Urban75 Home About Offline BrixtonBuzz Contact

Coronavirus in the UK - news, lockdown and discussion

hold on a second,

the health secretary

didn't realize that cv could spread asymptomically :confused:




I clearly remember that when the press conferences started Hancock couldn't even pronounce the word asymptomatic. That's what happens when you put PPE graduates in charge of everything.

But the failure to recognise asymptomatic transmission was more the government scientists' failure than his. It was them who insisted that masks weren't necessary for this reason. You can't really expect government ministers (even those you'd dearly love to see hang) to do their own research and overrule the scientists who were in charge.
 
Last edited:
My observation since quitting booze is that after 10pm is when everyone gets really drunk and start drooling on each other and being really tedious. I guess post-10pm drunk is more likely to ignore social distancing etc than before 10pm drunk.

I usually leave at around 10 if I'm on a night out with drinkers...

Yep.

Personally I've been banging on for a while about better enforcement of the rules for pubs, a few didn't take them seriously from the start, and there seemed evidence that more were becoming relaxed over them, resulting in more cases being traced back to pubs.

The combination of 10pm closing and table service only, will make it easier for enforcement action, now that local authorises and the police are being given the power to issue fines starting at £1000, and up to a maximum of £4000 for repeat offenders.

New regulations issued by the government say fines of £1,000 can be issued if tables are not 2 metres apart, or 1 metre if other measures such as protective screens are in place.

They also allow fines to be issued and enforcement action to be taken by police if necessary to limit groups in hospitality venues to six people, to stop different groups mingling and ensure the data of people enjoying an evening out is recorded.

It continues: “Fixed-penalty notices may be issued by the authorised officer, in the sum of £1,000 on the first occasion (a reduced penalty of £500 being due if paid within 14 days of the notice date), £2,000 on a second occasion, rising to £4,000 for a third and any subsequent occasion.

 
My observation since quitting booze is that after 10pm is when everyone gets really drunk and start drooling on each other and being really tedious. I guess post-10pm drunk is more likely to ignore social distancing etc than before 10pm drunk.

I usually leave at around 10 if I'm on a night out with drinkers...
That's true. After ten you probably get a measurable increase in airborne spittle from various causes.
Also who is supposed to be patrolling pubs with a watchful eye for illegal Mingling, the staff ? Impossible and dangerous.
 
That's true. After ten you probably get a measurable increase in airborne spittle from various causes.
Also who is supposed to be patrolling pubs with a watchful eye for illegal Mingling, the staff ? Impossible and dangerous.

I don't see it any more impossible or dangerous than other rules & laws pub staff have to 'enforce', it's the responsibly of the publicans to ensure their premises are safe, and now they risk fines for breaking covid rules if they don't.
 
My observation since quitting booze is that after 10pm is when everyone gets really drunk and start drooling on each other and being really tedious. I guess post-10pm drunk is more likely to ignore social distancing etc than before 10pm drunk.

The early closing might deter some customers from ignoring social distancing requirements - but I think if this restriction had been introduced when I was around 22, me and my associates would have massively over-compensated by going to the pub early, ordering more rounds than usual before closing time, then deciding that we should all go back to somebody's house for some cans, might be a better idea to either close the pubs or keep them open, not tinker with the opening hours.
 
That's true. After ten you probably get a measurable increase in airborne spittle from various causes.
Also who is supposed to be patrolling pubs with a watchful eye for illegal Mingling, the staff ? Impossible and dangerous.
Isn't it table service only too? That's going to reduce capacity of most pubs significantly, and make 'mingling' less of an option.
 
At least now landlords have to give you six months' notice before evicting you. Only till March, mind, but still a relief.


From what someone said yesterday that only counts for people given notice after 31 August. Anyone given notice before then can now be evicted.
 
I don't see it any more impossible or dangerous than other rules & laws pub staff have to 'enforce', it's the responsibly of the publicans to ensure their premises are safe, and now they risk fines for breaking covid rules if they don't.
I don't know. Nobody is going to punch you for placing tables 2m apart but trying to stop people flirting with strangers is not part of the job of bar staff.
 
The early closing might deter some customers from ignoring social distancing requirements - but I think if this restriction had been introduced when I was around 22, me and my associates would have massively over-compensated by going to the pub early, ordering more rounds than usual before closing time, then deciding that we should all go back to somebody's house for some cans, might be a better idea to either close the pubs or keep them open, not tinker with the opening hours.
It won't be perfect and it probably won't be enough, but the measures will reduce contact overall, even if they encourage more risky behaviour in a minority.
 
I don't know. Nobody is going to punch you for placing tables 2m apart but trying to stop people flirting with strangers is not part of the job of bar staff.

When I posted about dealing with 'other rules & laws', I didn't mean specific covid rules, pub staff have to deal with a whole range of problems - under age drinkers, drug dealing, smoking, anti-social behaviour, fights, etc., etc.

Being in charge of licenced premises brings all sorts of responsibilities, which if not enforced can result in losing the licence.
 
Has there ever been any attempt by the government/scientists to actually explain why just closing everything and living in a bunker for six months is not an option? Like with graphs and predictions about the health effects and life expectancy of widespread redundancies, homelessness, and poverty?

It seems like they can estimate the number of short-term deaths from Covid, but that's never been measured against the potential loss of life in the long-term if the economy collapses - we just get a vague "we must protect the economy" message that doesn't really mean very much to your average citizen who's just worrying about granny getting sick over the winter.
 
I am not a big pub going person at all but really hope as many of them as possible survive this and don't all turn into flats at a faster rate than they were already.
I read somewhere that its estimated only about 5% of infections are suspected to be coming from pubs and restaurants together, so (if thats true) even if this does work the impact would surely be tiny, no chance of it significantly offsetting the return to school universities etc.
 
How do you think allowing covid free rein will help? An overwhelmed nhs with many staff off ill or dead or grieving or isolating cant treat cancer patients. Do you not think covid itself causes mental health problems? You dont think abusers will abuse partners they should be nursing?
This is a really important point, there's plenty of people who are scared of becoming sick again to the point its giving them mental health problems or traumatised from being in the covid ward, plenty of long haul covid sufferers who feel anxious about their health and ashamed of not getting better etc. Not to mention the people who have lost friends and family members due to the virus.
 
I am not a big pub going person at all but really hope as many of them as possible survive this and don't all turn into flats at a faster rate than they were already.
I read somewhere that its estimated only about 5% of infections are suspected to be coming from pubs and restaurants together, so (if thats true) even if this does work the impact would surely be tiny, no chance of it significantly offsetting the return to school universities etc.
Isn't there a suggestion that the Bolton outbreak comes from one pub crawl? You can see the sense in trying to avoid more of those.
 
Back
Top Bottom