I've been doing exactly this for the last month or so. Middle-aged spread has been creeping up and my BMI has tipped into the overweight category. So I've been out cycling a lot in the absence of anything else to do; 100 miles last month and 77 so far this month. I've been taking different routes, been through Yateley a couple of times and on the old runways at Blackbushe, Rob has probably passed me at some point!

I've also been consciously avoiding the snack cupboard and having smaller portions since the start of last week. I've lost nearly 1kg in the last week but I still want to lose another 6kg or so!

Yes, I’ve noticed the waistbands on my clothes have shrunk during lockdown!  Normally at work, I’d be on my feet all day and running up and down stairs but working from home I’m sat all the time.  I generally have a glass of wine with our evening meal if I’m not driving to work the following day, which is currently every day!  So I’m aware the calorie intake needs watching too!

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been doing sit-ups every morning before I get out of bed and I’m picking up pace on my walks, in the hope that I won’t need to buy a complete new wardrobe when we can eventually go out!  

It’s really all about awareness and hopefully during the past few weeks, people will have noticed changes in their weight and fitness.  Also, they’ll have taken note of the growing evidence that obese people are more susceptible to severe symptoms of this virus!

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My concerns are:

1) We have begun lifting lockdown before the app and contact tracing teams are in place

2) We have begun lifting lockdown before antibody testing

3) We have begun lifting lockdown from what looks to be a relatively high ongoing rate of infection

I expect cases to be rising again in 4 weeks time or perhaps earlier. 

Agreed. We have lifted "lockdown" (it never was a proper one anyway) 2 weeks too soon

Summer heat and sunshine may help mitigate, but the virus will continue to spread, albeit it at a lower rate. Death will become the new normal

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With holidays abroad unlikely, for the sensible anyway, for those that can afford I can see an uptick in motorhomes here where you can travel to most places, and have little worry about the accomodation.

BBC - "We will have summer tourist season, promises EU"

If our Government put out such a statement, the BBC, *****Morgan, and the some on here would be accusing the Government of planned murder.

 

It's almost as if people understand there's a difference in the quality of virus management between the EU and UK isn't it?

The Russian roulette element is so scary.

It's present throughout life, of course.

What if you slip in the shower? What if you're in a car accident on the way to work? What if you have a stroke out of the blue and die?

(In my case, the first hasn't happened, the second happened last October as a guy pulled out of a side junction onto the main road and I couldn't stop in time - he did a runner, and the third affected my mum, who had a sudden stroke and died aged 48).

If the risk is negligable, as it seems to be in this case, I'd say it's not worth fretting over.

(First you'd have to catch covid, then develop a cytokine storm and die - the first is of course unlikely but not impossible, the second, if you're under 60 or so is exceptionally unlikely).

It doesn't mean it isn't a risk, but just as two people win a million on premium bonds every month, or a million on Euromillions twice a week, so some younger, no-known-medical-conditions people will die from covid. They're just incredibly unlucky is all.

EDIT: And as Maunder says below, any such deaths should be thoroughly investigated in the hope we can learn more from them.

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It's just so random. This is what strikes me the most about this virus; millions have had it with absolutely no symptoms, even more have just mild symptoms. Others seem to have been exposed to it repeatedly but not caught it. Yet a small minority - yes, most with underlying medical issues or are very old, but certainly not all - have the infection become really serious and either make them seriously ill or kills them.

The Russian roulette element is so scary.

 

I wrote earlier that the vast majority of younger people with decent health and no apparent underlying conditions, can get the virus either asymptomatically or else suffering little more than you would with a dose of flu.

There are a few outliers who suffer as badly as Nick Codero- the medical experts need to investigate these cases fully to see whether there is a genetic marker which can make some people more susceptible, or is it otherwise that these outliers have some underlying conditions which had previously gone undetected?

It is important to understand these cases, since if an underlying factor can be established, those at risk could be detected and warned.

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Boris Johnson has said 144 NHS workers and 131 social care workers have died from Covid-19 so far

That in itself should bring down any PM, but this ++ seems to get a free pass on anything

Most of these deaths are preventable. In Germany, no health worker has died 

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That in itself should bring down any PM, but this ++ seems to get a free pass on anything

Most of these deaths are preventable. In Germany, no health worker has died 

I don't appreciate the word you have used to refer to the Prime Minister.

