
McDonald's to close all UK restaurants - MikusR
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51999604
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closeparen
It’s not Waffle House, so it’s not time to panic yet.

[https://www.google.com/amp/s/fivethirtyeight.com/features/if...](https://www.google.com/amp/s/fivethirtyeight.com/features/if-
waffle-house-is-closed-its-time-to-panic/amp/)

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ThePowerOfFuet
Please don't perpetuate the web cancer which is AMP.

~~~
closeparen
I’m not editing the URL with my thumbs. Is there a convenient way to avoid it
on mobile?

Maybe HN should just automatically rewrite AMP links to avoid these inevitable
comments.

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jakear
If this comes to the US my disaster preparedness plans will be seriously
compromised...

In theory drive through should be the best possible food mechanism in terms of
risk to the workers (and patrons). If they could arrange for contactless
payment (already possible, just affix a tap reader to the side of the drive
through window), and some way to serve the food while keeping the window
closed (a shelf extending out from the window and a policy that they won’t
open their window until you close yours?), drive through could be a real
solution to pandemic food supply.

Sure as hell beats a bunch of people in the same supermarket breathing all
over the produce and right on the cashier.

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notatoad
>Sure as hell beats a bunch of people in the same supermarket breathing all
over the produce and right on the cashier.

going to macdonalds twice a day is definitely riskier than getting groceries
at the supermarket once a week. most of the food is packaged, and the stuff
that isn't can be thoroughly washed before eating it. even for the stuff that
isn't packaged and can't be washed, coronavirus isn't known to last longer
than three days, so you can just buy it and let it sit.

contrast that to the multiple different staff preparing your food, which you
then immediately stick in your mouth.

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georgemcbay
"which you then immediately stick in your mouth."

Sticking the food into your mouth isn't much of a concern, there's no evidence
that covid-19 can transmit "foodborne".

The actual issue is an infected food prep worker contaminating the wrapper or
the food itself, you touching the wrapper or the food, then touching your eyes
or nose prior to washing your hands.

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stri8ed
In theory, so long as one does not make contact with their nose or eyes,
except in a shower (after washing hands), all infections can be prevented,
besides airborne-based intake? Has it been established that infection cannot
be caught by consumption of contaminated food?

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maxerickson
You can't prove a negative.

There's not been any documented occurrences of it. But most people probably
don't know how they got infected either.

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aazaa
> McDonald's UK boss, Paul Pomroy, said: "Over the last 24 hours, it has
> become clear that maintaining safe social distancing whilst operating busy
> takeaway and Drive Thru restaurants is increasingly difficult and therefore
> we have taken the decision to close every restaurant in the UK and Ireland
> by 7pm on Monday 23 March.

A lot of Americans are relying on this method of food distribution. It seems
inevitable that closures of drive-thrus will begin happening in the US as
well. Food shortages at grocery stores are not uncommon today in many cities.
It only takes one positive test to shut down a food distribution center.

I doubt many have considered just how precarious food delivery is at the
moment.

~~~
davidwihl
I’m deeply worried about the US food supply in 4-6 weeks time, not because of
availability but because of a lack of healthy people to process, transport and
distribute the food. Given the sorry state of migrant farm workers in the US
[0], it won’t take much for infections to spread.

[0] [http://www.ncfh.org/uploads/3/8/6/8/38685499/fs-
migrant_demo...](http://www.ncfh.org/uploads/3/8/6/8/38685499/fs-
migrant_demographics.pdf)

~~~
maxerickson
As ever, it's the vegetable supply that is in question. Calories come from
grains and potatoes and such that are heavily mechanized.

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Jedd
Arguably this could improve people's health prospects on two fronts
simultaneously.

I note that the CEO here basically stepped up because the UK government hadn't
-- it's doubtless not easy, but the _best_ thing about this story is that he's
said 'we'll match our casual worker's shift pay up until early April' (when
the UK relief package for casual workers is meant to be implemented).

I fear a lot of my risk has, and will continue to, come from casual workers
who simply can't afford to pay rent or eat if they don't head into work. So
far I've heard the UK's the only place so far that's come out with a financial
plan to mitigate this risk.

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smallgovt
The US is currently passing its own stimulus plan that will ship at least
$500B to the bottom half of earners. It seems like the ETA for passing the
bill is mid-week.

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mywittyname
> to the bottom half of earners.

Last I heard it was really for middle-income earners, as there was a phase-in
income floor at around $50k/yr and a phase-out at around $75k/yr.

Has this changed?

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smallgovt
The last article I read was this FT article published two days ago:
[https://www.ft.com/content/1f8e5a3a-6a58-11ea-800d-da70cff6e...](https://www.ft.com/content/1f8e5a3a-6a58-11ea-800d-da70cff6e4d3)

The article says the Republicans are proposing $1,200 per individual who earns
below a certain income and $500 per child, while the Democrats are proposing
$2000 per month to all individuals and $1000 per month to all children.

They're apparently stuck on how the corporate bailouts will work.

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nojvek
Seems like scope creep. Just do the corporate bailouts in a different bill.
Ship that $$$ for the working class immediately.

And seriously fuck Boeing. They did this to themselves. No bailouts, only
loans. $50 billion bailout when they spent billions buying back stocks to
enrich their top investors and execs. Should have saved for a rainy month. I’m
sure without a bailout they’ll learn a lesson and figure shit out. It’s not
the first time. AirBus is hit just as hard.

Basically we should ensure people have enough to live by and get through this
period. Everything else will take care of itself.

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aaron695
This is a big deal and something governments should have in their extensive
plans they created years ago.

Using McDonalds as distribution points has been talked about because they have
the process and infrastructure. People also feel safe there.

But I suspect like everything, it's just what some government officials think
today that matters. So they will react on the fly.

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sys_64738
This is good, right?

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dingaling
Not for shift workers in healthcare / transport / retail who were using fast-
food outlets when normal shops were closed.

