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Government advice discussion

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Ivor

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51917562
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said everyone in the UK should now avoid "non-essential" travel and contact with others and to fight coronavirus.

He said people should work from home and avoid pubs, club, theatres where possible, as part of a range of stringent new measures.

Anyone in the same house as someone who has a cough or fever will also have to isolate for 14 days, he said.

All elderly and vulnerable people must also begin self-isolating within days.

In the first of a series of daily briefings on the virus, which causes the Covid-19 disease, Mr Johnson said "drastic action" was needed as the UK approaches "the fast growth part of the upward curve" in the number of cases.

Mr Johnson said that by next weekend, those with the most serious health conditions must be "largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks".

Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, said other measures may be necessary - including school closures - at some point.

"Those things need to be done at the right time," he said.

The UK government's chief medical adviser, Prof Chris Whitty, said the chance of dying with the virus "for any individual person" was "very low".
PM advises “non-essential travel”

Surely this is happening anyway? I know a good few now working from home all regular train commuters.

I’ve not had shifts since last Friday so have you noticed a huge drop over the weekend & early part of this week?
 
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ARIC

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Very wooly when it comes to social distancing guidelines from first look - avoid restaurants, pubs and theatres "where possible" - when is it impossible to avoid being a customer of these places?
 

Darandio

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Very wooly when it comes to social distancing guidelines from first look - avoid restaurants, pubs and theatres "where possible" - when is it impossible to avoid being a customer of these places?

Well I can certainly do without going to a restaurant, pub or theatre? Can't most other people?
 

hexagon789

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I think it was just a matter of time before such a statement was released, notable that it's not an outright ban as in some countries though
 

Iskra

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I think it was just a matter of time before such a statement was released, notable that it's not an outright ban as in some countries though

Yeah, but it leaves the staff of such places in limbo. Not closed down but not making enough money to survive either.
 

bramling

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From the BBC website :

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said everyone in the UK should now avoid "non-essential" travel and contact with others and to fight coronavirus.

He said people should work from home and avoid pubs, club, theatres where possible, as part of a range of stringent new measures.

Anyone in the same house as someone who has a cough or fever will also have to isolate for 14 days, he said.

All elderly and vulnerable people must also begin self-isolating within days.

In the first of a series of daily briefings on the virus, which causes the Covid-19 disease, Mr Johnson said "drastic action" was needed as the UK approaches "the fast growth part of the upward curve" in the number of cases.

Mr Johnson said that by next weekend, those with the most serious health conditions must be "largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks".

Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, said other measures may be necessary - including school closures - at some point.

"Those things need to be done at the right time," he said.

The UK government's chief medical adviser, Prof Chris Whitty, said the chance of dying with the virus "for any individual person" was "very low".

Link : https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51917562

A problem is going to be that with no testing going on it’s going to be very easy for people to have a freeby week off. Where I am that’s already happening, there’s already a handful of people off “self isolating”. Strangely enough, it’s very conspicuously the same names who are notorious for their poor attendance.
 

bb21

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I have renamed this thread to reflect more broadly the up-to-date government advice. This also sits in the General Discussions forum as it is more suitable these issues are considered in conjunction with each other.
 

AntoniC

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I`m lucky as a Civil Servant I have a surface pro so I can do most of my work from home - the one thing I cant do is make phone calls.
 

alxndr

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I've just received an email from TOTUM (was NUS, the student discount people) offering 15% off travel on National Express. On one hand you've got the government encouraging people not to travel, on the other you've got companies suggesting that you "visit your family or your mates for less this Easter."

I know they've got a business to run, but also it feels morally wrong to me.
 

Neptune

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51917562

PM advises “non-essential travel”

Surely this is happening anyway? I know a good few now working from home all regular train commuters.

I’ve not had shifts since last Friday so have you noticed a huge drop over the weekend & early part of this week?
Commuter trains noticeably quiet at the moment. Leeds station was certainly not the usual rugby scrum this morning.
 

Bletchleyite

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I've just received an email from TOTUM (was NUS, the student discount people) offering 15% off travel on National Express. On one hand you've got the government encouraging people not to travel, on the other you've got companies suggesting that you "visit your family or your mates for less this Easter."

I know they've got a business to run, but also it feels morally wrong to me.

I suspect that was automated.
 

DimTim

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Boris doesn’t want to close your business he wants you to make that decision due to lack of business.
Not the governments fault then!
 

bussnapperwm

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I'd go stir crazy not being able to go out for recreation activities for a long period what the government is saying (I'm a diabetic, my brother is asthmatic and my mother has arthritis and her tablets weaken her immune system)

I'm currently off work sick with a leg injury (haematoma which is slowly recovering) and because of the dressings I've had to take 3 months off so far. I've already gone stir crazy once being stuck at home not being able to get out, even to work! It's got to the point where my daily highlight is the 6pm news!
 

Ivor

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I'd go stir crazy not being able to go out for recreation activities for a long period what the government is saying (I'm a diabetic, my brother is asthmatic and my mother has arthritis and her tablets weaken her immune system)

I'm currently off work sick with a leg injury (haematoma which is slowly recovering) and because of the dressings I've had to take 3 months off so far. I've already gone stir crazy once being stuck at home not being able to get out, even to work! It's got to the point where my daily highlight is the 6pm news!
Yeah the 6pm news cheers us all up lately (not)

I too along with many I’m sure would go loopy stuck in.

