Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[MP_MFC]

I find it interesting that England are going with 5 week intervals, I thought it was well established that the virus ran in 3 week cycles, that's what they've based previous decisions on up here anyway...

Given that, and I've not done the maths to see how it lines up, but I imagine we may initially start a week or so behind England's restrictions but sticking to 3 week reviews end up in roughly the same place.

[D.A.F.C]

Just now, 101 said:

Sadly the press seem to be holding the Tories up as some kind of force for good and the public seem all to happy to let Hancock off we had pages and pages of the thread devoted to calling for the head of Dominic and Margaret who both broke the law in Hancock on the other hand has driver a truck through it and the collective response is:

Yep, there's the false politics and public I'm on about.

Meh, who cares. Pub time 

[Scosha]

Just now, MP_MFC said:

I find it interesting that England are going with 5 week intervals, I thought it was well established that the virus ran in 3 week cycles, that's what they've based previous decisions on up here anyway...

Given that, and I've not done the maths to see how it lines up, but I imagine we may initially start a week or so behind England's restrictions but sticking to 3 week reviews end up in roughly the same place.

Whitty explained last night that they need at least 4 weeks to determine what impact the loosening of restrictions are having, and that 3 weeks just doesn't allow them to get a clear picture.

[Dons_1988]

5 minutes ago, super_carson said:

This is the crux of the problem, isn't it?  Lockdowns are a scorched-earth policy essentially. They become less and less necessary as we go through vaccination programme and we are really now seeing the damage (i.e. then unemployment stats) of such policies, not to mention the unseen impact on mental health, wider medical services and future policies to pay for all of this.  

I think I said this before, but a quick browse of social media this morning shows that people are being far too irrational or emotional about the easing of lockdown.  Lots of people proper Helen Lovejoying the prospect of social-distancing being binned by the summer, espousing overly moralist reactions to the idea we get on with our lives and try to deal with this the best we can.  I've seen and heard lots histrionic claims about killing your Granny and profits v. economy, but that is just far too simplistic and narrow-minded.  

It's not about getting to the pub, or the football, but the fact these in-turn employ hundreds of thousands of people.  These things on an individual level may not matter, but a society-wide level they literally are paying the bills and keeping food on the table for so many- are we just consigning these folk to the unemployment scrap heap so we can pat ourselves on the back for being martyrs and enduring lockdowns beyond their purpose?  I think this really gets lost in the noise when people talk about leisure and hospitality re-opening, the debate centres on it not being essential for the customer but we often forget about the employee.  

Thankfully these repercussions of lockdown seem to be now be part of the discussions. 

Or there’s a simpler discussion to be had about government intervention into the level of risk we expose ourselves to every day. They can legislate on the safety of business for employees and customers clearly, but the only justification for legislating on social interactions in public are on the grounds of a collapsing healthcare system. 

[ayrmad]

12 minutes ago, Todd_is_God said:

Tories prioritise schools - typical Tories. Economy first

SG prioritise schools - Good. Cautious.

I'm not impressed by either mobs desperation to continually get kids back to school at the earliest opportunity, our staggered approach is infinitely more sensible right enough. 

[101]

Just now, ayrmad said:

I'm not impressed by either mobs desperation to continually get kids back to school at the earliest opportunity, our staggered approach is infinitely more sensible right enough. 

If cases rocket I hope the teachers strike, our employment laws are about to get put through a shredder if would be good to have some defiance from one of the most powerful unions.

[cameron2000]

If they are going to base tiers on health boards then I think it would be very unfair to use cases as their number 1 parameter.

IMO the only fair way to judge things would be via covid hospital admissions/% of capacity the health board is working at.

[Todd_is_God]

1 minute ago, cameron2000 said:

If they are going to base tiers on health boards then I think it would be very unfair to use cases as their number 1 parameter.

IMO the only fair way to judge things would be via covid hospital admissions/% of capacity the health board is working at.

Until they officially bin #ZeroCovid I don't see how they can do that.

Be very interesting to hear what NS says today. England have come out and said "that's not happening" which is very much at odds to NS's desires until now. 

