Coronavirus in the UK - news, lockdown and discussion

[elbows]

The idea that case numbers are set to fall isn't that wild. It's happened before recently; here are reported new case figures for the last six months:
View attachment 294252

In mid-July and mid-September just as things started to look bad, and the impacts were rising to the point where somebody would have to do something, the numbers dropped unexpectedly away before starting to rise again.

The July falls in England were not unexpected to me, because I paid attention to school holidays and what happened in Scotland when their schools broke up for summer.

Since its half term in many places this week I certainly dont expect this weeks numbers to show clear growth compared to last weeks. But I'll have to wait further weeks to get a proper glimpse about whats actually happening because schools being off tends to make a large difference to number of people getting tested, and also makes a difference to other behaviours and contact levels.

The mood music can also make a difference to behaviour, and that mood music has certainly changed in recent weeks.

Edited to add - As for what was seen in data during parts of September, at the time I attributed some of that to a nice spell of weather but that probably wasnt the only factor and I'll continue to describe this phase of the pandemic as messy and somewhat unpredictable. At least this spares everyone from my endless waffle about what the latest modelling shows, since such exercises could easily end up far wide of the mark.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

How long do you hang them up for? I used to put them up in the window for 24 hours or so, but someone told me that's not long enough. And anyway I was doing so in summer, when we had some sun. Afterwards I began washing my N95/FFP2 masks after each use, but I suspect they can only take a limited number of washes before they become ineffective.

I think if you wash FFP2s it fucks up the static electricity part of the filtration system.

Ways to disinfect is placing them into a tightly locked plastic bag and boiling the bag for 10 minutes.
If airing then they should hang for a week or so.
There is also a baking option at 80 degree centigrade for an hour but that one is easy to mess up apparently as too low a temperature and it doesn't work and too high a temperature and they deform.

 

[Supine]

I think if you wash FFP2s it fucks up the static electricity part of the filtration system.

Ways to disinfect is placing them into a tightly locked plastic bag and boiling the bag for 10 minutes.
If airing then they should hang for a week or so.
There is also a baking option at 80 degree centigrade for an hour but that one is easy to mess up apparently as too low a temperature and it doesn't work and too high a temperature and they deform.

Just leave sat somewhere for 4-5 days. Job done. You have a danger of lowering their performance by trying to treat them. Plus it’s a waste of time

 

[_Russ_]

I've been using a a UVC Lamp to disinfect them, helps if you leave the lamp in a small area like a cupboard as on top of the actual UV Rays it produces a fair amount of Ozone which gets to the bits the light misses

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

Just leave sat somewhere for 4-5 days. Job done. You have a danger of lowering their performance by trying to treat them. Plus it’s a waste of time

I have a box of 20 I have been rotating and airing, I'm all good

 

[David Clapson]

What about spraying a mask with alcohol? (Not the drinkable kind.)

 

[manji]

I have been self isolating for a while now due to underlying Heath problems. Up to last week I know of one person in my circle who has had Covid-19.
I have seen a lot of people going back to old habits. Commuting,attending Football , European holidays, Gigs etc. then this weekend many have been registering as isolating having caught COVID while dismissing it as a short illness “nothing to worry about” I feel like commenting yeah great but who have you transmitted it to.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

What about spraying a mask with alcohol? (Not the drinkable kind.)

I've read about vapourising hydrogen peroxide, nothing about spraying.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

I have been self isolating for a while now due to underlying Heath problems. Up to last week I know of one person in my circle who has had Covid-19.
I have seen a lot of people going back to old habits. Commuting,attending Football , European holidays, Gigs etc. then this weekend many have been registering as isolating having caught COVID while dismissing it as a short illness “nothing to worry about” I feel like commenting yeah great but who have you transmitted it to.

"nothing to worry about"
"unless you end up on a ventilator in ICU"

 

[Artaxerxes]

What a an absolute shower of insipid worthless sopping cow shit fucks these lot are.

 

[magneze]

Fucking wankers

 

[thismoment]

What a an absolute shower of insipid worthless sopping cow shit fucks these lot are.

Huh? Makes no sense. But why would they be exempt?

ETA - from the bbc link above
“But Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg last week said Conservatives did not need to do so because they knew each other well, and this meant they were complying with government guidance”

 

[Artaxerxes]

Huh? Makes no sense. But why would they be exempt?

ETA - from the bbc link above
“But Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg last week said Conservatives did not need to do so because they knew each other well, and this meant they were complying with government guidance”

Cunt.

 

[thismoment]

Cunt.

View attachment 294311

It beggars belief

 

[Orang Utan]

I fucking hope they all get stabbed to death by perfectly rational non-terrorists

 

[Cloo]

I note papers are heralding Scotland's COVID passport entry launch as an 'unmitigated disaster', as described by... a hospitality body. Well of course they're not going to view it especially positively are they?

