Coronavirus

[easytoslip]

1 hour ago, alles ist gut said:

I’ll be giving it ‘a few weeks or so’. ‘A few’ being 20-ish.

I'll give it a few weeks too, ease my way back in to the usual pub scene   it'll be strange for sure, I can imagine say the first night of opening, albeit with restrictions, will be full of knobheads celebrating like New Year's eve or something. 

[Rico1304]

27 minutes ago, skend04 said:

I had tickets for The Book of Mormon this weekend and have only been offered vouchers instead of a refund. Is everyone just trying it on or is this likely to be the best we get for cancellations?

I know this won’t help but it’s ace. Absolutely hilarious. 

[Grinch]

12 minutes ago, redinblack62 said:

I had a ticket for Cardiff, not had any communication around that. Prepaid a hotel as well.

 

They've not released much details, probably cause like all of us, they don't know when things will be able to resume.   Just that they're trying to reschedule their European tour when possible. 

 

I got lucky that I'd only reserved a hotel room.  I'm happy enough to wait on them, whenever things get back to normal again, it'll be a hell of a show. 

 

 

 

[JohnnyH]

6 hours ago, Lee909 said:

The gun nut crowd protesting in the states don't half make some great signs. 

 

 

Before I decide, am I pitching or catching?

[Mudface]

Wow. Remember how privatisation and outsourcing were supposed to remove the dead hand of public sector bureaucracy? Yeah, right. What an absolute mess.

 

Revealed: Private firm running UK PPE stockpile was sold in middle of pandemic
Movianto was also involved in legal disputes with firm that built warehouse to store equipment


The warehouse appears unremarkable, except for its size. Just off a motorway on an industrial estate in Merseyside sits a 35,000 sq m (377,000 sq ft) purpose-built warehouse with 20 loading docks to enable the storage and rapid distribution of hundreds of millions of face masks, aprons, gowns, gloves and body bags.

For security reasons, the Guardian has been asked not to disclose the precise location of the UK’s stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE) for use in a pandemic. It is being stored on a site where builders moved the equivalent of more than 90 Olympic–size swimming pools of earth to make way for a vast, climate-controlled warehouse.
However, the Guardian can reveal that the management and the distribution of the stockpile has been outsourced to a private company, Movianto, which was sold two weeks ago for $133m (£107m) by its owner, a large US healthcare group.
The fact that Movianto was being sold in the midst of a global pandemic, months after being instructed by the UK government to start mobilising the PPE supply, would be remarkable enough. But the sale is only the latest development in a turbulent 18 months for Movianto, which has included legal disputes with a property developer who built the enormous warehouse in Merseyside.

The disputes culminated in Movianto securing a high court injunction in March last year, to thwart threats by the developer, Oliver Morley, to “lock the gates” and prevent Movianto employees from accessing the warehoused stock.

Morley’s company has since gone into administration and its legal claims against Movianto have been discontinued, but Morley maintains his legal battles with Movianto were not over. He called for an investigation into the firm, alleging there was “a much bigger story that needs to be told” about his former tenant, but declined to provide specific details.

For its part, Movianto firmly dismisses all of Morley’s allegations, pointing out that his property firm was defeated last year in court. The company insists the legal disputes and the sale have had no impact on its storage or distribution of PPE in recent months.

“Movianto firmly believes that it has and continues to perform to all contractual obligations,” the firm said.

But the saga is likely to put a spotlight on the UK government’s decision to outsource the management of the emergency stockpile. In three years, the stockpile appears to have been stored in three different warehouses. Meanwhile, management of the stock has been passed from a German–owned multinational to an American one.

In the coming months the custody of the UK’s emergency stockpile of PPE will be passed on to a family-run business based in suburban Paris.

A Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spokesperson said: “The pandemic influenza stockpile held under this contract has remained safely and securely stored at all times and has supported our Covid-19 response through the distribution of vital personal protective equipment and essential supplies to the NHS and social care sector.”

