Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Michael W]

There is no reason at all for L1 and L2 to remain suspended if the leagues are happy to conduct testing (which they are). Whether it's financially viable is a different matter, I guess, but I doubt teams would be keen to keep going if testing would cripple them. 

I think the decision is probably going be made for these clubs though as the timings will start to look impossible given the play-offs need fulfilled as well. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Michael W

[Shandon Par]

1 hour ago, Melanius Mullarkey said:

40-49s next up.

Get mine on Wednesday. Exiting times. 

[Steven W]

I stand to gain from the announcement that 40-49s are next up once Groups 1-9 are complete.

But I think I'd prefer to let the police and teachers go next. Not sure I can face the continued bleating much longer

 

[Elric]

No way will the lower leagues start soon after what he said. Equity for the Women's League -yeah let's get them back as soon as possible and what teams travel from Dumfries to Elgin?  

[Left Back]

6 minutes ago, Steven W said:

I stand to gain from the announcement that 40-49s are next up once Groups 1-9 are complete.

But I think I'd prefer to let the police and teachers go next. Not sure I can face the continued bleating much longer

 

I get their point.  They may be more at risk of catching the virus but they're not more at risk of getting ill from it.  Once the vulnerable are done the next target is surely herd immunity and for that we need to keep up and increase the volume (if we can).  Prioritising any specific occupation will slow that down as it will be more data for the NHS to cross-reference.

Edited February 26, 2021 by Left Back

[David W]

5 minutes ago, Elric said:

No way will the lower leagues start soon after what he said. Equity for the Women's League -yeah let's get them back as soon as possible and what teams travel from Dumfries to Elgin?  

I agree regarding equity. They have already decided that L1/2 are more important than the common man in the street playing, I'm not sure why they feel they can't prioritise further other than some fear of being accused of sexism.

However, the Dumfries to Elgin thing was clearly a throwaway comment about teams travelling the length of the country. Notwithstanding the fact that Queen of the South could still play Elgin the cup.

[Steven W]

3 minutes ago, Left Back said:

I get their point.  They may be more at risk of catching the virus but they're not more at risk of getting ill from it.  Once the vulnerable are done the next target is surely herd immunity and for that we need to keep up and increase the volume (if we can).  Prioritising any specific occupation will slow that down as it will be more data for the NHS to cross-reference.

I get their point too. But by the time all over 40s are vaccinated a large chunk of police / teachers will be done anyway. They've harped on about this from day one - strikes me as a little selfish. Folk stacking the shelves in Asda are just as exposed, yet we hear little from them.

As you say, a perfectly valid reason has been given for going down this route. The reaction (within minutes) from Police and Teachers is a bit "Me, me, me!!"

[Elixir]

Doing it by age should rattle through the whole process quicker than waiting to see how many come forward from certain professions, then carrying on. I do feel for shop workers and non jobsworth coppers, but teacher tears are hilarious.

The only thing about this whole shitshow the UK has gotten right is the vaccine rollout.

[Distant Doonhamer]

My daughter is a teacher. Late 20s and healthy. She'd love to get the vaccine now if for no other reason than to protect her as yet unvaccinated parents 

She completely agrees with the decision made today and the reasoning behind it. There'll be loads of folk like her.

[FFCinthearea]

16 minutes ago, Left Back said:

I get their point.  They may be more at risk of catching the virus but they're not more at risk of getting ill from it.  Once the vulnerable are done the next target is surely herd immunity and for that we need to keep up and increase the volume (if we can).  Prioritising any specific occupation will slow that down as it will be more data for the NHS to cross-reference.

It's all about the bloody teachers, they really think they're something special.   I'd have the low paid supermarket workers ahead of them in the queue.

[superbigal]

Tbh it's the fecking unions. Can't remember ever reading an article where the EIS etc agreed with anything.

[super_carson]

18 minutes ago, Distant Doonhamer said:

My daughter is a teacher. Late 20s and healthy. She'd love to get the vaccine now if for no other reason than to protect her as yet unvaccinated parents 

She completely agrees with the decision made today and the reasoning behind it. There'll be loads of folk like her.

Yep I'm early thirties and healthy.  There's absolutely no reason for us to be prioritised, especially when you consider a good chunk of the profession will be covered by over 40s anyway. Hardly fair on the other jobs that also have to work in people facing roles  throughout this.

Going by age also circumvents any arguments about which jobs are seen to be "more important" than others. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by super_carson

[PWL]

Just now, superbigal said:

Tbh it's the fecking unions. Can't remember ever reading an article where the EIS etc agreed with anything.

