Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Elixir]

45 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

The Netherlands treats us as an area of very high risk and restricts our travel there accordingly, as do many other countries. Wales has just taken our place as the most infected country on the planet. Moving along please, nothing happening here. There was zero chance of Scandinavia removing their restrictions if their case rates were as high as ours.

I wonder why European countries like the Netherlands might want to play political games with the UK!

Are you just continuing to ignore that we are testing more than just about anywhere on the planet, and hence find far more cases? England quite literally is 'our infection rates' with no mandatory masks, vaccine passports or contact tracing.

Just stop embarrassing yourself. The Nordic public health agencies have quite literally concluded that Covid is no longer a societal burden, so whatever their future cAsE rAtEs!!!11 are it isn't going to matter, as like here it certainly isn't going to topple their superior health services.

So yup, in the bin where you belong.

[realmadrid]

The Welsh government are now looking to keep PCR testing , so thats everyone in south Wales flying from Bristol then.

https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/wales-adopts-uk-covid-rules-but-holds-back-on-pcr-testing-change-30646?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Evening Bulletin

The Welsh government said it would align with the UK government on merging green and amber travel lists and removing the pre-departure test for the fully vaccinated.

However, it added: “A decision on moving away from PCR tests is still to be made.”

 

Eluned Morgan, Welsh minister for health and social services, said: “We have regularly called for a careful approach to international travel to prevent coronavirus being re-imported into the UK, especially new and emerging variants which may not respond to the vaccines.

 

“The decision to move away from PCR tests from returning travellers on day two is concerning. This test, combined with genetic sequencing of all positive tests, is a vital part of our surveillance for coronavirus and protects our borders from the virus.”

 

Morgan added the Welsh government would continue to examine evidence for a Wales-only testing regime, “but the strongest solution to protect public health is for the UK government to reinstate UK-wide testing”.

 

Abta’s director of public affairs Luke Petherbridge said: “We welcome confirmation that the Welsh government will align with the rest of the UK by removing pre-departure testing for fully vaccinated travellers from 4 October.

 

“This will make the process much easier for returning travellers and go some way to reducing costs. However, the decision not to confirm alignment on Day 2 testing rules – enabling the use of much cheaper lateral flow tests – is disappointing, and we urge ministers to reconsider.

 

“It is important to remember that anyone who provides a positive lateral flow test after travelling would still be required to seek a confirmatory PCR test, so genomic sequencing ability will be retained.

 

"Keeping in place more expensive testing arrangements in Wales will leave the Welsh travel and tourism industry facing a competitive disadvantage and it will damage the recovery of the sector.”

[Elixir]

Just now, realmadrid said:

The Welsh government are now looking to keep PCR testing , so thats everyone in south Wales flying from Bristol then.

https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/wales-adopts-uk-covid-rules-but-holds-back-on-pcr-testing-change-30646?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Evening Bulletin

The Welsh government said it would align with the UK government on merging green and amber travel lists and removing the pre-departure test for the fully vaccinated.

However, it added: “A decision on moving away from PCR tests is still to be made.”

 

Eluned Morgan, Welsh minister for health and social services, said: “We have regularly called for a careful approach to international travel to prevent coronavirus being re-imported into the UK, especially new and emerging variants which may not respond to the vaccines.

 

“The decision to move away from PCR tests from returning travellers on day two is concerning. This test, combined with genetic sequencing of all positive tests, is a vital part of our surveillance for coronavirus and protects our borders from the virus.”

 

Morgan added the Welsh government would continue to examine evidence for a Wales-only testing regime, “but the strongest solution to protect public health is for the UK government to reinstate UK-wide testing”.

 

Abta’s director of public affairs Luke Petherbridge said: “We welcome confirmation that the Welsh government will align with the rest of the UK by removing pre-departure testing for fully vaccinated travellers from 4 October.

 

“This will make the process much easier for returning travellers and go some way to reducing costs. However, the decision not to confirm alignment on Day 2 testing rules – enabling the use of much cheaper lateral flow tests – is disappointing, and we urge ministers to reconsider.

 

“It is important to remember that anyone who provides a positive lateral flow test after travelling would still be required to seek a confirmatory PCR test, so genomic sequencing ability will be retained.

 

"Keeping in place more expensive testing arrangements in Wales will leave the Welsh travel and tourism industry facing a competitive disadvantage and it will damage the recovery of the sector.”

