Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[dazzer6666]

A) I hate wearing masks, I feel like a muzzled animal, it’s not normal and never will be in this country.
B) There’s hundreds of things that would save lives that we don’t do, as an example: reduce motorway speed limits to 30 they’ll be thousands less deaths a year.
C) Social distancing every winter would mean businesses like pubs, bars & say public transport and the like would be doomed, without social distancing masks are much less effective, if you’re standing next to someone on a packed train with a mask on, it isn’t going to stop you catching a virus.
D) There’s plenty of things that are normalised in Asia that certainly aren’t normal to us, just as with any culture.

The only thing I would argue I hope continues after COVID is people practicing better hygiene, I myself when I have to get buses and public transport have become very aware of dirty surfaces etc so hopefully that’s something in future that can be taken forward but aside from that, give me the old normal back.

I'm sorry you feel that way, I think they have become part of Asian culture because of the previous respiratory outbreaks so I don't think it is particularly to do with their culture, and now we have suffered so badly I expect many people will continue to wear masks out of politeness and to enhance their safety, particularly if there are going to be ever new variants and the impact of being vaccinated lessens. I know when I go outside now I feel much more safe knowing I and others are wearing masks to help each other.

I mean by social distancing where possible, I'll be honest when restrictions are relaxed I'll be very nervous in crowded places because I have become so used to trying to avoid people for the past 12 months. I think common discipline of staying a distance apart when queueing for example in supermarkets would be good practice rather than the old norms of breathing down the person in front of you. It is up to the government whetrher they believe indoor capacities should be capped but I would guess it will be somewhat down to personal choice to decide whether to go somewhere you know will be crowded.

I can't see us ever having the same mask-wearing culture they have in Asia - it's been easier for then during Covid as it's something most Asians are used to. I do think, though, there will be a lot more of it in the UK going forward and it will become a much more common sight, and most likely something recommended people do whenever they have cold/flu-like symptoms as well. For the foreseeable I also think there will be a few settings where masks are compulsory until such point as restrictions are removed entirely (Tier Zero if there is such a thing) - highly populated/crowded enclosed spaces such as the London Underground perhaps.

 

[e77]

With hindsight one can ask why weren't doing some of the lower impact things like mask wearer and more hand cleaning during previous flu seasons. I think as a minimum it will be encouraged going forward.

I was commuting to London before the first lockdown came in and it got to the point it was quite scary getting on a semi crowded train. People might need some reassurance to start doing it again (assuming they have offices to go back to, but that is another conversation).

 

[BLOCK F]

At last, my vaccination is booked for Friday afternoon at Brighton Racecourse.

Good news.
My sister is booked in there for Friday, as well.
Still awaiting my appointment down here in the Chichester area.

 

[loz]

I'm sorry you feel that way, I think they have become part of Asian culture because of the previous respiratory outbreaks so I don't think it is particularly to do with their culture, and now we have suffered so badly I expect many people will continue to wear masks out of politeness and to enhance their safety, particularly if there are going to be ever new variants and the impact of being vaccinated lessens. I know when I go outside now I feel much more safe knowing I and others are wearing masks to help each other.

I mean by social distancing where possible, I'll be honest when restrictions are relaxed I'll be very nervous in crowded places because I have become so used to trying to avoid people for the past 12 months. I think common discipline of staying a distance apart when queueing for example in supermarkets would be good practice rather than the old norms of breathing down the person in front of you. It is up to the government whetrher they believe indoor capacities should be capped but I would guess it will be somewhat down to personal choice to decide whether to go somewhere you know will be crowded.

So will you never go to a sporting event / cinema / pictures /restaurant / pub or theater / gig again ?? That would be sad, as its what I am without those my life is not complete, yes I love my wife and family but to give all that up and spend the rest of my life in a small socially distance group of 6 is just f---king sad. Would that mean no big family marriage or christening or even family xmas ??

I am sorry but you point to a world I wouldn't want part of . I rather take my chances with the old Covid.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

So will you never go to a sporting event / cinema / pictures /restaurant / pub or theater / gig again ?? That would be sad, as its what I am without those my life is not complete, yes I love my wife and family but to give all that up and spend the rest of my life in a small socially distance group of 6 is just f---king sad. Would that mean no big family marriage or christening or even family xmas ??

I am sorry but you point to a world I wouldn't want part of . I rather take my chances with the old Covid.

I would love to see my grown up kids in real life let alone the cinema, restaurant or football.

 

[loz]

I would love to see my grown up kids in real life let alone the cinema, restaurant or football.

So would I, my eldest I really only see when we sit at football together,we have had our season tickets next to each other for 20+ years.

