Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[Driver8]

Matt Hancock saying there’s a new variant causing fasting spread in the south east. Conveniently found that just in time for the announcement about T3 for London.

It irks me reading people saying that people shouldn’t see family at Christmas etc, don’t take for granted the fact you get another Christmas. Trust me on that one, time is an extremely precious commodity.

Seeing family at Christmas may be the reason they don’t see another one. Is it worth it for the sake of a few months?

 

[The Wizard]

Seeing family at Christmas may be the reason they don’t see another one. Is it worth it for the sake of a few months?

Well with respect you are asking someone who didn’t see his nan for 3 months during the pandemic and saw her die of a cancer that should have been curable so I’m sure people will rightly have different viewpoints than me but I’ve said on this thread before, I would do anything for those 3 months back now and it was a tradition of my family that we spend Christmas there so if she was still alive I would have been there without hesitation.

Don’t take time for granted. It’s a difficult decision as to what every individual does but that’s my perspective on it.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Yes. Time is precious. My Mother has dementia. By next Christmas, she may not even recognise us.
She'll be coming to ours for Christmas.

Too late for my mother who didn’t know me last year. She’s 91 and totally in her own world.

On the other hand, my mother in law died a month ago with only my sister in law allowed to be with her, and my husband not having seen her for 12 months. It wasn’t Covid related.

 

[Sussexscots]

Too late for my mother who didn’t know me last year. She’s 91 and totally in her own world.

On the other hand, my mother in law died a month ago with only my sister in law allowed to be with her, and my husband not having seen her for 12 months. It wasn’t Covid related.

That's so very sad.

The anguish of not being able to say goodbye, compounding the grief of losing a parent must be almost beyond consolation.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

That's so very sad.

The anguish of not being able to say goodbye, compounding the grief of losing a parent must be almost beyond consolation.

It was made worse by being limited to 25 at the Crematorium, having to make a round 500 mile trip, stay in an almost empty hotel with room service only, and only being able to talk to the rest of the family in the cold windy car park.
Getting together for Christmas is not worth it, believe me.

 

[Brighthelmstone]

It was made worse by being limited to 25 at the Crematorium, having to make a round 500 mile trip, stay in an almost empty hotel with room service only, and only being able to talk to the rest of the family in the cold windy car park.
Getting together for Christmas is not worth it, believe me.

Sounds like you had a similar year to me. Dad died from Covid but also had dementia, wasn't allowed to say goodbye and only 50/50 that he would have known me if I had been able to anyway. Crematorium was a 400 mile round trip but due to an aging family most couldn't attend anyway.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Sounds like you had a similar year to me. Dad died from Covid but also had dementia, wasn't allowed to say goodbye and only 50/50 that he would have known me if I had been able to anyway. Crematorium was a 400 mile round trip but due to an aging family most couldn't attend anyway.

We were able to arrange a webcast for Mum in law’s brother in Australia.
It has been a tough time, and continues.

 

[clapham_gull]

I wouldn't be surprised with if the Christmas relaxation is reviewed, even at this late point.

 

[Swansman]

I wouldn't be surprised with if the Christmas relaxation is reviewed, even at this late point.

Rules or no rules Christmas / New years is going to be a death trap all over Europe and in other countries celebrating it. A lot of people are going to take this risk regardless of what may be. And I 100% understand it. But January is going to be a very, very rough month.

 

[Rugrat]

Rules or no rules Christmas / New years is going to be a death trap all over Europe and in other countries celebrating it. A lot of people are going to take this risk regardless of what may be. And I 100% understand it. But January is going to be a very, very rough month.

Yes, it's inevitable. Really doesn't matter what rules any administration puts in place, people will do what they want. This thing has got a nasty sting in its tail and we will see it in January and February I suspect

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I don't think they will now change the Christmas rules but think that those rules will cause national lockdown 3.

Johnson will dither and delay in moving to lockdown again - so no doubt it will come in a week after it should do.

 

[dazzer6666]

Yes, it's inevitable. Really doesn't matter what rules any administration puts in place, people will do what they want. This thing has got a nasty sting in its tail and we will see it in January and February I suspect

Afraid so, really fear for how bad this might get now...............people are going to mix far too much, just as case numbers are increasing in so many areas. We’ve pretty much cancelled most of the plans we had - it’s not worth the risk.

Essentially a ‘cancel Christmas’ message would have been better IMO with a plea for a couple more months of restraint until the vaccination programme is well underway but people know the risks now so the government are damned either way. Listening to the new this morning, the whole narrative is around ‘unnecessary’ tier 3 restrictions, pubs being closed ‘around Christmas’ etc etc, not the potential consequences of not doing so.

 

[Motogull]

I wouldn't be surprised with if the Christmas relaxation is reviewed, even at this late point.

I would. Johnson does not want to be the grinch that stole crimbo. He's hoping that damage is reduced by more people being spooked and deciding to self isolate instead. We are and I'm happy with that because it means (after agreement was reached by the women) I don't get to spend the two main days with the in-laws. Get the fukk in!

 

[beorhthelm]

...Listening to the new this morning, the whole narrative is around ‘unnecessary’ tier 3 restrictions, pubs being closed ‘around Christmas’ etc etc, not the potential consequences of not doing so.

to be fair, the hospitality industry is being unfairly hung out because individuals cant follow simple rules of not going to each others homes. most spread is in the community followed by education and carehomes. so we shut restaurants to try to offset that, its daft.

 

[dazzer6666]

to be fair, the hospitality industry is being unfairly hung out because individuals cant follow simple rules of not going to each others homes. most spread is in the community followed by education and carehomes. so we shut restaurants to try to offset that, its daft.

Oh I agree.......from what little I’ve seen the establishments are doing a great job of trying to be Covid-secure, it’s the people rocking up in non-household groups that are the problem......along with schools, Unis and illicit ‘house gatherings’.

People are also using the ‘confusion’ of the rules as an excuse to ignore them. We’re going to have overflowing hospitals by the end of January - only a full lockdown will limit that - and that won’t happen because Boris is stuck between not wanting to be the ‘guy that cancelled Christmas’ and the science telling him he should. It’s a no-win situation for him as he’ll be damned either way.

We can all make our own choices though - just because we can mix, doesn’t mean we have to. No-one out there should be misunderstanding the risks now.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Saw something really odd on FB earlier. Friends wife posting about how scary it is that Shoreham Academy are writing to parents about teachers being COVID positive and maybe doing lessons via Zoom/Messenger etc, and in the next breath talking about a quick trip down to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth

 

[Thunder Bolt]

[tweet]1338800249725464577[/tweet]

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

The Christmas relaxation of restrictions seems totally barmy in light of what is happening currently. I appreciate some people will just do what they want anyway but surely giving them an inch will mean they take it a mile etc. Even though myself, partner and the kids have already had Covid last month, we're staying on our own, parents are obviously upset they won't be with the grandchildren but understand as it seems ridiculous taking any sort of risk when we're potentially so close on the vaccines.

On another subject, I've read various reports about the mutations and how serious they might or not be and the chance of the vaccines working against them. Are any of our experts on here able to shed a bit more light on this? Does the flu vaccine generally work against mutations of flu and is the vaccine changed every year to fight these mutations so will something similar be needed with the Covid vaccine?

 

[BeHereNow]

Brilliant interview, finally a bit of sense.

https://fb.watch/2oqDAiBKbn/

 

[darkwolf666]

Brilliant interview, finally a bit of sense.

https://fb.watch/2oqDAiBKbn/

Is that “makes sense” as in it agrees with your opinion?

An example of Confirmation bias at its finest...