Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[davek]

The worst thing that could happen for the UK right now is Tory backbenchers to force - and Johnson to cave, which wouldn't be against his form we all know - an early lift on the measures.

For all the people screaming this lockdown isn't strict enough, combined with the vaccine roll out it seems to be working. It's crap, but it's working.

Shouldn't be lifted until mid-March at the very earliest, and even then it should just be schools in limited numbers (I'd leave that until after Easter personally) and maybe allow people to go and play golf or something, like they did last May in 2-balls only, just something easy to manage etc.

If they can just be clear that another 2-3 weeks of this come early March will be the answer to, come April, getting out of lockdown for good and starting to see the gradual easing back to some normality, I'm sure people could stomach it.

In reality, if we want to stay out of lockdowns for good then we have to have a lockdown with greater restrictions running right through this year; an aggressive track and trace system up and running; further adaptations of the vaccines to combat variants; more therapeutics for the vulnerable to survive Covid19 when infected. Extensive lockdowns are required because western populations dont have discipline to change their own behaviour rapidly and decisively when called on to do so and our helathcare systems are then overwhelmed.

Of course, what we need above all else is a change of government and a different philosophy based on the primacy of communal health.

 

[BlueToff]

In reality, if we want to stay out of lockdowns for good then we have to have a lockdown with greater restrictions running right through this year; an aggressive track and trace system up and running; further adaptations of the vaccines to combat variants; more therapeutics for the vulnerable to survive Covid19 when infected. Extensive lockdowns are required because western populations dont have discipline to change their own behaviour rapidly and decisively when called on to do so and our helathcare systems are then overwhelmed.

Of course, what we need above all else is a change of government and a different philosophy based on the primacy of communal health.

There's no justification for it with the vaccines once they're out there.

The vaccine is, by and large, the answer. Not the only solution, but a big proportion of it.

Track and trace can come in and ensure that we are better protected against future variants etc.

'Communal health' isn't boosted by locking people in their homes.

People need to stop acting like these pandemics happen every year, ffs. 100 years since we last had one.

 

[BlueStevie35]

In reality, if we want to stay out of lockdowns for good then we have to have a lockdown with greater restrictions running right through this year; an aggressive track and trace system up and running; further adaptations of the vaccines to combat variants; more therapeutics for the vulnerable to survive Covid19 when infected. Extensive lockdowns are required because western populations dont have discipline to change their own behaviour rapidly and decisively when called on to do so and our helathcare systems are then overwhelmed.

Of course, what we need above all else is a change of government and a different philosophy based on the primacy of communal health.

Sorry but no Dave, you absolutely cannot expect millions of people to be on furlough for an entire year, before long businesses would have to fold because they cannot afford to stay operational without custom, unemployment will skyrocket and people will be out on the streets or dead due to mental health issues

 

[GrandOldTeam]

 

[roydo]

And we are a few short weeks behind that trend.

 

[davek]

There's no justification for it with the vaccines once they're out there.

The vaccine is, by and large, the answer. Not the only solution, but a big proportion of it.

Track and trace can come in and ensure that we are better protected against future variants etc.

'Communal health' isn't boosted by locking people in their homes.

People need to stop acting like these pandemics happen every year, ffs. 100 years since we last had one.

TBF to you, you have moved away over the last week or so from your view that the vaccines would bring liberty.

 

[BlueToff]

TBF to you, you have moved away over the last week or so from your view that the vaccines would bring liberty.

They will, eventually, and I've also been consistent in agreeing with posters like @tsubaki that we need track and trace long term too (like, over the last month or so). I just don't agree with them fully on how that would work other than in this ideal scenario which just doesn't seem truly feasible.

But vaccines are by and large the answer right now. Track and trace is then how we protect ourselves moving forward. But again, these things don't happen every day and, again, I think the source of these diseases needs to be changed too, because having people locked in their homes if they have a sniffle isn't actually a solution.

There's going to be little justification not to have certain things allowed once the vast majority of the country are fully vaccinated.

 

[davek]

Sorry but no Dave, you absolutely cannot expect millions of people to be on furlough for an entire year, before long businesses would have to fold because they cannot afford to stay operational without custom, unemployment will skyrocket and people will be out on the streets or dead due to mental health issues

It's a choice: give primacy to the economic activity or give primacy to public health.

