wyot and others have spotted the Reverse Ferret on today's Times front page. Soon tests will be freely available. I reckon at Easter the stupid Government will announce slight relaxations - shops, hotels etc can open again; followed by pubs and restaurants, with strict new instructions (distancing; testing of customers). Then, by the end of the month, emulating France, Italy, Spain; travel ban lifted with strict testing of all arrivals. By mid May; life returns to normal with all Governments saying "we beat it with shutdowns but stay vigilant, keep washing your hands etc". The truth (it is a virulent but trivial virus & the over reaction was provoked by media exaggeration) will be hidden. No-one will dare reveal it. Probably my Geriatric1944 diaries will be taken down as subversive. Where the fuck is George Orwell when you need him?

JK2006 wrote:
I reckon at Easter the stupid Government will announce slight relaxations

Look, I've never voted Tory and never would, but why is this a 'stupid' Government? Politicians in these crises are honour-bound to take the advice of their senior scientific advisors. That's just how it is. And the advice has been conflicting. That leads to a policy mess. But it's just childish to pretend that any other group of politicians would have been left any less confused by the scientific advice.

No Rick it's just like our stupid police; no Common Sense anymore.

JK2006 wrote:
No Rick it's just like our stupid police; no Common Sense anymore.

No JK, outside of toytown political thinking, however boring it might seem, it's NOT. Grow up.

Scientific research goes along the chosen road; given the facts so far, yes, stopping spread is an effective if extreme way to go; but scientists are now starting to realise this is a trivial virus for the vast majority. No or mild symptoms; at worst mainly something like I had (and perhaps how Boris is reacting); the equivalent of bad flu; stay in bed; don't speak (or you lose your voice); loads of paracetamol and liquids. For a tiny minority it can require hospital and for an even smaller one it can be lethal. My complaint is that the media language and policy still exaggerates and stupid politicians cannot dare point this out. If, every time media reports on daily deaths, they qualify it by saying "700 died today but in a normal day 2000 die and the actual total today is 1,980" both politicians and experts would dare point out to the public that the NHS can cope; the problem is that we don't currently have enough ventilators but we are working on it; don't panic.

Now then, as it ‘appens there’s an ABBA documentary on Chanel No. 5 yong man!!! Goodness gracious, reminds me of TOTP back in 1977. Tried but didn’t succeed in gettin’ the blonde one back to me dressing room. Urghh, urghh, them were the days ...