Coronavirus Thread

[Costock_Fox]

9 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

I’m looking forward to tier 8 when we can’t fart or even breath.

Tier 6 is you can fart but only to the tune of happy birthday while washing your hands

[Dahnsouff]

Just now, Cardiff_Fox said:

Well this decision affecting Christmas is very much linked to the Government’s choice to place London originally in Tier 2 despite overwhelming evidence otherwise. 
 

Therefore allowing three weeks of football crowds, shopping, restaurants etc. 
 

Apparently according to the press conference, the variant was found in Kent back in late September. If we use the same rationale at the moment of ‘we only know so much about it’, why the feck weren’t they putting the strongest restrictions in those areas from December 2nd.  More troubling was the continued line from the Govt of the 5 day relaxation, despite knowledge of this warning sign alongside a raft of others. 

I am no way saying the government got this (or much at all) right, my point is more we (the public at large) know what the right course of action is, it really is only us who prevents this transmission until the vaccine is widespread through the population.

[Izzy]

So the gym's closing again in tier 4 is it?

 

Fvck all this for a game of soldiers.

[CosbehFox]

13 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

The NHS is basically run on a just in time basis as far as beds are concerned based on historical requirements, it has to be, or we'd have ten's of thousands of beds lying empty for half the year. It's only now it's become a major problem, but the shocking thing is that fvck all has been done over the last 10 months to sort it out fully. What moron builds a bunch of hospitals and then basically doesn't go on a recruitment drive in order to staff them.

Dunno. A country what’s completely fcuked its easiest ability of hiring medical staff from across the World. Forever failed to reward its staff with pay rises and therefore reduces its retention rate. Completely scrapped the funding of nurse bursary’s in 2015/16; only just reintroduced. 

[Costock_Fox]

17 minutes ago, foxile5 said:

He's doing what he can, but wrong

Edited for you

[ian__marshall]

31 minutes ago, Bryn said:

This is the problem, everyone is jaded and no-one listens to the Government anymore.

This is absolutely dreadful news. The government have honestly euphemised it. The new strain is equally lethal, far more infective and affects the target of the Pfizer vaccine. I think this is the biggest setback we've had since all this started and there is serious risk of COVID becoming endemic to the UK and evading our vaccines. We ought to be right back into full national lockdown until we're clear of the effect it has on vaccination and until a large proportion of the population is vaccinated.

But the majority aren't goinng to care.

Both the science and the data so far show there's no evidence that the vaccine isn't effective with this strain so it's reckless to speculate until the facts suggest otherwise. 

 

Even in a hypothetical situation where the vaccine is rendered ineffective against this strain, existing stocks can be reserved for those with the previous mutations of the virus and the vaccine can easily be modified as per the flu vaccine to be tailored specifically to the genetic make up the virus dna. The mode of action will remain the same so they'll be no need for new trials etc. The only challenge will be a very very short period of time required to culture the samples required to manufacture the vaccine at scale. Assuming the Oxford/AZ vaccine is approved soon, we'll be in a very strong position to make significant in roads to containing this virus. 

 

The risk is in the immediate term and people need to be more disciplined and take responsibility. Unfortunately we live in a society of self entitlement where it's easier and deemed acceptable to point the finger elsewhere by blaming others rather than accept that we're all individually accountable for our own actions. As a collective we've failed in our duty as citizens to make the necessary sacrifices to prevent passing of the virus on to one another. 

[Bryn]

Just now, ian__marshall said:

Both the science and the data so far show there's no evidence that the vaccine isn't effective with this strain so it's reckless to speculate until the facts suggest otherwise. 

 

Even in a hypothetical situation where the vaccine is rendered ineffective against this strain, existing stocks can be reserved for those with the previous mutations of the virus and the vaccine can easily be modified as per the flu vaccine to be tailored specifically to the genetic make up the virus dna. The mode of action will remain the same so they'll be no need for new trials etc. The only challenge will be a very very short period of time required to culture the samples required to manufacture the vaccine at scale. Assuming the Oxford/AZ vaccine is approved soon, we'll be in a very strong position to make significant in roads to containing this virus. 

 

The risk is in the immediate term and people need to be more disciplined and take responsibility. Unfortunately we live in a society of self entitlement where it's easier and deemed acceptable to point the finger elsewhere by blaming others rather than accept that we're all individually accountable for our own actions. As a collective we've failed in our duty as citizens to make the necessary sacrifices to prevent passing of the virus on to one another. 

