Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Billy Jean King]

Media drip feeding has been a hallmark of this entire pandemic so youl have to forgive me if they have suddenly started citing anomynous experts and their ideas that they are apparenrly feeding directly into the ear of the FM.

Seriously, il make no apology for being filled with the fear over this. I dont for a second think I am the worst affected by any stretch, but I will be fucking seething.

I cant quite belive your first sentence there tbh mate. I honestly dont know what to say to that, that wont come across as a dig or insulting.... Thats not my intention, I just think you must be absolutely at it there.

I will happily stand corrected if you can provide any substantiated evidence of any UK govt implementing a new lockdown as that's what any circuit breaker would be. We know England plan to make vaccine passports compulsory for hospitality settings from end September but bar this it's totally faceless, unaccredited paper talk. Yes it would be dreadful but I really don't see it happening. Also furlough ends in a month so no business will be stopped from trading and that would be key to any circuit breaker.

[djchapsticks]

5 hours ago, Frankie S said:

During the pandemic there has been no shortage of unedifying mewling from the older generation about ‘irresponsible kids’, so it’s no surprise to find boomers wailing about vaccine hesitancy from the younger generation.

When the JVCI can’t make a convincing case that the benefits of vaccination for under 30s outweighs the potential risks, even when the risk of a dangerous adverse reaction to the vaccines is vanishingly small (1.1 cases per 100k in age group 20-29 suffering serious harm from vaccination (AZ) compared to 0.8 cases per 100k ICU admissions prevented by vaccines in the same age group, according to JVCI’s own data) then it’s crystal clear that there is very little compelling evidence to suggest that the under 30s need to be vaccinated for their own good. Indeed the evidence suggest the opposite - that vaccination is riskier for under 30s than contacting the virus, contrasting sharply with the clear benefits offered by vaccination to older cohorts.

It’s probably fair to say that (notwithstanding their general incompetence) both the Scottish and English governments are fully aware of the negligible risks presented to the younger generation by the virus, and (whatever their pronouncements to the contrary suggest) there is an unspoken acceptance in government that the virus will circulate freely among the younger, healthier age groups, and that natural immunity by infection will play almost as significant a role as vaccination in ensuring that the under 30s acquire immunity.

The contention that kids have some altruistic debt to their elders or moral obligation to get vaccinations they don’t really need for the benefit of the fully-vaccinated, who are currently enjoying maximal protection, is so deeply engrained in the popular mindset that it’s taken for granted, but it’s really just another instance of the ‘what can the younger generation do for us’ mantra that has become endemic since the start of the pandemic. Thinking back to the disgraceful Scottish government TV advertising campaign, where kids were being exhorted not to kill their grandparents, it’s not difficult to see how this view became mainstream.

What can the younger generation do for us? Well apart from accepting the hugely diminished experience that now passes for an education over the last 18 months (with more to come), and seeing their job opportunities wither on the vine, while their social opportunities and leisure pursuits (live music, arts, hospitality, nightclubs, sports, dating etc.) are stigmatised and criminalised. All the stuff that older generations were able to enjoy to the full are the very things that we’ve demanded younger generations sacrifice to keep us old timers safe.
I’ve got a 17-year old daughter who is going to Uni in September, and she’s taken it upon herself to get vaccinated, (by going to a drop-in centre, not because she’d received a blue letter - she hasn’t). I’m delighted that she chose to get vaccinated, but I’d have been just as supportive of her had she chosen not to. The pandemic has effectively ruined the last 18 months of her life, which is a much more significant proportion for her than it is for me, at a time when having a normal social life (meeting friends and prospective partners) is a crucial part of her development and mental well-being. I’m acutely aware of the sacrifices that she, her friends, and indeed all youngsters have made.

It’s long past time for double-vaccinated old timers like myself to start letting the younger generations (to whom we are already hugely indebted) enjoy their lives once again - restriction free - without stigmatising them as reckless or irresponsible, and without threatening to crack down on them and their favoured pursuits at the first opportunity. There’s a disproportionate amount of stick being used to beat younger generations with, and a negligible amount carrot on offer in a dystopian new world where governmental control of businesses and draconian restrictions on civil liberties have become the new normal.

