I predict another rise of covid

We're 0.5% and have been for weeks. A few weeks ago, we also had the highest percentage of care home deaths in the country.

In a town of 15,000 that means that there are approximately 75 symptomatic people at any one time and, very probably, three times as many people who aren't yet showing symptoms plus those who are carriers but asymptomatic. There is no way that's safe enough to go out into areas where strict social distancing isn't possible.

That's a very small town to have so many care home deaths growstuff. I'm sure local public health will be taking a long hard look at what's going on/gone on there.

Sharma actually tested negative.

Wow!
I'm amazed he did.
He looked so poorly.

There are other illnesses than coronavirus!

I know. It's just that his obvious symptoms looked just how I imagined corona ones would.

It's actually quite worrying how so many other illnesses are being completely overlooked due to our current focus on coronavirus. Even a relatively straightforward but unpleasant cause like food poisoning would explain Sharma's condition yesterday.
Prof Sikora warns of a surge of cancer deaths after this due to so many cases not being diagnosed or treated.

I read a report that said Americans suffer far more from food poisoning due to American food standards (or lack of them). So we have that to look forward to in the future.

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Jane10 It's not the town which has the care home deaths, but the whole STP, which covers a much wider area.

The figure I gave was for the likely number of people between 20-69 who are currently infected. 1 in 200 is quite high (about the current national average). Hopefully, the ones with symptoms are self-isolating but my point is that the infection rate isn't coming down, so there will be people still wandering around not knowing they're infected.

I guess you know that Professor Sikora is a controversial character. He's also an oncologist, who would want to highlight cancer treatment.

I'm not sure what you're suggesting. Maybe there's a very strong argument for a massive increase in NHS funding, so that all can be treated.

Kate54, he should have another test - as they're only 70 - 80% accurate!

Only a fool doesn't realise there are other illnesses. However, for me and many others, it's the one which is currently affecting my life, partly as a result of the government's dithering and inadequate initial response.

MayBee70, it's just a case of being careful with what you buy and eat, as always. It's not inevitable food poisoning!

Hetty I sincerely hope he's OK, but I must admit that if I were him and still suffering symptoms, I'd want another test.

Hetty The Americans are lobbying hard for country of origin to be omitted from food labelling. In any case, food in hospitals, schools, take-aways, restaurants and processed foods such as pies doesn't carry country of origin labelling.

Food poisoning isn't the only issue. Long-term, British farmers and manufacturers will be forced to lower their own standards and prices to compete with cheaper food, produced to lower standards.

I'm sure that we can keep our UK labelling and I expect the EU and other countries will too. It'll be obvious what is US produce. It's interesting that a lot of food poisoning seems linked to catering outlets, rather than home food preparation. Here's what to avoid:

www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-that-cause-food-poisoning

I think it’s more due to the inhumane, filthy conditions that American animals/poultry are kept in. Think salmonella in eggs etc. And they are intending to hide the country of origin. As ever it will be the poor that are adversely affected because many of us can get our food from local farmers (the ones that survive financially that is). We were told that chlorinated chicken was off the agenda. Gove lies as much as Johnson I’m afraid.

We live on the coast, and frankly the crowds over bank holiday weekend were greater than we have ever seen before, but we're we surprised? No not really, to tell the country that lock down would be lifted on the Monday after a first hot weekend was downright stupid, No one was going to wait!

For us it's come and gone, we are maintaining lock down as we have since the start, and have no plans on changing that for the foreseeable future. It's a choice!

I read that southend RNLI had more call outs this year than any since 2013.

Nobody objects to our chlorinated salad (I always wash it again).

Why are the poor and disadvantaged always trotted out as 'those who will suffer'? The suggestion is (rather insultingly) that they will always choose the cheapest chicken.

They may well choose not to eat any meat, though. Most people seem unaware that a lot of restaurant and catering meat is halal, due to demand, but don't really seem to care either:

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/what-is-halal-meat-the-big-questions-about-religious-slaughter-answered-9331519.html

M&S chickens are washed.
Are they washed in spring water, tap water or chlorinated water?

Actually, our tap water is chlorinated. Sometimes I turn on the tap and am taken aback by the smell of chlorine, like a swimming pool.

I need to learn more about this.

The point is that we were told that we wouldn’t have to accept chlorinated chicken as part of a trade deal. But now we do.