To wonder at what point the govt will address the minimal threat from Covid

[TheMurk]

We’re in a position where there have been 6 deaths from (with) coronavirus out of a population of 66.5 million.

In the same 24 hours 8 people died in RTAs.

There were 5 suicides.

So I’m just wondering when the government plans to address the vastly lowered threat from covid-19 and tell us what the next step of the plan is, and when it will start?

Because from a very urgent and vocal few months at the beginning with dramatic televised monologues, suddenly there is a pointed silence about the fact that this simply is not a grave threat to public health any longer.

Is no one concerned by this inactivity?

We should be being told at what point the masks, one way systems, queues and booking systems and other restrictions will be lessened or stopped altogether.

Why are we not being given a timeline?

OP re the govt announcing a plan surely you can imagine the dissatisfaction, general moaning, and refusal to obey if the govt set out a plan saying 'we are going to do x y z on a b c,' and then had to go back on it if the situation took a turn for the worse?

You can see the issues people have had with holidays because the government has lifted the travel restrictions to various areas then has had to put quarantine in place with little to no warning. Obviously they aren't going to set out a 12 month plan with 'football stadiums open in november' 'theatres open by christmas,' 'everything completely back to normal by march' because a) they DON'T KNOW when these things will be safe and b) they won't want to deal with the aggro when they inevitably have to go back on their 'promises'

What sort of things do you need to 'return to normal?' I've already said that I haven't had to queue or follow one way signs for ages where I live. Same with booking systems, the only things I've had to book are things I would in normal circumstances, e.g. a table in a restaurant or space in a gym class.

Compared to six weeks ago when I couldn't even see my family half an hour away, I can now see whoever I want, go to the beach, gym, pub, restaurant or shops, have my hair cut, go on holiday, travel without restriction in the UK...

My life does seem pretty normal so no wonder I'm not hugely keen to change the status quo i.e. getting rid of the remaining very minor adjustments that are keeping me and others safe while otherwise living my life with little to no inconvenience.

@StaffAssociationRepresentative just waiting to fire Gav til he can take the hit for reopening too. Been reported in the press he tried to resign but it wasn't accepted

It became compulsory to wear masks in shops in England 4 weeks ago. I hoped that would be the last piece of the jigsaw, and numbers would quickly reduce to almost zero.
But it really doesnt seem to have had any impact at all.
So what is the next plan? Something more drastic? Or drop the masks cos they have had no measurable effect?
It would be good to know.

Thing is the ‘powers that be’ are very scared of another wave coinciding with the usual flu season - that would be a catastrophe
So while the covid risk is currently minimal’ there’s no guarantee of it staying that way
Hence all the restrictions are here to stay until at least next summer - I reckon

Totally agree. The sacrifices now outweigh the risk of infection. Just shows how hard it is to get back out of restrictions once implemented.

It isn't ever going to end.

They have changed the way they record the deaths, lots of people who have a positive coronavirus death take more than 28 days to die :-(

I see the radio silence as the government minimising the continued risks because they want us all out and spending. Cases seem to be on the increase, but death rates don't seem to be increasing at the same level which will partly be because of the change in the way they are recorded, and partly because it seems to be younger people driving the infection rates up at the moment. Eventually though that will translate into more vulnerable people catching it too.

They're expecting a second wave, in tandem with flu season which won't be pretty, followed by a likely no deal Brexit, so hold onto your hats!

We need to keep the current restrictions in place for now and see what happens when we reopen schools. I think there will be a further increase by the end of September but would absolutely love to be proven wrong. In the meantime, we all need to take care.

[quote hedgehogger1]@StaffAssociationRepresentative just waiting to fire Gav til he can take the hit for reopening too. Been reported in the press he tried to resign but it wasn't accepted[/quote]
I guess the post is a poison chalice until December. This will not stabilise until Feb once the sniffle season ends.

Few seem to factor in that Doctors are getting better at treating the very small percentage that get very sick, and more treatments are available.

It seems to be the extreme left-wingers who are desperate for a 2nd wave so they can criticise the Government more (and no, I didn't vote for the current lot). Spain is having a 2nd wave and very few are dying.

There needs to be a happy medium whereby people accept that for a small % of people it is a nasty and potentially deadly virus, but that for the vast majority the restrictions are causing far more harm than the virus (job loss, relationship breaks ups, suicide, lack of other types of healthcare including cancer diagnosis, etc etc).

