ask. You know, like.

Although 'travel if no symptoms' was the advice until Monday. I was expecting to go on holiday next week as I had no symptoms. Now I will be at home - or close to in the countryside getting some exercise.

 

[yorksrob]

Indeed, but somewhere in the supply chain is the food for those two meals that you used to eat away from home. As are the staff who prepare and serve it. Time for some co-ordination of resources and staff. From over-supplied to under-supplied and from quiet to busy. If nothing else they could become 'meals on wheels' type services to those expected to isolate for four months.

Well, exactly. It will take time to redirect the basic food supplies and process them differently. The current set up has developed over decades.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Well, exactly. It will take time to redirect the basic food supplies and process them differently. The current set up has developed over decades.

I was thinking, for example, of the major sandwich shop chains. Instead of making sandwiches and selling them from a shop. Make them and take them round to people. Or make them and have one person collect them for a group of people in close proximity. Depending on time/distance refrigeration need not be a problem. It has been suggested that restaurants become take-aways to keep their business ticking over. Not entirely convinced on that one though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It has been suggested that restaurants become take-aways to keep their business ticking over. Not entirely convinced on that one though.

A lot of them already are. My favourite local Indian (suggested on the thread for the now postponed MK meal) has a small sit-in restaurant (RUK could have taken it over, potentially) but does most of its business as takeaways and delivery, and I intend to continue to patronise that aspect of their service.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Again, no affected country has suffered power cuts. What's with buying tinned dross like that?

Freezer food and tinned food comes in handy if you have to isolate yourself and can't get out. Though a lot of it is just silliness, but because everyone does it everyone does it.

 

[AndrewE]

I asked a fellow customer in Tesco today "are things bad enough yet to want to eat a Fray Bentos pie in a tin?" There were one of the few tinned goods remaining at 0930.

Don't mock them! Retro food is fashionable. I re-discovered corned beef (and tinned sardines) a year or two ago... but I must admit I haven't tried a tinned pie yet - but I wouldn't refuse to eat one.
Tonight we had comfort food: beef stew and dumplings, plus steamed cabbage and I even had bubble and squeak with it. Lots of gaps on the shelves including lots of the meats (still, although some basics - potatoes, sweet peppers, - are back in stock.)
I am afraid that a lot of the panic-bought food will rot before it gets used and just add even more stuff to the mountain of waste thrown away daily.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I am afraid that a lot of the panic-bought food will rot before it gets used and just add even more stuff to the mountain of waste thrown away daily.

If you do end up with a lot, making your own ready meals and freezing them is probably sensible.

 

[AndrewE]

If you do end up with a lot, making your own ready meals and freezing them is probably sensible.

I suspect that the panic-buyers are the people least likely to be able to manage that...

 

[yorksrob]

I was thinking, for example, of the major sandwich shop chains. Instead of making sandwiches and selling them from a shop. Make them and take them round to people. Or make them and have one person collect them for a group of people in close proximity. Depending on time/distance refrigeration need not be a problem. It has been suggested that restaurants become take-a
ways to keep their business ticking over. Not entirely convinced on that one though.

That would be a very useful redeployment. Trouble is getting everything set up.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

That would be a very useful redeployment. Trouble is getting everything set up.

Neighbourhood level stuff, initiative by local staff and volunteers, with a push / nod from head office. It might catch on and stay with us after the crisis is over. Better, Stronger, Communites. Strong, Stable, Government (help please stop me!).

There was somebody in my local paper starting something up to get supplies to the elderly who were, it was suggested, going to have to hole up for four months. They seem to be furiously back-peddling on that - Boris has been smacked by his dad for being a naughty boy!

 

[Howardh]

So if London itself goes into "lockdown" how on earth would that work? Trains terminating outside London (Milton keynes? Croydon?) Eurostar shut down?

 

[JonathanH]

I think the trains still run into London but they are there for key workers not for the rest of the population.

 

[GB]

May have missed it on this (or other threads) but have been told that passenger train services will reduce to a Sunday service from Monday.

 

[NoMorePacers]

I have a journey booked for Saturday, which I booked at least a month ago. TPE are offering no date amendments or refunds on the ticket (my mother tried to get me to do the former, but that came to nothing). I don’t know if I’m going or not, but if I somehow get money back on it then I’ll happily stay at home.

 

[Bantamzen]

The rather substantial problem with this is that you can have the virus and transmit it to others while exhibiting no symptoms yourself. Some people never even get symptoms, but they can still spread it. As the proportion of people infected with the virus increases, there is ever more likelihood that you are a carrier and that you are spreading it to other people more vulnerable than yourself.

There's a reason they didn't say "if you feel fine just go out anyway" and I'd appreciate it if you didn't increase the risk of my more elderly loved ones dying. Cheers.

It is generally believed that this virus spreads in a similar manner to other viruses of it's ilk, i.e. through moisture droplets as a result of coughing or sneezing. It is unlikely to be spread by just being close to someone without making contact, so if people going out just stick to the basic hygiene principles and aren't coughing / sneezing over people or surfaces, then its spread can be contained. Unfortunately this virus is not going to go away, and at some point we are all going to have to learn to manage with that. The current social distancing asks are not so much about stopping it spreading, as reducing it's speed to minimise the impact it's effect on the NHS. But be clear, at some point over the coming months & years we are more likely to come into contact with it. We can't lock-down forever.

 

[Mogster]

It is generally believed that this virus spreads in a similar manner to other viruses of it's ilk, i.e. through moisture droplets as a result of coughing or sneezing. It is unlikely to be spread by just being close to someone without making contact, so if people going out just stick to the basic hygiene principles and aren't coughing / sneezing over people or surfaces, then its spread can be contained. Unfortunately this virus is not going to go away, and at some point we are all going to have to learn to manage with that. The current social distancing asks are not so much about stopping it spreading, as reducing it's speed to minimise the impact it's effect on the NHS. But be clear, at some point over the coming months & years we are more likely to come into contact with it. We can't lock-down forever.

