Covid 19 / Coronavirus

[Colin]

"For the people on here advocating the 'survival of the fittest' approach', spare a thought for the health professionals who would be left with the hellish decision of who would receive treatment and who would be left to let nature take it's course."

 

A hellish choice indeed but, if it has to be made between "Patient A" and "Patient B", then you would wonder if either patient was actually "fit enough" to survive.. 

 

Truth is that the NHS has been cut back to the bone by successive governments, doesn't have adequete stocks, and can no longer cope with anything more than "normal" throughput.

[Watter]

If the PM his health miister and the cheif medical officer the very people resposible for stopping the spread of this virus can't prevent themselves getting it there is not much hope for the rest of us . It certainly does not inspire confidence in them by the general public .

[Suffererof1crankymofo]

 

As I see it the main reason for all this lockdown is to let the health services cope, with what could be a fast increase in those needing hospitalised, hopefully saving as many lives as possible. If I can do my bit to help that, I will. 

 

 

100% agree. And the knockon effects of health services being inundated with coronavirus cases is other more 'routine' treatments being affected. And if we hit saturation with coronavirus, other urgent cases will be competing for resources.

 

For the people on here advocating the 'survival of the fittest' approach', spare a thought for the health professionals who would be left with the hellish decision of who would receive treatment and who would be left to let nature take it's course.

 

Many hospitals up and down the UK already take practically that approach with QALYS and DALYS.  Day in, day out, we see operations cancelled and if two people's clinical needs are identical but their ages aren't, the younger person with the better chance of survival will get the operation.  It's nothing new.

 

What is new is this pandemic bringing to the forefront of people's minds that this does happen.  Hospitals try to save everybody.  My first thought would not be with the health professionals, but with the actual patient.  If you were in your eighties, would you want to be treated in intensive care for two to three weeks, despite the fact that your chances of survival were incredibly low?  Many in their later years have not survived this disease, and that's where you end up with hospitals being saturated and unable to cope with the sheer numbers requiring hospitalisation.

 

It's horrid, as is one of the alternatives of not treating anyone over X age.  It isn't a dignified pain-free death but then what death is?  

[CSmith]

^ This!

 

With the horrors of a Corona Virus induced nasty end dangling over them I hope everybody in that age group / risk category has taken the trouble of arranging an Advanced Directive and has informed their family of their wishes. 

Yet another good reason to change the law and allow a dignified exit in the form of assisted dying. 

 

As a side note, I deal with at least 1 person each day who tells me  'I am 70 / 80 years old and I am so scared.'  It is heartbreaking.

[Watter]

New Goverment powers explained .  https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/explained-the-sweeping-new-powers-included-in-the-governments-emergency-coronavirus-bill

[NullVoid]

Reactions to proposed Easter egg ban?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_plague_riot_of_1771

The city's economy was mostly paralyzed because many factories, markets, stores, and administrative buildings had been closed down. All of this was followed by acute food shortages, causing deterioration of living conditions for the majority of the Muscovites.
The first outbursts of mass protest against the measures undertaken by the authorities took place on August 29 and September 1 in a neighborhood of Lefortovo. By early September, the rumors of an imminent uprising had already been circulating. An attempt by the Archbishop Ambrosius of Moscow to prevent the citizens from gathering at the Icon of the Virgin Mary of Bogolyubovo (Икона Боголюбской Богоматери) in Kitai-gorod as a quarantine measure served as an immediate cause for the Plague Riot.
A government commission headed by Grigory Orlov was sent to Moscow on September 26 to restore order. It took some measures against the plague and provided citizens with work and food, which would finally pacify the people of Moscow. The commission improved services in quarantines, put an end to the burning of property, reopened public baths, permitted trade, increased food deliveries, and organized public works. At the same time, the commission was engaged in prosecuting those who had taken part in the Plague Riot. Four of them were executed; 165 adults and twelve teenagers were subjected to punishment. With the onset of cold weather, the outbreak began to subside. Around 200,000 people died in Moscow and its outskirts during the plague.

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by NullVoid

[George.]

Nasty, nasty, nasty.

 

Two more test positive for Covid-19 in Shetland

[fina]

CSmith said-

 

"I hope everybody in that age group / risk category has taken the trouble of arranging an Advanced Directive and has informed their family of their wishes."

 

As someone with a deteriorating long term health condition, I got a set of Advance Directive documents from the organisation 'Digniy in Dying', they all had to be signed by my GP

and an independent witness, and are lodged in my hosptal and GP notes. Sure I read a while ago that the Law Society does recognise an advance directive as legally binding-

 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/end-of-life-care/advance-decision-to-refuse-treatment/

 

 

"Yet another good reason to change the law and allow a dignified exit in the form of assisted dying. "

 

Dignity in Dying are currently planning to ballot every member of the BMA whether they support

assisted dying or not? There is concern that a counter-campaign may be funded by the religious Rght from across the pond. 

