philglossop

I've never known a Sunday like this work wise. In a 800 space car park, we have 39 cars in. Shops dont shut for another 30mins here. Surface car parks are all empty now as well. Theres literally nobody in the City Centre.

Just home from work. As I pointed out, Plymouth City centre is noticable quieter. However the queues at supermarkets are just ridiculous. Strange and almost odd atmosphere walking through the middle of City. Couldn't get any rice shopping so nipped to my normal Asian shop where I get my spices and there the shelves have been stripped as well.

Its noticable just how quiet Plymouth City Centre is this morning. Even our busiest car park which would be heading towards full is nowhere near it. Equally, theres not many people out walking around either.

Just had the following email from UGLE (Grand Freemasons lodge in London) As the Coronavirus continues to escalate, we are issuing the following urgent guidance above and beyond that issued by Public Health England. This is due to the main age demographic of our membership being in a significantly higher risk group. This advice equally applies to members of the Orders administered from Mark Masons’ Hall and members of the Ancient and Accepted Rite. COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan City, China in December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) believes COVID-19 more severely affects older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes). Based on the WHO’s declaration that this is a public health emergency of international concern, the UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk to the UK from low to moderate. On 10 February, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, announced strengthened legal powers to protect public health, and on the 2 March outlined the UK’s national response to the virus. Whilst each unit may decide for itself what precautions it may wish to take, UGLE strongly suggests you follow this advice: If you or a family member are showing signs of illness, please do not attend your Lodge or Chapter meetings and follow the guidance below. We recommend that members consider refraining from any physical contact within the ceremonies, before or after meetings. Given the tactile nature of many ceremonies, if you or candidates are concerned about how they can take place with little or no physical contact, while maintaining their meaning and impact, you may even wish to consider postponing the ceremony until the situation has improved. Minimise mass shared transport (i.e. coaches) to meetings. Wash hands thoroughly before and after meetings for 20 seconds with hot water. This advice stands whether you do or do not wear gloves during your ceremonies. Any member who feels unwell should follow the advice from Public Health England. If a member is known to have been infected with COVID-19, then it is standard policy for Public Health to contact all those with whom he has been in contact. Full co-operation is expected to ensure the risk to other unit members – and members of the public – is minimised. We recommend the Secretary maintains physical possession of the attendance book to assist in this process. If you are worried about a fellow member please keep in contact with them via the phone and text to keep an eye on their wellbeing. Living in Plymouth and due to attend a meeting in April, I'm giving it serious thought about not travelling. So far we've been lucky here in SW. London I ain't so certain about.

Well there was a vicious virus doing the rounds at work about 2 weeks ago, certainly I had it as did most of my team. Felt like flu, wiped us all out. Didnt have the cough but felt dreadful and ached all over. However, this had a real sinus problem so guessing it wasnt. I'm trying to up my vitamins etc on the home to boost my immune system.

I'd expect that as a matter of course. Common sense.

Embargoed until Wednesday but FA will be releasing advice regarding pre match Respect 'hand shakes' to clubs in the National League System to take affect for games this weekend, until further notice. Will circulate to clubs & match officials and put link to advice on twitter. Taken from South West Peninsula League Twitter feed.

Agree. Having had pneumonia about 20 years ago and being ventilated at that time in ICU, the medical care even then was 2nd to none. Like a lot of things media hype does no good but cold analysis like the above is more reassuring. Plus you can survive pneumonia as I proved. Mind you, i guess it wouldn't be a bad time to stop smoking!

Excellent piece Beanz. Thanks mate!

Does anyone have the figures for having and surviving in terms of age groups? Listen its not the best news, but surely so long as you have a good immune system and dont have a serious underlying condition like heart/diabetes etc, I'd take the advice not to panic. Like I said yesterday, as my Mum has a lung condition which nearly killed her 2 years ago, I'm more concerned for my parents. But if I can plan and sort an idea with them in isolation if it hits hard, that's not panic, that's common sense! As for not flying etc.....well who knows. But keep calm and carry on doesn't seem a bad way of going about things- after all stress will make.your immune system weak and more suspectable

I had flu back in 2003 the last time, and started symptoms for swine flu but got Tamiflu so I was lucky. Correctly it's going to be in a few weeks I think we'll see this really explode here. Cant see me going to work in car parks if it hits here....

We're lucky to be a close family, plus I have a job which means I can almost drop and run in crisis.

Watching the panic buying start in Plymouth today..... milk hard to come by, anything anti bacterial forget it. I'm not so concerned, but my Mum has a respiratory condition, so over dinner yesterday we did some sensible talking about not going out, and if that means I have to go shopping for my parents and wave through a window for a few weeks, then so be it. I did manage to get them some powdered milk (and boy that was hard to find!) and some bread mixes, but they do have a lot of food in, (my Nan was a farmers daughter and taught my Mum and myself well about having a good stock in the larder).

Touch wood, we've dodged a bullet here in West Devon, but the pictures coming out show Bovey Tracey has been hit badly, with the football club under 3 foot of water.

Squall line hitting us now. How my fence is still standing I don't know, flapping in the wind

What Brendon started, I'm certain Ciara will finish. That's the main railway line into Plymouth.

That was vicious drive home. Amazed to see the amount of cars piling into the City Centre to go shopping..... I think they'll be in for a shock when that cold front comes in here in a couple of hours.

Ben told to go home at 12pm today for safety. Not looking forward to driving home in this....

Agree. At the moment its building and you can see that compared to a couple of hours ago. It's looking at a tree on a roundabout and it's getting the battering of it's long life at the moment!

Its ramping up here. I'm lucky to be indoors at work, but watching the trees even here in City Centre are taking a hell of pounding compared to when I started work at 730. To be fair, the City Centre given it's a Sunday is totally dead compared to normal.

Made it to work Couple of pub signs down, flooding on the Embankment by River Plym. And winds getting up here in City Centre

Wind gusting badly here, enough to wake me up in Plymouth. My bedroom is in the SW side so takes the brunt anyway but this is nasty so early on.

Well I'm at work tomorrow with 5 other colleagues. I'm concerned, this isn't a normal winter storm imho. I'm finishing work at 3 so will batten down the hatches. Then I've to be in at 8am until 5pm...

Plymouth Gale Warning: Gale warning issued 8 February 03:46 UTC (Open) Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later Wind Westerly backing southwesterly 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later. Sea State Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough. Weather Showers, rain later. Visibility Good, occasionally poor later.

Yes, its not bad in Plymouth today at work. That rain was heavy at Tavistock about 1030pm last night. Tomorrow is going to be very very interesting. In not a good way I feel.