Coronavirus - how is it/has it affected you?

[Fade and Die]

Because on 14th June when they made the decision to delay reopening on 21st June there were 7606 positive test results. By 21st June that was up to 10467. Yesterday (4th July) there were 23818 and they have decided to drop all restrictions. The figures show that cases are doubling roughly every 9 days so by 19th July cases are likely to be over 50000. If we then remove all restrictions the cases will double more quickly than every 9 days. By the end of July we could easily be over 100k cases per day and still rising.

Yes it's time to ease restrictions but simple things like masks on public transport and in enclosed spaces don't stop people getting back to work. In fact by removing the requirement to wear masks on public transport you could very well be stopping vulnerable people from going back to work if they have to use public transport and don't feel safe doing so. You only have to look at the number of ??s that refused to wear masks when they were compulsory to realise that making them advisory isn't going to work.

Would you rather be going into September and the start of Autumn with 150-200k cases, or more, per day or would you rather go into Autumn with far fewer cases per day because the mask rules have not been relaxed? The greater number of cases there are in the population the higher the risk of a mutation that rapidly makes things go downhill.

The only difference between 14th June, when the delay to restrictions was announced, and today, when all restrictions are going to be lifted, is the number of people vaccinated. Double jabbed total on 14th June was 30.2 million. Double jabbed total yesterday was 33.7 million. Is that really a big enough difference to justify binning off all the rules?

Seems that the mantra of "data not dates" has been conveniently forgotten and it's now all about the dates.

But those numbers are meaningless, they are only that high because of the amount of testing going on, the only figures that are relevant are the hospital beds being taken up by Covid and the deaths. That was the reason for the Lockdown. “Protect the NHS” I think it’s a case of Job Done.

 

[ColchesterFC]

But those numbers are meaningless, they are only that high because of the amount of testing going on, the only figures that are relevant are the hospital beds being taken up by Covid and the deaths. That was the reason for the Lockdown. “Protect the NHS” I think it’s a case of Job Done.

You're sounding like Donald Trump - The best way to reduce the number of cases is to reduce the number of tests being carried out.

We're not in anything that is even close to lockdown at the minute. Pretty much all of normal life is going on again with the exception of a few small sectors of the economy, such as nightclubs, gigs etc. We aren't in lockdown and to suggest we are is complete nonsense.

Are those numbers "meaningless" to all those that will suffer the effects of long Covid?

Are they "meaningless" to all those that will go on to develop organ damage/failure due to Covid?

Will they be "meaningless" if they cause a mutation that is more harmful and doesn't respond as well to the vaccine?

All those that have been screaming for restrictions to be lifted will be the same ones blaming the government if we end up back in lockdown due to either a variant/mutation or due to rising hospitalisations and deaths later in the year. I predict late October or early November for lockdown 4.0, and all due to a weak government trying to be popular and passing the buck rather than doing what is needed to protect the long term health of the nation. It's face coverings on public transport and enclosed spaces that are being suggested, it's hardly a massive sacrifice to try to protect other people.

 

[Hobbit]

From memory we need to get to 70% fully vaccinated (double jabbed) to achieve herd immunity and for the virus to struggle to spread. As of yesterday 33.7 million were double jabbed which is roughly 50% of the population. To hit that target we need to vaccinate approx 20% of the population in the next two weeks. Between 14th June and yesterday 3.5 million people got their second jab. We've got absolutely no chance of reaching 70% by 19th July. We'd need to give another 13 million 2nd jabs between now and then to hit that target, and even if we do that won't be enough as full protection doesn't happen until 2 to 3 weeks after the second jab.

The majority of the vulnerable have long since had their second jab.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

You're sounding like Donald Trump - The best way to reduce the number of cases is to reduce the number of tests being carried out.

We're not in anything that is even close to lockdown at the minute. Pretty much all of normal life is going on again with the exception of a few small sectors of the economy, such as nightclubs, gigs etc. We aren't in lockdown and to suggest we are is complete nonsense.

Are those numbers "meaningless" to all those that will suffer the effects of long Covid?

Are they "meaningless" to all those that will go on to develop organ damage/failure due to Covid?

Will they be "meaningless" if they cause a mutation that is more harmful and doesn't respond as well to the vaccine?

All those that have been screaming for restrictions to be lifted will be the same ones blaming the government if we end up back in lockdown due to either a variant/mutation or due to rising hospitalisations and deaths later in the year. I predict late October or early November for lockdown 4.0, and all due to a weak government trying to be popular and passing the buck rather than doing what is needed to protect the long term health of the nation. It's face coverings on public transport and enclosed spaces that are being suggested, it's hardly a massive sacrifice to try to protect other people.

