Plan B

[edisonbulb]

Are they nudging us to plan B with the presser on Sunday the articles in the papers the headlines on Sky and BBC being the worst in Europe.

I can't see another lockdown happening but masks easy fix and work from home well for some.

It’s more than a little controlling Whyevencare, it’s seriously worrying. I’ve never had any time for conspiracy theories but I’m starting to really worry about what the agenda is here with the push for vaccine passports and restrictions on civil liberties. Or is it just that we don’t care about our liberties as long as we think we get rid of covid? (Problem being vax won’t do that…) No doubt I’m going to get called a rabid anti vaxxer for this post but I’m fully vaccinated with booster booked (HCP) and still deeply uncomfortable with the narrative.

What's concerning me is there's no plan really. We're the laughing stock of Europe, with tons more cases than everyone. 150 deaths a day, fewer vaccines than them now, and they don't care.

I don’t really understand what vaccine passports will do to reduce spread. It is a known fact that you can still catch and spread covid even when double jabbed. The only point of them is to encourage people who haven’t had the vaccine to get it as they will be restricted in what they can do and where they can go. Even with 100% vaccination, covid will still be here. What then? The majority of people who have been seriously ill or died have fallen broadly into three categories, 1) the old 2) underlying health conditions 3) overweight/obese, or combinations of all 3. There will always be sad exceptions to this as with any virus or illness but for the most part if you fall into one of these categories then you have more to worry about than say a fit, young healthy weight individual. Are we planning on revoking covid passports for these 3 categories of people as well because they are the ones most at risk? Oh wait maybe we should just let people make their own decisions and get on with life because covid isn’t going anywhere. Before anyone asks. Yes I am double jabbed, also had covid last Xmas and will get booster when I am eligible which will be in November. Both my teenage children have had covid (September), one of them fully vaccinated. I didn’t catch it again from either of them.

@bluetuesdayy the plan C no household mixing thing is a load of bollocks. The sole reason it’s being touted is to convince everyone that vaccine passports are a lesser evil and so people will accept them over the alternative offering of lockdown and families kept apart again. Don’t forget that up until now, poll outcomes where the majority were in favour of vaccine passports have not been forthcoming. They need a stick to beat everyone down with and this is it.
And anyone who doesn’t think this is the case, now really is the time to wise up. The government admit to employing more psychologists than scientists to design the covid response and whilst health ministers have been replaced since March 2020, I don’t believe any of the psychologists have been sacked unfortunately.
I do not want my life and that of my kids to be only available to me based on receiving 6 monthly injections.

@bluetuesdayy

I actually can't believe this is happening again. So depressing.

It isn't. OP wants to scare people.

@MarshaBradyo it's the Telegraph but the DM have run with it and dramatised it!

I actually think this little outburst from the NHS and BMA will have delayed plan b. The government won't want to be seen to be bending and being bullied into restrictions. Or the NHS can pull the card every winter.

@Duckrace

What's concerning me is there's no plan really. We're the laughing stock of Europe, with tons more cases than everyone. 150 deaths a day, fewer vaccines than them now, and they don't care.

I highly doubt anyone from Europe give a shit about uk covid cases right now to be honest. I garuntee its not even been talked about over there.

The way people in this country go on about us being a laughing stock is weird. Pretty sure people in other countries have got more on their mind than sitting around and roaring with laughter about the UK. They have their own troubles.

@HesterShaw1

The way people in this country go on about us being a laughing stock is weird. Pretty sure people in other countries have got more on their mind than sitting around and roaring with laughter about the UK. They have their own troubles.

I wouldn't say people in other countries are laughing at the UK. More watching in horror. People really don't get what is happening. Why was England so quick to give up face masks. Why are the numbers so high? Why are people not more worried?

I look at friends on Facebook and they are traveling abroad on holiday, attending sporting events, socialising without masks. It's like watching the Titanic moving towards the iceberg and everyone is on deck drinking champagne and you're shouting stop but nobody is listening.

Trust me, people abroad are talking about the uk.

[quote bluetuesdayy]@herecomesthsun that's not down to 'us / we' and yet we are the ones expected to make sacrifices. [/quote]
Well it is down to you if you voted Conservative. I agree we shouldn’t need to be propping up the NHS up, because it should be properly funded - don’t have a go at the NHS, have a go at the party that has run it down into its current state.

@Tuba437

You're wrong. It's in the news in other countries.

They want a natural peak and then a natural fall as that is more sustainable long term. Yes it’s a risky strategy that many don’t agree with. It’s a shame we didn’t peak in summer. I think they got their timings a bit wrong. They are trying to hold their nerve now..

But I agree with the principle. Rather than the yo yo of lockdowns or never ending mitigations with the inevitable rise once you end restrictions.

It’s like ripping off a plaster.

@Delatron

They want a natural peak and then a natural fall as that is more sustainable long term. Yes it’s a risky strategy that many don’t agree with. It’s a shame we didn’t peak in summer. I think they got their timings a bit wrong. They are trying to hold their nerve now..

But I agree with the principle. Rather than the yo yo of lockdowns or never ending mitigations with the inevitable rise once you end restrictions.

It’s like ripping off a plaster.

Delatron I agree with you but in terms of timing I’m not sure it was wrong?

The peak in summer hit young age groups, say twenties, which are now falling

This peak is made up of a spike in teens

This is ONS data which admittedly has a lag. Is there more up to date age breakdown do you know?

The way I see it is we were always going to get a school peak but the summer one was separated out first so they didn’t hit at same time

ONS show steep rise in school age but flat in other. I know it might have a bit of a lag though.

The idea that ‘Europe’ is one single place with one set of restrictions where all the case numbers are low and everyone’s spending their time gossiping about the UK is a bit naive.

Eastern Europe is having a huge resurgence in cases and hospitalisations and deaths right now. Latvia is back in lockdown. Hospitals are really struggling. And you think they’re all going “never mind that, I read on Facebook that someone in Bourton-on-the-Water refused to wear a mask on the bus! 😱”?

How about this ONS tweet? England, with not many restrictions, out performing Scotland, Wales and NI who all have plan b restrictions?

It will happen at some point in November in order to try and "save Christmas."

Yes that’s true @MarshaBradyo

I was thinking they should have gone earlier with freedom day but Delta scuppered that.

We were always going to get an increase when schools went back. We’re not at the 100,000 predicted. I hope we hit the peak soon.

If anyone does yougov poles, they are a good way of predicting what the government is planning. Today's question was 'what do you think is more important? Saving every single life or protecting the economy'. The results are showing about 60/20 in favour of first option.

There was another question asking if I'd ever spent Xmas day alone.

@Anythingbutsnow surely that's not true. Saving every single life cannot be done. Are people thick?

@Anythingbutsnow

If anyone does yougov poles, they are a good way of predicting what the government is planning. Today's question was 'what do you think is more important? Saving every single life or protecting the economy'. The results are showing about 60/20 in favour of first option.

Every life over the economy! It’s such a loaded question though as economy sounds abstract whereas asking would you lose your job or house, and people die from all kinds of things which most people don’t react to.

But anyway I would t take yougov too seriously, look at MPs and their views instead.

[quote bluetuesdayy]@Anythingbutsnow surely that's not true. Saving every single life cannot be done. Are people thick?[/quote]
Yes it's true. I was quite surprised. There is a disclaimer saying the results aren't representative of the general population as they are live results. But I guess the gov will report what suits them.