Coronavirus - the new strain XVI
- Thread starter Tony L
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gavreid
Pretty Words...
Trump's cronies were infected at an event on the White House lawn apparently.
As Sean has posted, there’s plenty of evidence that even one dose is extremely effective. The over 50 and vulnerable groups will have been vaccinated by mid-April if the government target is met, and I’m sure most second doses for these groups will have been done by the summer. We should be in a decent position by then, with 99 per cent of all deaths and hospital admissions covered.
In terms of lockdown easing, I’m hoping for schools to go back from March 8 and quite a few outdoor activities to be relaxed where transmission has been shown to be low. Then hopefully retail, hairdressers and outdoor areas of pubs by April and indoor hospitality in May. Somewhere near normal after that then and some summer holidays to enjoy.
I’ll trust what a cabinet member says over someone on this forum.
Seanm
pfm Member
On the other hand:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...der-myth-can-inform-uks-future-covid-response
It’s well-established that there’s a huge difference in risk of infection between inside and outside socialising. And there’s an equally obvious danger in obscuring that difference on the grounds that...people might not understand that there’s a difference.
Honestly the conviction that people are idiots is at the root of so much that’s been wrong about the government’s response to the crisis, and the media’s handling of it, and it’s one mistaken belief that you’d think wouldn’t have survived events: the public has been way ahead of the government at just about every turn.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...der-myth-can-inform-uks-future-covid-response
It’s well-established that there’s a huge difference in risk of infection between inside and outside socialising. And there’s an equally obvious danger in obscuring that difference on the grounds that...people might not understand that there’s a difference.
Honestly the conviction that people are idiots is at the root of so much that’s been wrong about the government’s response to the crisis, and the media’s handling of it, and it’s one mistaken belief that you’d think wouldn’t have survived events: the public has been way ahead of the government at just about every turn.
Andrew C!
Been around a while....
Our gym was very careful re H&S. I know it’s not the same for all gyms - just like it’s not the same for all other types of premises. You’ll always get those that cut things fine. It’s about making a judgement call for your self.
Totally agree re golf courses being open. They can police social distancing far easier than a public park.
Bob McC
Living the life of Riley
I reckon it’s schools only on March 8th, closely monitored and if no up turn outside sports like golf at the end of March.As Sean has posted, there’s plenty of evidence that even one dose is extremely effective. The over 50 and vulnerable groups will have been vaccinated by mid-April if the government target is met, and I’m sure most second doses for these groups will have been done by the summer. We should be in a decent position by then, with 99 per cent of all deaths and hospital admissions covered.
In terms of lockdown easing, I’m hoping for schools to go back from March 8 and quite a few outdoor activities to be relaxed where transmission has been shown to be low. Then hopefully retail, hairdressers and outdoor areas of pubs by April and indoor hospitality in May. Somewhere near normal after that then and some summer holidays to enjoy.
I’ll trust what a cabinet member says over someone on this forum.
I doubt you’ll be in a pub before July.
Anyone who’d trust a cabinet minister on Covid is a gullible fool.
PsB
Citizen of Nowhere™
There's some speculation that the stable figures are misleading, being the result of escalating and accelerating cases of the British variant offsetting falling numbers of the older variant. If that's true, we'll probably see another rise in the number of cases in early March as the newer variants multiply faster, and more confinement measures will be necessary (probably local ones at first, as we seem to be seeing in Nice).
Ponty
pfm Member
If the pubs don’t open soon, many never will. Once the at risk groups are vaccinated, we’ve got to crack on.
If the data dictates (which is increasingly looking to be the case), I think we should be looking at re-opening quicker than pubs open by July.
Difference this time compared to last year is we have a vaccination programme that will have vaccinated every adult by the end of July. We’re probably in a better position than a lot of our European neighbours to return to normal, many of whom are significantly behind us on vaccinations and have actually started opening up with a higher number of cases and deaths.
Very mature
Playing devil's advocate I'd say that given the likelihood of the virus being transmitted in a crowded pub is far far greater than on a golf course if one of them has to be banned I'd be rooting for the pubs to go. Many just facilitate drinking to excess and all the violence and domestic abuse that comes with that so why not? Gyms are one of the safest places to be, less than 1% of all transmissions.
mandryka
pfm Member
One thing I just heard on French TV was interesting, I’ve not checked to see if it’s true.
Apparently this winter has seen a dramatic reduction in flu and gastroenteritis, presumably because people are washing their hands and not getting close to each other.
But we have NOT seen a reduction in COVID. Why not?
The proposed answer was that flu and gastroenteritis viruses are very fragile, they don’t survive for long on surfaces, but COVID does.
And so, the suggestion is, people are picking them up from touching surfaces - and the obvious place is the supermarket trolley. The handles are touched by many people and they are not cleaned systematically.
I for one will be wiping mine down next time I go.
Apparently this winter has seen a dramatic reduction in flu and gastroenteritis, presumably because people are washing their hands and not getting close to each other.
But we have NOT seen a reduction in COVID. Why not?
The proposed answer was that flu and gastroenteritis viruses are very fragile, they don’t survive for long on surfaces, but COVID does.
And so, the suggestion is, people are picking them up from touching surfaces - and the obvious place is the supermarket trolley. The handles are touched by many people and they are not cleaned systematically.
I for one will be wiping mine down next time I go.
Tony L
Administrator
Do you have evidence for that? I’d have thought people over-exerting/hyperventilating in a closed environment and then sweating all over communal equipment was as close to a large human-scaled petri dish as one could get conceptually. Likely even worse than schools or pubs.
That’s good practice anyway. We heard from a medic friend that childhood respiratory illness, notably winter syncytial viral disease, has been pretty much non-existent this winter. Got to be the same reasons, better hygiene, keeping a distance and mask wearing.
Yep, Google it. It is very easy to social distance in Gyms, they have taken preventive measures. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-54540188
Of about 900 surveyed 2.8% had visited a gym, no evidence they had caught it there.https://www.leisureopportunities.co...ies-yet-COVID-19-ukactive-europeactive/346838
The assumption that it is worse than Schools is just not credible, who spends 5 hours in a gym? Same with pubs.
All kinds of other factors involved, obesity is a strong co-morbidity so let’s make exercise more difficult etc.
davidsrsb
pfm Member
In Malaysia, gyms were involved in several clusters. Some group photos after sessions did not help.
Golf courses were also over-represented - the changing rooms were the culprit.
Schools will be reopening soon after a very long closure, so we shall see how they do.
Supermarkets have had clusters, mainly staff in frozen goods and meat departments.
Hancock was asked why they tried to stop dissclosure of ppe contracts ,he said it was only that they reported it 2 weeks later than they were supposed to , Marr then asked if that was the case why did they waste £250,000 of public money trying to stop it being published !
Also on the back wall was a picture of the pub ( I think ) of Hancocks mate who got a large PPE contract , not only slimey but stupid as well
Also on the back wall was a picture of the pub ( I think ) of Hancocks mate who got a large PPE contract , not only slimey but stupid as well
Cav
pfm Member
You assume that violent drinks and wife beaters are not drinking at home? I doubt you would favour all supermarkets are banned from selling booze?Very mature
Cav
pfm Member
Source? What is the stat on pubs?
Don't tell me to google it. You must have a credible source to make such an accurate claim.
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