Everything you have posted is spot on

I can’t understand the rush to remove all the restrictions whilst the virus is clearly still having an effect

 

[ColchesterFC]

The majority of the vulnerable have long since had their second jab.

It isn't just about the vulnerable. It's about those that will suffer from long Covid and future unknown side effects of the virus such as organ damage, as well as the virus being present in large enough numbers for it to spread and potentially mutate. The second part of that becomes a lot less likely with 70%+ of the population fully protected.

 

[Fade and Die]

You're sounding like Donald Trump - The best way to reduce the number of cases is to reduce the number of tests being carried out.

We're not in anything that is even close to lockdown at the minute. Pretty much all of normal life is going on again with the exception of a few small sectors of the economy, such as nightclubs, gigs etc. We aren't in lockdown and to suggest we are is complete nonsense.

Are those numbers "meaningless" to all those that will suffer the effects of long Covid?

Are they "meaningless" to all those that will go on to develop organ damage/failure due to Covid?

Will they be "meaningless" if they cause a mutation that is more harmful and doesn't respond as well to the vaccine?

All those that have been screaming for restrictions to be lifted will be the same ones blaming the government if we end up back in lockdown due to either a variant/mutation or due to rising hospitalisations and deaths later in the year. I predict late October or early November for lockdown 4.0, and all due to a weak government trying to be popular and passing the buck rather than doing what is needed to protect the long term health of the nation. It's face coverings on public transport and enclosed spaces that are being suggested, it's hardly a massive sacrifice to try to protect other people.

I know you are frightened mate lashing out with the insults and doomsday prophecies but once you get your confidence back you will be ok.? (remember just baby steps at first)

 

[SaintHacker]

Maybe by the whatever date everything opens up a critical mass will have been vaccinated. Maybe there are less people being hospitalised with it now. Or maybe the critical factor in the equation is the economy.

Disappointed with the hairy fairy guidance on mask wearing. Too many will just ignore guidance.

Too many have ignored it all along. I'd love to know how many people were actually prosecuted/fined for not wearing one despite it being law. Tbe company I worked for at the time (thankfully not anymore) actually disciplined and even sacked some drivers for refusing customers who wouldn't wear them.

 

[Imurg]

From memory we need to get to 70% fully vaccinated (double jabbed) to achieve herd immunity and for the virus to struggle to spread. As of yesterday 33.7 million were double jabbed which is roughly 50% of the population. To hit that target we need to vaccinate approx 20% of the population in the next two weeks. Between 14th June and yesterday 3.5 million people got their second jab. We've got absolutely no chance of reaching 70% by 19th July. We'd need to give another 13 million 2nd jabs between now and then to hit that target, and even if we do that won't be enough as full protection doesn't happen until 2 to 3 weeks after the second jab.

Good point but don't forget that a single jab still gives decent protection....

 

[ColchesterFC]

I know you are frightened mate lashing out with the insults and doomsday prophecies but once you get your confidence back you will be ok.? (remember just baby steps at first)

You may choose to take it as an insult that I said you sounded like Donald Trump but how is what you said different to what he said?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...s-he-ordered-coronavirus-testing-to-slow-down

And it's not about me. I've been working throughout all of the lockdowns as I got classed a a key worker. I'm double jabbed and not considered as vulnerable. It's about having empathy for those that are less fortunate and doing what we can to protect them.

I actually think that removing the requirement to wear a mask by law and making it a personal choice will save me a lot of time. I'll now just be able to look at someone to see if they're a selfish ?? rather than having to talk to them to find out.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

You may choose to take it as an insult that I said you sounded like Donald Trump but how is what you said different to what he said?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...s-he-ordered-coronavirus-testing-to-slow-down

And it's not about me. I've been working throughout all of the lockdowns as I got classed a a key worker. I'm double jabbed and not considered as vulnerable. It's about having empathy for those that are less fortunate and doing what we can to protect them.

I actually think that removing the requirement to wear a mask by law and making it a personal choice will save me a lot of time. I'll now just be able to look at someone to see if they're a selfish ?? rather than having to talk to them to find out.

Devils advocate

But with the law removed won't that mean those who wear the lanyards to say their exempt from a mask to save being looked down at will now be looked down at as they won't need to wear that anymore?

 

[Ethan]

But those numbers are meaningless, they are only that high because of the amount of testing going on, the only figures that are relevant are the hospital beds being taken up by Covid and the deaths. That was the reason for the Lockdown. “Protect the NHS” I think it’s a case of Job Done.

