The worst responses to the coronavirus

[Johnny Yesno]

No 10 denies claim Dominic Cummings argued to 'let old people die'

[Dewt]

https://twitter.com/ChrissieMayr/status/1240734411471151106

This is really quite bad

[PeasOnSticks]

https://twitter.com/ChrissieMayr/status/1240734411471151106

This is really quite bad

Who the fuck even ARE those people?

[holyzombiejesus]

WHSmith has insisted it is an "essential retailer" akin to supermarkets and pharmacies as it vowed to keep open its 1,200 stores in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown.

The high-street newsagent has prompted anger among some of its staff who said they had not been provided protective equipment, such as hand sanitiser or gloves, and had only stopped accepting cash on Monday.

The Guardian understands that several staff at a WHSmith branch in Hertfordshire refused to go into work on Monday morning due to coronavirus concerns, while the parent of an employee at another branch said her son "came home almost in tears" on Sunday as stores remained busy in spite of the UK semi-lockdown.

The 227-year-old firm, which operates more than 600 high street stores and more than 600 airport branches, is one of a plummeting number of retailers choosing to stay open amid the outbreak. Nando's, Costa Coffee and Subway all announced temporary closures on Monday, while Waterstones will shut its 280 branches at the end of the day.

In a letter to staff last week, the WHSmith chief executive, Carl Cowling, wrote that the company would be "positioning ourselves to government as an 'essential retailer'". He added:

In our High Street stores, we have a retail offer that extends to every generation. We can provide essential products to our younger pre-school customers; an unrivalled education officer with accompanying stationery range to children, teenagers and students; a fantastic books offer for everyone; and a news and magazines offer that can't be beaten, enabling communities to access information and keep up to date with what is happening at the current time.

Cowling said the company's priority was the health and wellbeing of its employees and that it was monitoring the health of staff. On Monday WHSmith stopped accepting cash and put in place social distancing measures at tills.

A staff notice issued on Monday said hand sanitiser and protective gloves should be available for all stores. However, WHSmith employees who spoke to the Guardian said they felt their health was being put at risk.

"I was shocked and appalled by how busy our store was on Saturday and people's disregard for safety," said one member of staff.

It's putting the general public and ourselves at risk. We don't want to be there but we feel like we have to.

If the government aren't going to close all non-essential retailers and people aren't going to stay in their homes, I think businesses have to take the responsible action.

[To stay open] is not only irresponsible, we feel it is despicable.

A spokeswoman for WHSmith said:

We are very proud of our colleagues, who are doing an outstanding job in serving our customers with key products, such as educational materials, food, drinks and newspapers. WHSmith also provides vital services such as the Post Office, and serving NHS staff in our hospital stores. We have served our communities for over 227 years and we continue to support our customers during this challenging time.

Our key priority is the health and wellbeing of colleagues and customers. We have introduced additional measures to keep everyone safe and supported and all staff have been reminded of the company benevolent fund at this time. We will continue to monitor and follow government and PHE advice very closely.

[shiftwork2]

Wheezing Hacking Smiths.

[kalowski]

I'm stockpiling highlighters and Dick Francis novels.

[Neomod]

Coronavirus: Teens held for 'coughing in face' of elderly couple

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-52003543

Ageist hate crime? The Boomer Wars Begin?

[Icehaven]

Pets at Home are another chain trying to claim they're an "essential retailer" to stay open. Cunts Not at Home more like.

[Dewt]

I dunno, seems reasonable. Supermarkets are fucked and we still need stuff to care for pets. The stores won't be too busy and so can be staffed sensibly with little risk.

[bgmnts]

I would urge anyone NOT to shop at pets at home even if there was no virus on.

[Icehaven]

I dunno, seems reasonable. Supermarkets are fucked and we still need stuff to care for pets. The stores won't be too busy and so can be staffed sensibly with little risk.

Yes but they're hardly an "essential retailer" are they? And their staff have to travel to and from work so it's not exactly considerate to them. Operating an extremely limited pet food service might be acceptable but they're trying to keep their dog grooming service going too ffs.

[holyzombiejesus]

I'll be so gutted when the garden centre closes. It has a farm shop and sells pet food (and plants for the garden).

[Dewt]

Yes but they're hardly an "essential retailer" are they? And their staff have to travel to and from work so it's not exactly considerate to them. Operating an extremely limited pet food service might be acceptable but they're trying to keep their dog grooming service going too ffs.

Yeah, that's a bit ripe and clearly in the interests of their business rather than public service.

A way to guarantee people can still get essential pet supplies would put people's minds at rest.

[BlodwynPig]

I think the pets will do a better job at fending for themselves than their owners

[Buelligan]

I have no pets but I'm responsible for the daily feeding of a sizable cartload of wild monkey-cats, tbh, I worry more about getting food for them than I do for myself.  I know why I might get hungry and I understand I probably won't die of it, those little hairy guys I feed have no such assurance.  Worrying fucking times.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Eat the cats, before they eat you.

[Buelligan]

They are all very plump and healthy-looking I must admit...

[Dewt]

Using "my little dinners" as pet names for my cats now.

[Wonderful Butternut]

I know criticising Donald Trump for anything is low hanging fruit for a thread like this, but he could at least learn how CAPS LOCK works:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1241935285916782593

[Dewt]

Or unlearn how it works. It's a question of parity, I guess.

[Dewt]

Or unlearn how it works. It's a question of parity, I guess.

Stop trying to be urbane, twat.

[weekender]

Hundreds of shoppers flocked to a Tesco as it opened early for NHS workers because of the coronavirus outbreak.

I know I'm normally the voice of fairly left-wing albeit sane opinion on this forum, but honestly let's just bring the fucking army in.

[Dannyhood91]

There's a pub very near me that refuses to close. Shall I set it on fire?

[weekender]

Only if you can do so from over 2m away.

[Wonderful Butternut]

Hundreds of shoppers flocked to a Tesco as it opened early for NHS workers because of the coronavirus outbreak.

I know I'm normally the voice of fairly left-wing albeit sane opinion on this forum, but honestly let's just bring the fucking army in.

This happened for about 2 days in Ireland, and only around Dublin anyway. But the British are still cleaning out supermarkets? Are you all just idiots or something?

Wait, don't answer that. I already know.

[buttgammon]

Yes, when the panic buying started to get really bad in Britain I said to family there "don't worry, we had a day or two of it and then it calmed down." That was at least a week ago...

[idunnosomename]

Fuck these cunts and their sneery hacky darwin awards joke for people buying food for a extended stay at home

https://twitter.com/haveigotnews/status/1242058793632088070?s=19

[El Unicornio, mang]

Fuck these cunts and their sneery hacky darwin awards joke for people buying food for a extended stay at home

https://twitter.com/haveigotnews/status/1242058793632088070?s=19

The top comment is funnier than the tweet itself

https://twitter.com/i/status/1242059993630806016

[BlodwynPig]

The top comment is funnier than the tweet itself

https://twitter.com/i/status/1242059993630806016

Spoiled by dumb twat:

Was he holding that gun at the time?

[holyzombiejesus]

Pretty sure that gun thing was done by someone else a few days ago.