Coronavirus Thread

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

1 hour ago, Wrighty22 said:

Wonder what the rules will be on couples seeing each other than don't live in the same household? Last lockdown they weren't allowed to see each other, right?

The Bubble allow me to see my partner.

[Webbo]

2 minutes ago, fox_up_north said:

Every supermarket I have been to round my area (Tesco, Aldi, M&S) - all till staff have a plastic barrier in front of them. That's been in place since April.

 

They also all wear masks. If they've been stocking shelves, I've seen them tape off an aisle. They also have people at the entrance checking numbers and offering hand sanitiser, which the vast majority use.

 

May I ask what industry you work in?

People stacking shelves don't have barriers around them, the shelves they touch and some of the goods on them have been touched by others. There are hundreds walking up and down the aisles every hour. My wife works at Asda and they don't tape off aisles there.

 

She has to go work, or else people wouldn't eat, why shouldn't teachers?

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

4 minutes ago, fox_up_north said:

Every supermarket I have been to round my area (Tesco, Aldi, M&S) - all till staff have a plastic barrier in front of them. That's been in place since April.

 

They also all wear masks. If they've been stocking shelves, I've seen them tape off an aisle. They also have people at the entrance checking numbers and offering hand sanitiser, which the vast majority use.

 

May I ask what industry you work in?

My daughter has a part time job in the CO OP and quite definitely didn’t wear a mask until late summer.

Not many colleagues  have had Covid in that time either.

[fox_up_north]

1 minute ago, Matt said:

I'm at a stage where we either have a strict lockdown, under no uncertain terms, or we do nothing because under these tiers or the 'lockdown' we had before Christmas are pointless and not working, both the government and certain members of public not taking responsibility for themselves are to blame for that.

 

As for kids going back to school and please correct me if I say anything out of turn, but they've had 2? 2.5 weeks off? Shouldn't have been going anywhere, shouldn't have been mixing (Apart from Christmas day) - off course they were though, but even if schools were closed down, the little darlings will still be mixing, going round each others houses, playing out in their little groups and gangs - if anything they'll be mixing more than if they were actually in school - I understand schools being closed protects teachers and staff but if anything I see schools being closed potentially spreading it worse.

Fully agree with first point.

 

As for the second, the closure (and what teachers and unions are calling for) is a couple of weeks to enable some proactivity to take place. EG - bring in school rota systems so that proper distancing can happen, as well as PPE. 

 

It should also allow the virus to work its way through the local area over a couple of weeks to a month. 

 

I actually think school closure should come with a month of "stay in your house don't go out" lockdown. Then straight back. Managing online learning is a nightmare and at absolute best engagement is 50%. So we don't particularly want long term online learning. It's a pain.

 

What would be great is if year 11 have a full timetable, with lower years on a rota so we can properly distance. Even if it's just until March. 

[urban.spaceman]

35 minutes ago, Tuna said:

 

Ta. Have printed one off and have a dibber at the ready. 

[z-layrex]

I know you're not supposed to generalise but **** it. I am sick and tired of groups of Eastern European men walking through trains with no mask, talking away. And we wonder how it spreads so much.

Edited 4 January 2021 by z-layrex

[Facecloth]

12 minutes ago, Webbo said:

People stacking shelves don't have barriers around them, the shelves they touch and some of the goods on them have been touched by others. There are hundreds walking up and down the aisles every hour. My wife works at Asda and they don't tape off aisles there.

 

She has to go work, or else people wouldn't eat, why shouldn't teachers?

Because, and maybe this will surprise you, people will still be able to buy food if teachers don't work.

 

Everything we touch is touched by others, as long your wife washes her hand prior to touching her face or eating using her hands she'll be fine, and we all should be doing that anyway. If she's and others are unhappy with the fact aisles are left open whilst they stack shelves they  should bring this up with the managers.

 

Getting a supply of food is truly essential to our survival and I commend your wife and others for continuing to work. Kids going to school, whist desirable, isn't critical to our survival. My sister is a teacher, she wants to keep going in, but if its not safe and is helping the spread then its probably right to close them.

