Current Affairs

[Onelife]

An interesting comment on the radio this morning by some scientific person when the question of tougher rules was being talked about. His point was that people are now at the stage where they are reluctant to accept any more restrictions to their lives and do we have to start accepting 20k deaths a year from Covid-19 in the same way that we accept 20k deaths a year from flu - and many other conditions.

Hi David,

I think the chap must have done the same interview on TV this morning....professor whatever his name was, had in my opinion a very blasé attadude to what is a very serious problem.....even if we followed his auschwitz approach what makes him think we can put a cap at 20,000 when we are already approaching 50,000 deaths this year?

The chap was an attention seeker full of his self importance.

[barney]

An interesting comment on the radio this morning by some scientific person when the question of tougher rules was being talked about. His point was that people are now at the stage where they are reluctant to accept any more restrictions to their lives and do we have to start accepting 20k deaths a year from Covid-19 in the same way that we accept 20k deaths a year from flu - and many other conditions.

Hi David,

I think the chap must have done the same interview on TV this morning....professor whatever his name was, had in my opinion a very blasé attadude to what is a very serious problem.....even if we followed his auschwitz approach what makes him think we can put a cap at 20,000 when we are already approaching 50,000 deaths this year?

The chap was an attention seeker full of his self importance.

There is a train of thought that many who were most susceptible to covid fatalities have already died.
Obviously the worry statistically is care homes, once again.
Every care home resident is vulnerable.
The amount of previously healthy people who have died from covid is really very low.

[barney]

There’s a report in the Mail from research done that suggests that 30% of covid deaths were actually of other causes.
The way of recording is very suspect although the official figures do stress death by any cause within 28 days of a positive test.
Would a lady who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and then died in a traffic accident be recorded as a cancer death.
I’d reckon not.
I does seem unusual for us to be quite a way down the infection list but quite a way up the fatalities list.

[Manoverboard]

Supermarkets employ meeters and greeters rather than geezers with heaters, it’s simply not possible to prevent the idiot sans mask doing what he/she has decided he/she will do. Apart from that Tesco else Waitrose and chums do not want the publicity of being in the local rag or even in Court because one of their customers was man handled by their security bod.

Nor are such oiks the type who would frequent Mrs Barney's Boutique of course.

[Onelife]

An interesting comment on the radio this morning by some scientific person when the question of tougher rules was being talked about. His point was that people are now at the stage where they are reluctant to accept any more restrictions to their lives and do we have to start accepting 20k deaths a year from Covid-19 in the same way that we accept 20k deaths a year from flu - and many other conditions.

Hi David,

I think the chap must have done the same interview on TV this morning....professor whatever his name was, had in my opinion a very blasé attadude to what is a very serious problem.....even if we followed his auschwitz approach what makes him think we can put a cap at 20,000 when we are already approaching 50,000 deaths this year?

The chap was an attention seeker full of his self importance.

There is a train of thought that many who were most susceptible to covid fatalities have already died.
Obviously the worry statistically is care homes, once again.
Every care home resident is vulnerable.
The amount of previously healthy people who have died from covid is really very low.

Hi Barney…!’m sure there will be a lot of vacant care home beds presently and I’m equally sure the 5.4 million UK asthma sufferers will be hoping that the train of thought proves to be right

[barney]

Hi David,

I think the chap must have done the same interview on TV this morning....professor whatever his name was, had in my opinion a very blasé attadude to what is a very serious problem.....even if we followed his auschwitz approach what makes him think we can put a cap at 20,000 when we are already approaching 50,000 deaths this year?

The chap was an attention seeker full of his self importance.

There is a train of thought that many who were most susceptible to covid fatalities have already died.
Obviously the worry statistically is care homes, once again.
Every care home resident is vulnerable.
The amount of previously healthy people who have died from covid is really very low.

