Coronavirus in the UK - news, lockdown and discussion

[elbows]

By the way some of the stuff I didnt quote from that SAGE document involves the subject of how to frame the publics behaviour. They dont want to draw attention to negative behaviour and non-compliance, and they want to encourage people to think positively about what has been achieved in the past and what it is possible achieve in the future.

That sort of approach is one of the main reasons people have usually been wrong when expecting the government to blame periods of viral resurgence on the behaviour of the public. Hancock resorted to blaming public demand for test system pressure in early September, but apart from that even this Tory government have mostly stayed away from the blame game some were expecting.

As for defeatism, I know there have been several occasions here where people have found it hard to spot achievements that happend as a result of previous lcokdowns and massive sacrifices and behavioural changes. In this area I have always been on the same page as SAGE, and if there is one thing that will crush my morale in this pandemic its hearing people think stuff has been pointless. Defeatism is a luxury we dont have in this pandemic, no matter how many times the government and some individuals fuck up. Fatigue is understandable, as is the failure to celebrate achievements that still involved a huge amount of death and suffering. But conceding defeat is not an option either, and in this pandemic everything counts, including very small personal behavioural changes, that stuff adds up, just as failings and non-compliant acts add up in the other direction.

 

[maomao]

It's all very well saying it's due to the politicians in the UK and not the general culture of government, but that doesn't explain why the UK, US, Europe and South America have ended up in the same situation whereas Pacific Rim countries haven't

You realise South America, Australia and parts of the US are Pacific Rim right? I think you mean East Asia.

It doesn't have to be the same reason for all countries. Parts of South America are completely worn out from US interference and the drug wars so there might be very different reasons for what's happened in Peru and what's happened in the UK. The US response has had a lot of problems because of ideas of individual liberty but at the same time success has varied from state to state.

 

[planetgeli]

Australia closed down their citizens really tightly and this has sweet f.a to do with their previous fastidiousness with bio-security. It wasn't just closing borders, they put many restrictions of movement down including introducing small radii their citizens were allowed to travel. And they did this when there was relatively little Covid in the country compared to say, well, us.

The worst (suffering) parts of South America have done so because of poverty and underfunding, some of which goes hand in hand with corruption. Brazil, a country not unused to authoritarianism and the odd military coup, has done terribly because their President (an authoritarian) was as good as a Covid denier, a refuser of it's seriousness.

I don't see that much 'culture of government' explanation going on in these countries.

 

[MrSki]

Another record of 57,725 new cases today.

Reported deaths 445.

As it takes a couple of days for the tests to come through, I think there were 73000 positive tests on 29/12/20

ETA Official UK Coronavirus Dashboard

 

[Yossarian]

I think it's probably got a lot more to do with proximity to China/memories of the SARS outbreak than authoritarian governments.

If everybody in Britain had spent a big part of 2003 wearing masks because of a mysterious and deadly new disease from France, COVID would probably have been recognised as a serious threat sooner this time around.

 

[platinumsage]

I think it's probably got a lot more to do with proximity to China/memories of the SARS outbreak than authoritarian governments.

If everybody in Britain had spent a big part of 2003 wearing masks because of a mysterious and deadly new disease from France, COVID would probably have been recognised as a serious threat sooner this time around.

Canada was hit by SARS but appears to have learnt lessons that haven't all been that useful. Stuff like isolation rooms in hospitals, which are good to have when there are a few patients and the disease has a very high fatality rate, but aren't so useful when you don't close the borders early and people are more blase about catching it.

 

[Roadkill]

I'm meant to be doing this (antibody tests too) but I've not heard from them in months, other than one test appt in iirc November that no one ever showed up for...

It'd be worth phoning up to chase this. I'm on the ONS testing scheme too and at times it has seemed a bit chaotic, but tbf when they did miss an appointment and I rang up it was rescheduled for a couple of days later. I swear I've had at least one more test than I'm supposed to have by now though...

 

[elbows]

As it takes a couple of days for the tests to come through, I think there were 73000 positive tests on 29/12/20

ETA Official UK Coronavirus Dashboard

Yeah, and this is the same specimen date I mentioned yesterday, so the number that is now 74,510 was just over 64,000 before todays data was added to it.

