Covid 19 worries !

MattyB

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jul 11, 2018
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Herts, UK
...I think we may be entering the phase of some restriction of mass gatherings next week.....but as your comments illustrate if you go for complete lock down you risk many people doing all the wrong things and making matters worse.
It seems like the leaders of most global and domestic sports have taken a different line to the UK Government - mass gatherings at sporting events have effectively been banned for the foreseeable future. Quite handy for the UK Gov as they didn’t have to be the party poopers but still got the result they probably wanted...
 
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Doomanic

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Jan 21, 2018
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My father has been advised by his oncologist to self isolate for the foreseeable future due to his age and compromised immune system.
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
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Weymouth
It seems like the leaders of most global and domestic ports have taken a different line to the UK Government - mass gatherings at sporting events have effectively been banned for the foreseeable future. Quite handy for the UK Gov as they didn’t have to be the party poopers but still got the result they probably wanted...
Interesting to note that the UK Govt is also taking advice from behavioural scientists as well as the medical profession, and I think that is sensible. You need to be able to determine the likely public response to whatever measures are taken or they could be counter productive.
 

Zimmerframe

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Jun 12, 2019
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Interesting to note that the UK Govt is also taking advice from behavioural scientists as well as the medical profession, and I think that is sensible. You need to be able to determine the likely public response to whatever measures are taken or they could be counter productive.

So, we won't do anything because people are so stupid that they won't listen anyway ?? .... isn't that Trumps intellectual breakthrough ? It's not bad, just ignore it, it will go away .. :) Oh whoops .. I've had my head up my arse and now lots of you will die, oh well, no worries, you're all just a burden and don't benefit me anyway.

Meanwhile, hundreds of scientists write to the UK govt begging them to do more ..
 

Zimmerframe

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Jun 12, 2019
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This is starting to look like it could affect us more than the infamous 2024 e-bike virus !

After an unnamed disgruntled, was to be millionaire, ex-spesh warranty sub-contractor was let go after the Mahle motor proved so much more reliable. His ground breaking virus spread between bikes of all makes and types through a ,previously undiscovered, security hole in bluetooth making motors randomly break down.

"old timers"/"First wavers" (Us...) were often heard to mutter .. "its just like the early days ..."
 

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
1,127
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Andalucía
Here in Spain state of emergency has been officially declared and we will be put on lockdown on Monday at 8.00 am, for 15 days at least.
I bought a Tacx Flow Smart roller stand to keep me occupied but Enduro E-mtb is way better!

To much surprise, the state of emergency which came in last night was made effective immediately.

The result has been some very naughty boys are now a lot poorer this morning.... :cry:

WhatsApp Image 2020-03-15 at 11.18.39 AM.jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2020-03-15 at 12.30.46 PM.jpeg
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,536
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Weymouth
So, we won't do anything because people are so stupid that they won't listen anyway ?? .... isn't that Trumps intellectual breakthrough ? It's not bad, just ignore it, it will go away .. :) Oh whoops .. I've had my head up my arse and now lots of you will die, oh well, no worries, you're all just a burden and don't benefit me anyway.

Meanwhile, hundreds of scientists write to the UK govt begging them to do more ..
The virus does not go away just because people have to stay in. Spain has reached the point where the health services cannot cope so the steps they are taking are to delay further infections. I dont think any of the countries have vastly different strategies. They are just at different stages in the volumes of infections and all governments of whatever political colour will be criticised by their political opponents regardless what decisions they make. There will be no winners.
 

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
1,127
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^^ So you're not allowed out at all?

For social or fitness or leisure purposes: no.

Its' still legal to travel to work, travel home (for those currently not at home), attend medical/financial/bank appointments, go food shopping, walk the dog (but only so far as it needs to do its dump). Oh yes, and go to the hairdressers. Pharmacies and drug stores will also be open, as will tobacconists and "kiosks", so not all the pleasures of life are banned.
 

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
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Spain has reached the point where the health services cannot cope so the steps they are taking are to delay further infections.

There's a bit more to it than that. Culturally the Spanish are very different to the Brits. Their elderly mostly live with the families and are not farmed out to old people's homes. There are those who are too frail and live in care homes, of course, but most of the elderly attend day centres - especially is small towns like the one I live in. The risk is infection from the school kids to the elderly - most of whom visit their grandparents daily.

