It's startling just how many expert virologists there are out there.

[Sir C]

Also epidemiologists. It's like Wimbledon week, or Stickball week - the most stupid people suddenly know everything there is to know about subjects they first heard about 10 minutes ago.

The ones I like best are the ones who 'demand stuff. "I demand that all schools are closed immediately!" :rolleyes:

[Burney]

Also epidemiologists. It's like Wimbledon week, or Stickball week - the most stupid people suddenly know everything there is to know about subjects they first heard about 10 minutes ago.

The ones I like best are the ones who 'demand stuff. "I demand that all schools are closed immediately!" :rolleyes:

:nod: And these people seem quite incapable of presenting a single, rational reason why they want these things. They just want something done for the sake of it - regardless of whether that thing has any value. The schools thing is a prime example. I can't think of a single good reason to close schools in the current climate, but people want it done in order to make themselves feel better. It's fúckwitted.

[Monty92]

:nod: And these people seem quite incapable of presenting a single, rational reason why they want these things. They just want something done for the sake of it - regardless of whether that thing has any value. The schools thing is a prime example. I can't think of a single good reason to close schools in the current climate, but people want it done in order to make themselves feel better. It's fúckwitted.

To be fair, there's every chance that schools will close imminently, so questions over timing *are* legitimate.

[Sir C]

:nod: And these people seem quite incapable of presenting a single, rational reason why they want these things. They just want something done for the sake of it - regardless of whether that thing has any value. The schools thing is a prime example. I can't think of a single good reason to close schools in the current climate, but people want it done in order to make themselves feel better. It's fúckwitted.

I saw a tweet syaing, "I demand ACTION!" :hehe: I especially liked the capitals.

I wonder what ACTION he wanted, anyway.

[Sir C]

To be fair, there's every chance that schools will close imminently, so questions over timing *are* legitimate.

Whose questions are legitimate? Your questions and my questions are irrelevant and presumptuous. There are chaps with big brains and actual knowledge deciding this ****.

[Monty92]

Whose questions are legitimate? Your questions and my questions are irrelevant and presumptuous. There are chaps with big brains and actual knowledge deciding this ****.

I'm fairly relaxed about people asking questions of those best placed to provide answers, as long as they aren't accompanied by an unjustified level of presumption or, more typically, a blatant political agenda.

[Burney]

To be fair, there's every chance that schools will close imminently, so questions over timing *are* legitimate.

The CMO has made it clear that there are no significant benefits to public health from the mass closing of schools - indeed it's likely to be actively harmful. And yet it's still being 'demanded'.

[Monty92]

The CMO has made it clear that there are no significant benefits to public health from the mass closing of schools - indeed it's likely to be actively harmful. And yet it's still being 'demanded'.

Is there not a risk that if we're talking about over half the population getting it, a couple of kids might die, even though they are very low risk. And that could be enough to cause mass panic and social chaos.

[Luis Anaconda]

I saw a tweet syaing, "I demand ACTION!" :hehe: I especially liked the capitals.

I wonder what ACTION he wanted, anyway.

The equivalent of the football fan's "DO SOMETHING". To which the question "What should they do?" is always a conversation stopper.

[Burney]

I'm fairly relaxed about people asking questions of those best placed to provide answers, as long as they aren't accompanied by an unjustified level of presumption or, more typically, a blatant political agenda.

The problem with those questions is that they're being answered, but those asking them aren't listening to (or just don't understand) the answers. People want to hear 'We've got it. It'll all be sorted', but that isn't going to happen because that's not how it works. The government is actually giving us the uncomfortable truth and (perhaps naively) expecting us to be adult about accepting it.
It's particularly unfortunate that the worst sort of people are using this to grind their Brexit/anti-Boris axes when it's so very clear that he and his government are simply following the best available advice on this.

[Sir C]

The equivalent of the football fan's "DO SOMETHING". To which the question "What should they do?" is always a conversation stopper.

Isn't the answer 'sack Wenger'?

[Luis Anaconda]

Isn't the answer 'sack Wenger'?

We should never do that of course. I do hope he is in self-isolation though

[Burney]

Is there not a risk that if we're talking about over half the population getting it, a couple of kids might die, even though they are very low risk. And that could be enough to cause mass panic and social chaos.

