Forum Topic

Petition to help nhs staff

https://www.change.org/p/test-frontline-nhs-staff-for-covid-19-as-a-priority-coronavirusoutbreak?recruiter=252660396&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=66bd73c0-c90c-11e4-a09c-631e541a61a6&utm_content=fht-20861011-en-gb%3Av2

Sean Wales ● 2422d30 Comments

Good one Sean. Signed...Can't believe we need to sign a petition to get this.

John Hickman ● 2422d

Of course the Government would like and wants to test all NHS staff and probably the entire nation.  However, this is a pandemic of vast size, no health service in the World could possibly have all the resources lined up waiting for something so enormous as this Covid19 Virus to descend on them.  I believe they, and probably all World-wide health services are scrambling to get "all their ducks in a row" to fully test, protect and treat all of us.  To think otherwise surely is to think the impossible.

Jennifer Selig ● 2422d

Isn't the issue that testing only provides reassurance at the time of the test? Anyone tested could walk out of the area where the test is taken and immediately become infected totally negating the test, or have I missed something?

N V Brooks ● 2422d

Hadn't thought of that but I'm sure you're correct.  Oh dear, this bloody virus appears to have to run its course, cutting a swathe through the World's populations regardless of man's puny efforts to stem it.  Not a cheerful thought but one we will have to face and cope with as best we may.  Stay safe everyone if you can and take up the kind offers of help, using common sense and self preservation at the forefront of your mind. Optimism and humour helps.

Jennifer Selig ● 2422d

I totally agree with this but without being any kind of expert.How does this quite work in a fast revolving and changing enviroment. The test takes around anything from 18-48 hrs for a result. In that time you may become effected.Think someone will have to explain how it works on the front line.

Julian Pavey ● 2422d

As the diagnostic tests for this are nasal and throat swabs which are commonly used in home tests for streptococcal and other infections,perhaps people could test themselves at home at a specified time so the sample can be collected by courier.' For initial diagnostic testing for COVID-19, CDC recommends collecting and testing an upper respiratory nasopharyngeal swab (NP).  Collection of oropharyngeal swabs (OP) is a lower priority and if collected should be combined in the same tube as the NP. Collection of sputum should only be done for those patients with productive coughs. Induction of sputum is not recommended. Specimens should be collected as soon as possible once a PUI (patient under investigation) is identified, regardless of the time of symptom onset.' https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/guidelines-clinical-specimens.html

Ben Gemmingen ● 2422d

The point is that NHS staff are being sent home for 7 or 14 days because they have a cough. In the vast majority of cases it's the common cold and no need to isolate for that long, if at all.

Guy Lambert ● 2422d

Well that sort of confirms my previous comment "this bloody virus appears to have to run its course, cutting a swathe through the World's populations regardless of man's puny efforts to stem it."  As well as keep safe and well must add grin and bear it!

Jennifer Selig ● 2422d

I see,ok Guy Cheers

Julian Pavey ● 2422d

UK Science has, for as long as I can remember, been based on the 'precautionary principle' in that you make every effort to mitigate risk but where such risks are incalculable you either proceed with caution or mitigate risk by eliminating it; hence the isolation where there is even a suspicion of infection.

N V Brooks ● 2422d

It's only just begun and has been predicted for years.  We should been more prepared.  We weren't so will have to make the best of the situation and see what inspirational ideas we can come up with to get by.In the absence of enough online shopping slots I hope some regular online shoppers will offer to add a few items to their shopping for their non online neighbours.

Philippa Bond ● 2422d

If Rolls Royce et al can be asked to try and make some sorts of ventilators, can the distilleries be asked to make alcohol sanitising gel for the hospitals.  They are having it stolen off the wards.

Philippa Bond ● 2422d

I just heard (indirectly) from an A&E doctor in Scotland that most of their surgical masks have been nicked.

Guy Lambert ● 2422d

The point about tests isn't to confirm negatives - thus allowing people to carry on as normal. But to identify positives. People who are potentially infectious and so need to be isolated. Which if they were asymptomatic might not otherwise be evident. Tests are also a good way of tracking the level of infection within sample populations when testedat a particular times.michael adams...

Michael Adams ● 2422d

 Not one single country has been 'prepared' for the speed and extent of this virus. How could we have been more prepared? We wasted hundreds of millions of pounds 'preparing' stockpiles of time-limited vaccines for a bird flu 'epidemic' that never happened around ten years ago. How pray, do you prepare a vaccine for a novel virus?

