Coronavirus

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Call centres seem to be in melt down. HSBC’s response to the increased call demand is to reduce the hours they are operating. Took 20 minutes to get through. It used to be a UK help desk with instant response, now they’re dealing with calls in India. I have given up trying to re-book a /Eurowings flight. Having been told a week or so ago that I could re-book for free, I have now gone on-line with my new dates and it is expecting me to pay a £61 re-booking fee. Took me 36 minutes to get through to someone who then told me she needed to put me through to another department, 20 minutes later still no response. I’ll just cancel on-line, get the taxes back and re-book with someone else nearer the time, if flights are operating then. It’s not ideal, but will work out better for me in the long run. This was a German telephone number, not a free phone number. Craziest of all though was the help line for their parent company Lufthansa, which I tried first. The recorded message reported waiting times of at least 5 hours for an advisor.

I know this isn’t the worst news you’ll hear today, but just thought it worth mentioning.

[ramjet]

8 hours ago, s4simon said:

My MIL returned yesterday from a 3 week trip to Italy, France and Spain + a 2 week cruise through the med. Re-entered the country (Australia) to a compulsory 2 week isolation.

We've been updating her on all the problems that she would face getting back into the country, She doesn't listen or care.  She caught a 90 minute packed train back home and says she's not sick, so doesn't see any reason why she can't leave the house to see friends and go shopping.  My wife has given up and won't talk to her - beyond reasoning.

You could dob her in.

$25,000 fine in SA. 

[Jacques]

41 minutes ago, Kimbers said:

My father is 82 and high risk as he has underlying health issues namely lung issues. His wife has a friend in hospital and visits her twice a day every day.

The hospital has said not to come in unless essential, they have cancelled non essential appointments and advised people not to visit.

Dads Mrs has told him she is going in no matter what as her friend is "lonely and bored".

It's about time the Govt stopped "Advising" and started backing this up with action. Close the Hospitals to visitors. Close pubs etc. This wishy washy rubbish about "People should avoid going into restaurants" is not helping.

Several young people I know (maybe family members) have flatly refused to consider self isolating if Wendy or I am ill as they will lose their jobs. They are on zero hour contracts and have been told if they take 2 weeks off work they will be replaced.

Yeah, we had the same in Denmark for a week, and then two days ago, they told that now all hospitals are no longer receiving anyone except a parent if their child is seriously ill, or the very nearest if someone are about to pass away. It also happened because a few people went into the hospitals and stole their medical supplies. How low can you go?

The same is most likely going to happen with the very few last restaurants, bars etc, which refuse to close. The minister of health and the prime minister publically told everyone on tv yesterday, to stop acting like a little egoistic child and man up and act accordingly to protect everyone in society, not only thinking of themselves. This message was backed up by several nurses who said on f...b..k that all their work is counteracted by some shitty youngsters (male and female) who believe they are having a corona-holliday and that they can just shop around playing their little "look mum, I can do what ever I want"-game.

Kind regards,

jacques

[andydclements]

The banks will operate the call centre out of large open plan offices, so if one person who works there is confirmed as having CV, it's possible that the whole of that shift/ office need to isolate, so it's logical that even at this early stage of the contagion that they may need to reduce operating hours as they may have a severly reduce staffing level.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Also concerned for people’s mental health. The daughter of a guy I know is pregnant and she is going nuts about this. Not helped by her apparently flakey (not a medical term) partner, who is panicking and making things even worse.

I have just seen a twenty something couple f-ing and blinding at each other in the street. Not long after a police car turned up. Add that to the aggression in the nearby pub car park on Sunday and it paints a very worrying picture of our usually quiet rural little town.

Of course they might all be on drugs...

[Jacques]

Agreed!

Jacques

[C8RKH]

2 hours ago, Kimbers said:

Dads Mrs has told him she is going in no matter what as her friend is "lonely and bored".

Don't know the woman but I will say is what a bloody selfish and misguided attitude to have. Personally, if she was my missus with that attitude I'd be telling her to fook off, to leave me her forwarding address, and then I'd send her stuff on to her. Your dad is obviously a very tolerant person, unlike me.  Hope he stays healthy, the banter with him at the TLF xmas do's is always spot on!

[DaveC72]

[Jeff D]

Priorities, if its not guns or toilet rolls ...

"Cannabis panic buyers were queueing round the block in the Netherlands to stock up on weed before a nationwide shut down. The Dutch government decided to lockdown the country on Sunday to stop the spread of coronavirus, and it sparked an immediate response from drug users. Queues steadily formed outside the famous ‘coffee shops’ – where cannabis can be legally bought – across the country. Some panic buyers waited all day to get their hands on supplies to last them through a quarantine that could last for weeks. All marijuana coffee shops were ordered to close by 6pm on Sunday, as part of comprehensive measures, which also affect saunas, sex clubs and sport schools."

 

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/16/dutch-panic-buyers-queue-round-block-cannabis-12405192/?ito=cbshare

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

[Bibs]

https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/vaccine-for-covid19-tested-on-a-human-for-the-first-time-in-the-us

Quote

A study based in Seattle has been enrolling healthy adults for a clinical trial testing an investigational vaccine to stem the devastation caused by the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Phase 1 of the clinical trial has begun with the first participant receiving the novel vaccine today as scientists hope to assess its efficacy and safety for use in the wider population.

The trial is being funded by The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, based at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) in Seattle. As an open trial both the researchers and participants will know what dosage of the vaccine they have administered. Participants will receive two injections of the vaccine around 28 days apart, with each participant being assigned either a 25 microgram (mcg), 100 mcg or 250 mcg dose in both instances. 

