Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[Rugrat]

NHS spending has increased vastly over the past couple of years. £34 billion according to this report. Couldn't some of it have been used to become more prepared for the possible next wave? Especially if, as you correctly point out, that bringing trained staff from abroad is harder.

I would be interested to see by how much doctor and nurse training has increased since Brexit and coronavirus started. It ought to have increased in vast numbers. Has it been?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...or-nhs-covid-19-response-over-next-six-months

Who delivers all this training? Where? What cover do medical teams have while the training is being undertaken?

Of course (recruitment and) training is a key factor in improving our NHS, but it's not as simplisitc as bunging £'s at it imo

 

[A1X]

I was thinking the singing clause was a bit of a loophole. Did this exchange really happen?

I know no more than you, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Yoda]

Outlook for Omicron still looking hopeful:

 

[crodonilson]

People in Scotland now being urged to cancel Christmas parties and stay at home.

 

[Weststander]

They are saying different things and you are selectively choosing those who say the worst.

You can do that, but why do you get so butthurt when people also listen to the scientists and epidemiologists that you ignore?

Some people say it is "nothing", somepeople say that it is all likely go to hell.

I'm putting my money on that it is going to be "not as good as some hope, not as bad as some fear", but for now the myriad of studies, scientists and knowing people pointing in all kinds of directions is a sign that there's simply no way of knowing yet.

Have you got calm scientists who appear on Swedish TV who simply say “We need to wait and see, let’s appraise and comment in two weeks time”?

We do here, their names are Chris Smith, Linda Bauld and Carl Heneghan. All genuine experts, never a political comment, great at communicating the science, but also able to rationalise that laws/regulations/lockdowns need to balance striving for manageable hospital numbers, against economy, other NHS functions eg early cancer interventions and societal needs.

I’d forgive you for interpreting many of us in the UK as always seizing on worst case prophecies/models, relaying ‘bad news’ at the earliest tweet which turns out to be just one bod’s interpretation, folk jumping to conclusions before the science has come to meaningful conclusions on sufficient numbers. Everything here is also awfully party political, very polarised, some right wingers seeking total freedom now, left wing government haters refusing to ever see good Covid news or actions relevant to this country.

Have you got sanity there?

 

[BLOCK F]

[tweet]1468926687287070735[/tweet]

We are going to a panto on Sunday, with our grandson. Not as
much fun as it should be with masks on.
Perhaps the producers should change the venue to the nearest Tesco.
Oh yes they should, oh no they shouldn’t.:

 

[dsr-burnley]

People in Scotland now being urged to cancel Christmas parties and stay at home.

I hope they don't behead Nicola Sturgeon like they beheaded Oliver Cromwell. He cancelled Christmas as well. Miserable beggar.

If you don't have family parties and you never celebrate public holidays, then your life might not be any longer - but it'll seem longer. But seriously, I doubt that many people are frightened enough to take it seriously any more.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Politics For All
@PoliticsForAlI
Police cars revolving lightPolice cars revolving light | BREAKING: If you don’t get vaccinated in Austria, you are fined up to £1000 a month. This applies to people 14+


How many 14 year olds can afford £1000 a month lol

 

[crodonilson]

I hope they don't behead Nicola Sturgeon like they beheaded Oliver Cromwell. He cancelled Christmas as well. Miserable beggar.

If you don't have family parties and you never celebrate public holidays, then your life might not be any longer - but it'll seem longer. But seriously, I doubt that many people are frightened enough to take it seriously any more.

No-one is saying you can't celebrate Christmas but you should probably be best advised to do so on your own or within your own household bubble and definitely avoid super spreader events.

 

[Swansman]

Politics For All
@PoliticsForAlI
Police cars revolving lightPolice cars revolving light | BREAKING: If you don’t get vaccinated in Austria, you are fined up to £1000 a month. This applies to people 14+


How many 14 year olds can afford £1000 a month lol

I dont think that is a clever way to go about it.

In every country you have what we could call "loudspeakers" - media, experts, celebreties and later the echos in the population.

People want to make decisions that they believe are independent and free will, so when the loudspeakers say:

"Hi we are the masters of infomration! We'd like to inform you that it would be sensible to get vaccinated because you'll live forever etc. and if you choose not to there's a fair chance that you and everyone you love are going to die."

