Crosswords2 mins ago
Freedom Day
There's lots of noises the Govt is going to be pathetic and buckle and delay freedom day.
According to the link below deaths have doubled to 8 (8, not 80 or 800 or 8,000 - but 8), and my health authority in SE England has not had a Covid death for 100 days - so 2 and a 1/2 months.
https:/
There is not a single meaningful reason for freedom day to be delayed, so why is it likely to happen?
According to the link below deaths have doubled to 8 (8, not 80 or 800 or 8,000 - but 8), and my health authority in SE England has not had a Covid death for 100 days - so 2 and a 1/2 months.
https:/
There is not a single meaningful reason for freedom day to be delayed, so why is it likely to happen?
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It's not a lot to ask if it really is just another 4 weeks but I doubt it. This date was first announced months ago and now it looms they are back pedalling. The extra vaccines they can get done in 4 weeks will have minimal impact. And what about the thousands who are refusing to have it? We carry on like this for their benefit?
the date was announced as "not before", not "on this date"
in any case, i largely agree with the sentiments that i cant see what the problem with going ahead is, whilst at the same time knowing that even if it doesnt it wont affect me in the slightest as im not desperate to get to a wedding/funeral or football match :)
in any case, i largely agree with the sentiments that i cant see what the problem with going ahead is, whilst at the same time knowing that even if it doesnt it wont affect me in the slightest as im not desperate to get to a wedding/funeral or football match :)
// In my experience that simply isn’t the case. //
that's not what the industry is saying.
https:/
that's not what the industry is saying.
https:/
//I dunno. My 22 year old son thinks the restrictions should be kept in place.//
Have you asked him why?
//As far as I can see, the main thing that could be delayed is opening nightclubs and getting married with more than 30 people? Everything else is already allowed to open//
Sorry, bednobs, but your remark displays a spectacular lack of understanding. Consider this if you believe the continued restrictions are having no effect:
- The government has been (and is still) borrowing £1bn a day to fund its various munificent schemes.
- The travel industry is on its knees and many companies may not survive. This sector contributes about £150bn (around 7.5% of GDP) to the economy just for UK tourism alone and employs (or rather did employ) around 2.5m people.
- The hospitality industry (value £60bn, 3% of GDP, >3m jobs) has taken a massive hit and is still haemorrhaging around £200m a day. Those paces that have reopened are running at considerably reduced capacity and many outlets that have survived cannot currently break even.
- When “non-essential” shops were forcibly closed the retail sector suffered a net loss of more than 10,000 outlets – about 17,000 shops closed and never reopened, offset by around 7,000 new openings. This decline continues/
- Town centre cafes, snack bars and other food outlets have been devastated by the “work from home” directive. Many of these have closed permanently and many more will whilst the WFH “advice” is still in place.
That’s just a flavour of what this is doing to the country. I won’t go down the healthcare route but it is quite clear that far more people are now suffering from lack of adequate healthcare to address non-Covid ailments that those suffering from Covid.
//…but the big problem is that at its current level of vaccination, most of the country is still a breeding ground for new and nastier variants that arise from the easily transmissible delta,//
Vaccination does not stop a person contracting the virus or passing it on. It also does not counter variants developing. What it does do is reduce the likelihood of an infected person developing serious symptoms. Just shy of 30m people have now been fully vaccinated. Nobody knows what percentage of the population this is because nobody has the first clue how many people live here. But using the generally accepted 67m as the total population it means almost all people over 40 either have had, or have been offered two shots.
It is clear to me that this government has surreptitiously slid into a “zero Covid” strategy and a sizeable proportion of the population has slid with it. If that is indeed the case restrictions will never end because zero Covid is unachievable. All its previous (ever changing) conditions for the lifting of restrictions have been met. Now the relaxation is postponed “just in case.” As I keep saying, the government should come clean as to precisely the strategy it is following. Parliament should be allowed to debate the matter and a free vote held to decide the way forward.
Have you asked him why?
//As far as I can see, the main thing that could be delayed is opening nightclubs and getting married with more than 30 people? Everything else is already allowed to open//
Sorry, bednobs, but your remark displays a spectacular lack of understanding. Consider this if you believe the continued restrictions are having no effect:
- The government has been (and is still) borrowing £1bn a day to fund its various munificent schemes.
