COVID-19 — Coronavirus

[sir baconface]

Some brought people in from the EU before flights were cancelled and are paying them even though there's no picking till May. These are their regular seasonal workers who don't need training. "Pick for Britain" will have thousands of Brits turning up but growers are frankly expecting many will be given three weeks training (some dangerous machinery involved in some work) then give up after the first week; they can't afford that, hence the preference for bringing in the foreign workers they trust.

It’s a tricky one.

Contrary to popular opinion, fruit farmers do (I understand) generally observe UK minimum wage law, albeit via piece work rather than fixed hourly rates. However, they always claim Brit workers won’t do the hard graft and have therefore given up trying to recruit locally.

Like most people, farmers follow the lines of least resistance if allowed. Over the years they’ve become adept at importing EU labour, recruited through foreign agencies. It’s easy and effective. Political and social implications are not their concern.

With Brexit, it is still to be determined whether they would gain exemptions for seasonal workers and therefore be able to carry on more or less as usual. Or, alternatively, whether they would be forced to look harder for local solutions.

CV has come along and upset the apple cart, if you’ll pardon the pun.

Transporting labour in from overseas won’t sit easily with a lot of people. Despite what you say, it’s not highly skilled work requiring much training. However it is back-breaking and you don’t last long if you can’t keep up the pace.

 

[Gabriel]

Just cane into the lounge as the radio was saying something about the WHO saying there’s no evidence of people that recover having immunity. Or at least that’s what I think it said.

That wouldn’t be very good and would mean there won’t be a vaccine. Someone please tell me I misheard.

Think that this might be the report to which you mention:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52335210

 

[Mon Autre]

I didn't.

I explained why it isn't a great idea right now and I've given my reasons as to why my binmen dont deserve a tip.

Each to their own though its a free country.

No you've given a reason as to why you don't want to give your binmen a tip. It's not something I'm doing either, but given they're being asked to work when the rest of us are being told it's unsafe to do so suggests they are going above the normal course of duty. So its not a completely ridiculous thing for the OP to want to do

You responded to a post where he had defended himself from being told to piss off by sticking the boot into him a little bit more and signed off with a sarcastic "great idea."

 

[Vic]

Nice bit of Brit bashing there. Your words not theirs, I guess. Sounds like they're missing a trick not getting local talent trained up at this time. Especially as there may well be an abundance of skilled manpower out of work for sometime to come.

Theirs. From past experience.

 

[Return of the Mac]

Binmen are a real essential service at the moment - anyone know the best way to go about giving them a tip ? Doesn’t seem any real nationwide appeal to do this - was thinking just running out with fiver/tenner when I see them coming round. But not sure what the etiquette is.

We have gave our binmen a good tip along with the postman as well. Its to show our appreciation, people would soon start complaining if they had to stop work, each to their own but we feel they meritted a sign of our appreciation.

 

[Manc in London]

Just cane into the lounge as the radio was saying something about the WHO saying there’s no evidence of people that recover having immunity. Or at least that’s what I think it said.

That wouldn’t be very good and would mean there won’t be a vaccine. Someone please tell me I misheard.

I just came across something that suggests those who were asymptomatic, based on tests indicating they had contracted Covid-19, did not develop antibodies specific to the virus. Instead, their immune system simply dealt with the infection. Thus, they could become infected again.

Maybe this is what the news item you had heard was referring to.

 

[Nightmare Walking]

I just came across something that suggests those who were asymptomatic, based on tests indicating they had contracted Covid-19, did not develop antibodies specific to the virus. Instead, their immune system simply dealt with the infection. Thus, they could become infected again.

Maybe this is what the news item you had heard was referring to.

I seen something similar mate. Was it the white blood cells fought the virus off, so the immune system did not need antibodies? I am sure there were antibodies though in older aged and vulnerable people as their immune systems had to try and tackle it.

 

[Blue Hefner]

No you've given a reason as to why you don't want to give your binmen a tip. It's not something I'm doing either, but given they're being asked to work when the rest of us are being told it's unsafe to do so suggests they are going above the normal course of duty. So its not a completely ridiculous thing for the OP to want to do

You responded to a post where he had defended himself from being told to piss off by sticking the boot into him a little bit more and signed off with a sarcastic "great idea."

In addition, I bet the bin men are working extra hours/days because of a lack of staff wether through child care issues, colleagues off sick etc

On a separate note, given the bin men are over stretched, I wish they’d open the tip

 

[BlueAnorak]

It's starting to look like the NHS distribution chain has partnered with Yodel rather than the British army or Amazon. What a fucking shambles.
Shared Business Services restructured 2.5 years ago and got rid of a third of it's staff. It was then struggling without a crisis. Good move.

 

[doobyedoobye]

What is the current evidence for animal reservoirs where it will re-emerge from?