Coronavirus

Quoted from Rick12

Thats the thing I have with golf Pete. Its quite expensive. Comparative to other sports like football and even tennis. I know in primary school we use to play football with a tennis ball  . Bit cheaper than £18 a round now and more which is what it is in golf.

It is interesting, and sad,  to see the Guardian report that covid has run riot in so many European countries, even those that escaped the worst of it in the first wave. Much the same as cases have rocketed in Hull and Grimsby after hardly any in the first wave. I suppose it is almost impossible to keep nature at bay, no matter what the majority of governments do.

The trouble with a pandemic is by the time governments know what to do it is nearly over, and lessons are forgotten by the time the next one comes round.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I suppose it is almost impossible to keep nature at bay, no matter what the majority of governments do.

.

I think the only thing you can do Lew is try to adapt to it .

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

It is interesting, and sad,  to see the Guardian report that covid has run riot in so many European countries, even those that escaped the worst of it in the first wave. Much the same as cases have rocketed in Hull and Grimsby after hardly any in the first wave. I suppose it is almost impossible to keep nature at bay, no matter what the majority of governments do.

The trouble with a pandemic is by the time governments know what to do it is nearly over, and lessons are forgotten by the time the next one comes round.

Some countries especially in the Far East and down under have dealt with it without a vaccine, there are examples of good practice, these however involve infringement on personal freedoms we have taken for granted in the west.
The cost of this virus to the U.K. both in lives and financial is massive and growing, pinning hopes on a vaccine and having half measure lockdowns , then eat out to help out, get back to work threats and go on holiday if you like will not see an end to it.
Too many are making a lot of money out of it, many with little or no previous medical experience, these companies making massive profits with no penalties for what can only be described as repeated failure have no reason to want a quick end to the situation.
The government plan since March has never been to eradicate the virus only to flatten the sombrero so the NHS doesn’t get overrun. They are quite happy for those deemed too old for hospital treatment to die quietly in care homes without bothering the figures.
Commerce has been put above health, because the majority of those dying no longer have a commercial value, this is a very sad reflection on were our society is at the moment.
When I say our society I mean the west in general, as a nation we have failed our older citizens particularly badly

Quoted from codcheeky

. They are quite happy for those deemed too old for hospital treatment to die quietly in care homes without bothering the figures.
Commerce has been put above health, because the majority of those dying no longer have a commercial value, this is a very sad reflection on were our society is at the moment.
When I say our society I mean the west in general, as a nation we have failed our older citizens particularly badly

Ive seen this in the job market as well. You have a physical disability be it serious lung /heart etc and most employers are reluctant to take you on. Its profit at the end of the day sadly which rules the roost in most cases. Like in nature survival of the fittest.

I saw on the news last night that Italy is struggling to get a handle on it again but in Bergamo, the epicentre of the first wave in Europe, they have barely been affected.

We keep getting a message from school saying that isolating kids must not be brought into the school premises. Obviously, if there is only one adult in the house due to being single or one of them working, how else can the other child get to school? They are expected to be there because they are just a contact of a contact!

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

The trouble with a pandemic is by the time governments know what to do it is nearly over, and lessons are forgotten by the time the next one comes round.

In the past, this was perhaps the case. But no civilisation has ever faced a pandemic with the depth of knowledge and understanding that we have right now in 2020 thanks to scientific advances which weren't available even 20 years ago.

During the initial wave of infections, everyone was guessing the best way forward which explains why some countries guessed better than others - and these were generally the ones who had faced similar coronaviruses in SARS/MERS in recent years and were therefore extremely cautious.

It therefore quickly became very clear and obvious what was the best way to deal with the pandemic and, after the first 6 months or so, we had a pretty good grasp of how the virus spread and how to stop the spread. China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, New Zealand, latterly Australia, and a number of other countries all showed what was necessary to bring the pandemic under control and then keep it in check. In comparison, we didn't even attempt to suppress the spread of the virus almost to eradication as these more successful countries did. As Prof Devi Sridhar noted back in October, without a serious attempt to attempt eradication, we were doomed to further surges in infection and a cycle of lockdowns:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/10/continual-local-lockdowns-answer-covid-control

In spite of all this evidence, it was pretty interesting to note that the head of the test and trace effort (Mrs John Penrose MP) mentioned the other day that they were caught on the hop by the massive increase in testing requirements following the return of students to school/University in early September. Which rather begs the question, what in the flipping intercourse were they expecting? Especially after European holidays were practically encouraged this summer. How is it possible that the national organisation tasked with trying to contain the spread of the virus can miss something so completely, utterly obvious? This study, (facing peer review) would indicate that most of the infections now around come directly from people flipping off to Spain this summer!

https://www.theguardian.com/wo.....-most-uk-cases-study

Just imagine if, instead of saying, "This sunny country is possibly quite safe to visit", they instead said, "Make the sacrifice this summer and stay at home to ensure we have a better winter with fewer deaths and a less excrement time for all".

If one thing about this pandemic was absolutely guaranteed, it would be that bringing together large groups of people who had, by design, been kept apart for many months would lead to an increase in the number of infections and therefore required tests. How is it possible that the people in charge of keeping the virus in check couldn't be aware of the risk? It's almost incompetent enough to make you wonder if the poor decisions were made by design.

A lot of countries have life almost as normal at present thanks to a proper, serious intent to eradicate the virus in their borders. Towards the other end of the scale, we have a second lockdown which is likely to be repeated during the New Year and Serco Test and Trace failing to reach even 60 percent of contacts. The virus is running rampant in areas in places such as North East Lincolnshire (and at my wife's school, it would seem), so at what point are we going to get a grip on these things.

