Corona Virus

[The Quick Brown Fox]

1 hour ago, bovril said:

Everything is political though, there's no escaping it. If you can't politicise governments' responses to public health crises then you can't politicise anything.

The trouble with politicising anything is, you will never know how anyone else would have handled it, all good and well saying "we should have or would have done this and that" until they're in the same position it's a pointless argument. 

[The Quick Brown Fox]

49 minutes ago, Parafox said:

Thank you.

I hope people on here don't think I've posted for glory points or likes. I didn't. I just needed to offload and put it into words, which has helped me think about that job. That helps my coping mechanism. To all that have responded, I thank you. Stay safe and stay home. 

Sounds like you've had a proper shitty few weeks. I hope your life can get back to normal with daft pissheads that have fallen over rather than this hell that we are currently going through.

 

Keep up the good work pal, when we finally get back to the KP I'd like to be the first to buy you a beer!! 

 

 

[Jimothy]

10 minutes ago, browniefox said:

The trouble with politicising anything is, you will never know how anyone else would have handled it, all good and well saying "we should have or would have done this and that" until they're in the same position it's a pointless argument. 

Is criticising the government politicising it though, or is it just criticising the government?Just because I didn't vote for the current government doesn't mean every criticism I have of them, or any for that matter, is based purely on the fact I didn't want them to govern. Sometimes people criticise the government because they genuinely think they have done a poor job.

[ScouseFox]

is "massively obese" not an underlying health issue? or at least surely something that causes a fu ck load of underlying health issues even if they've not been diagnosed yet? 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

Do people think that the health of the general population may get slightly better after this? People seeing the benefits of daily exercise and the vastly increased fatality rates for overweight people/smokers etc may see a slight shift in people's mentality maybe?

[Jimothy]

3 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

Do people think that the health of the general population may get slightly better after this? People seeing the benefits of daily exercise and the vastly increased fatality rates for overweight people/smokers etc may see a slight shift in people's mentality maybe?

Hmmm I've been trying to encourage my mum to walk more over the years, more so since this kicked off and shes off work. She always makes a bullshit excuse, it's like talking to a brick wall. Some it might, some are past changing.

[stix]

2 hours ago, Parafox said:

I've had my fair share of potential Covid jobs over the last couple of weeks but today I went to my first death in the community which was more than likely Covid related.

47 yr old chap with a disabled wife in her 40's who was totally dependent on him as her carer. He had no underlying health concerns although he was massively obese. He'd had a dry cough for 2 weeks, self isolated along with his wife. He went to the kitchen, and collapsed.

I'm first on scene, I go in with mask, gloves and apron and start chest compressions while the crew backing me up arrive a minute or so later. It takes them a good 3-4 mins to put on their full PPE; respirator hood, full coveralls and gloves, they then take over. I help out with trying to get IV access and getting the things they need for resus. IV access fails due mainly to the guy's size, the veins are buried under fatty tissue. So we try a  bone injection gun, which is a small drill to which we attach a needle and drill into the bone at an appropriate place. This also fails. We are unable to give any drugs we normally would in this situation. His airway is rubbish, he's throwing up mucus with every chest compression I did before the crew got in there so he was then intubated. CPR is as effective as possible given that he is lying in a very small kitchen with a lot of stuff and things getting in the way. We're having to stand over him and swap places to do any decent CPR. After 30 mins of trying it's decided there is no more we can do. He's been down and flatlined for 45 mins now and we can't get any kind of cardiac output. We stop.

I've already prepared his poor wife for the likely outcome but even so, she is distraught. Panicking. She needs him to be able to manage her daily life. What does she do now? Her dad was there, in his 70's to try to be there for her even though it was putting him at risk. You would, wouldn't you? 

I sat here before them, as she broke down. Scared, not knowing how she'd manage without her husband of only 6 years. She can't believe he's gone. She blames herself for not being able to help him because she was unable to due to her disability.

Quietly, we take our kit and paraphernalia off him and out of the house. We cover him with a blanket and ask his wife if she'd like to say goodbye. She declines. She wants to remember him as he was, not as he is now. I don't blame her.

We do all the necessary formal things we have to do at any death in the community. Then we sit and talk with his wife and her dad and try to explain that we did all we could. She has a learning disability. It's a massive blow to her. Her rock has gone.

I leave the crew in the house to do what they have to do and go back to my car.

I want to cry. For her. 

