love* in the time of plague (and by love* i mean brexit* and other dreary matters of uk politics)

quite (xp)

also, there was a good article on ilx recently that said that getting it once was very likely to confer immunity, but I'd like to be a bit surer of that before it becomes The Official Word Of Our PM that people who've already had it are just fine to do what they like (which is probably not going back to work tbh)

Was just looking at this piece on the lack of tests:

Excellent piece by @WiredUK on the mystery of Britain’s lack of coronavirus testing. There are British firms supplying tests to the rest of Europe that have not even been contacted by the NHS, plus dozens of labs. https://t.co/FstfuHH4l9 pic.twitter.com/wR8khEDjDf

— Simon Nixon (@Simon_Nixon) March 19, 2020

We spoke to a friend last night whose PhD and subsequent research focused on infectious animal diseases. He was saying that in general this type of virus doesn't mutate quickly enough for vaccines, when they arrive, to be ineffective. So what we're looking at in immunity terms is likely to be closer to measles than flu.

Re: lab leadership response. Also quite a contrast with Sanders who has had daily conferences and announcements on the virus.

The odd twitter thread from RLB hasn't been enough. I know she has suspended phone banking so that ppl can help out in their communities. It feels like its too little.

oh no, Micheal Rosen says he got it :(

"I think I’m in it. It’s hell: aches, fevers, shakes, weakness."

Gordon Brown has been good today, calling for guarantees that bailed out firms will keep workers on.

why isn't Broon chuntering meaningless platitudes in series rather than being so specific? it's obviously an unprovoked attack on the de facto LOTO

"If Boris Johnson is telling people to stay at home he has to tell them how to survive financially."

None of the leadership candidates, especially Starmer, have been able to express themselves that succinctly.

Like you cannot contain the virus when the choice is 'go out and spread it or stay home, starve and become destitute'.

lol even Stephen Kinnock has shifted to the left of Starmer. RLB was calling for UBI and suspension of household bills which is good but not seen so much from her on zero hour/precariat workers who are being expected to work or starve.

a lot of temp/zero hours supermarket jobs on Indeed this morning

they should be getting paid more than people in financial services/banking right now, these are literally jobs as important or even arguably more than frontline NHS workers.

Gonna apply anyway, I'm ripe for exploitation :D

I've just got some money thru I've been waiting on for a fortnight. This is the sweetest cig I've ever had

The romanticization of the Quarantine is a class privilege! pic.twitter.com/M0oXNmIhg1

— Jamil Mouawad (@JamilMouawad) March 18, 2020

otm banner, summary executions for smugcasters imo.

Testify brother

Anyway, my local's still open

Funny how "blitz spirit" crosses the culture war divide

I would like to inform you that I have tested positive for #COVID19. I am doing well and in good spirits. I am following all the necessary instructions, as is my team.

For all those affected already, and for all those currently in isolation, we will get through this together.

— Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) March 19, 2020

He'll have the inefficient eurovirus tho that's bound up in red tape

A lot of people across all social groups will be self-isolating with abusers over the next couple of months, it's grim even thinking about it.

Aye. The Dutch Child Care Telephone line - which was more something of the 90s - has seen a huge surge in phone calls from children the last couple of days. Imagine being a child and living in an abusive household...

I'm not inferring he is a domestic abuser of any kind, but just imagine having to self-isolate with Dean Gaffney ffs

This is one of the many reasons why I think there are no kneejerk simple solutions.

Gaffers was on that horrible Channel 4 dating show, I assume from the endless trailers he's not shacked up with anybody.

To Gaff is to always be socially distant :(

Spare a thought for all the 20-somethings in shared houses who end up banging their housemate early on and then regret it while stuck with them for two months.

No change there shurely?

You used to be able to leave.

Great now I've got Hotel California in my head

Actually livesmugging aside I've heard a few banging dj sessions the last couple of days

you, er, love to see it?

Govt getting a pasting from both wings of its own backbenches this morning

— Greg Clark says financial package is not enough, action must be taken immediately on wages — says state should pay them

— Iain Duncan Smith says benefits must be raised today and waiting times reduced

— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) March 19, 2020

welcome to the resistance, big IDSy!

Amazing how irrelevant this has made the entire Cameron and Osborne project, everything swept away almost overnight except the decade's worth of needless suffering.

Part of the annoyance is the sense of these rules being temporarily suspended purely for the preservation of the status quo, and the thought that as soon as possible this will be the excuse for a swingeing set of payback measures aimed squarely at the already impoverished

I don't know how the last decade didn't illustrate to the electorate enough what a set of evil cunts the tories are and how much self-interest they had in stopping them. But a lot of them will directly find out what a catastrophic mistake they've made by voting cunts in the next 5 years.

Not gonna link to the old soak, but Frances Barber’s having a normal one on Twitter this morning...

The new delusional centrist wheeze is getting all the former living PMs together in some kind of Five Doctors meets Constructicons-Form-Devastator meets Travelling Wilburys situation to resolve the crisis, as if anyone in the world thinks that this situation would benefit from the input of Theresa May right now.

“Deport the virus”

playing fantasy national govt of unity football in an age of cholera and death. Their brains have melted.

Ironically this really would be a good time for an actual government of national unity but good luck persuading Boris of that one.

Not Theresa May - they clearly are looking for DADDIES.

the first rule of Govt of National Unity club is: fuck Jeremy Corbyn!

if daddy john major finds a way to make the cricket season happen i won't complain

*FPs self*

playing fantasy national govt of unity football in an age of cholera and death. Their brains have melted.

now that schools aren't really schools anymore i guess they'll have to stay open throughout the easter holidays?

That would be logical given the circs yeah

not sure how will this is going to age

No 10 says there is 'zero prospect' of a big lockdown of London - as we've been reporting there might be tightening of restrictions but remember that is VERY different from other suggestions of travel bans or the kind of total lockdowns some other countries have pursued

— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) March 19, 2020

(also if you're still counting Andrew, confidence in the execution crumbled a good while ago)

When you look at the numbers of cases and growth trajectories I don't understand why everyone isn't following the cue of Japan.

because we believe in freedom

Random leftists shooting this down within seconds

We deserve better than policies which do the bare minimum and don't help everyone, and not just during this pandemic.

We need:
🔺 Universal basic income
🔺 Suspend rent and utility bills
🔺 Nationalise essential services

That's it, that's the line. https://t.co/pm3RoFT4uU

— jt (@jennby__) March 19, 2020

BTW I'm in the pub and it's heaving