Hi Barney…!’m sure there will be a lot of vacant care home beds presently and I’m equally sure the 5.4 million UK asthma sufferers will be hoping that the train of thought proves to be right

That’s why anyone who is vulnerable should take extra care.
If you suffer from asthma, then you will probably have to isolate as much as possible.
Equally, we cannot expect everyone else to live the same.
So many businesses are on the edge.
Another lockdown will finish them of without government support, which is unlikely.
What some forget is that if a business needs to close due to covid, the rent, rates, wages, electric etc still have to be paid.
So, money out with nothing coming in.
There is no point in running like that.

[Kendhni]

I would suggest the government should return to the 'work from home if you can rule' - not as a 'you must' but as a suggestion. That would provide additional space and freedom to those that cannot work from home. Probably too early for a full lockdown (although I suspect that we will have at least one more full lockdown before this is over - maybe starting late this year or early in the new year).

I took the dogs for a walk down the town last weekend and the bars were full of, shall we say, the more elderly population - the younger ones were standing and sitting outside in a pseudo/pay-lip-service/almost socially distanced manner. We all need to work together rather than finger point.

The government has been quick to ‘encourage’ people to go back to the office. Maybe too quick. ( not hindsight, but reacting to current events) Trouble is, if they now turned round and said everyone should work from home again, it’d be regarded as the mother of all U turns, and they’d face even more ridicule.

We see where France is going and we see where Spain is going and all the evidence is that we are on the same trajectory so I actually think it is good to see Johnson seemingly being a bit proactive and taking it seriously - the government botched it up the first time, but hopefully they have learned from their mistakes. If he gets it right it could be short lived (maybe 2-3 weeks), if he gets it wrong it could well be lockdown until next March/April.

I think it is a u-turn that the majority of people will accept ... besides that it must be getting nearly time for Cummings to have another eye test.

Also there’s the obligatory few who wear their mask with their noses hanging out, or forget to wear their mask when it’s appropriate.

I don't understand that, it really isn't difficult to work out how to wear a mask ... maybe they should get their 2 year old child/grandchild to show them how to wear it properly.

[Onelife]

There is a train of thought that many who were most susceptible to covid fatalities have already died.
Obviously the worry statistically is care homes, once again.
Every care home resident is vulnerable.
The amount of previously healthy people who have died from covid is really very low.

Hi Barney…!’m sure there will be a lot of vacant care home beds presently and I’m equally sure the 5.4 million UK asthma sufferers will be hoping that the train of thought proves to be right

That’s why anyone who is vulnerable should take extra care.
If you suffer from asthma, then you will probably have to isolate as much as possible.
Equally, we cannot expect everyone else to live the same.
So many businesses are on the edge.
Another lockdown will finish them of without government support, which is unlikely.
What some forget is that if a business needs to close due to covid, the rent, rates, wages, electric etc still have to be paid.
So, money out with nothing coming in.
There is no point in running like that.

I don't underestimate the impact this is having on businesses Barney but we all have opinions on how the goverment should proceed and my view still remains that a two + week (as required) lock-down while painful won't be as painful as a three month lock-down should thing progress the way they are going.

[Kendhni]

I don't underestimate the impact this is having on businesses but we all have opinions on how the goverment should proceed and my view still remains that a two + week (as required) lock-down while painful won't be as painful as a three month lock-down should thing progress the way they are going.

Agree totally. We can have a quick lock down to resolve the immediate risk and hopefully be open in plenty of time for a Halloween and Christmas shopping spree. The alternative is to leave it too long and risk the Christmas shopping period being impacted. We have to think long term rather than short term.

[barney]

Are we to expect a lockdown every time that the infection rates go up?
It will be a cycle of lockdown, figures drop then reopen and the figures go up, then lockdown etc.
People won’t put up with that, just to protect old & vulnerable people.
They will just insist that those at risk stay home.
Up to now, the majority have been compliant.
I think it’s more important to restrict travel as much as possible, both international and domestic.

[Stephen]

And the sooner the better

Coronavirus vaccine: When will we have one? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51665497

[Kendhni]

I read stories like this https://uk.news.yahoo.com/trafalgar-squ ... 00357.html and wonder why is this small vociferous minority so stupid? A simple solution should be offered to these selfish fools, yes you can have as much freedom as you want AFTER you sign onto a register that will deny you and every person in your 'bubble' from gaining access to the NHS for any respiratory illnesses or flu like disease until they have spent at least 14 days in self isolation. After the 14 days then can request treatment AFTER they have proven they can pay for it.