Are England not moving away from that towards the end of October? So they'll probably do a Scot Gov and chuck the toys out the pram, only to damage Welsh business in the meantime before they inevitably acquiesce.

[realmadrid]

Just now, Elixir said:

Are England not moving away from that towards the end of October? So they'll probably do a Scot Gov and chuck the toys out the pram, only to damage Welsh business in the meantime before they inevitably acquiesce.

Yes at some point , yet to be determined, in part due to the passenger locator form needing to be redesigned and secondly as there are not enough private lateral flow tests on the market yet.

The aim is for the half term week in England, which is the last week in October.

[superbigal]

Yes at some point , yet to be determined, in part due to the passenger locator form needing to be redesigned and secondly as there are not enough private lateral flow tests on the market yet.
The aim is for the half term week in England, which is the last week in October.

If you believe there are not enough lateral flow tests you have been hoodwinked.
Freely available.
Also they only cost about £2 from China which is the source of all NHS stocks.
This is about the amount of pcr tests these pop up companies are still stuck with.

[Jan Vojáček]

Just back from a cracking weekend watching Superbikes at Oulton Park. It's fantastic how normal everything is in England. Walked into a pub for my tea, no mask, no test and trace, no pre-booking. Walked into Sainsbury's without a mask and, to be honest, totally forgot about Covid being a thing during the weekend. It was lovely.

Oulton was busy, everyone acted like normal humans (or as normal as you can get in motorsport) and there wasn't a mask in sight.

I don't think I really realised how much of a pain the masks were until I strolled into Sainsbury's for the first time without it on. Stopped at Gretna on the way home for a pee and it felt like a step back in time having to put on a mask with warning signs everywhere.

[welshbairn]

23 minutes ago, realmadrid said:

The Welsh government are now looking to keep PCR testing , so thats everyone in south Wales flying from Bristol then.

At the moment a certified private LFT costs about £10-15 less than a PCR, so I doubt it be enough to change plans. Wouldn't surprise me if both Wales and Scotland move to a price capped PCR that costs the same as an LFT equivalent. It's not the LFT itself that costs much, it's the verification process. And the process for the punter is identical in the UK.

Edited September 27, 2021 by welshbairn

[Ron Aldo]

Home Nations Daily Cases per 100K update  :  UK Average  332.1 to 341.5 up 2.83%, England  302.6 to 313.7 up 3.67%, Wales 614.7 to 639.0 up 3.95%, Northern Ireland   423.6 to 417.9 down 1.35%    Scotland 409.4
Wave 4 continues to surge in England & Wales and with 38,000 cases reported today set to continue.  Wales streaking clear now as the worlds covid hotspot.  Top 10 councils in UK all in wales.
 

[Billy Jean King]

Just back from a cracking weekend watching Superbikes at Oulton Park. It's fantastic how normal everything is in England. Walked into a pub for my tea, no mask, no test and trace, no pre-booking. Walked into Sainsbury's without a mask and, to be honest, totally forgot about Covid being a thing during the weekend. It was lovely.
Oulton was busy, everyone acted like normal humans (or as normal as you can get in motorsport) and there wasn't a mask in sight.
I don't think I really realised how much of a pain the masks were until I strolled into Sainsbury's for the first time without it on. Stopped at Gretna on the way home for a pee and it felt like a step back in time having to put on a mask with warning signs everywhere.

Not sure I've been asked for any of that in a Scottish pub for weeks, are some places still doing that ?

[Todd_is_God]

2 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

39 minutes ago, Jan Vojáček said:

Just back from a cracking weekend watching Superbikes at Oulton Park. It's fantastic how normal everything is in England. Walked into a pub for my tea, no mask, no test and trace, no pre-booking. Walked into Sainsbury's without a mask and, to be honest, totally forgot about Covid being a thing during the weekend. It was lovely.
Oulton was busy, everyone acted like normal humans (or as normal as you can get in motorsport) and there wasn't a mask in sight.
I don't think I really realised how much of a pain the masks were until I strolled into Sainsbury's for the first time without it on. Stopped at Gretna on the way home for a pee and it felt like a step back in time having to put on a mask with warning signs everywhere.

Not sure I've been asked for any of that in a Scottish pub for weeks, are some places still doing that ?

Bookings are not mandatory, but test and trace is (meant to be).

I've always been asked in a restaurant, but never in a pub recently.