 

It's reckless to ignore the possibility. And to ignore the possibility for future mutations.

Lockdown, vaccinate.

[ealingfox]

3 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

I am no way saying the government got this (or much at all) right, my point is more we (the public at large) know what the right course of action is, it really is only us who prevents this transmission until the vaccine is widespread through the population.

 

Have you got anything beyond meaningless platitudes?

 

Can you provide me with some evidence that the uptick in cases now, and previously, is/are being driven by individuals not being in full compliance with the rules? As opposed to structural factors such as schools and workplaces. I'd genuinely be interested to see it if you can provide it.

 

During the Eat Out to Help Out initiative, were people right or wrong to go out for dinner in your view?

[fox_up_north]

I'm caught between two minds on this. 

Follow the rules mind - it's for safety. If the cases have shot up, Christmas won't help at all and safety must come first. It's really important that we keep everyone safe, manage the NHS and ensure that there are enough spaces so things like routine cancer treatments and such can continue. 

Break the rules mind - I have worked in a school in the north for the last 4 months, where social distancing is nil and most kids don't wear a mask. My union cried out for schools to move to a rota system and for an early finish for Christmas, so we could isolate. We got put into Tier 3, despite having limited cases nearby (six, last week). I had prepared myself all through autumn to not have a normal Christmas. Then the announcement was made for those 5 days, so I adapted. I planned to go down as late as possible, giving myself time to isolate after school closure, then stay overnight with parents while grandparents (only one set) came and had lunch outside. This is because my small family is spread in the north, the midlands and the south. 

Then I get the double whammy in the last two days of finding out schools have to move everything online from Jan, with a day's notice, and that my relatives now can't come because they're tier 4 and I can't stay over. Doing a day trip is unreasonable because it's a 5 hour round journey. I haven't seen my family together for several years because they've all either been working abroad with military or I've been working. I had planned this. We had ordered food that now can't be eaten. 

I think the biggest issue for me is just the timing of everything. There feels like no forethought into it at all. Now I've got a family that is upset and fighting over what to do - one set is happy to break the rules, the other isn't and nobody is happy. 

[foxile5]

6 minutes ago, Costock_Fox said:

Edited for you

Oh I don't actually endorse those beliefs. I was being Facetious about the government bootlicking that goes on. 

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, ealingfox said:

Have you got anything beyond meaningless platitudes?

 

Can you provide me with some evidence that the uptick in cases now, and previously, is/are being driven by individuals not being in full compliance with the rules? As opposed to structural factors such as schools and workplaces. I'd genuinely be interested to see it if you can provide it.

 

During the Eat Out to Help Out initiative, were people right or wrong to go out for dinner in your view?

No, I have nothing but meaningless (platitudes?) statements, and observations.
 

Eat out to help out was a dumb idea, but I understood the idea, even then steps could be taken to mitigate transmission on an individual basis.

 

Perhaps you would care to share your evidence after my failure to do so?

[whoareyaaa]

3 minutes ago, ian__marshall said:

Both the science and the data so far show there's no evidence that the vaccine isn't effective with this strain so it's reckless to speculate until the facts suggest otherwise. 

 

Even in a hypothetical situation where the vaccine is rendered ineffective against this strain, existing stocks can be reserved for those with the previous mutations of the virus and the vaccine can easily be modified as per the flu vaccine to be tailored specifically to the genetic make up the virus dna. The mode of action will remain the same so they'll be no need for new trials etc. The only challenge will be a very very short period of time required to culture the samples required to manufacture the vaccine at scale. Assuming the Oxford/AZ vaccine is approved soon, we'll be in a very strong position to make significant in roads to containing this virus. 

 

The risk is in the immediate term and people need to be more disciplined and take responsibility. Unfortunately we live in a society of self entitlement where it's easier and deemed acceptable to point the finger elsewhere by blaming others rather than accept that we're all individually accountable for our own actions. As a collective we've failed in our duty as citizens to make the necessary sacrifices to prevent passing of the virus on to one another. 

Wrong, it doesn't matter what we do the virus that has come straight from a lab somewhere is highly contagious although not very deadly in the grand scheme of things... all global flights should have been stopped back in December 19 they could have prevented it from getting to this stage if they wanted to but that's not the agenda here so they have it spread, all starts with WHO and then national govs you can't blame 'citizens'

 

[Chrysalis]

9 hours ago, Buce said:

 

I don't know how representative this is, but my wife's workplace has all employees booked for CV vaccinations this weekend; out of circa 100 employees, 95 have declined to have it, citing a variety of conspiracy theory based reasons.

