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Post by Alanović on Mar 17, 2020 9:22:55 GMT
Perhaps we are going to have to see "waves" of infections. Allowing the thing to keep coming back, and locking down every few months to allow the NHS to cope with numbers. We may have to see many "peaks", all of which would be hopefully significantly lower than an one-off major peak, the likes of which could cause massive civil unrest. The outcome in terms of numbers of deaths may be the same in the long run, but we will ave spread the load on the NHS and prevented rioting, looting etc. Until a vaccine is viable. So perhaps up to two years of "waves". But, of course, no vaccine has yet been developed for any type of corona virus.
The government needs to announce proper financial protections for businesses and individuals today. Tantamount to printing money of course, but the consequences of that can hopefully be managed and will be less impactful on lives and livelihoods than the alternative. Money is an imaginary concept, lives are not.
This is looking truly awful.
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Post by Humph on Mar 17, 2020 9:23:42 GMT
It's horrific for all manner of people. Those who have health issues in particular of course.
It also occurs to me that many younger, theoretically less vulnerable people, will have financial commitments that can not easily suffer income interuption. Car payments, mortgage or rent etc.
It's having a devastating effect on high street trade in non food items. Retailers are having real trouble paying their suppliers, rents and staff.
Not good.
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Post by Alanović on Mar 17, 2020 9:36:37 GMT
Exactly. Macron is doing the right thing in France. £300bn. We need similar. This is our generation's WWII, and we will need to pay for it over the next 50-100 years. It's only money. The economy will recover.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Mar 17, 2020 10:04:05 GMT
I’d be interested to see a Venn diagram showing Brexitists who spent 2016-19 invoking the mythical ‘Blitz spirit’ and today’s hoarders of baked beans and toilet paper.
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Post by Alanović on Mar 17, 2020 10:15:50 GMT
I think you'd be looking at a circle.
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Post by tyrednexited on Mar 17, 2020 13:12:37 GMT
It's horrific for all manner of people. Those who have health issues in particular of course. It also occurs to me that many younger, theoretically less vulnerable people, will have financial commitments that can not easily suffer income interuption. Car payments, mortgage or rent etc. Whilst the former might be worried on a personal basis, it's all a bit of a lottery. I think it's a racing certainty that a large number of the latter are going to suffer economically, and pdq. Not a lot of prospects of rapidly finding another job if yours disappears, as many will. (I'm just waiting for the Government to requisition my savings, or to suspend the FSCS and the banks to go t*ts up!)
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Post by EspadaIII on Mar 17, 2020 19:53:52 GMT
I watched Rishi Sunak before. Gave some confidence I suppose for the nation. Tomorrow I give a speech (via a WhatsApp call) to my company. It was 'written' before Sunak's announcement and assumes, based upon the latest figures, that we could lose 50% of turnover. We want to keep all our staff, so that if and when we return to some form of normal, where house sales start again and business starts to borrow against property security, we are ready to provide the service they want.
In the meantime, it has to be a reduction in costs to acheive this. Costs = salaries. I know I will cry saying this but at least I can look them in the eye and say I too am reducing my income in the same way and will probably have to invest private funds into the business to keep it running.
In the meantime, Israel has now advised no social contact unless absolutely necessary. No visits to the beach, park, friends; stay in unless you are shopping for essential supplies, medical appointments or work. Lots of redundancies at restaurants and similar with much less of a safety net than in the UK. My cousin's daughter was the manager of a bar on Friday; now she is unemployed.
Making progress on 24/7 care for my father. Just hoping there is a flight to take me home when I am ready to go....
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Post by dixinormus on Mar 17, 2020 23:47:46 GMT
It’s not just retail, travel & tourism Humph. I’m struggling to think of any sector that won’t be massively impacted right now. The economy as we know it, and on which we all earn our incomes, is largely gone. Overnight. Short-term government loans and bailouts won’t have much effect. 80-90% of airlines will be bankrupt by the end of May; a few billion bailouts here and there won’t prevent the inevitable.
Can’t foresee many new threads in the Motoring forum for a while either.
A James Bond villain couldn’t have dreamed up a better plan to curtail civil liberties and grind the planet to a halt!
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Post by EspadaIII on Mar 18, 2020 10:54:03 GMT
I held the meeting this morning, tears streaming down my face. Told them there would be a 25% reduction in salaries from 1st April with further measures if the turnover was not what we expected.
The responses I have had, have been overwhelmingly supportive. Some were expecting to be made redundant. One of the surveyors reckoned he was sufficiently busy he could work at weekends if we wanted and take a share of the fees. I can't disagree with this idea; especially as his wife has just given birth, so family income is reduced anyway. I hope he is right to be so positive....
