WHO declares Pandemic

I can't see our government making any decisions until the horse has bolted.

I've just watched a strange little video on Twitter of Boris interviewing the deputy chief medical officer. It's obviously what used to be called a public information film!

The deputy chief medical officer was spouting the line about us Brits relying on expert, scientific advice (surprised Boris can keep a straight face) which meant that we weren't banning any public events or gatherings because 'it was important to get the timing right and not put bans in place and so create a peak later'!!

I think they are planning to do as little as possible and doubtless all those who think there isn't a problem will now pile in and say so yet again!

As I saw commented elsewhere - those who are saying 'it only affects a small number of the population who are elderly or have underlying health concerns so what's the big deal' are taking the same stance as those who condemn the homeless and the unemployed to their fates! We should care about everyone in our socidty and not condone our government shrugging at their state of unreadiness and willingness to condone the more vulnerable to a speedy and rather unpleasant end.

Forgive me and I could be wrong but aren't we already in the pandemic it certainly seems that way.

I have never experienced the frenzied buying in the supermarkets I have witnessed in the last week. Once again I only went into shop for fresh vegetables and took a stroll around to see what the shelves were like. Many items were stripped bare.
I could not believe a shopper was in a full blown argument with staff at the till because they took some loo rolls off her saying she had too many. She fought them to get the loo rolls and left the shop shouting.
I want to know what is supposed to be happening and the government need to intervene.

The WHO are quite clear that efforts to contain should be more aggressive, worldwide. I think that it's possible that the government just want things to blunder on unmanaged. If that is allowed to happen the health system will be overwhelmed. I think Hancock is making a statement later. They must try to influence the outcome, not stand back and watch. Transmission needs to be surpressed and people need advice and guidance.

Daisymae I don't understand what you mean by 'unmanaged'. What exactly do you want to happen in terms of infection control / support for those affected / managing economic consequences? FWIW I think the government, with cross party collaboration, is taking a sensible pathway.

But what are they actually doing?

Sorry but every time I see this I expect there to be a question mark.

@*Labaik*, I'm assuming you've probably seen this but:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-action-plan/coronavirus-action-plan-a-guide-to-what-you-can-expect-across-the-uk#our-response-to-the-current-coronavirus-outbreak

In Dubai they have now closed all schools and universities until September..studies have to be done on computer at home...

farview Dubai is still open for tourists, not sure that shutting down schools and Universities will offset their reliance on tourism?

Nobody thought twice about going to the races today. Did everybody thoroughly wash their hands?

I am totally amazed at the attitude of our Government! 3500 Thousands of Spanish football fans have travelled from coronavirus-hit Madrid to the UK for a football game in Liverpool tonight. Madrid has parts on lockdown and are not allowed to gather on mass there, yet they can fly here!!
Total madness!

What???

All true here is the link to the Liverpool Echo
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-mps-gary-lineker-question-17905004

Not doubting your word, it's insanity.

Are a lot of the race goers flying into Liverpool?

Total Madness and very unfair to Liverpool citizens and the rest of the UK
Liverpool FC says it is closely monitoring the situation and urging fans to take precautions. OUTRAGEOUS!

I cannot grasp the stupidity of all this.

You and me both Greymar!

My son lives in Prague, only 61 cases but schools and universities closed now along with museums etc.

Its only a football game for goodness sake! Lives will be lost because of this but football is obviously more important!

In answer to what could have been done, this is interesting

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/11/research-finds-huge-impact-of-interventions-on-spread-of-covid-19

*The rapid spread of coronavirus around the world could have been substantially curtailed if the broad swath of measures China brought in to control the outbreak were introduced just weeks earlier, researchers say.

Sophisticated modelling of the outbreak suggests that China had 114,325 cases by the end of February 2020, a figure that would have been 67 times higher without interventions such as early detection, isolation of the infected, and travel restrictions.

But if the interventions could have been brought in a week earlier, 66% fewer people would have been infected, the analysis found. The same measures brought in three weeks earlier could have reduced cases by 95%.

“From a purely scientific standpoint, putting in place a combination of interventions as early as possible is the best way to slow spread and reduce outbreak size,” said Prof Andrew Tatem at the University of Southampton.*

I'm scared now.

I am also..my new baby grandson in Dubai hasn't got his passport yet..I'm waiting for s.i.l.passport and birth certificate so that I can send for it..I'm supposed to be going out to help with the children in April..but don't know if that will happen...for various reasons..flights may be stopped..I would be scared of picking up the virus while travelling and I dont want to pass it on to my daughter and family...son and family in Australia dont seem concerned about the virus at all ...I wasn't initially but am becoming more so....

We have been in a pandemic for weeks. Tell me something I don't know. If what I have seen is the correct information, they have to wait till it gets to a certain stage or peak, before the next action from the government takes place. If they start to shut down places/ stop public gatherings too soon, the Coronavirus can peak twice and they don't want this to happen. I hasten to add I have no medical expertise or background. This was information from the television the other night. We just have to trust they know what they are doing.....