Coronavirus - political views - supporting or otherwise...

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm not frightened of it at all, more concerned about the lifestyle changes etc. If it was purely a case that the risk would be mine alone I'd be out and about quite happily.

Okay, I get that. I'm genuinely not worried about catching it but I am worried about work, financial implications etc.

I was cheered up last week seeing Spaniards drinking in bars outside, the return of cafe culture. I was cheered again this morning seeing Dortmund fans watching their team indoors in a bar, drinking beer. I'm not beer obsessed, I rarely go to a pub, but these were signs of normality returning across Europe. Baby steps but it is happening and we will follow in those steps at some point.

 

[DanFST]

I was cheered up last week seeing Spaniards drinking in bars outside, the return of cafe culture. I was cheered again this morning seeing Dortmund fans watching their team indoors in a bar, drinking beer. I'm not beer obsessed, I rarely go to a pub, but these were signs of normality returning across Europe. Baby steps but it is happening and we will follow in those steps at some point.

Do you have the feeling it's just not gonna happen for us? I'm not sure why I just can't get my head to believe it'll happen till autumn.

 

[bobmac]

The UK is providing an additional £84m to accelerate the search for a vaccine.

"This new money will help mass-produce the Oxford vaccine so that if current trials are successful we have dosages to start vaccinating the UK population straight away,"

To me that would suggest they're confident the vaccine they are testing now will work.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-...k-lockdown-schools-deaths-cases-tests-latest/

 

[huds1475]

The whole vaccine thing is a moving feast. In the last few days I've read;

- We might never find a vaccine but the virus could easily just die out - some guy from WHO.
- Governrment pumping $ into vaccine mf facility - ready this time next year (not September)
- Oxford Uni Vaccine triallists aren't getting enough exposure to people carrying to give any meaningful results. Now moving to candidates in high exposure places (hospitals etc...)
- A big cause of fatalities is blood clotting, not necessarily lack of O2. Might explain why ventilators aren't turning round many critical patients. Medics genuinely believe thinning agents could prove a very effective weapon.

The last one just illustrates how much scientists, medics are learning all the time. No wonder nobody is going all in on the vaccine front. Nevertheless, I found reading the article pretty encouraging - shows that as well as treating those that can are exploring all angles to learn and hopefully defeat this (link below)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...-drugs-can-help-save-covid-19-patients-lives/

 

[rudebhoy]

Wash your hands
Don't touch your face
You are very unlikely to catch this
If you do catch it, most are likely to feel minimal symptoms
If you are below age x, healthy, have no underlying issues, are not overweight then you are even more unlikely to have bad symptoms
We will get through this
Don't let fear rule your life

What tune are we meant to be singing this to? ?

 

[Old Skier]

TBH i don't really know anything about him, but there are extreme views on both sides of the div, which wouldn't make you stupid...

just looked him up, quite an interesting guy.

It was a gringe worthy piece IMO and if Trump had made it it wouldn't have surprised me. Even the interviewer was trying to wind it up.

 

[chrisd]

Could your friend not help?

I'm sure he could if he wasnt a GP and working all hours he can on surgery and coronavirus matters in the community

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Do you have the feeling it's just not gonna happen for us? I'm not sure why I just can't get my head to believe it'll happen till autumn.

I know what you mean but I think that is just our British mentality. We tend to think we are the furthest behind, worst prepared, dealing with it the worst, will be last out of this etc. It is how we are wired ?. We are not the most positive, can-do nation.

It is hard to see right now but I keep looking at Europe and see how they are moving and know it will be us at some point. I think it must be a nightmare for the entertainment industry, pubs, cafes, restaurants etc and they will be the most difficult nut to crack effectively.

To answer your question, I'm trying to be hopeful but it is based on blind faith and hope more than scientific knowledge ?.

Think of the thread we can have, post a picture of your first 'pint in a pub' ??

 

[Lord Tyrion]

What tune are we meant to be singing this to? ?

That could be a thread on it's own

I started thinking Agadoo but ran out of steam by line 4 ?

 

[Swinglowandslow]

"This new money will help mass-produce the Oxford vaccine so that if current trials are successful we have dosages to start vaccinating the UK population straight away,"

To me that would suggest they're confident the vaccine they are testing now will work.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-...k-lockdown-schools-deaths-cases-tests-latest/

Yes, a Subtle turn of phrase, but an important one. Also, there is a lot of trialling going on to see if some already licensed medicines can reduce the severe effects of the virus.
Quite a bit to be optimistic about?

