Coronavirus (2021) thread

[sky tot]

So much for getting out of jail
We are all still on parole and wearing ankle tags for the foreseeable.

Quite good for you Matt

 

[kevin horlocks wand]

So much for getting out of jail
We are all still on parole and wearing ankle tags for the foreseeable.

a Mask around my ankle would be more comfortable, I have to wear mine on my face!

 

[BLUEMATT23]

Quite good for you Matt

Actually I nicked it from one of the papers !

 

[Franny's toilet roll]

Importance diminishing and research grants disappearing. Just remember, you’re not allowed to say such things. Welcome to the world of being anti-society and a Covid denier........

All joking aside though, given that press conference, there must be another agenda in play here. Whitty confirms Covid is here in perpetuity, the vaccine roll out and success unimagined a few months ago, all the data pointing to great success and yet we will need social distancing and masks until at least next year? Bypassing parliament for vaccine passports?
Remember 3 weeks to flatten the curve. Then temporary tiers. Then no schools as they put up the R number by at least 0.7. A second lockdown to save Christmas, Christmas cancelled to prevent another lockdown, a third lockdown to save Easter with a promise of normality is the vaccine was a success. Data not dates, but only if the data is worse, it’s dates not data if that’s not the case. Restrictions lifted in June provided no new bad data. There is no new bad data and yet it’s all change yet again. That’s without everyone taking 2 Covid test a week. Assuming a false positive rate of only 0.1% and 80 million tests a week, that’s a false posited number of 80000 a week or 11200 a day. Bearing in mind that the FP rate is reckoned to be 4 times that at 0.4%, it can never end.
Good job he’s passing legislation to ban protests or people might start getting a tad hacked off. The goalposts haven’t just been moved but they are on a different continent and moving further away every week....

A good summary of what we've been through and of what is likely to happen going forward. I'd rather do 1 test every 2 weeks if it was accurate. Going to be so much white noise with twice weekly inaccurate testing, the government and their scientists will be able to bullshit anything through. They are simply too scared to try to return to a normal life. We are too scared to be one of the countries leading the way out of this shit show.

 

[BLUEMATT23]

It really isn’t. It has been for a long time, but now we are finally seeing the end of the road. It might not be as close as we thought, but it’s definitely much closer than this time last year. Even January, 6 weeks ago, things were looking terrible. Now figures are good. Kids are in school and we are monitoring figures whilst partially reopening more and more each month.

OK but why did last night feel so depressing?
I'm convinced that some of the science experts are actually enjoying all of this.
Its there big moment to shine and they don't want to let go
Maybe I'm just getting to cynical.

 

[M18CTID]

A good summary of what we've been through and of what is likely to happen going forward. I'd rather do 1 test every 2 weeks if it was accurate. Going to be so much white noise with twice weekly inaccurate testing, the government and their scientists will be able to bullshit anything through. They are simply too scared to try to return to a normal life. We are too scared to be one of the countries leading the way out of this shit show.

Apart from the fact that we were the first country in the world to start vaccinations, and also have a roadmap out of lockdown with clear dates, all of which have been adhered to so far. But yeah, despite that we're too scared to be one of the countries leading the way out of this shit show.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

don't know what people expected, this was never going to be over by 21 June. That's not how these things have ever worked.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Do you really think the Corbyn, Abbott, Ashworth dream team would have done better?

And yet, they’ve still not worked out the most basic thing. They’re busy spaffing billions in testing, not tracing, opening Nightingale and not using them, PPE supplied by mates who‘ve never done anything like it and countless other complete wastes of our money (not Rishi’s money, btw) but the one thing that would have made the biggest difference is paying people a level of sick pay (not £95 pw) that meant they didn’t need to go to work for a week or two if they were ill. Whitty said yesterday that, going forward, any social distancing measures will need to include staying at home when you aren’t well, which just hasn’t been happening because people can’t afford it.
It’s really not complicated but there is absolutely no sign they will do anything about it. The usual Tory fear is that someone will be getting something they’re not entitled to, which only seems to matter if it’s a few quid at the poorer end of society, not huge amounts at the other end.

 

[shemnel]

Christ you're insufferable.

Clearly, available and rapid testing is required to help identify outbreaks and shut them down asap. Do you want your freedoms or not? Do you have a better plan to achieve post-pandemic utopia?

Do you see the mass LFT programme being robust though?

Personally I can't see a huge uptake, a lot of people don't want the risk of isolating based on a test that has a lower chance of being correct that the regular PCR one, expressly one where it's shown that the less expert the tester (in this case it'll usually be Joe bloggs) then the much higher the rate of error. And that's both ways, missing out the real positive cases too.