 

 

For fcuk sakes mate. I just wanna give you a hug. You really are one of many heroes who, whether really appropriate, or relevant, are a true inspiration to every single one of us mere mortals who go day to day, doing things that, to us, matter a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, mean absolutely fcuk all. 
 

 

I salute you Parafox. Keep doing what you do. You really are one of our true heroes. 

[Spudulike]

1 hour ago, Parafox said:

Thank you.

I hope people on here don't think I've posted for glory points or likes. I didn't. I just needed to offload and put it into words, which has helped me think about that job. That helps my coping mechanism. To all that have responded, I thank you. Stay safe and stay home. 

Thank you, Parafox. 

[Heathrow fox]

10 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

Do people think that the health of the general population may get slightly better after this? People seeing the benefits of daily exercise and the vastly increased fatality rates for overweight people/smokers etc may see a slight shift in people's mentality maybe?

Sadly i doubt it.In fact I can imagine the mile long queues for McDonald’s on reopening day.Add the fact the economic impact of this.will make for long ball tactics regarding food shopping.

[Leicester_Loyal]

2 hours ago, Parafox said:

I've had my fair share of potential Covid jobs over the last couple of weeks but today I went to my first death in the community which was more than likely Covid related.

47 yr old chap with a disabled wife in her 40's who was totally dependent on him as her carer. He had no underlying health concerns although he was massively obese. He'd had a dry cough for 2 weeks, self isolated along with his wife. He went to the kitchen, and collapsed.

I'm first on scene, I go in with mask, gloves and apron and start chest compressions while the crew backing me up arrive a minute or so later. It takes them a good 3-4 mins to put on their full PPE; respirator hood, full coveralls and gloves, they then take over. I help out with trying to get IV access and getting the things they need for resus. IV access fails due mainly to the guy's size, the veins are buried under fatty tissue. So we try a  bone injection gun, which is a small drill to which we attach a needle and drill into the bone at an appropriate place. This also fails. We are unable to give any drugs we normally would in this situation. His airway is rubbish, he's throwing up mucus with every chest compression I did before the crew got in there so he was then intubated. CPR is as effective as possible given that he is lying in a very small kitchen with a lot of stuff and things getting in the way. We're having to stand over him and swap places to do any decent CPR. After 30 mins of trying it's decided there is no more we can do. He's been down and flatlined for 45 mins now and we can't get any kind of cardiac output. We stop.

I've already prepared his poor wife for the likely outcome but even so, she is distraught. Panicking. She needs him to be able to manage her daily life. What does she do now? Her dad was there, in his 70's to try to be there for her even though it was putting him at risk. You would, wouldn't you? 

I sat here before them, as she broke down. Scared, not knowing how she'd manage without her husband of only 6 years. She can't believe he's gone. She blames herself for not being able to help him because she was unable to due to her disability.

Quietly, we take our kit and paraphernalia off him and out of the house. We cover him with a blanket and ask his wife if she'd like to say goodbye. She declines. She wants to remember him as he was, not as he is now. I don't blame her.

We do all the necessary formal things we have to do at any death in the community. Then we sit and talk with his wife and her dad and try to explain that we did all we could. She has a learning disability. It's a massive blow to her. Her rock has gone.

I leave the crew in the house to do what they have to do and go back to my car.

I want to cry. For her. 

 

 

That's actually heartbreaking man. You did all you could, fair play to you for doing what you do.

[stix]

1 hour ago, ithuriel said:

Things like this need to be said otherwise there are peeps who just will not take in what is actually happening.

You see those video blogs from nursing staff with awful comments from idiots but if the message is put out there enough, maybe even they will get the idea.

You take care and stay safe.

I can’t rep this sentiment enough. 

[Guest Kopfkino]

21 minutes ago, Facecloth said:

Is criticising the government politicising it though, or is it just criticising the government?Just because I didn't vote for the current government doesn't mean every criticism I have of them, or any for that matter, is based purely on the fact I didn't want them to govern. Sometimes people criticise the government because they genuinely think they have done a poor job.

 

Its a bit difficult to believe that some of the more vociferous voices against the government aren't motivated, at least in part, by politics when they've hardly been covert in their criticism of almost everything about the PM or his party prior to the crisis. 