PPE provision
Widespread shortages of PPE have dominated complaints over the government’s handling of the pandemic in recent weeks, including from NHS workers who say their lives are being endangered by the lack of adequate protection. This week an RAF plane was dispatched to Turkey to secure more supplies.
The health secretary, Matt Hancock, insists the government is rising to the challenge, and has repeatedly said the PPE challenge has been “one of distribution rather than one of supply”. In addition to procuring new supplies from China, the DHSC has been drawing on the emergency stockpile, which it has stored since 2006 under its pandemic influenza preparedness programme.

That stockpile is made up of around 52,000 pallets of equipment worth an estimated £500m. While it contains antiviral medicines and flu vaccines which are of limited use against Covid-19, the bulk of stocks are said to be PPE and hygiene products. Much of the stock needs to be frequently monitored, updated and stored in temperature–controlled conditions.

 It got to the point where I said I’m going to lock the gates and refuse you entry to the site.
The government owns the stock, but outsources its management to private firms. Previously, the contract was held by DHL. Movianto, a subsidiary of the US health company Owens & Minor, won the £55m deal in the summer of 2018.

As part of Movianto’s plans, the company entered into business with Morley to build the vast warehouse in Merseyside. In the meantime, the pandemic stockpile was to be temporarily housed in another warehouse, also owned by Morley, in Knowsley.

Monvianto’s plans were approved by the Cabinet Office, documents suggest. The company says its decision to enter into business with Morley was “made by executives no longer associated with Movianto”.

A notice for the new NHS contract stipulated that the contractor would be required to maintain “a ready state for deployment in the event of a pandemic event”.

In early 2019, Movianto became mired in disputes with Morley’s company, which accused the firm of not paying rent for the warehouse in Knowsley. According to Morley, his tenants became “uncooperative”. “This went on for weeks,” he said. Movianto strongly rejects the allegation, saying it paid rent “in accordance with the terms of the lease”.

Another grievance related to the payment of electricity bills to power the generators to ensure the stock, including medicines, was stored at the right temperature. Morley claims he ended up having to pay for electricity to power the generators, which “kept going on the blink” resulting, he alleges, in “temperature spikes”.

A Movianto source said Morley’s account was inaccurate. In a statement, Movianto said electricity generators were only needed because of “Morley’s own failure to provide a mains supply in accordance with his contractual obligations”.

By his own account, Morley’s financial disputes with Movianto culminated in him threatening the firm. “It got to the point where I said I’m just going to lock the gates and refuse you entry to the site.” When that happened, Movianto rushed to the high court in March 2019 and successfully obtained an injunction to ensure continued access to the warehouse.


Movianto said the injunction was required as “a result of Morley’s conduct and repeated threats to interfere with Movianto’s operations”. It said Morley’s allegations over rent and generators were undermined by “various court proceedings” that ruled in Movianto’s favour. In July 2019, under the control of administrators, Morley’s property company Industrial North West LLP discontinued its legal claims against Movianto.

More challenges ahead
Morley insists he will continue to seek legal action against Movianto – and he is used to high-profile disputes. In January, he lost a prominent lawsuit against RBS in which he claimed the bank’s controversial restructuring group placed him under duress by seizing his assets after struggling to repay a £75m loan. A high court judge noted Morley used the “borrowed personal wealth” to spend on “South African mining investments, property, cars, a yacht and a jet”.

Morley told the Guardian his lifestyle was the result of hard work and “had nothing to do with being a good landlord”. He insists previous business disputes are irrelevant to his grievances against Movianto, which came to a head in May 2019.

As works were completed at the Merseyside warehouse and Movianto prepared to transfer the stockpile from Knowsley, Industrial North West was forced into administration. Documents state the firm “failed to comply” with the conditions of a £61m loan facility.

Morley lost control of his warehouses and administrators stepped in. According to the administrator’s report, the legal dispute “caused delays to the construction works” at the new warehouse, which were finally completed in July 2019. Movianto said the legal disputes “have had no impact on Movianto’s work in response to Covid-19”.

According to a government source, the transfer of the UK’s emergency PPE supplies to the new warehouse was completed by the end of August 2019, four months before the first cases of Covid-19 emerged in China.

