Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[Bozza]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/06/data-predicting-2m-uk-summer-covid-cases-prompts-health-fears

This unlocking is going to cause absolute carnage, how can the track and trace system work with potentially 100k daily cases?? (It barely works with 5k cases). How many NHS staff are going to be off with covid or isolating after being a contact of a positive case? How many young people are we throwing to the lions with long covid?

You can't put a price on being able to pop to Tesco without wearing a face covering.

FREEDOM!

 

[beorhthelm]

You can't put a price on being able to pop to Tesco without wearing a face covering.

FREEDOM!

think you're trivialising the purpose to reopen hospitality and entertainment. it would be odd policy to have compulsory masks in the supermarket but not in the pubs, clubs and music venues.

that said the policy is odd anyway, to caution with the numbers while proceeding with the restriction lifting, while also delaying isolation rule lifting. the pubs and clubs will be shut within weeks as staff get infection. its rather messed up and i can only think that they dont really expect those numbers to come through.

 

[e77]

would you stop the 100k a day prediction?

Not me, the Health Secretary!

 

[e77]

10% of 18-49 with a higher proportion of that 10% towards the top end of that age group due to age being a major factor. Who are largely fully vaccinated.

Just because its 10% of all 18-49 year olds that get covid, go on to get a form of long covid does not mean 10% of all 18 year old that catch covid will get long covid. As per the bottom part of the section I quoted "Importantly, the more symptoms a person had in the first week, the more likely they were to go on to develop long COVID." - We know as you move down the younger age groups, the less amount of symptoms you get. This will also play a huge factor into how many (or fewer in the lower age groups) may get long covid.

(Also please note, long covid does not mean a debilitating effect as still just having the cough and nothing else between 4 & 12 weeks later can still be classed as long covid)

No one is arguing the younger you are then generally the less symptoms you have of it. However I am rather keen to find out how long the 100,000 daily peak will last because a month of that is going to mean even a small percentage chance is quite common in reality.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Keeping the isolation rule is mental.

With the numbers involved any business that's customer facing will surely fall to bits pretty quickly with staff having to isolate. If you go out to busy places you're going to have contacts every day.

 

[Weststander]

think you're trivialising the purpose to reopen hospitality and entertainment. it would be odd policy to have compulsory masks in the supermarket but not in the pubs, clubs and music venues.

that said the policy is odd anyway, to caution with the numbers while proceeding with the restriction lifting, while also delaying isolation rule lifting. the pubs and clubs will be shut within weeks as staff get infection. its rather messed up and i can only think that they dont really expect those numbers to come through.

So masks should be worn in trips to the supermarket, whilst spending hours in pubs, clubs or theatres in close contact with others is fine?

Non-sensical.

 

[nicko31]

So masks should be worn in trips to the supermarket, whilst spending hours in pubs, clubs or theatres in close contact with others is fine?

Non-sensical.

Going to pubs, clubs or theatre really are optional activities for those with disposable income

For many going to the supermarket is unavoidable. Same should apply to public transport, many have no choice especially if forced back to the office

 

[e77]

Keeping the isolation rule is mental.

With the numbers involved any business that's customer facing will surely fall to bits pretty quickly with staff having to isolate. If you go out to busy places you're going to have contacts every day.

On this I agree. If people are having more contact with each other then one case will launch a snowball effect.

 

[A1X]

Still, I'm sure the British public will act with logic and sense. It's not like they ever do dumb things like make Mrs Brown's Boys one of the most watched shows on TV or anything.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The problem comes with the fact that Covid- 19 is far more transmissible, and has a higher death rate for those who are unvaccinated and, for people with suppressed immune systems it is probably fatal sadly.

I think that there needs to be much more thought about preventing the spread in Autumn and Winter for obvious reasons and that mask wearing and hand sanitising when on public transport or indoor social gatherings needs to continue and a degree of distancing in pubs, theatres and cinema and sporting venues too.

Johnson is taking a huge gamble with people's lives by unlocking just as case numbers are rising rapidly. I can only assume that he has weighed up the financial cost against the human cost and chose finance. A month ago he said that it would be unwise to unlock with the number if daily new cases and now it's safe although case numbers have doubled?

