Corona Virus main thread

[Yellow Fever 3,782]

6 minutes ago, Well b back said:

It will VW once again should have looked at the pink un. 

How does the phrase go? Talk quietly but carry a big stick.

Seem like excellent news.

[Aggy 755]

6 hours ago, keelansgrandad said:

 

When pushed about the future he more or less said we have to prepare for lifestyle changes such as those practiced in Asia most winters.

Where in Asia? What lifestyle changes?

[ricardo 7,385]

2 minutes ago, Aggy said:

Where in Asia? What lifestyle changes?

do you like sushi?

[Well b back 3,203]

Just now, Aggy said:

Where in Asia? What lifestyle changes?

Refuse to wave a Union Jack or not wave and cheer enthusiastically every time you see BJ and you will be thrown in jail.

More seriously mask wearing, track and trace ect

[ricardo 7,385]

3 minutes ago, Well b back said:

Refuse to wave a Union Jack or not wave and cheer enthusiastically every time you see BJ and you will be thrown in jail.

More seriously mask wearing, track and trace ect

Can we wave this one?

[ricardo 7,385]

They haven't had a single case of Covid there so they must be doing something right.

I wonder what it is.

[Van wink 2,994]

20 minutes ago, Yellow Fever said:

How does the phrase go? Talk quietly but carry a big stick.

Seem like excellent news.

Presumably the Keystone Cops haven't nicked the vaccine heading for Covax program and sold it to the Mafia🕵️‍♂️

[Well b back 3,203]

India have now confirmed an export ban until probably the end of April, this will obviously have a huge impact on Covax.

They join America, China ( who will be vaccinating 560 million Chinese over the next 12 weeks ) and Russia with total bans of materials as well as vaccine ( yet to see if India halt everything ).

 

[Aggy 755]

54 minutes ago, Well b back said:

Refuse to wave a Union Jack or not wave and cheer enthusiastically every time you see BJ and you will be thrown in jail.

More seriously mask wearing, track and trace ect

The mask wearing in east Asian countries (doesn’t happen in South Asia) is more because of smog in the cities and is a year round thing though isn’t it ?

[Aggy 755]

58 minutes ago, ricardo said:

do you like sushi?

Only in summer 

[Well b back 3,203]

11 minutes ago, Aggy said:

The mask wearing in east Asian countries (doesn’t happen in South Asia) is more because of smog in the cities and is a year round thing though isn’t it ?

I was joking about the flag waving but it seems all government buildings in England Scotland and Wales will be forced to fly the Union Jack all the time. Apparently because of some mocking of the flag by somebody ? Not sure what that bits about.

[Herman 9,760]

1 hour ago, ricardo said:

They haven't had a single case of Covid there so they must be doing something right.

I wonder what it is.

They shoot you to stop it spreading. 100% effective.👍

[sonyc 5,517]

1 hour ago, ricardo said:

They haven't had a single case of Covid there so they must be doing something right.

I wonder what it is.

I read that they threw a protective ring round the whole country 😆

 

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

1 hour ago, Aggy said:

Where in Asia? What lifestyle changes?

Do you have a problem with my posts? You are making a habit of questioning them.

Many Asian nations wear masks in Winter months or when there is a flu epidemic. I have been on a Cathay Pacific flight when the cabin crew wore them when serving a pregnant lady. Some wear them on public transport all the time.

And the lifestyle changes could involve mask wearing and social distancing as a prerequisite for certain activities. That is just Ferguson's thoughts and hasn't been discussed formally.

Edited March 24, 2021 by keelansgrandad

[Aggy 755]

14 hours ago, kick it off said:

From the Times Educational Supplement

I’ve read your posts and understand what you’ve said about schools not having been given equipment to properly protect people etc. I agree that more could and should have been done by the government and local authorities etc in that respect.