The warehouse is now owned by Warrington council, which bought the property for £45m in October. During a change of shifts on Tuesday afternoon, warehouse workers were seen having their car boots searched as they left.

In the coming months, their employer will switch from Owens & Minor to the French company EHDH Holding Group, under a deal agreed on 6 April. The sale is expected to be completed before the end of June, with demand for supplies in the UK’s pandemic stockpile expected to continue for many months.

The distribution of that stockpile’s PPE, it seems, may no longer solely be the responsibility of Movianto. Eleven days ago, the DHSC announced a new “24/7 military operation” to oversee the supply of PPE to health and care workers. “We’ve had to create a whole new logistics network, essentially from scratch,” Hancock said.

A government source said the coronavirus outbreak presented different requirements to a flu pandemic – the basis of Movianto’s original contract. Movianto was now “supporting” the government’s PPE plan through its contractual obligations, the source said. Movianto said the terms of its NHS contracts were “confidential”.

Jeff Jochims, the chief operating officer of Owens & Minor, said: “We look forward to closing the sale of Movianto business to EHDH, but in the meantime will continue our ceaseless work to support the global response to this pandemic.”

[redinblack62]

41 minutes ago, Grinch said:

 

They've not released much details, probably cause like all of us, they don't know when things will be able to resume.   Just that they're trying to reschedule their European tour when possible. 

 

I got lucky that I'd only reserved a hotel room.  I'm happy enough to wait on them, whenever things get back to normal again, it'll be a hell of a show. 

 

 

 

It certainly will. I saw them at the Manc Arena on the last tour, at the end it smelt like I was in Kuwait

[Anubis]

Pinpointing the location of the Govt’s stockpile of PPE being so close to Liverpool’s organised crime. What could possibly go wrong....

[DalyanPete]

2 hours ago, sir roger said:

Oddly enough I was booked to go to Dalyan the week before Easter for some specialist dental treatment , but obviously had to cancel. Unless everything clears up far faster tha  expected I cant see me re-booking this year now.

Have you been to Dalyan before?

It's like a winter's day in Rhyl at the moment, but with a bit more sun.

Missus got crown done in Ortaca(just down the road) Dentist said, " throw the cash on the floor!"

Tradition apparently for first cash of the day.

Had to come home via Istanbul in December, saw loads of lads who had been over for hair transplants. Hope it works for them as it looked pretty painful, red as fuck which would explain no shite. 

[DalyanPete]

3 hours ago, alles ist gut said:

I’ll be giving it ‘a few weeks or so’. ‘A few’ being 20-ish.

Problem for UK is, would you believe this fuckin government on anything they say?

20ish sounds about right.

[DalyanPete]

2 hours ago, johnsusername said:

I'm just not sure how it's all going to work - what about clubs, cafes, cinemas, gym, swimming pools? What about public transport? What about schools with 30 kids in a class and kids and parents at the school gate? The obvious one is football and sports with large crowds. 

 

I work in an office which is pretty cramped, and the lifts are always cramped. 

 

Will the government keep certain places closed for longer? Are we all going to have to wear face masks until Christmas? Are there enough masks?

 

I'm just wittering on now. 

 

We are doomed, doomed I tell ya

[Sugar Ape]

The FT article is free to read and not behind the Paywall. 
 

 

[DalyanPete]

15 hours ago, Sugar Ape said:

It’s all there on the dates in the pictures. Not sure why you’d want to look at their feed though as they are a Trump supporting moron. 
 

 

 

 

Gobshites.

Consequence of infecting others plays a big part for me. Not sure how that pans out with my belief of, when your numbers up theory?

Lockdown in Turkey has made me into a curtain twitcher...."look at them, twats!" at locals who don't adhere. Not too loud as loads have hunting rifles.

[Spy Bee]

I've decided to buy an antibody test. A few people in my family have definitely had it, although only one has been tested and she's had a negative (nurses say false negative). I suppose I'm hoping that I have been one of the fortunate asymptomatic ones.