Edited 4 January 2021 by Facecloth

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

Did it ever get established how long the vaccine is effective for?

With 25 million in the vulnerable category it needs to be longer than a few months.

[Carl the Llama]

16 minutes ago, Matt said:

Few things to address that i've seen on here.

 

People think these tiers are a lockdown? No, not at all.

 

They're restrictions that make life hard, but they're in no way a lockdown in any shape or form.

Thank you.  I can't imagine what it must be like to have spent the last few months almost entirely at home so I'm sure that sucks, but this isn't a lockdown.  While the office workers have been struggling to entertain themselves I've been spending most days at work, helping to serve the thousands of people who no longer work from the workplace using their new 'free time' to go have a saunter around town and buy themselves an essential cup of coffee.  Not a lockdown.

Edited 4 January 2021 by Carl the Llama

[Col city fan]

2 minutes ago, Carl the Llama said:

Thank you.  I can't imagine what it must be like to have spent the last few months almost entirely at home so I'm sure that sucks, but this isn't a lockdown.  While the office workers have been struggling to entertain themselves I've been spending most days at work, helping to serve the thousands of people who no longer work from the workplace using their new 'free time' to go have a saunter around town and buy themselves an essential cup of coffee.  Not a lockdown.

8pm tonight will herald a lockdown in everything but name I suspect 

[Parafox]

Just now, z-layrex said:

I know you're not supposed to generalise but **** it. I am sick and tired of groups of Eastern European men walking through trains with no mask, taking away. And we wonder how it spreads so much.

Clearly, certain groups of people don't care and /or don't fully grasp the necessity of protecting others as well as themselves. I've been amongst certain (dare I say, ethnic) groups that just want to do whatever they please and it's almost racism from them because they will say, and I've heard it on more than one occasion, that they don't care about "the English". But then when they or their family/friends become unwell they can be the most demanding in terms of wanting treatment.

 

[sdb]

1 hour ago, StanSP said:

 

 

 

 

Too decisive. Wait a few more weeks imo. 

[Col city fan]

1 minute ago, sdb said:

Too decisive. Wait a few more weeks imo. 

Waiting is what Boris and his band are being severely criticised for. And by not only Starmer

Wait a few more weeks the hospitals won’t cope. Many can’t now 

Edited 4 January 2021 by Col city fan

[sdb]

2 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Waiting is what Boris and his band are being severely criticised for. And by not only Starmer

Yeah I was joking!

[Carl the Llama]

2 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

8pm tonight will herald a lockdown in everything but name I suspect 

I'm not so sure, we're talking about a govt intent on doing anything but the tough, necessary decisions.  On top of that we had a work zoom earlier where we discussed changing our opening hours in response to reduced sales.  We got wind of the first lockdown where we had to stop trading a day prior to its official announcement but this time everyone at head office seems to think the company will continue trading as 'normal'.  I could do with a bit of a rest after these past few months so I hope you're right but I can't see it.

[Parafox]

4 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

8pm tonight will herald a lockdown in everything but name I suspect 

I reckon it's going to be back to the 2 metre rule, limiting people in shops to one shopper only and a one way system (which was bollocks the first time) resulting in queues outside again. No outdoor team sports, face masks anywhere outside your home, schools/colleges closed. No travel outside of your local area, more working from home. No meeting others outside of your household. Bubbles will be 1 to 1 only.

[Col city fan]

2 minutes ago, Parafox said:

I reckon it's going to be back to the 2 metre rule, limiting people in shops to one shopper only and a one way system (which was bollocks the first time) resulting in queues outside again. No outdoor team sports, face masks anywhere outside your home, schools/colleges closed. No travel outside of your local area, more working from home. No meeting others outside of your household. Bubbles will be 1 to 1 only.

And most of it unenforceable and/or not adhered to anyway I suspect?

