Panic buying

[12gauge82]

48 minutes ago, Lord v said:

100% disagree. All those points have been explained very clearly. 

none so blind as those who don't want to see.

 "It will never happen to me"

"We are an isolated community - it wont happen here"

"I will just keep going out until I don't feel well enough"

All direct quotes over the last week from inside a supermarket.

I don't think you can blame the general population for this. It appears to  have been caused by unheigenic practices in China, the people here being given conflicting stories of "it only affects the old and sick", "it's no worse than the flu", to "it's the end of the world", people have been told to "isolate", they've been told to "carry on". It's no wonder people feel conflicted. On top of that, the average Joe lives hand to mouth, and doesn't even have a month's savings to fall back on, through no fault of their own, this is due to rubbish jobs that don't pay a wage you can live on, let alone have money in reserve, I really hope this is a massive wake up call to the vet y few and privileged haves, that by continuing to take everything, eventually it'll come back to bite them. But I doubt it.

[oldypigeonpopper]

34 minutes ago, 12gauge82 said:

I don't think you can blame the general population for this. It appears to  have been caused by unheigenic practices in China, the people here being given conflicting stories of "it only affects the old and sick", "it's no worse than the flu", to "it's the end of the world", people have been told to "isolate", they've been told to "carry on". It's no wonder people feel conflicted. On top of that, the average Joe lives hand to mouth, and doesn't even have a month's savings to fall back on, through no fault of their own, this is due to rubbish jobs that don't pay a wage you can live on, let alone have money in reserve, I really hope this is a massive wake up call to the vet y few and privileged haves, that by continuing to take everything, eventually it'll come back to bite them. But I doubt it.

hello, good post

[amateur]

2 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

..............  I will use nearly that in petrol for the mower the way it is growing!

Our local council has just permanently suspended garden and food waste collection. Food waste to now go in with the non-recyclables

[ditchman]

been down my local butchers this morning...........he has had a 60% increase in trade and is cleaned out......all of the 60% are folk coming from the city to get what they want.......some bloke argued with him yesterday as to why he couldnt have 5 chickens.....

andy had a bit of frozen mince put aside for me .......very relieved.......

spoke to my daughter and she was shopping in Norwich  at sainsbury........she said it was like a normal day there ....stocked with everything

[Diver One]

1 hour ago, Blackpowder said:

Just thank our lucky stars it is not that Jerry  bloke  and his Abbot  sidekick who are doing the organizing , then we would have been in deep.

 

Blackpowder

 Would love to see the arihmetically challenged Abbot explaining the maths of the exponential growth

 

well iths like thisss

one person people getsss the illlwnesss

they pawsss it to anothers so two people have it so,that's twice as many. Soon lots more people's will get it and then eleventy twenty will, then  thirtith hinety. And vewy vewy soon lots have it. Now do,you understand? NO.     .

  Well if you get a chess board and put one person on square 1, 2 on square 2, 4 on square 3 and keep doubling on each square it then soon everybody will have a chess board and there will ,be a shortage of chess boards and that's how it happens

[Retsdon]

2 hours ago, Lord v said:

All those points have been explained very clearly.

OK. You ask 10 people you know to explain to you what's meant by 'the chain of infection' and I don't mind betting that you'll mostly get met with blank stares or, if you're lucky, a slew of different answers. What the government should be doing (and if they'd had their wits about them they'd have done it already) is to urgently commission short videos like this one  that are broadcast every hour on every TV station. That way people will know what's the point of doing things. They should have billboard adverts up with slogans like 'Are YOU a friend of the virus?!?' with a picture of a chap eating a cheese sandwich in the pub, etc, etc to encourage or dissuade people from certain actions. In short they should be running a massive propaganda campaign of information and encouragement so that everyone no matter how old or where they live understands fully what their role in the battle against this virus is supposed to be. That way people aren't  just passive victims, but soldiers in a fight.  And I don't mind betting that with a clear lead people will respond. In short people need leadership.