It’s not the responsibility of the younger generations to protect the elderly any more: the vaccines are doing a perfectly good job of this, and (in conjunction with occasional boosters if needed) will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Ultimately all the fuss about vaccine hesitancy among the young is simply masking an incontrovertible truth: Covid simply isn’t much of a threat to anyone that isn’t elderly and / or afflicted with multiple co-morbidities, and the apparatus of governmental control that has inhibited, controlled and restricted our lives since the start of the pandemic has represented a much greater threat to the welfare of the younger generation than the virus.

Just fucking wow.

The most comprehensive and on the nose post I've seen on this entire matter.

[Michael W]

21 minutes ago, Snafu said:

The Times and The Sun both running this rumour.

''As reported by The Times, virus experts are proposing a series of options for Nicola Sturgeon to halt the acute increase in cases.

A source with knowledge of government planning told The Times: “There are two options: You could either put in a circuit breaker, you could shut down completely for a short period. Or you could move back through the stages and say we are going to limit indoors gatherings, we are going to re-introduce distancing."

also

An anonymous Covid expert told The Times that a new option to help reduce infections could be asking people to provide evidence of their vaccine status or a recent Covid test result when they visit hospitality premises.

 

This narrows it down to anyone using social media.

Sounds like the press is up to its old tricks again and starting a something must be done! campaign so they can give themselves a pat on the back and tell each other how great they all are. Sections of the press are probably absolutely desperate for it as it's easy story material for zero effort. A Swinney or a Yousaf will probably step up make a total arse of something as well so they'll take the can for it. 

A reintroduction of restrictions is going to be a tough sell. The last time this happened the vaccine programme was in its very infancy and we were promised that vaccines were the way out. To start restrictions again when the majority of the population is vaccinated, whether that be arbitrary limits on contacts/gatherings, "circuit breakers" or whatever, is not going to fly. 

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by Michael W

[Gaz]

Second question of the day. Has anyone had to take time off to care for a child who’s tested positive and, as a result, can’t go to school / nursery / childcare? If so, how did your employer react?

[djchapsticks]

5 hours ago, Granny Danger said:

I hope your glowing in the adulation of a handful of rabbit hole dwellers who honestly believe they’re talking for the wider population when they’re not.

Your mum will be proud of you.

You never fail to out yourself as a dribbling old simpleton. Congratulations on being consistently fucking idiotic. 

[DeeTillEhDeh]

Yesterday's Daily Record and repeated before yesterday's COVID update from the FM.
 
From the BBC -
12:15 24 Aug

Not seeing school outbreaks, says Leitch

Prof Jason Leitch told Good Morning Scotland they had not yet seen any outbreaks of Covid connected to schools. He said most schools in Scotland only went back under a week ago so it is perhaps too early to tell.
Scotland's national clinical director added; "We are not seeing massive numbers and we know how much education has been disrupted so we are very keen to get back to that."
+
Daily Record - https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/covid-scotland-professor-jason-leitch-24824361
"We are concerned," he said on BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme.
"It's principally young people, but not only young people. "But a big percentage are under 40, so that means the harm is not as significant, but people are still harmed by this virus, either the older people who get it or some small proportion of those younger people."
Hospital figures have also stagnated in recent weeks, with the same number (356) in hospital on Monday as compared with the day restrictions were eased in Scotland, although the figure has risen from 312 on Friday, adding another 18 on Monday. When asked about the possible return of restrictions because of the rising numbers, Prof Leitch said: "Cabinet will meet today and we've given balanced advice, we've told the truth about the state of the pandemic."
Last year, the return of schools and universities contributing to a spike in cases which culminated in a nationwide lockdown by Christmas, but when asked about clusters in schools, Prof Leitch said: "No, we're not seeing specific examples of outbreaks.
"There are a few, connected to events usually, indoor events, people gathering in houses or people at weddings, or pubs or restaurants.
"It's depressingly predictable.
"We've known about this virus for 18 months, we learn more everyday, but fundamentally this virus spreads when people gather indoors with no ventilation too close together, it's as simple as that."
He added: "We have had some school cases, I'm not suggesting that doesn't happen, of course it does, but we're not seeing massive numbers and we know how much education has been disrupted so we're keen to see that get back."
 