[Left Back]

What time is the announcement today?  Managed to miss yesterdays.

[ayrmad]

Just now, Left Back said:

What time is the announcement today?  Managed to miss yesterdays.

After 2 in Holyrood. 

[101]

 

Good thread from the director of the Clinical Operations Research Unit.

I didn't realise how big the disparity between vaccine delivery for the richest and poorest was.

[FFCinthearea]

33 minutes ago, Todd_is_God said:

Clearly not, though, given schools are first in line, and the first test is vaccine numbers, and the second test is serious illness among those vaccinated.

Anecdotally, any business sector i've seen commenting on it is frustrated at how drawn out they feel it is.

Which doesn't fit with your argument.

Much of it is to do with us being one of the unhealthiest nations on earth.

[Billy Jean King]

Until they officially bin #ZeroCovid I don't see how they can do that.
Be very interesting to hear what NS says today. England have come out and said "that's not happening" which is very much at odds to NS's desires until now. 

Has NS ever endorsed ZC, I can't recall her talking about ZC as a policy. She has talked of driving figures as low as possible, eradication even but never ZC which is a totally different thing.

[effeffsee_the2nd]

19 minutes ago, Dons_1988 said:

Or there’s a simpler discussion to be had about government intervention into the level of risk we expose ourselves to every day. They can legislate on the safety of business for employees and customers clearly, but the only justification for legislating on social interactions in public are on the grounds of a collapsing healthcare system. 

Perhaps we've all just had enough of severe social isolation, of not being able to do very much.  this whole economy vs lives is a load of shite. far too simplistic, lockdowns have serious adverse side affects on health and wellbeing, morale was at an all time low this month. there comes a point when you just have to get on with it. that doesn't make me a tory for saying that

[G51]

Whatever happens today, it is imperative that the shagging ban is removed as soon as possible.

It is unthinkable that a nation of top shaggers like the Scots are prevented from doing what we do best.

[Todd_is_God]

1 minute ago, Billy Jean King said:

Has NS ever endorsed ZC, I can't recall her talking about ZC as a policy. She has talked of driving figures as low as possible, eradication even but never ZC which is a totally different thing.
 

Elimination is the same as #ZeroCovid, we are often told. Because Zero doesn't actually mean zero...

NS has never claimed eradication was possible.

[Michael W]

2 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

Has NS ever endorsed ZC, I can't recall her talking about ZC as a policy. She has talked of driving figures as low as possible, eradication even but never ZC which is a totally different thing.
 

The problem with letting your advisors give 1000 interviews is that people are within their rights to take what's being said as government policy when the government doesn't say otherwise. 

[superbigal]

If they use the perfectly valid excuses for a tiered system in Scotland, then they better well use it.
Last time around they started with the pits of Lanarkshire in the same level as Edinburgh. Some non scientific bulllshit that Edinburgh might have too many people bevvying.
Draw up a system with guidelines you follow it word for word.
Stop fuckking us about.

[WhiteRoseKillie]

1 hour ago, Jambomo said:

Boris has created a rod for everyone’s back here. Certainly a lot of people on social media are taking these dates as ‘dates that things are going to happen’ and ignoring the ‘not before’ part. 

I don’t think it seems a bad timeline though, probably around what you’d expect given where the timetable of the vaccines will be if everything stays on track.

It’s just a bit unfortunate he’s used set dates to do it because it isn’t giving him, or any of the devolved nations, space to allow for any issues arising, even in things such as vaccine supply. 

The phrase "no earlier than" gives him all the wriggle room he could ever wish for. If we actually take notice of the repeated use of this qualifier, yesterday's circus promised the square root of fúck all. 

[Big Fifer]

2 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

Has NS ever endorsed ZC, I can't recall her talking about ZC as a policy. She has talked of driving figures as low as possible, eradication even but never ZC which is a totally different thing.
 

Not sure. But Johnson yesterday said "There is therefore no credible route to a zero Covid Britain or indeed a zero Covid world. And we cannot persist indefinitely with restrictions that debilitate our economy, our physical and mental well-being, and the life chances of our children." I think it's important that we hear something similar from her today.