London: the unlockening/relockening

[davesgcr]

Good - I walked through Covent Garden today (Aldwych to Leicester Square) , and I noted with some satisfaction that the LT Museum was open for business (plus the shop where I called in to see if any tempting hard core books marked down in the sale !)

Really looking for some gallery and museum visits soon.

 

[hash tag]

For @numbers

 

[Pickman's model]

For @numbersView attachment 269017

Numbers

 

[hash tag]

for Numbers rushed from mobile

 

[teuchter]

Vaccine uptake in London is very poor compared to the rest of the UK. Doesn't make me feel very positive about the next few months.




London boroughs at the top of the list of UK's lowest uptake areas:

 

[LeytonCatLady]

Vaccine uptake in London is very poor compared to the rest of the UK. Doesn't make me feel very positive about the next few months.

View attachment 269116


London boroughs at the top of the list of UK's lowest uptake areas:

View attachment 269117View attachment 269118View attachment 269119

That first bit doesn't make sense anyway. "Only people with an NHS number who are currently alive are included?" Well, I didn't expect them to be vaccinating the dead...

 

[Teaboy]

That first bit doesn't make sense anyway. "Only people with an NHS number who are currently alive are included?" Well, I didn't expect them to be vaccinating the dead...

Presumably they mean people who were vaccinated but have since died?

 

[LeytonCatLady]

Presumably they mean people who were vaccinated but have since died?

Duh! That'll teach me to post before I've had my coffee.

 

[elbows]

Its more about what population size estimates they use to generate the percentage figures. They dont have a 100% reliable set of figures for this, and if they didnt adjust those figures to take account of deaths then they would be even further wide of the mark.

 

[elbows]

And with that in mind I suppose we have to consider whether the underlying population figures for London might be more wide of the mark than some other places. I would not expect that to account for all of the lower figures seen for London, but it might contribute somewhat to the phenomenon.

 

[Brainaddict]

So are people here going indoors in pubs and restaurants and/or people's homes? I've decided to wait a bit to see what happens with the Indian variant but some of my friends are charging out into pubs and I'm feeling a bit of a killjoy.

 

[LeytonCatLady]

So are people here going indoors in pubs and restaurants and/or people's homes? I've decided to wait a bit to see what happens with the Indian variant but some of my friends are charging out into pubs and I'm feeling a bit of a killjoy.

You do whatever you feel is safest. I'm probably going to have a day out this weekend but that's my personal preference and would never expect anyone to do anything they're not comfortable with. Just because you're allowed to socialise again doesn't mean you have to!

 

[marty21]

So are people here going indoors in pubs and restaurants and/or people's homes? I've decided to wait a bit to see what happens with the Indian variant but some of my friends are charging out into pubs and I'm feeling a bit of a killjoy.

I haven't been in to any London pubs as I've been in Suffolk since Friday. I have been to the only pub in the village (Dunwich) we had to wait to be checked in , then shown to a table (had to book) . It was all a but of a faff tbf.

Hoping my local in Hackney is less of a faff.

 

[Teaboy]

I've not been inside a pub since Feb 2020 apart from passing through to the toilet or garden. I did go to several restaurants after lockdown 1 and felt far more at risk in a couple of them (pretty high end as well) than I would have done in any pub I'd seen. Tables just far too close together.

As for now I would sit in a pub, restaurant, cafe etc but I will make sure I choose them carefully. Well ventilated, not over busy etc. Its no guarantee but its playing the odds.

I wouldn't go around other peoples homes, much rather meet in the park etc. Homes are designed to be air tight and we British have an odd view on ventilating our homes. That's a risk too far and everyone I know who has had a confirmed positive test caught it their own home or someone else's. I've banged on about this throughout but whilst everyone points the fingers at hospitality its actually our homes where most of the transmission happens.

 

[elbows]

I've not been inside a pub since Feb 2020 apart from passing through to the toilet or garden. I did go to several restaurants after lockdown 1 and felt far more at risk in a couple of them (pretty high end as well) than I would have done in any pub I'd seen. Tables just far too close together.

