COVID 'firepower': Britain imposes six-month curbs against second wave

[snoop1130 10,736]

COVID 'firepower': Britain imposes six-month curbs against second wave

By Guy Faulconbridge, Kate Holton 3 MIN READ

 

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people on Tuesday to work from home where possible and ordered bars and restaurants to close early to tackle a fast-spreading second wave of COVID-19 with restrictions lasting probably six months.

 

After government scientists cautioned that deaths may soar without urgent action, Johnson stopped short of another full lockdown as he did in March but said further action could be taken if the disease was not suppressed.

 

“We reserve the right to deploy greater firepower, with significantly greater restrictions,” Johnson told parliament following emergency meetings with ministers and leaders of the United Kingdom’s devolved governments.

 

“We will only be able to avoid it if our new measures work and our behaviour changes.”

 

He said Britain had reached a similarly perilous point as countries like Spain and France.

 

“We will spare no effort in developing vaccines, treatments and new forms of mass testing but unless we palpably make progress, we should assume that the restrictions I have announced will remain in place for perhaps six months.”

 

Just weeks after urging people to start returning to workplaces, Johnson advised office workers to stay at home if they could. He ordered all pubs, bars, restaurants and other hospitality sites to close at 10 p.m. from Thursday with only table service allowed.

 

“I am sorry this will hurt many businesses just getting back on their feet,” he said.

 

SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES TO STAY OPEN

 

Face masks will be required in more settings, businesses who break rules will be fined, and there will be tougher enforcement against people who do not comply, he said, while the military could be brought in to help free up the police.

 

However, schools and universities will stay open.

 

Johnson was to address the nation at 1900 GMT.

 

The extra measures come after government advisers said new cases could reach 50,000 per day by mid-October.

 

The United Kingdom already has the biggest official COVID-19 death toll in Europe - 41,788 - while it is borrowing record amounts to pump emergency money through the damaged economy.

 

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey warned that the “very unfortunate” escalation of COVID-19 cases threatened the economic outlook and said the central bank was looking hard at how it could support the economy further.

 

Pub operator JD Wetherspoon said it could cut 400-450 jobs at sites at six airports, including London’s Heathrow and Gatwick, because of the large drop in passengers.

 

Opposition leader Keir Starmer urged the government not to end a furlough scheme at the end of October, accusing it of losing control of the coronavirus crisis.

 

“We will not listen to those who say let the virus rip, nor to those who urge a permanent lockdown,” Johnson said.

 

“We are taking decisive and appropriate steps to balance saving lives and protecting jobs and livelihoods.”

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-22

 

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[fishtank 3,730]

Bungling Boris is doing a good job. Not.

How is is pal Cummins doing?

[elliss 2,975]

 

 Completely , out of control , come's to mind .

    Sadly , i fear things are going to get a lot worse .

    Worldwide , economies' collapse,  etc ..   

Edited September 22 by elliss

[sammieuk1 18,945]

Having been stuck here forever the UK government has at least tried to mitigate the total collapse of the world with most people getting at least some help they haven't got it all right for sure but who has? certainly not a general with no economy left and the people left on their own  

[Scott 15,945]

A post containing false and misleading information has been removed. 

 

[473geo 4,605]

Just a little tightening up, a reminder to people not to become complacent.

There was always going to be concerns as the weather turns colder, the days shorter, so a little preventative maintenance for good measure, seeking to do enough, that should a second wave roll in, measures were in fact put in place to effect some control

 

Otherwise little change, hardly a draconian 'lockdown ' repeat, UK gradually returning to normality

Edited September 22 by 473geo

[brain150 1,307]

All this on a PCR test that is a total HOAX ???

 

... show me the sick and the dead ! They are nowhere to be seen because they don't exist !

Just a bunch of meaningless positive test results that have nothing to do with a virus or even an infection !!!

[Mama Noodle 6,031]

22 minutes ago, robblok said:

I know of 2 people who died and 1 who is still recovering a shade of his former self. If there was no virus do you really think all countries would have lockdowns damaging their economies.

