Is it just me or is this board getting a bit quieter?

[bumbleymummy]

That’s a good sign, right? :)

So I looked it up [smile}

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandwellbeing/bulletins/coronavirusandthesocialimpactsongreatbritain/8october2021

1.Main points
Throughout the period of 22 September to 3 October 2021, based on adults in Great Britain:

Most adults (85%) felt that wearing a face covering was either very important or important as a measure to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19); at the same time 86% of adults reported they wore a face covering when outside their home in the past seven days

Most adults (85%) felt that socially distancing from others not in their household was either very important or important

Just over half of adults (55%) reported that they avoided physical contact with others outside their home in the past seven day

There are reductions of a few per cent here and there though

Great so people can do all those things without mandates.

Yes isn't it great that people have responded to this so well and without mandates too. A lot of people really have quietly got on with doing the right thing.

I still think clearer direction would be good.

I'd agree with Sir Patrick Vallance that a powerful Minister for Science would be great (as long as they appoint people of the calibre of Whitty and Van Tam who would aim to speak truth to power)

www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/10/12/sir-patrick-vallance-backs-calls-powerful-science-minister-cabinet/?WT.mc_id=e_DM1504655&WT.tsrc=email&etype=Edi_FPM_New&utmsource=email&utm_medium=Edi_FPM_New20211012&utm_campaign=DM1504655

Just as you can't insist other people eat 5 a day or stop smoking.

People aren't allowed to smoke in enclosed public spaces in the UK. (Despite smoking, unlike Covid, bringing both pleasure to many and lots of tax income).

FFS re 4 year olds in masks. I was responding to a pp suggested UK children are more incapable and fragile than others, eg. Spanish or Japanese. Spain had mask mandate for all 6+.

That said, personally I'd say a good start would be with adults and 12+.

The omlette was delicious btw.

So we're not advocating mask mandates for four year olds then? Is that correct?

Because upthread it was described 'saving lives and protecting health' and what 'sensible' and 'moral' adults would be presenting as 'fun'.

Are we backtracking on that?

We have the (unvaccinated) siblings of covid positive children going to school as long as they've tested negative

And people are prattling about masks!!!

Jesus wept!

The chances of those children who have tested negative, staying negative with Delta is statisically minimual.

But by the time they do test positive (assuming they are regularly testing whilst sibling is positive) they've given it to god knows how many other kids (and their households).

And people are having meltdowns about masks???

Really?

But the reality is that vaccinating kids is always going to controversial. I believe the rate at our local high school is about 50% (we are in an area with high uptake). I would imagine if its rolled out to under 12s it will be an even lower uptake.

And sending kids home from school for being close contacts even less popular.

Its bonkers. But then thats popularism for you.

that seems to have been a convenient straw man argument, seized upon by a number of posters with delight

The "let it rip" mob have taken over. Anyone who still cares about Covid is ridiculed.

This is no longer the place for a two-sided debate. And so those who are still being sensible have left in droves.

I haven't been "lying low", or "waiting for bad news" (because there's been plenty of that over the last couple of weeks!), I haven't been able to get into my account and haven't heard a peep from MN. So I created a new one.

that was to pp

Oh look who's back.

Loving the new user name. It's like when companies do a rebrand to modernise their image.

@TheKeatingFive

Slinging a piece of fabric round your shoulder in the car isn't in anyway equivalent to mask mandates indoors in my opinion.

Plus we've never been at all clear about what impact they're having, when worn improperly (like most people do.)

The option exists for people to wear medical grade masks which actually do offer some protection to the wearer. Surely that's a better route than relying on the chin strap wonders?

I know the poster in question has a 'thing' about smoking, but smokers getting a bit cold doesn't strike me as a similar imposition either. No one has to smoke.

The option exists for people to wear medical grade masks which actually do offer some protection to the wearer.

Then why shouldn't we follow Germany and make medical grade masks mandatory?

that seems to have been a convenient straw man argument, seized upon by a number of posters with delight

Is it? I see why you want to position it that way.

However

People say they want 'easy' and 'simple' mitigations. When pressed further it usually boils down to masks (ok, fine).

Its certainly worth clarifying if that means adults in crowded trains or four year olds on school all day. But in reality I'm not sure that poster actually knows what she's looking for.

Are medical grade masks mandatory in Germany? In what circs?

Then why shouldn't we follow Germany and make medical grade masks mandatory?

Good question.

@herecomesthsun

We are a bit of an outlier, n'est-ce pas?

Presumably, the attitudes & behaviours encouraged by the "irreversible" freedom day have something to do with that .And the delays in vaccinating teens.

I am just hoping we won't be paying a high price for going into autumn & winter with relatively high rates (? could rates settle or even fall substantially, could we avoid having problems with flu + covid etc)

It's funny, isn't it?

The data clearly shows that those countries still taking precautions have had cases fall, whereas we with our "who gives a fuck" attitude are up shit creek.

But people somehow fail to realise this!

@herecomesthsun

So I looked it up [smile}

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandwellbeing/bulletins/coronavirusandthesocialimpactsongreatbritain/8october2021

1.Main points
Throughout the period of 22 September to 3 October 2021, based on adults in Great Britain:

Most adults (85%) felt that wearing a face covering was either very important or important as a measure to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19); at the same time 86% of adults reported they wore a face covering when outside their home in the past seven days

Most adults (85%) felt that socially distancing from others not in their household was either very important or important

Just over half of adults (55%) reported that they avoided physical contact with others outside their home in the past seven day

There are reductions of a few per cent here and there though

So we have this and this supposed fuck it all attitude

Which one is it?

@NandJ

The "let it rip" mob have taken over. Anyone who still cares about Covid is ridiculed.

This is no longer the place for a two-sided debate. And so those who are still being sensible have left in droves.

I haven't been "lying low", or "waiting for bad news" (because there's been plenty of that over the last couple of weeks!), I haven't been able to get into my account and haven't heard a peep from MN. So I created a new one.

No. I think there is a realisation that at this point (not previously when people were unvaccinated) that the consequences of restrictions are as harmful, if not more harmful than covid itself.

This is a change.

Its also a realisation that the R is hovering at or around 1.

Interestingly all the projections made in May/June for case rates / deaths in Sept/Oct are massively higher than what is actually happening. But no fucker ever seems to mention that.

No this isn't where I'd like to be. But I'd have liked us not to have fucked up our disaster planning prior to the outbreak even starting.

Instead, being realistic about how the situation had changed and describing that as 'letting it rip' is a deliberately disengenous framing. 'Letting it rip' was a phrase about no lockdowns / restrictions in an unvaccinated population, which isn't anything like we are now.

We are in the transition from pandemic to endemic. Ironically France is closing the gap on the UK for deaths per million even now. Not that you'd know that from the comments on this thread.

Or wgaf rather

But then thats popularism for you

You made a typo. Replace 'populism' with 'British Exceptionalism'.

@Tealightsandd

But then thats popularism for you

You made a typo. Replace 'populism' with 'British Exceptionalism'.

Same to you

With those high stats below why so down on the population?

When it comes to mask mandates, it very much is British exceptionalism.

@TheKeatingFive

Are medical grade masks mandatory in Germany? In what circs?

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-20/germany-toughens-mask-rules-in-hopes-of-slowing-virus-spread

I have to say I'm rather surprised that someone who spends a sizeable amount of time on the Covid board didn't know about this. Time to brush up, maybe?

Not if people wear them anyway.

So do you trust those stats or not?

People use them as an argument to say see majority want it

At same time as calling everyone selfish / exceptionalists

It’s all bollocks just to keep having a go at people