Author Topic: General Covid 19 news  (Read 96133 times)

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Offline SteveH

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #75 on: May 18, 2020, 10:13:23 am »
The Welsh Government has scrapped an online platform for key workers to book coronavirus tests and instead opted to use a UK-wide system.

Welsh ministers decided to work with Amazon in developing a testing portal as there were data concerns about the UK-wide system.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething told the BBC’s Politics Wales programme: “At the starting point we weren’t able to take proper advantage of the UK testing programme because we’d only have known if people had a test.

Vaughan Gething said concerns about data sharing had been resolved so Wales could join the UK-wide testing portal (Isabel Infantes/PA)Vaughan Gething said concerns about data sharing had been resolved so Wales could join the UK-wide testing portal (Isabel Infantes/PA)
“The other information wasn’t coming back into our health and care system, so the value was really limited.

“Now, we’re in a position where those data issues, that really do matter, are going to be resolved.

“That’s why I’ve got some confidence about taking part in the wider UK testing programme.

“So, the results will go back on to the patient record, clinicians may be able to see them and make use of them.

“That’s really important for us because, whilst we were developing our own track, now we’re able to have a consistent approach with other parts of the UK with information coming back to us.

“And the question is, now we’re able to do that, why would we carry on with developing and implementing a separate portal online here in Wales?”

Asked how much developing the Amazon portal cost, the minister replied: “I don’t have the figures and frankly I’m not bothered into getting into how much we spent on developing a different portal at a point in time.”

The Welsh Conservatives said it was another U-turn by the Welsh Government in as many days.

Shadow health minister Angela Burns said: “This is great news for key workers in Wales as they will finally be treated the same as the rest of the frontline against the Covid-19 fight.

“For weeks testing in Wales has stagnated and the people that we owe our lives to are being let down.

“The Welsh Government claim they want a four nation approach to defeat Covid but at each and every opportunity given to them they have to delay, waste time and money and then eventually decide that it is in the best interests of the people of Wales.”  ref Pioneer


Offline Ian

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #76 on: May 18, 2020, 10:18:10 am »
The Welsh Government has scrapped an online platform for key workers to book coronavirus tests and instead opted to use a UK-wide system.

The Welsh Conservatives said it was another U-turn by the Welsh Government in as many days.

Shadow health minister Angela Burns said: “This is great news for key workers in Wales as they will finally be treated the same as the rest of the frontline against the Covid-19 fight.

“For weeks testing in Wales has stagnated and the people that we owe our lives to are being let down.

Love it!  And of course the Tory UK government has done so much better, with the PM missing five Cobra meetings, failing to prepare for the need for PPE, putting out utterly confusing messages with regard to the lockdown, failing to include thousands of care home deaths in the official stats...
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.


Offline Dave

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #77 on: May 18, 2020, 12:58:06 pm »
Can the labour ruled Welsh Assembly claim to have done any better than elsewhere in the UK? They are just as unclear in many areas and they are responsible for health care in Wales which was equally unprepared for a pandemic. Corvid patients were sent back to care homes, testing was slow, particularly in North Wales were it was virtually non existent. The list goes on.No one is coming out of this with too much credit other than the Army who demonstrated how to build extra hospital beds in next to no time and of course those who have risked their lives , and in many cases lost their lives, for the benefit of others.

Offline DVT

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #78 on: May 18, 2020, 01:45:30 pm »
Fully agree with Dave.

This is not a political matter - everyone should be pulling together and not carrying on the usual political bickering and points-scoring that we have to endure in "normal"  times.

Boris is the figurehead of what I imagine is a big consortium of advisors, regardless of political stance, all with one aim - to get us all through this as safely as possible.


Offline Ian

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #79 on: May 18, 2020, 03:54:36 pm »
I agree it shouldn't be a political matter; in that vein it was unacceptable for the Welsh Tories to try to make it one, surely? But I'd have been more impressed had our PM attended at least a couple of the first five Cobra meeting to discuss Covid.

