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    Medtronic isn't "homegrown" in Galway.

    Medtronic was built in Minnesota and is mostly still in Minnesota. Specifically, it grew out of Earl Bakken's success in creating the first pacemaker with a car battery in his garage in the 50s.

    They are now technically based in Ireland because they bought out Covidien a few years ago largely so they could switch their official headquarter to Ireland for tax purposes.

    I've interviewed the woman who leads Ireland's efforts to attract outside investment to their medtech industry. She gave me socks with the IDA Ireland logo. I technically probably shouldn't accept that but it doesn't really matter.

    Ireland's medtech sector is fairly impressive and Brexit is likely to help it even more.

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      Originally posted by The Awesome Berbaslug!!! View Post

      thing air
      The less well-received sequel to Con Air.

      Comment


        Fake news. Next you'll be telling me that that local cooperative boston scientific isn't a galway company. here's a list of all the local heroes.

        I've interviewed the woman who leads Ireland's efforts to attract outside investment to their medtech industry. She gave me socks with the IDA Ireland logo. I technically probably shouldn't accept that but it doesn't really matter.

        I suspect that she could have convinced you to shave tonka, if that's what she was into. The sort of civil servant that represent us in brussels, and the sort of civil servant we send off to do this sort of thing are....capable.

        BTW I had to read that three or four times to realise that she had given you something to wear on your feet. "X gave it socks" usually means an extraordinary effort on the part of X. "She Gave me socks" more usually arises in the context of a woman making her sexual interest abundantly and ardently clear. I'm not sure the European union knew what they were getting into when the made Hiberno English the official version of English in the EU.
        Last edited by The Awesome Berbaslug!!!; 17-03-2020, 20:09.

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          This has been linked already, I assume. But just in case...

          https://ncov2019.live/data

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            This sounds ominous - Leo addressing the nation at 9:

            https://twitter.com/LeoVaradkar/status/1240003872657231874

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              Originally posted by The Awesome Berbaslug!!! View Post
              Fake news. Next you'll be telling me that that local cooperative boston scientific isn't a galway company. here's a list of all the local heroes.
              Since they bought Guidant about 15 years ago, Boston Scientific also has more employees in Minnesota than near Boston. They take out prominent ad space on the dasher boards of hockey games in Minnesota just to remind people they're there.

              Minnesota is the hotbed of medtech, especially cardiovascular tech. Indiana is the main place for orthopedics. New Jersey and PA is big on biotech. Boston has a lot of it as does Southern California. The Bay Area has a lot too, but I get annoyed when the media or, more often, the self-aggrandizing capitalists themselves refer to Silicon Valley as the home of the "tech industry." It's the home of a lot of genuinely innovative technology development, yes, but a lot of what are referred to as "tech companies" would be more accurately be described as software companies or maybe just e-commerce companies. And there's an awful lot of innovative beneficial technology that is infinitely more useful that Facebook that is not made or developed there.

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                The Church in Wales has announced that all services in church are suspended – Sundays, midweeks, funerals (crematorium ones are still allowed, as are services at gravesides), weddings (except where there are "pressing pastoral reasons" and then with a maximum of 10 people present), while baptisms will continue but also with a maximum of 10 present. No surprises here. One of my jobs has just vanished for the time being as a result however.

                People seemed to be out and about here much as normal this morning, though I asked a grocer I know how things were and he said there was almost no-one coming in. It looks like the messages about self-isolation and social distancing are gradually getting through.

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                  Originally posted by Hot Pepsi View Post
                  Minnesota is the hotbed of medtech, especially cardiovascular tech. Indiana is the main place for orthopedics. New Jersey and PA is big on biotech. Boston has a lot of it as does Southern California. The Bay Area has a lot too, but I get annoyed when the media or, more often, the self-aggrandizing capitalists themselves refer to Silicon Valley as the home of the "tech industry." It's the home of a lot of genuinely innovative technology development, yes, but a lot of what are referred to as "tech companies" would be more accurately be described as software companies or maybe just e-commerce companies. And there's an awful lot of innovative beneficial technology that is infinitely more useful that Facebook that is not made or developed there.
                  my neighbours from last year who were working in one of these companies and in the university, are now in Ann Arbour. UM would seem to be pretty important for this sort of thing as well.

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                    Originally posted by WOM View Post
                    This has been linked already, I assume. But just in case...

                    https://ncov2019.live/data
                    The 'serious' column looks ominous but a little random. There are currently 60 serious cases in New York, but none anywhere else in the US?

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                      Originally posted by The Awesome Berbaslug!!! View Post

                      my neighbours from last year who were working in one of these companies and in the university, are now in Ann Arbour. UM would seem to be pretty important for this sort of thing as well.
                      Big research university towns usually have a lot of start-ups, especially if they have a med school, and Ann Arbor is one of those, though I can't think of any massive companies based there. It's a big enough city to be able to retain companies.