 

But Bovril is correct that it is innately political and thinking it shouldn't be politicised is naive whilst trying to deny being political seems to me pretty absurd as well. Everybody is guided by their pre existing prejudices so the extent of their political feelings is likely to influence their response to this. Take bmt (not to say anything bad of him, I enjoy reading his contributions) but it's hard to believe that the response of someone that says they 'hate' Boris hasn't been influenced by that feeling. Whether that's true, whether he even knows if that's true, doesn't really matter but that's how it appears. If the government was of the red variety, nobody would believe that Matt's inevitable deluge of criticism wouldn't be driven at least in part due to politics. 

 

There are many factors at play in determine someone's psychological response to government actions. But  very simply the ones most critical in this country of the herd immunity/lack of action response would be considered demographically similar to those in Sweden that support the actions of that government. As I say there's a heap of reasons why that might be but a possibility is that in this country they don't have their government of choice, in Sweden they do. 

 

Of course much of the criticism is likely valid whether its political or cold hard unbiased analysis. I'm not personally minded to be particularly critical because as long as they're working with the best intentions, I prefer to leave the criticism until after when there's the time to comb through it all to understand why different things happened and all the variables that affected actions can be considered properly, rather than emotive heat of the moment stuff. It is of no use harping on about not cancelling Cheltenham at the moment. Likewise, imo Femi's point has so little value it's a really weird thing to say. Questions should still be asked when key failings seemingly arise and the questions elicit a useful response (on PPE and testing). 

[Toddybad]

It's fairly clear the UK has made quite a few bad decisions in handling this crisis.

 

This piece by Reuters is quite well researched and appears to point the finger of blame for the tardiness of certain decisions at the scientific advisors.

 

https://nationalpost.com/pmn/health-pmn/johnson-listened-to-his-scientists-about-coronavirus-but-they-were-slow-to-sound-the-alarm-2/amp?__twitter_impression=true

 

[yorkie1999]

4 hours ago, bovril said:

This is ever so slightly absurd in my view. If Italy were two weeks ahead of us, we had two weeks to see exactly how this would play out. The idea that we waited til we were in their position when they locked down is mad, in my opinion, but it feels a bit like I'm banging my head against a wall. Italy made a huge mistake.

Every country has been too slow in locking down, why? . The only reason not to lock down was either they were hoping the virus wouldn’t travel to the next country , which is a fairly dim response considering globalisation or greed because of having to shut economies down, now we are at the excuse stage where every government is just talking shit to cover themselves. Their only response now is to baffle is with statistics on how many people have died from it, which shows that our world leaders are no more than reporters. Profit at the expense of the human race.

[yorkie1999]

1 hour ago, browniefox said:

The trouble with politicising anything is, you will never know how anyone else would have handled it, all good and well saying "we should have or would have done this and that" until they're in the same position it's a pointless argument. 

How do you think Nigel Pearson would have handled it?

[urban.spaceman]

3 hours ago, Parafox said:

I've had my fair share of potential Covid jobs over the last couple of weeks but today I went to my first death in the community which was more than likely Covid related.

47 yr old chap with a disabled wife in her 40's who was totally dependent on him as her carer. He had no underlying health concerns although he was massively obese. He'd had a dry cough for 2 weeks, self isolated along with his wife. He went to the kitchen, and collapsed.

I'm first on scene, I go in with mask, gloves and apron and start chest compressions while the crew backing me up arrive a minute or so later. It takes them a good 3-4 mins to put on their full PPE; respirator hood, full coveralls and gloves, they then take over. I help out with trying to get IV access and getting the things they need for resus. IV access fails due mainly to the guy's size, the veins are buried under fatty tissue. So we try a  bone injection gun, which is a small drill to which we attach a needle and drill into the bone at an appropriate place. This also fails. We are unable to give any drugs we normally would in this situation. His airway is rubbish, he's throwing up mucus with every chest compression I did before the crew got in there so he was then intubated. CPR is as effective as possible given that he is lying in a very small kitchen with a lot of stuff and things getting in the way. We're having to stand over him and swap places to do any decent CPR. After 30 mins of trying it's decided there is no more we can do. He's been down and flatlined for 45 mins now and we can't get any kind of cardiac output. We stop.

I've already prepared his poor wife for the likely outcome but even so, she is distraught. Panicking. She needs him to be able to manage her daily life. What does she do now? Her dad was there, in his 70's to try to be there for her even though it was putting him at risk. You would, wouldn't you? 

I sat here before them, as she broke down. Scared, not knowing how she'd manage without her husband of only 6 years. She can't believe he's gone. She blames herself for not being able to help him because she was unable to due to her disability.