And while I agree that most parties have played it poorly, perhaps it would be nice for a change to have some of the parties admit they were making a mess of it?
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #80 on: May 20, 2020, 02:56:39 pm »
The UK government has a lot to learn from other countries;

How it should have been done...

The coronavirus slayer! How Kerala's rock star health minister helped save it from Covid-19

While it can be argued that Johnson is the figurehead of a big consortium of advisors, regardless of political stance, all with one aim - to get us all through this as safely as possible, it might be useful if he were to listen to some of them.  And preferably the right ones.

No matter how we look at it, the UK has handled this crisis far, far worse than many other countries. The question is why?
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline SteveH

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #81 on: May 20, 2020, 04:24:07 pm »
An unexpected success story, something you might see further East, never the less, it does show up the UK's efforts, the time for excuses is past, time for positive results. ! !

Offline SteveH

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #82 on: May 21, 2020, 10:23:51 am »
Welsh Government reveals huge cost of setting up field hospitals in Covid-19 battle
Bed capacity in the country was almost doubled in the space of six weeks.

In a statement, the Welsh Government has now revealed that £166m of funding was used for the set up, construction, and equipment for field hospitals in Wales.

Cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-government-reveals-huge-cost-18286558

Offline SteveH

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #83 on: May 22, 2020, 10:43:41 am »
Welsh Government reveals huge cost of setting up field hospitals in Covid-19 battle
Bed capacity in the country was almost doubled in the space of six weeks.

In a statement, the Welsh Government has now revealed that £166m of funding was used for the set up, construction, and equipment for field hospitals in Wales.

Cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-government-reveals-huge-cost-18286558

Llandudno's Ysbyty Enfys 'stands ready' to take patients - but the wish is that the site will never have to be used.
The building, which has been handed over to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), has been transformed into Ysbyty Enfys (Rainbow Hospital).

Full story https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18468312.llandudnos-ysbyty-efnys-stands-ready-take-patients---wish-site-will-never-used/



Fears in Wales on coronavirus risk as lockdown eased - survey
CORONAVIRUS restrictions in Wales continue to be supported by a large majority of people - and many are cautious about changes, especially to the prospect of school reopening, a survey has revealed.

According to the latest survey of hundreds of people aged 18 or over in Wales - conducted for Public Health Wales - nearly three quarters of people (73 per cent) still feel the restrictions in place in Wales to control coronavirus are about right.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18468280.fears-wales-coronavirus-risk-lockdown-eased---survey/

Offline Dave

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #84 on: May 22, 2020, 12:50:08 pm »
I'm beginning to wonder what proportion of the UK's population support the continuation of lockdown on the basis that they are enjoying one of the best stretches of good weather in many years, they are being paid to stay at home so consequently there is no incentive or desire to go back to work. Time to reduce government handouts considerably and use the money to reward those that are really in the firing line by doubling their salaries. I'd be really fed up putting my neck on the block for no reward, just a big risk to self and family while hundreds of thousands across the UK (well especially in England where increased freedoms have been granted) treat everyday as a Bank Holiday and go and sit on a crowded beach, take their tents out for some wild camping etc etc.. As I always suspected the majority of people will not have the proper regard for this virus until it happens to them or a close loved one.

Offline Ian

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #85 on: May 22, 2020, 02:56:19 pm »
Time to reduce government handouts considerably and use the money to reward those that are really in the firing line by doubling their salaries.

The government instituted the 80% pay during furlough because it was cheaper than simply paying out benefits to the millions laid off. I agree that hospital staff should have increased salaries for the duration, salaries that have been kept unacceptably low by the government since 2010, but this is not the time to simply cut what you describe as 'handouts'.

We will slowly  resume normal business and as we do we'll need a workforce that already has the skills and experience to make it work quickly. And let's not forget: this current situation is largely of the government's own making. It was their abysmal ignoring of the warning signs, their lack of leadership in missing COBRA meetings, their lack of preparation for what everyone knew was coming that's resulted in the highest death toll in the world outside of the abysmally led USA.

