When will covid end ? Please be nice and respectful to others

[fraybentos1]

10 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

A lot was made out a few weeks ago that the UK would yet again be the odd one out but surely with most developed nations now following our lead its justifies the return to normal.

You can't contain Omicron.  Its was something of a gift really as it totally ended any hope of zero covid - if there was ever any hope.

I don't think what is happening in the China or Hong Kong has anything to do with Covid - population control and power more like.

The usual suspects on Twitter currently banging on about people dying in Denmark. Dunno how they have the energy. Denmark has had basically as good a pandemic as you can have imo.

 

 

[efcfanwirral]

2 hours ago, jannybruck said:

It feels completely alien to think I might be on holiday somewhere in a couple of months and not have to think about masks, distancing, vax passports. Seeing EU countries who've previously been tight on these things start to drop them is very encouraging.

I wonder if there'll be many countries this summer who won't have either restrictions or entry restrictions (eg proof of vaccination at the border) – there's surely a huge market to hoover up tourists who may be vaccinated but still see all that as a hassle.

Norway and Switzerland so far! 

2 hours ago, fraybentos1 said:

The usual suspects on Twitter currently banging on about people dying in Denmark. Dunno how they have the energy. Denmark has had basically as good a pandemic as you can have imo.

I just searched for this by the way, but this graph was being used last week. Going from 3 to 5 per million was being used to bash them dropping restrictions. 

 

[Paul ™]

3 hours ago, fraybentos1 said:

Even  some of Asia looks to be getting looser. Vietnam opening borders in March after 2 years closed. Australia and NZ along similar lines. It’s just China and HK that’ll be shut for a long time still

And Philippines opening up too.

Sri Lanka is booming with all the ones who can't go to rest of Asia/India etc.

Just got back from 13 weeks there, tremendous country too.

[fraybentos1]

15 minutes ago, Paul ™ said:

And Philippines opening up too.

Sri Lanka is booming with all the ones who can't go to rest of Asia/India etc.

Just got back from 13 weeks there, tremendous country too.

I’d love to go to Sri Lanka, hopefully be there this time next year if things keep going the way they are. 
 

Looks such a stunning country with unreal wildlife. 
 

Yeah I saw the Phillippines was also opening up but wasn’t sure to what extent. Indonesia I think is April too apparently.

Vaccination rates have ended up pretty decent throughout most of these places. Hopefully they don’t panic when another variant inevitably comes around  

[Fuzzy Afro]

Rumours going around that fake SAGE are about to disband. 

[Neil]

Just now, Barry Fish said:

The ever wrong NHS confederation is flapping over free testing. 

cols they know theyll get hammered if covid rages thru hospitals' killing the oldies.

[Neil]

11 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

Drama lama again - vaccines Neil - vaccines 🙂 

the majority of people dying have been vaccinated, and catch it, and die in hospital

[Neil]

if its like you say the units i was in would have

dropped testing, and 

dropped expensive ppe, 

and allowed visitors hen theyd done the vaccines.

[zero000]

1 minute ago, Neil said:

the majority of people dying have been vaccinated, and catch it, and die in hospital

That’s also because the absolute numbers of people who haven’t been vaccinated are relatively small, so there will always be more people dying who are vaccinated than unvaccinated. 

[Neil]

1 minute ago, zero000 said:

That’s also because the absolute numbers of people who haven’t been vaccinated are relatively small, so there will always be more people dying who are vaccinated than unvaccinated. 

excatly right, i worked out they must be vaccinated from the stats.

[Neil]

2 minutes ago, Neil said:

if its like you say the units i was in would have

dropped testing, and 

dropped expensive ppe, 

and allowed visitors hen theyd done the vaccines.

the ppe is so expesive, i was transferred at one point with 3 months ppe, so the new unit didnt have to provide ppe.

[Neil]

0the drama lama round here is the fish who has a drama if anyone mentions the govts plans might be duff, they've been duff all the way along, miracle if right this time!

