The last week has pretty much seen the very best in business and the absolute worst. Is anyone thinking of boycotting any business?

Wetherspoons *DID* say they won't pay staff for a period of time, but they seem to have now changed that after the outrage. But I personally will try and avoid the place and I must eat there a couple of dozen times a year.

EasyJet/Virgin said they wouldn't pay staff for 8 weeks+

Many food outlets gave free food to NHS workers - Mcdonalds, Greggs, Starbucks, Care Nero etc

Hotel football (Gary Neville) - Full pay for staff and Hotel used for public services

Add your own

Just ordered a lump from a takeaway with as much precaution as possible getting the food in, do we think the risk is reasonable if we are avoiding touching the external packaging?

I have read in many outlets that the maximum time that the virus can survive on an object is 48 hours. Not helpful in your case, but maybe for people receiving items through the post. But this is a worry when shopping too, how many times has someone touched the item you're going to pick up?

In March I had declined an opportunity to go to a 3/4+ day festival. The travel and hotels had become too much and the Coronavirus had started to become a thing in the UK and in Belgum (where the festival was) had, I think, a dozen or so cases. The festival is somewhat intimate, full of the normal boozy antics too.

At the start of the week running up to it I had decided to post on Instagram that I believed it would not be inthe best interest for this event to happen, and if it did happen, then to avoid. Especially for those vulnerable.

Of course, despite the concern of the whole world, it went ahead. They had simply posted they would put more hand wash in. That without doubt was the go-ahead for many to go. They had paid there money and the majority forced themselves to go.

Of course 5000+ attendees in a intimate and boozy atmosphere - The inevitable happens. If there was 5 confirmed cases of it, then what's the likely real number of cases? And of course to add to the number of cases, 1 person had died, suspect at picking it up at that event.

It's just an example of greed - It shouldn't have happened. Should you hold those responsible to account? They could have cancelled and/or postphoned. I think it has played on my mind a little, that it could have been me or any of my friends. All for the sake of a small loss, if any, due to insurance.

Thanks for all the ideas, I hope that people are posting ideas for others too, not just my Dad. I know lots of us are stuck.

The facetime thin is a good idea. But at the moment my Dad is still getting lots of contact from the family. It might be useful later down the line if even further restrictions are imposed or it's a long period of time.

Not sure about PE lessons though - Good for me though who has little exercise at the minute. Are the videos still available or just lives? Because I might take this up.

Music a good idea, but I can't see my Dad doing that either.

Thanks for offer Rich, but my Dad isn't a reader either. I wouldn't like to take the books of you and him not read them.

I kind of might try and go down the technology route for engagement. Anyone any puzzle/game app apps? I might even ask him about online bingo or something, but his phone doesn't even have colour. He did say earlier that he hoped this wouldn't last much longer and what's this? Day 4 of isolation?

I came back to this forum after vowing not to post again, but COVID-19 brought me back, because I wanted to engage with all of this that are in this together. I wanted to make a topic basically on ideas to get through the epidemic and not NOT to post opinions about it or political decisions. I want these ideas for all of us, but I want to give you an example.

My Dad turns 75 and his all life has revolved around a Working Mens Club (WMC) and when I say his whole life, I mean he visits this WMC every day, probably due to him not having a partner. He's dealt with this isolation and lockdown very well, he expected it. But his life has changed, he can't get there and he can't leave the house.

His life for many years has revolved around getting up numerous times during the day to medicate (diabetic type 1), watching morning telly, then heading out. The heading out would mean typically a little convenience store shopping, hospital appointments and putting a bet on. After that, 1.30pm onwards would mean a little TV, nap, TV, nap, out for the WMC. My dad is so well liked, everyone likes him and a night at the WMC would consist of 3/4 pints with games of bingo and cards later on (Whist, Crash, Cribb or dominoes). But now I face the problem of lack of engaging and his mind ticking over, we all need that not just older people.

But what next? He's stricken, for weeks, maybe months, to a life of waking up for nothing. It would basically be waking up with constant patterns of sleeping/TV.

Does anyone have ideas? Ideas not just for me, but also for EVERYONE. We all need this. Whilst, I am telling you about my Dad, I hope we can all ask for help and ideas here. This is going to be tough for all of us. Anyone little help, is help.

And lastly, whilst we have disagreed on many subjects such as EU membership, party politics and football, I hope we can all get through this with out families. Life is insanely difficult, people even on here even support Stoke, but we must help each other get through this. So hopefully we can help each other in this thread.

Thanks.   

Mark, we probably don't know what sensible is until after aall this has finished. But he's seen the figures from around the world and we still had thousands of cases then, add on we are a country of weekenders, he probably should have closed the nation down on Friday imo.

As I said in a previous post, I'm actually impressed with what Boris has done and I despise him. Impressive what he has done with financial support, NHS help and cre for the most vulnerable. Some of the measures are just too slow out of the blocks. The lockdown should, imo, should have come on Friday and we still await help for the self employed

Basically good ideas - Just a little too slow.

This lockdown has come just too late and probably see supermarkets have their busiest day tomorrow. There still needs more to be done because there are still people not getting the message.

