Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[dsr-burnley]

outrageous is going too far. its unnecessary and difficult to manage. if/when we're told in coming weeks Omicron has little effect on disease severity (likely according to AZ, Pfizer, SA data, other sources), it will be very difficult to maintain enforcement, it'll be largely ignored except as a quasi-political ball to kick about.

It's not the measures themselves that I'm calling outrageous, it's the length of time the restrictions are in place for. Restrictions like this should be brought before parliament every week. The government should not have this sort of power to ignore the MPs.

 

[pb21]

Can a mask really be called an "enabler" when it means that once again again, deaf people are unable to communicate?

https://lmgtfy.app/?q=clear+face+covering

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I can't wait for football this evening. I must remember keys, ticket, phone, enabler

One way to muffle the boos

 

[dsr-burnley]

https://lmgtfy.app/?q=clear+face+covering

A lip reader uses her eyes to read other people's lips. It's the opaque mask covering other people's lips that gets in the way, not the mask covering her own lips.

 

[e77]

Plus whacking on £100 per person returning to the UK on a test that won’t be checked

There are already less people wearing masks now than the last time it was law with some places saying they won’t enforce it.

No one is saying it is, but it’s just the facts of this (as Whitty said) people will just go numb to it

Well if it does lead to lockdowns, which is admittedly a sizeable if at this stage, then they have themselves to blame. I don't imagine for one minute a Conservative government who instinctively anti restriction did this without good reason.

 

[e77]

That's fair enough.

Give them a month to gather data and prove what the effects are. If there's marginal or no difference to Delta then restrictions should be lifted straight away.

In a month's time if it is a problem then it would be too late to act as it would be firmly seeded by then. Decision makers don't have the luxury of sitting back and waiting to see what happens in the absence of definitive evidence.

 

[e77]

Can a mask really be called an "enabler" when it means that once again, deaf people are unable to communicate?

As opposed to not being able to attend pubs, restaurants, gyms, etc, at all?

 

[Billy the Fish]

In a month's time if it is a problem then it would be too late to act as it would be firmly seeded by then. Decision makers don't have the luxury of sitting back and waiting to see what happens in the absence of definitive evidence.

You've misread my post. I'm saying give it a month (being generous) of restrictions to gather some evidence.

If the new variant is more transmissible then it will take hold eventually, all we can do is slow it down a bit. If it doesn't cause an increase in serious illness then what's the point in slowing it down?

 

[e77]

You've misread my post. I'm saying give it a month (being generous) of restrictions to gather some evidence.

If the new variant is more transmissible then it will take hold eventually, all we can do is slow it down a bit. If it doesn't cause an increase in serious illness then what's the point in slowing it down?

Apologies. I suppose it does give time to accelerate the vaccine boosters being rolled out.

 

[pb21]

A lip reader uses her eyes to read other people's lips. It's the opaque mask covering other people's lips that gets in the way, not the mask covering her own lips.

Yes, fair enough. Still such face coverings would be useful for friends and family of deaf people, also I see a lot public places have clear screens so you can see people's faces in shops etc. I agree far from ideal though.

 

[dazzer6666]

Just travelled up to London, used the underground and wandered around Westfield for a bit. Mask compliance is pretty crap despite signs and announcements. Not scientific, but would estimate 75% of those not wearing them are under 30, and 80% of them are female. No enforcement seen on trains, tube or in shopping centre.

 

[Yoda]

COVID-19: Most Omicron cases are 'mild' and there's no evidence to suggest vaccines may be less effective against the variant, says WHO official

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19...fective-against-the-variant-says-who-12483729

 

[e77]

COVID-19: Most Omicron cases are 'mild' and there's no evidence to suggest vaccines may be less effective against the variant, says WHO official

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19...fective-against-the-variant-says-who-12483729

This is encouraging.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Just travelled up to London, used the underground and wandered around Westfield for a bit. Mask compliance is pretty crap despite signs and announcements. Not scientific, but would estimate 75% of those not wearing them are under 30, and 80% of them are female. No enforcement seen on trains, tube or in shopping centre.

Train/Bus this morning was 50/50 as a rough guess.

 

[sydney]

COVID-19: Most Omicron cases are 'mild' and there's no evidence to suggest vaccines may be less effective against the variant, says WHO official

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19...fective-against-the-variant-says-who-12483729

as was said by the S.A doctors that "isolated" the "strain".........cant they just leave us alone to get on with it , or do they want to slowly but surely rinse us , sell us out and then set Elons , Billls and Geoffs latest project loose on us ..?


bit of a worry really ....anyone got any idea what the f@@k is going on..?

 

[crodonilson]

Another 9 confirmed Omicron cases in England

Looks like there is already a high degree of community transmission.

 

[loz]

Another 9 confirmed Omicron cases in England

Looks like there is already a high degree of community transmission.

Yet deaths and hospitalisations still keep falling ? And this has been around for few weeks now I would think.

Have you had your booster ? If so crack on mate there is nothing more we can do at the moment, you only get this one life enjoy it… you make Eeyore look happy.

 

[loz]

Early indications suggest most Omicron coronavirus cases are "mild", an official at the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

Speaking on behalf of the organisation, the official said there is no evidence to suggest the efficacy of vaccines has been reduced by the new strain - but did say some mutations of the virus indicate an increased risk of quicker transmission.

They said more than 40 different mutations have been identified with the Omicron variant.

The WHO official, quoted by Reuters, added there is still a lot unknown about the new strain.

A top official in Botswana's health ministry said on Tuesday that 16 out of the 19 cases of the Omicron variant detected in the country were asymptomatic.

 

[beorhthelm]

Yet deaths and hospitalisations still keep falling ? And this has been around for few weeks now I would think.

and cases.

 

[dazzer6666]

Another 9 confirmed Omicron cases in England

Looks like there is already a high degree of community transmission.

If - and I accept we don't know yet - Omicron is highly transmissable but only causing mild illness, the faster it spreads the better. Build up immunity and leave it with nowhere to go without causing undue strain.

Bit of caution for the next couple of weeks until we know is fine (unless you're at Westfield Stratford where the majority either don't give a shit or don't understand simple English)

I'm becoming cautiously optimistic we might be approaching the stage where we can live with it in general circulation without restrictions.