Corona Virus

[ExSurveyor]

During July and August each year at least 20% of the workforce is off on holiday and we survive. 

If I get the virus I will be off work for 7-10 days if I don't have complications,  then I will be back.

[rightsaidfred]

1 hour ago, SteveO said:

Presumably the generation and delivery of electricity requires human intervention at various stages in the process. How can we be sure that this will work 100% of the time when 20% of those involved are ill with the virus or self-isolating? Only yesterday we heard that the NHS which, according to its own spokespeople were prepared for the outbreak,  is now in disarray with shortages of key medical equipment and disposables, and this with only 1400 active cases in the country. It is clear that the people doing the planning have a very sketchy view of the situation on the ground and that many of the so-called contingency plans are tinged with wishful thinking, so why not expect power cuts?

Seems to me there are to many rumour mongers around.

Fred

[JanetAnne]

48 minutes ago, grendel said:

Steve 99.9 % of the time the electricity works fine with no human intervention, its only when something goes wrong, ie someone digging the road digs through a cable, or another fault happens - that it may take just a little longer to fix.

the vast majority of the UK network is all automated, ie it can be controlled from a central control room, switching around the network to reconnect when a fault occurs. for this a small team of control engineers is plenty. as long as we have enough people to man the control rooms the electricity will be perfectly fine.

New works may suffer, but there is absolutely no reason you would get any more power cuts during the virus than at any other time, in fact most of the switching is automated and computer controlled, the human staff are just there to overwatch the computers, at a pinch that can be achieved by a self isolated control engineer working from home via his laptop.

So I can categorically say that there is no greater chance of a power cut than there would have been normally, repairs might take a little longer though through lower staffing levels, but as the faults are generally self isolating (ie the network is automatically reconfigured to bypass the faults and get the majority of customers back on supply.

That is one of the most useful pieces of information I have seen amongst the madness of the last few weeks!

[addicted]

 It appears bulk buying has finally found it's way here to sleepy East Anglia  with shelves empty of loo roll, cleaning products, and large eggs This morning we went to Aldi's to get a few bits and pieces, and top up the depleted wine rack with  a case of their excellent  red Sauvignon and,  shock horror! found we were rationed to 4 bottles! It seems things are getting really serious now.

 

 

Carole

[SteveO]

Did our weekly shop this morning at Aldi and Sainsbury's. No toilet rolls, hand-soap, hand-sanitiser, skimmed or UHT milk available at either. Eggs strictly limited to the more expensive types (hand-picked, golden yolk etc). Canned goods in short supply. Most fresh goods were available though. Kitchen roll scarce but available - maybe people have found an alternative use for it .  No visible rationing of wine at Aldi, but the stocks did seem to be somewhat depleted. 

Have moved to home delivery from next week where most goods seem to be available, again with the exception of hand soap/liquid soap.  

Was planning to self-isolate on the boat for a couple of weeks, but not sure a) whether we will be welcome in Norfolk as the screw tightens and b) slightly concerned as to whether we will be able to buy food when we are there. 

 

[Regulo]

Please don't put anything other than toilet paper (and your doings) down the toilet. Other paper is not designed to readily break down in water, toilet paper is. You'll only block your drains if you put other sorts of paper (absorbent or otherwise) into the toilet.

[Hylander]

On a more practical note.   With the elderly what happens when they need the dentist?   Have raging toothache etc,  life does go on despite this virus.       Having now self identified myself as now aged 69 I am feeling younger by the minute.

Morrisons this morning (it is always a bit flaky on a Monday anyway because after all we do live in a remote area  after all and the boat usually hasn't arrived until Tuesday) was pretty good.   The only empty ish shelves were for some reason jars of sauces for pasta etc.    I got everything I went for.   I did chuckle that the 2 for £10 wines were practically non existent,  not bad for a place that boasts "nobody drinks alcohol around here".   what tosh!!!!

