Current Affairs

[Gill W]

Even if a person is under 50, if they can be ill enough to have two or three weeks off work.

That may be true but statistically not as may under 50s die from Covid-19 as those over 50. nor are there as many taking up vital hospital resources.

What I'm saying is that having lots of staff off sick all at the same time affects the ability for schools and workplaces to get things done.

[david63]

What I'm saying is that having lots of staff off sick all at the same time affects the ability for schools and workplaces to get things done.

I don't deny what you are saying but the main thrust of the first wave of vaccinations is to save lives and protect the NHS.

Workplaces will survive with some staff off sick - they always have done. Children will survive without schooling for a few weeks, and if they have the motivation they will do something about it themselves.

I'm fairly sure that the whole world world would like a "magic" vaccine that can be sprayed on everyone and then all will be back to normal, but that just is not going to happen so we have to make do with the next best thing and some people will have to be patient and wait their turn for a vaccination.

[towny44]

Even if a person is under 50, if they can be ill enough to have two or three weeks off work.

That may be true but statistically not as may under 50s die from Covid-19 as those over 50. nor are there as many taking up vital hospital resources.

What I'm saying is that having lots of staff off sick all at the same time affects the ability for schools and workplaces to get things done.

I would equally expect that statement to apply to just about every other workplace.
However once regular testing is undertaken there will be no need for self isolating unless you are positive, and that will apply to both teachers and pupils. And with the social distancing and bubble arrangements that schools are now practising schools are far safer places for pupils than being at home and free to mix with anybody without enforced social distancing.

[Onelife]

Only last week many of you backed the goverments stance that schools should stay open....now that the government has done another u-turn where do you stand now?

I'm just womdering because either they are right to have done so, or you were both wrong not to have backed the closing of schools sooner. Sooner or latter this goverment will realise that you can't keep chasing the tail of this virus you have to bite its bleeding head off.

[Kendhni]

I see Piers Corbyn has been arrested. It is time that fool was given 200 hours of community service to be served on COVID wards. Since he thinks it is all a fake he will not be provided with or allowed to wear any form of PPE. Each night he will be taken home to share a house with his grand children.

Time to give him and his ilk the Darwin award they truly deserve.

[oldbluefox]

And with the social distancing and bubble arrangements that schools are now practising schools are far safer places for pupils than being at home and free to mix with anybody without enforced social distancing.

My sister works in a secondary school and she says exactly the same. The damage is done outside the school gates. Little point in applying stringent safety measures only to see them all wandering off home and into town together.

[Onelife]

On the subject of vaccinations, what does everyone think about getting the second jab three months after the first one, instead of three weeks?

Plus the first one might be Pfizer and the second one AstraZeneca.

To be honest it makes me rather uneasy that they are tinkering with this.

Hi Gill,

My personal thoughts are that those who have had the Pfizer dose should get the second one as stated on the bottle...They are the most vulnerable and the administration will already be in place to do so.

[screwy]

Interesting article in the Mail today. So called Celebs buggering off to St.Barts against travel restrictions.
In another case, some Bint off Love Island and her Boyfriend holidaying in Barbados. He tested positive and they were ordered to quarantine in a govt establishment, they tried to fly back to Uk instead but we’re caught.

[Stephen]

Lock’m up in the jail of country of entry. That’ll make them think twice. I wouldn’t mind betting they’re not as luxurious as ours screwy.

I’m not talking from experience of course, but I have watched ‘Porridge’

[david63]

Only last week many of you backed the goverments stance that schools should stay open....now that the government has done another u-turn where do you stand now?

Why is it that if the Government respond to the changing situation it is a "U-turn" but if they do nothing then they get castigated?

[screwy]

Because the media hate this government.?

[screwy]

Lock’m up in the jail of country of entry. That’ll make them think twice. I wouldn’t mind betting they’re not as luxurious as ours screwy.

I’m not talking from experience of course, but I have watched ‘Porridge’

Annoyingly they were quite happy to import the virus..

[Onelife]

Only last week many of you backed the goverments stance that schools should stay open....now that the government has done another u-turn where do you stand now?

Why is it that if the Government respond to the changing situation it is a "U-turn" but if they do nothing then they get castigated?

Because they only act after the situation has got out of hand.

[david63]

Perhaps this may put some perspective on the schools issue - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55518248

[Gill W]

Only last week many of you backed the goverments stance that schools should stay open....now that the government has done another u-turn where do you stand now?

Why is it that if the Government respond to the changing situation it is a "U-turn" but if they do nothing then they get castigated?

Because they only act after the situation has got out of hand.

That was exactly what I was going to say.

[oldbluefox]

I think there's a lot of scaremongering on, often started by the media and social forums, which doesn't help anyone. In this situation it's important to keep a level head otherwise you end up running around like a headless chicken.

[oldbluefox]

Because they only act after the situation has got out of hand.

The panic stricken would shut the country down at the first sniffle.
No time is too soon nor too late bearing in mind it's not just the virus the government is managing. There is also commerce, business, industry and an economy to manage. The government do not always get it right but they have to strike a balance between keeping the country going and managing the virus.

[towny44]

Why is it that if the Government respond to the changing situation it is a "U-turn" but if they do nothing then they get castigated?

Because they only act after the situation has got out of hand.

That was exactly what I was going to say.

I am not aware of any recent U turn, the decision on London primary schools was made a few days ago, and the current message for all primary schools outside London and the South East is that they should reopen on Monday as planned.

[Onelife]

Perhaps this may put some perspective on the schools issue - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55518248

All this article demonstrates is that children as yet are not severely affected by the virus but this doesn’t mean they are not either mildly affected or asymptomatic and still passing it on.

[Onelife]

I think there's a lot of scaremongering on, often started by the media and social forums, which doesn't help anyone. In this situation it's important to keep a level head otherwise you end up running around like a headless chicken.

I can see the analogy but I think it is Boris who is running around like a headless chicken…he’s looking more clucked every day.

[Manoverboard]

Some of the vulnerables in our village are being told to be ready but we have no idea which jab brand we will be getting although I suspect AZ because it is more suited to rural areas.

My own concern is for those couples where one has the jab but the other one does not, the extended period is not of major concern but personally I would have been happier having it sooner rather than later.

[oldbluefox]

Let's face it OL you just don't like Boris.
However whatever Boris says or does it is ultimately our responsibility and the blame lies with those who have partied, thronged the shops, ignored all he warnings of the past nine months then once numbers started to rise they fled and spread it around the rest of the country which had so far been bringing the infection rates down. And now it is they who are trying to dictate what the rest of us should do. Boris didn't do that - they did!!!

You know things are bad in politics when you have one poor government with two others waiting in the wings.

By the way you never did tell us who the two others were. Just saying..............

[Kendhni]

johnson has just said that "there is no doubt that the schools are safe"
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/parents-absol ... 52714.html

If Johnson says it then it definitely needs to be fact checked.

[Manoverboard]

If Yahoo says anything it should also be fact checked.

[oldbluefox]

Scientists being interviewed on television last night also said schools were safe. Opinion is divided but Boris bashers will choose to knock the government whenever they can.

Next up - university halls of residence. They were safe because they were empty until students started arriving and then Covid cases rose. So where did the virus come from? I presume it must have been hiding under the floorboards unless it was brought in from their own households by the students themselves. The tier system works only if the great unwashed play by the rules.