As the Guardian has reported, coronavirus starvation protests have begun, albeit not here, as yet:
Thousands of garment workers who blocked the streets in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Monday said they were more afraid of starving than coronavirus, after factories supplying western fast fashion chains failed to pay their wages.
With retailers including H&M, Walmart and Tesco cancelling orders because of the pandemic, Bangladesh's $40bn export sector, dominated by garment factories, is facing its worst crisis in decades.
Bangladesh is the world's second-biggest garment maker after China.
Protesting workers say many factories have not paid them after the orders were cut. Sajedul Islam, 21, told AFP:
We are afraid of the coronavirus. We heard a lot of people are dying of this disease. But we don't have any choice. We are starving. If we stay at home, we may save ourselves from the virus. But who will save us from starvation?
Hat tip to Peter Dawe. I share his concern that this is the first such protest, but will not be the last.
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Will the protests start here amongst the supine British when the penny finally drops and they properly understand the implications of the government’s proposed cull policy for not treating elderly severe coronavirus cases?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8213613/Elderly-coronavirus-patients-denied-critical-care-NHS-score-system.html
It is not just the old that is being denied treatment, but austestic,disabled, cancer, people who have weak immune systems et al. For example you have a heart attack, a mild one but the nhs will ask you to sign a dnr form. If you refuse the doctor can sign it on your behalf, see mental health act 2005. https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-cancer-patients-could-miss-out-on-vital-treatment-due-to-covid-19-11965113
In my view this is an excuse to cut corners and i do not believe the NHS is massively overwhelmed, ie it cannot treat other people, it can but it is just doing it as an excuse to cut corners. I just seen no reason for people to be denied treatment, Bevan must be turning in his grave. I think there is a group of people who regard certain people as less deserving. We have had it with the deserving poor and not so deserving. This is eugenics and it is not nice and evil. The point I am making is we are going back to the days before nhs was founded and if you have the money you get treated and if you do not tough. – hence the private wards in hospitals. I bet boris johnson was on such a ward in St Thomas’. It seems the nhs was born to get rid of fear but now the opposite is true.
Yes i know the NHS are massively underfunded but we do not see massive lines of people queuing outside hospitals to get treated. It is certainly true that corridors have been fill, though i have not seen that with regards to Tameside General hospital. My aunt is 87 with stomach cancer so i do know if she has been put on a reduce treatment plan etc.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52235467?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england&link_location=live-reporting-story
https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/asking-older-people-to-sign-dnr-forms-during-coronavirus-outbreak-can-make-them-feel-worthless-2530452
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/elderly-people-being-pressured-signing-21826505
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-52217868
Bread and circuses…majority of the circuses are now closed and it would appear the bread is starting to run out.
I read that in Italy, the Mafia and other organised crime groups are distributing food and police in Naples have intensified their presence.
As for the UK, like you have said before Richard, the crisis will arrive here very soon. Inevitable at this point.