My point exactly ... if we're going to cater to the lowest common denominator then we have to cease all postal deliveries. And if not all people quarantine and sanitise their shopping, perhaps by reading about it here more will ... and working on the same premise, the more information that's out there (i.e. Boris' letter) the more people the information will reach.
Now I'm sorry to say I think your second point is silly I haven't read the letter ... I do know what it's about 'cos I listened to the radio this morning. If I were going further than my back garden today then I would check the news websites before I go ... but I'm not going out so I haven't done that yet but I do know it's available if I were.
I am not in such a state of anxiety that I'm avidly reading everything on the internet as soon as it appears ... I am making rational and informed decisions about what I do and when I do it.
Now ... 'nuff said on this aspect of the issue for me.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
You studied the life span of coronavirus on different surface types?
Don't different viruses exhibit different behaviours...? I thought at this point the life of the virus outside the body was largely unknown - from hours to days depending on the surface.
If the risk from letters is so small, then why does Mr Postie wear gloves? - let me try an answer there - it is to protect postie as he goes from potentially infected mailbox to the next and touches letters in between? So a virus on my mailbox - that maybe wasn't on the letter IS now as he's picked it up from mine and delivered it next door. And if by chance it was also on a parcel he delivered, it is also passed onto the letters he touches.
So I would say ANY 13 million letter mail out is a totally stupid thing to do at this point where we live in a largely electronic age and have other methods.
I think it behoves all of us to be as careful as possible in these times - and for that carefulness to reflect our own situations - as @Dovefromabove I too have put any deliveries into 'quarantine' for the past fortnight including all post. We should all do the bare minimum required and then increase the level as appropriate.
I have nothing to do with politics - don't even know or care who heads up what party. But what I would like to point out is the fact that this is an unprecedented situation in history. The government nor the civil service have a manual for this - all their actions and processes for dealing with this situation are being created now. And I think they have done a very good job so far. It may not be perfect - no actions in a war time footing are - but by gum, they have made decisions and put sensible policies in place very quickly. Fair enough there are still huge problem areas to address but they cannot do everything at once. I wish everyone would give them some credit instead of complaining about them.
Apart from anything else, this whole thing is a logistics nightmare - for the NHS service, supermarkets, manufacturers etc. Give them all some credit that we do still have some food on shelves. Albeit not the variety that we are used to. And even they have risen to the challenge admirably. And 3 cheers to all the HR staff who are tirelessly working away hiring overnight extra people for the NHS, supermarkets etc.
And despite being a statistic, I am grateful for everything that is being done on my behalf, from the government down to the farmer in his field, and all parts in between.
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
Gloved hands are no different to just hands once you touch something, other than your hands may stay uncontaminated until you remove the gloves (then you need to wash your hands). What you touch with the gloved hands will still be contaminated, or not, and item 2 could then contaminate item 4 via your gloves. The only way to minimise contamination is to touch one item with either clean hands, or a clean gloved hand, then disinfect the item and your hands/gloves and then continue. It would be impossible to remove all risk when unloading your shopping etc, so the next best thing is just to wash your hands after touching anything.
The point again being, that if the papers and 'net' have the content of the letter it is available now. So can you get coronavirus from a web site or a text message (I had a nice one already from the govt)?
Newspapers are a worse risk of infection than letters especially if people are still going out to get their daily papers. Plus most news sources are still offering very poor versions of the facts. I'd be interested in finding out the trail of thought that lead to this letter being the best solution though. There must be a concern that a significant proportion of households are living in some kind of bubble with no access to media to think this is is necessary. It has all the hallmarks of a Boris money wasting idea.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Personally I think it's largely a profile raising ploy to make him look statesmanlike, in charge and positive whilst recovering and of necessity having a low media profile.
Nevertheless I still don't see how it's any more dangerous than anything else that is put though our letterbox ... and it may help some folk understand the gravity of the situation.
Now I really am leaving this aspect of the matter.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
It's not the money that's the problem per se. I get maybe ten pieces of post a month - mainly junk mail (which I think should've been stopped). Now Mr Postie is going down my street to every door and touching it - and if Mr Postie wasn't infected by any mail - and that chance has now increased exponentially as he's carrying vastly more mail on that run (all mixed in a bag he carries) - he's now potentially infected by touching someone else's mailbox and passing that on by touching the next delivery.
As for newpapers - I still see the people walking past my place to the local shop to get the daily paper. My next door neighbour stopped (75 years old and sensible) and his son refused to get it as well. If people want to run that risk - that is down to them isn't it? But having something stuck through your letterbox that you have to touch is not your decision is it - it is now something Boris has decided you should do - without giving prior advice on how to handle it. AND if Boris had given prior advice - he could have delivered the message in the same way couldn't he?
Government advice here - on their website and via a newsletter to which you can sign up - is that all shopping which isn't perishable should be left outside for 3 hours before bringing them in. Remove all packaging possible as soon as possible and wash what you can't. Wash all fruit and vegetables before storing as usual.
Having shopped, wash your hands as soon as you have unloaded it and again after organising it as above.
Our letter box is outside our gate so no probs leaving stuff in it for 3 hours. Even so, as long as I'm washing my hands regularly and not touching my face then it should be fine.
Absolutely no point getting stressed and paranoid. Bad for your mental health and probably weakens your immune system too. Common sense is needed as well as all the social distancing and other sensible precautions.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
Now I'm sorry to say I think your second point is silly
I am not in such a state of anxiety that I'm avidly reading everything on the internet as soon as it appears ... I am making rational and informed decisions about what I do and when I do it.
Now ... 'nuff said on this aspect of the issue for me.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I have nothing to do with politics - don't even know or care who heads up what party. But what I would like to point out is the fact that this is an unprecedented situation in history. The government nor the civil service have a manual for this - all their actions and processes for dealing with this situation are being created now. And I think they have done a very good job so far. It may not be perfect - no actions in a war time footing are - but by gum, they have made decisions and put sensible policies in place very quickly. Fair enough there are still huge problem areas to address but they cannot do everything at once. I wish everyone would give them some credit instead of complaining about them.
Apart from anything else, this whole thing is a logistics nightmare - for the NHS service, supermarkets, manufacturers etc. Give them all some credit that we do still have some food on shelves. Albeit not the variety that we are used to. And even they have risen to the challenge admirably. And 3 cheers to all the HR staff who are tirelessly working away hiring overnight extra people for the NHS, supermarkets etc.
And despite being a statistic, I am grateful for everything that is being done on my behalf, from the government down to the farmer in his field, and all parts in between.
Nevertheless I still don't see how it's any more dangerous than anything else that is put though our letterbox ... and it may help some folk understand the gravity of the situation.
Now I really am leaving this aspect of the matter.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Having shopped, wash your hands as soon as you have unloaded it and again after organising it as above.
Our letter box is outside our gate so no probs leaving stuff in it for 3 hours. Even so, as long as I'm washing my hands regularly and not touching my face then it should be fine.
Absolutely no point getting stressed and paranoid. Bad for your mental health and probably weakens your immune system too. Common sense is needed as well as all the social distancing and other sensible precautions.