Everyone's vulnerable to the virus....
What do you mean by that?
it doesn't stop at someone's nose and says "I can't go in there".
No, everyone is going to be exposed to Sars-CoV-2 multiple times in our lifetimes; we have to accept that.
So we have the jabs to protect ourselves once it gets in, and some people have no symptoms, some mild and some severe, the jabs should stop the majority of us being "severe" and needing NHS treatment.
The majority would not be severe without the jab, but with the vaccines there is a drastic reduction in severe illness.
It's not just the elderly or younger week who get ill; even our very own PM went down with it and I don't think he was in the "vulnerable" category? I can't see how one would "lose" by taking the jab, whatever their condition. But it isn't compulsory, each to their own.
He is obese; there is a huge link between obesity and more severe outcomes. He was also unvaccinated at the time, as it was before the vaccine was made available.
Infection rates have been extremely high lately and yet few people are getting particularly ill. As our population immunity increases, and the virus continues to evolve and adapt for humans, it will almost certainly continue to get less pathogenic over time.
We are looking at covid on top of flu which is back with a vengance and the NHS nor any healthcare system will not be able to cope with that unless precautions are taken
You are free to take any precautions you wish, but there is no escaping the fact that common endemic viruses are going to circulate. Are you familiar with endemic equilibrium models?
Dont forget that the world health organization consider the pandemic ongoing and continue to advice basic precautions like masks, physical distancing, venitlation, avoiding travel and of course test test test.
How much would your proposals cost? Regarding masks, you are free to wear a protective tight-fitting FFP2/3 mask which will delay your exposure to viruses, or you can wear a flimsy loose fitting mask which doesn't do anything, or you can wear no mask. Everyone has that choice. As for physical distancing, are you proposing reducing capacities at venues, events etc? Are you proposing to close nightclubs? Are you prepared to pay for this? As for testing, how often do you propose people test? Who is going to pay for this? If someone tests positive but is not unwell, what then? Are you proposing they isolate and if so who is going to pay?
Sars-CoV-2 is not the only virus currently deemed to be causing a pandemic, by the way.
none of us want a lock down this winter
As I have said before, there will not be a lockdown this winter. People will not stand for it and there is no money to pay for it.
and a lock down would be very bad for bills but to avoid one we need to take these steps, basic steps in the summer like Germany are taking and stricter steps in the winter, balance the economy with health.
No, we do not need to do anything to avoid a lockdown as there will not be a lockdown. You claim we need to do what Germany are doing, but where is your evidence for saying we should follow Germany and not Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark or any other more sensible country?
if we have to lock down those who are not following basic precautions must take the blame
There will be no lockdowns; are you offering to pay for it?
Unfortunately we can not guarantee that, im sure you are aware that the NHS barely makes it through winter as it is, we only got away with it last year because there was no flu as masks introduced far too late.
Eh? This makes no sense.
In any case masks do not reduce infections; infections increased after mandates were brought in, and reduced after mandates were lifted. There is no evidence that countries like Germany, Portugal, Italy and Spain (which are mask-mad) are doing any better than countries like Sweden (who never mandated masks and never saw more than a tiny proportion of people wearing masks) or other countries which now see sense on masks (such as all other Scandinavian countries, most central European countries and pretty much all Eastern European countries).
If you believe you have any evidence that countries like Germany are doing better than countries like Switzerland, I'd like to see it!
Yes Covid may not cause that many hospitalisations but if hospitals are 95% full in a normal winter and covid adds 10% where do you think that leaves us? and what if its even worse.
Were you suggesting lockdowns during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic? If not, why not?
are you seriously saying that the NHS can cope with flu and covid in a wave together? covid may be over after this flu season but that depends on when a new variant comes out and we could be lucky with the timing or we could be unlucky. I admire your confidence but fear it is misplaced
The NHS can never "cope" in any winter depending on how you define "cope".
That is why we need some basic measures in place before the winter:
-> If we put in place measures and find we did not need them, we have not lost anything
-> If we dont put in place measures and find out we did need them, it will be too late to avoid a lock down
Its been 2 and a half years and we know how to control cases, we all agree that lockdown should be history, but if we do not follow the science then it will not be.
The science? There is
one Scientific viewpoint?! Really? So you are arguing that Germany is following "the" Science while all its neighbours are not? This is a joke, right?