Book with confidence is a logo and initiative from our diary management system – Free to Book. In our case, it means we have hand gel, PPE, training, Certificates and Risk Assessments all in place. We are as prepared as we can be for guests. Although we shall not be serving breakfasts, initially.
We are re-opening on 4th July and have our safety measures in place already
UK Government has confirmed that many more businesses may re-open soon, we have started plans. Therefore, part of our planning for re-opening on 4th July, is to re-open our booking diaries and add safety messages for prospective guests.
We suspect UK Government may require risk assessment as part of the legal framework for re-opening. So far, they have “mentioned” this for non-essential shops but have NOT clearly stated it as legally required. Accordingly, we think HSE may require it but they also have NOT been clear.
In this series of posts, we tried to outline what the Covid-19 lock down has meant for us. We have strayed into political comment here and there. But only because the Government’s handling of the emergency has been disastrously slow and inept. Allegedly, the UK is suffering the World’s worst economic impact. And we have the second-highest death-rate in the World. When Minister after Minister comes on TV daily spouting they have “done the right thing at the right time” it grates on the nerves. They point to their “unprecendented” achievements and it pales compared to many other countries. Claims to be “following the Science”, just look like getting their excuses ready.
In this period of uncertainty, we want to re-open in July, on the 4th as vaguely suggested by Government. We think we have everything in place to re-open safely, including training, risk assessments and PPE. We hope our customers will feel safe when they return to Aaran House.
During the last month, we have seen many changes. Government ignore the warnings and press on with easements on lockdown. Measures included permission to travel and meet in small groups. Some shielded persons may now venture outside. We anticipate re-opening on July 4th. Although this may change again, depending on UK.Gov restrictions.
Beaches were crowded after the Cummings affair (Photo taken from the relative safety of the Esplanade!)
We do not intend to dwell too much on the “Demonic” Cummings affair. His betrayal of the British People and arrogantly issued web of blatant lies must go down in History as something akin to Benedict Arnold, Judas Iscariot or maybe Pol Pot, before he took over completely. UK Government has lost respect and trust in supporting this treacherous weasel. (No insult intended to weasels!) Again, Government ignore the warnings. Maybe enough survivors will remain to vote out the incompetents who steered us into personal and financial tragedy on a mass scale.
Blind or stupid. Certainly arrogant.
The results may have been evident in the displays of thoughtless, careless and senseless crowds in the good weather of the following weekend. Basically, many folk started to believe the rules did not apply to them and we fervently hope a second wave is not the consequence.
Lack of trust in UK Government
Many questions remain, by NHS, Scientists, fellow MP’s and Head of UK Statistics, as to:
Why “quarantine” visitors now instead of months ago?
Should’nt “Test, track and trace” have started BEFORE the numbers grew?
Abroad, trace methods include phone tracking, surveillance camera data, credit card data, etc – why not here?
Are there “invalid” numbers of deaths – and test data for that matter?
After seeing the examples set by South Korea, Vietnam, Australia and others, why did UK Government ignore the warnings and delay for over a month before taking (the wrong!) actions?
Seeing Turkey take very prompt actions, including SENDING test personnel out to suspected victims AND providing results AND contact tracking data WITHIN 24 hours, why cannot the UK do that?
Why did UK Government ignore the warnings about pandemics in the reports from 2007, 2011 and Cygnus Report of 2016 – all of which highlighted lack of preparedness, lack of PPE, lack of respirators and vulnerability in Care Homes? They commissioned and paid for these reports!
We try to avoid politics in our blogs but, in this case, many lives are at risk and a floppy-haired child of four could have done better (with a “trusted” Chief Aide, of course!) That is our opinion.
Quarantine for inbound travellers
Well, it’s not a quarantine is it? Quarantine is corralling suspected cases together, while track and trace goes on. Politely asking travellers to self-isolate for 14 days serves no purpose except to continue to cripple the Tourism industry. For reference, the Tourism Sector is the third largest in the UK. (Worth about £127Billion a year, or 8 times as much as TV, Radio and Films together!)
BAME – Groups at special risk from Covid-19
Along with elderly males and those with certain pre-existing conditions, BAME groups appear to be at greater risk from infection and severity. (BAME = Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups).
Interestingly, the lowest death rates are for central African countries although things may change in future data sets.
China, where it all began, has a death rate of 3.3 while India has 4.5. Nations such as Nigeria, Chad, Congo, Cite d’Ivoire, Somalia (etc) are typically below 2.0 death rates so far. Despite highly effective and prompt measures to combat spread and track cases, Turkey has a death rate around 56. The higher susceptibility to infection and death seems to be local to European countries, as yet.
Summary
1. NOT “following the science”
WHO study finds 1 metre is adequate for social distancing. Blindly sticking to 2 metres threatens £137Billion hospitality sector AND 1million jobs.
2. “Doing the wrong thing at the wrong time”
Labour Shadow Home Secretary claims “only 273 people were quarantined during the pandemic period”. However 18 million travellers were allowed in. No wonder the disease spread so fast and killed so many people.
3. Top Italian scientists claim the virus is losing potency
If true, this would explain the fast peak in deaths, followed by a long slow decline in numbers. It also implies all the UK measures were a complete waste of time.
4. “Test, Track and Trace” not going to be useful
WHO studies have shown that asymptomatic cases are not as infectious as first thought. This means test, track and trace needs to focus on the 2 or so days when symptoms show. However, results MUST be much, much faster to be effective (10 minutes approx in many countries!) Also, the programme is at least 3 months too late.UK still does not have enough testing capacity either.(Government ignore the warnings!)
5. Lockdown may have been a waste of time
The UK lockdown was not effective, too late and has cost the economy over £300Billion (and counting!) By contrast, Sweden has had no lockdown and only about 1/8th as many deaths. However, the Swedish economy has hardly been impacted. Unlike ours.
6. Nightingale Hospitals – a white elephant?
NHS London Nightingale Hospital opened on 3rd April, over 2 months after the first Covid-19 case in the UK. As of 4th May it stands empty. Five of the other 6 such hospitals are now open. Meanwhile, in China, the 1000-bed Huoshenshan Hospital opened in Hubei Province on 1st February. It took just 10 days to build and is totally “state-of-the-art”. Nurses can mostly tend patients remotely, minimising carer exposure. The 1600-bed Leishenshan Hospital opened on 8th February. (Engineering and Technology, March 2020, 92-93).Even the Gaza Strip has a large field hospital for Covid-19 patients.
In this era of Covid-19 and restrictions around travel and social contact, we hope we can welcome guests and provide a safe environment under Government guidelines and complying with some in-house safety measures.
Regrettably, we cannot serve breakfasts. This is to ensure proper social distancing
We cannot clean rooms during your stay. We can provide clean towels and toiletries outside your door
There is sanitizer hand gel provided in your room and public areas, along with some PPE (gloves, masks, etc)
We ask that guests do not meet together in close proximity and observe cough and hand-cleaning hygiene
Please do not pass by each other on stairs. We clean all communal contact surfaces multiple times daily.
Please provide a reasonably accurate time of arrival so we can stagger arrivals and maintain social distancing
Between 9.00 am and 8.00 pm we are available by phone to answer your requests
We have our Covid-19 Risk Assessment, PPE and Coronavirus prevention certificates plus instructions for safe use of PPE available in our public areas. There is 70% alcohol hand gel, gloves, masks, bootees and individual hand gel sachets in the entrance and rooms.
Please note: We are temporarily closed during the Covid-19 emergency. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. To the best of our knowledge, we are compliant with GDPR requirments. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Agree all cookiesRefuse 3rd party cookiesPrivacy policy