Hmm where are they sourcing the vaccine from, if there is an option to buy to skip the queue I will consider it.

[Royston.]

2 hours ago, MonmoreStef said:

This is all happening to late for me. Could have done with this banning Xmas shit a few weeks back when the clowns were bigging up the Xmas freedom will happen.  I’m committed now to a day I dread with the extended family talking bollox and eating nuts all day. At least I’ve got Boxing Day on my sofa to look forward to. 

[Dahnsouff]

Just now, Royston. said:

Hates nuts clearly

[ealingfox]

2 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

No, I have nothing but meaningless (platitudes?) statements, and observations.
 

Eat out to help out was a dumb idea, but I understood the idea, even then steps could be taken to mitigate transmission on an individual basis.

 

Perhaps you would care to share your evidence after my failure to do so?

 

I'm not the one trying to blame everything on an unspecified and unquantified minority of members of the public. If you want people to believe that then it's on you to show us why, otherwise I'm happy to continue my believing that the government is responsible for running the country. 

[dsr-burnley]

the first step in persuading people to enforce rules on themselves, is to persuade them that the people making the rules know what they are doing.

 

I think we have a problem with this step.

[Izzy]

So as we're tier 4 down here in Bucks, we can't come up to Leics on Xmas day and see my folks then?

 

What an absolute pisser

[Bellend Sebastian]

Oh FFS I've lost my sense of taste now, I mean in my mouth, not the other sort, that's still very highly tuned

[Dahnsouff]

Just now, ealingfox said:

I'm not the one trying to blame everything on an unspecified and unquantified minority of members of the public. If you want people to believe that then it's on you to show us why, otherwise I'm happy to continue my believing that the government is responsible for running the country. 

Maybe I am just painfully positive, even in the face of such incompetence (and greed) and want to believe that it is us, not the government who rescue the best from this current situation.  (Not quite sure what level of micro management you are expecting from any government, I can think of little worse.)

 

We are all different when it comes to certain topics mind.

[Legend_in_blue]

Quote

Mutant new strain? As Dr Mike Yeadon has pointed out, there are at least 10,000 variants of the dozens of respiratory viruses we refer to as the common cold. It’s completely normal for new variants of these sorts of viruses to emerge, dominate for a while, and then recede.

 

On the other hand should the Pfizer vaccine prove ineffective on any new strain Vallance's £600k shareholding in Pfizer is bound to take a hit.  But there's no conflict of interest, Hancock says so.  

[dsr-burnley]

4 minutes ago, Legend_in_blue said:

 

On the other hand should the Pfizer vaccine prove ineffective on any new strain Vallance's £600k shareholding in Pfizer is bound to take a hit.  But there's no conflict of interest, Hancock says so.  

Are you suggesting that the Government's decision to buy the first available vaccine was a mistake?

[Lionator]

9 minutes ago, Legend_in_blue said:

 

On the other hand should the Pfizer vaccine prove ineffective on any new strain Vallance's £600k shareholding in Pfizer is bound to take a hit.  But there's no conflict of interest, Hancock says so.  

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is as close to a modern scientific miracle as you can get, you'd be mad not to get a share of the company if you're in the know.

[Legend_in_blue]

4 minutes ago, dsr-burnley said:

Are you suggesting that the Government's decision to buy the first available vaccine was a mistake?

 

Not necessarily a mistake, but there's a lot at stake here and we're not privy to the financial ramifications.  Looking at it another way - given we've a head start with vaccinations over our fellow Europeans, how long before their rollout is significantly more efficient than ours?  Germany for example.  The vaccine rollout will be curtains for Johnson if it becomes a disaster.

[ian__marshall]

27 minutes ago, Bryn said:

 

It's reckless to ignore the possibility. And to ignore the possibility for future mutations.

Lockdown, vaccinate.

But you have to work with the facts surely. There's no evidence whatsoever that the vaccine is not effective at containing this strain.

 

Even if it was proven, as mentioned in my last post the mode of action of all the vaccines in development show good efficacy so we know how to contain the virus regardless of its genetic make-up. As we saw with the very first outbreak of Covid 19 in China, the virus was genetically profiled within 48 hours so we can profile it very quickly. Once you have this data the vaccine can then be adapted so there is light at the end of the tunnel.