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Covid: New lockdown for England as cases surge

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Covid: New lockdown for England as cases surge

#11

Post by qeternity »

In the UK, 95% of the deaths are people over 60. There are more deaths for people over 90 than under 70.

When are we going to start putting all these efforts and resources into focusing on the vulnerable populations and not painting with a broad brush.

We know that lockdowns are too blunt an instrument which is why most of Europe is having to engage in ever more draconian measures. We are mortgaging our future here, without questioning the cost.

We don't need more of the same. It's not a question of willpower. It's a question of approach, and currently nobody is asking the hard questions.

EDIT It seems downvote brigade has arrived to ensure that any contrarian opinion is snuffed out. No rebuttal with data, just downvotes.

Re: Covid: New lockdown for England as cases surge

#12

Post by JohnCohorn »

twoslide wrote: post #3

One of the things that irritates me most is that Boris portrays the variant as a kind random piece of bad luck. Don't know much about genetics, but I guess such a variant becomes more likely when there are many infections (more of the virus to mutate), and the strategy has consistently been to run things "hot" and tolerate high case counts.

If other countries(like the US!) are running it hot it could just as easily develop there and still have spread to the UK.

Re: Covid: New lockdown for England as cases surge

#13

Post by gruez »

foota wrote: post #9
sonotmyname wrote: post #2

Woohoo - more inconsistent and unscientific policies! * Restaurants can continue to offer delivery for food, but takeaway alcohol will be banned __ So alcohol spreads COVID? Good thing restaurants don't count on alcohol sales to stay afloat. * Amateur team sports are not allowed, but elite sport such as Premier League football can continue __ 'Elite' athletes, as is the case for the rest of the 'elites', should not h…

It does make sense imo to allow elite sports to continue while banning amateurs, there are relatively few elite players so the additional risk overall is low.

You can make the same argument for top level ministers. eg. "well it's fine for the PM and the cabinet to ignore lockdown directives because they're only 0.001% of the uk population"

It's still inconsistent, bad for PR, and puts the whole government into question.

Re: Covid: New lockdown for England as cases surge

#14

Post by Veen »

twoslide wrote: post #3

One of the things that irritates me most is that Boris portrays the variant as a kind random piece of bad luck. Don't know much about genetics, but I guess such a variant becomes more likely when there are many infections (more of the virus to mutate), and the strategy has consistently been to run things "hot" and tolerate high case counts.

> Boris portrays the variant as a kind random piece of bad luck

That's pretty much the definition of a mutation.

Re: Covid: New lockdown for England as cases surge

#15

Post by open-source-ux »

Everything seems so last minute and ad hoc with this Conservative government. Their announcement of another level 5 lockdown (which hadn't existed until today) and the u-turn on school closures makes it clear they are simply making things up as they go along.

The goverment's level of incompetence is simply off the scale. How has this nasty, rotten government gotten away with some much? (No doubt helped by our nasty right-wing press.)

Re: Covid: New lockdown for England as cases surge

#16

Post by gregmac »

CodeGlitch wrote: post #7
sonotmyname wrote: post #2

Woohoo - more inconsistent and unscientific policies! * Restaurants can continue to offer delivery for food, but takeaway alcohol will be banned __ So alcohol spreads COVID? Good thing restaurants don't count on alcohol sales to stay afloat. * Amateur team sports are not allowed, but elite sport such as Premier League football can continue __ 'Elite' athletes, as is the case for the rest of the 'elites', should not h…

I agree with you on the football thing, although the players will be getting regular tests, and the sport generates a tonne of cash. The rest of it make sense to me. Your example of golf: the sport includes the whole social aspect (the golf club rooms etc). Remember they have to keep the rules simple. Also allowing people to order alcohol to be delivered within the hour probably isn't the smartest!

> Also allowing people to order alcohol to be delivered within the hour probably isn't the smartest!

Why? What is the difference vs someone who keeps a quantity on alcohol in their house (other than being exorbitantly more expensive)?

Re: Covid: New lockdown for England as cases surge

#17

Post by twoslide »

JohnCohorn wrote: post #12
twoslide wrote: post #3

One of the things that irritates me most is that Boris portrays the variant as a kind random piece of bad luck. Don't know much about genetics, but I guess such a variant becomes more likely when there are many infections (more of the virus to mutate), and the strategy has consistently been to run things "hot" and tolerate high case counts.

If other countries(like the US!) are running it hot it could just as easily develop there and still have spread to the UK.

Good point, we’re a small share of global cases. I’ll temper my wrath a bit.

Re: Covid: New lockdown for England as cases surge

#18

Post by JohnCohorn »

gruez wrote: post #13
foota wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It does make sense imo to allow elite sports to continue while banning amateurs, there are relatively few elite players so the additional risk overall is low.

You can make the same argument for top level ministers. eg. "well it's fine for the PM and the cabinet to ignore lockdown directives because they're only 0.001% of the uk population" It's still inconsistent, bad for PR, and puts the whole government into question.

I dislike sports, but I do see that making pro sports broadcasts continue could provide the entertainment needed for folks to be happier to stay inside their homes like they should.

Re: Covid: New lockdown for England as cases surge

#19

Post by [deleted] »

gruez wrote: post #13
foota wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It does make sense imo to allow elite sports to continue while banning amateurs, there are relatively few elite players so the additional risk overall is low.

You can make the same argument for top level ministers. eg. "well it's fine for the PM and the cabinet to ignore lockdown directives because they're only 0.001% of the uk population" It's still inconsistent, bad for PR, and puts the whole government into question.

[deleted]

Re: Covid: New lockdown for England as cases surge

#20

Post by waterglassFull »

sonotmyname wrote: post #2

Woohoo - more inconsistent and unscientific policies! * Restaurants can continue to offer delivery for food, but takeaway alcohol will be banned __ So alcohol spreads COVID? Good thing restaurants don't count on alcohol sales to stay afloat. * Amateur team sports are not allowed, but elite sport such as Premier League football can continue __ 'Elite' athletes, as is the case for the rest of the 'elites', should not h…

"__ So alcohol spreads COVID? Good thing restaurants don't count on alcohol sales to stay afloat."

The problem isn't the take-away alcohol itself, the problem is what people do with it.

We routinely get people around our area (East London) who buy take-away beer - stand two meters away from the pub - and drink it with their friends. It promotes people spreading COVID.

The UK government aren't confident enough to actually curtail people's behaviour (eg mask wearing in public, fining people etc) that they stop the things that people inherently do.

I don't think it's a great policy, but it's a step in the right direction.

The science itself is all in the messaging and tone.. but they make it easy to get out of with "valid reasons". Stay home.

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