Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[BlueToff]

In fairness, they trialled three indoor gigs in Liverpool a few months back, so I don't think it's particularly political/discriminatory.

It's purely down to timing of the events.

Also, as far as crowds go, the most boisterous aren't on the first day of Wimbledon...

 

[BlueToff]

Just got my second appointment rebooked to be 3 weeks early than it would have been. I reckon by early part of next month all 40+ will be double jabbed. Then it will be a question of what non-AZ stocks they have to try and do the lower age range early.

I've already got my second booked for September 12th but I can change that to an 8-week gap, and depending on stocks at walk-in centres then it can be six weeks (I'm 26, had my first Pfizer one yesterday).

 

[dannyboy]

It isn't?

Or do you mean at full capacity?

They've been trailing things but there'll be 25,000 more people at Wembley tomorrow than there are on centre court today.

At full capacity. They are absolutely packed in there whilst we're in the middle of a third wave. Let's hope there's no issues.

 

[BlueToff]

At full capacity. They are absolutely packed in there whilst we're in the middle of a third wave. Let's hope there's no issues.

We aren't in the middle of a third wave... Come on mate.

There's more chance of getting hit by a bus than dying of COVID right now.

The vaccines are working. The hospitalisation rates are still low and deaths are low. We have to try stuff or we might as well never bother.

 

[dannyboy]

"Latest estimates for the infection fatality rate show the ratio of infections to deaths is 20 times lower than it was in the winter wave. Just 0.08 of cases result in a death."

On the BBC live feed at 10.29.

If that had been the case from the outset we would be looking at fewer than a total of 10,000 covid deaths essentially covering 2 winters.

Hopefully, this means that the vaccines have made this less serious than flu going forward. I imagine that they will be looking at improving the efficacy of flu vaccines with the advancements made.

It is worrying to see the rise in cases because the government seem content to just let it run through the population now, but this is at least good news.

My concern is that another few weeks with the increase we've seen of late and we could find ourselves in a difficult situation again.

 

[BlueToff]

It is worrying to see the rise in cases because the government seem content to just let it run through the population now, but this is at least good news.

My concern is that another few weeks with the increase we've seen of late and we could find ourselves in a difficult situation again.

They literally pushed back the reopening that they hoped for?

 

[dannyboy]

They literally pushed back the reopening that they hoped for?

I just haven't seen any concern that cases have nearly doubled in a week. Obviously it looks like the vaccines are doing their job for now but with that rate of infection I think there should be some degree of caution.

 

[toffee82]

It is worrying to see the rise in cases because the government seem content to just let it run through the population now, but this is at least good news.

My concern is that another few weeks with the increase we've seen of late and we could find ourselves in a difficult situation again.

If cases aren't leading to a rise in hospitalisation and deaths then they are actually getting us to herd immunity more quickly.
I think that the fact that so many under 30's are getting it now highlights how seriously they took it and followed the rules.

 

[BlueToff]

I just haven't seen any concern that cases have nearly doubled in a week. Obviously it looks like the vaccines are doing their job for now but with that rate of infection I think there should be some degree of caution.

But they're doubling from a very low base.

And, the onus since we started this 'roadmap' has been on hospitalisations and deaths. Not so much cases.

There has to be caution but isn't that what's happening? In all honestly, given the rate of hospitalisations and deaths, I honestly think it's hard to justify as it is.

 

[BlueToff]

If cases aren't leading to a rise in hospitalisation and deaths then they are actually getting us to herd immunity more quickly.
I think that the fact that so many under 30's are getting it now highlights how seriously they took it and followed the rules.

It also highlights how it's the groups that aren't yet vaccinated that are getting it.

And the reason that people who are going to hospital are not, in comparison to the winter and last year, likely to not come out of it.

For one, they're generally younger and healthier in terms of battling off stuff, and two, the hospitals have the capacity and experience to deal with it.

I just find it hard to see people say that there's not enough caution, two weeks after the planned reopening has been pushed back, when we're regularly hitting single figure deaths for 28-day cut offs.

 

[BlueToff]

Don't ever think that crap like this was okay.

It wasn't, and never should be again.

 

[dannyboy]

But they're doubling from a very low base.

And, the onus since we started this 'roadmap' has been on hospitalisations and deaths. Not so much cases.

There has to be caution but isn't that what's happening? In all honestly, given the rate of hospitalisations and deaths, I honestly think it's hard to justify as it is.

I completely agree it should be about hospitalisations and deaths, but if we were to surpass the January peak of infections I do still worry that's going to have a knock on effect when it comes to people getting seriously ill.

 

[BlueToff]

I completely agree it should be about hospitalisations and deaths, but if we were to surpass the January peak of infections I do still worry that's going to have a knock on effect when it comes to people getting seriously ill.

According to WHO's stats, Dec 31. 2020 was our peak for cases - 83k in one day.

We're currently at 17k.

Three weeks after our peak cases - on Jan 21st this year - we had our peak deaths.

Despite the increase in cases which started in early June (when we went up from a low base of circa 2,000 uo to 5-6,000 and have grown since then) there's been no increase in deaths.

The vaccines work. Yes we have to be caution, but we're at the stage now where we have to take risks or we'll just be in a perpetual state of semi-lockdown forever.

The boosters will be coming for people in vulnerable groups in the autumn.

 

[grandjoeblue]

I completely agree it should be about hospitalisations and deaths, but if we were to surpass the January peak of infections I do still worry that's going to have a knock on effect when it comes to people getting seriously ill.

Unless the vaccine somehow becomes completely ineffective there is no way we will see a peak anywhere near January levels. Even if we completely open up you're probably talking somewhere around 50-75 deaths a day. We're well past the worst of this now.

 

[dannyboy]

According to WHO's stats, Dec 31. 2020 was our peak for cases - 83k in one day.

We're currently at 17k.

Three weeks after our peak cases - on Jan 21st this year - we had our peak deaths.

Despite the increase in cases which started in early June (when we went up from a low base of circa 2,000 uo to 5-6,000 and have grown since then) there's been no increase in deaths.

The vaccines work. Yes we have to be caution, but we're at the stage now where we have to take risks or we'll just be in a perpetual state of semi-lockdown forever.

The boosters will be coming for people in vulnerable groups in the autumn.

Considering this is brand new territory you speak with a lot of confidence.

I'd just feel more comfortable if our cases didn't sky rocket over the next few weeks. Unfortunately, I think that is almost inevitable which means we are now hoping that we have got enough people vaccinated in time and the vaccines are as effective as they seem to be.

I could be wrong with this but is it not the case that variants are more likely when the virus is allowed to run through the population unchecked?