Coronavirus

[Bentley Bullet]

The vaccines have proved to be more effective than even scientists ever imagined, so even if it is as less effective against the Indian Variant as Prof Harnden says, it will still provide excellent protection.

[drfchound]

Agreed BB.
I also heard it said on a bbc news item a couple of days ago that the vaccines can be “tweaked” to adjust to various strains of COVID.

[albie]

The vaccines have proved to be more effective than even scientists ever imagined, so even if it is as less effective against the Indian Variant as Prof Harnden says, it will still provide excellent protection.

Completely agree BB, but it is not about the vaccinated, the concern is about the unvaccinated.

With 30% still unvaccinated, there is a pool of potential infections for the virus to target.
As the virus works to its own advantage, there will be a rise in hospital admissions once the Indian variant takes hold.

That also raises the potential for a further variant based upon the increased prevalence of the Indian strain in the UK.

There is no real way of intervening other than a clamp down now.

[River Don]

With the Indian varient growing at such a rapid rate, with restrictions still in place, why take the risk?

For the sake of a couple of weeks, we could have a much better understanding of what we face and what the risks really are.

Why is meeting this date in the road map so vital?

[bpoolrover]

If it was June now and they were going drop them restrictions I would agree but there is no evidence to stop Monday’s opening

[bpoolrover]

With the Indian varient growing at such a rapid rate, with restrictions still in place, why take the risk?

For the sake of a couple of weeks, we could have a much better understanding of what we face and what the risks really are.

Why is meeting this date in the road map so vital?

what will change in 2 weeks? The younger ones still won’t have been vaccinated, you would have to pause it for 2 months

[Bentley Bullet]

The vaccines have proved to be more effective than even scientists ever imagined, so even if it is as less effective against the Indian Variant as Prof Harnden says, it will still provide excellent protection.

Completely agree BB, but it is not about the vaccinated, the concern is about the unvaccinated.

With 30% still unvaccinated, there is a pool of potential infections for the virus to target.
As the virus works to its own advantage, there will be a rise in hospital admissions once the Indian variant takes hold.

That also raises the potential for a further variant based upon the increased prevalence of the Indian strain in the UK.

There is no real way of intervening other than a clamp down now.

The public has been asked to test frequently and isolate if they are positive. Meanwhile, there will be more vaccines given over the next 5 weeks before the targeted full opening up from lockdown takes place, and it will only take place if the data dictates it is safe to do so.

If the public acts responsibly that will be so much more than half of the battle.

[River Don]

It looks very much like this varient is much more transmissible.

Why risk allowing people to mingle indoors on Monday, in confined still air where transmission is far more likely to happen?

[River Don]

BB the vaccines don't become effective for three weeks. That's another good reason to hold off a little while longer.

[albie]

If it was June now and they were going drop them restrictions I would agree but there is no evidence to stop Monday’s opening

There is evidence Blackpool, the Sage minutes posted above.

BB,

You are missing the point.
If you decide to clampdown again in June, your starting point for driving down infections is from a much higher base.

The science is very clear that early action is THE most important action to limit the growth of infections. Vaccines take 3 weeks to kick in, so the more you prevent exposure now, the greater the compound benefit.

[Bentley Bullet]

It looks very much like this varient is much more transmissible.

Why risk allowing people to mingle indoors on Monday, in confined still air where transmission is far more likely to happen?

People are mingling indoors now.

[SydneyRover]

we could ask for volunteers from those that think the vaccine is going to protect everyone against the knew variants without proof and want to open up. They could go and work in A&E for a few days.

The pay would be pretty good to for a trainee nurses position, quite a few around these parts appear tp think so anyway.

[Bentley Bullet]

Right, time for bed, me thinks!

[River Don]

With the Indian varient growing at such a rapid rate, with restrictions still in place, why take the risk?

For the sake of a couple of weeks, we could have a much better understanding of what we face and what the risks really are.

Why is meeting this date in the road map so vital?

what will change in 2 weeks? The younger ones still won’t have been vaccinated, you would have to pause it for 2 months

In a couple of weeks we might find the risks are acceptable in which case fine, loosen it up.

But if it's as bad as feared... Then we'd have to take the decision to stay locked down until the vacinne is completely rolled out. For the sake of public health, the NHS and the economy that would be the right thing to do.

[SydneyRover]

Right, time for bed, me thinks!

Methinks you should have gone to bed hours ago with the drivel you write that you think are fact or in any way balanced

[River Don]

It looks very much like this varient is much more transmissible.

Why risk allowing people to mingle indoors on Monday, in confined still air where transmission is far more likely to happen?

People are mingling indoors now.

That's a worry if there is a far more transmissible varient about.

[bobjimwilly]

If only our prime minister had stopped flights from India a week earlier, as advised....

What a f**king disgrace Johnson is.

[SydneyRover]

The inquiry into the response to covid is urgently required, there is absolutely no valid reason for delay. Just do it.

[bpoolrover]

With the Indian varient growing at such a rapid rate, with restrictions still in place, why take the risk?

For the sake of a couple of weeks, we could have a much better understanding of what we face and what the risks really are.

