Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[BlueToff]

I think you were cry arsing last year weren't you? Then people started dying.

Just wrap up now.

Edit: yeah, you were about tiers and how unnecessary measures were. I'm just going to ignore you.

At the start of the pandemic yes.

Now, I'm not saying measures are unnecessary at all.

You have said the government have got us into this mess and LOCKDOWN is all that's now going to happen. I assume you think that's a bad thing?

Then why are you having a go at me for also saying lockdown is a bad thing that should be avoided?

Weird.

 

[joe1878]

More world class communication, really gives you assurance they can handle things

What was this mate? Saying tweets unavailable

 

[Jebus_lives]

Okay but they did start stressing the importance of booster jabs as soon as Omicron came, and they'd already been urging people to go and get it?

People weren't buying it. Now they are - because of fear. The cynic in me believes the govs are using Omicron, which all the evidence so far shows is very mild, to get these boosters out quickly and people who were on the fence are now getting them.

But over 50s had mostly all already been offered their boosters before this variant was discovered. My mum and dad had theirs a month ago now. Yes it depends on area and supply etc.

The biggest issue is transmission. While Omicron might cause milder infection (see my earlier post about 'milder' reasoning) we won't actually know for a number of weeks (the 3 weeks Johnson referenced), which is obviously not ideal when it could quickly spread across a population. Because of the transmissibility, the variant will infect large numbers before we have clear idea what the risks of infection are.

 

[BlueToff]

The biggest issue is transmission. While Omicron might cause milder infection (see my earlier post about 'milder' reasoning) we won't actually know for a number of weeks (the 3 weeks Johnson referenced), which is obviously not ideal when it could quickly spread across a population. Because of the transmissibility, the variant will infect large numbers before we have clear idea what the risks of infection are.

I know mate, I fully understand that. I'm not saying that this is going to be easy or anything.

It is absolutely fine to look at the data from South Africa and say it is promising in terms of how serious an illness it causes. But, we have to be very cautious because we all know it's much more infectious and if it infects half of the population, which it easily could do, we're looking at 1/2% of that being a really large number of hospitlisations.

I'm not trying to come across as some denier, I just feel the early signs of it are promising. But in the meantime what do we do? We do what we're doing now - booster drive, masks in certain settings, daily testing for any contacts etc, or we do the booster drive and complete lockdown, completely kill loads of industries/sectors (even with funding, far too many places in hospitality would go under for example), completely depress everyone even more, another lockdown the country couldn't afford?

Like, those are the options. So all my question to the poster was what would they want at this stage?

 

[Jebus_lives]

I know mate, I fully understand that. I'm not saying that this is going to be easy or anything.

It is absolutely fine to look at the data from South Africa and say it is promising in terms of how serious an illness it causes. But, we have to be very cautious because we all know it's much more infectious and if it infects half of the population, which it easily could do, we're looking at 1/2% of that being a really large number of hospitlisations.

I'm not trying to come across as some denier, I just feel the early signs of it are promising. But in the meantime what do we do? We do what we're doing now - booster drive, masks in certain settings, daily testing for any contacts etc, or we do the booster drive and complete lockdown, completely kill loads of industries/sectors (even with funding, far too many places in hospitality would go under for example), completely depress everyone even more, another lockdown the country couldn't afford?

Like, those are the options. So all my question to the poster was what would they want at this stage?

The big issue is that lockdowns, at this stage, become seriously damaging. They should be the opportunity to restrict transmission and give you time to get your preparation in place and the systems needed to manage outbreak. We have failed to do that as a country 3 times.

Unfortunately, it becomes a harder choice because people have suffered through this (physically, psychologically and economically) and won't want a repeat, but you cannot let a virus such as this loose in the population purely because of prior poor decision making by the government.

So it's best endeavours now and hope that, despite the piss poor leadership demonstrated, the public compliance remains high and people take every precaution possible.

It's a question pushed because of an inadequate initial government preparation and response, which has continued to be poor throughout.

 

[sbbefc]

The big issue is that lockdowns, at this stage, become seriously damaging. They should be the opportunity to restrict transmission and give you time to get your preparation in place and the systems needed to manage outbreak. We have failed to do that as a country 3 times.

Unfortunately, it becomes a harder choice because people have suffered through this (physically, psychologically and economically) and won't want a repeat, but you cannot let a virus such as this loose in the population purely because of prior poor decision making by the government.

So it's best endeavours now and hope that, despite the piss poor leadership demonstrated, the public compliance remains high and people take every precaution possible.

It's a question pushed because of an inadequate initial government preparation and response, which has continued to be poor throughout.

