Steven W

Beginning to feel like its a battleground between Good news and Bad News. Here's one for Team Good News

The return of schools is to be phased, starting with the youngest (and maybe the oldest?). Schools are the number one priority. So you could potentially see the younger ones starting back after the mid Feb break. There is to be two weeks notice as well so there must be a chance of an announcement on 2nd Feb. If they don't begin to go back then, I fear it'll be Easter as there seems to be a mindset of kids can only return after a term has finished (ie not the middle of March)

There's a really big shift in tone and language being used in England. Remarkably different from Lockdown #1. Seems a bit like they got they're fingers burnt are now heading towards being ultra cautious this time round (although may come under pressure from Tory backbenchers) Scotland's numbers don't seem to support such ultra caution, but after what we went through last summer, the likelihood of NS opening anything up before England seems to be remote.

Genuine question - I remember NS saying things will look a lot better in the spring. Is that still the case, or has she backtracked on that?

I do hope so. But let's face it, the numbers are coming down owing to lockdown. We'll only really know if we're winning the battle when we eventually open up and judge at that point. Question is, when will we open up and who will be brave enough to do it first. The rhetoric coming from down south suggests that Scotland might have to go first this time. If Sturgeon has it in her.

Aye, but you're no factoring in the blue envelopes.

Good stuff. Who knew that the colour of the envelope would be the catalyst to getting the vaccination programme motoring.

Good grief.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-55781951 Blue envelopes. Now we're ramping up!!

I must adopt this approach the next time I'm involved in building a block of flats. "We'll do it as quickly as we can, but I don't when it'll be finished". Every industry in the land works to programmes and deadlines and there's no good reason why the vaccination process should be any different.

Wasn't the care homes quoted by NS as being "95% complete". So by now we should be making big inroads onto the 80+ group. But it would seem we're not. Where is this "Ramp Up"?

https://www.biopharma-reporter.com/Article/2020/09/15/Vaxart-First-tablet-COVID-19-vaccine-to-enter-clinical-trials Obviously a long way off, but a tablet vaccine - now that would be a game changer. Wonder if the UK have anything on order for this? Or are we just pinning our hopes on Pfizer, AZ, Moderna, Valneva, J&J (and one other that I can't rememeber)

Neither she, the organisers or anyone else can answer that. In a nutshell no one knows. in that case we're fucked

But not false hope. The truth is sometimes hard to take but sugar coating stuff like this helps no one. If the organisers of these events think it's remotely possible they will delay a decision. Clearly Glastonbury organisers didn't. But my question is centring on "when?" Surely NS has brought this up herself among her advisors.

Yep. The big difference between this lockdown and the first is the presence of a vaccine. Yet somehow, this one feels like its gearing up to last a lot longer.

I think after approaching a year, and three (hopefully soon to be four) vaccines on the go, people could do with some hope and optimism in life.

NS at today's briefing - She says her honest answer to the question "will large-scale events go ahead by summer?" is: No. I hope this was followed with "When?" I wasn't watching today, but surely that would be the obvious follow up question

Since when did "ramping up" mean doing less?

I'm refusing to read that (for now), but it's clear that bad Covid news massively trumps good Covid news. I think some editors get off on it.

They could do that if they REALLY wanted. Would mean a whole lot of shuffling of the football calendar. But I imagine they'll go for the easy option and go with behind closed doors this summer

Not having a go but what other options are available other than restrictions? Hospitals and ICU's are at breaking point and are predicted to be so for the next few weeks at least. Until hospital numbers become manageable and vaccinations get ramped up to significantly higher numbers than they are at the moment I don't see what other choice the government's have At this point not very much. Where I'm coming from is, in the coming months (hopefully) though, the desire to relax restrictions may gather some momentum. Dishing out lockdowns and restrictions is the easy part. A roadmap out, a plan, or even just giving it a cursory mention would demonstrate that desire. But it never happens.

Agree completely. No doubt SG will mimic Northern Ireland in due course and extend lockdown into March. You're spot on that neither Holyrood or Westminster have a clue how to get out of this. It's just easier to keep dishing out restrictions.

Indeed (and I never said that they couldn't). In all honesty I think the London marathon in October will be cancelled, but its certainly thought provoking that they feel, at this point in time, a 50k mass participation event will proceed.

No. They won't happen. And indeed the London marathon in its new date may not either. But I'm hoping / guessing that London Marathon people have been given assurances from government that there must be a decent chance for October. (certainly hope so) ETA - On the flip side - Glastonbury now cancelled for this year. Although not surprising.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/55724620 Possibly already posted in the last few pages. But interesting that a mass participation event in the Uk is scheduled for October (having been shifted from April)