Coronavirus update - NO MORE RESTRICTIONS

[xsnaggle]

Re: Coronavirus update

No downing street Briefing to day then.
Have they been binned permanently or was it just put on stop because of Boris's statement in the House of Commons? I have been looking forward to that each day for the graphs and the questions, particularly lately from ordinary folks whos questions generally are for more to the point that the journalists.

[xsnaggle]

Re: Coronavirus update

apparently he is answering questions at 7 PM. that should be interesting lol

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Coronavirus update

So much of politics is built around a struggle between prioritising money and people. As someone who sides with the latter option naturally, I can see that there has to be an emphasis on the money side as well, but when it comes to a choice, people should win out on the vast majority of occasions. So much of the policy making with the virus is down to a question of balancing the money v people argument and I can accept that the money side of things cannot be put off indefinitely while full concentration is given to as few people as possible dying.

In America, to no great surprise, the money side is increasingly coming to the fore, while it seems that things may now be heading that way in this country. The early flirtation with Herd Mentality was a sign that money was winning out over people and it seems to me that many of the decisions which looked odd at the time (e.g. abandoning the initial approach to testing, reclassification of the status of COVID and some decisions on PPE) were taking purely on financial grounds or because a lack of funding had meant that the systems were just not in place to respond in the way other countries were doing.

However, for the last seven weeks or so, people, largely, won out over money in the UK until the Prime Minister addressed the nation on Sunday when money started mounting its comeback. So much is being left to individual choice in the UK Government's new approach and there has to be a knowledge that, in many cases, economic necessity will be the driver behind a person's choice to return to work or not, irrespective of how safe or otherwise their work situation is.

The Government has got a terrible job on its hands and neither of the primary choices available to them are attractive or without significant risks. It shouldn't really come as a surprise that a Conservative Government is showing increased signs of choosing money over people when it comes to the crunch - I can certainly sympathise with their dilemma, but would also say that if they do go that way, they will also be able to try to blame others (including the public) if and when things go wrong.

[Organ Morgan.]

Re: Coronavirus update

It's being widely touted that Chancellor Sunak will announce later today that the furloughed workers scheme will be extended to September but recipients will receive 60% of their earnings instead of the current 80%.

Coronavirus: Chancellor expected to extend furlough scheme to September, but cut it to 60% of earnings - https://news.sky.com/story/coronavir...nings-11986807

Furloughed workers to get 60% of their salary until September - https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/12/furlo...mber-12688960/

[goats]

Re: Coronavirus update

On a Positive note looks like the Heath hospital has resumed normal service by looking at the amount of cars parked up and people walking in today....

[goats]

Re: Coronavirus update

God I wished I lived in Denmark. Light years ahead of our buffoons in Wales

[tell it like it is]

Re: Coronavirus update

On a Positive note looks like the Heath hospital has resumed normal service by looking at the amount of cars parked up and people walking in today....

Well, NHS staff aren't at significantly higher risk despite political claims to the opposite. Normal service should resume where possible.

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-05-11/britain-s-highest-risk-occupations-revealed-as-new-ons-official-stats-show-deaths-rates-for-certain-key-job/

[City123]

Re: Coronavirus update

It's being widely touted that Chancellor Sunak will announce later today that the furloughed workers scheme will be extended to September but recipients will receive 60% of their earnings instead of the current 80%.

Coronavirus: Chancellor expected to extend furlough scheme to September, but cut it to 60% of earnings - https://news.sky.com/story/coronavir...nings-11986807

Furloughed workers to get 60% of their salary until September - https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/12/furlo...mber-12688960/

Starving the commoners back to work? A classic tactic.

[Croesy Blue]

Re: Coronavirus update

Well, NHS staff aren't at significantly higher risk despite political claims to the opposite. Normal service should resume where possible.

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-05-11/...rtain-key-job/

Isn't it that they're at higher risk of getting it just if they get it they have the same mortality rate as the majority. So I don't think the political claims are wrong in that sense.