- The travel industry is on its knees and many companies may not survive. This sector contributes about £150bn (around 7.5% of GDP) to the economy just for UK tourism alone and employs (or rather did employ) around 2.5m people.
- The hospitality industry (value £60bn, 3% of GDP, >3m jobs) has taken a massive hit and is still haemorrhaging around £200m a day. Those paces that have reopened are running at considerably reduced capacity and many outlets that have survived cannot currently break even.
- When “non-essential” shops were forcibly closed the retail sector suffered a net loss of more than 10,000 outlets – about 17,000 shops closed and never reopened, offset by around 7,000 new openings. This decline continues/
- Town centre cafes, snack bars and other food outlets have been devastated by the “work from home” directive. Many of these have closed permanently and many more will whilst the WFH “advice” is still in place.
That’s just a flavour of what this is doing to the country. I won’t go down the healthcare route but it is quite clear that far more people are now suffering from lack of adequate healthcare to address non-Covid ailments that those suffering from Covid.
//…but the big problem is that at its current level of vaccination, most of the country is still a breeding ground for new and nastier variants that arise from the easily transmissible delta,//
Vaccination does not stop a person contracting the virus or passing it on. It also does not counter variants developing. What it does do is reduce the likelihood of an infected person developing serious symptoms. Just shy of 30m people have now been fully vaccinated. Nobody knows what percentage of the population this is because nobody has the first clue how many people live here. But using the generally accepted 67m as the total population it means almost all people over 40 either have had, or have been offered two shots.
It is clear to me that this government has surreptitiously slid into a “zero Covid” strategy and a sizeable proportion of the population has slid with it. If that is indeed the case restrictions will never end because zero Covid is unachievable. All its previous (ever changing) conditions for the lifting of restrictions have been met. Now the relaxation is postponed “just in case.” As I keep saying, the government should come clean as to precisely the strategy it is following. Parliament should be allowed to debate the matter and a free vote held to decide the way forward.
Australia and New Zealand have pursued a zero-covid policy and so far it's kept the levels of active disease to levels much lower than anywhere else. this is however at the expense of keeping their borders closed, with all the economic and human costs associated. in order to maintain their near-zero covid status, their borders must remain closed until the disease has all but abated elsewhere. as pointed out above, all the vaccine does is stop you getting sick. It doesn't stop you becoming infected, nor being infectious. as soon as Aus & NZ open their borders, there will be 2 countries-worth of new victims to be infected from vaccinated superspreaders from the rest of the world.
long-term, their zero covid policy won't be sustainable, unless the rest of the world adopt the same policy, or the virus fades away like the 1918 flu did; both seem unlikely. or, unless they keep their borders closed indefinitely.
long-term, their zero covid policy won't be sustainable, unless the rest of the world adopt the same policy, or the virus fades away like the 1918 flu did; both seem unlikely. or, unless they keep their borders closed indefinitely.
Prudie @ 10:29
"The extra vaccines they can get done in 4 weeks will have minimal impact"
Not true - they're doing well over 300,000 2nd jabs per day right now - even without any acceleration that's another 8.4 million people fully jabbed (and they are planning on upping the 2nd jabbings rate to make that more like 10 million).
That's a significant extra tranche of people made much safer - and they'll mainly be from the younger and more 'sociable' age groups too.
"The extra vaccines they can get done in 4 weeks will have minimal impact"
Not true - they're doing well over 300,000 2nd jabs per day right now - even without any acceleration that's another 8.4 million people fully jabbed (and they are planning on upping the 2nd jabbings rate to make that more like 10 million).
That's a significant extra tranche of people made much safer - and they'll mainly be from the younger and more 'sociable' age groups too.
That's the main rationale for holding off, we know people will get sick, but vaccinated individuals are generally not getting as sick, no strain on hospitals especially ICU s , all this craps about big weddings, if you want to get married for the right reasons you don't need the big guest list huge function, if all you want is to be a princess for a day go to Disneyland. 30 people should cover everyone who is really important.
It's Summer, hold open air concerts and events, hold off on the big indoor events as long as possible, it isn't unreasonable to be patient just a little longer.