Also, the Spanish are not only very gregarious, but also love being in large groups with lots of kissing and hugging. Just like Italy, if there's a culture absolutely designed to spread a contagious virus, it's this one.

I note from the newspapers I read today that the worry in Britain is that the elderly who are in isolation will get neglected and forgotten. Perhaps the different way in which the elderly are treated is the reason for the different approach - which may well be right in the circumstances.
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
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Just seen this on various news sources, Trump offering huge money to a German Lab to get exclusivity for the US on any vaccine they develop. Unbelievable.

Germany and US wrestle over coronavirus vaccine: report | DW | 15.03.2020
Classic example of rubbish media reporting! If you look for the same story in a French newspaper you see a different slant.....ie both Germany and the US vying for the support of this company to produce a vaccine! Curevec is a private company with centres in both Germany and the US. It will develop a programme for whoever pays it the most and of course the sponsor will have exclusive rights to their work. That does not mean the vaccine or its patents when produced will not be available to others.
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,536
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Weymouth
There's a bit more to it than that. Culturally the Spanish are very different to the Brits. Their elderly mostly live with the families and are not farmed out to old people's homes. There are those who are too frail and live in care homes, of course, but most of the elderly attend day centres - especially is small towns like the one I live in. The risk is infection from the school kids to the elderly - most of whom visit their grandparents daily.

Also, the Spanish are not only very gregarious, but also love being in large groups with lots of kissing and hugging. Just like Italy, if there's a culture absolutely designed to spread a contagious virus, it's this one.

I note from the newspapers I read today that the worry in Britain is that the elderly who are in isolation will get neglected and forgotten. Perhaps the different way in which the elderly are treated is the reason for the different approach - which may well be right in the circumstances.
Good points. I know one concern that has been raised here is that closing schools whilst parents still have to work could lead to kids being left with grandparents thus increasing socialisation of the most vulnerable.
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,536
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Weymouth
For social or fitness or leisure purposes: no.

Its' still legal to travel to work, travel home (for those currently not at home), attend medical/financial/bank appointments, go food shopping, walk the dog (but only so far as it needs to do its dump). Oh yes, and go to the hairdressers. Pharmacies and drug stores will also be open, as will tobacconists and "kiosks", so not all the pleasures of life are banned.
That seems pretty complex to enforce! Hairdresser? Why?
 

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
1,127
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Andalucía
That seems pretty complex to enforce! Hairdresser? Why?

Again, cultural: here in Spain it is recognised that the elderly find it difficult to wash their own hair. They have the hairdresser do it for them. (It's a society with much more respect and understanding for their senior citizens. I thought Germany was wonderful for that, but it's a whole level higher here).
 

stiv674

E*POWAH Elite
Mar 4, 2019
777
600
Wiltshire
For social or fitness or leisure purposes: no.

Its' still legal to travel to work, travel home (for those currently not at home), attend medical/financial/bank appointments, go food shopping, walk the dog (but only so far as it needs to do its dump). Oh yes, and go to the hairdressers. Pharmacies and drug stores will also be open, as will tobacconists and "kiosks", so not all the pleasures of life are banned.

Interesting...
So for people who rely on their weekly (or whatever) ride/walk etc for mental health reasons have to sit inside getting even more depressed, genius! :(
 

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
1,127
1,088
Andalucía
Classic example of rubbish media reporting! If you look for the same story in a French newspaper you see a different slant.....ie both Germany and the US vying for the support of this company to produce a vaccine! Curevec is a private company with centres in both Germany and the US. It will develop a programme for whoever pays it the most and of course the sponsor will have exclusive rights to their work. That does not mean the vaccine or its patents when produced will not be available to others.

From what I can see, all the newspapers are quoting the same "Welt am Sonntag" article. This does, indeed, state very clearly that Trump wants the vaccine for exclusive US use. ("Nach WELT AM SONNTAG-Informationen will sich die US-Regierung die Rechte daran exklusiv sichern ")

The article explains the complications involved in that CureVac is working in partnership with the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, which belongs to the state and therefore the rights to use any research information could be withheld from CureVac.

However, CureVac is a private company, which will require "special measures" to stop any sale.

Politically difficult for the German government because stopping sales to Trump will generate yet another tantrum. Hence the bidding war, where the German government is regarding this as a business tactic which should stop any toys being thrown out of the pram.