Germany is an outlier - our figures are in the same range as for France, Italy and Spain.

The key thing the UK government has achieved is to get through this wave of the pandemic without the NHS being overwhelmed - we  should at least be grateful for that.

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It's present throughout life, of course.

What if you slip in the shower? What if you're in a car accident on the way to work? What if you have a stroke out of the blue and die?

(In my case, the first hasn't happened, the second happened last October as a guy pulled out of a side junction onto the main road and I couldn't stop in time - he did a runner, and the third affected my mum, who had a sudden stroke and died aged 48).

If the risk is negligable, as it seems to be in this case, I'd say it's not worth fretting over.

(First you'd have to catch covid, then develop a cytokine storm and die - the first is of course unlikely but not impossible, the second, if you're under 60 or so is exceptionally unlikely).

It doesn't mean it isn't a risk, but just as two people win a million on premium bonds every month, or a million on Euromillions twice a week, so some younger, no-known-medical-conditions people will die from covid. They're just incredibly unlucky is all.

EDIT: And as Maunder says below, any such deaths should be thoroughly investigated in the hope we can learn more from them.

Did the police ever catch him? Were you injured?

It's not dying that you and I need to worry about (though I probably am at risk, being a fat fucker!), its the virus doing other long term damage to your body that Hutch mentioned earlier

If you look at our PM, he is clearly not the same man he was

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I don't appreciate the word you have used to refer to the Prime Minister.

 

What about "piccaninie with a water melon smile"?

Or "Tank topped Bum Boy"

Or "letter boxes and bank-robbers" 

and many more examples.

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Did the police ever catch him? Were you injured?

It's not dying that you and I need to worry about (though I probably am at risk, being a fat fucker!), its the virus doing other long term damage to your body that Hutch mentioned earlier

If you look at our PM, he is clearly not the same man he was

The police sent me a nice email a week later saying that there were no leads, so they were dropping the case. (It was a blond guy, late teens / early 20s, driving a small early 2000s 3-door red VW hatchback car, with a stoved-in drivers door - I didn't get the reg number). I wasn't injured as it was a very low speed collision - even so, the bumper replacement cost my insurer over £1800... and even with protected no-claims, it made my insurance go up by £60 a year. Not impressed and I hope he got a rollocking for it from his wife/parents/partner!

As for after effects, I would wager most wouldn't notice much afterwards, although as ever more research would be useful. Remember that a bad dose of regular flu can cause all sorts of after-effects too... esecially in terms of lung capacity and similar issues.

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There are a few outliers who suffer as badly as Nick Codero- the medical experts need to investigate these cases fully to see whether there is a genetic marker which can make some people more susceptible, or is it otherwise that these outliers have some underlying conditions which had previously gone undetected?

It is important to understand these cases, since if an underlying factor can be established, those at risk could be detected and warned.

 

I absolutely agree. I said when that 13 year old lad died early in the crisis that they should perform a full autopsy. But they didn't, and allowed that stupid idiocy called 'religious practice' to get in the way and they had him 6 foot under within 48 hours. 

A full autopsy could have given clues as to why a minority of apparently healthy people with no underlying conditions are hit so hard. But no, religion and all that - and you can't offend the religious f***wits.

 

 

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I don't appreciate the word you have used to refer to the Prime Minister.

 

If the cap fits...

Anyway, you used to mock a PM for having previously lost an eye. Your highhorse had its legs chopped off long ago.

 

 

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From the start, when I've done shopping for my parents (generally twice a week), I've taken it into their house and we've chatted - at +2m distance - for 15-30 mins. On occasion, the kids have accompanied me.

Most weeks, they've also visited our house once a week and parked up. My dad gets out of his car ad stands, my mum stays in sat down. We all maintain a safe distance and have a chat. The last 3 weeks, my dad has also come to collect our dog and take it back to theirs for a few hours.

