Wales 5

[DdraigGoch]

The old one filled up before we could link a new one but here we are.

I emailed MN contact us about having our own topic and got this back:

Thanks for getting in touch and this idea sounds interesting.
As a first step and to get an idea if a new area would be popular, you could hopefully work with us on this.
We're not keen to set up new sections without clear evidence that they'd be well-used, so if you wanted, you could start a thread called, 'Welshnet' to kick things off and see how it goes?
If you're not interested we'll try a different approach, so give us a shout and let us know what you think when you get a moment.

So suppose could start a threat in chat called 'Who would be up for a Welshnet/Draignet' and all bombard it so it looks popular, and also to make other welshies who have blocked the covid topic aware?

Great idea

Right I started a chat thread and linked to and commented on @Gracesquirrel's post in site stuff so hopefully will get some traction!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4291379-Would-any-welsh-MNs-be-up-for-our-own-subforum?

I think we are being far too cautious in Wales at the expense of many people’s health, businesses and livelihoods. Drakeford is utterly useless and I can’t believe people voted Welsh Labour back in.

I have declared myself mask exempt. I refuse to use the LFT or the app. I am off on holiday the week after next. I’m completely done.

And I can’t believe how stupid people are. Common sense tells us that masking up and hiding from germs for years is not a great idea. Everyone is saying how wonderful places like NZ have done…oh it seems fantastically…

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/08/new-zealand-children-falling-ill-in-high-numbers-due-to-covid-immunity-debt

This has all now become political at our expense.

Open up. Let the youngsters catch and recover from Covid. 2-20% may end up with long Covid, but for the majority, this will get better within 4 weeks. It’s either this, or they’ll never fend off illnesses like meningitis or pneumonia. Our immune systems need to be fighting off bugs.

I personally don’t feel selfish by refusing to follow restrictions. I genuinely feel that I am doing the right thing.

I watched one “scientist” on Twitter claiming how terrible it was going to be post July 19th…how we should still wear masks etc and then I found out she has a business selling masks in fancy fabrics. Really?

@Mathshelpme I strongly disagree with you - we shpuld re-open slowly and stage by stage so we can asses the impact of each step. Just throwing away all restrictions as England will be on a random date in July is both incredibly risky and incredibly stupid

I am with grannycake. Better to be cautious.

It is no coincidence that the rest of the UK is not following Johnson's gamble right now.

I know the UK already has an RSV increase in children with associated hospial admissions and expects it to continue into winter plus we have concerns about flu in UK in both England and other parts of UK.

I would like schools to be more normal come September and I would like waiting rooms to come back by Autumn - but if we're a few weeks behind England as long as we do open up I can wait.

I’m the only one in my office that wears a mask now but I’m also the youngest by about twenty years and the only one double jabbed. I would prefer a slow and steady reopening which is probably in line with Welsh Labour, but I am naturally slow and steady anyway!

@Mathshelpme exactly, who cares if 2/20% (or whatever the stats are) of the population get long covid and all the associated problems? Who cares if clinically vulnerable children and adults who aren’t able to be vaccinated become seriously ill or worse? 🙄🙄
Hopefully the majority of our society take a more include attitude.

I fully support the Welsh govt’s cautious approach in this. A few more weeks to allow for further vaccinations could make a huge difference. I would love restrictions to be lifted, but not at the expense of what we’ve achieved so far.

The approach Welsh government has taken has been broadly in line with my attitude. Definitely some missteps and things I disagreed with but I've always felt the approach was more health driven than the UK government.

I have agreed with the broad approach of the Welsh Government too, other than a few random things like the ban on non essentials in shops during the January lockdown.

I think they are being ridiculous about the continued ban on indoor mixing though. And the 2m expectation to everyone who isn't in your "household". It's the elephant in the room as everyone knows it's impossible to meet five friends for a meal in a restaurant and keep a 2m distance from each one, and everyone also knows that the vast majority have had indoor visitors outside of their households.

Also in agreement with the broad approach, but yes we do need a rule of 6 or something like that for indoor mixing in the home. Leaving England aside AFAIK most countries outside the UK are allowing small groups indoors other than when in hard lockdowns.

But very happy not to live in England right now!

Does anyone have any knowledge of getting a 17 vaccinated at a vaccination centre?
I’m desperate for my DD to have a vaccination as she’s been so poorly for months, undergoing lots of tests but no official diagnosis, so no vaccine invitation. She really wants a vaccine, as she’s starting to get quite anxious about being more unwell.
I see from other threads that 17 year olds are fairly easily obtaining vaccines in London but don’t know if it’s possible in Wales. I had my vaccination with my GP and DH had his in England, by invitation as NHS staff so we have no knowledge of the big centres.

It's being offered to 16-18 year olds with specific conditions @Lupinhere37 (as part of group 6). This is in line with jcvi guidance and there's no real appetite from gov or nhs to deviate from that.

Ok, thanks @JackieCollinshasnoauthority. Guess it’s just a bit of a postcode lottery then, as we don’t seem to have “walk in” clinics around here. Bit depressing; looks like we’ll be going into A Level year with no sign of full vaccination for months!

I'm not familiar with what's happening in England I'm afraid. I just know that if she doesn't have a list of specific conditions she won't automatically be invited. Have you spoken to her GP or consultant, if relevant, to ask for it?

@JackieCollinshasnoauthority thank you. Yes, she has another appointment this week, so she’s going to ask then.

Does anybody have any thoughts on the FM update this afternoon? Kind of a mixed message in some ways, restrictions to mainly go BUT cases rising AND don't travel abroad unless essential? It's always such a confused message in my opinion

It's similar to what Scotland is doing, I think?

I think fairly clear tbh. Cases are rising, but the link with hospitalisation and death is weakening. We can meet 6 people in our houses from Sat, then from 7th August (if all is OK and cases not going up too much etc) most restrictions gone except for masks in shops and so on.

I think it is right to discourage travel abroad. We should all think carefully about the possibility that we might help Delta spread wider and faster. Drakeford can't ban it althogether though. It would be pointless as people can just go to England and travel from there.

I think it's all pretty sensible.

@hellswelshy, it just felt like a people pleasing message. Something for everyone, depending upon their viewpoint!
What makes me nervous is that we know he takes a hardline when cases increase, so I wonder what his threshold will be for holding the line this time around? Living on the border, I really don’t want yet another episode of being entirely out of kilter with England, as much as I mistrust Boris and co.

Also, by not fully lifting retrictions until 7 August, that gives time to examine what happens in England after July 19. If it looks to be going pear shaped there, Wales can rethink.

Sorry for typos!

Good point there; I prefer this more cautious approach. Was talking to a hospital consultant from the West Country today, who told me they were starting to see effects of increased COVID admissions.
Also, Gloucestershire news are reporting a 9 hour wait in A&E at Cheltenham and Gloucester hospitals, which they’re blaming on riding COVID numbers.
Uncomfortably close to home for me!

I’m still not convinced they won’t put some sort of travel restrictions in during august. Cases will inevitably rise in England and I think wales will panic and say only travel in wales, which will be pretty devastating for those of us working in tourism!