I wonder if those who are so keen to show a 'calm, reasoned approach' to the threat of a pandemic virus would be as measured had Labour won the election and Jeremy Corbyn become PM.

Or would they now be shouting about the need to "leave the country" because the "UK is finished".

Are you really trying to make this political, jeez, I knew you were a bit daft, didn't have you down as stupid.

A silver lining to the cloud may be that, if sporting events have to take place behind closed doors, there may be FTA viewing for many sports, that currently charge for their services.
Every cloud...…………….

On a serious note, with Italy now "quarantining" 15 million of their population, should there be absolute travel bans put in place for certain areas.
Also, with older people being the most likely to take a cruise and the 65+ age group being most vulnerable, is it time to stop these large scale "prison ships" leaving port, which have started to look like incubators for the virus.

So, you're advocating Abdu Sharkawy's speech, IR80? You're hilarious you wannabe libertarian types!

You're all "every man for himself" when it comes to society, but the minute it looks like you might get really ill, maybe even die, you're all "we've got to look out for one another".

It's just like those Billy big balls types in government who dismiss experts and want to do away with 'interfering' advisers. They're all "we're listening to, and acting on expert advice" now.

There's nothing like a good pandemic to show the whites of people's eyes.

Very true - Michael Gove's words seem very hollow now don't they; I'm imagining a lot 'experts' going, "Oh - not so sick of us now are you...?"

It' quite strange that only certain types of experts are to be trusted or in this case, scapegoated if things dont follow "the model".

See also the NHS and its staff.

The speed at which they went from "a flabby, wasteful organisation, bloated with middle managers pushing paper around a desk, which needs to get leaner" to "our NHS heroes working tirelessly on the frontline of healthcare" was astonishingly quick, especially when the people saying the former realised they would be relying on the latter if they got sick.

Didn’t take long for various posters on here to go down the political route. Ref experts, most of them are deeply divided except piers Morgan he obviously knows the solution to that and everything else. The Israel method is to prevent it reaching the country, successfull so far (tiny amount of cases) argument against that us That it will break out sometime and the general population won’t have any amunity against the virus. Some uk experts believe that stamping the virus out now is the answer.
The government seems to think that maintaining a level of cases will eventually overcome the problem. So let’s face the facts nobody knows what the outcome will be. One thing is for certain is scores of companies and individuals will go bust. The big question is how many companies can the government bail out. Looking at rugby league, should the game go into lock down clubs who are already in debt will fold. Regarding the eu, Italian banks have been virtually bankrupt for years the Germans and the ecb have been reluctant to help out in times past. So unlikely to help out when this is all over. Italy will be bankrupt when this is over.Without doubt this country will overcome the health problems. I would think the financial outcome will set back the country years.

No, common sense prevails, not a liberal ideal. there is no chance of me getting seriously ill or dying anytime soon, sorry if that disappoints.

Shrink wrap your knives and forks, laminate your copy of The Socialust Worker, stay at home, whatever makes you feel safe.

[url=https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=tablet-android-samsung&source=android-browser&q=tesco+panic+buying#ip=1but don't keep encouraging this hysteria...[/url

That's the point - even the experts don't agree. We had some shouty expert on QT on Thursday - Prof John Ashton telling the world the government experts were wrong. Ashton is Labour, but I don't actually think that was behind his outbursts and this shouldn't be political despite the usual whining mob on here. Some experts think it'll be gone by summer, others thinks it's here for years with seasonal peaks. Every expert has their own view...many of them conflict and they're all a damn sight better informed than any of us. Seems to me it's going to spread whatever and flattening the curve while isolating the vulnerable is about the best anyone can do - but the timing seems to be crucial.

Taking all things into account it seems likely the majority of us will contract it at some point. For 90% of us it'll be mild to a right 'orrible b'stard according to most evidence. About 10% will require medical or hospital intervention and something between 2-5% will die, mainly the most elderly and those with severe medical complaints. If I have one frustration - I want to hear what the 'pre-existing conditions' are when people succumb. I have a vested interest as I'm sure many of us do.

We are heading for a shutdown - most likely in the next 7 days if not sooner. Many people are heading for financial disaster. I'd like to see lenders ordered into mandatory 2 month mortgage/loan holidays (or part-holidays), landlords to vastly reduce rents (not all can afford to lose rental income entirely), perhaps even to dip into the deposit scheme. Business and utility rates waived for 2 months. To be fair some banks/buildings societies are quietly offering mortgage holidays - but if/when the shutdown comes it must be mandatory. Stick those 2 months on at the other end - what difference does it make.

