If you walked around Harrogate today, you would have seen a largely typical Thursday in the town, with little sign that the country was amidst a virus pandemic.
Although some shops have taken the decision to close, many people are still out shopping.
The current recommendations in response to COVID-10/ Coronavirus (as of 19 March 2020) are:
- Whole households to self-isolate for 14 days, not just those showing symptoms
- Avoid gatherings and crowded places, such as pubs, clubs and theatres
- Everyone should work from home if they can
- All “unnecessary” visits to friends and relatives in care homes should cease
- People over 70, pregnant women or those that normally have the flu jab should take particular care to minimise social contact
Take part in the Harrogate Informer Poll, how have people responded to the recommendations.
We live with my 88 year old mother as I am her carer, I have COPD and so does she, however we cant self isolate fully as my partner works for a supermarket and I have to drive him there (no other way to get there) , he has to go to work or he risks loosing his job.
Why wont the government make things compulsory, all I hear is advice which doesn’t help people in our situation.
It’s time this government actually GOVERNED. Wishy washy ‘advice’ won’t cut it with the selfish stupid minority.
I agree
I passionately agree. I walked through town two days ago to pick up a prescription. I’d been self-isolating for 14 days purely as a precaution so I can stay well in case my daughter and grandsons get ill. I was really shocked to see virtually no-one observing the recommendations. Shop assistants working as normal without protection. People in cafes. Groups of teens walking together chatting as normal. I had a scarf clamped over my face when I taslked or was near anyone. I was mocked, told herd immunity would sort it basically. This from a man who was standing less than a foot behind me who I’d asked to move away, very politely. This illustrates the danger and sheer incompetence of vacillating and vague ‘recommendations’. I was so angry I’m afraid I asked him if it was ok with him that a large proportion of the population would die and the NHS put under impossible pressure. I’d seen a video of a nurse who had worked 40 hours in ICU sopmewhere in England just that morning – she was sobbing because ther only food that was left was cereal and milk for her and her child. He said I could stay at home. Now this is another symptom of a weak and indecisive leadership. 100% we need strict measures, monitored and enforced as they did in wartime. We need lockdown. We need rationing. We need to protect people serving. We need basic equipment for hospitals which are already stretched to the limit. ICUs are at 80% capacity even before this. People are dying alone in Italy and Spain and no doubt Iran, We have the fourth highest death rate already, after them, and their health system has collapsed and appeals for retired health workers are going out. And they are weeks ahead of us, we have barely begun and nurses are working40 hours in some places? already there are appeals for staff who’ve left the NHS to return, and staff already there are having to be moved around to unfamiliar places with little experience so staff with ICU experience can be moved there. And they will do it. The very least people can do is conform to delay and reduce pressure on those poor staff. Doctors and nurses reports from Italy are highly distressing, I won’t detail it, but this is so dire even to me, just doing my own research, that I cannot understand the lack of action on their part. It all smacks of the laissez-faire style of government so fashionable. Well the people of this country are inherently unable to sit back while people die unnecessarily and alone for lack of foresight, preparation and listening to expert advice and acting on it with firm authority and the right measures.
There are sadly a large number of people in Harrogate who have not grasped the problem Whilst it appears that the older population and those with underlying problems are obeying the advice the majority are not When I was queue jumped the offender had no idea what social distancing is The shops should display large signs a d staff need to be better informed The 1st 2 people in the UK were 20!!
I had this in my local pharmacy, massive signs saying no more than 4 people in and wait outside and there were lines on the floor to mark where to wait, we were queue jumped 4 times!
