Coronavirus outbreak

[mjr]

First of all, big that Boris has announced the expected government surrender to covid next Monday. No matter how much he stresses it's “absolutely vital we proceed with caution” and that we “cannot simply revert instantly ... to life as it was before”, we know a substantial minority of selfish idiots are going to do so. I feel it's completely irresponsible not to protect the public from them.

Secondly, this graph from SAGE is interesting, suggesting that vaccination means hospitals could now cope with R up to 1.5:

Which would be great except the current estimate is 1.3-1.6 in several regions. They're cutting this very close. This is one heck of a gamble. I wouldn't take it if I had a choice.

And I feel Boris did have a choice. They can wibble about the weather meaning September unlocking would be worse, but that's because they've pretty much completely failed to encourage three-season outdoor hospitality. England has seen very few of the encouragements and legal easements for outdoor eating and drinking that neighbouring countries have done. In fact, England has actually gone the other way, with local council covid inspectors requiring some outdoor tables to be removed from existing terraces/gardens and two sides of windbreaks to be removed at all times! This is not impossible to change, but it appears the decision is it's easier to abandon thousands more to death than to change our streets.

And finally, Whitty came out with the gem that there is no cut-off point for hospital admissions to stop the unlocking (rendering the "unsustainable pressure on the NHS" test pretty much meaningless), Johnson said he's willing to accept a peak of 100-200 deaths a day as the price of surrender, and they were all silent about long covid cases as far as I heard.

So, how was it for you?

 

[Rocky]

A man who has never taken responsibility for his own actions, urges the English population to act responsibly. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[PK99]

e they've pretty much completely failed to encourage three-season outdoor hospitality. England has seen very few of the encouragements and legal easements for outdoor eating and drinking that neighbouring countries have done. In fact, England has actually gone the other way, with local council covid inspectors requiring some outdoor tables to be removed from existing terraces/gardens and two sides of windbreaks to be removed at all times! This is not impossible to change, but it appears the decision is it's easier to abandon thousands more to death than to change our streets.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ce-pavement-licences-outdoor-seating-proposal

Also, I've seen many places with outdoor, covered partially heated spaces, here (SW19) Kent & Sussex. The transformation in parts of cental London is remarkable

 

[mjr]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ce-pavement-licences-outdoor-seating-proposal

Also, I've seen many places with outdoor, covered partially heated spaces, here (SW19) Kent & Sussex. The transformation in parts of cental London is remarkable

I draw your attention to 1.7. Licences can only be granted for basically pedestrian zones. Few new ped zones have been created during covid outside of the big cities, so no pavement seating. No question of doing something like Blackrock in Ireland and taking space from cars.

I've seen a woodland place set up cabanas and a few gardens gain covers but it really has been very little.

 

[mjr]

Doctors call surrender "irresponsible" https://www.thejournal.ie/doctors-criticise-johnson-covid-restrictions-england-5493614-Jul2021/

 

[fossyant]

Makes you wonder what the fall out will be based on that in the UK from football supporters both at Wembley and in large crowds round the country at large.

Big increase in next week or two - I'm not going back to work just yet - work in an office full of under 30's - they will all have been in the pubs the last few weeks for the matches.

 

[fossyant]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ce-pavement-licences-outdoor-seating-proposal

Also, I've seen many places with outdoor, covered partially heated spaces, here (SW19) Kent & Sussex. The transformation in parts of cental London is remarkable

Lots of open air places have opened in Manchester. Freight Island being one, and the indoor area is actually a massive 'train station' - loads of air flow going through - you still need a coat if it's cold. Outdoor has heaters and covered areas - lots of 'space'. It's booked solid for weeks !

 

[cambsno]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ce-pavement-licences-outdoor-seating-proposal

Also, I've seen many places with outdoor, covered partially heated spaces, here (SW19) Kent & Sussex. The transformation in parts of cental London is remarkable

Outdoor space is simply not possible for so many places, and with our weather, it limits outdoor easting and drinking considerably.

 

[mjr]

Outdoor space is simply not possible for so many places, and with our weather, it limits outdoor easting and drinking considerably.

Our weather is not that much worse than northern France and the Belgian coast, or Germany's Baltic coast, all of which are more outdoorsy than here. Even Ireland seems to be giving it a go.

And how many places have neither outdoor space nor a street that could lose some car parking spaces or be home-zoned? This should be part of building back better, but political will seems lacking.

 

[FishFright]

https://www.newsroom.co.nz/uks-awful-experiment-will-threaten-nz

" If you wanted to teach the coronavirus how to evade vaccine-induced immunity, you would do what the United Kingdom is about to "

I'm beginning to think the front bench is intentionally creating a pariah state.

 

[Ajax Bay]

The Netherlands reopened nightclubs two weeks ago. They've now shut them again in the face of skyrocketing infection rates.
On the first night they reopened, there was one club where 1/4 of all people who went there got infected.

Makes you wonder what the fall out will be based on that in the UK from football supporters both at Wembley and in large crowds round the country at large.

Exactly the same outcome I would guess But then again Boris knows best

Night club = inside, poor ventilation
Fanzones and stadia = outside and ventilated
Far, far less risk.

 

[Bazzer]

The daughter of a friend of Mrs B's was admitted to hospital yesterday. Late 40s, twice jabbed, but now in ICU with C19+.
Obvs one of the unlucky (currently) 2%

 

[Ajax Bay]

" If you wanted to teach the coronavirus how to evade vaccine-induced immunity, you would do what the United Kingdom is about to "

And New Zealand's approach to this is to not vaccinate its people: currently at 15% of their population have had one jab. A perfectly reasonable approach for a remote island: not so much for a cosmopolitan country which has had restrictions necessarily imposed for 16 months and which has vaccinated a high percentage of its population.
Cases are dropping in Wales, Northern Ireland and, markedly, [edit] exponentially decaying in Scotland.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

stadia = outside and ventilated

Concourses, travel, prematch pub, very much inside, highly crowded and poorly ventilated.

 

[FishFright]

And New Zealand's approach to this is to not vaccinate its people: currently at 15% of their population have had one jab. A perfectly reasonable approach for a remote island: not so much for a cosmopolitan country which has had restrictions necessarily imposed for 16 months and which has vaccinated a high percentage of its population.
Cases are dropping in Wales, Northern Ireland and, markedly, Scotland.

Have you not noticed how NZ's infection rate is tiny because they have a functioning government. They had no need to put it all on black and hope.