As for now I would sit in a pub, restaurant, cafe etc but I will make sure I choose them carefully. Well ventilated, not over busy etc. Its no guarantee but its playing the odds.

I wouldn't go around other peoples homes, much rather meet in the park etc. Homes are designed to be air tight and we British have an odd view on ventilating our homes. That's a risk too far and everyone I know who has had a confirmed positive test caught it their own home or someone else's. I've banged on about this throughout but whilst everyone points the fingers at hospitality its actually our homes where most of the transmission happens.

Sort of. Transmission within homes is much easier for them to confirm because its so obvious to trace contacts and make assumptions about source of infection when people spread it to other people that live with them.

Clearly there also has to be significant transmission between households in various settings, not just within households, otherwise it wouldnt spread across the population in the way it has.

Ventillation is very important and the other obvious large factors are how close the contact is and how prolonged the contact is.

We can see the factors I've mentioned at play when reading their attempts to take a proper look at evidence for spread in the hospitality sector. In those settings it tends to be the staff who work there that show statistically significant levels of risk/infection. And I'd say that conclusion is because of the real factors such as working at close hand with others for many hours a day, and communal areas, so similar to household transmission factors in that regard. But probably also thats the strongest picture they get because its much easier for them to join those dots when staff are involved. As opposed to the customers where really the whole track & trace system and attempts at analysis that sit atop that system has been poor and they've been left with much weaker data about where people that arent staff caught it from as a result. But yes, customers overall risk might be expected to be less because they dont spend as long in those settings as the staff do.

 

[teuchter]

I've not been inside a pub since Feb 2020 apart from passing through to the toilet or garden.

Same here. Have eaten out indoors only once or twice. I've no intention of going inside a pub or restaurant for at least a few weeks yet. But I've been going in shops a bit and on public transport.

Going to a friend's house tomorrow and that'll be the first time I've done that since last summer. I feel that's less risky than a pub because I know them, they've both been vaccinated and are fairly sensible, and unlike a pub it's not loads of people crammed into a space many of whom I've no idea whether they have been being careful in any way.

I actually don't feel a pub is ultra risky right now because of the low prevalence but as long as the weather's nice enough why not just sit outside.

 

[BigMoaner]

going for a curry tonight with a mate up in covent garden. really looking foward to it. i've been fasting all day and going to hoover it up.

 

[hash tag]

No probs with restaurants. Me n Mrs tag have long since had our second vaccines. Restaurants are well controlled. Dishoom at Carnaby st on Monday was half full and the streets were empty. I expect wholefood cafe in Streatham tonight will also be fine. I would be a touch wary of pubs though. I am sure a dining orientated pub will be fine.

 

[Teaboy]

No probs with restaurants. Me n Mrs tag have long since had our second vaccines. Restaurants are well controlled. Dishoom at Carnaby At on Monday was half full and the streets were empty. I expect wholefood cafe in Streatham tonight will also be fine. I would be a touch wary of pubs though. I am sure a dining orientated pub will be fine.

That wasn't my experience last year. I found tables far too close together and just too many people crammed inside. Obviously depends upon the place and might be different this time around but I will be avoiding a lot of them.

I think if we're being honest our perception of risk is influenced by our desires. If we like something then we're already biased as to the level of risk. Stuff we're less into is considered more risky even if there is no objective reason for it. I know I am.

 

[hash tag]

I guess it depends how you define restaurant. 2 out of 2 have been fine. Just thinking where to go on Friday I guess it depends on type of place and time.
I was classed as extreme high risk and am comfortable. A pub in the sticks Friday or this weekend maybe. Pizza or burger joint would also be good.

 

[Pickman's model]

That wasn't my experience last year. I found tables far too close together and just too many people crammed inside. Obviously depends upon the place and might be different this time around but I will be avoiding a lot of them.

