Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[WhiteRoseKillie]

1 hour ago, Billy Jean King said:

1 hour ago, Jambomo said:

Boris has created a rod for everyone’s back here. Certainly a lot of people on social media are taking these dates as ‘dates that things are going to happen’ and ignoring the ‘not before’ part. 
I don’t think it seems a bad timeline though, probably around what you’d expect given where the timetable of the vaccines will be if everything stays on track.
It’s just a bit unfortunate he’s used set dates to do it because it isn’t giving him, or any of the devolved nations, space to allow for any issues arising, even in things such as vaccine supply. 

They were interviewing a hair salon owner there saying just that. Deluged with folk wanting to book for 12 April and them then being furious when she advised them she wasn't taking bookings until dates were confirmed which will be min 7 days before. People unsurprisingly given the media coverage have seen the banner dates and taken them as gospel as opposed to what they basically are ie earliest indicative dates.

As with the character assasination carried out on Jeremy Corbyn, the majority of people are content to let the BBC/Sun/Mail tell them what is being said or done, rather than take the trouble to watch what is actually said when Johnson or one of his minions speaks in the House, or even on tellybox. Apparently, doing your own thinking is far too much trouble these days. 

 

[Todd_is_God]

5 minutes ago, superbigal said:

If they use the perfectly valid excuses for a tiered system in Scotland, then they better well use it.
Last time around they started with the pits of Lanarkshire in the same level as Edinburgh. Some non scientific bulllshit that Edinburgh might have too many people bevvying.
Draw up a system with guidelines you follow it word for word.
Stop fuckking us about.

Did anywhere in Scotland (or England) actually move down a Tier?

I only remember restrictions tightening.

They clearly don't work, which is probably why England have binned them.

[Todd_is_God]

13 minutes ago, WhiteRoseKillie said:

The phrase "no earlier than" gives him all the wriggle room he could ever wish for. If we actually take notice of the repeated use of this qualifier, yesterday's circus promised the square root of fúck all. 

It did, however show that there is a desire to get to normal. Maybe not quite by June 21st, but the desire is there, and the plan is to use our tools, including vaccines, to get there. Elimination is not the strategy as it's futile and destructive. The trade off is that some people will get ill and die over subsequent winters, as they do from many other respiratory viruses. The explanation was frank.

NS's "we need to get cases right down and keep them there" and "no foreign travel for some time to get a bit more domestic normality" is a very different message.

Something has to give.

Edited February 23, 2021 by Todd_is_God

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

14 minutes ago, G51 said:

Whatever happens today, it is imperative that the shagging ban is removed as soon as possible.

It is unthinkable that a nation of top shaggers like the Scots are prevented from doing what we do best.

I dont think banning marriage is on their legislative agenda tbf. 

[Thereisalight..]

I'd be very suprised if NS is all doom and gloom in her announcement later. Shes probably saw how happy people have been with the outlines Boris has drawn up. I doubt she'd piss in folks cornflakes and allow BJ to get one over on her. I reckon it will roughly be the the same as the English plans but a week or so behind 

[Left Back]

8 minutes ago, Big Fifer said:

Not sure. But Johnson yesterday said "There is therefore no credible route to a zero Covid Britain or indeed a zero Covid world. And we cannot persist indefinitely with restrictions that debilitate our economy, our physical and mental well-being, and the life chances of our children." I think it's important that we hear something similar from her today. 

tbf there is a route to zero covid Britain.  Close the borders etc, get everyone vaccinated and eventually we'll eradicate the virus.  It will take months though and would require the borders to remain pretty much closed until we have a zero covid world (hence it isn't credible while we have a CTA with Ireland which allows free movement from the continent).

A zero covid world would take a global concerted effort of years.

[WhiteRoseKillie]

1 hour ago, ICTChris said:

The vaccinations are being prioritised by age, which is the biggest factor in hospital admissions and deaths. I think if you start trying to tweak it to target narrow groups it will make it a lot more difficult to achieve a speedy rollout. 

also, there are loads of employee groups who could claim to be a case for priority vaccination. I think I’m right in saying you are or were a prison officer? I’d say that prison staff have a better case than teachers for priority - you can’t having distance jailing, prisons by their nature are unventilated and the job requires close contact with others. 
 

It’s hard but the best way to do it is go by a simple metric that’s easy to organise and has a proven link to impact from the virus.

Oh, I've been banging the drum for HMPPS staff, don't you worry!  Weirdly, the customers are at far more risk from staff than vice versa. If a prisoner tests positive - or even becomes symptomatic, they're immediately isolated. Those ensuite rooms are bloody handy if you want a bit of Wuhan-lite. Prison outbreaks, by the very nature of the locale, have been dealt with pretty well, the occasional outbreak among staff notwithstanding. 

There are, though, about twenty times as many teachers in the country, even before we get to dinner ladies, TAs, etc. With a fortnight's notice, it shouldn't be too hard to mount a concerted effort to ensure that the reopening of schools is as safe as possible. It's the first step of this recovery plan - surely we should be implementing any and all measures which might increase the prospect of success?

[Thereisalight..]

