Restrictions on large gatherings likely to be in place 'for next few years'

[vera99]

Gulp. This is pretty bleak if true.

Experts have warned that restrictions on large gatherings could remain in place for "the next few years" as the world learns to live with the coronavirus.

Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London, told Times Radio that he "can't see us suddenly having another Cheltenham Festival with no regulations again".

"I can't see us having massive weddings with people coming from all over the world, I think for the next few years those days are gone," he added.

Prof Spector also suggested that basic infection control measures - including physical distancing, face masks and handwashing - should remain in place as they "don't cost really anything to do".

"I think we need to get used to that and that will allow us to do the things we really want to do more easily and more readily," he said.

On a more positive note Prof Spector, who created the Zoe Covid Symptom Study, said the infection survey indicates that coronavirus rates are "generally much lower everywhere" in the country, with around one in 170 people infected on average.

He suggested that reinstating the rule of six allowing people to meet outdoors should be "definitely encouraged" around the same time as primary schools begin to return.

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www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-uk-covid-vaccine-lockdown-end-latest-cases/

I hate large gatherings anyway. Just like to see one or two friends. I can see a few airlines going out of business in the coming years.

My partner is a musician and him and all of his colleagues haven’t been able to work single last March. Weddings are one of the main earners, and I imagine it’s not just musicians that are losing out but catering, venues etc
Yes it’s about vows but it’s also a massive industry that has lost out over this time

I don’t understand why this would be true! Once everyone has had the vaccine why would it not go back to normal? I don’t understand the need for a vaccine in young healthy people if it’s not to get our lives back?

@Youneverknowwhatyourgonnaget

I don’t understand why this would be true! Once everyone has had the vaccine why would it not go back to normal? I don’t understand the need for a vaccine in young healthy people if it’s not to get our lives back?

I think as not everyone will have it and it will take time to keep catching up with the new variants.

Once everyone has had the vaccine why would it not go back to normal?
presume they are mindful of the possibility that new variants could cause problems, require new vaccinations etc, or they just cant predict the trajectory of the virus with much certainty and want to manage our expectations

one problem is the general perception that a vaccine offers a pretty sure defense against a fixed target, this is the case with say measles...a stable/non mutating virus
we've not had time to find out how things could pan out with these vaccines

@Bertiebiscuit

Don't care - crowds make me uneasy any way - we can all survive very easily without going to watch big events live - not really a massive issue compared to what we are still going through

As long as it doesn't affect you that's alright.

Professor Van Tam said in tonight's conference that he predicts boosters for new variants that may occur and that there's work going on behind the scenes regarding this.
The message from tonight's press conference was that SA variant isn't more transmissable, the authorities are being vigilant in tracking it but the numbers are tiny compared to Kent variant so not to worry.
They refused to be drawn into the likelihood of foreign travel and UK holidays with other households over the summer as it's too soon to predict what may happen. I'd say that big gatherings (especially if people are assuming the same as pre Covid ) is also hard to predict

@Bertiebiscuit Thats fine, you can choose to stay away from large gatherings but some of us are desperate to enjoy the concerts and sport events that we used to. Not very keen on this "I'm alright Jack and sod anyone else" attitude.

@Youneverknowwhatyourgonnaget

I don’t understand why this would be true! Once everyone has had the vaccine why would it not go back to normal? I don’t understand the need for a vaccine in young healthy people if it’s not to get our lives back?

Do you think insurance companies are going to start insuring gigs and conferences without data on how to do it safely so they can make a profit? Only 70% of adults are expected to get the vaccine - that might not be enough for herd immunity. Plus you've got the problem of different countries vaccinating at different rates. Having an international football match in England where the other country's fans aren't vaccinated is a potential problem for us as they will go to pubs, use the airport etc.

@DagenhamRoundhouse

I hate large gatherings anyway. Just like to see one or two friends. I can see a few airlines going out of business in the coming years.

