Coronavirus scrapbook, April Fool's Day

British cabinet holds Zoom meeting. 
'What do ties matter, Jeeves, at a time like this?'
'There is no time, sir, at which ties do not matter'

"The one thing that is known from China, Italy and Spain (all of which were caught to varying degrees on the back foot) is that 80% are asymptomatic or show very mild symptoms. However it seems that 15% of the remaining 20% need at the very least hospitalisation under observation and varying levels of treatment such as intubation and oxygen. 5% need ICU. That’s a massive stress on a health system. I understand Dr Lee’s argument about the death rate but what follows from that logically is that it is clearly the least of the health services’ problems. It is the huge onslaught from people that can be saved. How to cope with that? Germany seems to have found a way with lots of testing being done and some measures. Sweden has found a way that suits them, too. It’s too early to say for many of the others but they are hoping that ‘the measures’ will help to flatten the curve and decrease the pressure. So, whether you like it or not, the economy-trashing measures still have to be taken." Robert Wilson


"Besides, people are not, so far, dying in unusual numbers. Roughly 50,000 people die in Britain each month. Roughly 1,500 have died with Covid-19 (not necessarily of it) this month. Since many of these deaths are of people who were already very ill for other reasons, the normal monthly statistical total has hardly altered. It is probable that the situation will get much worse, but the prevailing view is that the bad trend will not last very long." Charles Moore yesterday

A herd of wild goats with their kids has descended from the Great Orme and taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno in Wales

"Since elderly people often have pneumonia at the end, the (main) cause of death is usually given as any pre-existing disease, e.g. cancer. It was suggested that Germany is adhering to this convention, while Italy is recording as coronavirus deaths any cases where there is coronavirus at the end, although other life-shortening diseases were present." Caroline Macafee

"Oil prices for some landlocked fields, such as onshore in the United States, are heading towards negative territory as producers are running out of places to store surplus crude. “Given the cost of shutting down a well, a producer would be willing to pay someone to dispose of a barrel,” analysts at Goldman Sachs said." The Times yesterday