What the UK did right this summer

[Redolent]

We know that coronavirus infections are driven by ‘superspreader’ events. The majority of people infect no one, while some can infect 10s of others. Roughly 20% of people are responsible for 80% of infections. Control these events by preventing mass gatherings, and you can generally reign things in.

It looks like that failed to happen in other parts of Europe this summer. Spain had supposedly strict face mask rules but also reopened nightclubs, weddings had limits of 150 guests +, indoor social / family gatherings were far more lax. Their hospitalizations have risen considerably in the last few days.

In France, there’s also this recent case of a 250 guest wedding where 76 people were infected:

www.newsweek.com/almost-one-third-attendees-250-person-wedding-infected-coronavirus-1527469

Of course not everyone has been following the rules in the UK, but I think the benchmark guidance here - ‘6 people outdoors’, ‘two households indoors’, ‘30 people at a wedding’ - has greatly reigned in people’s sense of what is permissible. So even if people deviate from it, it’s not significantly so.

It’s too early to be self-congratulatory. In particular, school openings can yet be our undoing. But I think this is one possible explanation for why we haven’t seen the spikes that other countries are experiencing.

I think keeping nightclubs closed and limiting numbers for gatherings is definitely a good thing to keep for now.

Umm we also opened up later so could just still be “behind” them but yes it’s interesting that many seem to be banning gatherings that are far larger than anything we have officially allowed.

We also didn't have as strict a lockdown......

I wonder how key that is.

I think we managed the reopening phase pretty well. Of course schools reopening is the next big test.
Personally I don't think nightclubs and events like weddings will be allowed until vaccination is underway.

The French article is really interesting. I had no idea that they’d allowed such large scale events to go ahead. Seems crazy following on from such a tight lockdown.

@Timeforanotherusername

We also didn't have as strict a lockdown......

I wonder how key that is.

Really good point. The youth of Spain were pretty much imprisoned during their lockdown, so no wonder they went nuts when they were allowed out. We had more freedom, so it was less of a pressure cooker effect

I wouldn't get too.congratulatory yet but agree the 30 limit on weddings etc seems wide compared to other countries.

Sorry, wide = wise

I think a good summer has really helped us, plus as we aren’t such a hot country we don’t have so much air conditioning etc to cope with hotter seasons.

Possibly by being made to wait to open up alot of businesses are being even more fastidious about following the rules as being shut down again would be so absolutely disastrous? Good example, beauticians. Mine is like having a medical procedure, everything is spotless and hygiene is absolutely 100% on point.

Agree that the weather has been on our side. Cold and wet weather would have meant more indoor socializing imo.

I am surprised by the size of weddings allowed

Summer holidays abroad seem to have not caused problems too. Fingers crossed!

I went to an out door music event .. it was legal and we had the government Drome watching us all
day ..so
Some events are happening there was 200 of us , But the event had permission for 500

UK lockdown lasted longer than most, so could also have stamped down infection to a lower level

but as pp said, also lifted later than most
This timing may have reduced the damage from foreign travel

UK household and event limits much stricter than here - Germany
I've not come across anyone here taking temperatures either
Also, cash is widely used; some smaller places still cash only

I think closing the travel corridors with Spain and France were also a good move, possibly better to have never had them but still.

keeping nightclubs closed has been a good idea. A much smaller percentage of people have returned to the office here compared to elsewhere. This is individual/company choice. But as above, we can do this because the climate isn't as hot as some countries.

I think not having aircon might be significant, when it's warm in general British people head outside where transmission is evidently lower, Some US states have listed air con as one of the causes for high infection as it encourages people to congregate indoors.
It's far too soon however to be congratulatory.

People keep saying our lockdown was't strict enough. Genuine question : - how would banning us from exercise indoors/making us stay within 400m/1k/2k of our homes or restricting us to one supermarket only have reduced deaths/infection rates?

I agree the weather has probably helped and stopping larger gatherings indoors too. And maybe the fact that we are "backwards" in going back to "work" (I think we are forward thinking in realising remote working is the future but that's another thread) has also reduced infection rates as we don't have people crowded on public transport or in offices.

Exercise OUTdoors, obviously!

It is a little reported fact that the UK has undertaken by far the greatest number of tests in Europe (15m) versus Germany (10m), Spain and Italy (both 8m) since the start of the pandemic.

While we were undoubtedly late to get testing capacity ramped up, I do feel we have phenomenal testing capacity in place to get us through the winter. I just hope that test and trace is up to the task.

@littleowl1

It is a little reported fact that the UK has undertaken by far the greatest number of tests in Europe (15m) versus Germany (10m), Spain and Italy (both 8m) since the start of the pandemic.

While we were undoubtedly late to get testing capacity ramped up, I do feel we have phenomenal testing capacity in place to get us through the winter. I just hope that test and trace is up to the task.

Isn't it also reported that the UK count tests issued, not tests processed?

People are saying how good it is nightclubs have stayed closed. Up and down the country in the last week or two they have been opening due to a loophole allowing them to open as bars. Social media images show groups of more than 6 hugging etc. These “bars” aren’t allowed dancing or music to the volume they would normally but opening hours are as a nightclub. A few in the city near me still advertise as a nightclub and contact them to arrange for bigger groups than 6. Certainly going to be interesting when the uni students return

Nice to read something a bit more positive about what has been done

Here’s to schools going well

schools of course have the possibility to increase cases, but by the same token if we are still restricting mass gatherings in other settings like weddings or concerts or football matches then we are still having less social interactions than we were back in Feb/Mar. Its right that schools should be the only "mass gatherings " going on at the moment as its necessary for children to be educated, its not necessary to get married, or attend a concert or football match although that does have an impact on jobs in those industries.
Our cases and deaths seem to be tracking similar to Italy at the moment, people seem to have the opinion they're doing ok at the moment, does that mean we are too? How are we viewed from the rest of the world to be doing now?

Isnt it also reported that the UK count tests issued, not tests processed?
@Morfin on the gov website it states both figures how many were issued how many processed.