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Original poster

'Eat out to help out' a key driver of the second wave - study finds

111 replies

annabel85 · 30/10/2020 15:52

Coronavirus: Revealed - the impact Eat Out to Help Out had on infection rates
Research suggests that between 8% and 17% of newly detected infection clusters can be linked to the scheme.

news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-eat-out-to-help-out-accelerated-second-wave-of-covid-19-study-says-12118285

I know they were trying to get the economy going again, but what a ridiculous initiative this proved to be? I know people in hospitality who said it was bedlam on the days of discounted food, so it's no surprise.

OP posts:
Fizbosshoes · 30/10/2020 16:51

I can (and do) criticise the government for a lot of things (voting down FSM in the holidays while claiming their own meals on expenses for a start) but I'm not sure there is an obvious "right" way out of this. As pp have said European countries have all approached it slightly differently but the sad fact is the virus is taking hold everywhere. It's not just our own government that are grappling with it, and yet there are loads of people wanting to make everything their responsibility. I wish there was cross-party alliance dealing with it, but the fact is we might still be in the same situation, whoever was in charge.

CovidAnni · 30/10/2020 16:52

@longwayoff

Shock crikey who could have foreseen that? Go to the Med, pick up a virus, come back and spread it around through eat out etc with Bozo shouting everyone back to school and work.
The go back to work message was shocking. I’ve woh throughout and there was a palpable, sense of it’s all over, although there was no evidence bar low rates during and in the lag after strict lockdown.
Original poster
annabel85 · 30/10/2020 16:54

@Fizbosshoes

I can (and do) criticise the government for a lot of things (voting down FSM in the holidays while claiming their own meals on expenses for a start) but I'm not sure there is an obvious "right" way out of this. As pp have said European countries have all approached it slightly differently but the sad fact is the virus is taking hold everywhere. It's not just our own government that are grappling with it, and yet there are loads of people wanting to make everything their responsibility. I wish there was cross-party alliance dealing with it, but the fact is we might still be in the same situation, whoever was in charge.
European countries have all approached it slightly differently but the sad fact is the virus is taking hold everywhere.

Sure, but we got his worst in the first wave (economically and the death rate) and now we're one of the worst hit again despite having a big advantage over most of the rest of Europe: we're an island.

OP posts:
Crinkle77 · 30/10/2020 16:54

So that means 83% to 92% can't be attributed to Eat Out To Help Out.

Original poster
annabel85 · 30/10/2020 16:55

*Hit

OP posts:
Fizbosshoes · 30/10/2020 16:55

True. Other countries have had much stricter quarantine policies.

ZaZathecat · 30/10/2020 16:55

Restaurants should not have been 'heaving' though, they should have had tables spaced out, bookings only and all the rest of the stuff to make them low risk.

ConcernedAuntie · 30/10/2020 16:57

Of course some places were well managed and spaced apart. Others were absolutely heaving inside.

So if you turned up somewhere and you could see it was 'absolutely heaving inside', why stay? Take personal responsibility fgs.

DH and I went to our local to support it a couple of times. Tables well spaced, booking times spread out. Booked to go to the pub in the next village to support them and people were crammed in and it had very low ceilings as well. We didn't stay - it wasn't worth the risk for a cheaper meal.

MythicalBiologicalFennel · 30/10/2020 16:58

Also the most virulent strain of covid currently in the U.K. is from Spain. So cheers anyone that went on holiday.

The recent study says that cases of that strain were observed for the first time simultaneously in Spain and the Netherlands. But I guess that's not catchy, or as satisfying as blaming others.

rwalker · 30/10/2020 17:01

If it wasn't that it would be something else that caused a wave.The biggest lie the government have told us is that we can beat covid.

We lockdown earlier this year that didn't solve it no country has control of it .
Even those who appeared to be beating it it's creeping back up there as well

Without being too negative we are fucked .

MJMG2015 · 30/10/2020 17:03

@Fizbosshoes

I can (and do) criticise the government for a lot of things (voting down FSM in the holidays while claiming their own meals on expenses for a start) but I'm not sure there is an obvious "right" way out of this. As pp have said European countries have all approached it slightly differently but the sad fact is the virus is taking hold everywhere. It's not just our own government that are grappling with it, and yet there are loads of people wanting to make everything their responsibility. I wish there was cross-party alliance dealing with it, but the fact is we might still be in the same situation, whoever was in charge.
To some degree, I agree BUT 'eat out to help out' & 'back to work' we're pretty fucking stupid.