Totally agree OP, there was a strong school of thought that the virus would naturally decrease with time and it could be argued that is happening rapidly.

I see what you’re saying OP. Though I also get that doing anything prematurely now (particularly with autumn/winter approaching) is unwise.

Have you looked at the US lately?

If we get rid of all measures we could soon be i their position. The government are aware that autumn could see a sharp increase in cases. Of course they need us all to remain careful or things could get much, much worse.

What's so bad about caution?

15% extremely clinically vulnerable have children under 16. Plus some are children of course.
Waiting to see what happens when schools going back.

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

Is it down to the restrictions or is it because those who were vulnerable to dying from this illness have passed away? So, we’ve moved past that situation and we are now seeing increased cases (and increased testing), but these people are not being hospitalised. Why would that suddenly swing the other way now?

We're no where near herd immunity even among the elderly and vulnerable. And it will swing the other way because at the moment infections are mainly among the young but like Florida and France the average age of those will start to rise as the young infect the older generations. And once that happens hospitalisations and deaths will start to rise very fast again.

The social distancing, and masks will be staying for a while, probably until there is a viable vaccine.

Umm no, Boris said social distancing will hopefully be relaxed in November. But I agree about masks.

@TheMurk

We’re in a position where there have been 6 deaths from (with) coronavirus out of a population of 66.5 million.

In the same 24 hours 8 people died in RTAs.

There were 5 suicides.

So I’m just wondering when the government plans to address the vastly lowered threat from covid-19 and tell us what the next step of the plan is, and when it will start?

Because from a very urgent and vocal few months at the beginning with dramatic televised monologues, suddenly there is a pointed silence about the fact that this simply is not a grave threat to public health any longer.

Is no one concerned by this inactivity?

We should be being told at what point the masks, one way systems, queues and booking systems and other restrictions will be lessened or stopped altogether.

Why are we not being given a timeline?

I absolutely agree. It's cruel of the government to do this to us. They have robbed us of so much and to not give us a timeline of the next steps back to normal life is inexcusable. It's not right and it's not fair. People can't live like this for much longer.

I agree OP.

What a shambles.

In the U.K. Around 1,600 people die everyday

But only Covid deaths matter

Because it's not about the virus at all?

Spain is having a 2nd wave and very few are dying.

So far, yes. But hospital admissions in Spain have increased following their rise in cases, which unfortunately means deaths probably will too as there is obviously a lag between cases rising, hospital admissions rising and deaths rising.

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People really think there is going to be a vaccine that can be rolled out nationally? Will never happen.

Most experts seem to think it's more a matter of when and not if there will be a vaccine. Vaccine doses are being manufactured at risk pre approval so a national roll out is possible before winter 21/22 with priority vaccinations prior to that and both possibly even earlier.
Obviously nothing is guaranteed but it's highly unlikely that it will "never happen".

On the issue of suicides. I remember reading a couple of months back about some poor man who committed suicide. He was in the clinically vulnerable group and couldn't cope with the fear over restrictions ending. We desperately need better funded, easily and quickly accessible mental health services.

Separately, we're seeing an emerging problem of Long Covid. Something that's affecting people of all ages including those who are young and previously healthy. With possible permanent damage to the heart, lungs, or brain, people might find that 'underlying conditions' no longer applies only to Other People.

Umm no, Boris said social distancing will hopefully be relaxed in November. But I agree about masks.

Thank God Boris never lies.

Whitty & Vallance said the complete opposite to a select committee 2hrs later. I know where my money would be.

It’s easy to rant at the government but the type of restrictions we’re seeing are happening all over Europe (bar Sweden maybe). Nothing different is happening here that isn’t happening elsewhere. I’m no fan of our government but they aren’t being any more controlling or difficult over all this than anywhere else. Each country is doing what they hope is best in a difficult situation. Stamping your foot and saying I want it to be over isn’t going to change anything.

It’s not just about death though, is it.

I have a close friend who was hospitalized for 6 weeks. Fit, healthy, early 40s. She’s been left with major scarring on her lungs, and has had 2 heart attacks since discharge.

Statistically, she’s ‘recovered’, but she’s still having major issues.

Nobody knows the long term effects yet.

Life has to return to some normality. There is a significant lack of common sense.