Coronavirus (2021) thread

[GaudinoMotors]

2nd jab done. Bring on the 19th. Mask is ready for the bin.

That's the spirit.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Nevertheless, NZ will have to open it's borders to more than rich people at some point or are they saying to those there who have family overseas (and there are quite a few) 'you can never see them again, ever'. Now, they can delay that for a time to try and get their population fully vaccinated but eventually, particularly if they see the rest of the world 'living with it' (and it will never be completely eradicated, remember, that's only happened in the case of one disease in the history of mankind - smallpox) then the pressure will come to open the borders. At that point it is inevitable that therew ill be cases and there will be deaths, however low level and 'acceptable'. She is not serving her people well if she does not have that conversation with them.

I agree Gremlin although didn’t she have an overwhelming win in their general election that was a great endorsement. They have got a continent open between themselves and the Aussies and many Kiwis are enjoying going to sold out sports events and concerts. It looks a good quality of life.

 

[west didsblue]

I don't think anyone is saying we should or could have handled it like NZ. We're too interconnected for that. But for them, keeping their borders closed until they have deployed vaccines there makes a lot of sense as they have a full population with no antibodies and opening up their borders now would throw away all what they have achieved. Apart from the borders being closed they're living pretty much normal lives there as far as I can tell. In their situation the only thing they can learn from us is to get the vaccines in arms as quickly as possible, but that might be difficult due to supply issues and pushback from the population due to them not having had to live with the constraints most of the rest of the world have been living under.

 

[blueparrot]

2nd jab done. Bring on the 19th. Mask is ready for the bin.

So you only carry a mask for your own benefit not anyone elses ?

 

[Cotton Weave Blue]

So you only carry a mask for your own benefit not anyone elses ?

I've wore a mask long enough for the old and vulnerable to be vaccinated. The sole reason they were mandated. So everyone's benefit but mine.

 

[BerkshireBlue]

I've wore a mask long enough for the old and vulnerable to be vaccinated. The sole reason they were mandated. So everyone's benefit but mine.

can't argue with that. You've done your bit

 

[Healdplace]

Wales data:

0 deaths - was 0 last week

663 cases - was 513 last week

4.8% positivity - was 4.2% last week

60 patients - was 41 last week

8 ventilated- was 2 last week

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Think you’re missing the point Tim. Different strategies for different countries based on the way the pandemic has hit those countries? Yes, of course. But what I took from that article was that she was telling our PM that he shouldn’t be telling the people of the UK that we have to learn to live with Covid. Easy for her to say that when the NZ public haven’t been subjected to Covid and the protracted lockdowns and restrictions that we have - I will add that those were necessary of course - but now with our vaccine rollout we’re in nowhere near as bad a position as we were and living with Covid is exactly what we have to do in future. She’d be singing an entirely different tune if Delta gets a significant foothold in NZ and rips through their population to the extent that they have to lock down for months, but then come out the other side in a much better place as a result of a successful vaccination programme

I read it like Jacinda Ardern was saying what was best for the Kiwis and clearly she wouldn’t follow our approach. Maybe she could have been more careful with here words but we do have a bad rep on Covid.

I’m up for getting back to close to how life was like before the pandemic. That said, I would like to keep the benefits of neighbours helping each other that’s improved life where I live. I’m looking forward to big crowds at the football and rugby, like they’ve got in New Zealand. In addition.

There’s a notion on this forum (not in your posts) that New Zealand is a tin pot country. I’ve spent several weeks there and it’s a great place with a lot going for it. We have to gamble a bit from 19 July because how badly Covid has hit our economy. That’s just reality.

We are doing great on the vaccination programme and people have responded to the emergency. Clearly, there isn’t the same pressure to roll out a vaccination programme at pace in a country that hasn’t had a Covid case from community transmission in nearly 6 months.

 

[ayrshire_blue]

I've wore a mask long enough for the old and vulnerable to be vaccinated. The sole reason they were mandated. So everyone's benefit but mine.

What about the old and vulnerable who a) are vaccinated but due to their immune system and/or other illnesses aren't sufficiently protected and b) those not able to have the vaccine?

 

[Cotton Weave Blue]

What about the old and vulnerable who a) are vaccinated but due to their immune system and/or other illnesses aren't sufficiently protected and b) those not able to have the vaccine?

I'd anticipate we wouldn't be socialising in the same circles anyway given their condition.

 

[Healdplace]

Latest ONS data on antibodies against Covid in UK - data for week ending 20 June.

From vaccination and catching it I assume

Versus the previous week


Scotland 84.7% - was 79.1%

N Ireland 87.2% - was 85.4%

England 89.8% - was 86.6%

Wales 91.8% - was 88.7%


Interestingly the Zoe App has the number of cases from high to low in a similar pattern (as in the reverse of this list - best to worst) - suggesting the two numbers feed into another as you would expect,

 

[Gremlin]

I agree Gremlin although didn’t she have an overwhelming win in their general election that was a great endorsement. They have got a continent open between themselves and the Aussies and many Kiwis are enjoying going to sold out sports events and concerts. It looks a good quality of life.