But I’m not convinced that would have reduced the number of children being off school a huge amount. Of the 2 per cent referred to here, not all are actually infected - some will presumably be off because other people in their class/year tested positive and it’s a precaution. The two percent aren’t all catching it from each other - some (many) will be catching it at home, so you weren’t ever going to be able to have no pupils having to isolate.

So what was the alternative? 100 per cent of children at home as opposed to 2 per cent?

[Aggy 755]

Just now, keelansgrandad said:

Do you have a problem with my posts? You are making a habit of questioning them.

Many Asian nations wear masks in Winter months or when there is a flu epidemic. Some wear them on public transport all the time. And the lifestyle changes could involve mask wearing and social distancing as a prerequisite for certain activities. That is just Ferguson's thoughts and hasn't been discussed formally.

Lol don’t flatter yourself. I make a habit of questioning lots of posters who regularly post vague waffle without anything to back up what they say. 

In respect of this though, as I posted above, people in some (certainly not all or even the majority of) Asian countries wear masks predominantly due to smog in the cities (and all sorts of different things) and wear them all year round. It isn’t the case they suddenly pull them out during flu season.  I’m not aware that anywhere pre covid banned people from being within two metres of another human. So I was merely asking what winter measures exercised in Asian countries you were referring to in your post. As you were able to summarise more or less what Ferguson meant, I presumed you would know the detail.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

5 minutes ago, Aggy said:

Lol don’t flatter yourself. I make a habit of questioning lots of posters who regularly post vague waffle without anything to back up what they say. 

In respect of this though, as I posted above, people in some (certainly not all or even the majority of) Asian countries wear masks predominantly due to smog in the cities (and all sorts of different things) and wear them all year round. It isn’t the case they suddenly pull them out during flu season.  I’m not aware that anywhere pre covid banned people from being within two metres of another human. So I was merely asking what winter measures exercised in Asian countries you were referring to in your post. As you were able to summarise more or less what Ferguson meant, I presumed you would know the detail.

It is hardly waffle when it was on the BBC news this morning. 

 

[Yellow Fever 3,782]

51 minutes ago, Aggy said:

Only in summer 

Sushi is fine. It the horseradish that I can't get used too.

I won my spurs early on in Japan dealing with 'dancing shrimp'. Dinner tried to leave the table early.

 

[Well b back 3,203]

Scotland announce pay increase for the NHS to at least 4% rising to 5.4 % for lower paid workers back dated to December. This is in addition to the £500 thank you payment to all health and social care workers.

[ricardo 7,385]

3 minutes ago, Well b back said:

Scotland announce pay increase for the NHS to at least 4% rising to 5.4 % for lower paid workers back dated to December. This is in addition to the £500 thank you payment to all health and social care workers.

Must be an election coming up.😉

[Well b back 3,203]

1 minute ago, ricardo said:

Must be an election coming up.😉

Afraid like you over the last year I have become very cynical. Probably exactly what the English NHS will get but of course it needs to be made to look like certain parties have overridden any recommendations.

[ricardo 7,385]

22 minutes ago, Well b back said:

Afraid like you over the last year I have become very cynical. Probably exactly what the English NHS will get but of course it needs to be made to look like certain parties have overridden any recommendations.

seems like its the last day they can make an offer without breaking election rules.

never would have guessed it😉

[Aggy 755]

1 hour ago, Yellow Fever said:

Sushi is fine. It the horseradish that I can't get used too.

I won my spurs early on in Japan dealing with 'dancing shrimp'. Dinner tried to leave the table early.

 

I expect the stuff you get in Japan is slightly different to what I get in my local Yo (where the horseradish is often the best bit!)

[kick it off 1,952]

1 hour ago, Aggy said:

I’ve read your posts and understand what you’ve said about schools not having been given equipment to properly protect people etc. I agree that more could and should have been done by the government and local authorities etc in that respect.

