22nd February - Roadmap out of the pandemic, lifting of restrictions.

[duncanp]

I think if mass testing continues on the grounds of what Bantamzen says then what duncanp has said will be the result, even if the protests are muted the falsification of test results will take off, proof of this is how few people are known to be isolating because they can't afford it, so either refuse to take a test or pick the phone up from T&T.

What we need is someone in Parliament to make a strong stand and question the costs of this testing and put forward the case such money would be far better spent on healthcare improvements and encouraging healthy lifestyles that reduce the NHS burden overall.

Paying £10 per week just so that you can function normally in society will be the last straw for many people.

People will falsify test results to such an extent that they can't be relied on, and mny venues won't bother to check people's "COVID Status".

Compulsory testing twice a week at a cost of £10 per week could well do for Boris Johnson what the Poll Tax did for Margaret Thatcher.

This is because COVID testing is a medical procedure, which should really be provided for free on the NHS if it is compulsory.

If people have to pay for testing, they will regard it as the start of paying for NHS treatment, which is against the "free at the point of delivery" principle that was established when the NHS was set up.

I don't think any government would be brave enough to try that.

 

[kez19]

I've come to the conclusion he throws darts at a board to decide what his point of view is for the day. Actually he might be more consistent if he did that lol

Are we sure it’s not a snooker table? I’d aim for that!

Regarding the one way systems and other pointless rules, if people simply ignore them then the establishments will soon drop them, so the ball is in our court.

I’m the same, in terms of petrol stations and only going to use a coffee machine, rather go round twice, I cut across then join queue (done the go round twice at first, you feel stupid!)

I think if mass testing continues on the grounds of what Bantamzen says then what duncanp has said will be the result, even if the protests are muted the falsification of test results will take off, proof of this is how few people are known to be isolating because they can't afford it, so either refuse to take a test or pick the phone up from T&T.

What we need is someone in Parliament to make a strong stand and question the costs of this testing and put forward the case such money would be far better spent on healthcare improvements and encouraging healthy lifestyles that reduce the NHS burden overall.

Isn’t that the oppositions job? Last time I checked the opposition are like wagging the dogs tail than hold accountability?

 

[initiation]

The ZOE study is reporting that new daily infections in England have reached the lowest recorded level (790 being the central estimate beating the previous 802 last August).

Meanwhile it is illegal for one person to go inside another person's house for a cup of tea.

Remember, dates not data.

 

[brad465]

The ZOE study is reporting that new daily infections in England have reached the lowest recorded level (790 being the central estimate beating the previous 802 last August).

Meanwhile it is illegal for one person to go inside another person's house for a cup of tea.

Remember, dates not data.

And across the UK its 1,050, which is the number that Jezza Hunt among others once suggested it needed to go down to before opening up. Well, ZOE thinks we're pretty much there, and that's with the easements so far on top.

We also have reported 18 deaths today, which is down on the previous two days to the point I don't think single figure reporting for days not affected by a weekend isn't far away.

 

[trainophile]

Just seen yesterday's BBC covid cases update page, which hasn't been updated yet, and the header pic is some bloke like a farmer in a field of flowers with countryside behind him, all on his own... and wearing a mask. Ridiculous.

 

[Class 33]

We also have reported 18 deaths today, which is down on the previous two days to the point I don't think single figure reporting for days not affected by a weekend isn't far away.

I think it will probably be the week after next, when we'll start getting some single digit weekday deaths. Though wouldn't be too surprised if we get one next week.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

England hospitalised continuing its relentless daily decline down to 1523 this morning.

We are embarked on a covert zero covid policy from my seat in all but name.

 

[Kite159]

Just seen yesterday's BBC covid cases update page, which hasn't been updated yet, and the header pic is some bloke like a farmer in a field of flowers with countryside behind him, all on his own... and wearing a mask. Ridiculous.

I passed a couple people wearing masks on the Thames Path last Sunday, on the long section between Sonning & Shiplake, where it was reasonably wide (still they decided to pass me walking side by side rather than dropping in so one was behind each other when passing).

The risk of catching Covid when on a quiet rural path must be near zero, more chance of getting run over by someone cycling fast around a blind bend

 

[MP33]

Scaredy Cat scientists are going on about the India variant. I would not worry the way things are going over there no one is going to make it to the departure lounge.

 

[birchesgreen]

Paying £10 per week just so that you can function normally in society will be the last straw for many people.

People will falsify test results to such an extent that they can't be relied on, and mny venues won't bother to check people's "COVID Status".

Compulsory testing twice a week at a cost of £10 per week could well do for Boris Johnson what the Poll Tax did for Margaret Thatcher.

This is because COVID testing is a medical procedure, which should really be provided for free on the NHS if it is compulsory.

If people have to pay for testing, they will regard it as the start of paying for NHS treatment, which is against the "free at the point of delivery" principle that was established when the NHS was set up.

I don't think any government would be brave enough to try that.

It doesn't matter if it was free, I'm still not going to test myself twice a week just to function in society.

