Well I have been kidding myself that the panic buyers are a minority making life difficult for the rest of us. But the CEO of Sainsbury’s says 50% of shoppers are buying twice as much as usual.
Sweepstake of potential measures for the next week:
- all ‘non essential’ businesses to be told to close
- London lockdown - no one in or out, full quarantine
- supermarkets/food shops told to mark out ‘social distancing’ spaces and provide protection for their staff
- threat of rationing made explicit if hoarding continues
- police to enforce social distancing rules, like France only leave the house for essential work, food/medicine shopping, individual exercise (temporary, this will be next to go). Fines for transgression. Must carry ID at all times
- guidelines for who gets access to intensive care/ventilators developed, implemented where capacity limits are reached eg have to be under 65.
- all over 65s told to make their position on resuscitation explicit, ie whether they want someone to try and save their life.
- bodies disposed of rapidly by the state, without ceremony. Religious groups uproar blah blah
- Very visible army presence in worst hit areas.
None of this would be necessary with strict adherence to the current guidelines.
Does anyone know the survival rate for patients who are admitted to ITU/on ventilators? Looks to me that a high percentage of people who get to this stage die, from the numbers said to be on critical yesterday and death numbers today. But I’m far from certain the numbers are reliable.
Sorry to be so miserable, it is a lovely day up here in Warwickshire. I will soon walk the dog, muttering furiously at the people who still don’t know what 6ft looks like.