But I’m not convinced that would have reduced the number of children being off school a huge amount. Of the 2 per cent referred to here, not all are actually infected - some will presumably be off because other people in their class/year tested positive and it’s a precaution. The two percent aren’t all catching it from each other - some (many) will be catching it at home, so you weren’t ever going to be able to have no pupils having to isolate.

So what was the alternative? 100 per cent of children at home as opposed to 2 per cent?

I get what you're saying, but how the hell are teachers supposed to cater for those in school, and those out of school simultaneously? It's pretty much impossible. I can do a decent job of teaching kids in school. I can do a decent job of teaching kids online. They require entirely different lessons and totally different logistics to teach the same content. I do not have enough hours in the day to do a decent job of both. In practice it means I have to prioritise those in school, so those who are isolating are not getting anywhere near the same quality of teaching as those in school, nor anything like the same quality as if I was preparing online lessons for all..... Not all schools are being hit equally by this - I already stated we have 10% of the school out, which by default means that 4 other schools must have close to 0% out to balance out at an average of 2%.

Twice this week I've had a member of pastoral staff come into the classroom and read a list of names - any names on the list have to get their stuff and exit the lesson immediately and go home to isolate. Today one of my classes was meant to have 19 kids in it. I had 4 of them. The other 15 were at home isolating. 

The point isn't that it's 2% now. Think we all agree 2% is acceptable collateral in the circumstances.... The point is that it was 1% a week ago. Should it keep doubling every week, then pretty soon we'll be in utter carnage territory.... The Easter holidays might provide some kind of a firebreak for that but I'm not convinced that schools will make it through this school year without having to shut en masse again if the rate of transmission continues at this level. 

On the plus side on a personal note, I have only got to make it through 6 more school days without catching it and me and my family will be pretty much safe for now - baby is likely to be born over Easter so if I can make it through to then without catching it, then we should be home and dry in terms of the increased risk during pregnancy etc.

The breakdown of the numbers is below. Roughly 75% of those isolating due to potential contact, have had that potential contact in school.

[Van wink 2,994]

Excellent interview with Jeremy Farrar on the post 8.00 interview on the Today program, highly recommended. Primarily making a plea to those considering export bans not to do so and encouraging UK government to take an international lead and offer a timetable for UK vaccine supplies to start being rolled out to Covax from next month. Have to agree and would love to see this happeneing.

Amused me when he said that up until now the UK has been a "net exporter" of new varients, but travel restrictions now crucial to prevent incoming.

As mentioned and said previously that T and T now working well ( low numbers and more local working ) and coping, another crucial part of our armoury. Dont blow it Boris!!

Edited March 25, 2021 by Van wink

[Yellow Fever 3,782]

10 hours ago, Aggy said:

I expect the stuff you get in Japan is slightly different to what I get in my local Yo (where the horseradish is often the best bit!)

Yes - Every country has its own take on Japanese, Chinese food etc. By way of example a Chinese restaurant here is totally different to ones in USA (Ours are obviously more Cantonese) and different again to the real ones (many local cuisines too).

When I'm working in Japan at lunch times we would more than often go out for an 'Indian' with Japanese colleagues. Again different to here.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

Idea of a Pub Passport seems a bit daft to me. Those more likely to frequent pubs and bars and with more disposable income are likely to be those who haven't been vaccinated.

[Herman 9,760]

46 minutes ago, keelansgrandad said:

Idea of a Pub Passport seems a bit daft to me. Those more likely to frequent pubs and bars and with more disposable income are likely to be those who haven't been vaccinated.

If it's the only way to get them open a bit quicker then it may be a daft but good idea. And it would be a boon for my dad's mental health. 

[Van wink 2,994]

1 hour ago, keelansgrandad said:

Idea of a Pub Passport seems a bit daft to me. Those more likely to frequent pubs and bars and with more disposable income are likely to be those who haven't been vaccinated.

Vaccine OR test?

[Yellow Fever 3,782]

Just now, Van wink said:

Vaccine OR test?

Either will be unenforceable. Pubs can either open to all (with social distancing) or they can not.