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#321 |
The Grammar Tyrant
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 27,955
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Oh, and here's a positive for you - while Covid has killed 7000 Chinese, it might have saved ten times that number: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcm.../#6ae836ce34fe
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The point of equilibrium has passed; satire and current events are now indistinguishable. |
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#322 |
Lackey
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: South East, UK
Posts: 96,145
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__________________
I wish I knew how to quit you |
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#323 |
Graduate Poster
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Hyderabad, India
Posts: 1,719
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I've got to get to a library...fast Robert Langdon ![]() |
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#324 |
Muse
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 624
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Does Trump really think that he can schedule the end of the pandemic to Easter Sunday, it would be nice but it is not up to us.
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http://davidsuniverse.wordpress.com/ |
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#325 |
The Grammar Tyrant
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 27,955
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__________________
The point of equilibrium has passed; satire and current events are now indistinguishable. |
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#326 |
Graduate Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Posts: 1,048
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#327 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Sir Fynwy
Posts: 31,071
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It's not surprising, but it seems that the epicentre of our local outbreak of Coronavirus is the local hospital - The Royal Gwent.
The only fatality in our local town contracted Coronavirus in hospital and the only people we know personally who may have had Coronavirus (though due to a lack of testing there's no certainty) had recently visited that hospital. https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...marita-edwards |
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#328 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Disneyland
Posts: 2,023
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Perhaps it is my background in Purchasing but I think..."oh man, if Easter doesn't sell, no one will have money to place orders for July 4...Halloween may not have enough design time, and the Olympics are a total bust.". The summer stuff is generic so can be more last minute.
High dollar orders will be a sign that things will get back to normal soon. China generally has a lead time of 90-120 days from order to delivery. |
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#329 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Denmark
Posts: 6,105
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I think that in this sub-forum, the USA should be treated as part of the world, and be admissible. Only posts that are exclusively dealing with the USA should be moved. It does not make sense that it is inadmissible to compare politics of the USA and other countries. |
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Steen -- Jack of all trades - master of none! |
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#330 |
Show me the monkey!
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 25,729
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BBC: Prince Charles tests positive.
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Bigfoot believers and Bigfoot skeptics are both plumb crazy. Each spends more than one minute per year thinking about Bigfoot. |
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#331 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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Prince Charles has been tested for COVID-19 (he has mild symptoms and has tested positive). There still aren't any tests available for doctors and nurses nor for any normal person without very severe symptoms - but things are different when you're royal.
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#332 |
Show me the monkey!
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 25,729
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__________________
Bigfoot believers and Bigfoot skeptics are both plumb crazy. Each spends more than one minute per year thinking about Bigfoot. |
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#333 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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We're all in this together. Except that we aren't.
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#334 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 31,009
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__________________
I don't trust atoms. They make up everything. |
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#335 |
Lackey
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: South East, UK
Posts: 96,145
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__________________
I wish I knew how to quit you |
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#336 |
Muse
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 624
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Well the Prime Minister of Canadas wife has Covid-19 as well and the PM has been social distancing as well. I don't think people who don't show signs of the virus should be tested that would just be wasteful.
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http://davidsuniverse.wordpress.com/ |
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#337 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 31,009
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This twitter thread about how the UK government is failing to protect frontline medical staff, and failing to follow WHO's advice is infuriating. Worth reading the whole thing (it's short), but the key points are: a British company making a rapid test is exporting them because it can't sell them to the NHS here; a company who makes PPE has also been turned down for selling them to the NHS, while NHS staff have inadequate PPE and are being told to share masks; WHO is urging countries to test as many people as possible, yet the UK is only testing people admitted to hospital, is not testing NHS staff, and even abandoned all together for a period of time.
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I don't trust atoms. They make up everything. |
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#338 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 9,504
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While there are undoubtedly stupid things happening and pen-pushers are slowing things down by complaining about the correct forms not being filled in, I imagine the problems are more complicated than the media are leading us to believe.
The government has no interest in dragging this out or otherwise cocking it up. Everybody's an expert bar the poor bugger who has to do the job... |
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#339 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 31,009
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Boris Johnson has had months to prepare. Xi Jinping phoned him personally in the middle of January and explained to him what to expect and what needed to be done to prepare for and mitigate the crisis. He ignored it.
