Corona Virus

Given his concerns over the current lack of social distancing, Matt Hancock is considering ramping up the message.

The current:



...will shortly be replaced by:

The logic says we should - if the lockdown is being implemented effectively. Boris clearly not recovering as well as we'd hope.

I wish him all the best and hope it's just a couple of x-rays he needs tonight to check his lungs etc. The thought of Raab doing anything more than charing one meeting is enough to really worry me.

There is a little problem with that, however:

Hurray, the lockdown has enabled peak infection and deaths........

.....oh, shit, what do we do next?


(There are a number of suggestions as to what the next measures should/might be, but I don't think anyone has a really convincing argument for any one of them that will meet both the political and public health criteria)

...and repeat.

No.. That's the problem. There is no way out unless it takes a long time to get to either herd immunity or the virus burns out becuase anyone who is infectious doesn't meet anyone who is not immune (i.e. quarantine anyone who tests positive and those they have had contact with). Israel is using that system to some effect (judged by low number of deaths) but it is a small, densely populated country where such measures can be made to work easily. How that would work in the UK remains to be seen.

Logistics, availability and reliability will inhibit the use of any sort of mass testing as a major part of the strategy in the short to medium term. Your best hope is that limited testing will keep the NHS and absolutely essential workers at maximum numbers.

I think the immediate next phase will see (not necessarily exactly, but some sort of flavour of) the approach set out in here:

www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/05/the-traffic-light-exit-strategy-to-free-the-uk-from-lockdown

...and I still think that we are likely to be subject to a number of further cycles of (a lighter or heavier form of) lockdown if/when the numbers look like they're getting out of control again.

I think the footballers and the likes of Lineker and Neville are going to start looking foolish. To suggest not paying them will impact tax/NI contributions is rubbish as we all know. They will avoid paying as much tax as possible.

How can a club justify putting non-playing staff on furlough and take the money from the government scheme and yet have pay millions a week to the footballers. Surely the club would have every right to furlough the players and pay them the capped £2500 a month

I just hope one club comes forward and says all our players are giving up a months wages and donate it to a worthy charity. Then what will all the others do.