Outbreak in North Lanarkshire

[Y0uCann0tBeSer10us]

Do we think that local restrictions will be imposed? After all, the outbreak in the borders had less than half the cases identified so far in the North Lanarkshire outbreak (8 or 9 cf 19 and counting in NL) and they had travel restrictions imposed, so logic would dictate some kind of response to make sure its contained.

hope not as I'm North Lanarkshire not far from Motherwell. Although if the cluster is based around the call centre and contacts are traced and isolating then maybe no need for wider restrictions

They're now saying that there won't be a local lockdown because the cases are from three different regions of Scotland and it's not feasible to lock down an area that large. Not sure I feel reassured by that tbh. Hope they can get on top of it, I don't want to have any freedoms removed now that we've finally getting moving.

I suppose where the call centre was situated helps in preventing a local lockdown. At least it wasn't in the town centre, that would have been worse

I've eaten in Owens twice in the past couple of weeks. People all over their Facebook page blaming a member of staff.

While I appreciate it's important to know where outbreaks are, we're at risk of making people social pariahs if they have links - I believe this happened to a care home worker in Leicester.

Not Motherwell, although I have friends there, who work in the same business park. They tell me the staff there were going everywhere eg burger vans, fast food outlets, newsagents, supermarkets as well as getting buses, trains, sharing cars.

So my friends are really skeptical that all contacts have been traced and that all staff have been honest about their activities.

It just makes me wonder about what will happen when more companies get their employees back to work. How many more workplace spikes will we see? I bet this is why NS is saying WFH is still the default in Scotland.

Another cluster reported tonight in St Mirren's football club. I do wonder if these are just an inevitable part of us finally getting things moving again.

was just about to report this myself.

Have they been to England?

round the corner from my workplace though.

Being at a burger van or passing by people wouldn't make them a contact for tracing. Have to be within 2metres for more than 15 min I think.

Outbreaks will happen. Managing them effectively will be the key. Hopefully this is the case for north lanarkshire and any others.

I think this is just how it's going to be .
We will stop hearing about it but it will still be going on

I totally agree @IKEA888.

My gut feeling is that our infection levels have been kept low by extended lockdown, but as a result we have a higher proportion of people still susceptible to the virus so as we open up (and we can’t hide away forever!) we’ll see an increase in infections now. Our proportion of people with detectable antibodies is lower than other parts of the U.K. Even given the caveat that this is likely a vast underestimate of the number of people exposed (several studies have shown T cell responses are more important with this virus, and antibodies are often undetectable in mild cases), it might mean that we still have that work to do to build up immunity in the community. In some ways it would be good to get these out the way in the summer rather than coincide with the flu season. I tend to agree with the epidemiologists who say elimination is unrealistic.

Looking at Travelling Tabby, the number of cases in Scotland keeps going up. 27 today. 7 in North Lanarkshire - I wonder if they are connected to the Sitel site?

I heard on the radio yesterday that there wouldn’t be a local lockdown in Lanarkshire because a lot of this affected at the call centre didn’t live locally, but travelled in from various places further away to local lockdown wouldn’t be worthwhile

I reckon some of the increase in cases are probably linked to the Sitel cluster, although the upward trend in cases seems to predate that outbreak. I suspect it’s just an inevitable part of things opening up more and people becoming a bit more relaxed about social distancing.

but at what point do we stop shrugging our shoulders?

Do we just carry on as we are and cross our fingers we wont get it?

Its not safe to shop (without a mask), its not safe to travel on a train (without a mask), its not safe to go on holiday to Spain (without quarantine)

But it IS safe to go to the pub, cafe, and back to work in crowded offices (not every business is doing social distancing btw).

I am starting to think that there is no such thing as covid-secure.

as long as new cases don't translate into new deaths then I think its OK as long as it doesn't spiral out of control.

I wonder if the new cluster in Glasgow is spill over from the Motherwell one or something completely different. Doesn’t seem to be much info thus far.

They seem to imply its linked to one place but to get more info later

more info later.

it does feel a bit shush shush today

eg there were 2 deaths in the past week but at the same time we are also getting told no deaths for 12 days?

I get the sense they are trying to downplay things so we don't panic but the increase in clusters around the UK is concerning.

0 deaths in 12 days for daily stats. For those with a positive test within the last 28 days.

Weekly stats covers more so also includes deaths with a positive test result more than 28 days ago. Or no test but covid mentioned as cause or contributory factor on death certificate.

It is going ok, hoping it continues but worried because as the restrictions relax it does seem like a matter of time. I suppose if clusters are really well managed that will give me more confidence.