Yes. Either it will burn out in the next couple of months, as it seems to have in China (although I really don’t believe they have no home grown cases...) or we’ll have to learn to live with this supported by large scale testing, case tracking and and treatment. The current “lockdown” situation can’t go on indefinitely.

 

[Bantamzen]

Yes. Either it will burn out in the next couple of months, as it seems to have in China (although I really don’t believe they have no home grown cases...) or we’ll have to learn to live with this supported by large scale testing, case tracking and and treatment. The current “lockdown” situation can’t go on indefinitely.

It most certainly can't, no country's economy can withstand a prolonged lock-down, and by prolonged I mean just a couple of months. I saw recently that the US alone was expecting losses of $350Bn by the end of March , and that is with only medium measures in place. And failing economies isn't just a problem for people pouring over stock market screens, or waving bits of paper around. Its problems for ordinary people being unable to work, to pay their ways, to look after their families. And when that happens civil unrest is inevitable, and the consequences will be far more devastating & far more reaching that Covid-19 could ever be. We've already seen the panic when the supermarkets are open and people still have money. Imagine what would happen if the supply chain did start to falter, and people started to run out of money because we kept in a lock-down on for too long. It doesn't even bear thinking about.

 

[Mogster]

It most certainly can't, no country's economy can withstand a prolonged lock-down, and by prolonged I mean just a couple of months. I saw recently that the US alone was expecting losses of $350Bn by the end of March , and that is with only medium measures in place. And failing economies isn't just a problem for people pouring over stock market screens, or waving bits of paper around. Its problems for ordinary people being unable to work, to pay their ways, to look after their families. And when that happens civil unrest is inevitable, and the consequences will be far more devastating & far more reaching that Covid-19 could ever be. We've already seen the panic when the supermarkets are open and people still have money. Imagine what would happen if the supply chain did start to falter, and people started to run out of money because we kept in a lock-down on for too long. It doesn't even bear thinking about.

Agree. Don’t want to be alarmist but the fallout from the potential economic detestation caused by the current situation frightens me far far more than the virus...

Whatever measures we can put in place to prevent this situation in future will be worth it. Almost no matter how much it costs it seems.

 

[Skymonster]

I said a while ago that the country might have to tolerate some collateral damage to get through this. I fully understand that those over a certain age, and those with pre-existing conditions, need to self-isolate and the rest of the country needs to offer those people support to get through this. The rest of the population, for whom COVID-19 is likely to be no worse than normal flu, need to carry on about their business generating activity in the economy. The consequences of all this over-the-top isolation and shut down is that hundreds of thousands - if not more - will lose their livelihoods and ability to support themselves and their families. The result will be civil unrest and many more deaths from deprivation and suicides that COVID-19 is likely to result in, in the generally fit and active community. Great Britain does not need the sort of overall shutdown some are advocating now - it needs those who are fit and able to go about their business.

 

[Mikey C]

Freezer food and tinned food comes in handy if you have to isolate yourself and can't get out. Though a lot of it is just silliness, but because everyone does it everyone does it.

Bought some tinned marrowfat peas yesterday, that was one of the few tinned things left...

It's understandable people stocking up a bit, as they're worried in case either they have to self isolate, or worse still if the whole food delivery chain breaks down for a few days/weeks. Obviously people buying a garage full of toilet rolls or pasta is well OTT and unacceptably selfish, not seen either on the shelf for weeks.

 

[nlogax]

Bought some tinned marrowfat peas yesterday, that was one of the few tinned things left...

Marrowfat peas..ugh..desperate times.

 

[Bantamzen]

Bought some tinned marrowfat peas yesterday, that was one of the few tinned things left...

It's understandable people stocking up a bit, as they're worried in case either they have to self isolate, or worse still if the whole food delivery chain breaks down for a few days/weeks. Obviously people buying a garage full of toilet rolls or pasta is well OTT and unacceptably selfish, not seen either on the shelf for weeks.

A next door neighbour of a friend of my wife's yesterday took delivery of 3, yes three chest freezers....

 

[Bletchleyite]

A next door neighbour of a friend of my wife's yesterday took delivery of 3, yes three chest freezers....

Seriously? Crikey.

In no country that's done full lockdown has food shopping been prohibited.

None.

 

[Bantamzen]

Seriously? Crikey.

In no country that's done full lockdown has food shopping been prohibited.

None.

Seriously. I couldn't believe it when she told me, but I know this person and they are not the kind to make this sort of thing up. Sadly I suspect they are far from alone judging how suddenly freezers seem to be going up in price online.

 

[Howardh]

A next door neighbour of a friend of my wife's yesterday took delivery of 3, yes three chest freezers....

That's one heck of a chest!!

I'll get my coat.

 

[nlogax]

Seriously? Crikey.

In no country that's done full lockdown has food shopping been prohibited.

None.

There will always be ultra-paranoid, over-prepared morons who insist on stockpiling in time for zombie virus / nuclear catastrophe / The Purge. Common sense or consideration of fellow humans aren't attributes that they're really familiar with.

 

[Howardh]

So far; expecting closures -
My b/b in Blackpool - open tomorrow
LuLu's bar, Blackpool - open tomorrow
Alma Inn, Bolton - open as usual

 

[Howardh]

There will always be ultra-paranoid, over-prepared morons who insist on stockpiling in time for zombie virus / nuclear catastrophe / The Purge.

You missed that "B"-word!!

 

[nlogax]

You missed that "B"-word!!

Haha..weirdly enough the ones that stockpiled for that are now in a half-decent position!