Today,
I guess he never saw this coming -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-58331525

Covid in Scotland: 60 schools in NHS Highland area affected

NHS Highland has warned of a "large number of outbreaks" of Covid-19 in schools in its area.
The health board, which covers the Highlands and Argyll and Bute, said about 60 schools had been affected so far.
There have been more than 1,000 new cases in the local population in the past week.
NHS Highland said this represented almost 10% of its total cases since the start of the pandemic.
The health board said the increase in cases was expected to continue.
A total of 5,021 new cases of the virus were reported on Wednesday - 286 in the NHS Highland area - a record high for the second day running.
That was up from 4,323 in the previous 24 hours - although the rate of positive results being returned was down from 14.5% to 11%.
The rate of infections has led First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to warn that the country was at another "fragile and pivotal moment" in the pandemic.
Ms Sturgeon said on Tuesday that she could not rule out the possibility of some Covid restrictions being reintroduced - although the levels of serious illness remain relatively low at this stage.

'High temperature'

Dr Jenny Wares, a consultant in public health medicine at NHS Highland, said: "Whilst Covid-19 is circulating at such high levels, we would advise you try to minimise your contact with others as much as possible to limit further spread within our communities.
"It is so important that we remain vigilant for symptoms. The typical symptoms are a new continuous cough, a high temperature or fever and a loss of, or change in, normal taste or smell."
Dr Wares said some people were experiencing a wide range of other symptoms including headache, sore muscles and joints, tiredness, sore throat, cold-like symptoms, diarrhoea and vomiting.
She urged people to get tested if they suspected they had the virus.
Scotland's record number of Covid cases is partly being fuelled by the return of schools after the summer holidays, the deputy first minister has said.
John Swinney said the data showed that high numbers of young people had tested positive in recent days.
And he said the case for secondary pupils continuing to wear facemasks in school was growing "ever stronger".
 
Even Swinney is paying attention to the data, but Leitch despite having access to the same data sticks to his guns that its not the schools its all adults mixing in indoor venues with no ventilation, he's fixated on this.

We've got a case at ours.

[Gaz]

20 minutes ago, PedroMoutinho said:

I said when the roadmap was announced that it was crazy having ‘freedom day’ a week before schools went back. Cases were bound to rise  giving the knicker wetters an opportunity to demand restrictions.

We should’ve used the 7 week school holidays as a breathing space to get everything open instead of sticking rigidly to the England +3 weeks strategy.

The Scottish Government have spent the past eighteen months telling us that either children are immune to this or that the virus has no power to enter a set of school gates.

There is absolutely no way they’d have opened stuff before the schools because they need to be able to blame other aspects of society that opened at roughly the same time.

[RH33]

1 hour ago, MP_MFC said:

Times reporting a short circuit breaker being given as an option by the government advisors…. Someone stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

That like last October's fortnight that lasted 9 months??

[The Master]

The use of “circuit breaker” in this context is something else that can get in the f***ing sea. 

[RH33]

13 minutes ago, Gaz said:

Second question of the day. Has anyone had to take time off to care for a child who’s tested positive and, as a result, can’t go to school / nursery / childcare? If so, how did your employer react?

My son had a positive lft this morning, we have all been PCR this afternokn, I've phoned my boss and she was like f**k all you can do, you're not two weeks past second jab, see you after isolation, try not to kill your kids!

[Bairnardo]

17 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

23 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Media drip feeding has been a hallmark of this entire pandemic so youl have to forgive me if they have suddenly started citing anomynous experts and their ideas that they are apparenrly feeding directly into the ear of the FM.

Seriously, il make no apology for being filled with the fear over this. I dont for a second think I am the worst affected by any stretch, but I will be fucking seething.

I cant quite belive your first sentence there tbh mate. I honestly dont know what to say to that, that wont come across as a dig or insulting.... Thats not my intention, I just think you must be absolutely at it there.

I will happily stand corrected if you can provide any substantiated evidence of any UK govt implementing a new lockdown as that's what any circuit breaker would be. We know England plan to make vaccine passports compulsory for hospitality settings from end September but bar this it's totally faceless, unaccredited paper talk. Yes it would be dreadful but I really don't see it happening. Also furlough ends in a month so no business will be stopped from trading and that would be key to any circuit breaker.