Guess we’ll see

Edited 4 January 2021 by Col city fan

[Corky]

1 hour ago, Legend_in_blue said:

Do you honestly believe people outside of the at-risk groups will willingly take the vaccine?  Particularly when they've managed to make a mess of the dosage message within the first two weeks.

I'd hope so. The biggest issue around it will be messaging so hopefully the Government keep their noses out and let the experts deliver it.

 

I can't imagine highly reputable companies would put their entire reputation on the line by producing a shoddy, ineffective or harmful product. The vaccines will be fine, the roll out and the smoothness of it is critical.

 

I think this is the last lockdown people will take, to be honest.

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

2 minutes ago, Parafox said:

I reckon it's going to be back to the 2 metre rule, limiting people in shops to one shopper only and a one way system (which was bollocks the first time) resulting in queues outside again. No outdoor team sports, face masks anywhere outside your home, schools/colleges closed. No travel outside of your local area, more working from home. No meeting others outside of your household. Bubbles will be 1 to 1 only.

Agree with everything except your final point. For a single household to only be able to form a bubble with 1 other person won’t work. (Apologies if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick) it’s a sensitive subject for me as I rely on my bubble.

[tom27111]

2 minutes ago, Parafox said:

I reckon it's going to be back to the 2 metre rule, limiting people in shops to one shopper only and a one way system (which was bollocks the first time) resulting in queues outside again. No outdoor team sports, face masks anywhere outside your home, schools/colleges closed. No travel outside of your local area, more working from home. No meeting others outside of your household. Bubbles will be 1 to 1 only.

Pretty much this I think.

 

But once again, how will it be policed? 

 

We all know that people flout the rules and think they're above the law.

 

As draconian as it sounds, could we look at deploying the army to set up checkpoints and make sure people are doing as they're told?

 

Until a system is in place to make sure people are adhering to the law, it will be ignored.

[Free Falling Foxes]

Whatever the new/extended restrictions are - ENFORCE THEM.

I've grumbled on here recently about plenty of folk not wearing masks in shops, well it seems it also applies to many public transport users to.

I passed a bus at a stop near our house that had 'Face coverings mandatory' on the front. The were 3 passengers on the lower deck and not one of them was wearing a mask or shield.

Edited 4 January 2021 by Free Falling Foxes

[Parafox]

Just now, Col city fan said:

And most of it unenforceable and/or not adhered to anyway I suspect?

That's pretty much always been the case in the lockdowns we have experience so far, sadly. But unless they enforce a police state, that's always going to happen to an extent. There will always those who fully comply, those who partially comply and those who just will not. 

 

[Matt]

8 minutes ago, Parafox said:

I reckon it's going to be back to the 2 metre rule, limiting people in shops to one shopper only and a one way system (which was bollocks the first time) resulting in queues outside again. No outdoor team sports, face masks anywhere outside your home, schools/colleges closed. No travel outside of your local area, more working from home. No meeting others outside of your household. Bubbles will be 1 to 1 only.

I didn't realise any of those things in the first part of your post had been offically relaxed.

 

Edited 4 January 2021 by Matt

[Parafox]

1 minute ago, Matt said:

I didn't realise any of those had been offically relaxed. (Apart from the meeting and bubbles)

The 2 metre rule became 1 metre, supermarkets didn't have to enforce a one way system nor did they limit the number of people in the store. Outdoor team sports were allowed (no communal changing or showers), face masks were only mandatory on public transport and in shops, schools were allowed to re-open.

[Scotch]

2 minutes ago, Mark 'expert' Lawrenson said:

Agree with everything except your final point. For a single household to only be able to form a bubble with 1 other person won’t work. (Apologies if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick) it’s a sensitive subject for me as I rely on my bubble.

The whole "bubble" thing is just so complicated. I appreciate its necessary but where does it stop? 

 

For example....

 

I have two step kids who I live with and am ofcourse in a bubble with but for two nights a week they go to their dads who they are in a bubble with. Their dads GF has a wee boy from another marriage who sees his dad a couple of nights a week so he's in a bubble with him, god knows who the dad is in a bubble with......Its mental! It's only slowing the rate of infection.