I'd have arrested the complainant for wasting police time. "It's someone having a laugh madam" I'm mostly amused by what sensitive Jade's mother, with her fear of masks is going to do when they're made compulsory over the next week or two.
I like the chap who does the sign language at the Downing Street briefings because he was obscuring the latest figures today, which may have gone up. Also there was that woman on who appeared with a knife sticking out of her shoe trying to kill James Bond. Mrs. Greb ? with an Irish accent.The other scientist was good because he said nothing will change until the vaccine arrives by magic.The journalists staring down twopenny lenses on computers and talking through dustbin lids are interesting for their hair dying efforts. If only they could stick egg boxes to the walls, but I suppose they haven't got a stack of those.
Getting critical now. I'm finished off everything younger than 2011. Now I've only got my expensive reds left. Might have to start drinking the hand sanitiser.
Glad I'm not in a position to make any calls about reopening except for myself, that is. I haven't a clue what the right thing to do is. We can't stay closed until there is a vaccine or the world will starve to death, won't it?
I've got a bottle of 40 year old white Vouvray that's supposed to be at its peak round about now - the question is to 'open or not to open, that is the question' as that balding bloke born on St George's Day once said or was it someone else? Problem is I've only got the one bottle so what happens if it's a good one? If it's turned into paint stripper then at least it'll save a trip to the DIY shop.
We found about 12 bottles of everyday red wines in the back of a cupboard years ago when we were tidying up after her father died. The Mrs forgot she bought them and most were 10 - 15 years old. Unfortunately most didn't age well.
Maybe you can't get there from here, but it would a beautiful motorbike ride to see where it goes. It has a slight resemblance to northern Colorado, most of Wyoming and a lot of Montana and the Dakotas. Great riding out there, but you better stop and top off at every gas station you come to when in those parts. If not, it could lead to a very bad time. But still, it's all part of the adventure.
The Coronapocalyps in Holland: On Feb 27th, 2020, the first case of Covid19 was discovered in southern Holland. The virus was already in the Netherlands on February 15, twelve days before the first patient was officially tested positive. For several weeks it spread undisturbed, with the massively celebrated carnival in the Catholic south of our country acting as a catalyst. The Netherlands below the rivers became a true hotbed for the virus. In late afternoon of Sunday 15 March Holland went into pause: bars and restaurants were closed, social distancing, no public gatherings of over 100 people. At the time we had 1.413 registered patients and 24 deaths. The actual number of infections was higher, because not everyone in Holland is tested, only those who are "at risk of a serious disease course" - the real number of infections on 16 March was estimated at about 6000 people. Re the deaths - the real number of deceased patients in Holland, is probably higher, since only the deaths of confirmed Covid patients are registered. Since then I've been editing on a daily basis how the situation in Holland rapidly changes. These are 'only' official figures. The actual number of infections and deaths is most likely much higher: 17 March - 19 new death cases, that makes 43; total confirmed patients 1705 (an increase of 292) 18 March - 15 new deaths, total now risen to 58; total confirmed patients 2051 (an increase of 346) 19 March - 18 new deaths, total now 76; total confirmed patients 2465 (an increase of 414) 20 March - 30 people died over the last 24 hours; total now 106; total confirmed patients 2994 (an increase of 529) 21 March - 30 deaths in the last 24 hours, death toll now 136; total confirmed patients 3631 (an increase of 637) 22 March - 43 deaths, death toll now 179; total confirmed patients 4216 (an increase of 585) 23 March - 34 people died over the last 24 hours; total number 213; total confirmed patients 4.749 (an increase of 533) As of March 23rd further restrictions became effective - (an almost complete) lock down: schools were closed, no public gathering of more than three people, work at home, social distancing (these measures are effective until April 28th) 24 March - 63 deaths; total number now 276; total confirmed patients 5560 (increase of 811) 25 March - 80 new deaths, total now 356; total confirmed patients 6412 (an increase of 852) 26 March - 78 deaths, total now 434; total confirmed patients 7431 (an increase of 1019) 27 March - 112 deaths, total now 546; total confirmed patients 8603 (an increase of 1172) 28 March - 93 new deaths, total now 639; total confirmed patient 9762 (an increase of 1159). 29 March - 132 new deaths, the death toll now is 771; total confirmed patients 10.866 (an increase of 1104) 30 March - 93 new deaths, total now is 864; total confirmed patients 11.750 (an increase of 884) 31 March - 175 new deaths, total now 1.039; total confirmed patients 12.595 (an increase of 845) 1 April - 134 new deaths, total now 1.173; total confirmed patients 13.614 (an increase of 1.019) 2 April - 166 new deaths, the death toll now is 1.339; total confirmed patients 14.697 (an increase of 1.083). 