I'd be interesting why people in those jobs have a higher mortality rate?
Some are quite sedantry jobs? Some are morel likely to have older men? Some might expose them to a higher viral load?

[tell it like it is]

Re: Coronavirus update

Isn't it that they're at higher risk of getting it just if they get it they have the same mortality rate as the majority. So I don't think the political claims are wrong in that sense.

I'd be interesting why people in those jobs have a higher mortality rate?
Some are quite sedantry jobs? Some are morel likely to have older men? Some might expose them to a higher viral load?

Exactly, we know that men are more vulnerable. There's so much that isn't known - we know BAME, male deaths are higher - may be genetics, who knows?

[Elwood Blues]

Re: Coronavirus update

Chancellor has just announced that furlough scheme is to be extended to October.

Same terms until end of June. More flexibility allowing some part term working, employers to share some of the cost but employees will still get 80% up to £2,500. I'm saying this from memory so don't take it as gospel.

More detail to be published later.

I think it is generally recognised that Sunak has been probably the most impressive member of the cabinet during the crisis ( not difficulty I know some of you will say!!).

Would not be at all surprised to see a changing of the guard in the next couple of years with Boris stepping down (possibly following a heavy hint from the men in grey suits) and Sunak moving up.

[dml1954]

Re: Coronavirus update

Starving the commoners back to work? A classic tactic.

For ‘widely touted’ read ‘inaccurately and wrongly speculated’.

[Eric Cartman]

Re: Coronavirus update

Chancellor has just announced that furlough scheme is to be extended to October.

Same terms until end of June. More flexibility allowing some part term working, employers to share some of the cost but employees will still get 80% up to £2,500. I'm saying this from memory so don't take it as gospel.

More detail to be published later.

I think it is generally recognised that Sunak has been probably the most impressive member of the cabinet during the crisis ( not difficulty I know some of you will say!!).

Would not be at all surprised to see a changing of the guard in the next couple of years with Boris stepping down (possibly following a heavy hint from the men in grey suits) and Sunak moving up.

It's going to very uncertain from July, once businesses are expected to contribute they will have absolutely no reason to keep those they deem easy to replace on the books.

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: Coronavirus update

So much of politics is built around a struggle between prioritising money and people. As someone who sides with the latter option naturally, I can see that there has to be an emphasis on the money side as well, but when it comes to a choice, people should win out on the vast majority of occasions. So much of the policy making with the virus is down to a question of balancing the money v people argument and I can accept that the money side of things cannot be put off indefinitely while full concentration is given to as few people as possible dying.

I don't think it's quite as simple as money v people. Life for almost everyone has been hugely affected by the restrictions that have been imposed in a bid to conquer Covid-19 despite the fact that the vast majority of the population stand little or no chance of either falling seriously ill or dying as a result of the virus.

By and large, I think most people have thus far taken the restrictions in good faith and have reacted pretty well under the circumstances. However, it's blatantly obvious that society simply can't go on operating like this indefinitely. The economy is clearly a huge factor in how things will work going forward, but so is the way in which we want to live our lives.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Coronavirus update

Chancellor has just announced that furlough scheme is to be extended to October.

Same terms until end of June. More flexibility allowing some part term working, employers to share some of the cost but employees will still get 80% up to £2,500. I'm saying this from memory so don't take it as gospel.

More detail to be published later.

I think it is generally recognised that Sunak has been probably the most impressive member of the cabinet during the crisis ( not difficulty I know some of you will say!!).

Would not be at all surprised to see a changing of the guard in the next couple of years with Boris stepping down (possibly following a heavy hint from the men in grey suits) and Sunak moving up.

He's a new boy, so he's got no baggage which helps him, but I agree - from what I've seen so far, he does have an air of authority which to my, admittedly biased, eyes, his Cabinet colleagues tend to lack and he looks a future leader of the party, and probably the country, currently.

Good news that the furlough scheme is to be extended - I would think the extension comes with the hope that it will not cost as much in the next four months as it has in its first two.