It's Summer, hold open air concerts and events, hold off on the big indoor events as long as possible, it isn't unreasonable to be patient just a little longer.
My niece went to a wedding last Wednesday to the Titanic, sent me a photo of bride and groom who for her to be a very large lady looked absolutely beautiful.
The meal was ok (disappointing), music and dance for the bride and groom only and so the rest of the day was long and boring.
You need people to make a wedding joyous.
The meal was ok (disappointing), music and dance for the bride and groom only and so the rest of the day was long and boring.
You need people to make a wedding joyous.
//We will have to cancel plans but if lives are saved by delaying it by 4 weeks then suck it up.//
Lives will undoubtedly be saved if we delay it indefinitely. Shall we do that?
The government knew (near enough) how many people would be single/double jabbed by 21st June. The vaccination rate has varied very little since the middle of March. There is little to suggest that the decision in four weeks' time will be any different to today's expected decision.
//all this craps about big weddings,//
But it isn't solely about "big weddings". I totally agree - if you want to get married, get married. But the wedding industry is part of the hospitality sector which is huge and it's suffering enormously because of this nonsense.
Believe me, this is part of project "zero Covid." In four weeks' time there will be another variant, or another outbreak or some other reason to delay lifting the remaining restrictions. The original aim was to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed. Well it wasn't overwhelmed when there were forty times as many Covid patients in hospital as there are today. It coped because that's what it has to do. Meanwhile the that same institution sinks deeper and deeper into a dysfunctional mire. My neighbour who has an as yet undiagnosed heart problem has been told she must wait three weeks to have a sample of blood taken for testing. Pre-Covid she could get a form from her GP and visit the hospital the same day. Now she cannot visit her GP at all, even to get the form. She has had to get one issued from the local A&E department, sent to her by post before he could make an appointment for the blood test (at a different hospital). It's a complete shambles but because she is not a Covid sufferer she can take her chances. The restrictions may well prevent further deaths but they won't do much for her if she becomes seriously ill.
Lives will undoubtedly be saved if we delay it indefinitely. Shall we do that?
The government knew (near enough) how many people would be single/double jabbed by 21st June. The vaccination rate has varied very little since the middle of March. There is little to suggest that the decision in four weeks' time will be any different to today's expected decision.
//all this craps about big weddings,//
But it isn't solely about "big weddings". I totally agree - if you want to get married, get married. But the wedding industry is part of the hospitality sector which is huge and it's suffering enormously because of this nonsense.
Believe me, this is part of project "zero Covid." In four weeks' time there will be another variant, or another outbreak or some other reason to delay lifting the remaining restrictions. The original aim was to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed. Well it wasn't overwhelmed when there were forty times as many Covid patients in hospital as there are today. It coped because that's what it has to do. Meanwhile the that same institution sinks deeper and deeper into a dysfunctional mire. My neighbour who has an as yet undiagnosed heart problem has been told she must wait three weeks to have a sample of blood taken for testing. Pre-Covid she could get a form from her GP and visit the hospital the same day. Now she cannot visit her GP at all, even to get the form. She has had to get one issued from the local A&E department, sent to her by post before he could make an appointment for the blood test (at a different hospital). It's a complete shambles but because she is not a Covid sufferer she can take her chances. The restrictions may well prevent further deaths but they won't do much for her if she becomes seriously ill.
// In my experience that simply isn’t the case. //
further to previous, 10h09 and 11h42. Simon Jack's report on the BBC News at 6-30 made the point that to customers, pubs and restaurants may look as if they're doing OK; but bear in mind many are on rates or rent holidays which are due to end, as is the furlough scheme. not to mention a reduction in capacity of (on average) one third, limiting revenue throughput. as one business owner put it, "the public are seeing only the top of the iceberg"......
further to previous, 10h09 and 11h42. Simon Jack's report on the BBC News at 6-30 made the point that to customers, pubs and restaurants may look as if they're doing OK; but bear in mind many are on rates or rent holidays which are due to end, as is the furlough scheme. not to mention a reduction in capacity of (on average) one third, limiting revenue throughput. as one business owner put it, "the public are seeing only the top of the iceberg"......
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