 

[Bantamzen]

I passed a couple people wearing masks on the Thames Path last Sunday, on the long section between Sonning & Shiplake, where it was reasonably wide (still they decided to pass me walking side by side rather than dropping in so one was behind each other when passing).

The risk of catching Covid when on a quiet rural path must be near zero, more chance of getting run over by someone cycling fast around a blind bend

Thankfully any signs of outdoor maskivism in my area seem to have faded away. There were a few that went walking with them on, but now its incredibly rare to see anyone outdoors masking up. There was one person who I saw regularly walked around without one until within 50 metres of anyone else, when they would hurriedly put one on. But otherwise most people around here seem comfortable passing people outside without any dramatics.

 

[kristiang85]

It doesn't matter if it was free, I'm still not going to test myself twice a week just to function in society.

We are all paying for it through in our taxation, which I'd far rather be spent on treatment for more serious health conditions or improving hospital capacity than all this damn testing.

 

[Pete_uk]

With Wales lifting restrictions earlier still I think there will be growing pressure on the UK government to at least not delay things.

There is this Indian version that seems to be doing the rounds but it seems like the latest versions of the virus are less potent than the original one. I'm guessing those most likely to succumb to Covid19 have already gone.

The sunny warm weather will help too.

 

[duncanp]

It doesn't matter if it was free, I'm still not going to test myself twice a week just to function in society.

Neither am I.

As I said, I think it will be the last straw for many people, and would be widely ignored.

Are the police or local authorities really going to do a raid on Starbucks/Wetherspoons/The Local Church/Cinema/A Football Match to check everyone's COVID status?

 

[Smidster]

It doesn't matter if it was free, I'm still not going to test myself twice a week just to function in society.

The risk with that approach is that you could well be excluded from society because of that.

If permitted by Government then lots of things are going to mandate it because they judge that the benefit from being seen as a "clean zone" outweighs both the financial cost of implementation and the potential negative reaction from some customers.

Absolutely not saying it is right or that it should happen but that does seem to be the way things are going so what is your plan in that situation?

Otherwise good to see number continuing to track nicely - There is an outside shot of being under 1k in hospital in England by the end of April which would be really good.

 

[NorthOxonian]

Are the police or local authorities really going to do a raid on Starbucks/Wetherspoons/The Local Church/Cinema/A Football Match to check everyone's COVID status?

Most of them won't, but you can imagine some of them might be chomping at the bit (Derbyshire comes to mind as a force who I imagine would be particularly keen).

I'd be willing to bet it'd be reviled by the public though, particularly if there's even the slightest hint of police brutality about their search.

 

[duncanp]

Most of them won't, but you can imagine some of them might be chomping at the bit (Derbyshire comes to mind as a force who I imagine would be particularly keen).

I'd be willing to bet it'd be reviled by the public though, particularly if there's even the slightest hint of police brutality about their search.

The fact that most police forces won't be raiding venues to check everyone's COVID status means that the rules will be widely ignored.

I would imagine Derbyshire police will pick on a soft target, rather than a crowded Wetherspoons on a Friday or Saturday night.

Look up the history of the Stonewall riots in New York, when people decided that they had had enough of the police carrying out vindictive raids on gay bars.

 

[PHILIPE]

It only takes one "expert" to come up with a crackpot idea and it spreads like wildfire especially within Government

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Neither am I.

As I said, I think it will be the last straw for many people, and would be widely ignored.

Are the police or local authorities really going to do a raid on Starbucks/Wetherspoons/The Local Church/Cinema/A Football Match to check everyone's COVID status?

The problem is the rare enforcement of draconian restrictions. If the law / power remains, the risk of falling foul of it remains and with that comes a potential penalty of £200 - rising with any subsequent offence.

The Marquess of Bute (recently deceased, refer to his Times obituary for details) may be willing to speedboat with some friends from London to Bute for the new year and can afford to pay, or "to hell with the fine" if you get caught. A large majority of the population cannot just throw away £200 like that. So long as the risk (however slight) of an enforcement action remains, their life will be impacted.

A church service was enforced against on Good Friday (apology later but it happened nonetheless), an outdoor church service on a pub car park was enforced against, two women were fined for drinking coffee at a reservoir whilst taking exercise. People's shopping bags were searched and non-essential confectionery confiscated? And so on.

 

[DannyMich2018]

I passed a couple people wearing masks on the Thames Path last Sunday, on the long section between Sonning & Shiplake, where it was reasonably wide (still they decided to pass me walking side by side rather than dropping in so one was behind each other when passing).

The risk of catching Covid when on a quiet rural path must be near zero, more chance of getting run over by someone cycling fast around a blind bend

I still occasionally while walking on the pavement, someone coming the other way literally jumps into the road! Why!! You're not gonna catch Covid while passing someone OUTSIDE for a split second!!

 

[greyman42]

I still occasionally while walking on the pavement, someone coming the other way literally jumps into the road! Why!! You're not gonna catch Covid while passing someone OUTSIDE for a split second!!

