How can they still say nothing?

[Purplegurple]

So numbers today over 183,000. How can BoJo and his cronies still be making no statement? No clear guidance, nothing. I'm not wanting lockdown or anything but can't believe they're so quiet over all this.

*infection rates, not deaths. Obviously need like for like stats.

From UK gov. website: coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/healthcare?areaType=overview&areaName=United%20Kingdom

"Daily count of confirmed COVID-19 patients in hospital at 8am, and 7-day rolling average. Data from England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland may not be directly comparable as data about COVID-19 patients in hospitals are collected differently. Data are not reported by each nation every day. The UK figure is the sum of the 4 nations' figures and can only be calculated when all nations' data are available."

The 10,462 is the number of people in England as of 29th Dec that match that definition. The UK full number can't be reported as they don't have up to date Wales and NI data this week.

Its pretty mild - only 18 deaths and the news from Such Africa where it originated is that is now abating. Their hospitals haven't been inundated. I think it was the right call not to close things down and we all regularly test and take our own decisions.

I suspect the strain on the nhs is caused by the self isolation rules. Scrap them, testing and reporting anything except hospital admissions and let everyone get back to normal. Omicron is so transmissible lockdowns won't work. The issues are being caused by staff shortages for a cold.

The deaths are superficially low as it's much harder to register deaths on bank holidays and Sundays. Expect it to catch up over the next few days.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

In hospital because of covid or in hospital with covid?

Precisely. Last week they said 2/3rds were in hospital with something else and happened to test positive.

To my mind this government is now defunct properly defunct. No leadership. Letting us all middle along with no guidance and all because BJ is frightened of 50 (90? Forgotten the numbers) of his own party. It’s an absolute disgrace and a total failure of democracy. Late 50s here and first time ever I’ve thought this. Previously have raged and matched and fought against various thing s but this is now us - the people - being abandoned. Bloody hell that sounds dramatic but it’s how I feel.

And no lateral flow or PCr tests where I am. Con Linda the feeling of utter leaderlessness.

Compounds not ‘con Linda’ whoever she is.

Given what we know the government were doing when the rest of us were in lockdown, observing the rules - who exactly, is going to follow any instructions the government give us? They've lost all credibility as far as COVID goes, the only thing they got right was the vaccine, and that's all we're ever going to hear about from here-on-in.

@HeronLanyon

To my mind this government is now defunct properly defunct. No leadership. Letting us all middle along with no guidance and all because BJ is frightened of 50 (90? Forgotten the numbers) of his own party. It’s an absolute disgrace and a total failure of democracy. Late 50s here and first time ever I’ve thought this. Previously have raged and matched and fought against various thing s but this is now us - the people - being abandoned. Bloody hell that sounds dramatic but it’s how I feel.

Abandoned? Because Boris hasn’t commented on todays figures?

I think you need to get a grip

I’ve got a great grip and it’s not because of one day failure to comment obvs.

They prefer to do nothing OP and let us argue it out amount ourselves turning the whole thing into a divisive situation pro or anti masks/ testing/ restrictions etc. because while we are busy arguing with each other we are not looking at what they are up to.

What do you want him to say?

"This many people caught a virus, this many people died, this is the plan but no one is going to listen to it anyway so do whatever and expect XYZ amount of cases and deaths next month, happy new year"

The thing to remember about current hospital admissions too is that there is a delay between infection and admission so people in hospital now were infected between one and two weeks ago. Cases have almost doubled since then so it's still a waiting game to see whether admissions will follow suit or whether they'll level off, they are rising at the moment but fingers crossed they won't continue to do so.

People need to take responsibility for themselves. It is a mild illness for most, they were weary 2 weeks ago as it was unknown how the omicron would be but it's looking more transmissible and but less severe.

Agree with pp, the daily case numbers are irrelevant. Important numbers are hospital admissions and deaths. But at this time of year hospital admissions are always high even pre-covid.

I'm not really sure what you're wanting them to do op.......

It takes about 14 days for case numbers to start really showing up as hospitalisations.

15th Dec there were 68k cases reported and around 6,300 people in England in hospital with Covid.

29th Dec with case numbers steadily growing 138k cases reported and over 10,400 people in hospital with Covid.

Where will we be by 12th Jan? Given that trajectory... probably well in excess of 20,000 people in hospital and growing, just based on what we have seen in last fortnight - unless cases plateau. But still growing right now unfortunately. I don't think it's unreasonable for people to be concerned tbh. It's frustrating this disease won't just go do one!

Cases don't matter. You need to look at deaths and hospital numbers. which are still much lower than the peal of the epidemic. And the fact that many of the people in hospital are those who refused the vaccine.

This variant is milder. Life needs to carry on...

What advice or assistance do you need Op?

There is no more money though to pay people for furlough and self employed support which is what is needed to lockdown or even restrict some sectors.
I am self employed, I meet the public in groups of 20 or so 5 times a day 6 days a week in fitness classes with a closed door and am still working as I have no money otherwise. I can't just stay home and my classes are all full too so people clearly want to get on with their lives or at least the people I see, some of who are 70plus.
I have had 3 jabs now.

The trouble is any more restrictions is going to cause massive disagreements with people which could lead to more protests and even riots.

It is worrying that the cases have reached their highest. Even if the illness doesn’t cause death in the majority of people.

There was a thread a few days ago where a women had an awful experience where her DF had a heart attack and the ambulance would take 2 hours to arrive.
The more the cases rise, the more strain there is on these services.

And also, I don't know what the answer is. But I've heard the percentage leans higher towards unvaccinated people in hospital with covid. Apart from those who can't have the vaccine due to medical reasons, then I have no sympathy. I wish they could see their stupidity, they are the reason the hospital is overstretched- overstretched = more likely restrictions!

The government is just letting us get on with our lives. For once, I like their approach.

@LethargicActress agreed