Quietly, we take our kit and paraphernalia off him and out of the house. We cover him with a blanket and ask his wife if she'd like to say goodbye. She declines. She wants to remember him as he was, not as he is now. I don't blame her.

We do all the necessary formal things we have to do at any death in the community. Then we sit and talk with his wife and her dad and try to explain that we did all we could. She has a learning disability. It's a massive blow to her. Her rock has gone.

I leave the crew in the house to do what they have to do and go back to my car.

I want to cry. For her. 

I’m an emotional wreck just reading that. I can’t imagine having the strength have to do that it every single day. The service to the community from people like you is nothing short of heroic. Thank you.

[EastAnglianFox]

I have, like many been outside my front door the last last few weeks applauding the incredible job our NHS staff are doing on a hourly/daily/weekly basis but I'm ashamed to admit most of my thoughts seem to wander towards seeing which of my neighbours are participating and such

 

This coming Thursday, @Parafox I will be clapping and thinking of you and that incredible post you made earlier, I'm still thinking about it now tbh.

 

Thank you! 

[Guest Bilo]

7 hours ago, MattP said:

Has it? I've not seen a single one Maybe it's just Twitter again. They had Labour winning in December

 

Back on topic delighted Boris is good and hopefully we can start to flatten this curve soon, its hit me today how strange it all is as I usually see all family at this time.

She's gaining a rep as the next Diane Abbott after that car crash.

[Charl91]

57 minutes ago, EastAnglianFox said:

I have, like many been outside my front door the last last few weeks applauding the incredible job our NHS staff are doing on a hourly/daily/weekly basis but I'm ashamed to admit most of my thoughts during that time are spent towards seeing which of my neighbours are participating or not. 

Why?

[EastAnglianFox]

8 minutes ago, Charl91 said:

Why?

It's unintentional and I possibly worded that wrong. I just meant my mind can wander from what it should be thinking about at that moment 

[oakman]

Genuine question; I keep on seeing reports of people dying ‘with’ Coronavirus, do these qualify as people dying ‘of’ Coronavirus in the daily Govt. numbers?

[Jattdogg]

3 hours ago, Parafox said:

Thank you.

I hope people on here don't think I've posted for glory points or likes. I didn't. I just needed to offload and put it into words, which has helped me think about that job. That helps my coping mechanism. To all that have responded, I thank you. Stay safe and stay home. 

As other have said,  a massive thank you to yourself and your colleagues who deal with the front lines of some horrible situations. Without you all in our times of need we are nothing. I know its tough out there for you and if by talking here helps then feel free to speak your mind.  Im sure we all are willing to lend an ear if you ever need to chat etc.

 

Take good care of yourself (as best as you can), we need every day heroes like you today and always.  The same can be said for any others on here who work the front lines.

 

[Guest Electric Yetis]

Can't remember the last time I had a drink of alcohol but tonight I got pissed with several cans of Heineken my boss bought me that had sat untouched since Christmas.

Now sitting in my garden with my headphones in taking in the fresh air. 

Feels kind of peaceful but also makes me feel pretty down. I had to drop off some more supplies for my parents earlier and it's doing my head in not being able just to go in and have a cuppa with them, also not seen my sister and nephews for over 2 months as many of you wouldn't have also seen your relatives.

Needed to fill up with petrol on the way home and felt guilty being there.

 

The world is so strange right now.

 

Big respect to @Parafox, don't know how you do it.

[brucey]

16 minutes ago, oakman said:

Genuine question; I keep on seeing reports of people dying ‘with’ Coronavirus, do these qualify as people dying ‘of’ Coronavirus in the daily Govt. numbers?

I think the daily numbers only include the numbers dying with coronavirus in hospital.

 

So it includes everyone dying of coronavirus in hospital, and everyone dying of something else in hospital but happen to also have coronavirus. 

 

And everyone dying of, or dying with, coronavirus outside hospital are not included. 

[Parafox]

29 minutes ago, Jattdogg said:

As other have said,  a massive thank you to yourself and your colleagues who deal with the front lines of some horrible situations. Without you all in our times of need we are nothing. I know its tough out there for you and if by talking here helps then feel free to speak your mind.  Im sure we all are willing to lend an ear if you ever need to chat etc.

 

Take good care of yourself (as best as you can), we need every day heroes like you today and always.  The same can be said for any others on here who work the front lines.

 

Totally agree. There are so many others that go unrecognised that are doing so much in the face of real risk. It's our job. We won't let you down.