It seems to me that getting a supply of equipment from a supplier who is offering it to recipients who need it is something that should take a few days at most to sort out. That said, this report suggests that millions of home testing kits will be available in the UK within the week, if they are validated as being effective. |
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I don't trust atoms. They make up everything. |
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#340 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,725
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__________________
"I know my brain cannot tell me what to think." - Scorpion "Nebulous means Nebulous" - Adam Hills |
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#341 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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#342 |
Lackey
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: South East, UK
Posts: 96,145
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__________________
I wish I knew how to quit you |
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#343 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Sir Fynwy
Posts: 31,071
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In the UK off-licences have been added to the list of essential shops:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52033260 (link currently borked) |
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#344 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3,924
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Not sure if this has been shared yet:
Q: What do you call a libertarian in a pandemic? A: |
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#345 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 31,406
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G7 leaders can't agree on coronavirus statement because Pompeo pushing to call it "Wuhan virus"
https://thehill.com/policy/internati...atement-report |
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#346 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: 49 North
Posts: 4,550
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This is untrue. The NHS has bought the test dependant on it being validated. The test is currently being assessed for its reliability, but the NHS does have a contract. First priority is for testing NHS staff. Our hospital is expecting thousands of these tests next week. Developing a new test for a new disease and validating then mass producing it does not happen instantly.
There needs to be some pragmatism here. The first cases of what was to be called Covid 19 were identified in December 2019. By the end of January the Chinese had sequenced and released the RNA of the novel corona virus. This was the first date when testing kits could start being developed. We are less than 8 weeks on. In that time they have to have been developed validated and mass produced to a high standard. The machines that do the test have a limited number of tests they can do at a time. They take several hours to do the test. The number of machines has been increasing around the country. But there are still limits on the test, do you just test well but worried NHS staff or do you test patients? You cannot do both. I do have an issue with our local system the scientists doing the tests aren't doing runs overnight, I think they could do so and double our local capacity but this seems to fall foul of some long standing union / employer issue. We are getting a new machine next week that should quadruple our capacity, but the companies making the analysers are having to cope with a surge of demands globally. There is not enough high level PPE kit for everyone for everything. I don't think that some of the people sounding off on twitter know what they are talking about. You do not need to dress up in a space suit to take blood from a covid positive patient who is not coughing or sneezing. Yes some health care staff have caught covid, but it is just as likely they caught it from social interaction like most people, as at work when they are being cautious. Yes it is good to test as many people as possible but if you look at the numbers tested they are not orders different across countries. The testing is being ramped up but for highly sophisticated and entirely novel tests that takes time. Just think what a disaster it would be if a widely unreliable test was rushed in to please the media. |
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#347 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: 49 North
Posts: 4,550
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#348 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: 49 North
Posts: 4,550
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The problem is that people admitted to hospital need multiple tests. More than one negative test is needed to exclude the infection, and allow people out of isolation. (Important to allow access to other tests for other conditions.) Also they need at least two negative tests to confirm they are no longer infectious if they are going home to a household with a high risk member e.g. over 70 which many are since many admitted are elderly and they can't go home to their elderly partner if still infectious even if well enough to leave hospital.
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#349 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Sir Fynwy
Posts: 31,071
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Reportedly, the Coronavirus test being used by the NHS is only 75%-80% accurate. Even after 2 or 3 tests, there's still a reasonable chance that someone positive could still test negative.
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#350 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 49,994
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And more idiocy from the President of Mexico:''
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-life-as-usual He's the left wing answer to right wing Moron in Brazil. And more proof that Populist are bad news, no matter left or right. |
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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
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#351 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: 49 North
Posts: 4,550
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#352 |
The Grammar Tyrant
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 27,955
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__________________
The point of equilibrium has passed; satire and current events are now indistinguishable. |
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#353 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 31,406
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Trump Tweets
The LameStream Media is the dominant force in trying to get me to keep our Country closed as long as possible in the hope that it will be detrimental to my election success. The real people want to get back to work ASAP. We will be stronger than ever before! |
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#354 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 9,504
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#355 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,812
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__________________
"As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man." - Matthew 24:37 "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." - Luke 21:28 |
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#356 |
Lackey
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: South East, UK
Posts: 96,145
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I wish I knew how to quit you |
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#357 |
The Grammar Tyrant
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 27,955
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No, just factual when looking at government responses to Covid-19.
So far, South Korea, China (belatedly) and probably Germany, have acted sensibly and fast, then take a look at the calibre of their leadership compared to the countries doing appallingly: Italy, USA, NZ, Australia, Spain, UK, Brazil and a whole long list of others. |
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The point of equilibrium has passed; satire and current events are now indistinguishable. |
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#358 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: 49 North
Posts: 4,550
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#359 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 31,406
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Ordering and producing are different things. What is the lead time on this?
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#360 |
Graduate Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,545
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Also Dyson sounds better (closer) than car factory. Less different.
In fact, I think Dyson already does ventilators, just not medical ones. Even less different. Not that it is easy, mind you, but it is nowhere close to "cars to medical ventilators" nonsense peddled by some. |
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Sanity is overrated. / Voting for Republicans is morally equivalent to voting for Nazis in early 30's. |
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