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The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

england.nhs.uk

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Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#91

Post by TheSpiceIsLife »

mistermann wrote: post #64
mmhsieh wrote: post #30

Taiwan, which has one of the best medical systems in the world, is heavily reliant on civil society -- which is many things, but one of which is heavy participation by unpaid volunteers. Social capital is a real thing and a valuable thing.

The pre-existence of a volunteer (or other flavors) culture in a society may also contribute to superior widespread compliance with the various directives issues by governments. Asian countries seemed to have reacted better in this case - undoubtedly a major chunk of that was due to prior outbreaks in that region, but is that the only variable that contributed to the outcome?

I don’t believe anyone here has claimed there is only one variable that explains any countries better or worse ability with regard to this pandemic, or anything for that matter.

Edit to add: okay, so a sibling comment claims the reason is a Confucian, culture. But that’s narrow, everything is always multi-factorial. It’s good to see and discuss one aspect, but not at the expense of other considerations.

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#93

Post by timthorn »

kaisix wrote: post #74

I think the initiative is laudable. We know that on a regular Friday or Saturday night, the NHS is already struggling with waiting time up to 4 hours in hospitals and low bed capacity. Mass COVID-19 infections would certainly cripple the NHS in no time. Yet, the problem is how do we ensure that those 250K volunteers do not become carriers of COVID-19 ?

> the NHS is already struggling with waiting time up to 4 hours in hospitals

Interestingly, my local hospital emailed today and said that "Emergency Department attendance figures have fallen by 130 cases per day, or around 40% as a result of this crisis"

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#95

Post by kazinator »

nroets wrote: post #47
neilwilson wrote: post #32

Wouldn’t it be more appropriate just to hire people and set them to work in the NHS? It’s way past time the government stopped messing around and just hired all the spare labour - which can then be directed to assist the NHS or directed to stay at home as required. When there are so many people without work that want it we need to stop QE’ing Gilts and start QE’ing workers hours instead. All this could be done with a…

People who don't want any money often provide the best service (and in this case will most likely also have the lowest likelihood of carrying the virus).

Not if they need money; then they have a way of disappearing when a paying gig shows up.

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#96

Post by gridlockd »

comicjk wrote: post #44
neilwilson wrote: post #32

Wouldn’t it be more appropriate just to hire people and set them to work in the NHS? It’s way past time the government stopped messing around and just hired all the spare labour - which can then be directed to assist the NHS or directed to stay at home as required. When there are so many people without work that want it we need to stop QE’ing Gilts and start QE’ing workers hours instead. All this could be done with a…

I agree with everything here except the reference to QE. Quantitative Easing works to control the money supply only because the central bank can quickly mop the money back up by selling the bonds it previously bought. The central bank can't mop up money it sent to people as wages, so if inflation started, they would have no leverage.

The QE money never has been mopped up, nor can it be mopped up quickly. QE has caused asset price inflation. Also, QE is already back in effect, they're just not calling it QE.

https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/bst_recenttren...

By contrast, paying wages to otherwise idle workers isn't going to make much of a dent in the CPI. If it did, there would be a clear correlation between unemployment rate and consumer prices.

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#97

Post by kazinator »

fuckknows wrote: post #76
capableweb wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't quote me on this and I don't have a peer-reviewed paper as source, but as far as I know, people can get reinfected after being infected once.

This is misinformation, immunity works like it does for everything else. The virus is new to us, not magic.

Viruses can mutate, changing their protein coating so as not to be recognized by your immune system. Why do you think the common cold has not gone away, or why new flu shots are needed every season?

We simply do not know what this virus will do.

The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 came in waves, and they were different.

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#98

Post by hjanssen »

piker wrote: post #88
anticensor wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These burdens are put in place to prevent employer (as in superiors, not the folks you serve) abuse. They would abuse government servants here and there if it were easily replaced.

You mean like instead of abusing them by asking them to volunteer?

There is a big difference between being abused by your employer, on which you depend with your livelihood, and being a volunteer, who can literally walk away anytime without consequences.

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#99

Post by kazinator »

mistermann wrote: post #68
capableweb wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't quote me on this and I don't have a peer-reviewed paper as source, but as far as I know, people can get reinfected after being infected once.

At the time of me writing this comment, yours is light grey (due to downvotes I presume - is there any other possible cause?). A statement that includes explicit acknowledgement of uncertainty should not be downvoted (unless there is another reason contained within), full stop. If this was /r/politics, fine, but it isn't. This is causing harm to society that we have very little means of seeing (at least not without a…

In HN, insubstantial comments are downvoted, irrespective of politeness or reasonable disclaimers.

For instance, say, "I fully acknowledge that this is just bunk told in jest to small children, but perhaps the Moon could really be made of Roquefort cheese." is not a HN-worthy comment.

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#100

Post by [deleted] »

cvlasdkv wrote: post #87
Reason077 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> “Pay people and they spend it - keeping the economic circulation ticking over.” There isn’t actually much to spend it on right now, other than rent, groceries, and online entertainment. Everything else is closed and my bank balance is actually looking much more healthy than it normally would this far into the month!

The issue is many people who have been laid off need money for _exactly_ those things. For tech workers the quarantine is a minor inconvenience at best. For those less fortunate, it is existential.

[deleted]
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