It’s only the North

[Vikingess]

There are now more Covid patients in hospitals in Manchester than there were after lockdown in March including some students in intensive care. People on here are still bleating about missing birthday parties. Do it matter less because it’s “only in the North”?

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Manchester, has suggested that the problem has arisen because the decisions on locking down and reopening were based on London experience. The North was weeks behind so the amount of virus still in circulation was higher than that in London as it had not come down so far from the peak so it has roared back from a stronger foothold
I haven't seen evidence of that but it sounds logical

Ivor I believe the Public Health lead for Liverpool has said the same. I wouldn’t be surprised, plus there are other factors that make many northern areas very different from London.

There is much less opportunity to wfh in the North.
There are less people with prior exposure in the south.

It has precious little to do with 'following the rules' if you are at all able to decipher them.

Although it may help if MPs followed the rules I might add...

Also down south, the weather is generally better and we can sit outside well into Autumn.

@DivGirl

I'll give you Nottingham and Birmingham, but surely Sheffield is legitimately in The North? It's in bloody Yorkshire!

Yes, Sheffield is in the North.

Anywhere mentioned by The KLF in 'It's Grim Up North' is Officially Northern.

Bolton,
Barnsley,
Nelson,
Colne,
Burnley
Bradford,
Buxton,
Crewe,
Warrington,
Widnes,
Wigan,
Leeds,
Northwich,
Nantwich,
Knutsford,
Hull,
Sale,
Salford,
Southport,
Leigh,
Derby,
Kearsley
Keighley
Maghull,
Harrogate,
Huddersfield,
Oldham, Lancs,
Grimsby,
Glossop,
Hebden Bridge,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North.
Brighouse,
Bootle,
Featherstone,
Speke,
Runcorn,
Rotherham,
Rochdale,
Barrow,
Morecambe,
Macclesfield,
Lytham St. Annes
Clitheroe,
Cleethorpes,
The M62,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North.
Pendlebury,
Prestwich,
Preston,
York,
Skipton,
Scunthorpe,
Scarborough-on-Sea,
Chester,
Chorley,
Cheedle Hulme,
Ormskirk,
Accrington Stanley,
and Leigh,
Ossett,
Otley,
Ikley Moor,
Sheffield
Manchester,
Castleford,
Skem,
Doncaster,
Dewsbury,
Hali-fax,
Bingley,
Bramall,
Are all in the North.

Most of London's city workers cleared off to work from home back in March so many places are still pretty empty. The ones who have drifted back are either doing a day here or there , so it's kept the rates lower I guess , for the city at least.
I'm shocked that London appears to be escaping the worst of it just now as some areas are very congested ( such as east London) so I'm not sure what they are doing differently to other big cities in the UK? It's all very strange.

It may be that because London was initially hard hit more people take the threat a little more seriously

Or it may be luck and better weather

London's on alert, isn't it? So may be following suit shortly.

I think the 'only' up north is the latest iteration of 'only' the elderly, 'only' the vulnerable etc.

I can see why people want to feel safer by othering the risk. But that's both heartless and useless

Nah, Sheffield is South Yorkshire. That's practically France.

Several areas in the London region are now light orange on the BBC map and so is Oxford.

' othering ' is heartless.
I don't do this but people do and it's not helping an already very serious and shit situation. I still feel a bit of complacency from people where I live! It might bite them on the bum though.

Who can't follow the rules!

Not sure they are able to read them.

OP Stop trying to encourage a north, south divide. I’m as worried for people in the North as I was for the South. There were dicks complaining before, there still are.

I’ve heard of people trying to lie about where they are travelling from, Just for a night out

@TheGreatWave

Who can't follow the rules!

Not sure they are able to read them.

Actually we are still recovering from the last waves of Bubonic Plague up here.

@The80sweregreat

Most of London's city workers cleared off to work from home back in March so many places are still pretty empty. The ones who have drifted back are either doing a day here or there , so it's kept the rates lower I guess , for the city at least. I'm shocked that London appears to be escaping the worst of it just now as some areas are very congested ( such as east London) so I'm not sure what they are doing differently to other big cities in the UK? It's all very strange.

Honestly, a lot of those people in congested areas in London are quite isolated - live with flatmates they barely know and never see and sit in their rooms watching netflix.

Thank you to those who have given useful and considered responses. I do feel scared that public health decisions are being made centrally and high risk areas are suffering the consequences. I also feel sad that some on here think this is “shit stirring”.

@Silvergreen

Also down south, the weather is generally better and we can sit outside well into Autumn.

Only into Autumn? Us Northerners are out all year because we are very tough, barely yet out of t-shirt.

(Just to clarify I do actually live in the north)

@TheGreatWave

Who can't follow the rules!

Not sure they are able to read them.

Read this, motherfuckers:

Wheear 'ast tha bin sin' ah saw thee, ah saw thee?
On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at
Wheear 'ast tha bin sin' ah saw thee, ah saw thee?
Wheear 'ast tha bin sin' ah saw thee?
On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at
On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at
On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at
Tha's been a cooartin' Mary Jane
Tha's bahn' to catch thy deeath o' cowd
Then us'll ha' to bury thee
Then t'worms'll come an' eyt thee oop
Then t'ducks'll come an' eyt up t'worms
Then us'll go an' eyt up t'ducks
Then us'll all ha' etten thee
That's wheear we get us ooan back

Hahaha @TheGreatWave 😂

Anti body levels in the most suseptible populations (transport workers, hospotality, healthcare) may be 20-40% in London it will help slow the spread.

Silver, maybe , but East London is very multi cultural and diverse and many families do all live together : they either have a different mindset or been very lucky so far. Or it could be other factors? I've No idea but how they can be so different to Liverpool or Manchester for example is puzzling to me.
It could all change , but another lockdown would cause more economic misery too.
No wonder the government is being pulled in all directions.

I'm in Kent, and anything north of London is "the north" to us! (only half joking)
Seriously, though- the south part of the UK will be next. London was the epicentre at the start, and cases are creeping up again everywhere.

Only into Autumn? Us Northerners are out all year because we are very tough, barely yet out of t-shirt.

I'm having Xmas dinner in the garden this year, I'm hoping for snow cause I'm hardy as fuck 😉

@The80sweregreat it's a complex combination of factors. I think the divide will be redundant shortly though as the entire country will face another lockdown. Not like before, but I think consistency and simplicity will be the key points.