Coronavirus

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by jfman

The good news is decision-making isn't being led by what does (or doesn't) bore Pierre.

While 0 Covid deaths is obviously welcome that doesn't equate to being able to lift all restrictions imminently given the proportion of unvaccinated people and lower efficacy of the vaccines now compared to when the road map was published.

I'm bored of Covid deniers like Toby Young, Isabel Oakeshott and Hartley-Brewer being given airtime so I think we can confidently say the UK airwaves are tediously balanced.

If this is part of a definite trend, then the localised increase in Covid infections is not something to worry about. However, as a precaution, the Guvmin should lock down the hotspots. And enforce it.

Originally Posted by jfman

The good news is decision-making isn't being led by what does (or doesn't) bore Pierre.

While 0 Covid deaths is obviously welcome that doesn't equate to being able to lift all restrictions imminently given the proportion of unvaccinated people and lower efficacy of the vaccines now compared to when the road map was published.

I'm bored of Covid deniers like Toby Young, Isabel Oakeshott and Hartley-Brewer being given airtime so I think we can confidently say the UK airwaves are tediously balanced.

Mmmmm - who to believe? a bunch of rentaquote journos whose aim is to get clicks/revenue with no immunology/virology/medical background or experience, or Professor Ravi Gupta, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), and Professor Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at Edinburgh University, who between them have over a century's experience in those fields.

Tricky decision...

[jfman]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

If this is part of a definite trend, then the localised increase in Covid infections is not something to worry about. However, as a precaution, the Guvmin should lock down the hotspots. And enforce it.

100%. The alternative to managing localised increases is allowing them to spread and then you are managing national increases. That's a one way street.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by jfman

While 0 Covid deaths is obviously welcome that doesn't equate to being able to lift all restrictions imminently

I agree, we should wait until we get -n Covid deaths, once the corpses reanimate - and subsequently test negative of course, as long as we get the tests done before they eat our brains, then we’ll be in a much better place.

Originally Posted by Pierre

I agree, we should wait until we get -n Covid deaths, once the corpses reanimate - and subsequently test negative of course, as long as we get the tests done before they eat our brains, then we’ll be in a much better place.

That's probably the most sensible thing you've said about COVID...

[Carth]

Toby Young, Isabel Oakeshott and Hartley-Brewer . . . nope, never heard of them, sorry

However, that chap Ravi Gupta seems to be the current flavour of the month with the media.

I remember when the media reported SAGE says this, SAGE says that, SAGE says . . but now it's mostly some random chap from a college getting his 2p worth in . . maybe in the interest of diversity and fairness, the media have to give them all a turn at their '15 minutes of fame' when announcing their findings for 'the end is nigh'

[Pierre]

Finally a scientist on Sky that talks sense, I knew we’d get one eventually by the law of averages at least.

UK can't 'scamper down a rabbit hole' with every new variant, says Oxford vaccine chief

Sir John Bell, who is part of the Oxford/AstraZeneca team, wants the government to stick to the roadmap that would see all restrictions lifted on 21 June so that the country can "move on".

The professor of medicine at Oxford University told BBC Radio 4's Today: "If we scamper down a rabbit hole every time we see a new variant, we're going to spend a long time huddled away."

Sir John cautioned that COVID "is here to stay probably forever" and said the focus should now be on managing "hospitalisations, serious disease and deaths", not cases.

[Taf]

The problem being that a new variant could be easier to transmit, asymptomatic for longer whilst still being exhaled, worse for our health, and thus a higher risk to the NHS.

And it could also escape the vaccines we have at the moment.

[Carth]

Sir John cautioned that COVID "is here to stay probably forever" and said the focus should now be on managing "hospitalisations, serious disease and deaths", not cases.

Another one to add to the list then, alongside deaths from:-

RTA's
Falling (off ladders/scaffold, down stairs, slipping in the bath etc)
Obesity
Influenza
Electrocution (work & home)
Industrial accidents
Smoking & Drinking
Drug misuse
Murder
Suicide
etc etc

If Covid deaths are kept to around 1000 a year it fits well

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Pierre

Finally a scientist on Sky that talks sense, I knew we’d get one eventually by the law of averages at least.

He was on BBC Radio 4, not Sky!

[jfman]

Originally Posted by Pierre

Finally a scientist on Sky that talks sense, I knew we’d get one eventually by the law of averages at least.

"Scamper down the rabbit hole" is not equal to maintaining sensible restrictions based on the data.

However he's telling you what you want to hear after a selective interpretation so hooray for your mood for now. Less so on June 22.

The easiest way to manage hospitalisations and deaths is maximise vaccine rollout.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

He was on BBC Radio 4, not Sky!

The article I copied and posted was on Sky News website

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by Pierre

The article I copied and posted was on Sky News website

You let him in by not posting a link to it.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Carth

Toby Young, Isabel Oakeshott and Hartley-Brewer . . . nope, never heard of them, sorry

You're lucky!

[Carth]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

You're lucky!

more like down to the fact I don't do Twitter & Farcebook