How long before the UK become India

[Dandylioness1]

The scenes coming from India right now are petrifying.

Takes me back to the scenes from Italy last year.

My question, how long do you think we have until we are seeing similar scenes here.
Do we need to be prepared for this?

I think it is unlikely given
a) vaccinations
b) NHS
c) far higher average living standards

But I do think the UK should be cautious about the variant as in some areas where very serious case numbers were supposed to have 60% of people with antibodies?

So I am not worrying but I am hoping the PM has had a personality transplant and will just be mindful that we don't know enough about that variant yet.

Also the way people live. Apart from the upper middle classes from what I saw many Indians live densely packed together- cheek by jowl. When Covid began dh and I were musing about what would happen in India as people live so closely together. Frankly surprised this hadn’t happened sooner.

@savethegrannies 😂😂😂

@StrangeAddiction

This thread reminds me of last years early covid threads!

After the year we've had I wouldn't be so certain that the Indian variant is nothing to worry about. Obviously I hope everything over here will be totally different because of the facts stated by other posters (population/vaccines etc) but I'll still be cautious.

It was horrible seeing the Sky news report at the Indian hospital and now that we're in a better position we need to get help to them immediately.

If there was even a chance that our NHS would be overwhelmed then we would go into another lockdown just like we did in January.

The fact that Boris and co may at some point said it will never happen doesn’t mean anything. He is known for u turns.

Boris’s message has been consistent throughout, save the NHS.

He may lockdown at the very last minute, but he would lockdown. I doubt he’d face much opposition either, because as much as other politicians may moan or ridicule him, I can’t see anyone wanting to be responsible for the scenes we are seeing in India happening here.

As far as I am aware there are still very little restrictions happening in India.

So yes, whilst the Indian variant may cause an issue here, eventually the powers that be will just shut everything down here (probably just) before our health system collapses.

As someone who works in the field, I would say we won’t, because, bluntly, we can have lockdowns without people starving.

I was talking to a colleague who lives just outside Delhi earlier this week. Both of his in laws are in hospital with Covid, and they had both recieved their first vaccine. He said that whilst they are both still very ill he felt they were recovering now, but also thought their outcome would have been much worse if they hadn't had the vaccine. I also have a relative in the medical profession who told me last weekend that we don't have the data yet to say how effective the different vaccines are againt the India varient (thay may have changed now, it was a few days ago).

I think the OP is right to express some concern over the Indian varient, until we have more data on it, and know how effective the vaccines are. I'm fully enjoying the new freedoms we now have as we unlock more, but keeping an eye on the situation with the indian varient - that's not scaremongering, it's being very lockdown weary and hoping it doesn't happen again!

@quarentini

We are endemic not pandemic at the moment in England.

I don’t think you’ve understood these words properly.

Probably tomorrow OP. You should get your bunker stocked with bog roll ASAP

Op watch this video and tell me if you think what you see here will happen in the UK?

www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/apr/24/india-covid-crisis-families-plea-for-help-oxygen-shortages-video

@EmeraldShamrock

I think the UK's vaccinations are very impressive, try not to worry I think the UK has beaten it. I'm bracing myself for another wave in Ireland the vaccine program isn't great.

Yes they are too flipping cautious here in Ireland. I wish they’d just let people under 60 sign up to be vaccinated with Astazeneca if they want it. I’d prefer to take my chances with it rather than going in to a packed classroom of unmasked children for the next few months. And now it looks like they’re questioning the Johnson and Johnson one . Give me strength! And to add insult to injury, the muppets are blathering on about numbers rising since schools fully reopened. Did they REALLY not see that coming?? Wish they had the UK attitude, and just got on with reopening society at this stage, and let people opt to be vaccinated with “questionable” vaccines if they’re willing to.

My question, how long do you think we have until we are seeing similar scenes here
Do we need to be prepared for this?

We won't unless Covid changes into a version that current vaccines don't work against, all our vaccines prevent serious illness.

A great pity India was making vaccines for us and other wealthy countries, instead of vaccinating themselves.

@ChocOrange1

Probably tomorrow OP. You should get your bunker stocked with bog roll ASAP

@ChocOrange1 Love it!

OP change the record. Our India moment was the Kent variant, it has already happened. We have a population approximately 1/20 of India and had deaths of 1200 per day. Even taking into account that 2500 is an undercount it would need to be nearer 25000 to be equivalent to the U.K. in January.

We have vaccinated 50% of our population. To avoid this happening again 🤷🏻‍♀️. And before you start dementing about half vaccines we are catching up and the real world evidence shows this was absolutely the fight thing to do.

At some point we need to get on with our lives. Go out in the sunshine and try to enjoy yourself.

@RoseRedRoseBlue

OP, stop. Just stop. You need to gain perspective on this.

I think that’s what the OP is hoping to achieve. Sometimes we need information, affirmation and other angles to look at things to gain perspective. Also the poster who said ‘living under a rock’ really do u need to get insulting? Can someone not just ask something without someone’s excuse to vent their own negativity. Really just pisses me off. Got nothing useful or constructive to say why contribute at all?

A great pity India was making vaccines for us and other wealthy countries, instead of vaccinating themselves.

They are, but have 1.3 billion people.

God sake op
We will never be like India over here ,its completely different ball game ,look at population, death statistics its hardly a variant that kills masses of people

Can someone not just ask something without someone’s excuse to vent their own negativity.

After what everyone has been through over the past 12 months it is fairly understandable that people get very angsty over this type of post.

@MRex, I just wanted to say you are always the voice of reason on these threads. I wonder how you still have the patience a year in. Hats off to you.

I've donated to the link you provided as a thank you for the useful and well sourced information you share on here.

@Teateaandmoretea

OP change the record. Our India moment was the Kent variant, it has already happened. We have a population approximately 1/20 of India and had deaths of 1200 per day. Even taking into account that 2500 is an undercount it would need to be nearer 25000 to be equivalent to the U.K. in January.

We have vaccinated 50% of our population. To avoid this happening again 🤷🏻‍♀️. And before you start dementing about half vaccines we are catching up and the real world evidence shows this was absolutely the fight thing to do.

At some point we need to get on with our lives. Go out in the sunshine and try to enjoy yourself.

This is a great answer.

I find it odd that so many people are dismissing the OPs ideas, as some sort of hysteria.

It's a valid point, we already know the vaccines are not as effective give against the Brazilian and SA variant.

The new variant in India has more mutations, these variants are becoming more prevalent in the UK.

As the vaccines are not as effective and not everyone has been vaccinated yet, it's highly likely we will face another wave.

@frumpety

We cannot pretend that what is happening there isn’t going to eventually affect us here!

Are you saying you think the UK will end up in a situation where people will be dying outside the hospitals because of a lack of beds/medication/oxygen ?

Now, no. Twice in the UK lockdowns have stopped that from happening.

Yes, possibly another wave, but here that won’t look like the scenes we’re seeing in India where their healthcare system is collapsing.

@TheGuru87 we may see another wave but I don’t think we will see the scenes we are seeing in India because we can afford to lockdown without millions of people starving to death

www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/apr/24/india-covid-crisis-families-plea-for-help-oxygen-shortages-video

@MRex

What would be useful would be for everyone who cares to give a donation to Covax. You can donate here: www.gavi.org/donate. It won't help with the short-term crisis, but it will help bring the pandemic to an end.

There are also a range of charities providing additional support in India, but I don't know which is providing the may help on the ground at the moment.

Many thanks for the link.