“The shops should display large signs and staff need to be better informed”
Yes I thought that too.The rules should be displayed in public places. There’s new information that people needing ICU now average 43-60 years old and many do not have pre-existing conditions. The doctor [in Italy] said the elderly succumbed first and those a little more resilient followed later. Very few children get it and only 1 has died. The essential point no-one has mentioned is that those whose immune system is ‘compromised’ [ie lacking] are most prone to developing complications. We need to pay attention to this, eat prebiotics as well as probiotics – the latter are little use because of stomach acid, it seems. But people need to inform themselves on the subject. Chronic stress – finacial pressures one of the highest stressors – lowers immunity due to cortisol flooding the system and causing inflammation. This affects the whole body but in the intestines it affects the immune system and ability to absorb nutrients. Thus we have a large proportion of the population who are immune compromised already, and all this uncertainty and fear is adding to the problem – that applies to all of us. Once we have formed a plan and unite to help each other and the NHS staff, the fear will subside at least to a manageable degree, and hopefully people will feel not quite so bad. Once people understand what is required and why, then they have the tools to put their lives in order not just for their own sake but for everyone else’s.
I dont know if i have to isolate myself coz ive got angina please advise me
Yes, you certainly should as fare as I know, but you could ring 111 if in doubt – although they are very pressured and some are finding it difficult to get through. I think it’s best to leave the line for those suffering symptoms. If in doubt, isolate would be my advice. It can’t harm as far as I can see but you have to make your own decision in the end I’m afraid, if 111 isn’t available. My GP surgery is not accepting calls about the virus – as they’d be inundated – or I would suggest that.
We don’t go out, except for GP/Hospital appointments anyway, so we don’t need to take special care. We’re isolated in our normal lives!!
To self-isolate to some will be near impossible; so I think you should try to self-distance yourself to others. I cannot understand why people queue in crowds as you are more likely to pick up the virus. Universities are stopping face to face teaching and the majority of their teaching is online anyway. Regarding children staying home – what are they going to do for 24hrs over so many months? Do you think they are going to stay in? Children are social animals. When they are bored they play up – how is a parent going to cope with this 24hrs a day? I am the older generation but I still remember at the end of the 6 week holiday I couldn’t wait to push my only child back into school – yes he had freedom, most of the recent toys including the ‘new’ computer. If there is no childcare how is a working parent meant to work? We don’t just need teachers, doctors, nurses etc working- we need delivery drivers, shopworkers, postmen, milkmen, bin collectors – and the list goes on. If a parent needs to work then the child needs to go to school. If there is a risk to family, themselves or are ill then the child needs to say at home and be taught online. Lockdown or self-isolation is near impossible for the majority in our society but we can encourage social care and take others into consideration rather than Me Me Me.
V – delivery drivers, postmen, bin collectors are in the ‘special’ group whose kids can still go to school, I believe (apols if that’s incorrect).
AnneM – phone or email your GP.
Generally – I’m genuinely shocked that 10% of our population are so utterly stupid & selfish that they’re not listening, and are consequently putting others, including the health-care workers they may come to depend on for their lives, at risk.
I’m certainly no fan of BJ or this current Govt., but this whole situation is obviously unprecedented, there’s no previous experience to fall back on, so a lot of how it (the Govt.) responds will be a question of weighing up the options, percentages, doing calculations & a balancing act, some of which is bound to be a bit guessy – because *nobody really knows* what’s best. We’ll only know that in 18 months’ time when we have the experience to look back on & actual stats to analyse.
Try to stay apart & safe everyone. All the best to all!
Very good points, but there are authoritative, detailed and informed guidelines from the World Health Organisation who are up to date and the central point for information world wide. The government has ignored those recommendation and they have been pulled up on it by the WHO . The stats are there – those countries who took early stringent measures have been most successful in curbing the spread and worst effects on their health services. It is clear from the stats whose health service is adequate and whose is not. But I have faith in the staff and their ability to pull together as I do in the whole of the country. These are early days. This is akin to wartime, we’re fighting a common enemy worldwide. The way we react will be our legacy.
My daughter and her husband have medical jobs at the hospital. Would you prefer them to stay at home with the kids or be there to look after you or your loved ones if you become ill?
No words
https://twitter.com/IanHardie9018/status/1241058483287588865
I wasn’t able to paste the photo directly in this box]
My gripe is none essential workers still working. I’m a cleaner and still have to work just as many have to do. The government has left this open for economic financial reason which is why I believe the UK will likely pay a heavy price for this. The government have deliberately confusing on this matter so to make the public think we are in lock down when it’s more like part lock down.