So as long as the pile of bodies is not so high they can't all be buried or burned, we're cool?

The high testing rate only partly explains high case numbers. Most of those tests are in people who are very unlikely to be infected, school and college LFTs, for example. The Govt should publish the number of tests performed for cause, symptoms or close contacts. That is a more meaningful denominator. Real cases are clearly going up, though.

 

[Ethan]

Devils advocate

But with the law removed won't that mean those who wear the lanyards to say their exempt from a mask to save being looked down at will now be looked down at as they won't need to wear that anymore?

There are few genuine reasons for being exempt, and many of those who wear them are simply mask-objectors or just bloody minded.

 

[SaintHacker]

There are few genuine reasons for being exempt, and many of those who wear them are simply mask-objectors or just bloody minded.

Didn't help that they were on sale in morrisons for a couple of quid?

 

[Deleted member 21784]

There are few genuine reasons for being exempt, and many of those who wear them are simply mask-objectors or just bloody minded.

I saw a lot of mums with young kids with them, dunno why

One I saw I thought must not be a nutter tho as she had her lanyard but her husband had a mask on so was like fair enough seems genuine

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

His son and other Industries have been the bigger picture for a long time now, what I’m asking him is, if the situation is worse than last when the so called “Freedom Day” was delayed, how can it now be ok to simply state “Open everything” surely we should still be following the science?

Wimbledon Court 1 with roof shut this evening becomes indoor venue with 15,000 mostly unmasked spectators sitting cheek by jowl, shouting their heads off and cheering. Just like any gig in most venues. Should they have donned masks when the roof was shut? Yes it may be well ventilated but so are many venues. And I might suggest that the average age of Wimbledon spectator is a lot higher (50+?) than that for most gigs and, as I understand it, the former remain more at risk from illness despite their being mostly double vaccinated.

 

[Ethan]

I saw a lot of mums with young kids with them, dunno why

One I saw I thought must not be a nutter tho as she had her lanyard but her husband had a mask on so was like fair enough seems genuine

I know some nutter married (or the equivalent thereof) to not nutter couples.

When this madness started, a long list of conditions which could be eligible for exempt status was published by Govt. Some people wrongly (perhaps delivberately so) interpreted that as meaning that all asthmatics or ADHDs must be exempt.

In my view, it should be restricted to people with painful facial conditions such as trigemincal neuralgia, people with proper phobic conditions (not just "I get anxious wearing one") and some conditions such as asthma need to wear them more than the average person, not less. They help keep allergens out. The full face welders masks are utterly useless and just make you look like a prat.

 

[SocketRocket]

But those numbers are meaningless, they are only that high because of the amount of testing going on, the only figures that are relevant are the hospital beds being taken up by Covid and the deaths. That was the reason for the Lockdown. “Protect the NHS” I think it’s a case of Job Done.

We've been fed the story since the pandemic began that countries like Germany had such low infection rates because they had much better testing facilities than we did so could keep the virus under control. Now we're being told the reason our infection rates are through the roof is due to our testing being better than other countries ?. Scotland now has the highest rate in Europe and the UK has more infections than the EU. I suspect we are doing something very wrong.

 

[SocketRocket]

An interesting view on Covid and mental health.
https://amp.theguardian.com/comment...tal-health-pandemic?__twitter_impression=true

 

[Ethan]

We've been fed the story since the pandemic began that countries like Germany had such low infection rates because they had much better testing facilities than we did so could keep the virus under control. Now we're being told the reason our infection rates are through the roof is due to our testing being better than other countries ?. Scotland now has the highest rate in Europe and the UK has more infections than the EU. I suspect we are doing something very wrong.

I think we were told that Germany did better because they more effectively controlled entry of virus into the country, had better infrastructure and preparedness and acted quickly rather than prevaricated. Lots of testing is not of itself a good thing if it is misdirected. The UK never tested close contacts of known cases, which I have complained about here and elsewhere as a huge mistake. The UK was obsessed with big numbers, but provided scant detail on what those numbers actually meant. We still don't know how many people were ever tested because of actual symptoms as opposed to other reasons. You can't make any sense of the numbers if you don't know the categories.

 

[Blue in Munich]

For all the talk of opening up, it looks like it could be a very stilted affair; having shouted from the rooftops that West End theatre is open, performances of Hairspray have been cancelled for 10 days because of a positive Covid test in the production team.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-57725704

Apart from the knock on economic effects, it won't be good for the mental health got those who have booked themselves a pack-me-up to have it cancelled. I wonder how often this will happen & how long it will go on for?