En Passant 3,741 Posted January 31, 2021 Nobody should be flying anywhere, nor should they have been since the start of this. If you leave those corridors open, the physical distances are entirely irrelevant. Anybody who can't forego a foreign holiday for a year is a self centred twat. 80% of flights are taken by 20% of people i.e. those who have the funds AND the time, so not only well off, but not well off because they are working 24/7. Business travel? My arse, do it on the phone or zoom videoconferencing. Nobody who runs an airline is poor, a load of them are state owned anyway, other businesses are going bust left right and centre, yes they provide some jobs, so do a lot of other things. It's not like we shouldn't be cutting it out for climate reasons anyway. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
j0neseur0 118 Posted January 31, 2021 Belgium Bad ≠ Boris Good 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Charlotte's Controller 195 Posted February 3, 2021 The calls for inter country lock down appear to be largely irrelevant. The new variants are appearing because of mutation. This is not dependent upon where you are or where you have been. The fact is a stronger and dominant mutation will prevail, lockdown as ever will stop the spread of a contagious breakout. As ever a sensible population will help, the Japanese have just brought in curfew type laws in certain prefectures to enforce lockdowns and the people are concerned and compliant. With raves, parties and events we have a portion of our population who do not care and are predominantly selfish. I think fines and produce production are ideal solutions for a change in attitude. Fines to hurt, produce production for a sense of reality, this is the cost they should pay. The vaccines can bring a new outlook, the current roll out in the UK is ahead of Europe .The European nations couldn't arrange a piss up in a brewery and would be blaming other parties well after the event, no leadership no responsibility. The thing that is lacking in general is a degree of sensibility. The journalists who question the ministers and scientists at the briefings have questions that at best are ill-concieved, stupid or both. It would be a an interesting week to have a government run by journalists, oh sorry we have that already, comments with responsibility. Discuss. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
torbrexbones 717 Posted February 4, 2021 We are not 'Over The Peak'. Stop saying that, people won't listen to advice that is for their own good but the minute you say something like 'over the peak' they go nuts and think they can go back to having parties, stop wearing masks and hug everyone they meet. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grim Up North 3,725 Posted February 4, 2021 On 31/01/2021 at 14:56, En Passant said: Business travel? My arse, do it on the phone or zoom videoconferencing. All business travel is not simply for a meeting and to 'press the flesh'. We are sending service engineers round the world to repair machinery that is critical in the food production process. All countries do not have that expertise locally. Covid tests before they fly, isolation for a week and a covid test at end of that week before they can return to work. Hauliers are moving from country to country and will have to stay overnight in various places - if there is something on a supermarket shelf it has had to be transported there somehow. 38 minutes ago, torbrexbones said: We are not 'Over The Peak'. Hmmm - I think we probably are - most of deaths are in over 70s group and they are well through vaccination of them. NHS wise we need to get vaccines to all over 50s to reduce demand on hospitals but the death numbers should start tailing off quite dramatically even if the case numbers stay high. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
En Passant 3,741 Posted February 4, 2021 50 minutes ago, Grim Up North said: All business travel is not simply for a meeting and to 'press the flesh'. It was a generalisation GUN. Even I appreciate that clearly some travel is necessary. It's where that line is drawn. I'd hazard your engineers and their compadre's from similar industries are a tiny percentage of the people still flying all over the place. It's the same as the speeding or drinking jokes - Anyone slower than me is a roadhogging old fool, faster than me is a maniac - drinking less than me a party pooping bore and more than me an alcoholic etc. The govt(s) should have stopped all un-necessary flights, but they (mostly) haven't. I've probably mentioned it elsewhere but I was laughing heartily* at the woman getting off a flight from some Greek holiday island and immediately going on national television and lambasting her fellow passengers as covidiots for not wearing masks. Seriously, take a look at yourself. I hate Little Richardjohn, but you couldn't make it up. *this may be a euphemism. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
torbrexbones 717 Posted February 4, 2021 2 hours ago, Grim Up North said: Hmmm - I think we probably are Even if we are, the worst thing that the press can do is announce it, that kind of thing should be kept quiet until we are well down the other side or else the recovery will take twice as long. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
En Passant 3,741 Posted February 4, 2021 Scottish University finds international travel likely the biggest impact on increasing death rates. Ok, ok, 1) It's a study, not yet peer reviewed and so on. 2) Well, it's Scottish *. *This is merely for my own amusement, poking things with a stick as it were because I know there are very few on this forum that aren't Scots (tempted with 'Scotch' just to push it, but decided against) or gay or obsessed with death or indeed all three. Well, ok maybe not me but I've always been odd and I have been to Scotland several times and there was this thing at school once during a detention...but you really don't want to know about that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 16,140 Posted February 4, 2021 5 hours ago, torbrexbones said: Even if we are, the worst thing that the press can do is announce it, that kind of thing should be kept quiet until we are well down the other side or else the recovery will take twice as long. I agree with you. It was the media that caused the Great Toilet Roll Panic, by unnecessarily reporting that people in Australia were stocking up on it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Creep 7,070 Posted February 6, 2021 The family of a Venezuelan woman who tested positive for coronavirus died after she concealed her diagnosis from them. Verónica García Fuentes, 36, from the state of Tachira in Venezuela, fell ill with a fever in mid-December. She took a PCR test which came back positive and isolated herself at home, but she told her husband and children she had a bad case of the flu.... Open the link to find out the rest.... SC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TQR 14,395 Posted February 8, 2021 The Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine is effective against the South African variant of the virus. Erm, a full 10% effective. