Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[Weststander]

I think one of the most pleasantly surprising things about the whole pandemic has been how prepared the public have been to put their lives on hold for "the greater good", other than a few morons and numpties like Piers Corbyn and his dimwit mates. I'd never have thought that could happen two years ago.

I actually think it’s got better.

Dec/Jan 2020/21, lots of evidence that people ignored lockdowns with big house gatherings. R5 had at the time had public health experts on from eg Welsh health trusts.

Dec 2021, from two angles, I know pub/restaurant owners who said their premises were a third full, even at NYE. Also loads of friends/family/neighbours who steered clear of meal out or party invites with “we don’t want to catch covid, with the ensuing self isolation”.

Mask wearing - we went to London yesterday, on Thameslink, near universal mask wearing on busy trains, in London stores nearly 100%. Impressive.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I actually think it’s got better.

Dec/Jan 2020/21, lots of evidence that people ignored lockdowns with big house gatherings. R5 had at the time had public health experts on from eg Welsh health trusts.

Dec 2021, from two angles, I know pub/restaurant owners who said their premises were a third full, even at NYE. Also loads of friends/family/neighbours who steered clear of meal out or party invites with “we don’t want to catch covid, with the ensuing self isolation”.

Mask wearing - we went to London yesterday, on Thameslink, near universal mask wearing on busy trains, in London stores nearly 100%. Impressive.

Perhaps then we can be allowed to get on with our lives without the need for legislation..including on mask wearing, vaccine passports etc

 

[Weststander]

Perhaps then we can be allowed to get on with our lives without the need for legislation..including on mask wearing, vaccine passports etc

See my post #20614


But imho with the caveat that the vulnerable eg in nursing homes or immunocompromised remain protected, for as long as it takes. Repealing laws shouldn't be a charter for anti vaxers to put those people at added harm.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

See my post #20614


But imho with the caveat that the vulnerable eg in nursing homes or immunocompromised remain protected, for as long as it takes. Repealing laws shouldn't be a charter for anti vaxers to put those people at added harm.

Clearly I like the cut of your jib, but would be interested in thoughts on how that would work!

Readily available LFT's for starters and no pressure on the vulnerable to attend face to face situations, in particular from Government agencies.

I would be interested in other thoughts.

 

[Weststander]

Clearly I like the cut of your jib, but would be interested in thoughts on how that would work!

Readily available LFT's for starters and no pressure on the vulnerable to attend face to face situations, in particular from Government agencies.

I would be interested in other thoughts.

I must admit I haven't thought about it deeply. But I am aware of yours and many other similar situations, lives matter!

So, in a ever weakening Covid environment:

Nursing/care homes & the like - (and I'll make some libertarians enemies here) mandatory full and up to date vaccines for all personnel. Masks worn properly when dealing with immunocompromised.

Everywhere else - genuinely, what would you like to see?

 

[Napper]

the fat lady is clearing her throat

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

I must admit I haven't thought about it deeply. But I am aware of yours and many other similar situations, lives matter!

So, in a ever weakening Covid environment:

Nursing/care homes & the like - (and I'll make some libertarians enemies here) mandatory full and up to date vaccines for all personnel. Masks worn properly when dealing with immunocompromised.

Everywhere else - genuinely, what would you like to see?

Other than the two things I mentioned, I guess the understanding that "living with Covid" means something very different to some people!

 

[loz]

I must admit I haven't thought about it deeply. But I am aware of yours and many other similar situations, lives matter!

So, in a ever weakening Covid environment:

Nursing/care homes & the like - (and I'll make some libertarians enemies here) mandatory full and up to date vaccines for all personnel. Masks worn properly when dealing with immunocompromised.

Everywhere else - genuinely, what would you like to see?

The trouble with masks in care homes is that the old people in there find it very hard to communicate when they can’t see a face talking, to see a smile or laugh is pretty grim to. My mum who’s in a home just refuses to talk to the Carers because she can’t understand them and I am sure she is not the only one….the very people we are trying to protect have a bloody awful time over the last two years, the sooner they can see a face the better IMHO.

 

[loz]

I must admit I haven't thought about it deeply. But I am aware of yours and many other similar situations, lives matter!

So, in a ever weakening Covid environment:

Nursing/care homes & the like - (and I'll make some libertarians enemies here) mandatory full and up to date vaccines for all personnel. Masks worn properly when dealing with immunocompromised.

Everywhere else - genuinely, what would you like to see?