“Finding a safe and effective vaccine to prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2 is an urgent public health priority,” NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D said in a statement. “This Phase 1 study, launched in record speed, is an important first step toward achieving that goal.”

There is currently no vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen that causes the disease COVID-19, with patients presenting with mild to severe respiratory illness. Vaccines are a safe way of delivering a small dose of a pathogen in the form of antigens into an individual's bloodstream. The introduction triggers an immune response resulting in antibodies that serve as memories of the pathogen. When the person then transmits the same pathogen, the body is prepared with antibodies to fight off the illness before it takes hold. If a safe and effective vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 can be developed, it would prevent deaths in vulnerable populations by effectively giving their immune systems a trial-run of the disease, making them better able to fight it off and escape severe symptoms should they contract it. 

The trial in Seattle will enroll 45 healthy volunteers aged 18 to 55 years old testing them over a period of around 6 weeks. Developed by NIAID scientists in collaboration with Moderna, Inc., a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the vaccine is called mRNA-1273 and has been supported by The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) for the Phase 1 clinical trial.

The vaccine builds upon a genetic platform called mRNA (messenger RNA) which effectively translates genetic codes, signaling the synthesis of a protein. The mRNA-1273 vaccine has been found to trigger cells to express a virus protein that elicits a robust immune response in animal models, but this is the first opportunity researchers have had to examine the response in humans. 

The vaccine’s production is built on existing research into the structure of related coronaviruses including SARS and MERS. Once the team of scientists was able to access genetic information about the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen, they could quickly build upon their understanding that the spiked structure of coronaviruses is what enables them to gain entry to human cells and work on targeting this as a means of protection. This method for vaccination was already being investigated by scientists at NIAID’s Vaccine Research Centre and Moderna attempting to synthesize a prophylactic means of treatment for MERS.

While a pivotal moment in the fight against SARS-CoV-2, this clinical trial is the first step of many before it will be deemed safe for wider distribution and it could be some time before mRNA-1273 is approved for use. If you’re interested in joining this study, are aged between 18 and 55, have no pre-existing medical conditions and live in the Seattle area visit corona.kpwashingtonresearch.org to find out how you can get involved.

Find out how coronavirus quarantine measures are impacting dangerous air pollution. 

That's an excellent website btw, I spend far too much time reading it! 

[DDubya]

Goodwood MM cancelled, so have to cancel hotel and see what's refundable

Two Music events (Elbow and Steve Harley) cancelled

Weekend at Hethel and CTL with HLR cancelled

Business trips to Aus and Lisbon cancelled

It's a fucker really

[Sparky]

You lot have it so easy.  I'll be forced to self-isolate with the mother-in-law for several months.

[Bibs]

I've had quite a bit of work cancel now and have just been told I'm at high risk due to a lack of spleen. If ever I wanted to vent it... 

[Sparky]

We could self-isolate together with those 2 bottles of English Harbour I've been saving.  That'll sort the first day.

[mdw]

2 minutes ago, Bibs said:

I've had quite a bit of work cancel now and have just been told I'm at high risk due to a lack of spleen. If ever I wanted to vent it... 

Yep and me.    Cancelled work  and I guess asthma.

[Techyd]

20 hours ago, The Pits said:

However bad the virus is, panic is doing even more harm. A major concern now is the deaths that might result from vulnerable non-infected people who won't get medical help from an over-loaded NHS.

Very disappointed that the media are doing nothing but reassure and instead increasing the paranoia and fear. BBC led with 'first man to die in wales' today. Not that there has been a fall in new cases. They also showed a video of a fight in a supermarket in Australia all promoting the narrative that society is on the brink of collapse. It turns out the fight wasn't actually anything to do with what's going on. Nothing about the great things communities are doing to help look out for each other. Other headlines read 'Europe overtakes China' not 'China gets virus under control'.

Good site here for the actual numbers.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

 

I quite agree.  There's a too big a weighting toward 'making the news' rather than 'reporting it' and the negative spin is what people are deemed to want to read.

Its very frustrating, because you're right, China have the virus under control which is a great thing!

[Dan E]

My boys school is shutting tomorrow until further notice!!

 

Sparkles you can always pop down and self isolate with my MIL I will even send you a cab !!!

[Sparky]

Is she a looker?

[Dan E]

she is 90!! You can spend time on the new patio she has just had laid even though she cant actually get out into the back garden. 

Wife just informed her she is not coming for Mothers day so she now has the ump!!!

[Sparky]

Yeah, but is she a looker?

[Chillidoggy]

Today I’ve been banned from the boat yard which is building the new boat I’m project managing. Not me specifically, all visitors.

This however will mean I have to spend more time in the garage staring at engine bits. 

 

[LotusFella]

Are the countries just printing more money and if every country does this why wouldn’t we all be ok! LOL

[Barrykearley]

after the shock of the utter chaos in morrisons this morning - I’ve been poaching and I’ll be just fine for eggs 

[andydclements]

4 hours ago, DDubya said:

Goodwood MM cancelled, so have to cancel hotel and see what's refundable

Two Music events (Elbow and Steve Harley) cancelled

Weekend at Hethel and CTL with HLR cancelled

Business trips to Aus and Lisbon cancelled

It's a fucker really

For me only one event that might be canceled (or the event may go ahead but attendance by everybody else cancelled), Dad's cremation and wake.

Most of the guests would be in high risk groups (mainly age, but a few due to other health conditions). If it hadn't been for him specifying which crematoria , undertakers and vicar, it might have been done by now (passed in Feb) but as things are it's into April.

[DDubya]

Sorry to hear Andy, puts things into perspective☹️