After an intense week of dread and anxiety, we've been given reasons to hope.
Coronavirus
- things are going to get a lot worse in the fortnight ahead but there has been a slight easing of the UK's infection rate: green shoots (but not enough to affect restrictions)
- the peak of the UK's epidemic is expected to arrive more quickly than expected: within the next 2-3 weeks and not in mid-May. It's possible though not probable that an easing of the lockdown MIGHT come sooner rather than later. Or not.
- queues take minutes not hours
- more shoppers show their manners and their mindfulness
- Morrisons, Waitrose & Aldi ease restrictions on some products.
The Private Sector...
...piles in unreservedly to fight the good fight against the virus. Their astounding work to re-gear supply chains to provide effective tools for staff on the front line have been compared to the collaborative effort to make Spitfires.
- UK and other industrial powerhouses, including Rolls Royce, Mercedes, GKN and Dyson, are producing thousands of ventilators
- chemicals companies, brewers, luxury makeup conglomerates and even a monastery are producing hand sanitisers
- the fashion and film industry is producing face-masks and scrubs (hospital uniforms)
- high-end restaurants provide meals for NHS staff
- logistics depots offer 24,000 vehicles to the govenment, free, for delivering vital goods
- cruise ships have been offered for floating hospitals
- Brompton bicycles donate foldable bikes to NHS workers
- football clubs open up their hotels to NHS staff
(Additional Source: the Guardian)
The Banks
UK banks have suspended dividend payments and bonuses to senior staff for the period 2019/2020 after pressure from the Bank of England.
China's not the only country that can build a hospital in days:
The Army - our British Army - along with engineers, installers, cleaners and many more has created a new hospital near Central London - the 5th biggest in the world. From a standing start, it took just 9 days. Other units are being put together in population hotspots around the country, like Birmingham and Manchester..
Parks:
In north London, we're still allowed to exercise in them. Threats by Camden Council (Regents Park) and the City of London (Hampstead Heath) to lock the gates have come to naught. So far. Just in case, numerous joggers, dog-walkers, mums with babies and 'oldies' with walking sticks have scrupulously observed the 2-metre rule.
Delivery of NHS equipment is slow; the first ventilators won't arrive for at least a week.
The police have gone a bit bozo in monitoring parks and outdoor spaces. Maybe it's not their fault but who would have believed that:
- a police force (that shall not be named) dumped black dye into a blue lagoon - a tourist hotspot - to discourage visitors
- drones have been used to monitor people out for walks. In the mountains!
- a police unit banned Easter eggs from an independent shop because they were 'non-essential'
- summons have apparently been issued for 'going for a drive due to boredom', people 'returning from parties' and 'people from the same household going to the shops' for non-essential items
And, on the political/journalistic front, the debate on 'let the coronavirus do its thing and protect the economy' is hotting up. Some say the world over-reacted to coronavirus. Others say 'economies can be rebuilt; lives lost can't be returned'.
-
This information was compiled and edited by the Blogger and may not be re-produced without written permission. B Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises accept no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. Please feel free to link to this site
No comments:
Post a Comment