[Jose Jones]

5 minutes ago, Spy Bee said:

I've decided to buy an antibody test. A few people in my family have definitely had it, although only one has been tested and she's had a negative (nurses say false negative). I suppose I'm hoping that I have been one of the fortunate asymptomatic ones.

Which antibody test are you getting and where from?

[elvis]

13 minutes ago, Spy Bee said:

I've decided to buy an antibody test. A few people in my family have definitely had it, although only one has been tested and she's had a negative (nurses say false negative). I suppose I'm hoping that I have been one of the fortunate asymptomatic ones.

How much?

[Pureblood]

Seven day isolation advice is bullshit.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52366190

[Spy Bee]

5 minutes ago, elvis said:

How much?

£75 

6 minutes ago, Jose Jones said:

Which antibody test are you getting and where from?

I'm not sure to be honest. My mate the GP has bought ten (minimum order) and I'm getting 5 of him for me and family/mates.

 

Apparently it's very accurate for positive tests, but can provide a few false negatives.

[elvis]

5 minutes ago, Spy Bee said:

£75 

I'm not sure to be honest. My mate the GP has bought ten (minimum order) and I'm getting 5 of him for me and family/mates.

 

Apparently it's very accurate for positive tests, but can provide a few false negatives.

That's a lot of dough if they show negative , especially if they're not foolproof

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Found out my auntie has it, over a fortnight and nobody deemed it necessary, we were brought up together, like a sister to me. 60 years old and works in a Home where 6 have died. 

[Dr Arthur De Sabre]

19 hours ago, Mudface said:

True, especially when those super-duper Dyson ones arrive. Aaaaany minute now... 

he’s trying to value add and reinvent them, once he heard Johnson was in need he decided to add one that blew you as well as breathed for you.

[Spy Bee]

15 minutes ago, elvis said:

That's a lot of dough if they show negative , especially if they're not foolproof

Yeah, I wasn't sure, but as I am a key worker, I think knowing I've had it will give me peace of mind and knowing I haven't will keep me focused on good practises.

[Jenson]

1 minute ago, Spy Bee said:

Yeah, I wasn't sure, but as I am a key worker, I think knowing I've had it will give me peace of mind and knowing I haven't will keep me focused on good practises.

You're assuming that once you've had it you're immune to further infection? Dangerous strategy as no one knows yet if that is the case.

[sir roger]

55 minutes ago, DalyanPete said:

Have you been to Dalyan before?

It's like a winter's day in Rhyl at the moment, but with a bit more sun.

Missus got crown done in Ortaca(just down the road) Dentist said, " throw the cash on the floor!"

Tradition apparently for first cash of the day.

Had to come home via Istanbul in December, saw loads of lads who had been over for hair transplants. Hope it works for them as it looked pretty painful, red as fuck which would explain no shite. 

No , just got a recommendation from my niece who is a dental technician and the place involved had surgeries in Dalyan and Antalya but the dates I wanted were only available in Dalyan. I was getting porcelain crowns for every tooth in my head for @ £3000 which is about 30% of the price in the UK , and the facilities looked space age fantastic.

 

Coincidentally my nephew got the hair treatment you describe in Turkey and it looks brilliant. Said it was sore for a few days but the best money he had ever spent.

[TheHowieLama]

11 minutes ago, VERBAL DIARRHEA said:

Found out my auntie has it, over a fortnight and nobody deemed it necessary, we were brought up together, like a sister to me. 60 years old and works in a Home where 6 have died. 

Thats crap pal - I hope for the best.

[Dr Arthur De Sabre]

15 hours ago, Spy Bee said:

So Gates Foundation, Wuhan Lab, WHO and others have been hacked. I cannot comment of the veracity of these claims, but there are claims nevertheless that the emails show that Covid-19 is SARS spliced with HIV.

 

I'm not sure though, because I make that to be SHAIRVS.

 

This could be a huge story!

Old creds found in pastebin, most of us have hacked creds from when LinkedIn or another other fucker got hacked that keeps a DB of user creds in plain text.

nothing story.

 

see haveibeenpwned.com