Get well soon!
 

Mikey C

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Walks in the park/countryside will be as exciting as it gets...and with no pub stops on the way :'(
 

Baxenden Bank

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Very wooly when it comes to social distancing guidelines from first look - avoid restaurants, pubs and theatres "where possible" - when is it impossible to avoid being a customer of these places?
I'm so glad you said that. The very same thought entered my head as I read it. Either we are all in it together, or we aren't. Do we HAVe to stay at home or not? Apart from a very short list of acceptable reasons - buying food, buying medicines, key workers going to work.

Went for a walk today. Met a single pair of dog walkers (minimum 2m distance). Not necessarily essential but how is that a risk?
 

Baxenden Bank

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Yeah, but it leaves the staff of such places in limbo. Not closed down but not making enough money to survive either.
I think the policy is 'closure by default' rather than 'closure by direction'. That way, the government can be all shilly-shally and not have to take the tough decisions which, if they call them wrong, they will get blamed for. Better to not make a decision than to make the wrong one. Worked with far too many of that kind of senior management in my time.
 

Bantamzen

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Well I can certainly do without going to a restaurant, pub or theatre? Can't most other people?

Not the owners, their staff, their chefs, cleaners, the delivery guy, the breweries, the food suppliers, the farmers...

You might be able to do without them, but everyone in the supply chain and all those jobs rely on the pubs, restaurants, theatres and the business they generate. A good many people are about to lose their jobs, why aren't we using our resources to reach directly to the vulnerable that might be at risk to help and protect them? There must be plenty of things we can halt to pay for it, overseas military operations for example.

Because that's too difficult for politicians to stomach, and because the soft underbelly of this country demands to be wrapped in cotton wool instead of making conscious efforts to help those around them get through this. All of this could be managed so much better, but has the loo roll hoarders demonstrate, its "Me, me, me" in the UK.

Sad times.
 

Baxenden Bank

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A problem is going to be that with no testing going on it’s going to be very easy for people to have a freeby week off. Where I am that’s already happening, there’s already a handful of people off “self isolating”. Strangely enough, it’s very conspicuously the same names who are notorious for their poor attendance.
If they have a freeby week off now, but get the virus in two months time....
 

Darandio

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Not the owners, their staff, their chefs, cleaners, the delivery guy, the breweries, the food suppliers, the farmers...

You might be able to do without them, but everyone in the supply chain and all those jobs rely on the pubs, restaurants, theatres and the business they generate. A good many people are about to lose their jobs, why aren't we using our resources to reach directly to the vulnerable that might be at risk to help and protect them? There must be plenty of things we can halt to pay for it, overseas military operations for example.

Well quite, but that wasn't what was quoted. The suggestion was that it was impossible to avoid being a customer of one of these places. It of course isn't impossible, but i'd much rather we didn't have to for the reasons you have outlined above.
 

mmh

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If they have a freeby week off now, but get the virus in two months time....

Easy, given today's advice. Self-isolate now because someone else in your household has symptoms, then you get it two months later.

Current advice is for the whole household to self isolate for two weeks.
 

scotrail158713

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Why?

There's no ban on going outside, even people in vulnerable groups are allowed out for exercise
I think it’s to do with having a large number of people in a small(ish) area before the start. My local one only attracts ~80 per week so would probably be fine but Edinburgh is nearby and it gets 600-700 each week so is at more risk.
At the end of the day, I can still go out for a run even if it is cancelled - but I would miss the social part of it a bit.
 

stj

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I may fall into the self isolation category,but my local pub has closed so I will be able to spend long days by the GWR mainline which is close to my house.May get the camera out of the wardrobe.Also go for some blasts in the car when the roads become dead.
 

mmh

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I'm expecting an amount of criticism of people going to the pub on social media tomorrow, to add to the criticism of shoppers.
 

Bantamzen

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Well quite, but that wasn't what was quoted. The suggestion was that it was impossible to avoid being a customer of one of these places. It of course isn't impossible, but i'd much rather we didn't have to for the reasons you have outlined above.

Sorry, that came across a bit ranty. I have been reading comments on social media from people who've been demanding a lockdown to keep themselves safe, and are now celebrating the latest moved without ever thinking of what the consequences will be. So I got a bit rattled!

When these people emerge in a few weeks time from under their duvets, they are going to be in for a shock.
 

Darandio

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Sorry, that came across a bit ranty. I have been reading comments on social media from people who've been demanding a lockdown to keep themselves safe, and are now celebrating the latest moved without ever thinking of what the consequences will be. So I got a bit rattled!

When these people emerge in a few weeks time from under their duvets, they are going to be in for a shock.

Indeed, the world is going to be very different.

I notice that Macron has just said France will go into lockdown from midday tomorrow but tellingly he also said that 'No business, regardless of size, will be allowed to fail'. How workable that is, i've no idea. But I cannot see the same thing coming from the mouth of our lot in charge.
 

StephenHunter

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Quite possibly won't be workable; there's only so much money available and you can't create too much without a risk of hyperinflation.
 
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