Re: Specchums and the coronavirus.
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 4:51 pm
I'm sure I've seen you on https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-infor ... ost-wanted [mention]R-Tape[/mention]
The community forum for all Sinclair users
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/forums/
If it wouldn't sound cynically, I'd say, thanks for having been our test area. Data from Italy suggests that not getting infected is a real lifesaver. https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/5-75 i.e. the hypothesis, that only those die who are so old and sick, that they would have died soon anyway does not seem to be entirely correct.Alessandro wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 2:19 pm Lockdown is becoming less strict here but the general impression is still this one...
Gloves too? I didn't realise. Any kind of glove? Was there any debate over whether masks were useful or not? In the UK we're procrastinating on this, to say the least.Alessandro wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 4:48 pmYou cannot enter public places - shops, supermarkets, offices etc. - without masks and gloves here, so yes, although not all of the time, for example not when I am driving.
I finished my last contract just before Xmas, and I usually have several months off between jobs anyway until the next tempting one comes up... But now I'm wondering if I'm going to find work this year.dfzx wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 9:20 am Would anyone else care to admit they're doing fine under lockdown? It's not really affected me, and I'm enjoying not having to commute. I feel rather guilty mentioning it though, given the enormous amount of misery and suffering almost everyone else is enduring.
Not many Easter eggs left, but I liberated a couple of posh chocolate bunnies.
I would like one, but I've no idea where to get one from.R-Tape wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 4:03 pm Is anyone wearing a mask when out? In case it becomes recommended advice, I got some made up by the local fabric shop. The elastic's a bit tight, so it gives me goblin ears. It makes my specs steam up as well, but there are ways to ameliorate that.
This'll put the staff at Sainsburies at ease...
Aah you'll be able to find one: every city, town and village in the UK has these crochet fiends. Under normal circumstances they're making bloody cute tea coseys or whatever. Time for them to stand up and be counted!
"Hi, I'd like to join Ninja School."I might just do this next week.
Plastic disposable gloves of course. However they are really mandatory in supermarkets and shops only; today I went out to buy some bread, and at the bakery there was no need to wear them - moreover, I did not feel like wasting a pair of gloves just for that.
Here the plastic disposable gloves are mandatory in the supermarket, they give you a couple (free) every time you enter, and there are hand-sanitizer dispensers at the entrance that you must use before entering. Masks at the moment are not mandatory, there has been much debate about that, although most people use them, it seems the typical photo of Japanese tourists.Alessandro wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 10:38 pmPlastic disposable gloves of course. However they are really mandatory in supermarkets and shops only; today I went out to buy some bread, and at the bakery there was no need to wear them - moreover, I did not feel like wasting a pair of gloves just for that.
Not "of course" at all! You might be surprised how distant the UK is away from your mode of thinking, whether we should be or not. You may still get a curious glance if you're wearing a mask (Fred or no Fred).Alessandro wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 10:38 pm Plastic disposable gloves of course. However they are really mandatory in supermarkets and shops only; today I went out to buy some bread, and at the bakery there was no need to wear them - moreover, I did not feel like wasting a pair of gloves just for that.
The UK government has been pushing the idea that "the science isn't clear" on masks. I can understand it, because we're stubborn buggers and it might be culturally perturbing, and there were concerns that it would make it harder for key-workers to get them if everyone bought them. However, I think when we start to reduce the restrictions, they'll have to find a way to backtrack and say that many of us should wear masks. And they'll be fighting a rearguard battle too, as various parts of the media start shouting from their lofty positions of hindsight.Masks, on the other hand, are pretty much ubiquitous. You will be refused entry almost everywhere if you do not wear one. Local administrations are distributing them to families that include elderly and ill people, in difficult social conditions etc. You can also find them at pharmacies now, although for the first weeks of lockdown they were either impossible to find, or sold at highly inflated prices.