N V Brooks ● 2422d

At least five gin distilleries and the Brew Dog brewery have already switched full production to hand gel. The Treasury and HMRC has already relaxed the rules and duty on 'denatured' alcohol to facilitate this.

N V Brooks ● 2422d

Our NHS staff need more support.

Philippa Bond ● 2422d

Not enough equipment eg ventilators, PPE, understaffed - vast number of vacancies, not enough beds, not enough training including in use of PPE...  The NHS was so stretched and stressed it wasn't coping and meeting routine operation lists so how could they be expected to be prepared and ready for this?  Vaccines we expect to take time.  We have a very low per person allocation of health funding in this G7 country.

Philippa Bond ● 2422d

There's no getting away from exotic cuisines which are evidenced in the far east and Africa that has facilitated pathogens crossing over from 'stranger animals' into homo sapien's and for self-created pathogens potentially laying paths for themselves toward the extinction of humanity. Vegetarianism calls ever more urgently. Husbandry of animals for meat markets must be curtailed. Grow more cabbages and carrots please.

Bobbie Carnegie ● 2422d

The lack of basic cookery and food management skills here doesn't help together with the just-in-time shopping pattern.  Just as it is sensible to try to have some savings put by for a rainy day it is sensible to have some store cupboard ingredients to make something healthy to eat when you can't or don't feel like going out.  We've spent/spend too much time living hedonistically.  We'd all have more if we actually wasted less.  Look up Best Before and Use By labelling and understand it.Jack Monroe's website is good - she had to manage on food bank tinned food while looking after a small child - so lots of creative cookery ideas on living with little.  She has a short list of basic store cupboard ingredients for just-in-timers to think about.The West London Waste Authority - our waste authority - has lots of help on storage on portions and ideas and recipes for leftovers.  Preparation makes for fewer visits out searching for illusive items and more flexibility.

Philippa Bond ● 2422d

*elusive*Support NHS frontline staff and sign the petition!

Philippa Bond ● 2421d

By not getting rid of thousands of NHS staff. By not closing thousands of hospital beds ... get the picture?

Carl Wynne ● 2421d

Can we stop being so negative and blaming governments, it achieves nothing, as some one said not one country in the world is prepared for such a virus. I have no doubt that everyone is doing their best to get the kit and staff required to look after everyone who sadly catches the virus. Fact this is a global crisis every country has the same nightmare let’s pull together, support neighbours, our elderly in the community, cooks meals for them, shop etc. We can do this......the real big issue that the government can control  is supporting companies to enable them to pay staff. The scale of redundancies, unpaid leave, shorter hours is massive the government can do something about this through HMRC.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2421d

Children aren't statistically so adversely harmed by the virus. Nevertheless, they are still major potential carriers who can pass on the virus to family members and other adults that are more harmfully impacted. Legislation should be in place to keep children out of shops and supermarkets where adults need to access vital supplies. All children should be tested en masse to determine them as carriers. The virus is operating like a drug baron and is likely to be using children to 'carry across county lines' the Covid baron's 'ill will'. Now that schools are closing youngsters, well in themselves despite the virus, will be greatly apparent out and about in the metropolis either left to themselves or tagging along with parents with all that implies with contagion's opportunity.

Bobbie Carnegie ● 2421d

Still think the gig economy is so brilliant Jayne?

Philippa Bond ● 2421d

Gig economy is brilliant and gives millions of workers the freedom to work when they want, they contribute massively to society and the economy.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2421d

Wow !What planet are you on ?Are you able to think independently ?I'll answer that myself with a big 'NO'!

Ben Gemmingen ● 2421d

Btw Jayne. Heard of SARS, heard of MERS, heard of Russian roulette?  Yes we have to pull together but we should never ever have been put in this situation.  We will pull together but we and our families won't forget either.

Philippa Bond ● 2421d

Agreed.This exposes the complete disregard of individuals ,citizens,subjects ..the polis by many political systems.China is a fascist slave state which 'we' have bought our goodies from.We've been greedy.The WHO is corrupted by PRC/CRP influence.The data from China is utter crap,disinformation to make the CRP look good and as it plays to Chinese nationalism,keeps the people in check.Xi is already inferring that this came from Italy or the US and that China/CRP has solved it and saved the world.

Ben Gemmingen ● 2421d

Duh ..CCP !I expect that to undermine what I said .hey ho !It is true though.It's laughable.Where are our ethics ?Irrespective of the virus ...in fact this is amplifyingit all.What to do for the good of allAnswers on a postcards.

Ben Gemmingen ● 2421d