Chris Whitty has symptoms

It is completely tragic for the families concerned, but some of these people would have died anyway in the normal course of things - the figure of 8,000 flu deaths a year is the number of deaths above and beyond the normal mortality, but comparable numbers for coronavirus will only be available after the epidemic..

I like that lady doctor Jenny as well. She gives very clear and concise answers to the questions and really sounds like she knows what she's talking about. Chris Whitty reminds me of someone but I can't think who.

Well never know.

The EU procurement would have distributed the ventilators across all the member states n a yet to be defined basis, so we wouldn’t have necessarily got any more than procuring them independently. And possibly fewer.

Yes Maddy lets put the blame where it lies, with the Tories.

As I understood it, the EU we’re in talks about getting more ventilators some three years ago. At that time Boris Johnson was neither Prime Minister nor in charge of the health department, Jeremy Hunt was in charge of health and Theresa May was Prime Minister. Let’s put the blame where it lies.

grannybuy
My daughter said exactly the same thing to me, she’s a doctor.

I am also angry about the death toll, we had a chance and we blew it. And Boris with his attitude I can do it and not go in with the EU for more ventilators is criminal. We should have been stricter sooner and closed our borders, which are still open. As for Boris getting the virus, he should have filled his own advice.

More anger here..so much fulsome praise for health workers, but no-one cutting through red tape to get them the protection they desperately need.
Boasting about generosity to workers, but unable to see that money in June will not make it easier for workers to stay at home now.
I'd have given an immediate cash payout to everyone, then reclaimed it where appropriate through the tax system.

I had an email from DD last night. She works in a hospital. She said, resignedly, " I'll no doubt get it at some point ". That shook me, and really brought home the implications. She has a DH, working from home, and two DD's, home from school.

A very concerning report on the news tonight. In a major US city hospital frontline doctors and nurses predict 73% of them will contract the virus even with the precautions they take. Hopefully, if that does occur it will be diagnosed immediately so they can be vigorously treated. Please keep the health care professionals in your thoughts.

When I hear the death number each day, I feel sad because these aren't just statistics, they're all people that are loved by their friends and families. And I'm also very sad because I know that those numbers will increase every day for a long while. I wish everyone would recognise how dangerous this illness is. I think they should have called it a plague, and that might have had more impact on people's psyche.

growstuff I also feel angry, I feel angry about the lack of proper protective clothing for our medics.

All these deaths are too sad. I don’t know how others feel but I feel my anxiety levels rise whenever it comes on the news.
I’m not surprised that members of the government and royal family have got it, they meet so many people all the time. It must be very difficult for government to manage a situation such as this without being in the same room at times. However they all became ill on the same day so I doubt they’ve infected each other, I suspect it’s a common source of infection such as another MP some days or up to two weeks ago. I’m not a scientist so only speculating.

Yes, the death numbers are tragic, but important to remember that 26,000 died from the flu in the UK in 2017-18. Every death is a tragedy, but sometimes it helps to put things into perspective to prevent panic.

Anniechip I feel angry because some of those deaths (and future deaths) could have been prevented by more prompt action. Even now (today)we're being lied to by being told WHO guidelines don't apply to us.

I agree Anniechip and no family member able to visit or say goodbye.My heart goes out to anyone with a relative suffering from this virus.Lets hope and pray that a vaccine is developed soon.
I have just received my first food delivery and I am so grateful to the lovely delivery man who smiled and acknowledged me through his mask.

@eazybee I am sure you are absolutely right, I think it is more surprising if those three hadn’t caught it, let’s hope it is the milder version

Also finding Michael Gove’s “thunderbird” look very annoying.

Daily deaths in Italy are 900, doubled every few days that’s the way we are heading if we don’t follow the rules. Stay home folks.

Thank you everyone for the science especially Jane10. The more info the better.

Feel sorry for them all trying to do their jobs...

A little illustration of why WE should NOT travel.

I feel well. I get in the car and drive 5 miles to lovely 'local' spot for a walk... - Stir Crazy from Clean Town 5 miles away in the opposite direction, gets in his car and drives to the same lovely 'local' spot. I open a gate along the path - so does Stir Crazy. Four days later, I get ill. By bad luck Stir Crazy has picked it up from the gate I opened. And is unknowingly spreading it in Clean Town before he too becomes ill. If lots of us do this simple, apparently harmless thing - you have rapid transmission into new areas.

Agree with you the death numbers are tragic, individual lives cut short.

Jenny Harries deputy Chief Medical Officer is brilliant, very clear and whist telling things as they are does indeed give me hope.

Morning all, hope you are all keeping safe.
Does anyone else feel so sad when the latest daily deaths total is announced? It’s just numbers but... each and every one of those numbers represent the loss of a family member. Another family torn apart by this dreadful virus. Heartbreaking.?