It has now become conventional wisdom; stopping or lessening the spread of this virus is down to us and social distancing.

The other possibility is that this is only lethal to a small area of the population; elderly, vulnerable & those with underlying health problems (including, in my opinion, smokers or past smokers).

When we are told 19 NHS workers have died over the past 3 months in the UK, media chooses not to tell us how many NORMALLY die. I'm told, for instance, that many commit suicide. Every week. In non CoronaVirus times.

When media focus on interviewing sobbing relatives of individuals who have died, they normally don't do that for cancer deaths, flu deaths, TB deaths etc.

This can be a lethal virus only to a tiny part of our society.

Shouldn't we be concentrating on protecting and treating those in that section? Far better and effective; far less destructive of the economy.

Of course lockdowns will protect them as well as the rest, but is it necessary? Is it wise? Is it sensible?

Stopping the spread to everybody may make little or no difference to the eventual death count.

And does CoronaVirus really kill? In most cases doesn't it create or inflate other conditions?

Of ten deaths attributed to Covid 19, how many were caused by this virus and not just contributed to by it?

No surprise you used to write for the S*n. The Government clearly isn't saying 'it's all our fault'. The virus spreads from person to person. The lockdown is to cut that down. That's the only option until reliable testing (and that relies on scientists, not politicians, otherwise Jeremy Corbyn would be making one that works in his William Morris-decorated jam factory) and then a vaccine. The media exaggerates - yes. But that's not the Government. Do grow up for fuck's sake.

Rick wrote:
No surprise you used to write for the S*n. The Government clearly isn't saying 'it's all our fault'. The virus spreads from person to person. The lockdown is to cut that down. That's the only option until reliable testing (and that relies on scientists, not politicians, otherwise Jeremy Corbyn would be making one that works in his William Morris-decorated jam factory) and then a vaccine. The media exaggerates - yes. But that's not the Government. Do grow up for fuck's sake.

The implication has been that the better we stick to the rules the quicker the oppression lockdown will be lifted. (so our fault?)

But I think it is the government's fault that we haven't seen new cases plummeting, as you would expect after three weeks.

You could blame my neighbour with his endless parties, and the drongos with the cider bottles who congregate on the waste ground every night, and I am sure they are not helping, but by plunging us straight into this situation we are forced to go into crowded shops several times instead of once, because it takes several trips to get what we need, and at the same time they have closed all the places we could wash our hands, such as the cafes, leisure centres and community centres.
They cut down the number of trains and busses, so overcrowding them, and closed down open spaces so people are forced to squash together on the pavements for their government approved exercise.
Some of the roads near me look like the bloody London Marathon!

Good manners please Rick; normally I'd just delete your juvenile insults but I felt the stupidity of your post condemns itself.

It is increasingly notable that the press is now rightly pushing the Gov far harder on preparation and responses;! i.e starting to hold it accountable. The general response from Health Secretary today was again - this is down to you and the fist you make of social distancing, nothing to do with us guv, please allow me to express - for the 8th time - my huge admiration for nhs staff...

But..the tide is turning against this Government now...

Do you suppose all other countries are equally hysterical about health staff or are most simply considering them doing their chosen jobs?

JK2006 wrote:
Do you suppose all other countries are equally hysterical about health staff or are most simply considering them doing their chosen jobs?

The clapping goes on everywhere. I believe it started in Spain.

I don't know, but I think we are really making (or being massively manipulated to by the Gov) almost a fetish/mask (forgive me) out off our admirable health staff.

Given we are told that 80% of us will get it or have had it then you could take the view that with the very low mortality rate they are are at not much more risk than the rest of us over time; so why the fuss?

Yes there are a range of cynical answers to that one...

Mass gestures of gratitude can come with hidden messages and social pressures to conform. If you don’t join in or be seen as a participant, then you must be ungrateful or there must be something wrong with you. Gratitude that is enforced is not genuine gratitude.

I think it’s a scandal that while a huge free labour force is now helping to prop up the health service, politicians have each been handed £10,000 to help them work from home. It doesn’t cost this amount to set up a home office which, as far as I know, is the main reason for the extra funding.

Yes I call it the Two Minute Hate.

md wrote:
I think it’s a scandal that while a huge free labour force is now helping to prop up the health service, politicians have each been handed £10,000 to help them work from home. It doesn’t cost this amount to set up a home office which, as far as I know, is the main reason for the extra funding.

Really? Why do they need more than a laptop or a phone?!