I'd suggest the answer is never as long as apologists say, "What more could be done?", then there are many examples across the world that show the exact measures required.

The release of positive information about the Pfizer vaccine has been overblown (it notably came from a press release and not release of the trial data), but it will hopefully be able to help reduce deaths and damages before too long, as will other vaccines.

My concern is that the reporting has all been, "The end is in sight", when the information available so far is, "This should hopefully help quite a bit". Without the sterilising immunity we are used to from vaccines (can't catch it and can't pass it on), which isn't particularly likely from these first vaccines, "Getting back to normal" isn't going to be possible for some years. Without a serious intention to eradicate and keep it eradicated from imported cases, the virus is going to remain endemic and chipping away at everything with surges of infection and perhaps further lockdowns in the future, even if some of the most vulnerable have some protection from vaccines. As other countries have shown, the way we're blundering through is a choice, not a necessity.

Meanwhile, we’re in the middle of a second lockdown with record cases of infection, because the government have forgotten the lessons of 3 months ago or something? Morons.

Quoted from ska face

Tweet 1327697214525689856 will appear here...

Meanwhile, we’re in the middle of a second lockdown with record cases of infection, because the government have forgotten the lessons of 3 months ago or something? Morons.

Our prime minister is currently self isolating again for a fortnight because we can’t keep the virus out of Downing Street never mind the whole country, you really couldn’t make up how incompetent the Government have appeared over this. We have become a laughing stock with the Bojo the Clown as the star

Quoted from codcheeky

Our prime minister is currently self isolating again for a fortnight because, you really couldn’t make up how incompetent the Government have appeared over this. We have become a laughing stock with the Bojo the Clown as the star

He was posing for another picture with Lia Nici a few days ago too. Mind you, she's been isolating from Grimsby residents since last December.

Quoted from Maringer

In the past, this was perhaps the case. But no civilisation has ever faced a pandemic with the depth of knowledge and understanding that we have right now in 2020 thanks to scientific advances which weren't available even 20 years ago.

During the initial wave of infections, everyone was guessing the best way forward which explains why some countries guessed better than others - and these were generally the ones who had faced similar coronaviruses in SARS/MERS in recent years and were therefore extremely cautious.

It therefore quickly became very clear and obvious what was the best way to deal with the pandemic and, after the first 6 months or so, we had a pretty good grasp of how the virus spread and how to stop the spread. China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, New Zealand, latterly Australia, and a number of other countries all showed what was necessary to bring the pandemic under control and then keep it in check. In comparison, we didn't even attempt to suppress the spread of the virus almost to eradication as these more successful countries did. As Prof Devi Sridhar noted back in October, without a serious attempt to attempt eradication, we were doomed to further surges in infection and a cycle of lockdowns:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/10/continual-local-lockdowns-answer-covid-control

In spite of all this evidence, it was pretty interesting to note that the head of the test and trace effort (Mrs John Penrose MP) mentioned the other day that they were caught on the hop by the massive increase in testing requirements following the return of students to school/University in early September. Which rather begs the question, what in the flipping intercourse were they expecting? Especially after European holidays were practically encouraged this summer. How is it possible that the national organisation tasked with trying to contain the spread of the virus can miss something so completely, utterly obvious? This study, (facing peer review) would indicate that most of the infections now around come directly from people flipping off to Spain this summer!

https://www.theguardian.com/wo.....-most-uk-cases-study

Just imagine if, instead of saying, "This sunny country is possibly quite safe to visit", they instead said, "Make the sacrifice this summer and stay at home to ensure we have a better winter with fewer deaths and a less excrement time for all".

If one thing about this pandemic was absolutely guaranteed, it would be that bringing together large groups of people who had, by design, been kept apart for many months would lead to an increase in the number of infections and therefore required tests. How is it possible that the people in charge of keeping the virus in check couldn't be aware of the risk? It's almost incompetent enough to make you wonder if the poor decisions were made by design.

A lot of countries have life almost as normal at present thanks to a proper, serious intent to eradicate the virus in their borders. Towards the other end of the scale, we have a second lockdown which is likely to be repeated during the New Year and Serco Test and Trace failing to reach even 60 percent of contacts. The virus is running rampant in areas in places such as North East Lincolnshire (and at my wife's school, it would seem), so at what point are we going to get a grip on these things.

I'd suggest the answer is never as long as apologists say, "What more could be done?", then there are many examples across the world that show the exact measures required.

The release of positive information about the Pfizer vaccine has been overblown (it notably came from a press release and not release of the trial data), but it will hopefully be able to help reduce deaths and damages before too long, as will other vaccines.

My concern is that the reporting has all been, "The end is in sight", when the information available so far is, "This should hopefully help quite a bit". Without the sterilising immunity we are used to from vaccines (can't catch it and can't pass it on), which isn't particularly likely from these first vaccines, "Getting back to normal" isn't going to be possible for some years. Without a serious intention to eradicate and keep it eradicated from imported cases, the virus is going to remain endemic and chipping away at everything with surges of infection and perhaps further lockdowns in the future, even if some of the most vulnerable have some protection from vaccines. As other countries have shown, the way we're blundering through is a choice, not a necessity.

If it was so obvious how to deal with it, how come most western governments have been useless at protecting the public? Are you saying those in the west knew what to do, but chose not to? Your argument seems to concentrate on the UK, but so many western countries have suffered badly.