I do have that creeping feeling that the mass test initiative is a bit of a vanity project, and a huge huge misappropriation of public money

 

[M18CTID]

And yet, they’ve still not worked out the most basic thing. They’re busy spaffing billions in testing, not tracing, opening Nightingale and not using them, PPE supplied by mates who‘ve never done anything like it and countless other complete wastes of our money (not Rishi’s money, btw) but the one thing that would have made the biggest difference is paying people a level of sick pay (not £95 pw) that meant they didn’t need to go to work for a week or two if they were ill. Whitty said yesterday that, going forward, any social distancing measures will need to include staying at home when you aren’t well, which just hasn’t been happening because people can’t afford it.
It’s really not complicated but there is absolutely no sign they will do anything about it. The usual Tory fear is that someone will be getting something they’re not entitled to, which only seems to matter if it’s a few quid at the poorer end of society, not huge amounts at the other end.

I agree they should've done more to help with sick pay for those who test positive. Perhaps even allow people to be furloughed for a couple of weeks at least, especially as it's estimated that furlough has cost billions in fraudulent claims, yet those who have to isolate due to Covid are only entitled to £95 per week. On the flip side to that, all these people who have Covid but can't afford to isolate - what exactly do they do when they're off sick for any other reason? If they can't get into work because they're floored with the flu or have broken an ankle, etc, can they all of a sudden afford a couple of weeks or so off work on SSP for those reasons but not when they have Covid?

 

[jimharri]

If you want score political points, there's a thread in the politics sub forum. Keep the political comments on there.

 

[Franny's toilet roll]

Apart from the fact that we were the first country in the world to start vaccinations, and also have a roadmap out of lockdown with clear dates, all of which have been adhered to so far. But yeah, despite that we're too scared to be one of the countries leading the way out of this shit show.

We are too scared to be the first country to open the door, step outside and say all clear. It's going to be with us forever as a virus but the level at which we accept it continually changes. We have a roadmap and a plan but it is reliant on data being acceptable. Acceptability level is changing. In terms of the roadmap, we've barely got to the first checkpoint and we're being softened up with 2 tests per week ( great if only they were accurate), vaccine passports and social distancing and masks continuing into the winter/next year. It's a difficult job that they've got but it seems we are winging it and mixed messages abound

 

[Deleted member 77198]

SAGE are an absolute joke
The government are basically been run by them fuck wits at the moment.
Like being In North Korea, they would have us locked up for 10 years if they could.

Go to North Korea, mate. Might give you a reality check.

I get there are pessimistic people around but some of the stuff you spout is utter nonsense.

Did you know that in normal pre-Covid times, people in Sweden socially distance in queues out of politeness as part of their culture? And in South Korea (SOUTH!), they wear masks in public to stop the spread of viruses like simple flu and common colds as part of their culture?

Social distancing and mask wearing for the next couple of years while a virus like Covid is still around is just common fucking sense.

Stop moaning about it, you’re not the only person living through this, every one of us is. Stop jumping to paranoid extremes, stop comparing everything to Orwell and North Korea... find some things to enjoy during these times that you won’t be able to do or have time to do when the world gets back to normal. Lockdown has changed my life, I’m the healthiest I’ve been for about 15 years and that wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Covid. Take positives out of every situation instead of moaning about fictional extremes.

And what level of insight into SAGE do you have that makes you qualified to call them an absolute joke? Do you have any idea how hard people (normal individuals with families of their own, they’re not some crazy scientists in a military dictatorship) are working within SAGE towards defeating this pandemic?

 

[The Blue]

My fiancee who is 23 had the AZ vaccine a few weeks ago. Do you reckon she would have had a reaction blood clot wise by now if she was under any risk? A little worried about it tbh.

 

[M18CTID]

We are too scared to be the first country to open the door, step outside and say all clear. It's going to be with us forever as a virus but the level at which we accept it continually changes. We have a roadmap and a plan but it is reliant on data being acceptable. Acceptability level is changing. In terms of the roadmap, we've barely got to the first checkpoint and we're being softened up with 2 tests per week ( great if only they were accurate), vaccine passports and social distancing and masks continuing into the winter/next year. It's a difficult job that they've got but it seems we are winging it and mixed messages abound

Forget 2 tests per week (they're not mandatory so that's irrelevant). Vaccine passports are still up in the air and I reckon our government are more reluctant to bring those in than many other countries. As for masks and social distancing, well masks are a bit of a ballache but they won't be required in most situations once we've opened up anyway. And is a bit of social distancing such a bad thing going forward? It helps stem the spread of viruses other than Covid and might help bring seasonal flu numbers down. You see, there's actually a few good things that have come out of this pandemic. Hand sanitizer stations in pubs and restaurants are another one, unless you'd sooner plenty of dirty fuckers continued not to wash their hands after going to the toilet?

Personally I think there's way too much flapping going on and the most important thing IMO is let's see where we are on April 12th, May 17th, and finally June 21st. They're the 3 key dates in terms of restrictions being lifted. Personally, I think people need to stop flapping because unless we get hit with a doomsday scenario of a new variant that is largely resistant to the vaccines and hospitalisations and deaths start to increase at an alarming rate then there's no need to think those dates won't be adhered to.

 

[Franny's toilet roll]

And what level of insight into SAGE do you have that makes you qualified to call them an absolute joke? Do you have any idea how hard people (normal individuals with families of their own, they’re not some paid stooges in a military dictatorship) are working within SAGE towards defeating this pandemic?