I'd have thought that with 3 lockdowns behind us and two waves of infection that have killed almost 115,000 people the choice would be an obvious one to
make.

Maybe it's a generational thing where you sit on the issue. But the government of this country have the task of keeping all its citizens safe from harm. It's their call and that overwhelming responsibility to keep people safe should win out. However, this is a government like no other in the modern period.

 

[BlueToff]

It's a choice: give primacy to the economic activity or give primacy to public health.

I'd have thought that with 3 lockdowns behind us and two waves of infection that have killed almost 115,000 people the choice would be an obvious one to
make.

Maybe it's a generational thing where you sit on the issue. But the government of this country have the task of keeping all its citizens safe from harm. It's their call and that overwhelming responsibility to keep people safe should win out. However, this is a government like no other in the modern period.

Keeping them safe from harm should not equate to stopping anything fun in life because it involves going near another person for years to come when the population are fully vaccinated.

It's as much a social problem as an economic problem. And 'health' is not locking people in their own homes. That's existence, nothing more. And it's crap.

We get a few short years on this planet. We're lucky enough to be born into an area of the world where, by and large, we get the freedom and chances to make what we can of our lives.

 

[davek]

They will, eventually, and I've also been consistent in agreeing with posters like @tsubaki that we need track and trace long term too (like, over the last month or so). I just don't agree with them fully on how that would work other than in this ideal scenario which just doesn't seem truly feasible.

But vaccines are by and large the answer right now. Track and trace is then how we protect ourselves moving forward. But again, these things don't happen every day and, again, I think the source of these diseases needs to be changed too, because having people locked in their homes if they have a sniffle isn't actually a solution.

There's going to be little justification not to have certain things allowed once the vast majority of the country are fully vaccinated.

How can you say we haven't got the track and trace sorted but let's open up anyway? Surely lessons have to be learned on that score?

 

[BlueStevie35]

Hospital figures - 575 deaths were announced today, down 178 on yesterday and down 189 on last Thursday. 494 deaths were in English hospitals, down 170 on yesterday and down 136 on last week. The 7 day rolling average falls to 577.14

All settings - for the 28 day cut off, 678 deaths were announced today, down 323 on yesterday and down 237 on last Thursday. The 7 day rolling average falls to 754.14

For the 60 day cut off, 816 deaths were announced today, down 410 on yesterday and down 219 on last Thursday. The 7 day rolling average falls to 893.29

 

[BlueToff]

How can you say we haven't got the track and trace sorted but let's open up anyway? Surely lessons have to be learned on that score?

I literally haven't said that

 

[grandjoeblue]

Hospital figures - 575 deaths were announced today, down 178 on yesterday and down 189 on last Thursday. 494 deaths were in English hospitals, down 170 on yesterday and down 136 on last week. The 7 day rolling average falls to 577.14

All settings - for the 28 day cut off, 678 deaths were announced today, down 323 on yesterday and down 237 on last Thursday. The 7 day rolling average falls to 754.14

For the 60 day cut off, 816 deaths were announced today, down 410 on yesterday and down 219 on last Thursday. The 7 day rolling average falls to 893.29

The drops seem massive week on week at the moment. Hopefully in 10 days time the average will be down to 400 or so. If it keeps going it might be around 100 by 8th March when schools reopen.

 

[grandjoeblue]

Sorry but no Dave, you absolutely cannot expect millions of people to be on furlough for an entire year, before long businesses would have to fold because they cannot afford to stay operational without custom, unemployment will skyrocket and people will be out on the streets or dead due to mental health issues

I agree. If deaths go back down towards single figures per day like last summer how can you justify a lockdown?

Opening up from April - August seems very doable. The important thing is monitoring cases etc much closer and making the correct decisions in September onwards.

 

[urquattro]

My wife and I have both been working from home since the 23 March 2020 when the initial main lockdown was called. My wife works for the local authority and I work for a water utility company, my wife is set up with dual screens in the dining room and I'm on the landing with the same setup . We have both stuck to all the guidance and havent seen our respective families since this all began including the Christmas lifting of the restrictions.
Shopping is done by online order or click and collect or at the last resort a trip to the local shop, not super Market. We go for a walk to exercise and I go for a bike ride.
We are both now starting to feel the pinch and getting a bit stir crazy of basically being locked up like a convict in our home for almost 12mths.

I don't actually know why I have been compelled to write this down on here of all places but it has helped just to explain our circumstances.