Sunak could accept 4 week delay to ending restrictions

[SonnetForSpring]

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/08/sunak-could-accept-four-week-delay-to-ending-covid-restrictions-in-england?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Warming us up to a 4 week delay?

@Ridingthegravytrain

It amazes me what people are now accepting as normal

If it weren't for the vaccines we'd be in full lockdown right now.

The extra time will get more protected and allow the vaccines to catch up with Delta.

I understand a two week delay but I don’t understand four weeks. No one is dying now and there are v v small numbers in hospitals across the vast majority of the country. I understood these lockdowns to save lives. People will continue to die of this horrible virus, but at some point we all have to get back to living.

@Countrylane

I understand a two week delay but I don’t understand four weeks. No one is dying now and there are v v small numbers in hospitals across the vast majority of the country. I understood these lockdowns to save lives. People will continue to die of this horrible virus, but at some point we all have to get back to living.

Four weeks is conveniently exactly the remaining length of the summer term for much of England and Wales.

But if they warm us up to four weeks and it ends up being only two, then everyone thinks how clever and generous they are and the government gets another three points in the opinion polls.

Stop looking at the numbers in hospital across the whole of the country. Look at the areas where the Delta variant got established - typically 400-500% increases in those in hospital vs the period before the variant wave took off.

I'd rather we were cautious for an extra 4 weeks and the kids stayed in school.

No one is dying now
Well 15 people a day isn't nobody... Goodness, Vietnam has had about 50 Covid deaths in total! Since the start of 2020.

But ok low compared to the massive UK numbers over the past year. So yeah let's do what we keep doing. Waiting until it's too late. Because that tactic's gone so well...

Nevermind about Long Covid... The increasing numbers of people suffering long term disability, including sometimes organ damage.

People will continue to die of this horrible virus, but at some point we all have to get back to living.
Erm...how does that work? People die but we 'get back to living'...?

So talking of living (if you're not one of the other people who will die from it...). Quality of life is important. It's one thing going without a foreign holiday for a year or two. Long term disability of Long Covid on the other hand. Long Covid will be costly on societal level too. We'll need to fund the ongoing NHS treatments and disability benefits.

It doesn't make any sense, It is madness!! People dying are minimal.

You really couldn't make it up to be honest.

We have government ministers pushing to 'let the bodies pile up' and content to condemn people to potential organ damage and long term disability.

Yet at the same time they're talking about further restrictions on the freedom of people to choose to smoke.

At least smoking funds the tax coffers and provides stress relief. Covid drains tax money and causes immense stress.

They need to make their minds up. Do we 'live with' the risks, whether Covid or smoking, or don't we?

Has anyone any sensible suggestions as to what can be done in areas where people will not abide by guidance and steadfastly refuse to stop mixing in large groups inside, also if they continue to refuse vaccines what can we do ? There was a young woman interviewed on A northern TV channel who said she would not stop visiting her relatives whatever the situation, and her family were against vaccination. What the hell do we do in this ongoing mess ?

Long Covid will be costly on societal level too. We'll need to fund the ongoing NHS treatments and disability benefits

Ha! You really think that ppl with long Covid will just get given disability benefits? The Government are very happy to use this cohort to emotionally blackmail the rest of the public now but the minute they apply for financial help watch more goalposts move. Because all of a sudden then long Covid wont be seen as a serious illness. Not for disability benefits.

No I don't think they will properly fund disability benefits. They should of course, but unfortunately it's been downhill for disabled people ever since Tony Blair attacked them.

The likely insufficient support is why it's even more important for people to try to avoid developing it.

The government is doing the opposite of highlighting Long Covid. It's been very much downplayed.

Of course enough desperate people without money to live off... that's when crime rises. There's also the knock on effects on wider society. It costs tax money alright. Just not necessarily in the most moral or cost effective way.

Boris Johnson will spend as long as it takes resisting lockdown, regardless. He is not in favour of it and never has been. If things go wrong again he'll just say that it's our fault. Sorted.

@Tealightsandd DH was given the run around when he first applied for DLA in 1995 BEFORE Blair.

We’ll find out soon enough but ‘a Whitehall source’ said is a bit dubious imo

Unless I missed direct quote (skim read)

Plus he may accept it but still we don’t know what they’ll do. June 14 I suppose we’ll find out

Sorry to hear that @MercyBooth
Even before Blair's war on the disabled, they were an easy target it seems.

Other than nightclubs and parkrun, I'm not sure what's still closed anyway.

Other than parkrun, I don't really care if they extend the deadline by another month. It would seem more sensible to open up indoors once the kids have finished school.