If he is then we may be one of the lucky ones to survive and pick up business from those that fail. Horrible thought but just realistic.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Mar 18, 2020 11:23:42 GMT
Times like this (not that I’ve known anything quite like this) I’m happy to be a mere drone and not to be responsible for anything important. I’ve been a ‘senior manager’ in three jobs now without ever having someone else report to me.
Well done, Esp. I hope it works out for all of you.
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Post by Alanović on Mar 18, 2020 11:39:49 GMT
Quite so Dubya. Quite so. Most fortunate to be in a secure job in a large company delivering services to a government department desperately in need of such services continuing at the moment. I had been considering jacking it in to go contracting, higher risk/higher reward theory. Looks like those remote risks are coming home to roost on many, many people. I shall appreciate my good fortune, for it is more luck than judgement that I didn't jump.
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Post by tyrednexited on Mar 18, 2020 13:21:10 GMT
I held the meeting this morning, tears streaming down my face. If you'll pardon the expression, Esp, I think you were lucky with your timing. The penny has finally dropped with many more people that this is serious, and that the impact may/will be on more than their health. I suspect the message was viewed rather more positively than negatively than it would a few days earlier. Looked much quieter everywhere yesterday (news reports, obvs, as I'm largely social-distancing) as the Government guidelines were clarified (at least somewhat) and the realisation dawned. I'm not sure whether or not I agree fully with the Government strategy, but elements of it are certainly understandable and common-sense, so, it is what it is, and I will be (mainly) complying. We've cancelled walking with various friends sine die (at most it's four of us at any one time, but it isn't necessary, and ceasing it potentially limits spread in an older part of the community, so I'm comfortable with that). SWMBO and myself will continue to walk together (from home, in the adjacent forest where it easy to avoid the proximity of other people - I need my exercise, and will rapidly get cabin-fever if we don't). Trips out to establishments will be limited to essential shopping and services (the latter quite tightly bounded) until/unless a tighter lockdown comes. It is also quite obvious, however, that more than a slight minority of people are carrying on oblivious. One of the cafés in the village yesterday had the two window tables fully occupied with four "women of a certain age" on each, sitting with heads inches apart jabbering away at each other. Same again today (shopping trip for me, avoiding approaching all but shop staff). Coffee mornings are not required, and certainly a bit iffy in a village where there have been two confirmed cases already! Incidentally, my daughter had booked a short stay in Brugge from last Saturday only about a week in advance. She was quite miffed on Thursday evening when I sent her a message saying all bars and restaurants in Belgium were to be closed from midnight on Saturday (I'm not sure what planet she was on when she booked, but she didn't go, of course). She diverted to Devon for a few days instead, and then on Monday got a message that their (large) office in Reading was on lockdown (no-one in or out) until everyone had been briefed. Apparently a confirmed case, and the office closed for 3 days for deep-cleaning. The 3-day closure was rapidly overtaken by the Government overall advice to WFH where possible, so she is now in splendid isolation (though not-technically self-isolation) for the foreseeable future. Given that the incident hit the news in Reading, I would suspect Al will know which office.
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Post by EspadaIII on Mar 18, 2020 14:07:41 GMT
Well more messages of support have arrived which is good.
We are close to lock-down in Israel. Certain areas are already in it due to multiple cases of virus.
My town is ticking over but clearly quieter than it was on Monday. More people self-isolating. More rumours flying of small shops being closed. Hopefully we can avoid that if people stay in.
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Post by Alanović on Mar 18, 2020 14:08:27 GMT
Hmm. Have missed that story, and can't see it on the getreading.co.uk website.
We're all on WFH where possible instructions now at my company.
Had a message from my retired friends in their motorhome in Spain. Only allowed on the street to go to food shop or pharmacy. And you have to be alone. So these two walked to the supermarket 30 metres apart from eachother. Anyone on the street without good reason or in any groups, even pairs, will be arrested. They have had a Police visit at their campsite requesting everyone to stay in their vehicles as much as possible.
The UK will be at that stage in a few days I'd wager.
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Post by tyrednexited on Mar 18, 2020 14:34:53 GMT
Hmm. Have missed that story, and can't see it on the getreading.co.uk website. www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/reading-sse-office-closed-after-17933641Had a message from my retired friends in their motorhome in Spain. ........ They have had a Police visit at their campsite requesting everyone to stay in their vehicles as much as possible. The UK will be at that stage in a few days I'd wager. ...good job I've got a motorhome, then..... TBH, I'm expecting the restrictions to harden up dramatically from about this weekend.
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