England tiptoes out of lockdown as economy dives

[snoop1130]

England tiptoes out of lockdown as economy dives

By Alistair Smout and Ben Makori

 

Commuters, some wearing masks are seen at a London Underground station, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, May 13, 2020. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

 

LONDON (Reuters) - England tentatively began easing its coronavirus lockdown on Wednesday, with some people who cannot do their jobs at home urged to return to work, as stark economic data showed the disastrous impact of the pandemic.

 

The worst-hit country in Europe with more than 40,000 deaths from COVID-19 according to official data, Britain has been in extensive lockdown since March 23. As of Wednesday morning, people in manufacturing and certain other sectors were being asked to return to work if they could.

 

GDP data on Wednesday showed the economy shrank by a record 5.8% in March from February, and the April data is likely to be even worse as the country was under lockdown for the entire month.

 

"We are seeing one (quarter of GDP contraction) here with only a few days of impact from the virus so it is now, yes, very likely that the UK economy will face a significant recession this year and we are in the middle of that as we speak," finance minister Rishi Sunak said.

 

The government is loosening restrictions only gradually, for fear of triggering a second peak of infections. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has described the process as a "supremely difficult" balancing act.

 

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which have semi-autonomous governments, are sticking with a "stay at home" message for now, leaving England, the most populous UK nation, to take the lead in sending some people back to work.

 

In London, commuter trains appeared busier than in past weeks, though still very far from pre-pandemic overcrowding. Many people wore face masks, and made noticeable efforts to observe distancing.

 

At Stratford, a usually busy hub in east London, a one-way system for entering and exiting the station was in place, with loudspeakers telling passengers on where to walk.

 

Road traffic into the city was steady, though also well below traditional rush hour levels. Digital information panels said: "Stay home, essential travel only, save lives".

 

'STAY ALERT'

 

Mayor Sadiq Khan posted a message on Twitter to tell Londoners not much had changed.

 

"Lockdown has not been lifted. Please keep social distancing and stay at home as much as possible," he wrote. "If you have to make an essential journey by public transport, wear a non-medical face covering to protect others."

 

The government has faced a barrage of criticism that its new guidance - "stay alert, control the virus, save lives" - was confusing and that people were being given mixed messages about how safe it was to have contact with others.

 

Appearing on Sky News TV, transport minister Grant Shapps was asked why estate agents were being allowed to resume house viewings when people could not have relatives to visit.

 

"The truth of the matter is, you have to start somewhere. The lockdown message was very straightforward - it was just stay at home. Now as we start to unlock, of course, there have to be decisions made," Shapps said.

 

"There is no perfect way of doing this, and we'd ask people to use their common sense ... Right now, there has to be a cut-off somewhere."

 

Workers were being advised to avoid public transport if possible, and schools remained closed, prompting questions about how parents and people who could not get to work by other means should apply the new guidance.

 

Employers faced the daunting task of creating safe environments for staff, with detailed guidance on one-way systems at entry and exit points and in stairwells, spacing out workstations and other minutiae.

 

For those working from home or unable to work, there was little change. People were now allowed out to exercise more than once a day, and two people from separate households were allowed to meet outdoors if they kept 2 metres apart.

 

Fines for transgressions have been increased.

 

Anyone hoping to alleviate the tedium by planning a summer holiday would be taking a risk, Shapps told the BBC.

 

"Right now you can't travel abroad. If you are booking it then you are clearly, by the very nature, taking a chance on where the direction of this virus goes and therefore where the travel advice is in the future," he said.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-13

 

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[Justgrazing]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

The government is loosening restrictions only gradually, for fear of triggering a second peak of infections. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has described the process as a "supremely difficult" balancing act

Given how they've handled it so far I wouldn't rule out a 2nd outbreak .. 

Edited May 13, 2020 by Justgrazing
Sp

[baansgr]

9 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

Given how they've handled it so far I wouldn't rule out a 2nd outbreak .. 

Still have 15,000 arriving everyday in the UK from all over the world without any restrictions whatsoever....14 day self isolating will be required SOON though..

[tribalfusion001]

23 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

Given how they've handled it so far I wouldn't rule out a 2nd outbreak .. 

You have to make your own risk assessment and it's 0.2% mortality rate. UK government cannot afford another lock down, everybody has a choice, work your job or don't have any money.

[Yinn]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Mayor Sadiq Khan posted a message on Twitter to tell Londoners not much had changed.

 

"If you have to make an essential journey by public transport, wear a non-medical face covering to protect others."

Good idea.

[4MyEgo]

Things are going to get really ugly for a lot of economies, regardless of them restarting asap, the damage has already been done and the culprit is NOT going away soon, a bit like a bad flu to a human worker with a weak immune system who keeps getting sick and has run out of sick leave, mortgage, car loans, etc, etc still have to be paid, people losing their jobs, where is the money going to come from to pay all the incoming bills, that spreading to businesses because people won't be spending the money they don't have and those credit cards from what I understand are maxed out in just about every country.