And they will need to get it soon. This isn't something that the government and the health services can manage alone. Unless you accept that an awful lot of people are going to die, then the British public needs to get fully on board with moderating their behaviour and being up for staying the course for as long as it takes to get the Ro level down below  Ro1. But to do that, they need to know what the Ro level is, and what they can do to help bring it down. Only then can the health service avoid being totally overwhelmed and. eventually the virus be pushed back.

But to date, none of this has been explained at all, never mind clearly. Perhaps the government doesn't like bringing bad news, or it doesn't want to alarm people. But mere words don't answer here. Telling people that they have to 'follow the advice sedulously' when they don't' know why  they're being asked to follow it, or even exactly what that advice is (there've been so many conflicting statements and voices from government) is a recipe for failure. This isn't some political issue. This is a matter of life and death for thousands, and very likely hundreds of thousands. In short, the country is facing a catastrophe the like of which hasn't been seen for over a generation and  people need clear leadership, and a battle plan that everyone can get behind.

But right now, it's not looking too promising on either score. It's high time to get a move on.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Retsdon

[Jim Neal]

12 hours ago, Retsdon said:

@Jim Neal: You can blame the people, but 99.9% of what you're describing is a failure of government. The overwhelming majority have no idea why they are being confined to their houses. They think it's to 'keep them safe' or some other reassurance measure. And quite frankly I'm not even sure that some of the people giving the instructions are much better. Why only older people? Who in government has given a clear description of a coherent battle plan and the role they want the public to play in it? Who has explained, clearly and logically, the principle of breaking the chain of infection and the part that everyone needs to play in the battle for it to be won? Even on these boards, there are responsible, decent people who, instead of knowing that to stay inside and isolated is be  doing one's duty as a soldier in the war against the virus, instead believe that staying inside and isolated is a form of cowardice....that it's letting the virus push them around. And that's not their fault. How can they know what they  haven't been told?

 

Sorry I can't agree with any of your points. 

Firstly, despite the fact that the government is "a bit busy" at the moment, there is ample information being made available to the general public specifically about covid-19.  The media is awash with it and the message is very clear.  Further to that, the majority of people on this planet have lived their entire lives knowing about illness from viruses and how hygiene and habits can propagate or limit their spread.  There is no excuse for not putting into practice what you already know.  People are simply in denial about it and bypassing their common sense.  The government can't be blamed for that!

I'm puzzled at how you've arrived at the conclusion that "overwhelming majority" don't know what's happening (I'm presuming you're referring to the "vulnerable over-70s" demographic who have been advised to self-isolate, as that's the group I've been referring to earlier).  I also think you've completely missed the point because it absolutely IS to "keep them safe", that's the whole bloody point!!  I think you're confusing the two different matters of isolating to protect rather than isolating to contain.  If you stop close contact with other people your chances of contracting a respiratory virus drops dramatically!

I've not heard or read anything along the lines of anyone feeling they are cowardly by self-isolating, I really do wonder where you're getting your information from because it's not in line with anything I'm reading or hearing from reliable sources.

If anyone's familiar with the phrase "Put that light out!" they should hopefully understand that human nature is bafflingly self-defeating at times.  There had to be an army or wardens in WW2 just to keep going round banging it home to people that if they let light out of their houses the Luftwaffe might drop bombs on them!  How many times do you need to be told something as elementary as that?!

[ditchman]

Retsdon.....i know you like dogs so you are ok..............................but you are a bloody doom merchant.......if i spent a weekend with you i would have to go into care for depression

[old man]

7 hours ago, vmaxphil said:

Talking to a mate yesterday he reckons ao has had a run on freezers, surely the panic buying has to come to an end when everyone has run out of room to store it all or money to buy it 

Government supported finance maybe?

[Retsdon]

16 minutes ago, ditchman said:

Retsdon.....i know you like dogs so you are ok..............................but you are a bloody doom merchant.......if i spent a weekend with you i would have to go into care for depression

🤣🤣🤣

Touche’ Simon! Actually, in real life I'm not such a miserable sod at all. I think it's this relentless isolation is getting to me. Other than Skyping Mrs. R and the kids - and when I'll get the chance to see them again, God knows - I think I've spoken to one person for ten minutes in the last nine days and I'll freely admit that I've started talking to myself quite unashamedly. So I'm probably losing it. OK, I'll stop posting unless it's positive. Promise,

[TIGHTCHOKE]

So you're taking it out on the PW Members?