                      Around here, we don't have much medtech or biotech because the university's med school is 100 miles away. We do have a bunch of small companies, including a bunch that do things related to acoustic sensors because of the Applied Research Lab, which started out helping the Navy make torpedos and submarines quiet. But usually, start-ups that start here end up moving to a bigger city. We're much smaller than Madison, Ann Arbor, or Austin and are not close to a major airport like Boulder.

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by Fussbudget View Post
                        The 'serious' column looks ominous but a little random. There are currently 60 serious cases in New York, but none anywhere else in the US?
                        West Virginia is either just not looking for it or the mountains are keeping it out.

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                          Originally posted by Diable Rouge View Post
                          This sounds ominous - Leo addressing the nation at 9:

                          https://twitter.com/LeoVaradkar/status/1240003872657231874
                          Only realised how anxious about all this I've gotten when the WhatsApp notifications about this came in. Presume we're going full lock down.

                          Comment


                            Originally posted by WOM View Post
                            This has been linked already, I assume. But just in case...

                            https://ncov2019.live/data
                            I hadn't realised Washington had twice as many cases as California. No wonder we want to close the border.
                            Last edited by Amor de Cosmos; 17-03-2020, 21:17.

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                              Most of the Washington cases are in just two counties:

                              https://www.doh.wa.gov/emergencies/coronavirus

                              Comment


                                Originally posted by Ek weet nie View Post

                                Only realised how anxious about all this I've gotten when the WhatsApp notifications about this came in. Presume we're going full lock down.
                                Nothing at all new, as it transpires, just basically a mixture of shock and awe and geeing up the nation - literally threw in a Churchill quote at one point "so much owed by so many to so few".

                                Comment


                                  Originally posted by Diable Rouge View Post

                                  Nothing at all new, as it transpires, just basically a mixture of shock and awe and geeing up the nation - literally threw in a Churchill quote at one point "so much owed by so many to so few".
                                  Yeah, a massive nothing, I presume he's right but 15,000 cases by the end of the month sounds like needless scaremongering.

                                  Comment


                                    My sainsbury's online order was cancelled by them, I called them up to try and boil a new slot but none available. I was told that because there was no stock available they cancelled all deliveries from the Charlton store. On the way home I popped in, and there really was nothing, virtually no meat or fresh produce. No nappies and virtually no baby food. No bread or eggs.

                                    Our school also closed to half of the year groups and many students were absent, it makes no sense to have it open. I'm pretty sure I'm not going in tomorrow, it makes no sense for me to continue to put myself at risk.

                                    I hope everyone on here is ok. Look after yourselves and your communities because the government isn't going to do it.

                                    Comment


                                      Originally posted by elguapo4 View Post

                                      Yeah, a massive nothing, I presume he's right but 15,000 cases by the end of the month sounds like needless scaremongering.
                                      Well, if the 30% daily increase continues, that's where we'd be on April 1st, but that would require last Thursday's moves to have zero impact.

                                      Comment


                                        Originally posted by pebblethefish View Post

                                        If you decide to send flowers instead, check the website for coronavirus policy. I hate to say it as they're our rivals, but Interflora's seems the best (we're going to copy it, and so are most others) - the delivery driver will place the flowers on the doorstep, ring the bell, then stand two metres away until the door is answered - no signature or touchpad will be used.
                                        Thank you for the kind and useful advice. I wouldn't rule it out but I have some gifts already which I will wrap and send in the post if I don't go (which is looking more likely).

                                        Meanwhile, my partner has just been on the Tesco and Sainsbury websites to do an internet shop for her mum (which she does weekly anyway) and there are no slots until early April for both. She also tried ASDA but the end of March was the first one free. At least she's had an offer from another neighbour to help if she can't get down.
                                        Last edited by Arturo; 17-03-2020, 21:52.

                                        Comment


                                          Originally posted by Arturo View Post

                                          Meanwhile, my partner has just been on the Tesco and Sainsbury websites to do an internet shop for her mum (which she does weekly anyway) and there are no slots until early April for both. She also tried ASDA but the end of March was the first one free. At least she's had an offer from another neighbour to help if she can't get down.
                                          Yeah, TLMG does this for her parents and the sheer speed at which the delivery slots get booked is frightening.

                                          Comment


                                            Back briefly to the insurance angle, I've just received an e-mail from my insurance broker, which includes the following:


                                            Business Interruption

                                            Most Business Interruption cover is based on a specified list of diseases and has been since the SARS outbreak in 2003. These policies exclude business interruption due to new and emerging diseases, like COVID-19. Most policy wordings clearly identify the diseases that cover is offered for and, in addition, highlights that new and emerging diseases like COVID-19 are not covered.

                                            The current COVID-19 outbreak is therefore not covered under a significant majority of business interruption policies.