I'd like them to be a little bit more optimistic with their predictor modelling. The head honcho predictor Ferguson would be out of a job if his work was based on accuracy. Ferguson ceased to be serious once it was known he was shagging around and breaking rules he helped to introduce. I'm sure he has a second job weather forecasting for the Daily Express. There are varying opinions amongst the experts but i tend to ignore Ferguson if i can. We ( the missus and i ) tend to put more store in Dr John Campbell

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

Forget 2 tests per week (they're not mandatory so that's irrelevant). Vaccine passports are still up in the air and I reckon our government are more reluctant to bring those in than many other countries. As for masks and social distancing, well masks are a bit of a ballache but they won't be required in most situations once we've opened up anyway. And is a bit of social distancing such a bad thing going forward? It helps stem the spread of viruses other than Covid and might help bring seasonal flu numbers down. You see, there's actually a few good things that have come out of this pandemic. Hand sanitizer stations in pubs and restaurants for one, unless you'd sooner plenty of dirty fuckers continued not to wash their hands after going to the toilet?

Personally I think there's way too much flapping going on and the most important thing IMO is let's see where we are on April 12th, May 17th, and finally June 21st. They're the 3 key dates in terms of restrictions being lifted. Personally, I think people need to stop flapping because unless we get hit with a doomsday scenario of a new variant that is largely resistant to the vaccines and hospitalisations and deaths start to increase at an alarming rate then there's no need to think those dates won't be adhered to.

exactly, is it really a hardship say next winter to have to respect 2m and wear a mask in shops, on public transport to keep transmission levels lower? People going full doomsday 2 months ahead of any potential opening up date based on politicians being politicians and covering their arses with if's, but's and maybe's.

The 2 tests per week will be to get through the pointless tests they've bought, they've no relevance and the backlash is growing on vaccine passports and I suspect it's tactical to have leaked it so early so they can turn round and go "see, the people didn't want them".

 

[Deleted member 77198]

“Everyone will be able to take a free rapid coronavirus test twice a week from the 9th April. Reclaiming our lost freedoms & getting back to normal hinges on us all getting tested regularly.” Matt Hancock, 5th April.
So we can only get our freedoms if we all get tested regularly?
I thought it was if the NHS wasn’t overwhelmed or if we all wore masks, or hospitalisations and deaths fell, or the vulnerable got vaccinated? Or is it if we agreed to vaccine passports?

Is it just a few more weeks, a few more months or a couple of years?I’m sure it’s all obvious to some of you but I'm losing track....

Hang on a minute! 21st June is when all restrictions are supposed to be lifted. On the other hand we are being briefed about possible Covid passports etc and possible medium term use of masks and social distancing. What’s going on?

No it isn’t. “no earlier than 21 June, the government hopes to be in a position to remove all legal limits on social contact.” They’ve never once said this is set in stone, it’s a plan, but a flexible one. The word “hopes” should give you an indication of what they mean. If they find that there are situations that might need to be amended for the health of the nation, then they will introduce them alongside lifting of restrictions.

Jonathan Van-Tam said on 3rd December last year that we will likely be distancing and mask wearing in Winter 21/22 and beyond. People just need to fucking calm down, take a step back and understand what your hyperbole looks like to everyone else. People who get themselves all worked up are the sort of people who stir idiots into doing the wrong things and taking us back some steps, because they get swept along by hyperbolic language and emotions and run along with it in idiocy and rebellion.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Forget 2 tests per week (they're not mandatory so that's irrelevant). Vaccine passports are still up in the air and I reckon our government are more reluctant to bring those in than many other countries. As for masks and social distancing, well masks are a bit of a ballache but they won't be required in most situations once we've opened up anyway. And is a bit of social distancing such a bad thing going forward? It helps stem the spread of viruses other than Covid and might help bring seasonal flu numbers down. You see, there's actually a few good things that have come out of this pandemic. Hand sanitizer stations in pubs and restaurants are another one, unless you'd sooner plenty of dirty fuckers continued not to wash their hands after going to the toilet?

Personally I think there's way too much flapping going on and the most important thing IMO is let's see where we are on April 12th, May 17th, and finally June 21st. They're the 3 key dates in terms of restrictions being lifted. Personally, I think people need to stop flapping because unless we get hit with a doomsday scenario of a new variant that is largely resistant to the vaccines and hospitalisations and deaths start to increase at an alarming rate then there's no need to think those dates won't be adhered to.

Indeed. I think Boris’ exact words were “listen, this is still miles away this thing about Covid passports, we are still very early in the discussion phase”.

What everyone is going so overboard about it for is just fucking pure stupidity. It might not even happen, despite many people in the population thinking it’s a good idea even if the Govt just think it’s an idea that won’t even come into reality.

Sometimes I do think this flapping is purposeful by some. They know exactly what they’re fucking doing!

 

[carlosthejackal]

My fiancee who is 23 had the AZ vaccine a few weeks ago. Do you reckon she would have had a reaction blood clot wise by now if she was under any risk? A little worried about it tbh.

I’d imagine the risk of blood clots are far higher if she contracts COVID .