Why is meeting this date in the road map so vital?

what will change in 2 weeks? The younger ones still won’t have been vaccinated, you would have to pause it for 2 months

In a couple of weeks we might find the risks are acceptable in which case fine, loosen it up.

But if it's as bad as feared... Then we'd have to take the decision to stay locked down until the vacinne is completely rolled out. For the sake of public health, the NHS and the economy that would be the right thing to do.

rd the thing you posted quoted that the vaccine should work against serious illness and death but not as well against transmission, if in 2 weeks he repeats that do you open up then?

[bpoolrover]

If only our prime minister had stopped flights from India a week earlier, as advised....

What a f**king disgrace Johnson is.

the only way to stop it is to ban all travel in and out of the country as there were hundreds coming in from turkey

[SydneyRover]

why wasn't it done bp?

[bpoolrover]

why wasn't it done bp?

no idea very few countries seem to have done it I’ve not seen the question asked by anyone in either party for some reason seems strange to me

[SydneyRover]

If only our prime minister had stopped flights from India a week earlier, as advised....

What a f**king disgrace Johnson is.

the only way to stop it is to ban all travel in and out of the country as there were hundreds coming in from turkey

So you write this bp but you don't know why nothing as done, wouldn't you think nothing happened because the government hasn't done anything? lot of countries have restricted access for countries with the virus out of control

[River Don]

With the Indian varient growing at such a rapid rate, with restrictions still in place, why take the risk?

For the sake of a couple of weeks, we could have a much better understanding of what we face and what the risks really are.

Why is meeting this date in the road map so vital?

what will change in 2 weeks? The younger ones still won’t have been vaccinated, you would have to pause it for 2 months

In a couple of weeks we might find the risks are acceptable in which case fine, loosen it up.

But if it's as bad as feared... Then we'd have to take the decision to stay locked down until the vacinne is completely rolled out. For the sake of public health, the NHS and the economy that would be the right thing to do.

rd the thing you posted quoted that the vaccine should work against serious illness and death but not as well against transmission, if in 2 weeks he repeats that do you open up then?

That's not the worry so much BP. It's the 20odd million who are unvaccinated and the millions who have had only one dose.

The question that needs answering is just how much more transmissible is it? 10-20% we can cope, in the knowledge that there will be a small 3rd wave.

Above 40% and it's too large for the NHS to cope with. We would need to do all we can to limit it while we rush vacinne said out.

If it's as high as 60% as initial findings are suggesting, then we're in trouble. You're looking at the NHS bring overwhelmed and a lot more deaths.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Bpool
Point is this is nothing like flu.

COVID spreads maybe 10x faster than flu. And we know that a bad flu season stretches the NHS to breaking point. Which is why we cannot afford to take chances with letting the new variant get out of control.

Meanwhile BB's comment about taking personal responsibility is right as far as it goes. But it does only go so far. Because people cannot control much of their exposure to the virus. Look at Sweden where they effectively relied on that approach and ended up with an epidemic 5-10 times more severe than in neighbouring countries which had enforced lockdowns. And how does ME being careful prevent other people bringing in a dangerous variant from a country that we didn't enforce travel restrictions against?

That is why we have Governments. To make these big enforcement decisions that we as individuals cannot enforce.

[bpoolrover]

Bpool
Point is this is nothing like flu.

COVID spreads maybe 10x faster than flu. And we know that a bad flu season stretches the NHS to breaking point. Which is why we cannot afford to take chances with letting the new variant get out of control.

Meanwhile BB's comment about taking personal responsibility is right as far as it goes. But it does only go so far. Because people cannot control much of their exposure to the virus. Look at Sweden where they effectively relied on that approach and ended up with an epidemic 5-10 times more severe than in neighbouring countries which had enforced lockdowns. And how does ME being careful prevent other people bringing in a dangerous variant from a country that we didn't enforce travel restrictions against?

That is why we have Governments. To make these big enforcement decisions that we as individuals cannot enforce. I no it’s nothing like the flu lol

[bpoolrover]

Bpool
Point is this is nothing like flu.

COVID spreads maybe 10x faster than flu. And we know that a bad flu season stretches the NHS to breaking point. Which is why we cannot afford to take chances with letting the new variant get out of control.

Meanwhile BB's comment about taking personal responsibility is right as far as it goes. But it does only go so far. Because people cannot control much of their exposure to the virus. Look at Sweden where they effectively relied on that approach and ended up with an epidemic 5-10 times more severe than in neighbouring countries which had enforced lockdowns. And how does ME being careful prevent other people bringing in a dangerous variant from a country that we didn't enforce travel restrictions against?

That is why we have Governments. To make these big enforcement decisions that we as individuals cannot enforce.

and they have made a the decision to keep on with opening up, do you think we should?

[SydneyRover]

haven't you written a few moments ago that no one did anything about people coming into the country bp?

Do you think the country should open up?

[bpoolrover]

I think the restrictions on Monday should be lifted yes, as I said in the other post I find it strange travel abroad in and out of the country had been allowed but neither the tories or labour seem to have mentioned it so there must be some reason

[SydneyRover]

Labour weren't in power the last time I looked bp, the gov't has a massive majority.