Coronavirus

[AndyWolves]

Cases are the big numbers, but they're irrelevant now, I don't know why they keep putting the numbers up. It's as relevant as giving hay fever numbers.

We went through all this shit to stop the NHS from being overwhelmed, not to prevent people dying from Covid, as horrible as it sounds Point A isn't going to happen so we crack on.

Anyone who is nervy about it all is free to lock themselves in their house.

That sounds like a no then.

Cases still lead to hospitalisations etc, albeit at a reduced rate. BoJo thinks we might get up to 50k cases per day by the end of this month, I think we'll go well past that.

There is going to be an exit wave, reducing all restrictions whilst all the metrics are rising seems a tad risky to me but we will see.

Surely there is an opportunity to stagger the restriction removal?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

What are we supposed to be keeping in place? And to what end?

 

[machin05]

Surely you only want to get tested if you feel ill, in which case you'll be at home anyway.

You have to get a PCR test if you test positive on a LFT which have to be taken for all kinds of reasons whether you have symptoms or not.

 

[sycophantia]

Cases are the big numbers, but they're irrelevant now, I don't know why they keep putting the numbers up. It's as relevant as giving hay fever numbers.

We went through all this shit to stop the NHS from being overwhelmed, not to prevent people dying from Covid, as horrible as it sounds Point A isn't going to happen so we crack on.

Anyone who is nervy about it all is free to lock themselves in their house.

I think many will carry on as they are now, personally I will, spent about one and a half hours inside at the bike show on Saturday wearing a mask, it wasn't very nice, but hardly thumbscrews. If I get chance to go to Molineux, I probably will as its outside and I'll probably wear my mask. As for music venues, haven't decided yet, will see how the other guinea pigs get on for a bit.
Actually I'll be sorry to see the back of table service in the pub, its been great, civilised, like continental bar/cafe.

 

[Tredman]

Having been at Molineux in the rain wearing glasses I will not be wearing a mask in my seat if I don’t have to - I couldn’t see a fucking thing half the time.

Likewise I will very much miss table service - was very civilised in the Hogs!

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I spend over half my waking hours in a mask. Work requirement so that is over ten hours every day wearing one. The second it becomes advisory I am ditching the bloody thing.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

They're not outlawing table service though are they. They're just saying it's not mandated.

I think most places will keep it.

 

[Tony Towner]

I don't think pubs can afford it. Essentially it's doubling up on staff, at least in ones who don't serve food.

 

[AndyWolves]

What are we supposed to be keeping in place? And to what end?

All I'm asking is whether they've done the modelling to understand what the impact of removing restrictions will be, if they haven't shared then it's either

A) bad, and they don't want to share it
B) they haven't done it and are taking a punt this is the right thing to do

Neither is a great scenario.

 

[The Weasel]

Lambda variant anyone...? Coming to a hospital ward near you...

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't think pubs can afford it. Essentially it's doubling up on staff, at least in ones who don't serve food.

Not really, if you normally have six behind the bar in a busy city centre pub (let's say) then put three on the bar, three on tables. The bar will be less busy anyway.

 

[EpsomWolf]

The media can fuck off, then when they're fucked off, fuck off some more, stirring up 'fear' around things reopening. They were the same outlets causing havoc a couple of weeks ago when opening up was delayed. Hospital admissions are low as a percentage of new cases, deaths are even lower and positive tests are in favour of people not vaccinated.
If anyone's anxious about being exposed, carry on social distancing, wear a mask, don't go to the football, gigs or a nightclub, it's your choice, but don't demand it of everyone else when the scientists say it's not necessary.

I agree with this, although it is a nightmare scenario for those who are anxious and work in unavoidable close proximity with others. As difficult as it will be for those groups though, we have to start moving forward and looking at reasons why as to ’why we can‘, and break the paralysis of ‘why we can’t’.