I'm not saying it hasn't worked well for them in the short term but it does feel like there isn't a long term plan there, other than a continuation of the current situation.

Edit: I should add I have some interest in this in that my brother and his family live in Australia. We haven't seen them for a couple of years and they have just been told that their borders are unlikely to reopen before 2023. As a result my brother was unable to come over here when our mother was dying of cancer earlier this year.

 

[blueparrot]

I've wore a mask long enough for the old and vulnerable to be vaccinated. The sole reason they were mandated. So everyone's benefit but mine.

Well done so brave.

 

[kevin horlocks wand]

What about the old and vulnerable who a) are vaccinated but due to their immune system and/or other illnesses aren't sufficiently protected and b) those not able to have the vaccine?

well as someone in a) I would be a pretty selfish twat to want the rest of a healthy society , friends and family to restrict their own freedoms for my benefit.

I will adjust my own life to my condition and the risks I choose to live and wish everyone else as much fun and freedom as they want.

you can’t keep protecting the old and vulnerable forever. before Covid there were people in this position and we didn’t restrict all of society.

 

[blueparrot]

well as someone in a) I would be a pretty selfish twat to want the rest of a healthy society , friends and family to restrict their own freedoms for my benefit.

I will adjust my own life to my condition and the risks I choose to live and wish everyone else as much fun and freedom as they want.

you can’t keep protecting the old and vulnerable forever. before Covid there were people in this position and we didn’t restrict all of society.

Fair enough but think we should at leat carry one, for now, so if we are in a crowded situation, we have one to put on. After all what harm is it doing.

 

[kevin horlocks wand]

Fair enough but think we should at leat carry one, for now, so if we are in a crowded situation, we have one to put on. After all what harm is it doing.

I agree and if on a tram and it’s busy I will wear one , mainly to stop me breathing in people’s stinking breath but if empty I won’t. I am more likely not to get on if packed tbh

my point is you can’t keep using the vulnerable as a constant excuse of restricting the vast majority of healthy which people are doing.

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

Fair enough but think we should at leat carry one, for now, so if we are in a crowded situation, we have one to put on. After all what harm is it doing.

If you want to carry on wearing a mask then fine but as there will be no legal requirement from the 19th it will be entirely a matter of personal choice.

My choice will be not to wear one in any setting as where we are now is more or less as good as it gets. Covid has joined the long list of potential health risks that we all have to live with. A ‘good’ flu season results in around 6000 deaths annually whereas a bad one is around 22,000. I don’t recall mask wearing to eliminate that risk.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

I'm not saying it hasn't worked well for them in the short term but it does feel like there isn't a long term plan there, other than a continuation of the current situation.

Edit: I should add I have some interest in this in that my brother and his family live in Australia. We haven't seen them for a couple of years and they have just been told that their borders are unlikely to reopen before 2023. As a result my brother was unable to come over here when our mother was dying of cancer earlier this year.

Sorry to hear about your mother. RIP

 

[denislawsbackheel]

I've wore a mask long enough for the old and vulnerable to be vaccinated. The sole reason they were mandated. So everyone's benefit but mine.

Many Cancer sufferers and survivors are finding the vaccine does not work. Their immune suppressed systems do not produce antibodies.
Many vulnerable people cannot be protected from the virus or people like you.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

If you want to carry on wearing a mask then fine but as there will be no legal requirement from the 19th it will be entirely a matter of personal choice.

My choice will be not to wear one in any setting as where we are now is more or less as good as it gets. Covid has joined the long list of potential health risks that we all have to live with. A ‘good’ flu season results in around 6000 deaths annually whereas a bad one is around 22,000. I don’t recall mask wearing to eliminate that risk.

Mask wearing, never having been promoted as a mitigative measure - well then, your recollection is correct.

What about vaccination then? Are you vaccinated? Will you receive COVID booster vaccinations? Or flu vaccinations for that matter?
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There is an obvious personal benefit from receiving initial COVID vaccination - and although there's yet no evidence either way - one may easily drawn the near certain inference the COVID booster vaccinations will be similarly beneficial.
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By the tone of your post, you're all about personal choice. It's your "personal choice" not to be vaccinated.

Well, true... except that you "personal choice" impacts others. Not everyone is able to safely receive COVID vaccination - for example, children at this point in time - and other individuals due to unassociated health risks.

So yeah, exercise your "personal choice" at the possible expense of children and those unable to receive the vaccine. Good on you! You fucking patriot! Oh - and if you contract COVID as a result of your "personal choice" - as the USA National Rifle Association would say - "Our thoughts and prayers are with you." Idiot!