Covid - news and views
Comments
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Our city has high rates too. I ventured into the town last week and I was horrified at lack of face masks. I did what I had to do as fast as I could and left. I wore my mask all the time, in the shops, on the street and in the undercover market.
I'm quite happy walking the dog and exchanging greetings etc with others doing the same in the open spaces, about as much social interaction as I get these days. We meet friends who live similarly to us, my OH is classed as extremely vulnerable, and we are all very conscious of the Covid situation and our own health responsibilities, in our homes. We have to travel to family and again there is much discussion before we meet. We all call it acting responsibly.
I had to check this out, MASKLESS after hearing about it on radio 4
I fear that we'll be alone again this Christmas, in exactly the same way as last year.
I don't know the answers myself BUT I do know that the Black Death Plagues lasted hundreds of years, without all the travel we all do and expect nowadays - OK no vaccine either. We need to respect the virus in the same way as we should/do, nature in the rains, winds and storms. It isn't going to go away anytime soon. We need to learn to live with it and offer all those on the frontline the chance to be safe and recover from the exhaustion they must be suffering.
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We have rising rates locally of unvaccinated younger people being admitted to hospital with Covid. There is also the hospital in Swindon where they have lost three doctors to Covid so it is a concern.
We have been out and about, three theatre visits this autumn with the majority wearing masks. But there appears to be a general lack of concern elsewhere.
It's good to hear 40 year olds can book boosters tomorrow, there is progress on that front.
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I agree, I don’t think another lockdown is the answer st the moment.
The information below is taken from an article in the paper last week and seems to confirm that there are almost as many excess deaths from other causes as Covid. Perhaps a result of the delay in treatment as a result of vastly extended waiting lists.
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One useful thing I found when generating one on my phone (I have usually used my pad) is that there is (if your on an iphone) a button to add it to your wallet, along with my loyalty cards. It will make it very easy to scan or show if we ever need to use them in the future.
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Fresh unrest has erupted in the Netherlands against new lockdown rules amid rising Covid-19 cases in Europe.
People hurled fireworks at police and set fire to bicyclesSetting fire to bicycles? That's going a bit too far in my book!
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Seems the Covid admin is in a mess. We both had our 3rd jabs two weeks ago. Yesterday both received letters saying we were vulnerable and would get another letter with a 3rd jabbing date. All the details were entered on to a NHS computer when we had the jabs. What went wrong and do we need a letter saying we will get another letter? I do admit it is Betsi Cadwallader Board who is in and out of Special measures all the time "Admin" gone mad.
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Because we went to a walk in centre as soon as we were qualified but after the event I got a text and Margaret got a letter inviting us to our booster jabs. I think its just a delay in the admin, the NHS is not renown for having a joined up computer system!!! When Margaret had her bypass operation and was still in ICU I noticed a nurse printing off loads of documents, I assume to do with Margaret. I asked her why she was printing so much and she said the systems don't talk to each other!!! Margaret was only about to move to the floor above!!! All this was in the, then brand new Heart Centre at John Radcliffe in Oxford.
David
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I was glad to hear about masks being made compulsory again in shops. This should never have been relaxed so soon. We have walked out of many due to being packed and no masks in evidence. Fingers crossed they will soon get more information about this new variant.
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Same here, had to nip in Tesco for a few bits today, didn't linger, but did notice that very few people I did pass in store wore masks, I was definitely in the minority.
Will apparently have to wait for an announcement from the Health Secretary "in the next day or so" about this; Bojo was somewhat vague on the subject, but then, he's vague about a lot of things
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Looking at a report on the BBC, it looks as though the Netherlands have done UK a big favour. Flight from Cape Town to Amsterdam, (ultimately destined for Manchester) was held at Schifol, hundreds tested and I think it was 60 positive cases found. Not sure on variant, but all are in quarantine I think. Fingers crossed it’s not the new Omicron🤞
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59442149
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Have to say we've been really disappointed with the response in England to mask wearing. Just glad that the rule wasn't relaxed in Wales, although a few, mostly people in their 20s decide to non co-operate.
We spent nearly 6 weeks in Autumn in the South West of England and on only 1 shopping occasion did we feel comfortable.
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Slight relief that the Essex case is not in Chelmsford, my 2 forays in the last couple of weeks showed few in masks, staff or shoppers and lack of distancing or hand sanitation, but Brentwood just 12 miles away so still too close for comfort.
Why weren't masks made compulsory immediately? Has our 'leader' learned nothing from earlier delays? I'm glad I've operated fir another Christmas for just the 2 of us. So hoping to be proved wrong!
Yes thanks to the Dutch. I know its tough BUT it's a risk with travelling at the moment.
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There was a previous South African variant that didn't reproduce much outside of Africa. It might be wishful thinking that this one will be the same? There is also a new variant in Japan but for some reason it seems to be killing itself because of its genetic make up, we can but hope!
David
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It seems to be down to each individual now as to how they view risk . Wear masks to lower it or not, to accept a higher level.
Its just a shame that those who accept a higher level of risk could be said to be putting others in an uncomfortable position.
I doubt that many masks effectively make the wearer entirely safe but they do nonetheless increase safety overall and the cautious are therefore more comfortable with their situation when wearing them.
Any bets as to whether or not the blond bobble head bring in mandatory wearing in all public spaces and retail outlets?
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They are really in a no win situation. Criticised for not reacting quick enough, or slated for reimposing red list status over quickly. Unfortunately, as you say, there so many what ifs, they will only be judged hero or villain at Christmas.
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Seems to me the reaction is timely and well advised. The mechanism that underpins the vaccination and immunisation process is potentially compromised on a scale not seen in previous mutations. We should be worried - listening to Chris Whitty he clearly is.
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Fully agree WN. We had a very good two weeks in Borders back June/July, and the difference between what was happening in Scotland, and what was going on in England was very marked. We felt comfortable in Scotland, where mask wearing, social distancing measures had been retained, but didn’t visit anywhere busy in England.
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The job of a virus is to spread, but I have no idea why and for what reason
. It can't do that if it kills it's host. In the past to that end they have adjusted in two ways, becoming more transmissible but less virulent. My finger are crossed in the hope of this being a change that will be like that. Pleased to say that yesterday, despite the cold, wind, and rain, we had a queue for jabs around the block even before we opened the doors.
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Went by bus into town on Friday, the first time for many months. By the time we got there, a half hour journey, the bus was full, mainly with older people using their bus passes and all of them wearing masks. However, there was a total of six other people who got on who I would say were all under 40, not one of them wearing a mask. The same in the shopping centre. To see someone under the age of about 40 actually wearing a mask was very rare. Do they still think they are invincible or don't they care if they spread Covid?
It was the same in our local Sainsbury store but here they kept putting out a message over the Tannoy that although a personal choice, people should wear masks if they could. The obvious exception, apart from under 40's, was the staff. I bet not half of them had masks on. I know they can be uncomfortable wearing them all day but nurses and doctors put up with the discomfort all day.
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