3 April - 148 new deaths, total number now 1.487; total confirmed patients 15.723 (an increase of 1.026) 4 April - 164 new deaths, total now 1.651; total confirmed patients 16.627 (an increase of 902) 5 April - 115 new deaths, total now 1.766; total confirmed patients 17.851 (an increase of 1.224) 6 April - 101 new deaths, total now 1.867; total confirmed patients 18.803 (an increase of 952) 7 April - 234 new deaths, total now 2.101; total confirmed patients 19.580 (an increase of 777) 8 April - 147 new deaths, which brings the total number to 2.248; number of confirmed patients is 20.549 (an increase of 969). 9 April - 148 new deaths, total now is 2.396; number of confirmed patients 21.762 (an increase of 1.213) 10 April - 115 new deaths, total now is 2.511; number of confirmed patients 23.097 (an increase of 1.335) 11 April - 132 new deaths, total now 2.643; number of confirmed patients is 24.413 (an increase of 1.316). 12 April - 94 new deaths, total now 2.737; number of confirmed patients is 25.587 (an increase of 1.174). 13 April - 86 new deaths, total now 2.823; number of confirmed patients is 26.551 (an increase of 964). 14 April - 122 new deaths, total now 2.945; number of confirmed patients is 27.419 (an increase of 868). 15 April - 189 new deaths, total now 3.134; number of confirmed cases 28.153 (an increase of 739) 16 April - 181 new deaths, total now 3.315; number of confirmed cases 29.214 (an increase of 1.061) 17 April - 144 new deaths, total now 3.459; number of confirmed cases 30.449 (an increase of 1.235) 18 April - 142 deaths, total now 3.601; number of confirmed cases 31.589 (an increase of 1.140) 19 April - 83 deaths, total now 3.684; number of confirmed cases 32.655 (an increase of 1.066) 20 April - 67 deaths, total now 3.751; number of confirmed cases 33.405 (an increase of 750) 21 April - 165 deaths, total now 3.916; number of confirmed cases 34.134 (an increase of 729) 22 April - 138 deaths, total now 4.054; number of confirmed cases 34.842 (an increase of 708) 23 April - 123 deaths, total now 4.177; number of confirmed cases 35.729 (an increase of 887) 24 April - 112 deaths, total now 4.289; number of confirmed cases 36.535 (an increase of 806) 25 April - 120 deaths, total now 4.409; number of confirmed cases 37.190 (an increase of 655) 26 April - 66 deaths, total now 4.475; number of confirmed cases 37.845 (an increase of 655) 27 April - 43 deaths, total now 4.518 number of confirmed cases 38.245 (an increase of 400) 28 April - 48 deaths, total now 4.566 number of confirmed cases 38.416 (an increase of 171) 29 April - 145 deaths, total now 4.711 number of confirmed cases 38.802 (an increase of 386) 30 April - 84 deaths, total now 4.795 number of confirmed cases 39.316 (an increase of 514) 1 May - 98 new deaths, total now 4.893; number of confirmed cases 39.791 (an increase of 475) 2 May - 94 new deaths, total now 4.987; number of confirmed cases 40.236 (an increase of 445) 3 May - 69 new deaths, total now 5.056; number of confirmed cases 40.571 (an increase of 335) Edit today: 4 May - 26 new deaths, total now 5.082; number of confirmed cases 40.770 (an increase of 199) Holland now in the eighth week of a lock down, which started 15 March and will continue until 20 May. For large public events, such as concerts and sport events (football), there is a 'no-go' until 1 September - this also might jeopardize the Airborne celebrations at Arnhem next September. Schools and day-care will UNpause from 11 May on, but only for the youngest kids, the 4 - 12 years old and only in small groups. The good news: The virus wears out - as do we - but the downward trend seems to slacken . The daily deaths and hospitalizations are not decreasing as fast as a week ago (the low numbers of today may be caused by the 'weekend effect', which causes a delay in registration). The reproduction factor - the number of people infected by an infected person - remains low at 0.8. Today's hospital admissions were 42 . Yesterday the number was 44 , the day before yesterday 97 and the days before that resp. 85, 84, 76, 88, 65, 75, 100, 123, 137, 124, 118, 75, 110, 129, 156, 182, 188, 210, 147, 196,189, 225, 237, 308, 292, 260, 253, 336, 502, 625, 447 and 722. The limited number of available ICU-beds is no longer an issue, with the lower influx rates we will cope. But we have to be careful as we cannot handle another peek as last March. Today (30 April) the number of ICU-patients again has dropped to 688. Of these 28 are treated in German hospitals. This country generously has promised reception of IC-patients in case of emergency. The experts have cautiously announced that, if the present decline continues, the ICU situation will reach acceptable levels in two weeks. The number of ICU's indicates the bandwidth within which further relaxation of the lock down can follow. The fight against Covid is entering a new phase. Now that virologists and doctors have put out the first fire. Where the health crisis first dominated, there is increasing scope for other aspects and issues are becoming