 

 

[Hylander]

1 hour ago, Regulo said:

Please don't put anything other than toilet paper (and your doings) down the toilet. Other paper is not designed to readily break down in water, toilet paper is. You'll only block your drains if you put other sorts of paper (absorbent or otherwise) into the toilet.

I agree with you,  blocked drains is all we need because some numpty puts newspaper down or kitchen towel.

[JennyMorgan]

11 minutes ago, Hylander said:

not bad for a place that boasts "nobody drinks alcohol around here"

We don't, we either guzzle it or we sip it, depending on our social aspirations! 

[ChrisB]

The markets are not expecting folk to guzzle or sip unless at home!

Marstons are down -44% shortly before close this afternoon. Ouch!

[Hylander]

Who are Marstons

The markets are not expecting folk to guzzle or sip unless at home!
Marstons are down -44% shortly before close this afternoon. Ouch!

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

[SteveO]

Following Boris's recent pronouncement advising against visiting pubs and restaurants, we won't be guzzling or sipping anything except at home. Following tomorrow's out and out panic buying of alcohol, we won't be guzzling or sipping anything much at home either. You couldn't make this stuff up.

[MauriceMynah]

12 minutes ago, SteveO said:

You couldn't make this stuff up.

Yes you can, just start a brewery

[ExSurveyor]

I have never let my booze supply get low

[FairTmiddlin]

8 minutes ago, psychicsurveyor said:

I have never let my booze supply get low

Nor does MM I believe

He  keeps it all onboard

Inside

Himself  

[CambridgeCabby]

In Cambridge the taxi trade is using anti bacterial wipes on door handles , seat belts etc also spraying interior with antibacterial spray and cleaning steering wheel after EVERY customer , we have to carry tissues , disposal bins and hand sanitiser gel , but I notice buses are not doing anything ??

[JennyMorgan]

I have two 'residential homes  for the elderly' as near neighbours, both of which have today gone into lock-down, no one in and no one out, not even the relatives of inmates.  Have spoken to one of the proprietors, very worried people. Clearly the potential for the virus to quickly circulate among both staff and clients is very real and potentially devastating.  My wife and I visit one of the homes and I'm afraid that we shall lose some old friends in the coming months. 

[Ray]

I fear we all will....

[JennyMorgan]

9 minutes ago, CambridgeCabby said:

but I notice buses are not doing anything ??

I understand that some if not all local bus companies have been trying to acquire hand sanitiser gels and dispensers but without much success. 

[ChrisB]

1 hour ago, Hylander said:

Who are Marstons

 

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app
 

 

Brewing and pub PLC with a revenue in excess of 1 billion and 14000 employees.

Not huge around here but still about 10 in Norfolk.

[Upcycler]

I can say first hand that the electricity supplier in our region, has swung into operation protocols to isolate certain departments to try to make sure you stay connected.

 

[MrBlueSky]

With people being advised not to frequent pubs etc,whats the liklyhood of boating holidays being cancelled over the next few months ?

[JennyMorgan]

25 minutes ago, MrBlueSky said:

whats the liklyhood of boating holidays being cancelled over the next few months ?

I should think the likelihood is pretty much as near to nil as you are likely to get. Yes, the pubs might be closed but how many fifty berth boats are there on the Broads? Provided you are well then head for the Broads!! Just hope that those onboard the week before were virus free! 

[SwanR]

I went back to work today after my week off. So much had changed ... and I spent half my time talking to members of my team who didn't want to be there but have as yet no reason to self-isolate. My company hasn't gone down the home working route yet, and not everyone there can do this anyway. We're a front line service for our customers and not everyone works on laptops. 

Other tenants in our building have shut up shop. And the roads were like school holidays in terms of very little traffic.

Hard to know what to do for the best, what to believe and what are the facts as opposed to the rumours.

[JennyMorgan]

2 hours ago, CambridgeCabby said:

but I notice buses are not doing anything ??

https://www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk/news/coronavirus-in-norfolk-uk-demand-for-hand-sanitiser-first-buses-1-6563673