Coronavirus in the UK - news, lockdown and discussion

[elbows]

When are they doing a vote in parliament?

Next Tuesday I believe, although very few shits are given about that because there is no prospect of the measures being defeated unless Labour decided not to back the new measures, and such a scenario seems rather implausible.

 

[StoneRoad]

As before, I hope that Hansard will tell us who votes "nay" or abstains ...

I would much rather take risks with the economy than with lives. Money is just that, lives are irreplaceable.
What's more, I don't think the restrictions, even in tier3, are sufficiently rigorous.
Especially without the vaccines having been widely utilised. (note : that there is a period even after the second jab before the immunity is "fully developed")

 

[elbows]

This is what success looks like at this stage:

R number for UK below 1 for first time since August

Scientific advisers to the government estimate the coronavirus epidemic is no longer growing.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[StoneRoad]

This is what success looks like at this stage:

R number for UK below 1 for first time since August

Scientific advisers to the government estimate the coronavirus epidemic is no longer growing.

www.bbc.co.uk

but that's not any reason to let up on the safety measures just yet - we need those elusive vaccinations !

 

[weepiper]

And in Scotland, discussions about whether to extend the school holidays have leaked.

Covid in Scotland: Talks held over extending Christmas holidays

It has been suggested that all schools could close on 18 December and reopen on 11 January.

www.bbc.co.uk

I've had a flurry of emails this week from my kids' high school with passwords and so forth for remote learning which suggests this is probably happening.

 

[killer b]

I hope that Hansard will tell us who votes "nay" or abstains ...

has there ever been an occasion Hansard hasn't done this?

 

[Teaboy]

As before, I hope that Hansard will tell us who votes "nay" or abstains ...

I would much rather take risks with the economy than with lives. Money is just that, lives are irreplaceable.
What's more, I don't think the restrictions, even in tier3, are sufficiently rigorous.
Especially without the vaccines having been widely utilised. (note : that there is a period even after the second jab before the immunity is "fully developed")

I think like last time when it comes to voting there won't be much of a rebellion from disgruntled tory MP's. They may be mouthing off now about it but when Labour confirm they will be supporting the motion its always going to pass by a massive margin. No point in pissing off the whipps for a vote you're going to lose by miles anyway.

 

[Teaboy]

I've had a flurry of emails this week from my kids' high school with passwords and so forth for remote learning which suggests this is probably happening.

Needless to say this seems like a good idea to me and I'm not sure why its been dismissed out of hand in England.

 

[StoneRoad]

has there ever been an occasion Hansard hasn't done this?

nope, but I'll want to check what my wimp has done ... I may just remind him not to fuck this vote, the UK really can't afford the waste this pandemic is generating.

 

[killer b]

it doesn't matter which way your MP votes, do something less tedious instead.

 

[nagapie]

Needless to say this seems like a good idea to me and I'm not sure why its been dismissed out of hand in England.

Because this fucking shit show means most kids have had at least two extra weeks at home already isolating. Quite frankly I don't see the point of planned time off school when we all know there's a ton of unplanned time off school still to come. Especially if shops, gyms and Xmas are still a go and track and trace is not.

 

[killer b]

I'm not sure most kids have had time off have they? One of mine had 10 days but the other hasn't, and there has been surprisingly few infection alerts at their school, considering we're in a national hotspot.

 

[weepiper]

I'm not sure most kids have had time off have they? One of mine had 10 days but the other hasn't, and there has been surprisingly few infection alerts at their school, considering we're in a national hotspot.

None of mine have yet. There's only been five confirmed cases at their school since August. Obviously quite a few kids did have to self isolate because of that but we haven't had any whole year groups sent home or anything yet.

 

[elbows]

Because this fucking shit show means most kids have had at least two extra weeks at home already isolating. Quite frankly I don't see the point of planned time off school when we all know there's a ton of unplanned time off school still to come. Especially if shops, gyms and Xmas are still a go and track and trace is not.

Because if all schools are closed for a time then its expected to have a useful effect on R. Partly because closing schools affects adult behaviour/mixing patterns. This happens when schools are closed for holidays, so making those holidays longer is an obvious option.

 

[killer b]

I'd also say having an extra week of school holidays at the start of January is a no-brainer as far as these things go - it's probably the week of the year you can close everything while causing the least economic damage.

 

[Teaboy]

Because this fucking shit show means most kids have had at least two extra weeks at home already isolating. Quite frankly I don't see the point of planned time off school when we all know there's a ton of unplanned time off school still to come. Especially if shops, gyms and Xmas are still a go and track and trace is not.

