COVID-19

I would point to what happened in italy right at the start, where everyone fleed en masse to the south of the country that wasn't locked down, thus spreading the virus. You can't be locking people down willy nilly but at the same time, you have to consider what people will do if you just lock down a specific area.

 

I refer back to my example.

Thornton and Thornbury are about 10 miles apart, the rate in Thornbury was 100 per 100,000, where as the rate in Thornton was 10 per 100,000 last summer, Pudsey 2min down the road from Thornbury fell under Leeds.

Due to this the gym on Thornbury roundabout was open and being accessed by people in the Thornbury area because it under Leeds but in an area of a high rate, where as Thornton, 10 miles away had gyms shut because Bradford council wanted to force closures to the whole district.

 

kind of proves my point really, people just went from a place that is locked down to one that isn't. Ultimately when you set these boundaries, for whoever is on these boundaries some of them will get daft situations like that. i dont think the council areas is the correct way, but if we draw these boundaries with a different system you will get the exact same issue, so I think its a bit of moot point. unless we physically go and confine people to their houses this will happen no matter what areas are locked down

 

Some people won't agree, but having businesses suffer in Thornton for a problem in Thornbury or vice versa is just wrong.

Usually these decisions are made by people who haven't missed a days pay this pandemic.

When Boris locked down London, everyone just boarded the trains and set off out of the City.

It does sound like Boris is pushing for more personal responsibility, so those who are confident with the current measures can go out, where as those who aren't can bunker behind the sofa but not expect everyone else to do the same.

 

I agree. But just because it was done indiscriminately in Bradford doesn't invalidate the whole concept of targeted lockdowns and it doesn't mean it always has to be done like that elsewhere.

 

SAGE meeting today to discuss the Indian variant.

Everybody back inside, you've had your fun.

 

To be clear,

The virus will not go away, the virus will exist but the vaccine now protects those who are very likely to die from the virus and makes the survival rate similar to that of crossing a road. We must not and can not lockdown everytime there is a slight increase in infection as that will always be there.

There are about 2k cases per day out of over 1m tests. Never has the percentage of positive tests been as low yet the media are in a frenzy to drag up any sign of bad news.

If it scares you stay indoors.

 

The number of tests are a total fallacy now as they include Lateral Flow but the positives only count if confirmed by a PCR, which also counts as a test.

 

businesses are going to suffer regardless and the problem is a global one. I myself only got to last july on furlough before my place of work couldn't afford to keep paying NI for us all. Im happy with a cautious approach, if we get it right we only do it once and it's done. rushing to open up then getting a spike for whatever reason and locking down again will kill hospitality in this country and possibly prolong this stuff further

 

I was saying to the other half, now I have been vaccinated why would I even bother taking a test going forward. Anyone else vaccinated and still taking tests?

 

I suspect this will be one of the variants targeted in booster shots later on this year. Once we get that going the variant issue will become much less of a concern

 

are you 100% protected from transmitting the virus after vaccination?

 

We need to move away from this number of cases being the flagship figure. Now the vaccine is out there it's not even relevant. The virus will exist like flu exists, however the potential of death has been massively reduced and that is what matters. It seems to me many people are happy to take the vaccine but have absolutely no faith in it.

 

No but who cares, due to the vaccination of the vulnerable if it is passed on the risk of it killing someone is very low. That is what the vaccine is for, it is not to get zero covid and people who think it is will have accept that it just isn't possible.

We locked down because if the virus spread it would kill people off, now there is an immunity out there, unless you have no faith in the vaccine?

 

Until a new variant that might get around the booster too!

Then everyone inside again.

 

For me mate I have faith in it but not 100% faith, just like its not 100% effective. Not being mindful of eventualities and not being prepared for them has contributed massively to the problems in our response to the pandemic, so I think not to do so now so close to the end isn't learning from prior experience. 3 years ago if you'd have said we'd have all been restricted largely to our houses for a year by the government you'd have laughed at me, as we all would. Yet it happened despite nobody thinking it would really happen, so that in and of itself to me is also a good reason to be cautious and mindful of potential problems.

 

this is why its important to get rates down globally. until all the third world countries who's healthcare systems are fragile get their vaccinations to levels similar to ours, we will continually be at risk from importing these variants as soon as we open back up. i think thats something we need to be conscious of until it changes. weve done well as the leading contributor to gavi but diplomatically i feel like we could be making this case more to other wealthier countries who maybe aren't pulling their finger out.

 

India with very few vaccines were all bathing in the same river for a religious festival no more than a few weeks ago. As many people live in Dehli as in the north of England in a fraction of the space. This is why it has taken off and rocketed in India, and because the vulnerable are not vaccinated it is why it is currently ripping the country apart.

We should not lock down here for problems there, there is an argument that because we are down to vaccinating the 38 year olds here when the risk is extremely low that we could send vaccines to where they are more urgently required, as I agree we need to fight this globally, however it doesn't mean we should lockdown in soliditary with other countries.

 

I theoretically agree. Unfortunately in real life it's probably going to take about ten years to vaccinate 7 billion people so relying on that to protect us isn't going to be a solution.

 

I am. The length of protection and level of protection given by the vaccines is still uncertain. Plus I wouldn’t want to have it and pass it on to other that are unvaccinated