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2 hours ago, Saintslass said:

Another interesting development has been featured on BBC Breakfast this morning - dogs.  A study is about to get underway (I'm sorry, I missed which institution is running it) investigating whether dogs can recognise through their wonderful nose whether someone has Covid 19.  Apparently they can sniff out malaria and some other diseases.  So the study involves hospital staff and Covid patients there.  In relation to the staff, volunteers wear a mask for a few hours and apparently also nylon socks (!).  Those items are then anonymised.  The staff and patients of course are tested for Covid but the scientists won't know the result of those tests.  All data returned is then analysed to see whether dogs are capable of actually sniffing Covid before trials and training can begin.

It would be marvellous if dogs are able to recognise Covid.  There would be Covid dogs at airports and ports to sniff out infectious people arriving in the country.

Work on the dog stuff was started a while ago https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/27/dogs-trained-smell-coronavirus-help-battle-disease-12464368/  and I guess they've now found how to safely show the dogs the scent of Covid through smelly socks!

Link to the charity involved   this morning's interview and the 6 dogs who are going to be (hopefully) trained up

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55 minutes ago, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

Work on the dog stuff's was started a while ago https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/27/dogs-trained-smell-coronavirus-help-battle-disease-12464368/  and I guess they've now found how to safely show the dogs the scent of Covid through smelly socks!

Link to the charity involved   this morning's interview and the 6 dogs who are going to be (hopefully) trained up

The chap involved in the study was very polite when he referred to the nylon socks!  I thought at the time that I know all about how effective nylon is at capturing aroma (those of us who wear tights are very experienced in this!). 

I'm glad the government has provided them with a chunk of cash as dogs' noses are well worth the investment even if in this case they end up being bemused.  Hopefully though this will be a breakthrough in detection.  

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1 hour ago, SSoutherner said:

Now I have my son home form University (I had to go and get him - he had been alone in his house for 8 days so seemed pretty safe - not seen him since January), we have had a n interesting conversation re the ad campaigns.

We have realised those of us over 45 will remember the "Don't die of ignorance" HIV/AIDS campaign which was much starker and harder hitting considering the MUCH lower mortality rate so this seems muted to us, whilst younger people have never seen any kind of blunt government health info films

I remember the Don't Die of Ignorance ads.  They were very, very good. And necessary at the time too because of the means by which the disease could be transmitted.  Condoms had fallen out of fashion by that time but they suddenly became the thing to buy again when HIV first made an appearance.  It's a lesson for today that there is still no vaccine for HIV; all the progress made has been through combination drugs.  

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1 hour ago, Bob8 said:

There have been discussions about using plants in this way for about 15 years. It is feasible, the challenge is clean conditions and separation of the product. 

It is also remarkable that it is often older people who are skeptical that new diseases can emerge, when we have actually seen it before. 

I don't know who you would categorise as 'older' but from my POV, as someone who remembers the HIV/Aids ads, I'm not sceptical about the disease returning.  Far from it; I assume it will.  My older parent is terrified of it returning (not that it has gone away of course; I'm talking in terms of the future).  

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4 minutes ago, Saintslass said:

The chap involved in the study was very polite when he referred to the nylon socks!  I thought at the time that I know all about how effective nylon is at capturing aroma (those of us who wear tights are very experienced in this!). 

I'm glad the government has provided them with a chunk of cash as dogs' noses are well worth the investment even if in this case they end up being bemused.  Hopefully though this will be a breakthrough in detection.  

I find watching dogs at work fascinating, whatever they're doing. When I used to take mine to the local dog club there was an Assistance Dog there who could load and unload the washing machine, take and fetch a multitude of items by name, open doors and go to the local shop for its owner; it was also simply the family pet who liked nothing better than to run around like an idiot and roll in the most disgusting things it could find!

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34 minutes ago, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

I find watching dogs at work fascinating, whatever they're doing. When I used to take mine to the local dog club there was an Assistance Dog there who could load and unload the washing machine, take and fetch a multitude of items by name, open doors and go to the local shop for its owner; it was also simply the family pet who liked nothing better than to run around like an idiot and roll in the most disgusting things it could find!

Dogs are strange beasts, I think.  They come across as thick as mince albeit in an entertaining way but then can be trained to do the most amazingly complex things that some humans fail to do properly sometimes.  

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1 minute ago, Damien said:

The relaxation and social distancing aren't looking too good:

 

This was bound to happen and as I said at the time, I think it was a mistake by the government to let people out in this way.  