Do you know how many kids have died of it? None. Not one. Zero. The fact is that kids are by some distance the lowest risk group out there. That means that exposing them to the virus in schools represents a very low-risk when compared to the alternatives of hamstringing the NHS's ability to respond and further damaging the economy and as a side issue makes sense in terms of building immunities in the long term.

[Burney]

Isn't the answer 'sack Wenger'?

Yes. And how would we say that's gone?

[Monty92]

Yes. And how would we say that's gone?

Well, the bloke who replaced him was basically a Peter Sellers character and the latest has the Bad Chinky Aids.

[Monty92]

Do you know how many kids have died of it? None. Not one. Zero. The fact is that kids are by some distance the lowest risk group out there. That means that exposing them to the virus in schools represents a very low-risk when compared to the alternatives of hamstringing the NHS's ability to respond and further damaging the economy and as a side issue makes sense in terms of building immunities in the long term.

No deaths among children younger than 10, so school age kids have died.

[Monty92]

No deaths among children younger than 10, so school age kids have died.

Also, if kids get it, they may not die or even have bad effects, but they will infect others who will need hospital treatment as a consequence. Surely closing schools at the right time will be part of the effort to delay the speed of the spread.

[Tony C]

Thunderf00t did a nice video on the YouTubes about it last night.

Reckons it will take under 2 months for everyone to be infected and then goes into the probability of you calling it a day.

All because some t wat fancied a bat teriyaki and rice with a side of armadillo brains for dinner.

[Pokster]

Yes. And how would we say that's gone?

Unbeaten in the league in 2020 and could be for months to come

[Pokster]

Also, if kids get it, they may not die or even have bad effects, but they will infect others who will need hospital treatment as a consequence. Surely closing schools at the right time will be part of the effort to delay the speed of the spread.

And where do these kids go? Who looks after them?

[Monty92]

And where do these kids go? Who looks after them?

Who do you think?

[Burney]

No deaths among children younger than 10, so school age kids have died.

Out of nearly 45,000 confirmed cases in China through Feb. 11, there was only one death in someone younger than 20. No children have died in Italy. This is not a meaningful threat to kids, in whom it manifests as a low-level cough and cold.

[Pokster]

Who do you think?

That is the question, not all parents can, so then it is left to grandparents (who are obv at most risk), and some parents won't be able to afford to look after them, so you will have loads of teenagers out on the streets/parks meeting far more people than if they were at school

[Burney]

Also, if kids get it, they may not die or even have bad effects, but they will infect others who will need hospital treatment as a consequence. Surely closing schools at the right time will be part of the effort to delay the speed of the spread.

They are equally (if not more) likely to do that if they're off school as they're looked after by vulnerable grandparents to allow parents to keep working.

[Pokster]

Out of nearly 45,000 confirmed cases in China through Feb. 11, there was only one death in someone younger than 20. No children have died in Italy. This is not a meaningful threat to kids, in whom it manifests as a low-level cough and cold.

I agree with you 100%, leave them at school unless they have underlying health issues, for as long as possible. They get 2 weeks off anyway in a couple of weeks

[Monty92]

They are equally (if not more) likely to do that if they're off school as they're looked after by vulnerable grandparents to allow parents to keep working.

Grandparents are going to be required to isolate in the coming weeks. Of course some will flount these requirements, but if large enough numbers stick to them then it could still have the desired effect.

Huge numbers of parents will be able to cope with the inconvenience of temporary school closures. Months and months would obviously be a different matter, but I think it's more likely to be weeks.

[WES]

Grandparents are going to be required to isolate in the coming weeks. Of course some will flount these requirements, but if large enough numbers stick to them then it could still have the desired effect.

Huge numbers of parents will be able to cope with the inconvenience of temporary school closures. Months and months would obviously be a different matter, but I think it's more likely to be weeks.

I love the fact that a thread that was started with a very sensible message about how little most people know has morphed quite easily into a thread where people are making predictions as though they are experts. :hehe:

The transmission is stochastic, as one of the clever fellows point out. That means it has a degree of volatility which, for those of you who didn't study probability theory, means we have no clear view as to the outcome because there are so many possibilities.

Wash your hands more, shut up and get on with life and what happens, happens.