I mean.... they havent done it yet? Thats kinda the point

[RH33]

When does furlough end?

[PedroMoutinho]

2 minutes ago, RH33 said:

When does furlough end?

End of September 

[superbigal]

23 minutes ago, Gaz said:

Second question of the day. Has anyone had to take time off to care for a child who’s tested positive and, as a result, can’t go to school / nursery / childcare? If so, how did your employer react?

Like any time kids are ill.  Take holiday or unpaid leave.  Or work from home.

What did you do when schools were shut ?

Edited August 25, 2021 by superbigal

[Gaz]

7 minutes ago, superbigal said:

Like any time kids are ill.  Take holiday or unpaid leave.  Or work from home.

What did you do when schools were shut ?

I'm a teacher, so when schools were shut I was working from home.

I'm obviously now expected to be back at work as all kids are back at school.

Any other time kids are Ill my mum or in-laws can watch them. Not with this.

[Gaz]

15 minutes ago, RH33 said:

My son had a positive lft this morning, we have all been PCR this afternokn, I've phoned my boss and she was like f**k all you can do, you're not two weeks past second jab, see you after isolation, try not to kill your kids!

I shouldn't have to isolate in theory even if the wee one is positive as I'm double-jabbed, as long as I'm testing negative, but the problem is there's nowhere for her to go so either me or my wife will need to be off work to look after her.

[Todd_is_God]

13 minutes ago, PedroMoutinho said:

End of September 

Wouldn't put it past them to fire a lockdown in before it ends because they can, and also to try and pressurise an extension.

That said, GS & NS swatted away the knicker wetting about cases yesterday, and Darling Devi joined in earlier, so maybe not.

Edited August 25, 2021 by Todd_is_God

[Elixir]

2 hours ago, welshbairn said:

NZ have spent almost the whole pandemic unconstrained by any rules apart from travel. Now you're salivating because they're behind in vaccination and might get hit by one of these fast transmitting variants you keep laughing about as if they don't matter. What kind of utter w****r would actually celebrate this?

You're the one who brought New Zealand up, champ. The latest vArIaNt matters less in a population that already has considerable immunity from vaccination and prior infection.

 

2 hours ago, Billy Jean King said:

3 hours ago, Elixir said:

Meanwhile cases in England are down on this time last week. Must be the masks!

They aren't 33,900 last Wednesday compared to 35,800 today !

Another swing and a miss from you.

 

28 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

34 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Media drip feeding has been a hallmark of this entire pandemic so youl have to forgive me if they have suddenly started citing anomynous experts and their ideas that they are apparenrly feeding directly into the ear of the FM.

Seriously, il make no apology for being filled with the fear over this. I dont for a second think I am the worst affected by any stretch, but I will be fucking seething.

I cant quite belive your first sentence there tbh mate. I honestly dont know what to say to that, that wont come across as a dig or insulting.... Thats not my intention, I just think you must be absolutely at it there.

I will happily stand corrected if you can provide any substantiated evidence of any UK govt implementing a new lockdown as that's what any circuit breaker would be. We know England plan to make vaccine passports compulsory for hospitality settings from end September but bar this it's totally faceless, unaccredited paper talk. Yes it would be dreadful but I really don't see it happening. Also furlough ends in a month so no business will be stopped from trading and that would be key to any circuit breaker.

...and another. Of course, that's if it even happens at all, with reports as recently as a few days ago claiming it is in disarray. It will apply to nightclubs, not bars and restaurants if it does happen.

[RH33]

2 minutes ago, Gaz said:

I shouldn't have to isolate in theory even if the wee one is positive as I'm double-jabbed, as long as I'm testing negative, but the problem is there's nowhere for her to go so either me or my wife will need to be off work to look after her.

Councils should be fine with it, they're registering covid absence seperately and it's not like can use others for childcare if it's positive. 

[Elixir]

1 minute ago, Todd_is_God said:

Wouldn't put it past them to fire a lockdown in before it ends because they can, and also to try and pressurise an extension.

They are desperate to use furlough not being extended to try and push the case for independence. 'We couldnae shut abdy in their hoose again because the TorieZzZzZ wouldnae gee us more money!!111'.

Pathetic.