That's the thing isn't it. Personally I'd rather have a shorter lockdown sooner rather than later than the really long ones we've had to endure before.

 

[dublinbluenose]

In the space of a week omicron has gone from 1% of positive cases to 11% of positive cases in Ireland.

Bloody hell

 

[DrEFC]

Obviously your sister would follow her GPs advice but have to say am a bit surprised by it.

@DrEFC is that the usual guidance for UK people trying to get pregnant?

Know that here in US CDC have been trying to get those trying to become pregnant to get vaccinated because of the increased dangers.

Vaccination Considerations for People Pregnant or Breastfeeding

Find information about COVID-19 vaccination considerations for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

www.cdc.gov

• People who are pregnant or recently pregnant are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with people who are not pregnant.
• Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help protect you from severe illness from COVID-19.
• COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future.
• People who are pregnant may receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.
• Evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been growing. These data suggest that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy.
• There is currently no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems in women or men.

Would 100% recommend vaccination, just obviously an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer, moderna) if think may be already pregnant, or find out pregnant after 1st dose of astra zeneca.
Edit: I'm a consultant ob/gyn, so don't know what has yet filtered through to our family doctors/GP's.

 

[grandjoeblue]

That's the thing isn't it. Personally I'd rather have a shorter lockdown sooner rather than later than the really long ones we've had to endure before.

Can't really see how it would be short though? We're on 50,000+ cases per day and they would want to get well below 5000 in order to make it worthwhile. The new variant makes it unlikely that this will happen any time soon. The shortest it could possibly be would be about 10 weeks I think.

 

[LinekersLegs]

More world class communication, really gives you assurance they can handle things

What was this mate? Saying tweets unavailable

Was around the very confusing statements that Javid gave parliament that Omicron was both 20% of cases and 200,000 cases daily.



Data guys I follow are still trying to get clarity on what was meant.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

At the start of the pandemic yes.

Now, I'm not saying measures are unnecessary at all.

You have said the government have got us into this mess and LOCKDOWN is all that's now going to happen. I assume you think that's a bad thing?

Then why are you having a go at me for also saying lockdown is a bad thing that should be avoided?

Weird.

Ah, don't mind me man. I'm just grumpy and fed up with the whole thing. Sorry if I came across as having a go.

I certainly don't want another lockdown, last winter was horrible. It's actually quite stressing me the prospect of another, truth be told. @Jebus_lives nails it for me with his earlier post.

 

[BlueToff]

The big issue is that lockdowns, at this stage, become seriously damaging. They should be the opportunity to restrict transmission and give you time to get your preparation in place and the systems needed to manage outbreak. We have failed to do that as a country 3 times.

Unfortunately, it becomes a harder choice because people have suffered through this (physically, psychologically and economically) and won't want a repeat, but you cannot let a virus such as this loose in the population purely because of prior poor decision making by the government.

So it's best endeavours now and hope that, despite the piss poor leadership demonstrated, the public compliance remains high and people take every precaution possible.

It's a question pushed because of an inadequate initial government preparation and response, which has continued to be poor throughout.

Based on the evidence today, yesterday's statement - as messy as it was - probably worked in its goal. People are going out to get their boosters. Fear works.

I'm not saying people are stupid to be scared or anything like that. But I bet it's swung an awful lot of people.

 

[BlueToff]

Ah, don't mind me man. I'm just grumpy and fed up with the whole thing. Sorry if I came across as having a go.

I certainly don't want another lockdown, last winter was horrible. It's actually quite stressing me the prospect of another, truth be told. @Jebus_lives nails it for me with his earlier post.

All good, apologies. I think we're on the same page! I know this whole thing is a mess, I'm not defending them. At this stage though it's like what do we do - either do what is happening now, or we have to lockdown... I hope what they're doing now works!

 

[joe1878]

Was around the very confusing statements that Javid gave parliament that Omicron was both 20% of cases and 200,000 cases daily.



Data guys I follow are still trying to get clarity on what was meant.

Cheers.

Got that LBC on at the moment and they’re talking about them figures now. I might have misheard but the guest they had on said if the figures were right, then we would have 20 or 40 million cases in a month ?

 

[efcfanwirral]

Can't really see how it would be short though? We're on 50,000+ cases per day and they would want to get well below 5000 in order to make it worthwhile. The new variant makes it unlikely that this will happen any time soon. The shortest it could possibly be would be about 10 weeks I think.

End date would always be the same I guess. I imagine the "top secret behind closed doors" plan was always a post christmas lockdown this year, they just couldn't tell us for political reasons. Next year I wouldn't be surprised to just see it written into the year's plans as I can't imagine it'll be much different then