[lancer425]

He wont any more he just promised , UNLESS ITS  POSITIVE. !.

Heck he might never post again.

Not like i am being NEGATIVE or anything.

[Mice!]

 

I bought another cabinet today, need somewhere secure for when we get some toilet rolls. 

[Farmboy91]

5 hours ago, Mice! said:

 

I bought another cabinet today, need somewhere secure for when we get some toilet rolls. 

Is the little safe on top for the hand gel?

😂

[GingerCat]

28 minutes ago, Farmboy91 said:

Is the little safe on top for the hand gel?

😂

That's for the pile cream......

[Mice!]

🤣🤣🤣

[Farmboy91]

While I appreciate this is a very serious situation for everyone and sadly people have lost their lives, I'm glad there's still a bit of humour to be found. 

 

[Mice!]

Just come off the phone to my mate,  his Mrs had gone to Aldi last Monday and done her normal shop spending about £90 she said, not getting anything she wouldn't normally buy and not buying 40 toilet rolls,  two people had a pop at her saying it was ridiculous even after she said there are 5 of us, this is just normal.

[Scully]

Son is currently working in a local fruit and veg shop as he’s been sent home from uni’. He was telling me that potatoes will be in short supply at some point, due to port closures in some European countries. 
He told me lots of people are buying plants and seeds, more so for fruit and veg than flowers. 

[marsh man]

2 minutes ago, Scully said:

Son is currently working in a local fruit and veg shop as he’s been sent home from uni’. He was telling me that potatoes will be in short supply at some point, due to port closures in some European countries. 
He told me lots of people are buying plants and seeds, more so for fruit and veg than flowers. 

Yesterday we popped into a garden centre to get some fresh veg and the spuds had jumped up to £10 a 25kilo bag , nearly double in a couple of weeks .

Rest of the veg was still normal price .

[Jim Neal]

My neighbours built a 20ft long polytunnel in their back garden today!

[ditchman]

went in my spa shop today..........what a difference.............fully stocked............just got a few usual things....there is one person doing nothing else cept wipe everything down and remind folk of portion control

what a relief

well done Spa...

[TIGHTCHOKE]

7 hours ago, Jim Neal said:

My neighbours built a 20ft long polytunnel in their back garden today!

Is that your new hospital ward for the oncoming Covid 19 nastiness?

[Jim Neal]

My Mum's a retired medical secretary.  She worked at Kettering General Hospital for many years, still has plenty of friends working there and thus gets a bit of of inside info coming out of there.  At the moment they've managed to completely clear out an entire surgical ward - the best, most modern equipped one in the hospital - and it's sitting waiting for the onslaught.  It'll basically be the main ITU when shizzle really goes down, meaning instead of 8 or 10 ITU beds they'll probably have upwards of 80.  There's been a massive drive to put in place the staff to service it all as well.

So it's best not to give too much notice to the doom-mongering about our collective ITU capacity in the NHS throughout the country - it's a certainty that all other hospitals have been doing the same.

Interestingly, reports are that A&E has been like a ghost town in the last week or two - it's almost as if most people who go there can really do without it if they are forced to really think about it!!  I'd love to think that's because they re being considerate and not wanting to overload the NHS in its hour of greatest need, but it's probably a completely selfish decision because they don't want to risk catching the virus by going to hospital.  If only it would always be like that.

[Mice!]

56 minutes ago, Jim Neal said:

Interestingly, reports are that A&E has been like a ghost town in the last week or two - it's almost as if most people who go there can really do without it if they are forced to really think about it!!  I'd love to think that's because they re being considerate and not wanting to overload the NHS in its hour of greatest need, but it's probably a completely selfish decision because they don't want to risk catching the virus by going to hospital.  If only it would always be like that.

My Mrs. mentioned something about this, where are all the idiots that are normally blocking A&E? Same with the Dr. Surgeries.