Hi
@10ofRods do you have a source re acute patients not receiving the care they need? I havent read this myself in UK news. I am aware that the emergency Nightingale facility in London has barely been used. Also another emergency facility at Stoke Mandeville hospital, at the paralympic stadium, has not been used. Another in the north of England has also not needed to open. Message here is that (aside from PPE debacles) the NHS is coping very well and the measures taken to ensure we protected the NHS were successful for this reason.
I havent seen anything in the news about people not having access to ventilators if needed.
In the UK, our population density combined with our being such a major transport hub have a bearing IMO. We have remote areas, which are also geographically large, such as Scottish highlands and islands, but compared to a lot of countries we are probably packed close together. Also, we have a very multicultural population and sadly the proportion of BAME deaths is not in line with general percentage of the population. Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world (7th or thereabouts). In short, a whole lot of people in not a whole lot of space, many of whom seem to be higher risk for reasons as yet not fully understood.
The R number being less than one is seen as very positive here and we are glad to know that we have apparently passed peak. Lockdown remains in place and is overall well observed or enforced by police. Forthcoming weeks are crucial we know and we are watching and waiting for the government to make good decisions (whatever they may be! Rather them than me).
Actual numbers of deaths will remain horribly high due to nature taking its course unfortunately and it is inevitable that new cases will keep coming in from care homes.
Furlough is available to the end of June, which means that companies such as mine can be sure our people will be paid at least 80% up until then. So that clock is ticking in the background, although it was extended once already.
I think what I'm saying is that the general mood here right now is one of cautious optimism, at least amongst my work, friend and family circles. The anxiety is trusting people to follow guidelines when lockdown begins to rise and of course the autumn/winter for which I will definitely be preparing for a second phase.
All JMO of course.