Covid-19 - Suspend Chess Immediately

[Chris Goodall]

Having reviewed Twitter this morning I'm glad I'm not the only one being attacked for having the temerity to ask how people expected to live on £0 for an indefinite period are expected to live.

Nobody has attacked you for this...

Well, I'll defend him for it anyway. #JeSuisAndrew. For someone with your talent for perceiving subconscious bias in the most innocuous of statements, you are a bloody-minded literalist when you want to be.

[Neil Graham]

If you want to read a Twitter account here's one from Professor Stuart Neil, Head of the Infectious Diseases Department at King's College

https://twitter.com/stuartjdneil?ref_sr ... r%5Eauthor

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Andrew Z.

"Having reviewed Twitter this morning I'm glad I'm not the only one being attacked..."

Never had a twitter account and only had to open up facebook to get access to the army re-unions I attend.
and I really enjoy being in touch with old mates from the 60's and 70's. I post a funny pic occasionally.

However, faceBook (and by accounts Twitter) should be locked down, rumours and bickering are rife. I'm off it till this is over.

At the moment coming here is not too much fun either, but at least you lot are chess players.

I have just one concern. Thousands every year die of influenza which affect everyone, not just the old (me) and the critically ill.
The hand washing, isolation and media spread panic never kicked off about that like it has with this. Is there something else going on?

The Edinburgh Chess Club has closed it's doors till this is over. (when?) Pity I was going to self isolate there.

[JustinHorton]

If you want to read a Twitter account here's one from Professor Stuart Neil, Head of the Infectious Diseases Department at King's College

https://twitter.com/stuartjdneil?ref_sr ... r%5Eauthor

Also on Twitter, Richard James enquires

[Matt Bridgeman]

Looks like Boris has finally pressed the red button.

[David Robertson]

ooks like Boris has finally pressed the red button

It's impossble to overstate how utterly shambolic has been the Government's performance here. Prof Chris Whiity, in whom hitherto I would have had the highest imaginable confidence, has gone from telling us (Thursday) that the single focus of policy was 'herd immunity' to declaring just now (Monday) that the sole object of policy is to avoid deaths. So political neo-Darwinism has been ditched; the citizen herd will not be culled by indifference; and the Government might even try to protect folk. Well, hurrah!

And Tim Wetherspoon? He'll have to cry in his beer - unless BoJo sends him a few barrels of compo

[Andrew Zigmond]

Looks like Boris has finally pressed the red button.

Well actually he hasn't. He's told people to avoid pubs, clubs and restaurants. He's stopped short of enforced closures. That makes a big difference. If they were forced to close they could claim insurance. He hasn't - these venues will either have to self close as there's no point in them being open or stay open until they can't afford to operate any more.

It's also worth highlighting that Virgin have told their staff to take an eight week unpaid break when on current estimates Richard Branson could pay them all personally out of his pocket during that time and not notice the money had gone missing. What an absolute disgrace.

[John Moore]

ooks like Boris has finally pressed the red button

It's impossble to overstate how utterly shambolic has been the Government's performance here. Prof Chris Whiity, in whom hitherto I would have had the highest imaginable confidence, has gone from telling us (Thursday) that the single focus of policy was 'herd immunity' to declaring just now (Monday) that the sole object of policy is to avoid deaths. So political neo-Darwinism has been ditched; the citizen herd will not be culled by indifference; and the Government might even try to protect folk. Well, hurrah!

And Tim Wetherspoon? He'll have to cry in his beer - unless BoJo sends him a few barrels of compo

I don't know if I am alone in wishing you might just shut up for a bit. Most people on here are reasonably intelligent and can make up their own minds about protecting their own even if their views might change from day to day depending on the advice. If you want a role as you seem to do, I am sure that there are things you could do to help in the current situation.

[Martin Benjamin]

ooks like Boris has finally pressed the red button

It's impossble to overstate how utterly shambolic has been the Government's performance here. Prof Chris Whiity, in whom hitherto I would have had the highest imaginable confidence, has gone from telling us (Thursday) that the single focus of policy was 'herd immunity' to declaring just now (Monday) that the sole object of policy is to avoid deaths. So political neo-Darwinism has been ditched; the citizen herd will not be culled by indifference; and the Government might even try to protect folk. Well, hurrah!

And Tim Wetherspoon? He'll have to cry in his beer - unless BoJo sends him a few barrels of compo

I am trying to avoid online debates about this, and I should probably follow my rule of not posting at least for 24 hours, but your post needs to be corrected. For the record, Chris Whitty did NOT say that the "single focus of policy was 'herd immunity'". If you can find those words anywhere from
a reliable online source, please correct me. At the press conference on Thursday, it was Sir Patrick Vallance (not Chris Whitty) who talked about herd immunity (he was wrong to do so in my opinion, because it is way above the understanding of Joe Public, but he is a scientist, not a professional communicator). I watched the entire press conference and the actual words (and the transcript of his interview on the Today programme) are available in many places online. Again, if you find a verifiable use of "single focus", I stand to be corrected. The closest he came (as far as I can find) to saying it was the government's "single focus" was:

“Our aim is to try to reduce the peak, broaden the peak, not suppress it completely; also, because the vast majority of people get a mild illness, to build up some kind of herd immunity so more people are immune to this disease and we reduce the transmission, at the same time we protect those who are most vulnerable to it" and "he hoped the government's approach to tackling the virus would create a "herd immunity in the UK". This is NOT the same as "single focus" or "main aim". I think he should have chosen his words more carefully, but he was answering questions, not giving a prepared statement.

Maajid Nawaz (no friend of Boris Johnson) makes excellent points here.
https://www.facebook.com/13577528315641 ... 493060297/ .

Using phrases like "political neo-Darwinism" is just emotive, untrue and likely to contribute towards increasing unnecessary fear and panic. Any actions (severe or light touch) taken by any government in the current circumstances will have drastic consequences for individuals, which should not be underestimated. #cancel everything and "people before profits" are easy slogans to utter, but the consequences for millions of people will be desperate. I would agree with the original point you made about suspending chess, but you are going way beyond that with your subsequent posts.

One can agree or disagree with it, but the government strategy to date has been cogent and logical, and what can not be disputed is that its primary aim is to save as many lives as possible.

[JustinHorton]

I don't know if I am alone in wishing you might just shut up for a bit. Most people on here are reasonably intelligent and can make up their own minds about protecting their own

I dunno John, it doesn't hurt to have people pointing out that "protecting their own" is not all there is to this, even if you may not like the way it is done.

the government strategy to date has been cogent and logical

It may have been logical: it has not been particularly cogent.

[JustinHorton]

Also, you know, there's no "make up their own minds". Not in an emergency of these dimensions, any more than you make up your own mind whether or not to turn the lights on during an air-raid blackout.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Are we the only country who is actively not interested in testing anyone who does not apparently need hospitalisation? I am interested in knowing how that one can be defended, it seems to baffle experts and non-experts alike

[John Moore]

Also, you know, there's no "make up their own minds". Not in an emergency of these dimensions, any more than you make up your own mind whether or not to turn the lights on during an air-raid blackout.

Justin, I think that there is within the allowable limits. In the UK, I can choose whether to go the pub or a café etc. I agree that may change and I, and no doubt others, will change with it. We shall see, shan't we.

Anyway, can I wish all Forum members and their families a safe passage through this.

[Daniel Gormally]

Can't imagine when the next chess tournament will be. four months away? With no sport on the tv, no idea what i'm going to do with my life.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Forumites, this is your chance to suggest the book that you would buy if only Danny would write it!

(and that goes for Hebden too, indeed times 5 given his backlog)