New coronavirus in/from China

[stumuz1]

However, the economic shock is incredible. I don't think we'll ever pump as much oil again for example. The virus *may* become endemic in some poorer parts of the world where the luxury of lock down / self-isolation isn't available. This seriously diminishes the viability of globalisation. The world has changed - BUT, remember, we all knew the current situation was unsustainable. We just weren't clear on the mechanism and timing of the rupture. Now we know, viral pandemic in 2020. Hardly a surprise as it's been sitting atop National Risk Registers for years.

Agree. Things will never be the same again. A new normal will emerge, but globalisation is finished, and with it, trillions in investments by corporations.

But, wars, plaques, and pandemics have tend to level up those at the bottom of the status and earnings pile. as low status groups become essential to the war effort or the key worker effort (Soldiers, Tesco driver's, delivery person, fruit pickers etc). The result is that public policy changes in their favour.

N.B. Good article on how the old economy is never coming back.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/04/09/un ... ming-back/

[Catweazle]

This article is a bit worrying - possibly herd immunity might not be very effective.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/coronavi ... spartanntp

[adam2]

I doubt that globalisation will be finished.
There will be a short term reluctance to rely on just in time deliveries from distant lands. Perhaps increasing stocks of important imports.

After a few years the lessons learned will be forgotten, and the pre-virus ways will return until next time.

[Vortex2]

I doubt that globalisation will be finished.
There will be a short term reluctance to rely on just in time deliveries from distant lands. Perhaps increasing stocks of important imports.

After a few years the lessons learned will be forgotten, and the pre-virus ways will return until next time.

Legally mandated second source arrangements plus requirements for buffers stocks might allow a restart of globalisation.

[Mean Mr Mustard II]

http://www.healthdata.org/covid/updates

[fuzzy]

I doubt that globalisation will be finished.
There will be a short term reluctance to rely on just in time deliveries from distant lands. Perhaps increasing stocks of important imports.

After a few years the lessons learned will be forgotten, and the pre-virus ways will return until next time.

Legally mandated second source arrangements plus requirements for buffers stocks might allow a restart of globalisation.

Legally mandated shell company transparency, corporate tax on turnover, banning of secret trusts, gov lobbying etc, might allow us to permanently destroy multinational corporations - the major source of corruption.

[Vortex2]

http://www.healthdata.org/covid/updates

Hmm ... they allow themselves very wide error bars there ... they have almost zero chance of being incorrect!

[vtsnowedin]

I would modify patent law to require patent holders of drugs and other essential products to manufacture sufficient supplies of the product inside the USA to keep the patent.
I would also outlaw short selling of stocks. With electronic trading today there is no need of the time lag between sale and delivery which allows the WE ARE DODGY aspect of short selling.

[Vortex2]

I would modify patent law to require patent holders of drugs and other essential products to manufacture sufficient supplies of the product inside the USA to keep the patent.
I would also outlaw short selling of stocks. With electronic trading today there is no need of the time lag between sale and delivery which allows the WE ARE DODGY aspect of short selling.

The automated trading is so fast nowadays that it's worth moving whole offices just to gain a few microseconds of time advantage by avoiding delays in the comms cables.

[Vortex2]

Have you changed your career plans etc as a result if this pandemic?

I have found it's really great to spend tons of time at home, so I'll try to close my main office and work from home after all this.

I may even change career.

How about you? Are you aiming to return to your Business As Usual?

[Vortex2]

Total UK deaths now at 9,875

[Vortex2]

Official HMG data for 11 April

As of 9am on 11 April, 334,974 tests have concluded across the UK, with 18,091 tests carried out on 10 April.

269,598 people have been tested, of whom 78,991 tested positive.

As of 5pm on 10 April, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 9,875 have died.

So 10k deaths in a day or so, and 100k cases in 3 days or so.

[kenneal - lagger]

Another interesting article from the Daily Kos on the use of copper in hospitals, and anywhere else for that matter, to limit the spread of infections as copper and copper alloys kill off bacteria, yeasts and viruses. As they say, it would be a low cost option compared with the cost of the illnesses caused in hospitals and the prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

I will have to go round the house and sand the lacquer off all our modern brass handles. The loo door luckily has an old brass handle with any lacquer well worn away.

This is a good reason to stay with copper water supply piping rather than go over to plastic.

[Vortex2]

From the Guardian reporting on today's HMG briefing:

Patel, when pressed to apologise to NHS workers over a lack of personal protective equipment, couldn’t quite do it. She said:

I’m sorry if people feel that there have been failings.

After being asked twice if she would apologise to NHS staff and their families over the lack of “necessary PPE� that has been linked to NHS workers becoming infected and dying, she said:

I’ve been very clear in what I have said and I’m sorry that people feel that way.

The politicians realise that the PPE debacle is going to be less than career enhancing. First Hancock and now Patel are trying to cover their backsides.

[fuzzy]

The Coronavirus timescale is post brexit with new people in charge. They personally are off the hook. You could just as easily blame all the remainers who wasted 3 years misdirecting effort. I gather Hunt ran the show when there was a pandemic wargame.