Coronavirus 2020 - What can I do?

[HwoodMike2umate]

Still haven't got around to buying a Drone and I may have left it too late but plenty of signs of early growth in my veggie patch and I'd say first crop of rhubarb due for picking this weekend which is early. Still coming across potatoes that I should have dug up in the autumn. Most are perfectly edible.

[Jackie Brown]

Kingspan telling employees they're getting a 40% paycut. Surely they'd be better taking advantage of the government's 80% pay and furlong their Northern Staff?

They wouldn't get a full weeks workfor 60% pay then ...

More good ethics from our sponsors.

[big mervyn]

Our SF/DUP leaders have been a disgrace. Under a thin veneer of unity they have disagreed on loads of fundamental issues with Snarlene slavishly following UK govt policy with no regard to the local circumstances in NI. Jim Allister is right. Stormont in it's current form is not fit for purpose.

I do think Robin Swann seems to be doing a great job. Seems to be doing his level best and comes across a very straight and honest in his briefings.

[Jackie Brown]

Populists ehh, not much use in a crisis. Is the Novel Coronavirus a prod or a Fenian?

[Jackie Brown]

How are you Tender?

[rumncoke]

BM

There are basically to trains of thought here and to some extent where this virus is concern both are equally wrong.

You have the SF who wish to keep pace symbolically with Dublin and DUP who wish to keep pace ( for similar reasons ) with GB in circumstances where we in NI are somewhat behind both in the spread of the disease.

Northern Ireland does not have the same International links as either and therefore the number of people coming into the Northern Ireland with infection was lower than either Dublin or London thus initially fewer were infected. Another factor would be that the reliance on Public Transport in Belfast would also be lower . Belfast is a two Bus city to get from one side to the other therefore many people rely on cars especially on journeys to Hospitals.

The reliance on the car in the Belfast Area is the reason why parking is hard and costly and the use of "park and ride" which ensures that the time shared in the company of others on Journeys is limited.

So to some extent Northern Ireland following the lead of either London or Dublin would be ahead of the game so to speak with major exposure being the need to shop in overcrowded supermarkets where people over purchase thus ensuring that the time anyone is in a supermarket and open to exposure to the virus is maximised instead of miminised to less than 15 -20 minutes.

But being ahead of the game is essential here because if we weren't by the time the peak of infection was reached the supplies of the necessary protection would be seriously depleted.

Note I have avoided any comparison of the Health Services available in North and South .

[Shan]

Our SF/DUP leaders have been a disgrace. Under a thin veneer of unity they have disagreed on loads of fundamental issues with Snarlene slavishly following UK govt policy with no regard to the local circumstances in NI. Jim Allister is right. Stormont in it's current form is not fit for purpose.

I do think Robin Swann seems to be doing a great job. Seems to be doing his level best and comes across a very straight and honest in his briefings.

If this is correct does it signal the end of the world?

[Shan]

Anyone think a dose of Covid 19 would be better than reading the ramblings of Rum?

[big mervyn]

Our SF/DUP leaders have been a disgrace. Under a thin veneer of unity they have disagreed on loads of fundamental issues with Snarlene slavishly following UK govt policy with no regard to the local circumstances in NI. Jim Allister is right. Stormont in it's current form is not fit for purpose.

I do think Robin Swann seems to be doing a great job. Seems to be doing his level best and comes across a very straight and honest in his briefings.

If this is correct does it signal the end of the world?

Jim Allister probably has the sharpest mind in Stormont, not that that's a great benchmark , but his analysis and judgement is invariably clouded by a plethora of narrow minded prejudices and blind bigotry.

[rumncoke]

Shan

I have a nephew about to start 12 hour shifts in a hospital and Daughter about to do the same thing I survived Asian flu while at boarding school when the boarding department was only 5 short of shutting the school . 5 more down with the flu would have shut the school.

Asian flu was bad but few ended up in ITC units.

[justinr73]

Boarding school?

Are you posh, Rum?

[BR]

. where we in NI are somewhat behind both in the spread of the disease.

??

Deaths/population: NI > ROI

factor out London, and I'm going to guess NI > GB too.

[big mervyn]

The Spanish flu of 1918 killed 228k in the UK and 7.5k in Ulster (9 counties). That was about 5 in every 1000 people. Maybe the numbers would have been lower if the country han't been weakened, and so many doctors lost, in the Great War. Maybe vetilators would have helped?

The advice in 1918 was "wash your hands and avoid other people". We've come a long way!

[mid ulster maestro]

Boarding school?

Are you posh, Rum?

It was the Bad Boys Boarding School at Hydebank.

[big mervyn]

Boarding school?

Are you posh, Rum?

It was the Bad Boys Boarding School at Hydebank.

It used to be in Millisle back in the day MUM. My Ma used to threaten to leave me in it if I was bad! Parenting in the 60s eh?