The trouble with masks in care homes is that the old people in there find it very hard to communicate when they can’t see a face talking, to see a smile or laugh is pretty grim to. My mum who’s in a home just refuses to talk to the Carers because she can’t understand them and I am sure she is not the only one….the very people we are trying to protect have a bloody awful time over the last two years, the sooner they can see a face the better IMHO.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

The trouble with masks in care homes is that the old people in there find it very hard to communicate when they can’t see a face talking, to see a smile or laugh is pretty grim to. My mum who’s in a home just refuses to talk to the Carers because she can’t understand them and I am sure she is not the only one….the very people we are trying to protect have a bloody awful time over the last two years, the sooner they can see a face the better IMHO.

That is obviously a problem for some, however clear masks and mouth shields are available.

Granted they are more expensive than the paper disposable masks, but a solution to a problem shouldn't just be discounted on grounds of cost.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Other than the two things I mentioned, I guess the understanding that "living with Covid" means something very different to some people!

I imagine ‘normal’ life before covid was a very different animal for some

 

[worthingseagull123]

I am starting to see an increase in the number of people not wearing masks in shops.

 

[dazzer6666]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...ly-lower-plan-b-triggered-figures-show-worst/

Covid cases are approaching levels lower than when “Plan B” was triggered, with data increasingly showing that Britain is over the worst.

On Sunday, cases fell to 70,924, the lowest since mid-December, before rising to 84,429 on Monday in the usual increase at the start of the week. However, that is a 42 per cent decline since the previous Monday.

If the current trajectory continues, Britain will hit around 50,000 cases by the middle of the week – the same level as when Boris Johnson announced restrictions on Dec 8.

The number of tests coming back positive has also started to fall, from a high of 32.3 per cent on Jan 4 to 26 per cent on Jan 11, showing that it is a true decline rather than a lack of testing capacity as some have claimed. The Office for National Statistics infection survey is also showing falls in recent days.

Data show the number of people requiring mechanical ventilation had dropped to 746 as of Jan 13 – the lowest it has been since Nov 10. The number of patients in hospital with Covid in Britain has declined to 19,345 after peaking at 19,906 on Jan 10.

The figures show that 44 per cent of people in hospital in England are incidental cases, having been admitted for a different reason and tested positive on arrival or shortly afterwards. There are also signs that admissions are levelling off.

 

[dazzer6666]

I am starting to see an increase in the number of people not wearing masks in shops.

Rules expire on 26th January anyway and quite possibly won’t be extended……

 

[RandyWanger]

There's a video circulating on Twitter, someone recorded a call with a Dr at Chichester hospital who said the vaccine will be puled soon

 

[Poojah]

There's a video circulating on Twitter, someone recorded a call with a Dr at Chichester hospital who said the vaccine will be puled soon

I think this has been largely mooted for weeks now, in particular from those heading up the vaccine research and rollout itself. Covid is about to become endemic in the UK, and our collective immune status is probably about as high as it’s realistically going to get.

Vaccines aren’t free, there are still many people around the world yet to even be offered their first, and given the personal risk to young people is increasingly low, why keep going? That’s all this is. Cease mass-vaccination, continue to protect the elderly and vulnerable. Nothing more than that, and yes, I have watched the video.

Stuff like this will always be jumped on by anti-vaxxers, but I think this is a genuine case of “nothing to see here…”.

 

[beorhthelm]

There's a video circulating on Twitter, someone recorded a call with a Dr at Chichester hospital who said the vaccine will be puled soon

might be in sense of standing down additional efforts to push the booster. vaccine not going away, and expect a new one targeting wider coronavirus traits later in the year (so less impacted by variants).

 

[LamieRobertson]

I am starting to see an increase in the number of people not wearing masks in shops.

Still 100% in M&S food hall when I go (relatively quiet time)..although i do whip mine off two feet from the exit door

 

[LamieRobertson]

might be in sense of standing down additional efforts to push the booster. vaccine not going away, and expect a new one targeting wider coronavirus traits later in the year (so less impacted by variants).

…and maybe generally available only for elderly and ‘vulnerable’

 

[Guinness Boy]

Stuff like this will always be jumped on by anti-vaxxers, but I think this is a genuine case of “nothing to see here…”.

Vaccination stops - Anti Vaxxers "see I tod you they were unsafe"
Vaccination continues - Anti Vaxxers "are you needle junkies going to carry on getting jabbed forever?"