 

[dazzer6666]

One dose of Oxford vaccine:

- 76% efficacy against symptomatic covid after day 22.

- 100% effective at stopping hospitalisations after day 22.

Two doses of Oxford vaccine:

- 54% reduction in transmission

-Antibody response stronger after longer interval between dose.

https://twitter.com/Coronavirusgoo1/status/1356632557325062146?s=20

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

One dose of Oxford vaccine:

- 76% efficacy against symptomatic covid after day 22.

- 100% effective at stopping hospitalisations after day 22.

Two doses of Oxford vaccine:

- 54% reduction in transmission

-Antibody response stronger after longer interval between dose.

https://twitter.com/Coronavirusgoo1/status/1356632557325062146?s=20

I think we are now seeing a face off between certain complete risk adverse members of sage/Hancock and vaccine data/Johnson

I think the next weeks will see a ramp of of leaks about mutations etc

Every bit of good news seems to be met with a “but”

 

[middletoenail]

One dose of Oxford vaccine:

- 76% efficacy against symptomatic covid after day 22.

- 100% effective at stopping hospitalisations after day 22.

Two doses of Oxford vaccine:

- 54% reduction in transmission

-Antibody response stronger after longer interval between dose.

https://twitter.com/Coronavirusgoo1/status/1356632557325062146?s=20

I'm surprised about the 100% claim, there is usually a disclaimer 99.999%.

 

[dazzer6666]

I'm surprised about the 100% claim, there is usually a disclaimer 99.999%.

It's ok if looking at the sample population as it's factual - it's not a guarantee for future cases..............still incredible though.

 

[nicko31]

So Sturgeon has gone nuclear with quarantine hotels for all Int arrivals

Will England follow? It of course would be 10 times harder to implement than in Scotland

As of that the list of exemptions of people that are coming in untested is IMHO not good enough, that needs to be tightened urgently. More mutations are coming...

 

[crodonilson]

So Sturgeon has gone nuclear with quarantine hotels for all Int arrivals

Will England follow? It of course would be 10 times harder to implement than in Scotland

As of that the list of exemptions of people that are coming in untested is IMHO not good enough, that needs to be tightened urgently. More mutations are coming...

Absolutely imperative with a lockdown for all of the people in England that many people are struggling with that we keep them safe with proper quarantine for international arrivals and if the vaccines start driving down infections as we hope and driving down the possibility of mutations it would be scandalous if we allowed a mutation in that undid all of the good work of lockdown and vaccination.

 

[nicko31]

Absolutely imperative with a lockdown for all of the people in England that many people are struggling with that we keep them safe with proper quarantine for international arrivals and if the vaccines start driving down infections as we hope and driving down the possibility of mutations it would be scandalous if we allowed a mutation in that undid all of the good work of lockdown and vaccination.

Must admit as the consequences of mutations have become clearer I've coming round to the full quarantine idea and basically telling the public that overseas travel is out for the forseeable future. Yes this would screw certain sectors but its better than screwing the whole economy and peoples lives, a lot of people are at breaking point

But its also scandalous some of the groups being let in without the requirement for any test. Some groups may have to exempt, they still need to tested every day or two, its a must surely?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...vid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules

The French have demanded tests entering France from UK from mid-Dec, it soon got set up. Why aren't we going the same with freight traffic from France? From Gov.uk...

Drivers of goods vehicles
You need to complete the passenger locator form before you travel to the UK.

You do not need to present a negative COVID-19 result test prior to departure.

You do not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show that your travel is part of your job, for example a letter from your employer, a consignment note or your operator’s licence.

Applies to:

Drivers of goods vehicles and other employees of community licence holders for the international carriage of goods.

 

[dsr-burnley]

Absolutely imperative with a lockdown for all of the people in England that many people are struggling with that we keep them safe with proper quarantine for international arrivals and if the vaccines start driving down infections as we hope and driving down the possibility of mutations it would be scandalous if we allowed a mutation in that undid all of the good work of lockdown and vaccination.

Do mutations occur when the virus is prevalent or when it is scarce? The UK mutation arose in September or possibly August; the Danish mink variation arose in August; the South African variant is uncertain but it was well established by December so may have operated on the same sort of timetable as the UK.

Do mutations arrive and survive when the "master" virus is prevalent, or do mutations when the master virus is prevalent just fade away because they are submerged and lost by the master? We do know that viruses fight against each other. They don't easily cohabit. It may be - no doubt virologists would have some practical knowledge - that mutations only thrive in "slack" periods when the master virus is doing poorly and there is scope for the mutation to expand.