Edited May 13, 2020 by 4MyEgo

[nobodysfriend]

12 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

You have to make your own risk assessment and it's 0.2% mortality rate. UK government cannot afford another lock down, everybody has a choice, work your job or don't have any money.

How do you get this 0,2 % ?

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/

It is 6,9 % .

 

 United Kingdom

Coronavirus Cases:

229,705

Deaths:

33,186

 

Edited May 14, 2020 by nobodysfriend

[cornishcarlos]

16 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

How do you get this 0,2 % ?

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/

It is 6,9 % .

 

 United Kingdom

Coronavirus Cases:

229,705

Deaths:

33,186

 

 

How do you get 6.9% from those numbers ??

[twocatsmac]

13 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

Given how they've handled it so far I wouldn't rule out a 2nd outbreak .. 

The first outbreak hasn’t finished yet and that’s with severe restrictions on movement in place. 

A completely new bold strategy is required but that would involve admitting failure.

One suggestion is to completely isolate ONLY the vulnerable groups and let the rest get on with life.

[bert bloggs]

And how low will the pound sink?

[Canuck1966]

13 hours ago, baansgr said:

Still have 15,000 arriving everyday in the UK from all over the world without any restrictions whatsoever....14 day self isolating will be required SOON though..

There will be no vaccine so 80% of the population are going to have to get it before this fizzles out.

All the countries banning flights in or out are just delaying the inevitable

 

[Henryford]

46 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

How do you get this 0,2 % ?

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/

It is 6,9 % .

 

 United Kingdom

Coronavirus Cases:

229,705

Deaths:

33,186

 

You can't make any assessment about mortality rates because a) The British Government have added almost all deaths as Covid related and b) Only a fraction of the population (who may have Covid) has been tested.

[Canuck1966]

18 minutes ago, sandyf said:

If you are going to claim a lie has been printed, then you should be specific otherwise it may be you that is a stranger to the truth.

How much more specific do you want me to be?

GDP for the quarter was -2%

[nobodysfriend]

https://graphics.reuters.com/CHINA-HEALTH-MAP/0100B59S39E/index.html

 

 

At least 295,771 people globally have died from COVID-19 and 4,359,406 have been infected by the novel coronavirus that causes it, following an outbreak that started in Wuhan, China, in early December. The World Health Organization referred to it as a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

 

Active cases: 2,550,220 (58.50%)

People recovered: 1,513,415 (34.70%)

Deaths: 295,771 (6.80%)

 

 

 

 

Though the outbreak started in China, it has now reached 220 countries and territories. 182 of those have reported fatalities.

[sawadee1947]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

began easing its coronavirus lockdown

Following by piling up the dead bodies by mismanagement of BoJo ????

[Henryford]

295,771 may have died WITH Covid but no one will ever know how many died FROM Covid. Equally they will never know the number of infected unless they test the whole population. If the number of infected was say 35% 2.9 billion then the death rate is only 0.01%.

[Magenta408]

The average estimate of the number of people who have died of cold or cold related illness in the UK is in the order of 14,000-15,000 per year. Add to that the common flu, respiratory illness, pneumonia, etc. the number suddenly isn't as staggering as bloody Neil Ferguson would have had us believe. 

[sandyf]

5 hours ago, Canuck1966 said:

How much more specific do you want me to be?

GDP for the quarter was -2%

Now show me where in the article where it says the GDP for the quarter was not -2%, obviously you can't because it is not mentioned, only a monthly figure.

Get your facts right before claiming that lies are posted.

 

"GDP data on Wednesday showed the economy shrank by a record 5.8% in March from February, and the April data is likely to be even worse as the country was under lockdown for the entire month."

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, Magenta408 said:

The average estimate of the number of people who have died of cold or cold related illness in the UK is in the order of 14,000-15,000 per year. Add to that the common flu, respiratory illness, pneumonia, etc. the number suddenly isn't as staggering as bloody Neil Ferguson would have had us believe. 

So after a few weeks you think you have all the answers, maybe you should take your expertise to those that look like they need it.

 

Many of the children tested negative for infection with Covid-19 but have tested positive for antibodies which doctors believe suggests the syndrome is being caused by the effects of antibodies created after the virus has been defeated by the immune system.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/kawasaki-syndrome-children-coronavirus-infection-immune-system-disease-a9512246.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=INDNEWS%2314052020&utm_term=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP

 

 

New York has discovered 102 cases in children that show symptoms similar to the rare disease and are now looking to see if there is a connection with Covid-19.

“We have lost three children in New York because of this. A five-year-old boy, a seven-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl,” Mr Cuomo said. “These cases are all across the state, predominantly where the population is.”

He added that 14 other states and five European countries were also looking into the rare syndrome to see if there was a link to those symptoms and the novel virus.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-inflammatory-syndrome-children-cuomo-today-us-states-covid-19-a9512851.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=INDNEWS%2314052020&utm_term=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP

 

[Canuck1966]

26 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Now show me where in the article where it says the GDP for the quarter was not -2%, obviously you can't because it is not mentioned, only a monthly figure.

