Another Press conference

[screwcovid]

By BJ this evening
I can't take much more agghhh

@Immaculatemisconception

I've come to the conclusion that unless I live like a complete hermit, I will catch it. This is the same for everyone.

There's not stopping it, we just have to crack on.

Interestingly see today’s figures (highest since the whole thing started) I am beginning for the first time to think I may agree with this. Doesn’t mean not protecting the vulnerable but I personally will find another lockdown difficult if I don’t get out and about a bit more when we can than I have done this year.

The daily number of infections rose by almost 30,000 yesterday. he daily rate could easily reach 400,00 - it is what happens once an exponential rise gets going, particularly since millions in the UK are still unvaccinated.

To get 400,000 cases a day for any period of time would imply 1m+ people were actually being infected every day. That's implausible in the UK in my opinion.

Keeping businesses and services is a critical issue though

If it helps that then good.

Science, or rather maths, would be needed to work out if it would help

More nonsense. Cases mean nothing. What we need to keep an eye on is hospitalisations and deaths. Most people are reporting mild symptoms from this variant. The panic is simply not consistent with the data. As someone who is triple jabbed, I am getting on with my life.

All we can do is continue the vaccine/booster drive. The world has to carry on.

The 'we must protect the NHS mantra': the government had two bloody years to try to plan and make it more efficient and make the most of resources for the winter. It had done nothing to that effect.

Johnson needs to resign, he has long lost of control or any ability/credibility to tell the population what to do (since most of the 'elite' has been ignoring restrictions all along),

Chris Whitty will know whats best health wise. The bojo can ignore him to save business. Which is important. I'd hate to be in government.

@Staryflight445

I know it’s shit guys but come on. I’m sat here with a child with a positive lft and waiting on PCR results. Xmas is ruined if the PCR is positive. We really needed a decent Christmas after so many family loses recently.

I’m so absolutely furious that Christmas for many children will be ruined when their families have taken every precaution they can.

In exactly the same boat here. DS tested positive on an LFT this morning, now waiting for PCR test results.

DH has heart failure so not great news to have a positive case in the household for us.

Still according to many on here he is expendable as he has an underlying condition.

Still according to many on here he is expendable as he has an underlying condition. who said that? That's disgusting. I wish your DS the very best.

@ElectraBlue

More nonsense. Cases mean nothing. What we need to keep an eye on is hospitalisations and deaths. Most people are reporting mild symptoms from this variant. The panic is simply not consistent with the data. As someone who is triple jabbed, I am getting on with my life.

All we can do is continue the vaccine/booster drive. The world has to carry on.

The 'we must protect the NHS mantra': the government had two bloody years to try to plan and make it more efficient and make the most of resources for the winter. It had done nothing to that effect.

Johnson needs to resign, he has long lost of control or any ability/credibility to tell the population what to do (since most of the 'elite' has been ignoring restrictions all along),

Hospital admissions up 10% - c700 a day which I know is a lot less than during the last wave where it was in the thousands.

I guess we will only know in time.

I do agree that ultimately, given the way this is spreading, we are all getting it at some point soon.

More nonsense. Cases mean nothing. What we need to keep an eye on is hospitalisations and deaths. Most people are reporting mild symptoms from this variant. The panic is simply not consistent with the data.

The point is that they extrapolate data from the basic number of cases. If epidemiologists, having analysed data, recommend further protective measures and give some possible numbers then I'll believe them over anyone esles 'beliefs'.

Yes, we have to get on with it, learn to live with it. But that doesn't mean not taking simple precautions and understanding that cold weather will make it worse!

I think he will say...

"Look folks, cases are rising fast.
We don't want to enforce more measures.
We want you to have Christmas.

So...do what is sensible.
Maybe have a smaller party.
Maybe ditch the party till next year.
Wear your masks

Let's all pull together and we can control this."

In other words, a pep talk to remind us to be sensible if we have risky choices and sensible choices.

Otherwise there will be Plan C /D/ E, etc

Yes that and some high numbers thrown in

I suspect the conference will cover:

• an update on Omicron cases, the symptoms presenting and those in hospital with it
• potentially an update on guidelines for what to do if you come into contact with a positive case
• updates to booster programme incl. eligibility and capacity
• updates to testing fiasco and how to get LFTs / PCRs which have been in short supply for a short while

I don't think we'll see any further restrictions rolled out today.

There are almost ALWAYS leaks when there are actual changes to restrictions and Twitter seems v quiet so far.

Those are my guesses anyway.

People won't listen to any of it :(
' Party gate ' has seen to that

In other words, a pep talk to remind us to be sensible if we have risky choices and sensible choices.

Otherwise there will be Plan C /D/ E, etc I don't think it will be anyone's fault for having plan c. Its a stupid virus that wants to kill everyone. But yes they'll blame us.

More nonsense. Cases mean nothing. What we need to keep an eye on is hospitalisations and deaths. Most people are reporting mild symptoms from this variant. The panic is simply not consistent with the data

This is missing the point.
The more people who are infected, the higher the number of unvaccinated and vulnerable people will be will and need a hospital.

Even if only 1 person in 10K needs a hospital bed due to Omicron, multiply that by thousands of people and that's more beds taken/ less beds for cancer treatment/ urgent ops.

ALSO it's too soon to know if people will go into hospital.
The variant is new.
Most people who do need hospital only go in maybe 2-4 weeks after their symptoms began and they get much worse.

There is a delay between infection and admission . It's too soon to call it.

I don't think it will be anyone's fault for having plan c. Its a stupid virus that wants to kill everyone. But yes they'll blame us.

It spread by contact.

If we all reduce contact it will help slow the spread.

You can't seriously say it's no one's fault.
It might not be premeditated (I will spread covid, just for fun) but we all make choices over what is sensible or not.

I was invited to a pub quiz with friends and a party (around a sporting hobby) and went to neither last week. It felt silly to risk it.

I don't think the government can automatically assume there is the will among mps for ever more restrictions and they will need to demonstrate the pressure on the NHS rather than rely on case numbers to push through more.

I work in the NHS (non-clinical), and in a meeting yesterday, we were told by an epidemiologist that triple vaccinated people have a 1 in 3 chance of catching Omicron. Also, for the original COVID, couples sharing a bed every night had a 20% chance of catching it from their partner if they were positive. With Omicron it's a 50% chance of catching it by being in the same room as a positive case. I really think most people will struggle to avoid it.

Perhaps he's going to announce his resignation!

Which channel is this on please?

we should be so lucky, ATF

@Firstshoes

Which channel is this on please?

BBC NEWS channel

Thank you

Nah, his hanging on a cliff edge, but he won't go just yet

@Firstshoes

Thank you

You're welcome I was looking for it but the TV guide says BBC 1 is pointless still. I guess they might change it.