 

Im always a bit skeptical when I read people know so many that have died. Statistically, its almost an anomaly to know so many severe covid cases. 

[Mama Noodle 6,031]

9 minutes ago, robblok said:

We got people like Trump who are as anti covid as can be. I don't get it that people think its a scam. Trump for instance would love it if it was a scam and fake. He certainly has nothing to gain from being in on a conspiracy.

 

Being anti-lockdown and anti-shutdown is not anti-covid. 

 

Whats insane is how eager some people are to give up their rights, civil liberties, businesses, and economy over a virus that isnt the zombie virus. 

[robblok 39,670]

4 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Im always a bit skeptical when I read people know so many that have died. Statistically, its almost an anomaly to know so many severe covid cases. 

You can be skeptical but I got a large client base and still know quite a few people in my country. In villages everyone knows everyone. So when they told me ... person x got it and is now a shade of his former self and y and z died from it and i know them. By name and have talked with them in the past. Can't say they were close friends more friends of my parents then i still know them. 

[robblok 39,670]

2 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Being anti-lockdown and anti-shutdown is not anti-covid. 

 

Whats insane is how eager some people are to give up their rights, civil liberties, businesses, and economy over a virus that isnt the zombie virus. 

You were not paying attention to how bad it got in Italy, without a lockdown hospitals would have overflown. The problem is the limited hospital capacity. They had to slow it down still do. 

 

What worries me is that there are so many like you that are so willing to sacrifice others. I wish those people would all join covid parties. I mean its just a virus. If all guys who think its just a virus and not bad come together and infect each other (there is no risk anyway according to you) then things would certainly look a lot brighter. 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/12/us/30-year-old-covid-party-death.html

[Mama Noodle 6,031]

2 minutes ago, robblok said:

You can be skeptical but I got a large client base and still know quite a few people in my country. In villages everyone knows everyone. So when they told me ... person x got it and is now a shade of his former self and y and z died from it and i know them. By name and have talked with them in the past. Can't say they were close friends more friends of my parents then i still know them. 

 

Sounds like gossip, honestly. I went this whole time not knowing anyone who caught the virus, then a few weeks ago trying to get back to work offshore, found out that several of my co-workers caught the virus onboard ships in Brazil. Everyone recovered fine, I talk to them all the time, and they said the worst of it was the fear of having it. Some didn't even know they had it, and others felt most of it in fevers/chills/cough. Not saying it isnt bad, but it certainly isnt a death sentence and most people fully recover without even needing hospital treatment. 

[Mama Noodle 6,031]

7 minutes ago, robblok said:

You were not paying attention to how bad it got in Italy, without a lockdown hospitals would have overflown. The problem is the limited hospital capacity. They had to slow it down still do. 

 

What worries me is that there are so many like you that are so willing to sacrifice others. I wish those people would all join covid parties. I mean its just a virus. If all guys who think its just a virus and not bad come together and infect each other (there is no risk anyway according to you) then things would certainly look a lot brighter. 

 

Why is it that when I say what I say, you guys immediately jump off the deep end with extremes? 

 

I paid attention to Italy, and I paid attention to NY, and there's nothing wrong with shutting down if you're literally going to overflow hospitals (which didn't happen in either case) 

 

But shutting down (even partially) for 6 MONTHS over minuscule cases is madness. That does not mean I dont think covid exists or that I would elect to go to a covid party, but I would certainly like to have the choice of free movement and liberty combined with protecting myself. 

 

 

[xylophone 11,161]

27 minutes ago, nemo38 said:

Deaths are in line with a normal flu season. It is sad people die. But we didn't destroy people's jobs for the sake of the flu before.

Oh really? Some useful stats here..............

 

"By way of a more apt comparison, Covid-19 has already killed around four times as many people as a bad flu season in the US.

 

In the last decade, 2017-18 was the worst flu season with 61,000 deaths, followed by 2014-15 with 51,000 deaths".

[RichardColeman 24,207]

Think most people will only start seeing the craziness in all this when their football club folds due to no money for 18 months. Can easily see 25% of all football clubs going broke in the coming year