And from those we know who are currently furloughed, they're champing at the bit to return to work. Most are bored out of their minds and want to return. And while you may be right about many not having the regard this virus deserves the media's pictures of traffic jams and crowded beaches is at odds with reports from around the UK and around England that I'm seeing from members of other forums, where they're saying the car parks in holiday destinations are deserted.

Don't forget: the press want to sell papers, and nothing sells papers  better than examples of people apparently abusing the system.

Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Dave

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #86 on: May 22, 2020, 08:52:32 pm »
Time to reduce government handouts considerably and use the money to reward those that are really in the firing line by doubling their salaries.

 this current situation is largely of the government's own making. Really? I thought it started in China?

And from those we know who are currently furloughed, they're champing at the bit to return to work. Most are bored out of their minds and want to return.  Not in England they ain't. Give everyone in Wales a bit more freedom and they'll no doubt head for the hills and beaches too.

Don't forget: the press want to sell papers, and nothing sells papers  better than examples of people apparently abusing the system.
Indeed they do and we can all be influenced by what we read.

Hindsight as they say is a wonderful thing and whereas the Labour opposition is now asking questions they were totally silent back in the early days of the spread of the virus.
Asking questions is easy, making decisions not so easy.
The UK can't really be compared like with like with other countries for many reasons from population diversity and density to diet, social habits etc etc etc.

Offline SteveH

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #87 on: May 23, 2020, 10:11:33 am »
Welsh Secretary thanks UK Armed Forces for support in fight against coronavirus.                   clappinghappy

Full-time soldiers and Reservists have been deployed in a variety of roles across Wales at the request of the civilian authorities to support different parts of the response to the coronavirus emergency.

Cont  https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/18466040.welsh-secretary-thanks-uk-armed-forces-support-fight-coronavirus/

Offline Ian

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #88 on: May 23, 2020, 10:55:54 am »

 this current situation is largely of the government's own making. Really? I thought it started in China?

No, I said the current situation, not the origin of the disease; there's a difference. The current situation in the UK is 36,393 deaths and more than a quarter of a million infections compared to say, Kerala in India, with a population of 35 million which has had 4 deaths and a mere 524 infections.

Quote
Hindsight as they say is a wonderful thing and whereas the Labour opposition is now asking questions they were totally silent back in the early days of the spread of the virus.

Well, the Labour party had Corbyn nominally in charge back then;  Starmer only took over in April, so I think your argument is a bit specious.

But you're making a big mistake by attempting to politicise this; this is not about political parties. It's about individuals and how those individual have contributed to the largest death toll in Europe and the second largest in the world.  And yes; the Tories have routinely espoused the values of private health care, elimination of immigrant, on which the NHS heavily depends, leaving the EU, which is where many of our Doctors and Nurses came from and generally keeping wages and resources as low as possible in the service which is now struggling to cope.

Now that is political.   

Pointing out how so many individuals have dealt with this crisis so incredibly badly is, however,  called democracy.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline SteveH

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Re: General Covid 19 news
« Reply #89 on: May 26, 2020, 06:31:30 pm »
Clap for Carers: Why the weekly event is set to end this Thursday.

The organiser behind the weekly 'Clap for Carers' event has said this Thursday’s show of support should be the last.

Annemarie Plas, a Dutch national living in South London, said she was 'overwhelmed' by the support for the cacophonous ritual, but said it was better to stop when it was at 'its peak'.

“It’s good to have the last of the series next Thursday (May 28), because to have the most impact I think it is good to stop it at its peak.

It has seen throngs of people gather in their gardens, balconies and on street corners, sometimes playing instruments or bashing pots and pans to create a visual and audible show of support.

Next Thursday’s will be the 10th weekly event, which was started as the UK went into lockdown in March, and has seen members of the royal family, the Prime Minister and celebrities join in.

It was suggested resurrecting the clap in 2021 to mark a year since the coronavirus outbreak.
 “Stopping clapping doesn’t mean we are not still appreciating them.

“Some people will still want to carry on, so they should.
“But we will stop and show our support in other ways – there are other initiatives we can support.”

What time will the last Clap for Carers event take place?
It will happen across the UK at the usual time of 8pm on Thursday,     ref Pioneer