I had nipped into town today to get the essentials, the mission to get there and get straight back. Jumped on a almost empty bus and only two people on the lower deck, I didn't want to risk it so I sat upstairs where there was one more person. I sat in the middle, probably 6-8m away. Two women get on, they get on the upper deck too. They get to the top and I assume they're going to sit inbetween the front and the middle, probably 3m+ away from me and the other bloke. Nope, they going and plonk themselves on the sits beside the other bloke.

You get through town and still people don't listen. People are still queuing within 1m or even close of each other.

Shopping completed, back on the bus.

Here we are again, individuals putting themselve in danger. A woman sat bang on the front about 1.5m-2m away from the driver instead of out of harms way in other parts an almost empty bus. 10 people get on and off that bus and all have to walk past her. Stupidity.

Look at over countries, they aren't stockpiling. They are queuing and distancing like heroes. We are not.

I think there is every chance we will face it just as bad, if not worse, as Italy.

Another expert who knows the future......

I do however acknowledge some people being irresponsible pricks.

Hardly. I like some of the stuff Boris has done. But this lockdown should have been implemented at the weekend. That would surely have been the best idea?

This lockdown has come just too late and probably see supermarkets have their busiest day tomorrow. There still needs more to be done because there are still people not getting the message.

I had nipped into town today to get the essentials, the mission to get there and get straight back. Jumped on a almost empty bus and only two people on the lower deck, I didn't want to risk it so I sat upstairs where there was one more person. I sat in the middle, probably 6-8m away. Two women get on, they get on the upper deck too. They get to the top and I assume they're going to sit inbetween the front and the middle, probably 3m+ away from me and the other bloke. Nope, they going and plonk themselves on the sits beside the other bloke.

You get through town and still people don't listen. People are still queuing within 1m or even close of each other.

Shopping completed, back on the bus.

Here we are again, individuals putting themselve in danger. A woman sat bang on the front about 1.5m-2m away from the driver instead of out of harms way in other parts an almost empty bus. 10 people get on and off that bus and all have to walk past her. Stupidity.

Look at over countries, they aren't stockpiling. They are queuing and distancing like heroes. We are not.

I think there is every chance we will face it just as bad, if not worse, as Italy.

It's somewhat amusing to see folk who didn't chose not to vote Labour because of Corbyn beg for a socialist Britain. Even amusing to see those Pub and Club owners who told us how prices would go down because of leaving the EU, see their business go to the wall.

Weirdly, Boris hasn't deal with this all as bad as I thought he would. But the problem is that he's always a couple of days beind with the measures the government announce and they really should some sort of higher allowance for self employed. But the self employed can't have their cake and eat it, but £94 isn't acceptable for anyone to live on.

But the grants and loans system is open to abuse, sadly.

PS - It's time for total shutdown (apart from the supermarkets).

Why would businesses going bust be amusing?

Those who do wrong things.

It's somewhat amusing to see folk who didn't chose not to vote Labour because of Corbyn beg for a socialist Britain. Even amusing to see those Pub and Club owners who told us how prices would go down because of leaving the EU, see their business go to the wall.

Weirdly, Boris hasn't deal with this all as bad as I thought he would. But the problem is that he's always a couple of days beind with the measures the government announce and they really should some sort of higher allowance for self employed. But the self employed can't have their cake and eat it, but £94 isn't acceptable for anyone to live on.

But the grants and loans system is open to abuse, sadly.

PS - It's time for total shutdown (apart from the supermarkets).

Me and my Dad are on both the "at risk list" and its been difficult to self-isolate. We are still humans that need to go out, need to shop and a need to socialise (him, more than me).

Throughout all of this, the government response has been so iffy-jiffy and feel sorry for those that are elf employed and renters.

Let's look after EVERYONE, not the chosen few.

The list of potential candidates for Labour leader is so underwhelming. I always remember when there is shouts, or a need, for a new leader then there's always a popular choices around the benches. Boris, Miliband brothers, etc.

But I gasp at what's on offer.

RLB, Burgon and Thornberry are all definite no's for me.

I probably wouldn't mind Starmer.

But I also wouldn't mind it being someone radically new who's not been mentioned. 

I always find it amusing when from nowhere Diane Abbott is mentioned. It’s astonishing.

If a white MP had done what she had done, it wouldn’t have made the news or social media. The only reason Diane Abbott clangers make the news is because she black.

Shame on you.

What a load of tosh Aaron. When I think of Diane Abbott, I don’t think black, I just think thick.

You could label many MP’s as thick, but yet it’s only really Diane Abbott that gets the stick. Like I said, if she was white, she’d never get all the stick she receives on social media or in the media.

Who do you think did the biggest blooper?

Chris Grayling wasting hundreds of millions or Diane Abbott making a maths mistake?

Nicky Morgan incorrectly telling us 50k more nurses (when it’s 31k) or Diane Abbott putting the wrong shoes on?

Mogg blaming residents if grenfell for their own death or Diane Abbott asking one more question then allotted

Mark Field assaulting a woman or Diane Abbott saying her kids go to private school

Anybody that has posted, pointlessly, about Diane should hang their heads in shame. Maybe even admit they’ might be racist. Genuinely pity you.

I always find it amusing when from nowhere Diane Abbott is mentioned. It’s astonishing.

If a white MP had done what she had done, it wouldn’t have made the news or social media. The only reason Diane Abbott clangers make the news is because she black.

Shame on you.