Bear in mind that ‘large gatherings’ are not just leisure . That means no university lectures in large lecture theatres , no school assemblies etc No to anything inside, and maybe outside, that involves more than 30 people.

Restrictions on gatherings could mean gigs at 50% capacity or football matches with 70% capacity. I wouldn't assume an outright ban but limited tickets. Until transmissibility in vaccines is studied I think that's reasonable tbh.

Restrictions could also mean back to 100% capacity, but every ticket has to be named with contact details for track and trace.

Restrictions could mean no noticeable difference to the people attending, but more regular cleaning, different entrance and exits to avoid groups mixing, wider paths/walk ways.

Restrictions could mean more table service in places that didn't have it before. Or tables and chairs laid out in areas that used to be just open for standing/walking.

Restrictions could mean signs telling people to wash their hands, hand sanitisers, sinks, more loos.

Basically, restrictions don't need to feel like this now. They don't need to spell the end of while industries, but the word "restrictions" can mean a lot of different things in different situations.

What do you think large counts as? My DD’s postponed wedding is in December, was supposed to be last year. I hope so much for them both they could have 30 or even 50. Thoughts anyone?

@vera99

What are we not being told though that makes this true? That the disease is incurable and unvaccinatiable for years? I refuse to believe given the progress to date how that can be so.

Why do you think this is true? It's one person speculating to a newspaper, and it's a newspaper known for having blatant agendas.

He doesn't set policy.

@LawnFever I live in a country where we've only had 29 deaths and we're not having large gatherings. We've been told by the govt they hope we will all be vaccinated by the autumn and the general feeling is not to expect travel this year.

Outdoors and in restaurants we can meet in groups of 8 max but we still wear masks at all times. On public transport we are not supposed to talk to eachother or on our phones. I don't expect to see large gatherings this year.

It's the Telegraph, so I'd take it with a pinch of salt. They've form for backing a variety of fringe opinions.

If it were true, that's competitive spectator sport, the music industry, cinemas and theatres jiggered.

Pissedoff1234, the last thing I intended was to be doom and gloom or to make people think the vaccine was pointless! In fact the exact opposite, I want to make the point how important take up is to freedom given people were suggesting it might not be worth it.
Sorry if it didn't come across that way.

I haven't read the whole thread so don't know if this has already been said, but Tim Spector has since clarified his comments and they are less dire than how they were spun in the media! Don't know if the link will work, but it's his Twitter feed.

twitter.com/timspector/status/1358853553683578883?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Thanks lowkey. It was a really irresponsible headline and I think the Telegraph should make a correction.

I was just coming on to say what @Lowkeyloopy said.
Tim Spector is feeling quite annoyed about what he said being taken out of context. What he meant makes far more sense.

No! No! No!

Why did I click on this depressing thread... just to read more of the confident statements that life is never going back to the way it was. And who cares anyway, because the poster doesn’t personally like Cheltenham or whatever.

I’m not a fan of mass gatherings either, but I can sympathise with posters who are missing them. Yes, I want to return to 2019. Frankly even the more minor restrictions like queuing to get into Tesco can get lost if this can be brought down to the same threat level as colds and the flu. Why are some people so keen to embrace cumbersome restrictions like one-way systems, masks, restricted numbers when this becomes more manageable.

I don’t see it as being analogous to the ban on liquids on planes or wearing a seatbelt at all. If the threats those things protect against we’re eradicated we surely could do without them (the liquids thing is rather irritating), but it’s hard to imagine how that could happen. So we accept them. But why retain COVID restrictions once the threat that made COVID riskier than other viruses has gone?

The journos are out of control at the minute. It’s really fucking irresponsible.

@Starfish50

Very depressing But he's not an economist. How does he think businesses will survive? Yet another academic only thinking through his own lens.

I agree with this. There needs to be a balancing act between science and economics. I think science has its place while we are in an emergency situation - but not once that emergency has passed (not the dominant opinion, anyway)