I hope better minds are thinking this through. I'm sure it's not as simple as "lots of viruses means more chances to mutate" any more than it is with any other form of evolution.

On the other matter, how long do you suggest this splendid isolation should last? Until coronavirus is wiped off the face of the earth (ie. well beyond my lifetime), or do you have a plan to get out of it?

 

[crodonilson]

Do mutations occur when the virus is prevalent or when it is scarce? The UK mutation arose in September or possibly August; the Danish mink variation arose in August; the South African variant is uncertain but it was well established by December so may have operated on the same sort of timetable as the UK.

Do mutations arrive and survive when the "master" virus is prevalent, or do mutations when the master virus is prevalent just fade away because they are submerged and lost by the master? We do know that viruses fight against each other. They don't easily cohabit. It may be - no doubt virologists would have some practical knowledge - that mutations only thrive in "slack" periods when the master virus is doing poorly and there is scope for the mutation to expand.

I hope better minds are thinking this through. I'm sure it's not as simple as "lots of viruses means more chances to mutate" any more than it is with any other form of evolution.

On the other matter, how long do you suggest this splendid isolation should last? Until coronavirus is wiped off the face of the earth (ie. well beyond my lifetime), or do you have a plan to get out of it?

Why do you feel the need to question everything I say?? It's not a difficult concept that the more a virus is in circulation the more opportunities it has to multiply and to mutate. There will always be chances of mutations whilst the virus exists much like flu but the lower the levels the less opportunity it has for mutation and potential virus escape.

So I assume you think that whilst in lockdown we should continue to have open borders to countries which are not in lockdown and let other versions of the virus grab hold here. Or perhaps we should not even bother with lockdown and let the virus rip through society and overwhelm the NHS and kill hundreds of thousands more, a small price to pay for everyone's liberties returning.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Just seen the video of Whitty getting abused in the street, absolute scumbag he filmed it.

Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk

 

[dsr-burnley]

Why do you feel the need to question everything I say?? It's not a difficult concept that the more a virus is in circulation the more opportunities it has to multiply and to mutate. There will always be chances of mutations whilst the virus exists much like flu but the lower the levels the less opportunity it has for mutation and potential virus escape.

So I assume you think that whilst in lockdown we should continue to have open borders to countries which are not in lockdown and let other versions of the virus grab hold here. Or perhaps we should not even bother with lockdown and let the virus rip through society and overwhelm the NHS and kill hundreds of thousands more, a small price to pay for everyone's liberties returning.

I don't question everything you say, but nor do I accept everything you say to be gospel truth. I suspect that you, like me, don't actually know everything there is to know about this virus and exactly what will happen in certain future events.

Specifically in this case, I don't think you can work out the future progress of a virus by using purely human logic. Viruses cannot be relied on to do what a human would do in the same circumstances. They don't think the same way - in fact, they don't think at all. Do you reject my suggestion that a virologist might know more than either of us?

 

[crodonilson]

I don't question everything you say, but nor do I accept everything you say to be gospel truth. I suspect that you, like me, don't actually know everything there is to know about this virus and exactly what will happen in certain future events.

Specifically in this case, I don't think you can work out the future progress of a virus by using purely human logic. Viruses cannot be relied on to do what a human would do in the same circumstances. They don't think the same way - in fact, they don't think at all. Do you reject my suggestion that a virologist might know more than either of us?

Something we both agree on.

Yes I don't undersatand how the virus reacts, but it is telling how many have come out recently to state one of the reasons for a need for continued lockdown is to try and cut transmission to not allow the virus to mutate further. You are absolutely bang on though that neither you or I, or for that matter scientists know everything about thids cruel virus which has already killed over 110,000 people in less than a year even with all of the measures imposed. This is why I come from the fundamental standpoint that it is better to act cautiously in imposing lockdowns and not reducing measures unless we are as sure as we can be it won't lead to another wave of cases which would lead to many more deaths.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Time to hit Mcdonalds

Darren McCaffrey [MENTION=4487]darren[/MENTION]Euronews
#CoronaVirusUpdate Flag of Belgium

Obese people (those with a BMI above 30) aged 45-64 will be added to list of people given priority for a #coronavirus vaccine from March in Belgium

They will be offered one, alongside those with underlying conditions and people over 65 years old

 

[CHAPPERS]

Time to hit Mcdonalds

Darren McCaffrey [MENTION=4487]darren[/MENTION]Euronews
#CoronaVirusUpdate Flag of Belgium

Obese people (those with a BMI above 30) aged 45-64 will be added to list of people given priority for a #coronavirus vaccine from March in Belgium

They will be offered one, alongside those with underlying conditions and people over 65 years old

I take it the Health Minister came up with this....?