This happened to me yesterday. I would estimate the lady concerned to be in her late 30s and the look on her face when she saw me approaching suggested she would soon require a change of underwear.

 

[LAX54]

Regarding the one way systems and other pointless rules, if people simply ignore them then the establishments will soon drop them, so the ball is in our court.

Some places you can't ignore, they have set the store out in such a way you have to follow "the route" and woe betide you if you try and take a short cut !

 

[MikeWM]

This happened to me yesterday. I would estimate the lady concerned to be in her late 30s and the look on her face when she saw me approaching suggested she would soon require a change of underwear.

I had that on Sunday - a lady, probably in her 50s, was on the pavement, looking in a shop window. With a mask on, even though she was outside and all the shops were closed... She stopped looking in the window and turned around and saw me walking towards her, about 5 steps away. I've never seen anyone look more panicked in my life - she quickly jerked in about 4 different directions and realised none would work to get her away from the inevitable death that I clearly represented, and then decided to quite literally jump into the road beside. Fortunately there was no traffic going past.

It's very sad that the media and the government have worked people up into such a terrible state.

 

[bramling]

This happened to me yesterday. I would estimate the lady concerned to be in her late 30s and the look on her face when she saw me approaching suggested she would soon require a change of underwear.

Still happening round here too, though not as common as it was a couple of months ago. It’s the ones who hold their nose who really annoy me.

The fact that most police forces won't be raiding venues to check everyone's COVID status means that the rules will be widely ignored.

I would imagine Derbyshire police will pick on a soft target, rather than a crowded Wetherspoons on a Friday or Saturday night.

Look up the history of the Stonewall riots in New York, when people decided that they had had enough of the police carrying out vindictive raids on gay bars.

I’m not sure there would be as much hostility to all this as suggested. I’ve visions of a raid on a soft target like Betty’s, and people cheering on as a “dirty” person is identified, dragged out and flogged in the street to a foaming crowd.

Disgracefully, this is only slightly beyond what’s happened to some people in supermarkets over masks.

 

[Freightmaster]

Some places you can't ignore, they have set the store out in such a way you have to follow "the route" and woe betide you if you try and take a short cut !

I've not been in Boots since I was screamed at (not exaggerating) for daring to take the most direct/efficient/logical route
through one of their branches last May, and I doubt I will ever return to be honest.

Out of curiosity, why did/do shops have one way systems in the first place? They have never been mandated
by law, and almost always result in customers having to spend more time traipsing up and down the aisles to
get what they want, significantly reducing capacity/throughput, especially in smaller shops, so what tangible
benefit do they provide to the businesses who adopted them??




MARK

 

[Ediswan]

Out of curiosity, why did/do shops have one way systems in the first place? They have never been mandated
by law, and almost always result in customers having to spend more time traipsing up and down the aisles to
get what they want, significantly reducing capacity/throughput, especially in smaller shops, so what tangible
benefit do they provide to the businesses who adopted them??

A one way system can in principle eliminate close contact between people.

In practice, there is liable to be bunching, overtaking etc, which reduces the effect.

The benefit to the business may be as simple as 'It makes (some) people feel safer, so they use the shop'.

 

[YorkshireBear]

40 deaths reported for yesterday which seems to be a big jump that I wouldn't expect. I am trying to see if there is some late reporting in the data but I can't find anything.

Not that I personally think it's noteworthy... But others might despite hospitalisations going down again.

 

[LAX54]

I've not been in Boots since I was screamed at (not exaggerating) for daring to take the most direct/efficient/logical route
through one of their branches last May, and I doubt I will ever return to be honest.

Out of curiosity, why did/do shops have one way systems in the first place? They have never been mandated
by law, and almost always result in customers having to spend more time traipsing up and down the aisles to
get what they want, significantly reducing capacity/throughput, especially in smaller shops, so what tangible
benefit do they provide to the businesses who adopted them??




MARK

and rarely would you meet the WHO recognised limits of less than a metre for more than 15 mins, have noticed when waiting for a checkout, in many shops, there is a lot of 'pardon, can you say that again, or I didn't hear that' must be something to do with stores having masks AND Perspex cocoons !

 

[Jamesrob637]

40 deaths reported for yesterday which seems to be a big jump that I wouldn't expect. I am trying to see if there is some late reporting in the data but I can't find anything.

Not that I personally think it's noteworthy... But others might despite hospitalisations going down again.

We had 34 to "beat" so the rolling average only goes up by 1. Technically not even that. 22.28 to 23.14.

Hardly worrying stuff.

 

[Bikeman78]

A one way system can in principle eliminate close contact between people.

In practice, there is liable to be bunching, overtaking etc, which reduces the effect.

I'm pleased that my local supermarket has never had a one way system. As you say, unless everyone walks at the same speed and has the same number of items on their lists, people will overtake. One way systems that I've seen often cause more bunching, e.g. coming out of the underground at Liverpool Steet, or closing one entrance to the school and causing more crowding at the remaining entrance.