Government Ignored advice to set up Emergency Alert System
 

:facepalm:

The mental health crisis that this pandemic is going to create is staggering. Utterly, utterly staggering. It's tempting right now to say "oh what does that matter when public health is at risk" but I believe over the next 5+ years we're going to start realising the true scope of the damage.

In short; NO, I don't think it's a good idea for the government to start forcing messages onto people's phones through the mobile network, essentially removing people's right and ability to take a break and build resilience.

Plus a lot of people - the most anxious people, who need the support of family and friends - would simply turn their phone off leaving them more isolated than ever.

i agree on the mental health aspects .... words need a face behind them to provide the proper context, particularly on serious messages

Mental health is going to be a huge problem, the anxiety levels and stress are through the roof at the moment and that will have consequences.

I was on a group video conference with my entire company today (16 people) and its an absolute shambles already, only 4 of us seemed OK (one being the chief exec, thankfully) but it hard going :umm2:. Even the ones who aren't suffering health anxiety wise are starting to really struggle with the isolation of working from home, or the stress of trying to juggle WFH with schools being off etc.

Then had a mini-conference with just the Scottish office. Only 5 of us... Two started fighting during the call, by the end of the call one person was in tears.

Sounds like the first one was a TiBB SD thread. The second call was after everyone's been banned and 5 people set up a new thread after the first one is locked.

...to ask why the first one was locked.

Josy is the one in tears by the end?

:joker:

Josy's the chief exec, Alf is the crier because he's upset at somehow avoiding a ban :smug:

:joker:

[South Korea’s aggressive use of emergency alerts has been credited by some for helping to keep the country’s infection rate relatively low, ]

Still though 111
Dead from Covid 19

Literally got a UK gov message through this morning and it was as basic and void of information as possible :facepalm:. "STAY AT HOME! SAVE LIVES!"

That's definitely not going to spike anyone's anxiety.

Eh, I don't think we need any tips in governance from South Korea! Even if it is to give faceless warnings from on high.

Not you confusing the democratic South Korea with the other one :facepalm:

oops :joker:

North Korea is the one with famine and dictators.

South Korea is the one with... Umm... Starcraft, Overwatch and K-pop.

... burn it.

South Korea has it because of possible attacks from NK no?

anyway it looks like there is a get around, just tell the mobile users to issue the texts

Yeah I think it was an established system in SK because of the risk of NK losing the plot completely and firing off a missile.

It seems they are going through individual operators here, but not all have done it? Me and my daughter got our wee texts this morning (Three) but my wife didn't get one (O2).

I haven't had one yet, Virgin

I'm not..

i haven't received one yet ... vodafone

I think the main crisis here is you two using Virgin or Vodaphone :omgno:.

Well I'm with ... Tesco.

Two guesses if I've had one yet!

I received a text earlier

There are actually only 4 networks in the UK - EE, Three, O2 and Vodaphone.

Tesco is an O2 reseller so it isn't that bad. Vodaphone is it's own network and is dire. To be fair, apparently Virgin is still an EE reseller so not that bad either - I thought they had switched to Vodaphone but apparently that's not happening until 2021.

Currently EE is best for coverage (so best option in rural areas), Three is best for speed (I get 4g+ even in a small village), O2 is "OK" and Vodaphone should go in the bin because both coverage and reliability is terrible.

[edit] This is of course all irrelevant to this thread :umm2: because whether or not mass messages go out WILL be down to the small operators, not the host network. I forgot what the thread was about...