                                            Most business interruption policies traditionally focus on physical events such as a fire at a premises. Although contingent business interruption extensions for a range of non-damage scenarios are available, such covers typically have much lower limits, shorter indemnity periods and are not guaranteed to respond to novel causes of loss such as COVD-19.
                                            Employers and Public Liability

                                            Liability cover provides protection for the policyholder against their legal liabilities to their employees or the public. This includes property damage and Bodily Injury; Bodily injury includes Illness (including resulting death). 'Illness' is not defined so could include legal liabilities incurred from COVID-19 in a situation where the insured has breached their duty of care.

                                            For a breach of duty of care to be considered, the insured would need to be in contravention of any government guidelines or advice regarding safety at work or travel.

                                            For example:
                                            • By sending an employee to an area affected where the FCO have advised against all but essential travel
                                            • Not providing essential equipment or guidelines for adequate sanitation
                                            • By making an employee come to work after they have travelled in an affected area resulting in others becoming exposed to the virus (either employees or the public).
                                            To help avoiding scenarios like these, you could consider establishing whether you have an up to date risk assessment and updated health and safety guidelines that include COVID-19, as well as an up to date business continuity plan. If in place, this should also be reviewed regularly as both the situation and government advice continues to evolve rapidly.
                                            Travel Insurance

                                            If you currently have a standalone travel policy or an add on cover, and are due to travel to areas where there is a Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advisory notice in place (no travel / none but essential travel) and wish to cancel your trip, most insurers will cover this.

                                            You would also be covered under policies if you were to contract COVID-19 whilst on holiday or in the UK prior to travel (which was booked before they were aware of the infection).

                                            In addition to this, you would also be covered if quarantined by authorities whilst on holiday (whether you have contracted COVID-19 or not).

                                            If, however, you bought your policy after the FCO advised against travel to your destination, you would not be covered for cancellation/abandonment under these circumstances.

                                            We recommend that you contact us to review your policy wording for full details of cover and to look at your individual circumstances if you have travel plans booked
                                            .
                                            Management Liability

                                            Management Liability cover is provided in the event a business Director commits a "Wrongful Act". For this to be considered, you would have to show negligence in your actions that leads to a detriment suffered by either a third party or an employee.

                                            Wrongful acts are split between those that cover the general duties and those for employment.

                                            The core cover is for Directors & Officers (general and employment matters), with optional entity covers Corporate Legal Liability (general matters should the claim be brought against them and not the directors) and optional Employment Practices Liability (employment matters).

                                            For general duties, the definition of "Wrongful Act" includes any breach of duty or negligent act, error or omission. COVID-19 related issues could be included under this cover.

                                            For employment "Wrongful Acts", insurance coverage for "failure to adopt adequate workplace or employment policies and procedures" could lead to COVID-19 related issues being included under this cover.

                                            This would automatically be covered under the core D&O cover and you would also be covered by the optional Employment Practices Liability section if selected.

                                            If you have a query then please contact us directly and we can address your specific concerns and individual circumstances.

                                            Engineering Inspection

                                            Some insurers are now not offering new inspection policies, although they are offering renewals as normal. Allianz Engineering have suspended trading of all new business inspection policies until 30th April.

                                            Working from Home

                                            If you or your team are planning to work from home during Covid-19 we need to make sure that if you are taking equipment away from your own premises, they are covered should a loss occur.

                                            Allianz's office policy for example provides cover for:

                                            Temporary Removal
                                            Office Contents whilst temporarily removed to, and whilst in transit between, anywhere within Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands excluding:
                                            a) any amount in excess of 20% of the Sum Insured for Office Contents shown in the Schedule
                                            b) any amount in excess of £5,000 any one article
                                            c) theft from any unattended vehicle.

                                            So the policy will potentially automatically provide cover but we would ask that you notify us as each insurers policy/limits/cover will be different.

                                            As ever, our best advice to our clients is to act as a prudent uninsured – taking the necessary steps to protect your organisation and its people – then engage with us to review areas of recoverability under your policies.

                                            Comment


                                              If you want specific advice, NS, then talk to your broker. That's the best advice I can give at present.

                                              Comment


                                                Originally posted by Diable Rouge View Post
                                                literally threw in a Churchill quote at one point "so much owed by so many to so few".

                                                TAB's head must have exploded at that point.

                                                Comment


                                                  Originally posted by Toby Gymshorts View Post
                                                  If you want specific advice, NS, then talk to your broker. That's the best advice I can give at present.

                                                  I'm fine thanks, Tobes. I think so anyway. I just thought that the information might help explain a few things and perhaps prompt the odd policy check.

                                                  Comment


                                                    We had an Ocado delivery cancelled yesterday, which had been booked as the next available a week before. Looked at their site just now and was number 9752 in the queue with an expected wait of two hours. It is inconvenient and annoying but I can go out and there are plenty of shops, large and small, within walking distance here. Those reliant upon deliveries for themselves or relatives have my sympathy.

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