[Elixir]

55 minutes ago, realmadrid said:

Yes at some point , yet to be determined, in part due to the passenger locator form needing to be redesigned and secondly as there are not enough private lateral flow tests on the market yet.

The aim is for the half term week in England, which is the last week in October.

Is the passenger locator form done anywhere else in Europe? Especially Ireland?

 

42 minutes ago, Jan Vojáček said:

Just back from a cracking weekend watching Superbikes at Oulton Park. It's fantastic how normal everything is in England. Walked into a pub for my tea, no mask, no test and trace, no pre-booking. Walked into Sainsbury's without a mask and, to be honest, totally forgot about Covid being a thing during the weekend. It was lovely.

Oulton was busy, everyone acted like normal humans (or as normal as you can get in motorsport) and there wasn't a mask in sight.

I don't think I really realised how much of a pain the masks were until I strolled into Sainsbury's for the first time without it on. Stopped at Gretna on the way home for a pee and it felt like a step back in time having to put on a mask with warning signs everywhere.

This seems to be the experience of folk I know down in London as well, and for that reason I'm absolutely buzzing for my trip down there in a few weeks.

Shame I'll then have to come back to Lovejoy Land to see out the winter, though. 

Edited September 27, 2021 by Elixir

[Todd_is_God]

20 minutes ago, Ron Aldo said:

Have they tried wearing masks in school?

[Billy Jean King]

Bookings are not mandatory, but test and trace is (meant to be).
I've always been asked in a restaurant, but never in a pub recently.

Yip pretty much how I've seen it. Pubs not even looking for masks moving around or entering and I certainly haven't been asked to do T&T since the rules changed.

[jimbaxters]

2 minutes ago, Elixir said:

Is the passenger locator form done anywhere else in Europe? Especially Ireland?

 

This seems to be the experience of folk I know down in London as well, and for that reason I'm absolutely buzzing for my trip down there in a few weeks.

Shame I'll then have to come back to Lovejoy Land to see out the winter, though. 

Italy still ask for it. They also insist on a paper copy. 

[Billy Jean King]

Italy still ask for it. They also insist on a paper copy. [emoji2369]

Spain, Portugal France and Greece pretty much universal still. The Scandi nations seem like the exception rather than the rule relaxation wise in Europe.

[welshbairn]

31 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

1 hour ago, Jan Vojáček said:

Just back from a cracking weekend watching Superbikes at Oulton Park. It's fantastic how normal everything is in England. Walked into a pub for my tea, no mask, no test and trace, no pre-booking. Walked into Sainsbury's without a mask and, to be honest, totally forgot about Covid being a thing during the weekend. It was lovely.
Oulton was busy, everyone acted like normal humans (or as normal as you can get in motorsport) and there wasn't a mask in sight.
I don't think I really realised how much of a pain the masks were until I strolled into Sainsbury's for the first time without it on. Stopped at Gretna on the way home for a pee and it felt like a step back in time having to put on a mask with warning signs everywhere.

Not sure I've been asked for any of that in a Scottish pub for weeks, are some places still doing that ?

Me neither, or restaurants. There's sometimes an old QR sticker on a bar table, but that's about it. Didn't find much difference in Cornwall the other week, maybe a few fewer people wearing masks in shops but still the majority on buses.

Edited September 27, 2021 by welshbairn

[welshbairn]

37 minutes ago, Elixir said:

Is the passenger locator form done anywhere else in Europe? Especially Ireland?

Most countries including Ireland, especially from the the UK.

Edited September 27, 2021 by welshbairn

[Michael W]

1 hour ago, Ron Aldo said:

Been a slower burner than Scotland which saw it immediately, but that's the school case bounce starting to hit. 

[DeeTillEhDeh]

A German university is bringing in coloured wrist bands to identify unvaccinated people. What could go wrong. 

With a star on them?

[Elixir]

53 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

Italy still ask for it. They also insist on a paper copy. 

Shame Italy have lost the plot, though it was them who brought 'lockdown' to the West. Wanting to go to Rome but it can wait till they settle their tits. Stockholm, Copenhagen and more of eastern Europe will be the port of call next year. Although I suspect most of this will be pretty moot by next summer.

 

51 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

Spain, Portugal France and Greece pretty much universal still. The Scandi nations seem like the exception rather than the rule relaxation wise in Europe.

No surprise whatsoever since they're the best places to live on Earth. If only Scotland had the autonomy to be more like them in our pandemic recovery.

Oh.