state of emergency

[Erato]

I doubt it; not with Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House with a very angry Democratic majority to back her up.  Pelosi is the person currently keeping things together in Washington.

[Gadget]

Good old Nancy 

[Erato]

"Good old Nancy."

You're not just whistling Dixie, as they say

[DianaCanada]

I suspect the army will be diverted to these kind of things.  I understand that those who left the armed forces within the last 12 months have been recalled.

I was thinking this would be the obvious solution. We went through an ice -storm (no power for many thousands in January) back in 1999 and soldiers came around to make sure everyone was alright and helped out when needed.

[Viktoria]

Well I have to say I am really sad that it seems OK to some people that elderly people who do not isolate themselves should  be considered as not deserving of medical treatment.
Many people with illnesses and conditions are completely selfish ,none are refused.Many are self inflicted ,but no judgement is passed as they get the same excellent treatment as everyone else, only now the exception may be the elderly .
How many elderly people will be absolutely sure the symptoms The are experiencing are  corona virus?They might easily ignore symptoms of other diseases which need treatment.
Why should people ,many of whom have not the means to stock up on more than a week’s essentials,could not carry much anyway and have no car be penalised because they need to eat.
It is scapegoat time  it seems to me, and it is very sad.

Try telling that to a gang of inebriated yoofs outside one if the all too many bars in our town on any night as they monopolise the pavements and make passing a very unpleasant thing.
Then see them in A& E from the point of being staff there, or another patient.
I know who I would like to isolate.

It might well be for the over 70’s own good but some safeguards and a system need to be in place before such draconian measures are implemented.
It does seem like a punishment rather than a help.
Perhaps someone is hoping we will all fade away ,saving millions in pensions and health care.
We get more like  China every  every day,hope no one in  authority reads   about the Franco Prussian War.
There will be some very strange things on the menu then!
Leave our oldies alone!
Viktoria.

[sonofthom]

Totally agree with you Viktoria. I would add that many people well over 70 are perfectly fit and healthy without the underlying conditions that would render them particularly at risk. Conversely there are a significant number of people under age 70 who will be at risk due to other medical issues. To in effect stigmatise a particular group and threaten their liberty purely on age grounds is appalling, ill considered behaviour on the part of this Government minister, who seems to be a crassly insensitive individual who is unable to work out that it is those who are particularly at risk due to underlying medical conditions who he should be addressing.

[Skoosh]

Edinburgh airport to shut for three weeks.

Skoosh.

[Gadget]

Posh hand sanitizer in France:

Louis Vuitton owner LWMH has said its cosmetics unit would manufacture large quantities of hand disinfectant gel to help stave off a nationwide shortage across France as the coronavirus continues to spread.

In a statement the company said: “LVMH will use the production lines of its perfume and cosmetic brands ... to produce large quantities of hydroalcoholic gels from Monday.

“These gels will be delivered free of charge to the health authorities.”

From the Guardian blog.

[Nick_Ips]

Totally agree with you Viktoria. I would add that many people well over 70 are perfectly fit and healthy without the underlying conditions that would render them particularly at risk.

I might be wrong, but my understanding of the published information is that being older is a risk in itself, separate to the risks resulting from having any underlying condition. At least one of the deaths so far has been an older person with no underlying health condition.

That is why the medical professionals involved in drawing up the plans are so concerned about the 70+ age group.

...there are a significant number of people under age 70 who will be at risk due to other medical issues.

Indeed.

To in effect stigmatise a particular group and threaten their liberty purely on age grounds is appalling, ill considered behaviour on the part of this Government minister, who seems to be a crassly insensitive individual who is unable to work out that it is those who are particularly at risk due to underlying medical conditions who he should be addressing.

The medical professionals who were speaking at the press conference last week were making it clear that people with underlying medical conditions were a big concern as being particularly at risk. I don't think they are having a problem working that out.

What they seem to be saying is that if you add together all the people who are particularly at risk and do the maths on how many of those could be affected at the same time, then the total is significantly greater than any organised health service could possibly cope with.

So if I've understood the strategy correctly then rather than threaten anyone's liberty the request (when it comes) is for people to be sensible and seek to delay the possibility of them getting seriously ill until such time as the NHS (re)gains the capacity to give them the best possible chance of survival. Personally I'd consider that to be a case of self-preservation, rather than having my liberty deprived.