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This is posted because I think it's funny but it may be considered political in which case it may be deleted (although because it's taking the mickey out of the government, perhaps it won't be!):

 

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5 minutes ago, Saintslass said:

Dogs are strange beasts, I think.  They come across as thick as mince albeit in an entertaining way but then can be trained to do the most amazingly complex things that some humans fail to do properly sometimes.  

Yes - basically you train them so that it's a game with a reward at the end. I remember seeing an explosives dog in training. It was a typical spaniel bouncing around and sniffing away merrily but when it came to the suitcase containing the bomb it immediately sat bolt upright and didn't move until given the command to fetch its toy. 

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2 minutes ago, Johnoco said:

Work tonight for me.

Given that people are more or less starting to do as they please now, I’d say the lockdown (such as it was) is pretty much over. Apart from (imo) catching it and being off work, it hasn’t been that much different for me really. (Well it has but not like it will have some people) 

Apart from probably putting on weight with all the free takeaways/sandwiches from work (I can’t refuse them on principle - they’re free) 

Just pubs n restos to go here in Rovrum..... the general consensus locally appears to be "@@@@ it" now.....

And given the empty bottles and cans in the park.... I'd suggest when pubs n restos do open, they'll be rammed.

Two boozers in wath already on final warnings for serving ale in the car park.

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This week drove from Reading to Leamington and back with son - totally different worlds, Reading, nobody moving and very distanced queues outside the few open shops etc, Leamington, near normal even the groups of drunks with Whitelightning outside the corner shop and the pen kebab shop

 

Might explain why the apparent R is lower in London and SE than the further North you go

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I'm not sure people should be criticised for using national parks, as allowed in the new guidelines. 

I suspect it will still be easier to social distance at the Peak District than the parks near me. 

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6 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I'm not sure people should be criticised for using national parks, as allowed in the new guidelines. 

I suspect it will still be easier to social distance at the Peak District than the parks near me. 

I understand that point of view too, once you get there and get clear of folk. It's more the car parks, amenities and starting off points that would be a nightmare I'd imagine with everyone descending on them at once. 

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33 minutes ago, Damien said:

I understand that point of view too, once you get there and get clear of folk. It's more the car parks, amenities and starting off points that would be a nightmare I'd imagine with everyone descending on them at once. 

I think the loos will be the only issue, I think there will need to be a lot of bushes used tbh! 

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1 hour ago, Dave T said:

I'm not sure people should be criticised for using national parks, as allowed in the new guidelines. 

I suspect it will still be easier to social distance at the Peak District than the parks near me. 

Hastings seafront and park busier than before but not busy. Beach the same. Overwhelming majority socially distancing without any issue. I only saw one tourist trap coffee/doughnuts stand trying to get trade and it had precisely zero takers.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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38 minutes ago, DavidM said:

‘ Social distancing ‘ is becoming such an annoying term ! And you ‘ practice ‘ it . I think by now I’m an expert I can stop practicing 

Its not as annoying as 'The Science', that has been driving me mad since I first heard it.

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17 minutes ago, Damien said:

Its not as annoying as 'The Science', that has been driving me mad since I first heard it.

You think it is annoying you, I promise it annoys me more!

"You clearly have never met Bob8 then, he's like a veritable Bryan Ferry of RL." - Johnoco 19 Jul 2014

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2 hours ago, Dave T said:

I think the loos will be the only issue, I think there will need to be a lot of bushes used tbh! 

Yes.  I saw a tweet from the Peak District national park and the place which featured in their tweet about not going to the Peak District was very busy apparently and no toilets were available.  So what happened?  People used the street instead.  Lovely.  Not.  

But I think the day has gone alright overall.  Even the Guardian could only find two incidents of real busy-ness (one of which was the same place in the Peak District - maybe there is a lesson in there for the Peak District National Park!).  Mostly it seems places are reporting that their areas were busy but manageable.  Those interviewed in the Yorkshire Dales on TV tonight said everyone had been socially distancing and the rep from the Dales National Park said they hadn't had any problems.

I saw a picture of a park in Birkenhead where a protest at the lockdown was supposed to happen.  At the time of the picture there appeared to be more police there than people, and nobody had turned up to protest!

Given the lack of news on the subject when I watched TV and read the online sites, so far so good.  

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1 hour ago, DavidM said:

‘ Social distancing ‘ is becoming such an annoying term ! And you ‘ practice ‘ it . I think by now I’m an expert I can stop practicing 

I find it a handy term as it is very Covid and so it reminds me of what I'm supposed to be doing in order to keep me and others safe.

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