Nicola Sturgeon's announcement - not sure I follow the logic of the latest COVID openings / restrictions?

[IwishIwasyoda]

So if I have got this right - 77 confirmed cases today which is the most for a while - but NS has announced that gyms and swimming pools can open on 31 August (not 14 Sept as previously indicated). Also bingo halls, amusement arcades and casinos can open yet people still have to SD indoors when meeting other households. Number positive cases in schools (but at pains to say no transmission in school).

Don't get me wrong I think schools should be open but not entirely sure it is a good idea to open lots of other things until the situation has settled a little. I also don't really understand how swimming pools /gyms shared facilities / equipment can be safe ...

Meanwhile powers being given to the police to break up house parties but no ability as far as I can see to enforce/ensure quarantine for those returning from abroad from high risk areas.

The more this goes on the less it all makes sense to me. I am assuming the main driver now is the economy and there has been lobbying from various interest groups to allow them to open up.

That's good Blackbear, I've had a few tests and it's always been a quick process.

Ooh business for Scotland - that looks like a ‘totally independent’ link.

Meanwhile, Andrew Wilson and Kevin Hague were debating economics on R4 today programme this morning if anyone fancies something more informed.

How do I find the Travelling Tabby site please ?

Here you go www.travellingtabby.com/scotland-coronavirus-tracker/. Must donate sometime it's such a good site.

The link is here @52andblue. It’s really interesting to see the trends and geographical spread across Scotland and the U.K.

One thing I’ve just noticed is regarding the numbers in hospital with confirmed COVID on the U.K. page. The numbers have been falling in England pretty steadily but not so much in Scotland. It looks like we now have 5 times as many per capita? Is this some kind of quirk in the data? Delayed discharges or something?

Thank you
@rookiemere and @YOuCannOtBeSer10us

I find the daily briefings to be theatrical now.
But NS has gained political capital from them, whereas BJ has lost it

I DO enjoy JaneyGodleys takes on them. (so, does NS tbf)

Apparently Scotland is largely responsible for the high UK figures. 123 cases today. Will the English protest at the "border" to stop us travelling down there?

@Y0uCann0tBeSer10us

The hospital figures are, to put it in the local terminology, pish.

On the Scottish travelling tabby site you have to move the slider to "new admissions" not people in hospital. The scottish government count "people in hospital with covid" as anyone who is in hospital, who has even tested positive. So if you're in hospital having cancer treatment, or with diabetes, or any other serious long term condition and just happen to have tested positive months ago, you're on the list. A friend is a kidney nurse - she has very ill people on her ward who won't go home until they get a transplant. Several tested positive in March. they are over Covid, but still in hospital.

It is definitely NOT the same as "people who have been admitted to hospital because they have covid".

And yes, the high figures today appear to be all related to the ongoing situation in Aberdeen, and the outbreak in Coupar Angus.

anyone who is in hospital, who has even tested positive

EVER tested positive.