Covid 19 - Things that should be (or have been) done but aren't

[OwlHoot]

If you were a policy wonk in Downing Street say, what practical policies might you suggest to ameliorate this virus outbreak and help mitigate or prevent future ones?

Obviously the more interesting ideas would be those not already obvious, such as "Set up a vast warehouse full of millions of virus grade masks and ventilators".

My two for today would be :

* Buy up small bottles of alcohol/gel based hand sanitisers and ask petrol stations to give one to each customer (If these help kill viruses - I'd concede they wouldn't be much use if they only kill bacteria.)

* Take blood samples of each person who is seriously ill or dies of the virus, and send these frozen samples, with a basic patient profile for each, to a central repository, for future AI-based research into whether certain genetic traits increase vulnerability relative to others with few or no symptoms. (There are increasing indications that the severity of effects are not just age, or dose, or underlying health condition related.)

Any other constructive ideas?

[BR14]

wear a tinfoil hat at all times, whilst whistling 'la marseillaise' loudly.

[Old Greg]

If you were a policy wonk in Downing Street say, what practical policies might you suggest to ameliorate this virus outbreak and help mitigate or prevent future ones?

Obviously the more interesting ideas would be those not already obvious, such as "Set up a vast warehouse full of millions of virus grade masks and ventilators".

My two for today would be :

* Buy up small bottles of alcohol/gel based hand sanitisers and ask petrol stations to give one to each customer (If these help kill viruses - I'd concede they wouldn't be much use if they only kill bacteria.)

* Take blood samples of each person who is seriously ill or dies of the virus, and send these frozen samples, with a basic patient profile for each, to a central repository, for future AI-based research into whether certain genetic traits increase vulnerability relative to others with few or no symptoms. (There are increasing indications that the severity of effects are not just age, or dose, or underlying health condition related.)

Any other constructive ideas?

Iron lungs.

[scooterscot]

In a word, testing. How can you respond to something without knowing where to strike?

Above all, our absent collaboration with our neighbours is sickening. UK missed three chances to join EU scheme to bulk-buy PPE

Matt Hancock says NHS staff death toll at 19 amid PPE row

[ravenshaw]

Any other constructive ideas?

A stable genius as a leader?

[vetran]

Close the airports earlier, only UK residents in & 14 days quarantine from arrival in the airport hotels.

There were early hints that tests, PPE & ventilators were needed we should have been organising those.

Managing care home response. better.

Mobilising the response earlier with isolation wardens not Police.

Organising home delivery with proper precautions so less risk at supermarkets etc plus sharing the sales so amazon etc just become monopolies.

Encouraging home working sooner and widen jobs covered. Automation / non person interfaces.

[AtW]

Very large testing capacity ready to roll with 24 hour notice
PPE with option to roll out quick local manufacturing
App for tracing - everybody in country should have already had it installed (or have no mobile services)
Plan for large scale essential deliveries street by street to prevent hotspots in shopping
Getting everybody to subtmit tax return to know what level of support should be provided bqck

All of the wbove is fooking obvious stuff, cheap to do.

[darmstadt]

Nuke China and blame it on the USA

[BrilloPad]

People like this need to be told to get a grip: -

Coronavirus: IVF treatment delays 'soul destroying' - BBC News

IVF should have been banned ages ago - planet over-populated as it is. At the moment many people are losing loved ones and others have barely enough money for food.

Do people have no consideration for anyone other than themselves?

[BrilloPad]

We should have killed Ozzy on January 20th, 1982. That would have stopped COVID in its tracks...