 

Britain is 'outsourcing' its assisted dying, and also losing income as a result-

this figure of 10K they bandy about - I priced up a basic package with Dignitas-

with only ashes being repatriated and it was nearer 20K - and who can afford that on disability benefits? ... if you're able enough to get there in the first place that is...

[Urabug]

Is the severity of this virus proportional the amount of contamination one picks up,say you get one "droplet" then you get a light dose get ten and you die.

[George.]

^ Does a high viral load or infectious dose make covid-19 worse?

[Watter]

https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/who-chief-urges-countries-not-close-borders-foreigners-china

[NullVoid]

"Yet another good reason to change the law and allow a dignified exit in the form of assisted dying. "

 

Dignity in Dying are currently planning to ballot every member of the BMA whether they support

assisted dying or not? There is concern that a counter-campaign may be funded by the religious Rght from across the pond. 

 

Britain is 'outsourcing' its assisted dying, and also losing income as a result-

this figure of 10K they bandy about - I priced up a basic package with Dignitas-

with only ashes being repatriated and it was nearer 20K - and who can afford that on disability benefits? ... if you're able enough to get there in the first place that is...

 

Wouldn't worry much about the religious right, still a threat but they have been less able to recruit/retain personnel.

 

Religion is not necessarily in decline but the amount of people who identify as atheist particularly from families who have been there for many generations has been on the increase steadily,

 

Many who identify as Non religious are actually devout Intersectionalists instead of atheists,

This group Intersectionalists(SJWs) i worry about doing the most harm to the cause no matter what side they pick.

 

Most left wing voting immigrants are Christian/Islamic in most of North America and western Europe for that matter.

they will elect the "Regressive left" (Living incarnation of slippery slope) but may participate in rallies that may be Anti-Choice or "Religious right"

 

the current year argument is to accuse right to die activists of elder abuse or that those seeking euthanasia aren't of sound mind,

that is what the twats argue so people suffering from things like Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease would be denied the choice.

I am pro-choice on the matter of death im just saying what the other side thinks.

 

https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/who-chief-urges-countries-not-close-borders-foreigners-china

 

Devout Intersectionalists would not want boarders closed for any reason whatsoever.

Edited March 31, 2020 by NullVoid

[George.]

The number of coronavirus patients to die in Scotland has risen to 126.

[Colin]

https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2020/04/02/taxi-drivers-to-quiz-passengers-on-whether-journeys-are-essential

 

Is it just me, or does anyone else here think that the SIC has "overstepped" their authority a bit.?

 

I "get" what they are trying to do but, I cannot help thinking that Taxi Drivers would not welcome this kind of interference(?) in their business and, it puts an un-necessary burden on them.

 

What next ?  Will Bus Drivers/Ferry Crew be expected to "interrogate" passengers before they let them on board ?

 

Get a grip here.  If I want to spend £10-15 on a taxi, it is because I have a valid reason to do so.  The only thing the driver should have to say (if he accepts the hire) is "where to mate ?"

[Windwalker]

https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2020/04/02/taxi-drivers-to-quiz-passengers-on-whether-journeys-are-essential

 

Is it just me, or does anyone else here think that the SIC has "overstepped" their authority a bit.?

 

I "get" what they are trying to do but, I cannot help thinking that Taxi Drivers would not welcome this kind of interference(?) in their business and, it puts an un-necessary burden on them.

 

What next ?  Will Bus Drivers/Ferry Crew be expected to "interrogate" passengers before they let them on board ?

 

Get a grip here.  If I want to spend £10-15 on a taxi, it is because I have a valid reason to do so.  The only thing the driver should have to say (if he accepts the hire) is "where to mate ?"

I think the ferries already check that your trip is “essential” 

 

you can only assume that the council/taxi drivers feels there are lots of unnecessary taxi trips being done and they feel a need to do something about it. They must have some evidence that folk are breaking the “not going out, unless it’s for essential purposes, guidance” or have they read somewhere else us doing it, so just following suit, which might be being excessive.

 

whilst I fully adhere to the guidance/law regarding social distancing and essential movements, I’m sure that there are some who don’t and that basically effects us all.

 

however to answer your question, I agree this seems excessive, a simple reminder to folk that they shouldn’t be moving around in taxis should have sufficed. The police already has the power to stop any taxi/vehicle and ask the driver/passenger the reason for their journey. 

It might seem unadvisable to give some people a feeling of power over others without the appropriate training and legal authority