Get your facts right before claiming that lies are posted.

 

"GDP data on Wednesday showed the economy shrank by a record 5.8% in March from February, and the April data is likely to be even worse as the country was under lockdown for the entire month."

Wow you really are as ***** as *****

GDP is measured in quarters not months

The GDP for the FIRST quarter was - 2%

The monthly figures are irrelevant for this purpose

Is it velly velly hard for you to understand? 

[Baerboxer]

"Mayor Sadiq Khan posted a message on Twitter to tell Londoners not much had changed.

 

"Lockdown has not been lifted. Please keep social distancing and stay at home as much as possible," he wrote. "If you have to make an essential journey by public transport, wear a non-medical face covering to protect others."

 

Having previously assured London Transport workers they had absolutely nothing to fear of!

 

Sadiq Khan - the gift that just keeps giving and giving!

[7by7]

32 minutes ago, evadgib said:

I guess here is as good a place as any to post this little snippet:

 

 

Your 'watching brief' is obviously letting you down. This 'news' is over a week old and was discussed in other topics here when it was still news.

 

Do try and keep up.

[evadgib]

49 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

 

Your 'watching brief' is obviously letting you down. This 'news' is over a week old and was discussed in other topics here when it was still news.

 

Do try and keep up.

The Soros bit hadn't surfaced last time I looked, or am I 'making it all up' again?

[RuamRudy]

12 minutes ago, evadgib said:

The Soros bit hadn't surfaced last time I looked, or am I 'making it all up' again?

The piece did seem incredibly contrived, and then I saw that they went to Paul Watson for comment and I did laugh out loud. 

 

But while we are on the topic of paid shills, imaginary or otherwise, what are your thoughts on the Vote Leave criminals all being rewarded for their criminal activities by being given lucrative multi-million pound contracts to devise the COVID tracing app? 

[evadgib]

20 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

The piece did seem incredibly contrived, and then I saw that they went to Paul Watson for comment and I did laugh out loud. 

 

But while we are on the topic of paid shills, imaginary or otherwise, what are your thoughts on the Vote Leave criminals all being rewarded for their criminal activities by being given lucrative multi-million pound contracts to devise the COVID tracing app? 

Not seen RR, But didn't those 'criminals' wipe the floor with the EC less than a month ago?

 

Joint announcement by The Electoral Commission, Mr Robert Posner, Mr Arron Banks and Ms Elizabeth Bilney

[7by7]

4 hours ago, evadgib said:

The Soros bit hadn't surfaced last time I looked, or am I 'making it all up' again?

 

Dear, oh dear; whatever the merits or otherwise of the article in your link, it's dated the 6th May! Eight days ago!

 

Do try and keep up.

 

In another topic you have vigorously disputed the number of UK deaths from the virus: starting with your first post in that topic "Unless or until UK & elsewhere can be sure that the fine line between citizens dying 'with' the virus or dying 'of' the virus has been fully clarified these figures will have to be taken with a pinch of salt. The public are being manipulated & I for one am not having it"

 

Yet the Politicalite article you have linked to above contains "At the time of writing, Britain has seen 29,427 deaths, from a population of 66.65 million." 

 

For comparison, from the BBC: "There have been 29,427 deaths recorded across the UK - a figure Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said was "a massive tragedy"

 

So are Politicalite along with the BBC amongst those you believe to be the manipulators?

 

If so, how can you believe anything they publish?

 

If not, why do you believe their figures yet dispute everyone else's?

 

 

[kingdong]

On 5/13/2020 at 1:42 PM, baansgr said:

Still have 15,000 arriving everyday in the UK from all over the world without any restrictions whatsoever....14 day self isolating will be required SOON though..

Required soon?totally agree,any ideas on how they are going to enforce it?.

[torturedsole]

10 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

Sadiq Khan - the gift that just keeps giving and giving!

I hope Sadiq's following Diane Abbott out of the door and no delay to the mayoral election next year.  What a <deleted>.  

[champers]

15 minutes ago, kingdong said:

Required soon?totally agree,any ideas on how they are going to enforce it?.

Soon, but for some bizarre reason the French are exempt and UK citizens don't have to quarantine in France either.

I believe quarantine is not going to be enforced; it will be up to the individual to make their own arrangements.

Edited May 14, 2020 by champers

[sandyf]

21 hours ago, Canuck1966 said:

Wow you really are as ***** as *****

GDP is measured in quarters not months

The GDP for the FIRST quarter was - 2%

The monthly figures are irrelevant for this purpose

Is it velly velly hard for you to understand? 

The arrogance is quite unbelievable.

First you claim the ONS figure for Feb/Mar is a lie, and then in attempt to defend your ignorance by saying it is irrelevant. Obviously the ONS are in need of your expertise.

 

I wait with baited breath to see what you will say about the Mar/April figure, of course that would require some sort of understanding.