Then most people are quite rapidly going to say:

"Hmm, today I made the incredibly independent decision to get vaccinated."

Sure, a small percentage - like myself - are not comfortable with these loudspeakers and the people in control of them, and are going to opt out. But the vast majority will go vaccinate themselves.

If the loudspeakers instead would have said:

"You are going to get vaccinated or we'll **** you over", people would be less inclined to listen. They want to be convinced, not forced.

This is amplified in a lot of Eastern countries. Yes, you guys over there dont like Boris. I didnt like Fredrik Reinfeldt over here. But since both of our countries have a relatively calm past compared to the reoccuring turbulence in the east, we would never imagine that our rulers - however poor - would suddenly make a military coup or impose some dicatorship or similar. In a country like Austria and in most Eastern countries, they have traumas in their history which makes them distrust the authorities and loudspeakers whatever the message may be. And trying to force people, with authorian means, is not going to help - people are just going to be more reluctant and suspicious.

I dont see how it could end in any other matter than chaos.

 

[Swansman]

Have you got calm scientists who appear on Swedish TV who simply say “We need to wait and see, let’s appraise and comment in two weeks time”?

We do here, their names are Chris Smith, Linda Bauld and Carl Heneghan. All genuine experts, never a political comment, great at communicating the science, but also able to rationalise that laws/regulations/lockdowns need to balance striving for manageable hospital numbers, against economy, other NHS functions eg early cancer interventions and societal needs.

I’d forgive you for interpreting many of us in the UK as always seizing on worst case prophecies/models, relaying ‘bad news’ at the earliest tweet which turns out to be just one bod’s interpretation, folk jumping to conclusions before the science has come to meaningful conclusions on sufficient numbers. Everything here is also awfully party political, very polarised, some right wingers seeking total freedom now, left wing government haters refusing to ever see good Covid news or actions relevant to this country.

Have you got sanity there?

Currently we have a lot of sanity here and as a population we're not exactly known to go into any kind of panic or hysteria (positive or negative) and its all very... calm and boring. Could see it changing if/when cases here go up.

 

[crodonilson]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/10/omicron-could-overwhelm-nhs-if-virulent-as-delta-neil-ferguson-says

Prof Neil Ferguson, predicting best case just under 5,000 hospitalisations and up to 10,000 daily without further measures.

 

[beorhthelm]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/10/omicron-could-overwhelm-nhs-if-virulent-as-delta-neil-ferguson-says

Prof Neil Ferguson, the guru of covid in thew UK prediciting best case just under 5,000 hospitalisations and up to 10,000 daily without further measures.

that is good news, going by Ferguson's track record.

 

[n1 gull]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/10/omicron-could-overwhelm-nhs-if-virulent-as-delta-neil-ferguson-says

Prof Neil Ferguson, the guru of covid in thew UK prediciting best case just under 5,000 hospitalisations and up to 10,000 daily without further measures.

I've suspected for a while this is a parody account. Now you've just confirmed it

 

[Notters]

Have there been ANY deaths from Omicron yet? Even in South Africa?
If you search for it the last media reports are from 6 days ago, so I'm guessing not?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Have there been ANY deaths from Omicron yet? Even in South Africa?
If you search for it the last media reports are from 6 days ago, so I'm guessing not?

No, but it’s not hit the main death age group yet

 

[CHAPPERS]

I feel like nobody is talking about the fact that in South Africa it's currently early summer, not approaching mid winter, and what affect this might have on cases/hospitalisations. Has anyone seen anything along these lines?

 

[Notters]

I feel like nobody is talking about the fact that in South Africa it's currently early summer, not approaching mid winter, and what affect this might have on cases/hospitalisations. Has anyone seen anything along these lines?

No, although I don't think COVID has been very seasonal anyway has it? They had a big peak last January.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

I feel like nobody is talking about the fact that in South Africa it's currently early summer, not approaching mid winter, and what affect this might have on cases/hospitalisations. Has anyone seen anything along these lines?

Also, I was shocked to hear on TV today that the average age of population in South Africa is just 28... No wonder the data possibly appears to indicate mild symptoms there as its generally the aged that suffer!

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Also, I was shocked to hear on TV today that the average age of population in South Africa is just 28... No wonder the data possibly appears to indicate mild symptoms there as its generally the aged that suffer!

Getting data out of SA is tough

Age/vaccination levels//20 percent of the population have HIV