Really? I think he’s chosen to wash his hands of the whole thing.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Going to pubs, clubs or theatre really are optional activities for those with disposable income

For many going to the supermarket is unavoidable. Same should apply to public transport, many have no choice especially if forced back to the office

This is the crux of my concern. Boris has told the public to determine their own level of risk. But, and this is a huge but, necessary everyday activities like public transport, post office, pharmacy etc need to be accessible and this means putting measures in place to protect the vulnerable and those who for whatever reason want to minimise their risk. Otherwise these people have no choice.....and at the very least this is contrary to the libertarian ideology Boris’ is pushing.

 

[LamieRobertson]

You can't put a price on being able to pop to Tesco without wearing a face covering.

FREEDOM!

Yep I’m looking forward to it immensely..I even don’t watch Mrs Browns Boys

 

[nicko31]

This is the crux of my concern. Boris has told the public to determine their own level of risk. But, and this is a huge but, necessary everyday activities like public transport, post office, pharmacy etc need to be accessible and this means putting measures in place to protect the vulnerable and those who for whatever reason want to minimise their risk. Otherwise these people have no choice.....and at the very least this is contrary to the libertarian ideology Boris’ is pushing.

My father in his 80's and is currently recovering from chemo after blood cancer. He has a weakened system and can no longer drive and really not much good with online ordering, he's pretty scared about the coming situation.

He feels like July 19 is anything but freedom day.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

My father in his 80's and is currently recovering from chemo after blood cancer. He has a weakened system and can no longer drive and really not much good with online ordering, he's pretty scared about the coming situation.

He feels like July 19 is anything but freedom day.

Repeatedly seeing and hearing the words scared, worried and vulnerable is really upsetting; this is not how a civilized society should be. I understand the need to move forward etc but some sections of society are being left behind and ignored. It’s a survival of the fittest in every single sense. I really cannot truly imagine exactly how [MENTION=33649]darkwolf666[/MENTION] must be feeling right now. Same with you and [MENTION=9776]cheshunt seagull [/MENTION]

 

[e77]

The seeming lack of any plans for people with compromised immune systems is negligent yet unexpected.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The seeming lack of any plans for people with compromised immune systems is negligent yet unexpected.

Agree. This is exactly where my main issue lies.

 

[darkwolf666]

Repeatedly seeing and hearing the words scared, worried and vulnerable is really upsetting; this is not how a civilized society should be. I understand the need to move forward etc but some sections of society are being left behind and ignored. It’s a survival of the fittest in every single sense. I really cannot truly imagine exactly how [MENTION=33649]darkwolf666[/MENTION] must be feeling right now. Same with you and [MENTION=9776]cheshunt seagull [/MENTION]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I am besides myself with worry.

My wife has withdrawn into herself and is falling back into a depressive state. She feels, quite rightly, that she has been abandoned by HMG.

It is nothing short of a national disgrace that provision for the vulnerable wasn't made before the jollying along of announcing Freedom Day and back to normal.

 

[darkwolf666]

The seeming lack of any plans for people with compromised immune systems is negligent yet unexpected.

This...

 

[dsr-burnley]

Repeatedly seeing and hearing the words scared, worried and vulnerable is really upsetting; this is not how a civilized society should be. I understand the need to move forward etc but some sections of society are being left behind and ignored. It’s a survival of the fittest in every single sense. I really cannot truly imagine exactly how [MENTION=33649]darkwolf666[/MENTION] must be feeling right now. Same with you and [MENTION=9776]cheshunt seagull [/MENTION]

But what can we do to stop it? Obviously with irrational fears we can try and teach people that the risk is low. But for people who do have compromised immune systems, their fears are rational that coronavirus will spread and that it will kill them.

Total vaccination would help, but that means babies and children as well. If we don't vaccinate under 18's, that's almost a quarter of the population. If we vaccinate 13-18, it still leaves 15% or so unvaccinated, all of whom are mixing with each other. Unless we close the schools forever or we vaccinate tiny tots, then this disease will spread and we can't do anything to stop it.

We can wipe coronavirus out completely (except that we can't) or we can vaccinate everyone (except that we can't) or we can lockdown forever (except that we can't) - but what other options are there?

 

[beorhthelm]

The seeming lack of any plans for people with compromised immune systems is negligent yet unexpected.

there is a lack of any plan. there was no plan a month ago though, and this was always going to happen eventually. or is the issue the change of assumed risk at that point? is the call for not removing restrictions accepting the onward impacts? honestly, coming round to conclusion easing is not sensible, i just dont believe there is the broad willingness to support that, and dont hear any productive alternative proposal.