One feels that the German government approaching a US firm for exclusive use of a vaccine which uses US research paid for by the US taxpayer would generate a somewhat different approach from the White House. :unsure:
 

galaga187

E*POWAH Master
Apr 15, 2018
805
603
Wroughton
Last day in Las Clusaz France on a snowboard trip only ski rental shops, supermarkets and cheese/sausage places open. We rode till the lifts closed yesterday and partied till 2am at an End of The World party - very weird atmosphere today. A few people out on road bikes today and 1 EMTB.
 

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
1,127
1,088
Andalucía
Interesting...
So for people who rely on their weekly (or whatever) ride/walk etc for mental health reasons have to sit inside getting even more depressed, genius! :(

Maybe... although I shall be taking my shopping bag out with me and walking to the supermarket at the other side of town...

(Given the chance, my wife would buy a dog - preferably one with constipation! :cautious:)
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,536
5,017
Weymouth
I have 2 dogs that would be climbing the walls if they did not get at least 5 miles ruuning around after any living thing in the countryside each day! Same goes for me
 

R120

Moderator
Subscriber
Apr 13, 2018
7,819
9,190
Surrey
Classic example of rubbish media reporting! If you look for the same story in a French newspaper you see a different slant.....ie both Germany and the US vying for the support of this company to produce a vaccine! Curevec is a private company with centres in both Germany and the US. It will develop a programme for whoever pays it the most and of course the sponsor will have exclusive rights to their work. That does not mean the vaccine or its patents when produced will not be available to others.
I am aware of this, is that monetisation of anything that may lead to an improvement of the situation needs to be put aside right now, and the fact that this is going on shows that the wrong attitudes are worrying prevalent still.
 

R120

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Apr 13, 2018
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Surrey
I was thinking about this the other day, I have elderly relatives with Dogs, dont know what they are going to do!
 

RichardWad

Member
Feb 13, 2020
24
22
Earth
Just seen this on various news sources, Trump offering huge money to a German Lab to get exclusivity for the US on any vaccine they develop. Unbelievable.

Germany and US wrestle over coronavirus vaccine: report | DW | 15.03.2020
Classic example of rubbish media reporting! If you look for the same story in a French newspaper you see a different slant.....ie both Germany and the US vying for the support of this company to produce a vaccine! Curevec is a private company with centres in both Germany and the US. It will develop a programme for whoever pays it the most and of course the sponsor will have exclusive rights to their work. That does not mean the vaccine or its patents when produced will not be available to others.
Thank you. Dumb people just like to find any excuse, even false narratives, to blame Trump
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,936
9,281
Lincolnshire, UK
Right now I'm on hols in Tenerife. For those that don't know it, it's one of the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa. It is owned by Spain and has their laws, culture and language.

This morning we found a note inside the elevator saying that we now had to stay in the hotel or the police would get us.
When we got back to our room, we found a note from our travel rep expanding upon this:
State of Alarm.jpg


I looked over the balcony of the hotel pool area, so I could see into the town.

Nobody out walking, nobody on the beach, no sign of any movement on the promenade or anywhere in the town that I could see, at all. Spooky

Yet in the hotel, all is normal. As people leave to catch their flights, the hotel is getting quieter and quieter. Yet the staff are all here, and the reps. I wonder how much longer this can go on? It seems like we are in bubble, inside all is normal, outside all is quiet. It reminds me of one of those zombie movies! The hotel staff and travel reps will all surely get laid off soon, or go on restricted pay, yet all are just as cheerful as normal.

We needed some water, so we went to the supermarket across the road and it was packed. All the water was gone except for the fizzy and the flavoured water, and 8 x 500ml bottles of still water. There used to be pallet loads of 5 and 10 litre bottles! I only needed 6 x 500ml, so that's what I took. Two bars of chocolate, two oranges, and that was me done. But it took me 30 mins of queuing to pay and get out. By the time I left, there was a security guard on the door, enforcing "one out, one in!"

This is starting to feel real.

We will be going home soon, but it looks like my Mum's 90th birthday party on Saturday is off!! It's a dilemma; if we call it off she might not last long enough for us to celebrate at a later date, but if we meet up that might be the end of her!
 
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steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,936
9,281
Lincolnshire, UK
Why?....you could hop that!!
To allow me to hop it, the branches needed trimming off. Once I'd done that I was on a roll and started to think of all those that had ridden around it (as witnessed by the trail forming in the field), so I did the rest. It didn't take long at all.
 

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