The only reason for me not to completely freak out about that number is that it may represent a big chunk of the demand for tests that was not met on 24th and 25th of December. ie the figures for specimens from 24th and 25th are very low compared to levels seen on other days, and unless all the people that werent tested on those days just give up and dont bother, the catch-up inevitably has to feature in later days data. So its all the figures for the specimen days after the 29th I will be looking at carefully as they emerge.

 

[StoneRoad]

I think that high figure for tests on the 29th is the people who couldn't get done on the 25th ... it looks like it is the first "normal" working day after the 25th, given that was a Friday, so Sat & Sun, with Monday as the boxing day bank holiday ...

maybe I'm reading too much into it ?

 

[20Bees]

Sounds positive, have they found any asymptomatic cases yet?

According to the staff intranet just now, the recent serial testing of staff who would otherwise be isolating has identified “some” positive cases so they now suggest all staff are tested, ideally once a week. I expect this notice will be expanded and detail added over the next day or so.

 

[frogwoman]

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Christ

 

[BigMoaner]

and that's just those tested...yikes, that seems bloody high!

 

[weltweit]

We need new guidelines.

 

[frogwoman]

 

[grit]

delaying the second dose looks to potentially be a very bad idea

 

[weltweit]

I am hearing anecdotal comments that young people are getting ill from the new variant more than they used to from the original version. And that hospital admittances include many more younger people than before.

 

[LDC]

I am hearing anecdotal comments that young people are getting ill from the new variant more than they used to from the original version. And that hospital administrations include many more younger people than before.

It's been mentioned and some limited discussion has been had, maybe on this thread...? I think the short version is anecdotes are for sure circulating, but no data yet. I think it's one of the things we should have a clearer idea about in a couple of weeks.

 

[MrSki]

There was an interview on 5live where a London hospital employee said there was a whole ward of covid kids. will try & find it.

ETA

 

[BigMoaner]

i have avoided most of the news other than the big announcements. how fucked are we, in summary? how will things look, do you think, by say march? be interesting to hear some thoughts from those who are following this closely.

 

[weltweit]

It's been mentioned and some limited discussion has been had, maybe on this thread...? I think the short version is anecdotes are for sure circulating, but no data yet. I think it's one of the things we should have a clearer idea about in a couple of weeks.

At the rate the new variant seems to be spreading, a couple of weeks could be a long time.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

i have avoided most of the news other than the big announcements. how fucked are we, in summary? how will things look, do you think, by say march? be interesting to hear some thoughts from those who are following this closely.

In answer to your two questions - Pretty fucking fucked, and royally fucked.

 

[LDC]

i have avoided most of the news other than the big announcements. how fucked are we, in summary? how will things look, do you think, by say march? be interesting to hear some thoughts from those who are following this closely.

How we are in March very much depends on a number of factors, one of which is what the fuck gets done (or doesn't) in the next few weeks. Given how the last year has been though, some variation of very grim, or having just been through very grim, is most likely I'd say.

 

[wtfftw]

But it'll be fine by Easter

 

[Artaxerxes]

But it'll be fine by Easter

It's like Boris has never watched Eastenders....

"I'm sure this virus will blow over by summer"
"I'm glad lockdowns over let's all get down the Queen Vic for a pint"
"It's gonna be a lovely Christmas"
"Springs on the way!"

 

[BigMoaner]

In answer to your two questions - Pretty fucking fucked, and royally fucked.

so not totally and utterly shit fucked then?

 

[grit]

How we are in March very much depends on a number of factors, one of which is what the fuck gets done (or doesn't) in the next few weeks. Given how the last year has been though, some variation of very grim, or having just been through very grim, is most likely I'd say.

I'm getting the feeling, in Ireland at least, that last March was the dress rehearsal for the next few months.

 

[SpookyFrank]

I had some more bad news to post here but it looks like we're all stocked up already.

 

[Artaxerxes]

I had some more bad news to post here but it looks like we're all stocked up already.

Misery loves company might as well get it out.

 

[BigMoaner]

so not totally and utterly shit fucked then?

imagine ferguson said that in five press conferences time