[Neil]

Just now, Barry Fish said:

The whole of the EU are moving in the same direction 

we dont copy the forrins.

[DeanoL]

While I'm not happy about dropping free testing I can certainly see why you'd do it. 

The testing served a bunch of different purposes:

1) A way around vaccine passports for the unvaxxed - we've now dumped those so they're not relevant.

2) A way to prevent the spread - have symptoms, get tested, have a legal obligation to isolate if you're positive. Without the latter obligation to isolate, this is no longer relevant.

3) A way to measure cases - the government seem to think the ONS studies are sufficient for this

4) A way for individuals or small groups to get piece of mind - I can do a test before visiting a vulnerable relative, or ask everyone to test before and after a larger family gathering, or if I have flu-symptoms I can find out if it's COVID or not. Of the four, it's the only one that's still valid. I personally think that's enough, I don't think there should be a societal divide between those who can afford to test and those who can't. I don't think the less well off should have to put off taking their kids to see their grandparents because one of them has a sniffle and they can't be sure it's not COVID. But then I'm a socialist and that's clearly not an argument that's going to win around the Tories in this thread.

[lost]

16 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

But then I'm a socialist and that's clearly not an argument that's going to win around the Tories in this thread.

There are more than two political ideologies you know?  There have also been movements on the left like the levellers who believe in individual freedoms so it would be possible for someone to be left wing and not be arguing the authoritarianism/totalitarianism position. 

[Neil]

40 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

While I'm not happy about dropping free testing I can certainly see why you'd do it. 

 

theyd be reason to not have testing in the first place. which is how the uk was, and had to introduce testing.

[lost]

Surely seasonal flu should be a base line. If omicron has become the dominant variant, one of its mutations reduces its ability to bind to the lungs and therefore its now less deadly than flu, then not testing for flu but testing for covid doesn't make any sense. I'd be in the camp to stop testing for covid rather than start testing for flu.

[Neil]

2 hours ago, lost said:

Surely seasonal flu should be a base line. If omicron has become the dominant variant, one of its mutations reduces its ability to bind to the lungs and therefore its now less deadly than flu, then not testing for flu but testing for covid doesn't make any sense. I'd be in the camp to stop testing for covid rather than start testing for flu.

its not 'deadly which is the concern, its the load onto health services(hospital admissions).

[lost]

36 minutes ago, Neil said:

its not 'deadly which is the concern, its the load onto health services(hospital admissions).

People catch flu and end up in hospital but don't die. Flu season puts hospitals under massive strain. In fact this january was one of the mildest on record. Covid put the NHS under less strain than flu normally does.

The NHS was overloaded by flu as recently as 2018 but back then it probably made page 23 of a newspaper.

Edited February 18, 2022 by lost

[Neil]

40 minutes ago, lost said:

People catch flu and end up in hospital but don't die. Flu season puts hospitals under massive strain. In fact this january was one of the mildest on record. Covid put the NHS under less strain than flu normally does.

if theres no covid prevention measures, then covid  will add to the strain on the nhs caused by flu.

[lost]

8 minutes ago, Neil said:

if theres no covid prevention measures, then covid  will add to the strain on the nhs caused by flu.

But as I said you'd be better testing for flu. Flu 0.1% death rate with 1% - 1.2% hospitalisation rate. 

Quote

the risk of being hospitalized from COVID-19 after vaccination is extremely small, at about 5 in 100,000.

 https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-is-your-actual-risk-of-getting-covid-19-if-youre-vaccinated

If hospitalisations stay low its the equivalent of erecting a "no pissing in the river sign" during torrential rain to stop it flooding.

 

Edited February 18, 2022 by lost

[Neil]

wish me luck just done a lateral flow test, want to be clear.

[squirrelarmy]

Was bound to happen eventually but her Maj has tested positive for Covid. 

[zahidf]

5 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

Was bound to happen eventually but her Maj has tested positive for Covid. 

#boristhebutcherkilledthequeen

[squirrelarmy]

Whats the contingency plan though if London Bridge falls in the build up or actually during Glasto?