11 minutes ago, Todd_is_God said:

Did anywhere in Scotland (or England) actually move down a Tier?

I only remember restrictions tightening.

They clearly don't work, which is probably why England have binned them.

I'm pretty sure D&G moved down a tier as Stranraer had fans back for one game 

[Todd_is_God]

5 minutes ago, Thereisalight.. said:

I'd be very suprised if NS is all doom and gloom in her announcement later. Shes probably saw how happy people have been with the outlines Boris has drawn up. I doubt she'd piss in folks cornflakes and allow BJ to get one over on her. I reckon it will roughly be the the same as the English plans but a week or so behind 

Probably absolutely furious that her advisers have led her down the doom and gloom rabbit hole as well tbh.

[WhiteRoseKillie]

1 hour ago, djchapsticks said:

Yeah. The age groups aren't catch-all but they are the most catch-all of any of the realistic options given that age is the major factor in severity. 

Unfortunate as it is, adding in this profession and that profession to priority lists will do nothing other than create a 'what about me' tidal wave. I even saw a few on twitter yesterday claiming without irony that if teachers are prioritised then so should parents of the children. This is the sort of attitude that we should be striving to avoid and to be fair have been successful in doing so up until now. Changing that up will bring out the absolute worst in people.

Oh, the parents don't need priority jags - they need firing off the premises once they've dropped the kids off, and any groups of chattering bints near the school gates need dispersing. 

[Rizzo]

I got my letter through to get my first dose on the 9h March. Assume it's due to lifelong heart issues. Partner is in at the same time for his first dose as well and he has type 2 diabetes. 

I didn't think we'd get dosed so soon. I was expected it to be much later in the year.

[AngusTheBull]

2 hours ago, Ron Aldo said:

2 hours ago, mizfit said:

Having sat and thought about it, I believe well follow England’s route map but perhaps be a week or 2 behind, and will see a return to school of P4-7’s on 8th March.

Secondaries won’t return until Easter.

Non-essential shops to reopen from 15 March including Barbers, Bookies, Clothing and electronic shops.

5th April sees a return to outdoor hospitality. Lifting of travel restrictions within Scotland also lifted.

3rd May, inside of restaurants and pubs to reopen.

1st June - stadiums and sports arena to allow in a limited number (let’s say 300 as that was the pilot and to be safe.)

30th June - lifting of social distancing.

I would add that a right to move local areas back or forward a step dependent on infections can also be allowed.

This is also dependent on the vaccine rates staying as such that every adult will have had their first dose by the 31st July also.

As someone in desperate need of a haircut that would be great but I can't see us opening barbers etc. a month before England.

There's been discussions on opening barbers early/mid-March in Wales alongside some other non-essential shops. Can't see this impacting NS's roadmap at all though, especially given nothing has been confirmed.

I was holding off doing the #2 all over until yesterday's announcement, may have to take the plunge this week. 

[WhiteRoseKillie]

1 hour ago, D.A.F.C said:

The economy before all else, thats the tories.

Probably why there's 120k dead. Well no probably about it.

In fairness, staggering levels of incompetence have a fair bit to do with it as well. You realise they've managed to fúck the economy as well, don't you?

At least HS2 and the trident replacement haven't been cancelled. I was worried for a bit, there. 

[Guest Bob Mahelp]

Leitch still banging on today about 'unknown new variants' is enormously frustrating.

Planning policy around 'known unknowns' (thank you Donald Rumsfeld) is no way to run a fucking country. 

 

Edited February 23, 2021 by Bob Mahelp

[cameron2000]

tbf there is a route to zero covid Britain.  Close the borders etc, get everyone vaccinated and eventually we'll eradicate the virus.  It will take months though and would require the borders to remain pretty much closed until we have a zero covid world (hence it isn't credible while we have a CTA with Ireland which allows free movement from the continent).
A zero covid world would take a global concerted effort of years.

With vaccines there is no need to be Covid free. It’s just not worth the time and collective sacrifice.

[Gaz]

Are there actually any countries that are entirely self-sufficient, and could (theoretically) close their borders and cut off all contact with the outside world for an indefinite period of time?

[Left Back]

4 minutes ago, Bob Mahelp said:

Leitch still banging on today about 'unknown new variants' is enormously frustrating.

Planning policy around 'known unknowns' (thank you Donald Rumsfeld) is no way to run a fucking country. 

 

planning anything around an unknown is no way to do anything.  unknown variants that can defeat the vaccine are what contingency plans are for.

[Todd_is_God]

4 minutes ago, Bob Mahelp said:

Leitch still banging on today about 'unknown new variants' is enormously frustrating.

Planning policy around a virus that doesn't exist is no way to run a fucking country. 

FTFY

[HeartsOfficialMoaner]

1 minute ago, Gaz said:

Are there actually any countries that are entirely self-sufficient, and could (theoretically) close their borders and cut off all contact with the outside world for an indefinite period of time?

Russia. I remember Putin talking about it.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

2 minutes ago, Gaz said:

Are there actually any countries that are entirely self-sufficient, and could (theoretically) close their borders and cut off all contact with the outside world for an indefinite period of time?

Greenock. Soylent Greenville.