Covid 19

[Mr Tunnock]

Ian,
I find your comment offensive as I have a friend working in Boots and they are trying their very best.
Feedback I received from them is the odd customer can be very rude to them and they are after all on the frontline.

[Ian]

Firstly, I wasn't having a go at the staff, was I?  I was talking about the organisation of the process–which is a management issue. Reducing the working hours but allowing people to line up outside the shop waiting for it to open is a good example of poorly thought-through strategies.  What they (the management at head office, for the benefit of the overly touchy) should have done was thought ahead and designated an open space in which repeat prescriptions could be issued without fear of airborne contamination.

In Llandudno that could be done through the back door. All non-essential shops are now to be closed, so there will be plenty of open spaces.

I've already suggested this to one Boots: that those with repeat prescriptions could 'phone them once they were actually outside the shop, and the prescription could be passed out to them. But becuse it was a new idea, the management didn't know whether it would work.

And finally, I don't believe you're really in a position to be lecturing others on making offensive comments, do you?

[Dave]

As I type, two people are playing tennis on the courts in Craig-y-Don. I think I should start a new awards  thread and call it the Ostriches. An award for those who apparently have no idea about social distancing and have their heads firmly stuck in the sand.

[Hugo]

Well then Dave, I'll be the first to nominate someone although I don't know his name, I'll remember his face though
Our local shop has done everything possible to keep trading and keep the customers safe.     Only two people are allowed in the shop at any one time and each person must heed the social distancing between the other customer.
Outside there are clearly marked spaces where the customers are to stand in the queue and inside the shop it is exactly the same with the emphasis on social distancing.

I was getting served when the second person came and stood about a foot behind me.   I didn't say anything at the time as I didn't want to embarrass the nice staff that work there but it won't happen a second time

The idiots are not just on Snowdon they live amongst us

[SteveH]

Coronavirus LIVE updates as Government send texts to UK residents with lockdown rules.             https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52017451
How to protect yourself and others
Employment and financial support
School closures, education, and childcare
Businesses and other organisations
Healthcare workers and carers
Travel
How coronavirus is affecting public services
How you can help
Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the UK

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Coronavirus: The new inventions inspired by a pandemic
A new ventilator, a virus-killing snood and a hands-free door pull are just some of the innovations coming out of Wales to tackle coronavirus.

Since the outbreak, doctors, scientists and designers have been working on ideas to stop the virus spreading.
The ventilator has already successfully treated a Covid-19 patient and has been backed by the Welsh Government.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52008745

More on the virus- killing snood...........

The coronavirus fighting 'germ trap' snood developed by Anglesey company
Developed at Menai Science Park in conjunction with Manchester Uni scientists Virustatic Shield offers hope in tackling deadly virus.

Breakthrough in ‘germ trap’ technology by an Anglesey company offers new hope in stopping the spread of viruses

Developed at Menai Science Park, Virustatic Shield is the response of leading scientists to the problem that face masks won’t stop the coronavirus.

It is a fresh weapon in the fight to control the pandemic—and now it is available to the general public   cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-fighting-germ-trap-snood-17971068

[SteveH]

Government calls on 250,000 volunteers to support the NHS and the vulnerable - how to apply

The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, has said that 250,000 volunteers are being recruited by the government.
He also confirmed that more than 35,000 extra NHS staff have already joined up to help, including retired doctors and nurses, and final year medical students.

The volunteers will join the 11,7788 retired NHS staff, which includes 2,660 doctors, 6,147 nurses and more than 2,500 pharmacists.
Over 24,000 student medics and nurses will also be permitted to help in the battle against the virus.

What will the volunteers do?

Those who volunteer as an NHS Volunteer Responder to help with the cause can be called on for a variety of simple, but vital tasks.

These could include:
Delivering medicines from pharmacies
Driving patients to appointments
Bringing them home from hospital
Making regular phone calls to check on people isolating at home
How can I volunteer?

To volunteer as an NHS Responder you can simply sign up via the app that will be run by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS).

cont    https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18332509.government-calls-250-000-volunteers-support-nhs-vulnerable---apply/

PS   
"The UK's first coronavirus-related death was recorded on March 5. It took another 13 days for the number of deaths to pass 100 (on March 18), then three more days to pass 200 (on March 21). It has taken a further three days for the total to pass 400."

[SteveH]

Re above post ....       

Some 250,000 people have signed up in a single day to volunteer with the NHS after a recruitment drive to help the vulnerable amid the coronavirus crisis.             https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52029877


PS "Boots 'should re-visit' £5 prescription delivery charge
Health Minister Vaughan Gething told a press briefing that pharmacy Boots should revisit its decision to charge £5 for deliveries.

He said: "If Boots don't change their approach they could force people to leave their homes."

Mr Gething said he was happy to contact Boots today."

PPS
Charity offers phone calls to over 70s living alone
Age Cymru is offering a check-in-and-chat telephone service for the over 70s in Wales who live alone.