 

[Reemul]

I think you may be surprised at the number of people that have underlying health issues than you know about and additionally there are a lot of overweight people, i mean very overweight people and a lot of these people work, have to work and are at risk of catching it and killing them.

We do need an option to support them, keep them safe and get everyone out and about and pushing towards removing lock down it just needs to be slow and steady not a rush and all at once.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Talking about funding and research etc, there has been a hell if a lot of money and resources in to the fight, however, I find this appeal either worrying or a scam, really not sure what to think.

It’s on the Covid-19 App that I “report” on every morning.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Just listening to Lord Sumption advocating that there should be no lockdown and that everyone should be allowed to do as they wish in regard to self isolating. Seem oblivious of the fact that its not about whether he gets it, its how many die from his passing it on. What a dick!

His view was interesting in that he would be happy to go to the cinema or theatre and risk catching it - and if someone else was worried about catching it at the theatre or cinema from someone asymptomatic then they shouldn't go to the theatre or cinema.

 

[chrisd]

His view was interesting in that he would be happy to go to the cinema or theatre and risk catching it - and if someone else was worried about catching it at the theatre or cinema from someone asymptomatic then they shouldn't go to the theatre or cinema.

I'm not sure that "interesting" is the right word.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

It's actually part of an academy trust. My daughter is at secondary level and is not in one of the years they are focusing on at that level so she is still being home schooled. So I do not know what private primaries are planning. Although I'd expect they would be doing the same as state schools in terms of risk assessments. However there may well be a bit more pressure on private schools to open as parents are paying what is usually a fair whack for them to educate their kids in schools.

This is in fact another area where privately educated kids, who already have advantages, may be get even more advantages. As in general the quality of the private school home schooling set will be very high as again, parents are paying for it. So private schools want to keep the paying parents especially happy. I've done no home schooling myself as the school makes sure she has all she needs without parents needing to do anything. There is some great home schooling going on in the non-private sector, but for completely understandable reasons the quality is more variable. So on average the longer home schooling goes on for I'd say the larger the gap may be, which may well become visible in future years exam results.

As for how I feel about this then as a parent I am obviously OK with it. As a chair of governors at a non-private school I want to ensure that non-privately educated kids get the best chances in life and the best education. And that may, or may not mean going back to school as soon as possible.

I think that the importance of being in school for 4 and 5 yr olds is that they generally just go with being at school - for most it is fun, they have friends there and they meet new friends. Most little 'uns - once they get over the worry of leaving mum, dad or 'granny' at the school gate, enjoy school and that sets their mindset for when they get just a year or two older when they could be really difficult if that mindset of it being 'just what you do' has not been established and they knew there were alternatives.

So 4 and 5 yr olds at school doesn't seem to be so much 'educational' - as 'setting their mindset' to be going to school for future learning just a year or two ahead. I can understand how important it is given that the window for establishing that mindset is really quite narrow - and children don't stop getting older.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'm not sure that "interesting" is the right word.

I couldn't think of another one - I suppose I could have said 'selfish' - and that would be the best of it. His underlying point about us all eventually having to live with the risk is however valid. Not sure that now is the time to be exposing ourselves to the virus wholesale though...

 

[ColchesterFC]

I'm not sure that "interesting" is the right word.

Selfish?

EDIT - SiLH beat me to it

 

[Deleted member 18588]

From my personal experience of several schools I would say teachers are at best apprehensive with most being still very concerned. Especially as logically they are being asked to go into a position where realistically in primaries they will not be able to completely social distance, and the kids definitely will not. When at the same time the rest of the population is being asked to always socially distance. But just about all of them want to provide the best education they can for their classes so a lot of them are very torn and having to make some tough decisions. And throughout all schools now the heads are talking to the staff, going through the advice so staff are getting a lot of objective evidence.

Thanks for that.

It is reassuring to hear of information and evidence being provided to those at "the sharp end of the ship" rather than gut feelings.

I appreciate that I am fortunate to not have to make such decisions and I certainly don't envy those who will be faced with this dilemma.

But if they are informed it must be of some help.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Talking about funding and research etc, there has been a hell if a lot of money and resources in to the fight, however, I find this appeal either worrying or a scam, really not sure what to think.

It’s on the Covid-19 App that I “report” on every morning.
View attachment 30724

Yeh - I saw that when I checked in with that app last night...I thought - surely not...and like you I thought - scam?'

 

[bobmac]

His view was interesting in that he would be happy to go to the cinema or theatre and risk catching it - and if someone else was worried about catching it at the theatre or cinema from someone asymptomatic then they shouldn't go to the theatre or cinema.

Sounds a bit like the President of Brazil a few weeks ago