Well, the point would be to delay the spread and save lives. Buy some more time until the vaccines start making a difference. But anyway, I'm a stuck record on this subject so I'll leave it here.

 

[nagapie]

I'm not sure most kids have had time off have they? One of mine had 10 days but the other hasn't, and there has been surprisingly few infection alerts at their school, considering we're in a national hotspot.

Maybe not most but loads, all over the country. Both my children's year groups have been sent home, two different schools but most year groups at my eldest's school have had an isolation period.

 

[Orang Utan]

I'm not sure most kids have had time off have they? One of mine had 10 days but the other hasn't, and there has been surprisingly few infection alerts at their school, considering we're in a national hotspot.

All three of my school-going nephew and nieces have had to self-isolate in term times and on different occasions - they all go to different schools

 

[nagapie]

None of mine have yet. There's only been five confirmed cases at their school since August. Obviously quite a few kids did have to self isolate because of that but we haven't had any whole year groups sent home or anything yet.

Most primaries in England are operating year group bubbles so whole year group gets sent home.

 

[nagapie]

Because if all schools are closed for a time then its expected to have a useful effect on R. Partly because closing schools affects adult behaviour/mixing patterns. This happens when schools are closed for holidays, so making those holidays longer is an obvious option.

It's not an option I'm fond of for all the reasons I mentioned. Let's see all pubs, restaurants, gyms etc closed for an extended period first. And without track and trace feels like sacrifice for nothing.

 

[nagapie]

Well, the point would be to delay the spread and save lives. Buy some more time until the vaccines start making a difference. But anyway, I'm a stuck record on this subject so I'll leave it here.

See my answer above.

 

[Teaboy]

My sister is a primary school teacher. She is isolating again, this is the third time since the schools restarted in September. In the local high school where I live they've had loads of cases, well over a hundred.

I'm very glad it's not being mirrored across the country.

 

[killer b]

the pubs & restaurants have been closed for a month, six weeks here. for much of the country they won't open til at best mid December. Schools closing for an extra week in january doesn't seem too much of a sacrifice next to that.

 

[elbows]

It's not an option I'm fond of for all the reasons I mentioned. Let's see all pubs, restaurants, gyms etc closed for an extended period first. And without track and trace feels like sacrifice for nothing.

Track & trace is not a miracle solution, often it just ends up giving you a better view of when the right time to lockdown is.

If anything has driven me to despair this year, its people not being able to grasp what has been achieved. Every day where a hospital is not overwhelmed is a result, and I refuse to have that dismissed as just playing for time or wasted sacrifice.

But sure, I would not open pubs, restaurants or gyms anywhere at the moment.

 

[Teaboy]

It's not an option I'm fond of for all the reasons I mentioned. Let's see all pubs, restaurants, gyms etc closed for an extended period first. And without track and trace feels like sacrifice for nothing.

No problem with any of that but we've just had that for a month and in the South East cases have continued to rise. Its personal as well because my b-i-l was hospitalised back in the first wave because his wife (my sister) is a teacher. We're asking a hell of a lot of our teachers and their families.

Anyway, I said I'd leave it...

 

[Sue]

None of mine have yet. There's only been five confirmed cases at their school since August. Obviously quite a few kids did have to self isolate because of that but we haven't had any whole year groups sent home or anything yet.

Likewise with my lot. And they're in Glasgow which has obviously not been good at all.

 

[elbows]

No problem with any of that but we've just had that for a month and in the South East cases have continued to rise.

You keep saying that but I'm not sure what data you are using to form that opinion.

I dont think I could make that claim using number of people testing positive per region.

I could make it using number of daily covid hospital admissions per region, but that data lags behind infections and can also indicate a rise in infections in the more at-risk age groups rather than a rise in cases as a whole.

 

[chilango]

Needless to say this seems like a good idea to me and I'm not sure why its been dismissed out of hand in England.

Many Private Schools shut on the 11th. Discussion is ongoing in others that don't about shutting then too.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I'm not sure most kids have had time off have they? One of mine had 10 days but the other hasn't, and there has been surprisingly few infection alerts at their school, considering we're in a national hotspot.

Both of mine have had to isolate, one at junior school and one at sixth form college.

 

[Teaboy]

You keep saying that but I'm not sure what data you are using to form that opinion.

I dont think I could make that claim using number of people testing positive per region.

I could make it using number of daily covid hospital admissions per region, but that data lags behind infections and can also indicate a rise in infections in the more at-risk age groups rather than a rise in cases as a whole.

OK I'm probably misreading a graph then. It comes from here Covid-19 in the UK: How many coronavirus cases are there in your area? and the cases rising / falling chart halfway down the page. I am not a stats person though so its probably something I've got wrong.