You know,, you possibly could be onto something here.
I have totally dismissed herd immunity as any kind of viable strategy because to achieve the necessary density of infections across the entire population would mean 40m+ infected and the NHS totally overwhelmed and countless thousands of needless deaths due to lack of capacity.
However what I had not considered was the possibility of herd immunity only in certain sectors. Or even allowing 100% infection rates across certain sectors.
Now consider this: The overall death rate from COVID-19 is perhaps somewhere around the 1% mark. Of course the headline rate is much higher but we all know now that many, many more people are infected and not included in the figures. And the 1% is across all age groups and all levels of fitness and health. The rates amongst the young are much much lower. Like 0.2% of headline figures and even lower as a percentage of all infections. Let's say it's 0.1% for those under 60 fit and healthy. Still a shocking figure if 40m people get it.
But what about just across NHS workers? I don't know how many front line staff work in the NHS but let's guess at 500,000. Even if we allowed all of them to get infected, that might mean fewer than 500 deaths. Possibly far fewer than that. The NHS would continue to function pretty much as normal if it lost say 500 staff.
Of course the government could never admit that this was part of the thinking. But I am wondering. It seems incredible that we should have been prepared to spend hundreds of billions on bailing out people and businesses, build new hospitals in less than a fortnight, coordinate manufacturing of moderately complex ventilator equipment. Yet sfter many weeks, we still cannot supply enough face makes and plastic aprons. It really does make me wonder if something else is going on.
A bit conspiracy theory I know...
No stay away should have rung the police it may not sit well but they are idiots.My next door neighbour (single thirty year old bloke living in a pretty big house) had a few people round last night for a party, could hear them in his back garden til about two in the morning.
Normally, I’m angry anyway due to how loud they are. Last night and today I was and still am absolutely livid though, I can’t believe anyone is doing that.
I’m now sat wondering whether to go round and have a go at him or to keep practicing social distancing and spend the day sitting in my back garden and throwing eggs at his house...
No, in my daughters hospital the rules are very strict, the hospital is virtually split in 2,red zones and green zones, all staff rotation has stopped, she was due to another department rotate this month. No ppe clothing or equipment leaves the covid areas. Contamination amongst staff will no doubt happen but it’s no way any sort of policy, and measures are taken to avoid at all costs.
No stay away should have rung the police it may not sit well but they are idiots.
If you make the call its up to them if they respondI was wondering whether to do that or not. Didn’t know whether the police would appreciate the call or not though (as in, have they got the time and resource to deal with it, particularly if everyone’s doing it)
Yes, I would have hoped it was common practice. Sorry to hear it isn’t. Though from yesterday’s news it does sound like the midlands are under particular pressure. But keeping staff safe and well is crucial to handling these pressures. Hope your sister stays safe.Then your daughter is extremely lucky she works under a trust where ‘they’re on it’ as my sister would say.
She, unfortunately, is a nurse in the midlands, where they are not. She has challenged her ward sister about the lack of PPE and the cross over of infections but no one is doing anything about it.
Suffice to say, I am worried about her safety.
Not necessarily. It may work, but will it kill the patient (the economy)?Really interested in Spain and Italy figures today , another decrease and it will really prove lockdown works.
And that’s why this virus will continue to spread because of complete morons. Should have called the policeMy next door neighbour (single thirty year old bloke living in a pretty big house) had a few people round last night for a party, could hear them in his back garden til about two in the morning.
Normally, I’m angry anyway due to how loud they are. Last night and today I was and still am absolutely livid though, I can’t believe anyone is doing that.
I’m now sat wondering whether to go round and have a go at him or to keep practicing social distancing and spend the day sitting in my back garden and throwing eggs at his house...