Coronavirus Discussion So.... The Coronavirus / COVID-19

[Sherliarty]

Has anyone seen this Oxford model that came out a few days ago

Don't believe the headlines saying half the UK has had coronavirus

Headlines based on a University of Oxford study claim that half of the UK has already had coronavirus. But there's no evidence to support that conclusion yet

www.wired.co.uk

Basically it 'claims' that half the population has already had coronavirus from back in January and onwards!!

All this stuff is based on guess work even if it's by Oxford, we won't know until there is an anti-body test to test those who thought they had it. A friend who was tested after returning form Italy with a fever etc was negative, she didn't have it yet she really did think she had it for a while!! There are a lot of people out there who think the same and are probably wrong. PLUS if this is true, then China may not have been where the virus started but where it mutated into something more deadly. The study raises more questions than answers.

 

[Topaz]

I'm more inclined to believe the Oxford model to be honest. Lots of people seem to have had symptoms of it before March. My brother was very ill with breathing problems after a virus in January.
With the spread, it makes it more logical if half of the people already have had it. The virus can't move, it moves with people. So if only a very few people had it, how did it spread so fast?
On the plus side, I'm feeling happy today, because at last Sainsbury's have figured out that we are a vulnerable household. We can now book one online shop a week. Mind you, there's no guarantee that they will have what we need at the moment.
I'm going to try Morrys new box scheme. You order a box of staple food (either meat or veggy) which is £30 + £5 P&P. You don't know what you will get, but hey, I'm all up for a bit of creative cooking. They get delivered by courier, rather than Morrys. There's only so many available per day, so you have to get in quick!

 

[j4v3d]

BREAKING: A 66-year-old serving prisoner at HMP Manchester with underlying health conditions has died after testing positive for covid-19

 

[j4v3d]

The Home Office says people who continue to flout lockdown rules will be breaking the law and could be arrested by police under new public health regulations strengthening police enforcement powers in England

 

[EdibleDormouse]

All this stuff is based on guess work even if it's by Oxford, we won't know until there is an anti-body test to test those who thought they had it. A friend who was tested after returning form Italy with a fever etc was negative, she didn't have it yet she really did think she had it for a while!! There are a lot of people out there who think the same and are probably wrong. PLUS if this is true, then China may not have been where the virus started but where it mutated into something more deadly. The study raises more questions than answers.

I had something terrible at the end of January - I'd never known anything like it before, and I've never been that ill in my life. I nearly called an ambulance at 3am one morning when I couldn't catch my breath, but the worst of that passed with a couple of hours sitting in the bathroom with the shower on and creating some steam. My lung capacity is only returning to normal now, ironically, considering I probably won't sing in public again until at least September. It also came on very gradually, and with a fever and a dry cough.

Yes, the Oxford Model is hypothesis only, but it gels with the sudden surge of 'flu' in late December/early January among people who had had the jab. I guess until that antibody test is out there, we'll never know.

 

[Jon]

So what do we think about this self employed 80% help then?

If I submit my tax return for 2019/2020 as soon as I can in April that might help pull the average up.

June is quite a long time to wait though!

 

[hanna.obrien.79]

So what do we think about this self employed 80% help then?

If I submit my tax return for 2019/2020 as soon as I can in April that might help pull the average up.

June is quite a long time to wait though!

Does it include this one? If they’re giving everyone an extra 4 weeks to submit the one that should have been submitted in January then surely that’s the most recent year they’ll be taking into account. As if so my husband and I have earned more this current tax year than Any of the previous 3 years.

 

[rninja]

I think the chancellor is being extremely generous. Surely anyone or a firm that is self-employed has a back-up emergency fund or does some kind of SWOT analysis when deciding to go self-employed. Up to £2.5k is generous and multiples of what many get for a regular job that are continuing to work.

 

[Jon]

I think the chancellor is being extremely generous. Surely anyone or a firm that is self-employed has a back-up emergency fund or does some kind of SWOT analysis when deciding to go self-employed. Up to £2.5k is generous and multiples of what many get for a regular job that are continuing to work.

No swot analysis or backup plan is going to have funds set aside for 'worldwide pandemic which completely messes up the finances of every company around the world'

It's not so much the lack of funds for some it's the lack of work. People are losing their livelihoods that run cafes, restaurants, hair salons etc because there is no one around, you can't plan for that. If you were a personal trainer or did classes in numerous gyms to earn your living you are up the spout.

i do agree that the chancellor is being generous however I don't like his 'we need to make it so that tax is the same for SE and PAYE' people as we don't get sick pay, holiday time, compassionate leave etc.. so it's hardly a level playing field lol

 

[rninja]

While I agree that business is being disrupted and these are unprecedented times, people should have back-up funds when deciding to go self-employed. That doesn't detract from the gravity of the situation or the unplanned nature of it.
It's an interesting debate, but I know people that work in retail, care and transport that are going "hang on, I'm still working for my little over 1k after tax" and others can claim 80% up to 2.5k - they're saying how is that fair?

Also, regarding the tax situation, speaking as someone on PAYE - my full sick pay would be like 1 month or so and paid leave is 4-5 weeks.

Let's hope we can find a balance that keeps everyone happy.

 

[hanna.obrien.79]

Nothing is fair in anything of this.

 

[hanna.obrien.79]

Did you get your HMRC email @Jon. husband got his but I haven't got mine. Not sure if that means anything!

 

[Sherliarty]

I heard it mentioned on the radio that the Chancellor said something about now that the Government was bailing the self-employed out, he expected them to pay tax properly, I think that was a warning for what to expect when this all blows over. I think it was the right move, we need everyone to be in good spirits and come out the other end willing to get back to it, not broken and depressed.

This was the first year, I made enough to even bother to fill out a tax form so I won't bother to claim but I don't begrudge anyone else. Stay safe all

 

[Jon]

Did you get your HMRC email @Jon. husband got his but I haven't got mine. Not sure if that means anything!

Nope no email from HMRC

 

[hanna.obrien.79]

Nope no email from HMRC

Got mine so yours will be on it’s way!

 

[Jon]

Got mine so yours will be on it’s way!

No HMRC love for me

 

[Rs20033]

No emails yet here either.

 

[Karonher]

I got the email but was not sure how safe it was. Lots of links so I didn't want to click them.

 

[hanna.obrien.79]

To clarify it’s pretty much saying what we already know but made me feel comforted that we hadn’t been forgotten. Boris’ texts all came through at different times the other day so give it time.

 

[homie]

While I agree that business is being disrupted and these are unprecedented times, people should have back-up funds when deciding to go self-employed. That doesn't detract from the gravity of the situation or the unplanned nature of it.
It's an interesting debate, but I know people that work in retail, care and transport that are going "hang on, I'm still working for my little over 1k after tax" and others can claim 80% up to 2.5k - they're saying how is that fair?

Also, regarding the tax situation, speaking as someone on PAYE - my full sick pay would be like 1 month or so and paid leave is 4-5 weeks.

Let's hope we can find a balance that keeps everyone happy.

EVERYONE, self employed or not should have 3 months worth of savings available in case of an emergency, to cover bills and normal living costs. The amount of people saying they already have no money left to feed their family, pay rent etc after just one month has really surprised me.

We are ALL going to be paying a lot more tax for a long time once this is over, that's for sure. Not just the self employed.