I guess that’s a character and temperament thing that exists in all of us and the Covid manifestation has somewhat understandably put us in the grip of the ‘can’t’s’, but it does feel at this stage as though it is time to move forward and any further delays would be an unnecessary case of letting the tail wag the dog.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

All I'm asking is whether they've done the modelling to understand what the impact of removing restrictions will be, if they haven't shared then it's either

A) bad, and they don't want to share it
B) they haven't done it and are taking a punt this is the right thing to do

Neither is a great scenario.

Or c) It'll make fuck all difference, some people will get ill, some will die, but we deal with this with any number of other illnesses.

On a personal level I actually need to see my doctor as I'm not well, I haven't been able to do that since this all kicked off. It's not something that I can do over Zoom.

 

[sycophantia]

Yeah I accept that my view is very much a selfish one, when I was still working, it was hell wearing a mask all day, my working environment was amongst heated vats of chemicals...glad I'm not doing that any more, feel very sorry for anyone working all day in a mask, especially if they're dealing with the general public. I'd forgotten the steaming up thing if I'm at the football, although I could manage without my specs for that.
tbh again in selfish mode, the current restrictions make very little difference to my normal life, quite like being distanced from the general public....can't stand most of em

 

[AndyWolves]

Or c) It'll make fuck all difference, some people will get ill, some will die, but we deal with this with any number of other illnesses.

On a personal level I actually need to see my doctor as I'm not well, I haven't been able to do that since this all kicked off. It's not something that I can do over Zoom.

That's taking a punt then.

We don't have to remove all restrictions for you to see your doctor.

 

[sycophantia]

Totally get it that some will feel anxious. Hopefully there are enough decent people amongst us that will be OK to pop a mask on if someone asks them to. I won't have an issue carrying one just in case but I don't plan on using it by default.

If you ask someone to 'pop' a mask on, you're more likely to get abuse or a smack in the mouth than compliance......people are arseholes

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

That's taking a punt then.

We don't have to remove all restrictions for you to see your doctor.

You tell my GP surgery that then.

What restrictions do you want to keep? And why?

As it stands I'm a guy with bipolar disorder who has had no support for 18 months. I can tell you that it isn't much fun.

 

[The Bear]

Anyone who's worried about getting it and passing it on to family, and would like to keep wearing a mask can do so. People that aren't or don't want to, don't.

Seems simple to me.

This seems like a fairly reasonable article on it:

Why it's time to think differently about Covid

The virus is not the deadly threat it was, but the plan to lift all restrictions is not without risk.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[PuntsWolf]

I think when the medical experts like Whitty and Valance say that you should wear a mask in confined spaces then that should be mandatory and not "relying on people's personal responsibilities". We know that doesn't work and again is ignoring the medical experts.

We are in the middle of a 3rd wave, it won't be as deadly because of the vaccination situation, but even if you are vaccinated you can get poorly. Increasing the chances of spreading infection by not keeping mask wearing is stupid and is being done for political rather than public health reasons

What are we classing as a “confined space”. Obviously packed trains and tube would class as that, but beyond that I can’t really see the need for masks in any other setting off the top of my head. “Leaving it down to the public” is just their insurance policy rather than saying “we don’t need them.

But as I said. Rising infections now is the best time. “If not now, when”. I’m sure they have better data available than I do. But how many fully vaccinated individuals are being admitted purely based on Covid infection? I’d wager it’s low/insignificant (from a numbers perspective).

I’ve said it repeatedly but 1500 die on an average UK day, and Covid deaths have been bumbling at around 1% of that figure for a few months. It’s insignificant even when you ignore the over reporting of Covid deaths. The population will never be more protected than now. Crack on

 

[sycophantia]

All I'm asking is whether they've done the modelling to understand what the impact of removing restrictions will be, if they haven't shared then it's either

A) bad, and they don't want to share it
B) they haven't done it and are taking a punt this is the right thing to do

Neither is a great scenario.

I think Witty said yesterday that they had modelled it and cases, hospitalisations and deaths would go up but difficult to say by how many exactly, just that it showed we probably wouldn't overwhelm hospitals.