Interesting. In the UK we haven't even started talking about gloves yet, but it sounds like we're in a similar position to Spain over masks. It is common to see hand-sanitiser though.+3code wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 11:51 pm Here the plastic disposable gloves are mandatory in the supermarket, they give you a couple (free) every time you enter, and there are hand-sanitizer dispensers at the entrance that you must use before entering. Masks at the moment are not mandatory, there has been much debate about that, although most people use them, it seems the typical photo of Japanese tourists.
This was a really nice snapshot into the world of someone having to 'properly' work at the moment. That doesn't include me, but I was particularly tickled by the quote above. When this all kicked off, I somehow managed to wrestle a delivery slot out of Tesco for my Ma, and right at the top of her list was suet for feeding the bleeding birds! She must have the best fed starlings in the world!
The trouble with masks is that you really should have to define which category is being debated over. Simple cloth masks, and simple breathable fabric masks are not effective at preventing the wearer from breathing in virus particles. These virus particles are extremely tiny. They are far too small to be caught by such masks. However, they may reduce the amount of water droplets (which may contain virus particles) that a human produces from their mouth and nose. Or reduce the velocity of the water droplets (and hence the distance traveled).R-Tape wrote: ↑Fri May 01, 2020 12:01 am The UK government has been pushing the idea that "the science isn't clear" on masks. I can understand it, because we're stubborn buggers and it might be culturally perturbing, and there were concerns that it would make it harder for key-workers to get them if everyone bought them. However, I think when we start to reduce the restrictions, they'll have to find a way to backtrack and say that many of us should wear masks. And they'll be fighting a rearguard battle too, as various parts of the media start shouting from their lofty positions of hindsight.
People don't seem to quite get the gloves thing. My postman has been wearing blue gloves for a couple of weeks now. He gets in his van, drives to my neighbour, takes them their post, gets back in the van, rubs his eyes, drives to me, finds my post, drops it in my postbox, scratches his ear, gets back in his van...
There's also the psychological message, saying to people you recognise there's an issue and you're making an effort to help keep people safe. This point was mentioned in one of the Downing Street briefings this week.
You get the same thing in takeaways. They wear gloves to handle the food, then the same person takes your money whilst still wearing the gloves.dfzx wrote: ↑Fri May 01, 2020 9:55 amPeople don't seem to quite get the gloves thing. My postman has been wearing blue gloves for a couple of weeks now. He gets in his van, drives to my neighbour, takes them their post, gets back in the van, rubs his eyes, drives to me, finds my post, drops it in my postbox, scratches his ear, gets back in his van...
I'm not sure what he thinks the gloves are achieving.
That's right, but if you wear a mask, what is the point in restricting yourself to one which doesn't increase your protection? See https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/179 ... ses-tb.pdf
Agreed, but the issue is where are these going to come from if we allegedly don't have enough for NHS and carers.
How about you can't get access to a high efficiency mask because they're not in stock, and when they do come into stock they are £150 each, and you don't have that amount of money left in the bank.1bvl109 wrote: ↑Fri May 01, 2020 10:33 am
Of course there can be valid reason, e.g.
- You don't have access to a high efficiency mask e.g. you can't afford it
Now reason one should not be a real reason at all in any developed country in my opinion.
- You have some medical condition, which makes it impossible to use them, e.g. it might be to hard, to breath through them
Both of which gets back to the following counter arguments:1bvl109 wrote: ↑Fri May 01, 2020 10:33 amThat's right, but if you wear a mask, what is the point in restricting yourself to one which doesn't increase your protection? See https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/179 ... ses-tb.pdf
Of course there can be valid reason, e.g.
- You don't have access to a high efficiency mask e.g. you can't afford it
Now reason one should not be a real reason at all in any developed country in my opinion.
- You have some medical condition, which makes it impossible to use them, e.g. it might be to hard, to breath through them
And that’s another problem. If a mask is uncomfortable to wear, people will either keep fiddling with it, or keep removing it and then putting the same one back on. Both activities could result in transferring virus to your mouth, nose or eyes.