Irrespective they still must wear a mask to get into any public places since that is about protecting others from their ilk.

One so called "professor" issued warnings like "I know that vaccines make people sick, you should not trust the Government, the doctors and the media, they are lying about the Covid-19 vaccine. Vaccines have not been safety-tested, they tell you when you take a vaccine you’ll get a little bit of swelling, is that true? No. You can get multiple sclerosis and allergies, when I talk to parents, there are 12 known diseases you can get."
It appears that this pathetic excuse for an educated person seems to have prior knowledge about the vaccine, since none are currently available, but she has a deep understanding of their impact and side-effects, and is using her crystal ball to whip gullible fools up into a frenzy of stupidity. FIne, make the vaccine optional, you will be given one opportunity to get it, if you turn it down then it will be available thereafter at a cost (preferably extortionate).

[Stephen]

Why wait until the 28th September. Make it law as from today


Covid: £10,000 fines for self-isolation breaches https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54221953

[Kendhni]

Why wait until the 28th September. Make it law as from today


Covid: £10,000 fines for self-isolation breaches https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54221953

Plus they should be publicly named, so that their victims can sue them.

[david63]

One thing that is puzzling me at the moment is that when Covid-19 started back in March the big solution was "herd immunity". That did not happen due to the measures put in place at the time to try and prevent the NHS being overwhelmed.

Now we have a situation where the number of cases are rising mainly amongst the younger end of the population. This surely is going some way towards creating herd immunity (assuming that immunity does actually work, and apart from a couple of reports that does appear to be the case). So whilst the numbers that are being admitted to hospital remain manageable why do we need to have more restrictions?

In my opinion the time to take action is when hospital admissions start to rise significantly. The feeling I am getting is that the Government are reacting to media pressure - we used to have a saying at work "Some manages confuse activity with action".

Also why all of a sudden does Mrs Krankie need to have urgent talks with Boris about the situation when she has clearly ignored everything that England has done for the last six months and gone her own way?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Last time Boris left it too long according to his critics. I guess he won't risk that again.

There is also a time lag between cases rising and hospital admissions and deaths following. If he waits for those to rise there'll also be a time lag before they fall again.

No win!

But I'd lock all those determined to ignore guidance into a confined space until they'd all had it before I let them out again. I'm nice like that....

[Onelife]

I read stories like this https://uk.news.yahoo.com/trafalgar-squ ... 00357.html and wonder why is this small vociferous minority so stupid? A simple solution should be offered to these selfish fools, yes you can have as much freedom as you want AFTER you sign onto a register that will deny you and every person in your 'bubble' from gaining access to the NHS for any respiratory illnesses or flu like disease until they have spent at least 14 days in self isolation. After the 14 days then can request treatment AFTER they have proven they can pay for it.

Desperate times call for desperate measures...so your suggestion gets a from me.

Irrespective they still must wear a mask to get into any public places since that is about protecting others from their ilk.
They should be compulsory whenever you leave the confines of your house imo.

One so called "professor" issued warnings like "I know that vaccines make people sick, you should not trust the Government, the doctors and the media, they are lying about the Covid-19 vaccine. Vaccines have not been safety-tested, they tell you when you take a vaccine you’ll get a little bit of swelling, is that true? No. You can get multiple sclerosis and allergies, when I talk to parents, there are 12 known diseases you can get."
It appears that this pathetic excuse for an educated person seems to have prior knowledge about the vaccine, since none are currently available, but she has a deep understanding of their impact and side-effects, and is using her crystal ball to whip gullible fools up into a frenzy of stupidity. FIne, make the vaccine optional, you will be given one opportunity to get it, if you turn it down then it will be available thereafter at a cost (preferably extortionate).

Its surprises me how many supposedly educated people have little common sence…I’ve got a lot of common sence

[Onelife]

Last time Boris left it too long according to his critics. I guess he won't risk that again.