more political. But it is not the time to become overconfident. When we relax too quickly the virus will peek again and with IC's and hospitals still filled with patients of the first Covid wave we will be unable to handle a new influx. The daily statistics we see today are the delayed results of our behaviour of three weeks ago, taking into account an incubation time of two weeks and some time before the situation deteriorates at home and hospital admission takes place. It's almost like looking at the stars, what we see in the sky is light from the past, so are the statistics. The effects of how we behave now, only will become visible in three weeks. Fighting the virus remains a hell of a job. The experience in Denmark demonstrates that the virus is persistent and highly contagious. Denmark was one of the first countries in Europe to lockdown. It subsequently became the first country outside Asia to relax the measures again. Since the easing, the infection rate has increased from 0.6 to 0.9, according to research by Danish Institute of Infectious Diseases (SSI). This means that each corona patient infects an average of 0.9 others. One thousand patients infect nine hundred people. Germany earlier on had the same experience. The German Robert Koch Institute announced the disturbing news that - probably as an effect of some relaxation - the reproduction factor of the virus, had risen to almost 1,0 - it stood at 0,7. On the minus side: We now officially have registered more than 40.700 corona patients, a number of 5.082 people died from the effects of the virus. In reality more people have become infected with the virus and died from its effects than has been measured: the 'silent Covid deaths'. It gradually becomes clear that this is a substantial group and the official numbers are only the tip of the iceberg - based on a study of the average death rates over the past few years in Holland, the real number of Covid-deaths might be many thousands more (estimates vary from 1.400 to 5.000). Especially hard hit are the nursing homes. While the focus lay on the capacity in the hospitals, the coronavirus in nursing homes was rapidly spreading all around. General practitioners have registered at least 764 people who died of a suspected corona infection without being admitted to hospital. This would bring deaths in Holland at least at 5.820 (= 338,37 per million). These GP-ciphers however are incomplete since the registration started weeks after the virus hit and thus do not cover the entire period. The virus goes into a kind of 'summer-hibernation'. This may give us a chance for some quieter months. But we need the coming months to prepare for the new wave that may come in the fall. The Spanish Flu of 1918 struck Holland in three waves, lasted two years and did cost 40.000 lives in Holland. The second wave was worse than the first. No clear view of an exit-strategy yet, other than that it will be a long-term issue in which social distancing will be the common thread, as well as intensive testing and isolating as some Asiatic countries have done with success, 'tracking apps' (?) and facemasks ... this will not be over until we have a vaccin or have reached 'group immunity'. For comparison the (official) mortality rate caused by Covid per million of inhabitants: (based on the deaths registered by the John Hopkins University) Belgium (11,4 mln) with 7.924 deaths, it is 695,09 Spain (46,7 mln), with 25.428 deaths, is 544,50 Italy (60,4 mln) with 29.079 deaths, the number is 481,44 UK (66,5 mln) this number, with 28.809 deaths, is 433,22 France (67,0 mln) with 25.204 deaths, is 376,18 Holland (17,2 mln) with 5.082 deaths, it now is 295,47 Sweden (10,2 mln) with 2.769 deaths is 271,47 USA (327,2 mln) with 68.934 deaths, it's 210,68 Canada (37,1 mln) with 4.003 deaths is 107,90 Germany (82,9 mln) with 6.993 deaths is 84,35 Population numbers adapted (courtesy SteveDee) Coronavirus deaths per million by country 2020 | Statista Relatively Belgium is by far the hardest hit country in Europe (a staggering number of 695 - do the Belgians have a better-balanced registration), followed at a distance by Spain and then Italy. All countries in Europe maintain strict lock downs and without exception are experiencing serious adverse economic consequences as a result. It seems that Germany, where the virus spread at the same time as in Holland, is coping well ... what is their secret? They have 28.000 ICU's and also do a lot of testing, contact tracking and isolating. The death rates in Sweden, the only country in Europe that adopted the strategy of not locking down, are on the rise and significantly higher than the surrounding Scandinavian countries (Denmark has a rate of 74,82 and Finland 36,05).
We took the dog out together for his early morning walk. Absolutely no one around and we listened to and watched the skylarks rising into the wild blue yonder.
Right in the middle of the wood on the edge of the old hill fort we came across this tree bearing strange fruit. I counted about eight of them in total.
According to one of our ministers we are going to ramp up the production of vibrators. That should keep people indoors. I'm not too sure how the ventilator companies will feel about that.