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 16,140 Posted February 8, 2021 14 minutes ago, The Quim Reaper said: The Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine is effective against the South African variant of the virus. Erm, a full 10% effective. Against "mild to moderate infection". But since they can't yet say if it's effective or not against serious illness, I assume that nobody in the trial was seriously ill. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Charlotte's Controller 195 Posted February 8, 2021 Just had my first jab, Oxford/Astra Zeneca, at the weekend. Felt not so bright on Sunday/Monday morning as my immune system kicked in but by dinner felt much brighter. A couple of days of feeling shit versus potential Covid death seems like a reasonable trade off. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Creep 7,070 Posted February 11, 2021 I know the UK focuses on illnesses or deaths 'per 1000' population, something we in the States rarely hear as a statistic. So here is a stat from the least educated state in the Union, and that is coming from someone in neighbouring Louisiana: 1 in 477 Mississippians has died of COVID-related complications (wlox.com) "In New Jersey, 1 out of every 406 citizens has died. In New York, 1 out of every 437." 1 In Every 500 Arizonans Has Now Died From COVID-19 | KJZZ That’s more than 2,000 deaths for every million Arizona residents — far higher than the U.S. average of 1,400 per 1 million. -------------- EDIT: 1 in 73 ultra-Orthodox Israelis over 65 has died of COVID, report says | The Times of Israel 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cerberus 302 Posted February 15, 2021 Under 10,000 new cases in the UK today for the first time since early October. Hospital cases at around 23,000 from a peak of 39,000 in mid-January. Still a fair way to go though. Much as I miss the pub I can't see them opening at Easter, nor do I think it would be a good idea. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boudicca 702 Posted February 16, 2021 Just a bit of appreciation for the alleged "snowflake generation" who were hit completely suddenly, same as the rest of us true, but we had bad things Thatcher happen so were not so surprised and better equipped for it. I'm absolutely amazed and encouraged by their resilience so far and the younger members here are to be applauded for their utter courage if you ask me. They really have shown so much bravery in the face of this utter shitstorm. My daughter had an entire pregnancy and birth without her mother (or any support) due to restrictions. I don't know when I will be ever able to hold the wee girl, but my loss is nothing measured against hers without her mother. I think we're totally forgetting the sacrifices made by young people. I see them though, and thank fuck. Their sense and maturity really gives me hope. Unless that's just elite DLers? 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TQR 14,395 Posted February 17, 2021 12 hours ago, Boudicca said: Just a bit of appreciation for the alleged "snowflake generation" who were hit completely suddenly, same as the rest of us true, but we had bad things Thatcher happen so were not so surprised and better equipped for it. Our generation in 40yrs time: 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cerberus 302 Posted February 17, 2021 I see the US has just clicked over half a million - on Worldometers anyway. Other news outlets will be reporting it in a couple of days. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyfiona 2,585 Posted February 17, 2021 19 hours ago, Boudicca said: My daughter had an entire pregnancy and birth without her mother (or any support) due to restrictions. I don't know when I will be ever able to hold the wee girl, but my loss is nothing measured against hers without her mother. I think we're totally forgetting the sacrifices made by young people. I see them though, and thank fuck. Their sense and maturity really gives me hope. Unless that's just elite DLers? My friends have not seen each other since at least last January and that was just for a quick lunch. I had a short walk with my best friend in April and she popped round in December to drop some gifts off as she lives round the corner but that's it. My other friend gave birth in July and i've not seen her or her son unless it's via video or pictures. We didn't see each other in the summer when rates were low because we were still paranoid about going out. Only thing I did was get a new phone and lunch with my dad. Thankfully my job at the hospital has been keeping me sane. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TQR 14,395 Posted February 17, 2021 Man mistakenly gets offered the vaccine as an error in his medical records makes him out to be a pancake. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Fellatio Nelson 6,218 Posted February 17, 2021 20 hours ago, Boudicca said: Just a bit of appreciation for the alleged "snowflake generation" who were hit completely suddenly, same as the rest of us true, but we had bad things Thatcher happen so were not so surprised and better equipped for it. I'm absolutely amazed and encouraged by their resilience so far and the younger members here are to be applauded for their utter courage if you ask me. They really have shown so much bravery in the face of this utter shitstorm. My daughter had an entire pregnancy and birth without her mother (or any support) due to restrictions. I don't know when I will be ever able to hold the wee girl, but my loss is nothing measured against hers without her mother. I think we're totally forgetting the sacrifices made by young people. I see them though, and thank fuck. Their sense and maturity really gives me hope. Unless that's just elite DLers? This is the same generation who were accused of being couch potatoes by sitting on their fat arses and playing play stations or whatever at all hours. Now, due to an enforced lockdown, they are having mental issues because.....they are sitting at home on their play stations at all hours. I give up. I'm not going into my family issues but, suffice to say, it's been fucking shit. I saw my mum twice last year, it's fucking awful. There is more but I wont say fuck all else. It's all shit. It will get better. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DevonDeathTrip 2,358 Posted February 17, 2021 I can't help wondering what a proper pandemic with a much higher fatality rate than covid would have done for our fragile national psyche. Ten million dead instead of a hundred thousand would put a different complexion on things and traffic congestion might ease as well. Also 2021 is going to be a vintage year for raves. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boudicca 702 Posted February 17, 2021 2 hours ago, DevonDeathTrip said: ... traffic congestion might ease as well. The irony of HS2 blazing ahead when the entire U.K is preparing to restructure to a permanent WFH model is lost on nobody. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
torbrexbones 717 Posted February 23, 2021 Date for lifting restrictions in this country is announced and straight away thousands of people book holidays abroad, just how fuckin stupid are they? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