I think if we're being honest our perception of risk is influenced by our desires. If we like something then we're already biased as to the level of risk. Stuff we're less into is considered more risky even if there is no objective reason for it. I know I am.

tbh very few people can properly assess risk as we're prey (as you suggest) to many influences - both those we know about and those we don't appreciate - when we come to judge things. add in a general inability with statistics so that at the best of times in the land of the blind the statistically one eyed man is king. not bigging myself up, i'm as prone to these analytical pathologies as anyone else.

but yeh i'm avoiding these places because tho i want to go to them i really don't want the lurgy after doing so well for the past year

 

[nagapie]

No probs with restaurants. Me n Mrs tag have long since had our second vaccines. Restaurants are well controlled. Dishoom at Carnaby st on Monday was half full and the streets were empty. I expect wholefood cafe in Streatham tonight will also be fine. I would be a touch wary of pubs though. I am sure a dining orientated pub will be fine.

Dishoom Kensington was rammed last night, was there for a friend's birthday. But I've worked and caught London buses to work the entire year.

 

[Elpenor]

The pub in my village opened today, but while I have to book I won’t be going, I’d be going on my own for a pint and ideally to chat / meet a few people and under the current virus protocols that’s basically not allowed. It doesn’t have an outdoor area (or if it does it’s a very small one).

The pub the next village has a big outdoor area but also requires pre-booking.

 

[RubyToogood]

I feel pretty relaxed at the moment as I, my mother and her carer have all had two jabs. I went and worked from a cafe for a bit yesterday as I am absolutely sick to death of my house and being on my own.

I've been contemplating going into "my" office, where I have never actually been, taking advantage of things hopefully being quiet, for rehabilitation purposes. It's in Moorgate. But it may not stay quiet for long I guess. Anyone been there lately?

 

[Sue]

I feel pretty relaxed at the moment as I, my mother and her carer have all had two jabs. I went and worked from a cafe for a bit yesterday as I am absolutely sick to death of my house and being on my own.

I've been contemplating going into "my" office, where I have never actually been, taking advantage of things hopefully being quiet, for rehabilitation purposes. It's in Moorgate. But it may not stay quiet for long I guess. Anyone been there lately?

My office is in Old St and I haven't been in either. My colleagues who have -- including one who gets the train to Moorgate then walks -- say it's really quiet still though.

 

[Epona]

Not in London, but this is probably the best thread to talk about upcoming plans - I have made tentative arrangements to go visit my parents in early July - which will be a few weeks after my 2nd jab and a couple of weeks after my mum's cataract surgery - we'll all have had 2 jabs and be very careful in the 10 days beforehand.

I've not seen them since Xmas day 2019.

 

[hash tag]

We are booked into a hotel in Norfolk in a couple of weeks to finally meet up with outlaws and my children. My eldest is still the only one without first jab yet. Everyone else has now had both.
I'm now told we will be eating in Waterloo area Friday night ( time for tea )

 

[davesgcr]

For @numbersView attachment 269017

There is apparently a new branch in Covent Garden - daughter went last night and it was 50% off. Said it was excellent. She was with a friend who knows "proper" Indian food and she gave it a thumbs up.

 

[marty21]

I feel pretty relaxed at the moment as I, my mother and her carer have all had two jabs. I went and worked from a cafe for a bit yesterday as I am absolutely sick to death of my house and being on my own.

I've been contemplating going into "my" office, where I have never actually been, taking advantage of things hopefully being quiet, for rehabilitation purposes. It's in Moorgate. But it may not stay quiet for long I guess. Anyone been there lately?

I go through Moorgate every couple of weeks , usually very quiet.

 

[hash tag]

There is apparently a new branch in Covent Garden - daughter went last night and it was 50% off. Said it was excellent. She was with a friend who knows "proper" Indian food and she gave it a thumbs up.

Upper At Martin's Lane? We went there two+ years ago. I don't get it. That was my first choice for Monday because of its proximity to Marriage Freres and Waterloo. I couldn't get a table. Tell daughter it's not the best Dishoom. Both carnaby st and Kensington both have a better feel