Good morning folks, - Longish but hopefully not boring. I have put the really good stuff at the end so if you don't want the Dom waffle scroll to the middle part called MS and start from there. - Here is a quick rundown on the utter global havoc our little circular friend has managed to cause in the last day or so. - You may have noticed that things are moving so fast it is a case of 'Announce Now' and work out the detail later. This is not the government being its usual crap. They really can't be blamed for this. It causes anxiety if you let it. I always tell myself to worry about the things I can control and not those that I can't. I can isolate and wash my hands. Those sorts of things I've got. Running the economy, I ain't no Rishi. - Like some masochist, I am here at my PC pre-0600h. No idea why I can't sleep. What does the 0 in 0600 stand for I hear you ask? It stands for 'Oh My God It's Early' I doff my hat to the now-deceased Robin Williams in his role as Adrian Cronauer in Good Morning Vietnam. I am just not that funny on my own http://tiny.cc/59zjlz - Aid Packages - 35 Billion so far and more to come. A billion is a lot of money. In the daily briefing by the somewhat stunned looking tousle-haired buffoon that has the haunted look of someone who got left standing as the music stopped, we have been told that no one will be evicted for non-payment of rent/mortgage etc. I imagine that this will extend to energy bills and the like. DO NOT worry about the bills right now. Many of us are seeing the almost instant economic mayhem. It is universal and that means the government can't marginalise certain groups. DO NOT let money be your worry. Don't get ill. - UK schools are closed from Friday - Yikes. Suddenly you have become a schoolteacher without even applying for the job. Firstly, you've got this. You know more than you think and the Internet will soon be flooded with things to help you. I know, my wife is one of the many many teachers creating new lesson plans, materials etc. - If you young have little Carpet Sharks then know that I feel you. My daughter is 17 now and amazingly no longer needs her Daddy :( Apparently, what I know about anything is so small it is risible. I am allowed to be nice and if possible dole out money for unfathomable needs. I queried if they are more wants than needs and was rapidly put straight with, again, a reference to how little I know and understand about life in general. Silly me. If you have teens then you'll know. - Remember: unlike the teachers you won't get in trouble for drinking on the job or excluding them from lessons. - Exams - Double Yikes. GCSE and A-Level exams will not be happening. At all. Kids will not miss out on places at University or GCSE to A-Level progression. Again, the detail will come out. There is no point worrying about this at the moment. Another thing you can't change. - People are awesome. The stories of human decency are starting to flood in. From A Manchester footballer closing his hotels, continuing to pay his staff and give the beds over to Key Workers who need to isolate, neighbours putting notes under doors offering to shop and so forth, people are pulling together. - Sainsbury's is putting aside certain times to allow the elderly/disabled etc to shop without crowds of idiots fighting over loo-roll and pasta (don't you wonder how unimaginative their diets must be?) http://tiny.cc/0frjlz They are rationing purchases too in an attempt to ensure there is enough to go round. Sainsbury's also has a lanyard you can wear to indicate hidden disability - http://tiny.cc/rarjlz - More and more supermarkets are going to do similar. No one wants to look like the greedy bastards supermarket brand, so rest assured. - @vixen suggested my own channel. Ha! It would turn into a grumpy swear-fest in no time. I'll confine my very throttled remarks to here. Flattering but no ;) - Evolution has some power-lifting to do in the US http://tiny.cc/f8rjlz Just so selfish. -------- MS news -------- The ABN (Association of British Neurologists has just released updated advice regarding MS and Covid-19. see http://tiny.cc/f8rjlz - Do Your Bit - If you aren't signed up then please ake the effort it is you helping us to help you. If you are then please please do the survey here: www.ukmsregister.org Rubbish site in places, you'll have to dig around. - Drugs. Will my DMT bring about my early demise. There is general GOOD NEWS on this front. More and more reports are coming in of the lack of effect that MS and many MS DMT's are having, or not having, on patients with Covid-19. - I didn't really 'do Twitter' until v recently. But, it is a great source of info. If you find it a depressing morass of self-obsessed minor celebrities and bat-shit crazy 'news' stories then you are following the wrong people. - If you want to know what is going on regarding MS and things that may affect you then jump on Twitter and follow the hashtag #MSCOVID19 There are great neurologists and other experts using that to share good information. It can be a very efficient way of staying up to date. If you like, follow me at @DJS_KBO (my initials and the KBO is for Keep Buggering On - a Churchillian sentiment) - MS Reporter Interviews - These are all about what you want to know. At 1600h today I will be doing a second one with Prof G as things are developing so fast. We'll talk about the reports of good news that I mentioned earlier, how to deal with being at home for months and other things. Tune in to the Shift.ms Reporters channel on YouTube - If you haven't already then check out this: http://tiny.cc/metjlz - Having MS and taking a DMT *may* even be a good thing in disguise ( a bloody good disguise) as the damage to the lungs if you get Covid-19 appears as if it is partially down to the body's immune system over-reacting. The fact that a DMT, especially the more modern ones, damps down the immune system *may* work in our favour. - Remember, so much is speculation - educated speculation - from experts working as fast and as hard as they can to bring reassurance and clarity. Things can and will change. - Don't be lonely. Ask for help. We've got this together.