Is This A Good Idea Under The Circumstances?

[Bobbisox1]

I know PPE is desperately needed here but from China?
Or is Beggars can’t be choosers?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-52338099

[Ken4155]

Didn't we give them a shedload very early on in their battle against the virus - not from our pandemic stock (allegedly) - and they are now reciprocating. If the stuff works then it doesn't really matter where it's come from.

[Mamyalynne]

Equipment that meets the standards must be acquired wherever it's from.

[anneasquith]

Bobbi, why would it ‘ be a bad idea ‘ ?

[fiction-factory]

Yes. We need it. Provided it meets the quality standards that weren't met on some previous items including test kits. We are all working together where we can- we sent PPE to China in January as wanted the spread to be reduced where possible

[Bobbisox1]

Ken, I’d be more worried where it’s come from till they get it sorted , more cases have happened over there

[Zacs-Master]

Pretty sure it will all be disinfected before use, except the paper face masks which will hopefully have been made in hygienic conditions, and not like this:

[fiction-factory]

That was India Zacs, but I take the point

[TheDevil]

Well China has covid we have covid lol what's the problem. Chances that equipment is riddled with covid is as likely as it is the pasta you're getting from italy in the supermarket.

[naomi24]

Some due to arrive from, I think, Luxembourg, was found to be contaminated with the virus before it was shipped. Hopefully everything due to be sent here is tested first.

[Bobbisox1]

I appear to be outnumbered maybe a bit worried but as others have said , they have to come in from somewhere

[ichkeria]

China 80,000 cases
UK 120,000

Not that I think it matters

[teacake44]

How dare you scaremonger Bobby. :0)

[New Judge]

//China 80,000 cases//

That they've told us about. Personally I'm a bit sceptical of their figures. They have a population 20 times that of the UK but only two thirds of the number of infections. Right.

[iluvmargie]

I think they are lying.

[New Judge]

How dare you! :-)

Carry on like that and they'll refuse to build our power stations and phone networks!

[Hopkirk]

I believe the Chinese as much as I believe anything Putin says.

[Arrods]

Are not certain items of PPE reusable? I believe only recently has guidance been issued about this aspect. If so, wouldn't that help to solve the supply problem?

[ichkeria]

We don’t know any better.
I’m the last person to trust the Chinese government but I’ve never really understood why they’d lie about it. Or indeed why any country would want to, although plainly the figures are almost certainly inaccurate: but then so are ours.
Mind you I am a bit suspicious about Turkmenistan: as far as I can tell it and possibly Tajikistan and North Korea (which hardly counts) are the only continental countries to have “escaped”: this despite its long border with Iran. Who says the virus doesn’t respect borders.
Anyway the key thing is: the equipment the Chinese are sending is probably less dangerous than the current shortage of it.

[naomi24]

//China 80,000 cases //

Tell me you don't really believe that, ich!

[ichkeria]

I think the idea of reusability was given short shrift. But I may have misunderstood.