I still think it is too early to go back to crowded trains and no masks.

Is Parliament back properly? Or is it still partly operating remotely?

I think when they fully reopen (whenever that may be) they need to lead by example. Industries, particularly transport - trains and buses - have suffered a lot from full-time WFH. From a customer and client perspective it's been shit too. Standards have slipped.

Once it is safe to start 'living with' Covid, MPs need to do it by actions not words.

Also, slightly off topic but they need to end the hypocrisy. They can't bang the drum for 'freedom' and 'living with' risks but then deny freedom of choice to smokers (net contributors to the tax coffers).

@Tealightsandd

No one is dying now Well 15 people a day isn't nobody... Goodness, Vietnam has had about 50 Covid deaths in total! Since the start of 2020.

But ok low compared to the massive UK numbers over the past year. So yeah let's do what we keep doing. Waiting until it's too late. Because that tactic's gone so well...

Nevermind about Long Covid... The increasing numbers of people suffering long term disability, including sometimes organ damage.

People will continue to die of this horrible virus, but at some point we all have to get back to living.
Erm...how does that work? People die but we 'get back to living'...?

So talking of living (if you're not one of the other people who will die from it...). Quality of life is important. It's one thing going without a foreign holiday for a year or two. Long term disability of Long Covid on the other hand. Long Covid will be costly on societal level too. We'll need to fund the ongoing NHS treatments and disability benefits.

450 people a day die of heart attacks 450 a day of cancer 1000 a week of sepsis

Covid isn't the only thing killing people! We need to get our lives back because life is important. It's precious and we won't get it back. Cases are going up but hospitalisation and deaths are not.

It's sad that 15 people have died of covid yesterday. But let's keeps some perspective!

@allmycats

Has anyone any sensible suggestions as to what can be done in areas where people will not abide by guidance and steadfastly refuse to stop mixing in large groups inside, also if they continue to refuse vaccines what can we do ? There was a young woman interviewed on A northern TV channel who said she would not stop visiting her relatives whatever the situation, and her family were against vaccination. What the hell do we do in this ongoing mess ?

We do nothing. We continue to vaccinate all those who want to be vaccinated. But life has to go on. Case numbers do not matter unless hospitalisations and death rates go up. Lots of people catching covid and having a mild illness doesn't matter - just like it doesn't matter if the entire country catches the cold. You feel rough you get over it. You don't shut the entire country down.

Ok Dobby let's needlessly add to the numbers.

We need to get our lives back because life is important. It's precious and we won't get it back.
You're right. Dead people don't get their lives back. And Long Covid sufferers might not get the quality of life back.

Yes life is precious. Every life. Including Other People's lives.

Meanwhile, with all the fuss (on here, not so much RL) about a temporary delay to opening up (when most things are already opened up). All the talk about living with risks. Yet no outrage at the proposed further limiting of the freedoms of smokers to live with their risks. People want very selective freedoms it seems.

Do you think it's likely that we would go back into a full national lockdown? There were over 7,000 cases today and 6 deaths.

@Tealightsandd

Ok Dobby let's needlessly add to the numbers.

We need to get our lives back because life is important. It's precious and we won't get it back.
You're right. Dead people don't get their lives back. And Long Covid sufferers might not get the quality of life back.

Yes life is precious. Every life. Including Other People's lives.

Meanwhile, with all the fuss (on here, not so much RL) about a temporary delay to opening up (when most things are already opened up). All the talk about living with risks. Yet no outrage at the proposed further limiting of the freedoms of smokers to live with their risks. People want very selective freedoms it seems.

Needlessly add to what numbers??? The hospitalisation and death rates a falling!!!

@MischiefManagedAlways

Do you think it's likely that we would go back into a full national lockdown? There were over 7,000 cases today and 6 deaths.

Doubt it. You can’t justify it. In the peak of the pandemic there were 35k people in hospital. Right now similar to what we had before the 17th of may (50 people more or less it’s insignificant ) the reason to lockdown is to protect the nhs. Whilst numbers stay the same there is no reason and people won’t comply

@MischiefManagedAlways

Do you think it's likely that we would go back into a full national lockdown? There were over 7,000 cases today and 6 deaths.

No we wouldn't. The picture had dramatically changed since we went into lockdown after Christmas. Over 40% are fully vaccinated increasing each day. Cases will rise amongst the unvaccinated population - who are those least at risk from severe covid. We would only go back into lockdown if cases in hospitals were to start rising dramatically. The aim has never been zero covid. It's keeping control of capacity in hospitals that has been important.