Many people WILL lose their jobs in the next few weeks. Everyone in the travel & hospitality industries is bricking it right now. Airlines, tour operators, travel agencies, hotels, etc are laying off staff already. Many will go bust - some already have, Flybe being a bigger example but make no mistake some of the major airlines are on thin ice. Then think of the industries that rely on those sectors - catering, transport, events providers, cleaning, laundry...the supply chains are huge, many millions globally. Retail is in big trouble, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, etc...the list is almost endless.

My daughter's school closed for 2 days last week for a 'deep clean' after a child's parent had been 'in contact' with someone who'd been to Italy and was a confirmed case. Well intentioned, but utterly pointless several days on. Horse...bolted.

Moron's gonna moron, and a rabid press are going to report only the most extreme cases to make it look even worse.

I went into Sainsburys the other morning to get some milk for work, and had a look down some of the aisles. I've got to ask questions about all this panic buying... Where are all the industrious, even mildly intelligent folk these days?

Every pack of toilet roll was gone, but the moist toilet tissue wipes were untouched. Then if you went round to the next aisle, there was a fully stocked aisle of tissues and kitchen roll, which would do the job of toilet roll equally as well.

The pasta/rice aisle was a similar story. Pasta and rice was decimated, but things like sauce, passata and stock, to cook it with, was fully stocked.

Anyway, if food starts running out, I've still got a decent stock of winter veg in the garden. You know, being a commie, and all that.

You do realise that when things get really bad, the state militia will be coming round to your place with forks and a wheelbarrow, that is if they dont take them as well.

I have a feeling we're soon going to start hearing about the next phase of the crisis. The "blocked toilet epidemic" with a shortage of plumbers.

Yeah, the Daily Mail is a bugger to flush.

You cant actually use the Daily Mail instead of toilet roll as it's already full of cr@p, wouldn't want to touch it through fear of contamination



I notice that their main headline is "lets pull together", from a paper that is usually so quick of the mark to castigate any minority groups, immigrants, jobless, disabled, teenagers etc, etc

Let's pull together for our elderly, Britain! They know who their customer base is.

"So long as they're not black, brown, European, claiming benefits, homeless or disabled."

You can tell things are going to be bad - the BBC and ITN are running good news stories about human decency, and looking out for each other.

Update from schools is that the majority of support staff have been advised to work from home. Only teaching staff are asked to attend, and they are to treat the day as a normal teaching day. Each school will be monitored daily. Regarding closures, it's not a matter of if, but when.

I knew this summer rugby move (1996) would not last. LOL

You're ahead of me, I don't pay any attention to the Mail. But ignoring the fact it's the Mail, they have a point - isolation for a number of weeks/months will be bad enough for all of us, but for the elderly who may already suffer from loneliness and other issues, it's going to be terrible.

From my conversation with my 75 year-old mum yesterday, stubbornness will be the death of most of them. She's quite active but suffers from loneliness since my dad passed away and she has severe heart and other conditions. Getting her to accept the inevitable has been a nightmare, even with all the support we can muster from afar. I've subsequently seen and heard many similar comments - the OAPs contacting the Jeremy Vine show this morning just as pig-headed.

"It's discrimination against the elderly" "I have a right to leave my home" "Age has nothing to do with this" "They want to kill us all off" Of course you have a right to leave your home. But you could spread it, you could take up a bed that otherwise might have been available for others, and you could well die.

Another comment I heard yesterday from a female friend..."I have a sore throat and a bit of a cough but no symptoms of the virus", while her husband in the same house has a raging fever, sore throat and cough.

She sent her kids into school and went round the local shops today with the supermarkets being empty. They're all now under quarantine for 14 days.

Full lockdown within a week? I reckon.

My wife has been self isolating since Friday. Now the new guidelines have been issued, my little girl will be staying at home and I'll be working from home, so we're all in isolation. I spoke to my mum and dad earlier (mum nearly 70, dad 75) and explained the situation. My mum's reply? "You'll all have to come round one day if you're off work, I'll cook a dinner". Honestly!!!

aaawww bless don't you just love em

, hope you all stay well

They are promising money for business but in loan form which will have to be paid back. I note that Johnson did not answer the questions on loan repayments.

Good luck to them hope they get through this disaster.