16 cases linked to one pub - all pubgoers asked to self-isolate

[Redolent]

Pubgoers urged to self-isolate after 16 cases linked to pub

Health officials are urging visitors to a West Sussex pub to self-isolate after it was linked to 16 new coronavirus cases.

Crawley borough council has urged everyone who has visited the Downsman pub between 8 and 18 July (excluding 16 July) to self-isolate for two weeks from the date of their last visit.

On 19 July, the pub posted on Facebook that it had taken the decision to temporarily close after two of its staff members tested positive for Covid-19.

“There are 16 confirmed cases of coronavirus with a link to the pub and while this is a relatively small number and may not be the definite source of infection for all these cases, we are asking people to take action to ensure the virus does not spread further,” says a statement on the councils’ website.

“West Sussex county council public health and Public Health England are continuing to monitor the situation and will organise contact tracing for any further identified cases who may have visited the pub.”

———-

From The Guardian blog

If there had been a norovirus outbreak at the pub would people still be worried?

@Mummypig2020

If there had been a norovirus outbreak at the pub would people still be worried?

Probably not since people don't tend to die of Norovirus.

Any death is sad, but it’s literally under 20 a day dying from coronavirus. More people die in car crashes a day.

On average five people die in Great Britain in road accidents each day. Obviously there are queries over the way Covid deaths are recorded right now but daily deaths at the high of the epidemic were about 1,000 per day and the seven day rolling average is currently 63.

What was so special about July 16th ??

@Mummypig2020

Any death is sad, but it’s literally under 20 a day dying from coronavirus. More people die in car crashes a day.

Yes and I'm sure people like you will start to care when one of those 20 is someone you love instead of just someone who a stranger loves.

@Mummypig2020 spouting incorrect facts.

If there had been a norovirus outbreak at the pub would people still be worried?

On a completely personal level, I would be extremely worried if I found out I had been in proximity to someone with that. Its my worst nightmare, as an emetophobe (a real one, not one who just 'dislikes' vomit, which I would think most people do!)

Hping the enhanced hygiene and stuff in schools means we don't all get it this year, might have less colds too. Some of the measures I would quite like to stay in place tbh, even after this 'ends', seem common sense really. Stuff like sanitizing supermarket trolley handles and that, I didn't realise that wasn't done before until a friend rang moaning that they had been told to do it at start of each shift. She reckos its usually months before a clean, and even then its a quick wipe. No wonder we get ill so often really.

And? You can't shut down the world forever.

We had our first pub outing this week 😬. It was very pre planned. We booked an outside table in a beer garden. We had good distance from others and the staff had
Visors on (although I've since learnt how unreliable these may be). You could get to the toilets with only touching the cubicle door, and there was a sanitiser station at the entrance. We watched and walk ins all had their names and numbers taken, and it was noted When one couple changed tables.

We tried a bar next door to it after, also in beer garden. It's on a first come first served so no bookings. The staff were all wearing masks and bar service was strictly refused, table only. We were great until it got busier and two customers were placed at the end of our longish table. That bothered both of us so we left after finishing our drinks.

The second bar didn't take any names or numbers and seemed more willing to fit more people in.. If they had an outbreak, we aren't contactable so it does raise questions. It Did feel like the boundaries were being maxed as we left. That was enough for me. Won't be out again for a while.

@RichardMarxisinnocent

So what's the point of having social distancing measures in place if everyone who has been to the pub is expected to self isolate anyway? Or is the issue here that there are so many positives that most other customers will have been closeish to someone who has tested positive? If just one person who went on one day had tested positive would they be asking every customer to self isolate?

The social distancing is to try and reduce spread where people are asymptomatic at that time. It is a compromise to allow people out to live life but doesn’t stop all spread. Track and trace is to stop spread. Where positive cases have been identified that you have been in contact with then you have to self-isolate as the risk you have it and will spread it is much higher. Isolating people who have been in contact with a positive case is the only way to contain this without isolating everyone again (lockdown).

@Regulus

What was so special about July 16th ??

I assume neither of the infected staff members were on duty that day

I think a second wave is pretty inevitable in the UK. Other countries are experiencing a second wave right now so it seems unlikely the UK won't get one.

We went to our fave pub and it was lovely to get out and felt very safe but sad at the same time. They are following all the rules to the letter so it felt Like a half-empty Restaurant, close to more staff than customers, no standing and chatting, Food and drink left on a separate table for us to pick up for ourselves etc etc.

My MIL is very keen to organise a family pub lunch, I have said we'll go but only if we can sit outside, still don't feel 100% comfortable with it. Far too easy to get too close to people inside, and a lot of people have just given up with SD anyway.

@feelingverylazytoday

I'd stick to outdoor seating for the time being, I don't think there's any higher risk there than there is on the beach or the park, eg.

Of course there is, you're sitting face to face for several hours talking/laughing etc, totally different than on a beach or in a park where the interaction is going to be less intense.

But still better outside than in.

There has has been a cluster of cases in a Manchester area due to visiting the pubs. These are teenage lads and apparently they have been confirmed. Local facebook group are going bonkers over it

I have been lulled into meeting friends a couple of times, once in a pub garden, and once actually in a coffee shop, only because it was raining - we had been intending to stay outside. I am now having a re-think as to how wise this was, and I will be more wary in future, I think. The pub ostensibly had things in place - hand sanitisers, forms to fill in, one way system, table service, even in the garden. But, there were 4 of us, all different households, on a pub garden 'bench' table, and although we were sitting 1 at each corner, we were definitely not even 1m apart, let alone 2, and none of us were 100% sure what the guidance for meeting is. Is it 6 households with social distancing outside, and 2 inside?(England)

I definitely won't be meeting anyone inside again, as in the coffee shop, once we (2 of us) were past the counter, where you had to wear a mask to order, it was a free for all - busy, with up and down arrows each side of a staircase barely a metre wide!

I suppose just because you're 'allowed' to do something (like crossing the road on a red light - no offence of jaywalking in the UK!), it isn't always wise. My recent experiences have prompted me to reconsider, anyway.

It doesn't make sense about the 16th July. If as pp said it's because the staff members were not in it the risk of catching covid must still be there. On surfaces for example or one of the 16 that have already caught it being there on the 16th.

A pub environment is like somewhere that's been specifically designed to transmit covid as efficiently as possible!
You have to be mad to want to go in a pub let alone spend an extended period of time in there!

Maybe it was closed on 16th July?

@Regulus

What was so special about July 16th ??

maybe the person who tested positive was not at work that day?

Pubs, restaurants and cafes are just inevitably going to spread covid. They are the most high risk places you can go right now.

That’s ridiculous

I’ve been loads of pubs and ensure I’m never closer than two metres to anyone and remain seated, order on app etc

It’s for this reason that I give fake details in every time

Asking everyone to isolate everytime they go out is stupid people can’t isolate every month!

It’s for this reason that I give fake details in every time

Aren't you the revolutionary hero?