It said it hoped that the initiative will help provide some reassurances to older people, answer basic queries and link people to local services and support during the coronavirus outbreak.


Disability Wales
@DisabilityWales
Age Cymru has a check-in-and-chat telephone service for the over 70s in Wales who live alone. Register free of charge, to receive a regular telephone call from the charity in either English or Welsh. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru/information-advice/age-cymru-advice/check-in-and-chat/ …@AgeCymru

[Ian]

From New Scientist today:

"SAY you have caught covid-19 and recovered – are you now immune for life, or could you catch it again? We just don’t know yet.

In February, reports emerged of a woman in Japan who had been given the all-clear after having covid-19 but then tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus a second time. There have also been reports of a man in Japan testing positive after being given the all-clear, and anecdotal cases of second positives have emerged from China, too.

This has raised fears that people may not develop immunity to the virus. This would mean that, until we have an effective vaccine, we could all experience repeated rounds of infection. "

[SteveH]

THERE have been 150 new positive cases of coronavirus in Wales, with five further deaths reported.

Dr Robin Howe, incident director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, confirmed the figures at noon on Wednesday

The new results bring the total number of confirmed cases in Wales to 628, although the true number of cases is likely to be higher

It was also confirmed that three of the new cases confirmed are within the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area.

cont   https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18333430.150-new-cases-coronavirus-five-deaths-wales/

[Hugo]

My wife has just told me that Prince Charles has got a mild form of Coronavirus, it can happen to anyone  so it's important that we all try to stay as safe as  we can and listen to the advice given to us

[Ian]

Latest:

    A quarter of the world's population is now living under some form of lockdown

    Prince Charles - heir to the British throne - tests positive for virus with "mild symptoms", palace says

    India's 1.3 billion people went into lockdown at midnight, with a "total ban" on leaving homes

    Russia's Putin postpones vote on constitutional change allowing him to stay in power, due to virus

    About 250,000 people volunteer in the UK to help the NHS cope with vulnerable people

    The death toll in Spain has overtaken China, rising by 738 to 3,434

    US lawmakers agree a near-$2 trillion stimulus package, details yet to be released

    Global cases exceed 400,000 with deaths approaching 20,000 and more than 100,000 recovered

[SteveH]

Coronavirus could have 'larger impact' in Wales than rest of UK, warns health minister
Vaughan Gething said the population of Wales is typically older, sicker and poorer than in other areas.

This article also has a video ADVICE FROM YSBYTY GWYNEDD
A frontline North Wales doctor has pleaded with people to follow government guidelines in order to limit their chances of catching coronavirus.

Saleyha Ahsan, an A&E doctor at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor has highlighted the importance of taking social distancing seriously to help protect NHS staff and prevent the spread of Covid-19.

In a video shared by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board ( BCUHB ) today, Dr Ahsan, who also works as a humanitarian doctor in conflict zones, emphasises how “incredibly crucial” it is that everybody plays their part in the fight against the virus.

://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-could-larger-impact-wales-17976323

[SteveH]

Thousands of home tests for coronavirus are to be delivered to people self isolating “within days” - Public Health England (PHE) have said.

We've put together all the details on what you need to know about the 15-minute home testing kits for coronavirus - including who can access them.
How does the coronavirus home test work?
The test checks if a person has detectable antibodies in their blood, which would mean that they have been exposed to the virus.

The kit itself looks similar to a pregnancy test. To use it, you have to prick your finger to produce a drop of blood, which is analysed on the device.        ref Pioneer     cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18335830.uk-coronavirus-home-testing-kits-need-know---plus-available/


Update 10 26am
The government has ordered 10,000 ventilators from Dyson to help deal with the coronavirus crisis.

The firm, headed by British inventor Sir James Dyson, said it had designed a new type of ventilator in response to a call on behalf of the NHS.
The order is still subject to the devices passing stringent medical tests but that is expected to happen quickly.

Dyson has had hundreds of engineers working round the clock to design the ventilators from scratch.   cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52043767

[Ian]

A 21-year-old woman with no underlying conditions has died after contracting coronavirus, according to her family.

Chloe Middleton, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, died last week.

In a Facebook post, her aunt Emily Mistry said Ms Middleton "had passed away from Covid-19" and urged others to "do your bit" to stop the spread of the disease.

According to government figures, most patients who have died with coronavirus had pre-existing medical conditions.

There have been concerns that younger people were ignoring warnings over its spread, believing the contagion was only a danger to the elderly.

But in a series of Facebook posts, Ms Middleton's family urged the public to heed safety advice and take the virus "seriously".

[SteveH]

And another case, "A fit and healthy North Wales man died alone at home in self-isolation after developing coronavirus symptoms.

Tim Galley, who is understood to have had no underlying health conditions," maybe it is going to take news like this to get through to

some people.