Well he's made a good start at playing catch up again

There is also a time lag between cases rising and hospital admissions and deaths following. If he waits for those to rise there'll also be a time lag before they fall again.

No win!

But I'd lock all those determined to ignore guidance into a confined space until they'd all had it before I let them out again. I'm nice like that....

[towny44]

Here is one example of why people get exasperated with the Covid rules and regulations. My son is taking our eldest Granddaughter (17) to Liverpool today where her football team are playing their first league fixture this season. Amateur team sports are still allowed under even the new tighter restrictions, but he had an e-mail last night to advise him that spectators will no longer be allowed. So he has an hours journey their and back, but will not be able to stay and watch, even though there will at the most only be 50-100 parents or family spaced out round the pitch in the open air. Now how is that more likely to spread the virus than a restaurant or pub full of people sitting inside, even if the full 2 metres apart.

[Kendhni]

Christmas is the best time for lockdown ??? Disease wise maybe ... socially and economically, I would disagree.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-c ... 00734.html

I would think that is when you want people to be able to visit family, be out in the shopping malls, visiting a bar or restaurant etc. However I can see his point about not spreading disease. Do it now, get the correction over and done with and get that R number well down and hopefully we can have a much more relaxed and family friendly Halloween, Christmas or whatever you celebrate.

[Onelife]

If things progress the way they are going we’ll be needing a lockdown now and one around Christmas.

I personally hope pubs are closed for Christmas/New year cos there’ll be no end to the curbing of this killer virus if thousands of party goers are allowed to get stoned out of their heads with booze….and while I’m talking pubs, I can’t see any advantage in closing pubs at 10 o’clock…I used to be able to down three pints before closing time and I’m pretty sure this is exactly what is happening now.

If it turns out that we need a lockdown then a week before and a week after Christmas would seem a good a time, most people will have done their Christmas shopping by then, or should have if a lockdown is on the cards. Schools will have broken up, and there’s nothing wrong with frozen Turkey /Chicken for Christmas dinner… and for a special treat the government could allow a family bubble to be increased to include Gran and Granddad.

Happy Christmas

[Gill W]

There’s a report in the Mail from research done that suggests that 30% of covid deaths were actually of other causes.
The way of recording is very suspect although the official figures do stress death by any cause within 28 days of a positive test.
Would a lady who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and then died in a traffic accident be recorded as a cancer death.
I’d reckon not.
I does seem unusual for us to be quite a way down the infection list but quite a way up the fatalities list.

There’s been about 65000 excess deaths this year from all causes, in a curve that matches the height of the first wave of the pandemic.

If anything, the ‘official’ figures appear to under state the death toll from COVID

[barney]

There’s a report in the Mail from research done that suggests that 30% of covid deaths were actually of other causes.
The way of recording is very suspect although the official figures do stress death by any cause within 28 days of a positive test.
Would a lady who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and then died in a traffic accident be recorded as a cancer death.
I’d reckon not.
I does seem unusual for us to be quite a way down the infection list but quite a way up the fatalities list.

There’s been about 65000 excess deaths this year from all causes, in a curve that matches the height of the first wave of the pandemic.

If anything, the ‘official’ figures appear to under state the death toll from COVID

It will only be known how many excess deaths when statistically compared to the five year average.
A snapshot in time tells us nothing.
It’s like a beggar asking if you have any spare change.
If you haven’t finished living, you can’t possibly know if it’s spare or not.

[oldbluefox]

So many variables that the true figures are in there somewhere but it depends on the criteria, how they are interpreted and how they are disseminated. The only truth you can glean is that there have been many more deaths as a consequence of Covid. One thing is for sure, if everybody did as they were told instead of ignoring them or interpreting them to suit themselves the death toll would have been MUCH lower.

[barney]

No doubt about that Foxy.
There have been many fatalities attributed to Covid but at the moment, we cannot compare properly.
How many of the 20k plus covid deaths in care homes would have died in the next year or two anyway?
Covid may have just accelerated the process.
Time will tell.