The Road Map: It’s Bollocks, Right?

[AllTheWayFromLondonDAMN]

So, I feel a bit like I’m going loopy. And I want to preface this by saying that I really hope I’m wrong. We are both secondary teachers with two small kids and this year has been an absolute bitch. Work for us has been hugely full in, whether it’s been in school or online teaching. Our infant school aged children have missed school terribly and their whole lives at this age are all about school, their little pals and their grandparents and cousins, all of whom have been off limits for months. So this has been far from fun for us and I have no desire for this to carry on (before anyone accuses me of that).

BUT this is all bollocks isn’t it? I know that numbers are going down and that we are doing really well with the vaccinations but this road map that Boris has announced.... it’s magical thinking isn’t it?!?! Less than eight weeks ago we were in dire straits, with tens of thousands of cases and more than 1500 people a day dying. This lockdown has choked those numbers down but now... throwing all the schools back in at once?! Telling us that we will be able to open up hospitality in only six weeks or so?! Saying we won’t even have to wear masks in just 16ish weeks?! REALLY? Because whilst I know that the warmer weather will make things better and of course the vaccine is making things better, it just feels a bit to me like Boris has decided that he’s bored of Covid so he’s just announcing that it’ll he done and dusted and we can just forget about it by midsummers day. Which seems.... bonkers. Bonkers when this has been going on a year now and very recently we were in huge trouble. Some areas of the country are still in huge trouble. Are other European countries talking like this? Like we can just say we have all had enough, so we are going to stop Covid?! Because if it was that easy wouldn’t we have done this a year ago?!?!

So am I the mad one who’s just being a pessimistic old boot, or is anyone else finding this whole change of tone just a bit.... weird?

@InterfectoremVulpes

3.3m doses hadn't been given in December, where are you getting that from?

Sorry thought you were talking to me

I agree someone seems to not understand what the chart says and means in real life🤷‍♀️

@PrincessNutNuts

Chart:

Yes, that's part of my point. A lot of ifs and coulds and false assumption about vaccine effectiveness across all age groups.

It's a bullshlt chart.

You have read no recent research results or seen the results from Scotland then😳😂😂😂

The chart is marketing, and it proves my point about the pandemic deaths and hospitalisations continuing once we open up because none of those percentages are 100%

How many of those things on that chart will have happened by Monday?

I'm not sure you'd read the same ones I have @Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum

@InterfectoremVulpes

truly i know that, and you know that and most people looking at the chart know that.

However...

It was the same with AZ and the 12 week gap😯 Still is actually some people 🙄 Just wording it differently now🤦‍♀️

Like hitting your head against a brick wall really

What can I say not much on the last day or two. Thought I might as well entertain myself 😜

This is classic 🤣

Has anyone said deaths and hospitalisation will stop 🤔

How does you saying something the chart doesn't actually say prove anything?

What do you mean?

@InterfectoremVulpes

Has anyone said deaths and hospitalisation will stop 🤔

The denial of a third wave implies as much.

It’s more about not overwhelming NHS to trigger same onerous restrictions or go backwards

There will be a level we can deal with. As Whitty said.

seriously?

You know what you claimed the chart said.

You know it doesnt say that.

Styling it out is one thing but this is just ridiculous now.

The denial of a third wave implies as much.

So thats a no then 🙄

@MarshaBradyo

It’s more about not overwhelming NHS to trigger same onerous restrictions or go backwards

There will be a level we can deal with. As Whitty said.

Absolutely.

@MarshaBradyo

It’s more about not overwhelming NHS to trigger same onerous restrictions or go backwards

There will be a level we can deal with. As Whitty said.

Yep

Managing the virus so it kills no more than the average flu season

@InterfectoremVulpes

seriously?

You know what you claimed the chart said.

You know it doesnt say that.

Styling it out is one thing but this is just ridiculous now.

Well you seem to be having a lot of fun, but when it says it there in bold red and white on the chart in question I don't know how to respond to your insistence that it doesn't.

If 3.3 million doses of vaccine in December reduced the death risk by 40% then the fact that 50,000 British people died in January and February kind of proves my point not yours, surely?

*This is what you said. Failing to understand that the 3.3 million is just an example

Then you want to know why are death rate in January is was so high because the vaccine obviously doesn't work!!!!!!

Can you see you may have got a little muddled?*

Fine. Just know that its currently only you seeing it say 3.3 million doses were given in December.

For the rest of us it says '3.3 million doses could reduce the UK's fatality risk...'

I'll stipulate to anything you like if it means we can get back to you explaining how vaccines are going to stop the third wave when we're opening up at the point where 99% of us aren't fully protected by them?

Who are you talking to nutnuts?

Sadly I knew it was a teacher who was going to be saying don’t open yet.

@PrincessNutNuts

Oh no, the plan is bollocks.

How could it be anything else when it is predicated so heavily on the vaccines but when the opening up begins 68% of the population won't have had any.

But surely the 68% (and dropping every day) are those less at risk. The adult population of the UK is not equal in that respect.

Personally, I am extremely hopeful for the future. I don't think a third wave is inevitable....not in the very short term anyway.

I always look at the daily Scottish stats and over recent weeks the no of new cases in the older generation has dropped right down. Wondering if it shows less transmission once vaccinated......

we are NEVER going to be fully protected - that isnt how vaccinations work.

SUrely the fact that the deaths rate is dropping so quickly now proves the vaccine does what it has always set out to do.

I think the problem is that some think that a zero covid or max suppression is the aim - it isnt. There will be a third wave over winter I am sure. The aim is to make sure that its impact is no more than a bad flu season.

I am sure we will be dealing with this for the foreseeable but hopefully it wont involve having to do what we do now. It may be I guess that a cluster would involve a shorter term lockdown as Australia and New Zealand do but nothing more.

@Moonstone1234 don’t be ridiculous, I’m not a teacher and I don’t think they should open yet but I know many of my children’s teachers are desperate to get back to work. That’s just goady.

Yes, it is.

About 1 million are suffering from Long Covid now, and there is no road map for that.

31% will have some protection. And 68% will have none.

31% will have a really high degree of protection. The first dose does a lot to protect people and stop them dying. And 68% don't have 'none' - lots of people in that 68% have had Covid and have a degree of immunity. And even then, the very large majority of that 68% are in no danger of dying from Covid or even from being seriously ill so if cases rise in that age group it likely won't cause a significant problem.

About 1 million are suffering from Long Covid now, and there is no road map for that.

I haven't read any reliable evidence it's as high as one million. A significant number of people might have lingering issues from the virus but only the smallest proportion will have any long term or have serious issues at that. Long Covid would be making itself known in a much bigger way if a million people had been felled and were struggling badly with functioning.