Last Friday when they visited, I suggested they come through to the back garden and we all spent a good hour chatting - again, all at safe distance. My dad had a pint and my mum a cuppa. 

I know some of the above is, strictly speaking, against the 'rules' and it will nudge up the risk factor - although from nil to negligible. 

There has to be a balance between staying safe and trying to maintain some of the things in life that sustain you emotionally.

  You know what Saint!  I think that’s a simple case of common sense and if everyone is honest, most will be doing the same!  

If my parents were alive, I’d be doing exactly the same and my kids are doing it with us.  They usually bring shopping but only because I can always find something I want, though not necessarily need.  But I always want to see them!  I can put up with not having a hug now.  It creased me to begin with but at least I can see them.

We’re pushing boundaries but to safe limits.  It’s no different from being in a supermarket with other people, in fact it’s much safer!  I am quite sure the powers that be know we’re all doing this but turn a blind eye and I think they expected it.

If they’d allowed this from the beginning, we’d have pushed the boundaries, as we do, even further and into unsafe territory.  Yes, we’ve seen the media reports!  Some are pushing beyond safe limits, the few not using common sense and imagine how much further they’d go given a chance!  

I really do think it’s about using your noddle!

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With holidays abroad unlikely, for the sensible anyway, for those that can afford I can see an uptick in motorhomes here where you can travel to most places, and have little worry about the accomodation.

Each to their own but I'd sooner sit in the garden than go down the motorhome / caravan route.

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Most of these deaths are preventable. In Germany, no health worker has died 

According to the RKI at least 8 German health workers have died. 

A second point is that the ONS data have shown:

• 
  

  Healthcare workers, including those with jobs such as doctors and nurses, were not found to have higher rates of death involving COVID-19 when compared with the rate among those whose death involved COVID-19 of the same age and sex in the general population.

  
  

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/causesofdeath/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19relateddeathsbyoccupationenglandandwales/deathsregistereduptoandincluding20april2020

Yes of course the current picture in Germany is and indeed has been better than the U.K. but get your facts straight.

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Germany is an outlier - our figures are in the same range as for France, Italy and Spain.

The key thing the UK government has achieved is to get through this wave of the pandemic without the NHS being overwhelmed - we  should at least be grateful for that.

And most other countries apart from the ones you mention! Just because America, Russia, Brazil, Italy, Spain and France have done badly too, doesn't make it OK!

Yes, the families of the hundreds of dead NHS, social care, transport and other frontline workers should be grateful. It's too bad their loved ones died because they were sent to the front line without proper PPE

 

 

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Each to their own but I'd sooner sit in the garden than go down the motorhome / caravan route.

Same here. If it doesn't include a concierge then it's not for me.

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Each to their own but I'd sooner sit in the garden than go down the motorhome / caravan route.

 

 

I can't think of anything worse than trundling about the countryside   in a motorhome or caravan to be honest - everyone hates  you and it's a pain in the arse for you - I mean, what's to like  ?

An old boss of mine  brought a  huge Motorhome (2 stories) and decided to go to Cornwall in it.  His fuel bill was stupendous, and he spent most of the week going backwards down  narrow rocked lined roads.   He sold the ruddy thing shortly afterwards and  the next year they booked a nice hotel in Tuscany  

 

 

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According to the RKI at least 8 German health workers have died. 

A second point is that the ONS data have shown:

• 
  

  Healthcare workers, including those with jobs such as doctors and nurses, were not found to have higher rates of death involving COVID-19 when compared with the rate among those whose death involved COVID-19 of the same age and sex in the general population.

  
  

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/causesofdeath/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19relateddeathsbyoccupationenglandandwales/deathsregistereduptoandincluding20april2020

Yes of course the current picture in Germany is and indeed has been better than the U.K. but get your facts straight.

Fair enough, but I did read an article recently that said no deaths had occurred, so perhaps the deaths were counted more recently, But the wider point I made  is still valid. In South Korea, I believe its correct to say that no healthcare worker has died

As for the ONS, many of the dead NHS staff were in the older category anyway, so perhaps that's why? But the point stands that if they caught the virus in their place of work, then that's the fault of their employer for not providing adequate PPE

 

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