Hang on, corona virus isn't ALL bad...

It seems to be an inconsistent picture across the country - hopefully the supermarkets will start clamping down soon on these offenders.

I've just seen a clip of the Tesco store at Stanford le Hope, Essex. People were queueing outside with trolleys waiting for the shop to open, and there must have been hundreds of them stretching across the car park. If this is repeated across the nation I think we will be lucky to see one solitary tin of spaghetti hoops on the shelf when the panic buyers have finally left. However, once they have fridges, freezers, cupboards, lofts, spare rooms, the dogs basket and their garages stuffed to the rafters with supplies the rest of us can shop calmly.

I got that too Rosina - it was very sensible and measured I thought. I’m just back from Sainsbury’s, everyone was very calm, there were some empty shelves as you’d expect but plenty of everything else. The lady at the checkout and I both agreed the supermarkets could have done more to limit certain items from an earlier stage to address the panic buying but there’s plenty in the warehouses, it’s just taking time to get everything to the shops and into the shelves.

I didn't actually read the OP, just responded to a post.

Black humour has always been a way of getting through times of crisis. I expect undertakers are telling some good jokes at present, but only between themselves.

I've had an email today from the Head of Sainbury's - not a personal one I hasten to add - but it assures me that there is absolutely no need to panic buy as the suppliers are working away to ensure that the shelves will be filled in spite of over buying.
On a slightly different tack I would be pleased to have the figures for those that have recovered so far. Nadine Dorres has announced in a Sunday Times article that she is now better, as is her mother who is over 80. Can we not just be told that there are over 1,000 people infected, as yes, that is the accumulative total, but many hundreds are now either well again or recovering. This won't be headline news of course - those seemingly must inspire panic and despondency. It was mentioned once on the BBC ten o' clock news over a week ago, when there were 300 plus cases, and the announcer said '.....and half are now recovered' . More of this, please.

No, the OP isn't funny.

However, some of the post on here are worth reading, very sensible.

It’s not flu and cannot be compared to flu, there is no vaccine!
It is pointless telling us how many people die from flu each year, or cancer or road accidents or snake bites.
This is a new mutating virus.
We are experiencing a pandemic.
Keep calm and carry on does not apply.
Keep Calm and keep your self to yourself is what should apply.

Coronavirus is a totally new virus and the current vaccination will have no effect whatsoever. The experts keep saying that a new vaccination is being worked on but may not be ready for some time and when it is the medics will get it first and rightly so.

I think the OP is in very bad taste and not the least funny. You are wishing what could be a fatal illness on someone who is in the high risk group.

BradfordLass I agree with your post

All except the bit that says it's influenza, it's not!

If this is the source

www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/adult-flu-vaccination-coverage

it's only for people over 65, which is what I stated.

What's the source of your data? The government doesn't appear to agree with you.

This is the latest data, the take up in the U.K. is on target.

Seasonal data collection runs from September to February, and so far in 2019-20 (between 1 September 2019 and 31 December 2019), uptake has reached 70.6%.

Statistics from Nuffield Health

It's only the 65+ age group which has a 70% take up for the flu jab. It's much lower (around 45%) for other at risk groups and some people aren't eligible for NHS flu jabs.

publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2019/10/04/flu-vaccination-the-main-things-to-know-about-the-2019-programme/

Calling people up for flu jabs and having them are two different things and it could be argued that those most at risk may be among those not having them.

In the U.K. 70% of the population are vaccinated against flu!
The most vulnerable are called up for free flu jabs.
So the deaths are among the remaining
30%, this is not such a good statistic.

Flu and Coronavirus are two completely different viruses.
We should not compare as it lulls people in to a false sense of security.

Bradfordlass I am in total agreement with you, although I would point out that CV is not flu.

So far deaths have been confined mainly to the old and ill, a group that are by definition, likely to die within the forseeable future of almost anything. That is not meant to sound callous, but I think all of us can look back at our families and see in how many cases that the death of someone old and frail has been the result of them picking up some kind of infection, usually we do not no what or from where. This certainly applies to my own father, his brother and several others I know. Some of those who have died, would have died within the next couple of weeks of something else anyway, probably another infection.

What I am trying to say is, that for the majority of the population, including older people, this illness may be unpleasant, but it is not serious or fatal. We need to do all we can to protect those whose health is really threatened by this and it is to do this by managing its peak

In every crisis, one person/companies loss is other companies/persons profits.

I didn't think there were any drugs for Corona virus.

Txquiltz I agree we need to keep a perspective, common sense and try to pull together rather than apart.

I don't think that, as yet, there are widespread shortages of essentials despite there being empty shelves in some shops. I would expect those empty shelves to be re-stocked.

I doubt whether many companies are 'crowing' over COVID-19. The number who might gain through rising demand in a few product lines will be dwarfed by the threat of cut backs or extinction in others. There is very real concern that the measures taken worldwide will create an economic recession benefitting nobody.

If the drug companies are celebrating, it does not seem to be reflected in GSK's share price, down 20% in the last 3 months.

In the UK in 2018, there were 6,507 deaths by suicide (a rate of 11.2 deaths per 100,000 people).

Yes and Isis have told their terrorists to avoid Europe!

After cancelling so many flights, it did occur to me that the environmental lobby might be nominating Donald Trump for a Nobel Prize.

I'm with Bradford Lass and Sharon 103. Hype and panic kill. Hype and panic cause otherwise good people to become vicious. Hoarding from neighbors? We need to pool our resources and common sense.

Quoting BradfordLass
"This time, the difference is, that as a result of media-driven insanity, this virus has been able to make a LOT of people, a LOT of money. The pharmaceutical companies, who buy major air and press time, must be crowing."

I totally agree.
On another post I commented on earlier, sellers on ebay are selling toilet rolls, hand sanitiser for absurd prices and people are paying for them. It's madness. I'd rather wipe my a**e on my socks than pay £100 nearly for 24 toilet rolls. Not all as greedy as that I'll admit.
I do think that it's more than the common flu though.

dons tin hat and full body armour and then feebly applauds BradfordLass73 for having the guts to post her opinion