Am sure they will do some positive work and I'm generally pro union representation. 

However, they do seem particularly nippy. Moaning about teachers missing Oct breaks last year was a poor call.

Plus, I'm still pissed off at the EIS for the mid 80s teachers strikes as I didn't get to play football for my school. 

I long hold a grudge. 

[TheScarf]

Unions are great in certain scenarios.  They're utter cunts in others.

[Rob1885]

Get the pubs open.
Keep League 1(Falkirk) in the mud.
IMO.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

33 minutes ago, Steven W said:

I stand to gain from the announcement that 40-49s are next up once Groups 1-9 are complete.

But I think I'd prefer to let the police and teachers go next. Not sure I can face the continued bleating much longer

 

When the Louisa Jordan was binning 650 doses a day and some of the other centres binning 50-90 doses a day there existed a fantastic opportunity to have police officers or fire fighters use up end of day spares that were refused/no attendance, but the NHS decided at some kind of strategic level to throw all of these doses out and specifically that they should not be offered to emergency services. There are some examples of end of day use but they are very much the minority. The good thing about using the end of day approach is that you pretty much guarantee its all operational police officers/firefighters getting vaccinated as its after 5pm and the office wallas have gone home. 

30 minutes ago, Left Back said:

I get their point.  They may be more at risk of catching the virus but they're not more at risk of getting ill from it.  Once the vulnerable are done the next target is surely herd immunity and for that we need to keep up and increase the volume (if we can).  Prioritising any specific occupation will slow that down as it will be more data for the NHS to cross-reference.

The big concern ive heard from Police officers is the risk that they go from a call say at a party with people fighting with them to a call at an old dears house. They are essentially a massive risk as super spreaders. Many nursing homes or specialist care homes (brain injury places etc) phone police (in my opinion absolutely irresponsibly) when residents act out. That coupled with the fact they are being asked to now fill in for NHS service provision cuts (particularly with cpns and social workers (who have been vaccinated) refusing to go to many people in crisis) means that in one example from one team of police officers them all spending an average of 5-8hrs a week waiting within hospitals. The argument from the NHS being people working in clinical environments should be protected, yet they fail to protect the people who they call when a patient goes missing, gets aggressive, or any one of the scenarios that results in police attending clinical environments. 

20 minutes ago, Steven W said:

I get their point too. But by the time all over 40s are vaccinated a large chunk of police / teachers will be done anyway. They've harped on about this from day one - strikes me as a little selfish. Folk stacking the shelves in Asda are just as exposed, yet we hear little from them.

As you say, a perfectly valid reason has been given for going down this route. The reaction (within minutes) from Police and Teachers is a bit "Me, me, me!!"

Its not me me me, its reasonable that they should expect to be vaccinated, occupationally they have to engage with the most vulnerable people, deal with sudden deaths in the community, go into high risk areas (when ambulance and others refuse), yes there is risk from people working in shops etc and sadly they do get abuse and in some cases assaulted, but they are allowed to withdraw, whereas police officers have to go ‘hands on’ (yes i get people will have lots of examples of the police being the baddies ....). But yes we expect police officers to do these things and then they go home to their families, i know several who have had to move out the family house because there are vulnerable kids, parents or partners who would be at risk yet these people are still going to work at significant personal sacrifice. The fact that the NHS has vaccinated people who work a saturday at specsavers with no clinical training or responsibilities, security staff at the louisa jordan who work in control rooms and dont see the public, NHS accountants who are not public facing and work from home) coast guard and mountain rescue (btw when either of these are called out guess who coordinates...?) and social workers who work from home and send police out when they dont want to go, then I think its certainly fair that questions get asked. 

[TheScarf]

To be honest, I'll be happy when I can walk into a shop without having to wear a face mask.

[ICTChris]

 

[Jacksgranda]

38 minutes ago, Elixir said:

Doing it by age should rattle through the whole process quicker than waiting to see how many come forward from certain professions, then carrying on. I do feel for shop workers and non jobsworth coppers, but teacher tears are hilarious.

The only thing about this whole shitshow the UK has gotten right is the vaccine rollout.

That was probably a mistake...

 

[David W]

I am another one in the camp of not being bothered about skipping the queue as a teacher. However, I accept that teaching in a secondary school in an affluent area is decidedly different than having to control primary kids elsewhere in the country. 

I think the police have a far greater claim.