 

[Numbers]

I fucking hope they all get stabbed to death by perfectly rational non-terrorists

Be careful posting that, you’ll have the Top Gear tag team on your back.

 

[Orang Utan]

Be careful posting that, you’ll have the Top Gear tag team on your back.

Bring it on! No quarter to those cunts. Dunno why they’re here in the first place

 

[David Clapson]

I would like Rees Mogg to die. I don't care how, but he doesn't deserve to live. Same with Duncan Smith.

 

[teqniq]

Be careful posting that, you’ll have the Top Gear tag team on your back.

Who are the Top Gear tag team?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

On the case numbers (positive tests) falling

I am possibly being over cynical here, but do we know whether the number of tests being done is falling?

Presume with schools being off for half term (understand some were last week, some this week) then tests in schools won't be happening

And last time I wanted a new pack of LFT tests, I just went in to the chemists' and asked for them, but you now have to go online and get a reference number and go back with that. Can't help wonder if some people will just say the hell with it...

Just wondering if they are following the donald trump idea of doing less tests so there will be less cases...

(or fewer. i never got the hang of that. it's late. sod it.)

 

[Orang Utan]

Who are the Top Gear tag team?

The petrolheads on here who are just here to stir shit up and argue for fun

 

[cupid_stunt]

On the case numbers (positive tests) falling

I am possibly being over cynical here, but do we know whether the number of tests being done is falling?

Yes, according to the dashboard, there were 6,215,946 tests in the last 7 days, down -214,163 (-3.3%).

Over on worldometers, you can see we have been testing at a higher rate to most of Europe, indeed the world.



France is 29th on about half of the UK rate at 2,309,749 per million. Italy 39th @ 1,688,819, and Spain 49th @ 1,415,472.

We must be catching a lot more asymptomatic cases, which contributes to our higher case numbers, but far from explains all of them.

 

[Aladdin]

I note papers are heralding Scotland's COVID passport entry launch as an 'unmitigated disaster', as described by... a hospitality body. Well of course they're not going to view it especially positively are they?

Similar crap over here.

What galls me most are the
Night club owners and vintners declaring its a "disaster..."
They clearly have not seen the real disaster that is our ICU beds full of covid patients...

Speaking of Vintners...and night club owners...the very epitome of money grabbing selfish cunts.
When has a publican/vintner/night club owner ever given a toss about a customers health once they can keep on selling them alcohol...
When have they ever looked at the absolute misery they peddle?
They're worse than drug dealers... they know fuckin well the misery that alcohol abuse leads to.
But we are all supposed to feel sorry for the vintners?

The gov came out and said nightclubs can open but customers need covid passes. Not a big deal you would think? But no...the night club owners are saykng "its unworkable ".
Why? Whats your problem? Just check them at the door... but thats WAY too much hassle for this shower of cunts.

Fuckin bastards have no understanding of the word "disaster".

 

[ska invita]

The gov came out and said nightclubs can open but customers need covid passes. Not a big deal you would think? But no...the night club owners are saykng "its unworkable ".
Why? Whats your problem? Just check them at the door... but thats WAY too much hassle for this shower of cunts.

every music thing ive been to this year has required proof of a covid test
pubs on the other hand...

 

[gentlegreen]

It just struck me that the pub and club demographics probably don't overlap very much with the three generations of people you see when the schools empty ...

 

[BassJunkie]

All this talk of who's taking the most tests. Or trying to compare with this time last year, shouldn't the first metric be percentage of those tested who turned out to be positive?

Then one would have one number that "works' across all times and places.

Does this happen? Have I been missing it?

 

[Aladdin]

every music thing ive been to this year has required proof of a covid test
pubs on the other hand...

Music venues are slightly different here in Ireland .. they seem to not have a difficulty with covid passports.

Nightclubs on the other hand have been doing nothing BUT whinging about having to check covid passports and saying the restrictions are "unworkable".
It's pathetic.
They (owners) whined about being closed despite being paid well by gov covid supports.
Now they can open.. albeit with a number of restrictions such as
..no bar queues...table service only...masks on when moving about in the club. But masks off when seated with your group or dancing. I dont get why its ok to dance on a packed dancefloor while unmasked? But that's another thing.

Their understanding of the word "disaster " comes from having to possibly employ extra staff!!
The nightclubs opened last Friday for the first time since March 2020. Queues were waiting 2 hours to get into them. They have been PACKED. They're also charging more for entry. I am 100% certain the owners are taking in more money than ever.

So fuck them. And their ignorant pathetic reference to their "disaster".

11 ICU beds left in the entire country.
That's the real disaster.

 

[_Russ_]

Yes the positivity rates are published

All this talk of who's taking the most tests. Or trying to compare with this time last year, shouldn't the first metric be percentage of those tested who turned out to be positive?

Then one would have one number that "works' across all times and places.

Does this happen? Have I been missing it?

 

[gentlegreen]

11 ICU beds left in the entire country.
That's the real disaster.