All schools back full time, was criminally stupid

All Uni Students back in halls etc was grossly negligent, criminally insane.

But the thing that scares me the most is that when they're discussing stuff they don't seem to have a fucking clue what's going on. At all.

Nicola Sturgeon comes in for a lot of grief and I hated her intensely over the independence referendum (I want Scotland to stay!!) but I wish she had Bojos job now. At least she seems to know what's going on & whether you like it or not, she conveys her message clearly.

WitchesSpelleas · 30/10/2020 17:03

Quelle surprise.

AlexaShutUp · 30/10/2020 17:05

No shit Sherlock.

It was always obvious that this was going to happen.

ivykaty44 · 30/10/2020 17:07

with the Spanish flu in 1918

they had a second wave that was more deadly than the first, and now we have a second wave that is taking Europe by surprise. Media are looking for anyone to blame, but its happening just like it did 100 years ago but thankfully so far on a smaller scale of death

NoGoodPunsLeft · 30/10/2020 17:08

BUT 'eat out to help out' & 'back to work' we're pretty fucking stupid

Absolutely. We were 'encouraged' to go back into the office for no discernible benefit except maybe buying a sandwich from the canteen. Every meeting is still online, you can't go to.someone 's desk for a chat, so why bother!

fussychica · 30/10/2020 17:11

Norbert my thoughts exactly.
Universities returning though was madness. It would have helped if just existing students had been allowed to return rather than all the freshers inevitably resulting in all this lockdown nonsense. What a way to start your uni experience. I guess they'll never forget it!

Original poster
annabel85 · 30/10/2020 17:12

So if you turned up somewhere and you could see it was 'absolutely heaving inside', why stay? Take personal responsibility fgs.

Ah, yes. the mythical British common sense. That's what Boris was always adamant would see us through.

OP posts:
RaspberryCoulis · 30/10/2020 17:15

Nah. The key driver was students going back.

Original poster
annabel85 · 30/10/2020 17:15

@rwalker

If it wasn't that it would be something else that caused a wave.The biggest lie the government have told us is that we can beat covid.

We lockdown earlier this year that didn't solve it no country has control of it .
Even those who appeared to be beating it it's creeping back up there as well

Without being too negative we are fucked .

But some are more fucked than others.

How many countries have a worse death rate than us from Covid? How many have took a worse economic hit? That's just from the first wave. Already we're right near the top again with the daily death rate.

OP posts:
jasjas1973 · 30/10/2020 17:18

@TeddyIsaHe

Also the most virulent strain of covid currently in the U.K. is from Spain. So cheers anyone that went on holiday.
Grant Schaps went to Spain, other ministers also went abroad.

But if Italy and Austria could have CV testing at airports in the summer, why couldn't we?
It could be argued that pubs and restaurants are a lot easier to start up again than Airlines and Airports.

I didn't take adv of EO2HO as i felt it was a complete waste of taxpayers money, people were eating out in anycase, after being locked down for many weeks, just seemed to me that it was a M/C freebie.

How many deaths have been caused by this scheme i wonder.

Leflic · 30/10/2020 17:22

@annabel85

So if you turned up somewhere and you could see it was 'absolutely heaving inside', why stay? Take personal responsibility fgs.

Ah, yes. the mythical British common sense. That's what Boris was always adamant would see us through.

So what was your master plan then? What would “now“ look like?
jasjas1973 · 30/10/2020 17:26

I wish there was cross-party alliance dealing with it, but the fact is we might still be in the same situation, whoever was in charge

Johnson isn't interested in CP support, he could have invited Labour into the decision making process but there was never such an invite, he doesn't even involve Sturgeon etc.

Care home infections are now increasing, they had many months to come up with a plan to prevent that as they know full well what happens next.
That is either incompetent or a deliberate policy decision.

Babyroobs · 30/10/2020 17:29

It was a terrible idea. I love a bargain and it was torture stopping myself from taking advantage of the scheme but only once did we set inside a venue and it was very well spaced out and a quiet day. The other times we just sat in outside area.

KisstheTeapot14 · 30/10/2020 17:34

@NorbertMeubles exactly.

megletthesecond · 30/10/2020 17:40

Report from Dept of state the bleedin' obvious.

We didn't eat out all summer. It seemed like a good way for the virus to trickle around slowly. Got some takeaway drinks and chips, but didn't go inside.