October Becomes November Lockdown

[BlueThursday]

New thread

I suspect this will be the second of many

pong to be apples with apples that should finish - the volume is completely different.

Oops, didn’t attach

I really think the uk nations should have gone with one app. And not with inexperienced buddies in charge (dido Harding)

And they should have got them up and running during the first lockdown

@Friendsoftheearth Christ, I hope not

All my colleagues at school have downloaded it (if their phones support it some were cheesed off that their ancient but functioning tech was not compatible) and so have my friends and family.

We are generally front line key workers- police, medics, teachers other public sector so have been encouraged to by employers.

If I was a close contact I'd want to know .

Not looking for a fight everyone's entitled to their views I respect that others won't touch it .

And they should have got them up and running during the first lockdown

Well exactly, it's nothing but sheer incompetence that we are still in the situation where the only answer seems to be shutting folk in their houses.

NHS etc not supposed to have it - not while working anyway. There is no point me having the app as I never fecking leave the house and therefore i'm not in contact with anyone. If I was a teacher, I possibly would. Only time I've spent out was in England and of course it's a different app..

The medics don't have their personal phones on them or at least the ones I know don't ( appreciate some will due to huge range of roles) at work neither do prison staff etc but due to potential impact on public services employers have encouraged us. Just like the antibody test I will be taking when I pluck up courage.

If I didn't go anywhere it would be pointless but being back in the workplace has me popping into to Shops for wee top ups and take away coffee etc so I definitely feel more "out and about" than I did working from home.

Then there's the classroom.

Listening to the chat in my Higher class all over 16 they seemed quite keen to have it. But quite a lot of them have jobs in retail, use public transport go to McDonalds etc

DD2's BF got a text and was able to access a test through it. He was reassured by the process.

The incompetence of the whole thing is staggering.

@Lidlfix how are yiu finding the app? I have no objection to it in principle but was worried it would be inaccurate and keep pinging me! I’m never in close contact as it describes it, but was worried about it, for example, my phone was nearer someone than I was, or people in nearby cars or buildings.

DH is ambulance so has his phone in his pocket. They definitely don't encourage them to have a test, at one point they had to shut a rural station as they had to isolate.

Working at home you just feel no incentive to go out really. I click and collect my groceries as I can't be bothered, especially when I have to factor in if I'll have to queue and wear a mask. I haven't been in a normal (non food) shop at all, not that i'm a big shopper anyway. I just really can't be bothered and it's the restrictions that cause that rather than any fear of catching anything or passing anything on.

DH would love an antibody test.

@WaxOnFeckOff that’s pretty much my life niw hospitality is shut. It’s just too depressing to shop. (I’m a dedicated shopper too, must be ruining the economy😃)

I am actually becoming concerned at my level of can't be bothered-ness and of feeling angry all the time. I don't want it to be blamed on working at home though and having that removed as that is not really the problem. The problem is a feeling of loss of control and spontaneity of just popping out for something or looking forward to a meal out or booking a break away or anything really. I know there are things I can do, but the organising of those is just beyond me now.

Maybe Scottish Ambulance Service isn't encouraging staff to get the antibody test but other health, care and education sectors are pushing it hard. Not entirely sure what the rational is, perhaps forward planning if they know how many of the workforce have already been potentially infected, I am just interested.

I went abroad in Feb and all the passengers for the Milan flight were herded out off out the jam packed security line as news of the outbreak there was breaking. Most of DH's team had it April (tested due to nature of work) but he was fine. Could he have been asymptotic- he is as fit as a butcher's dog and never gets anything. Could I have picked it up before school closed? Just interested.

The app has been a nothingness since I downloaded it Wouldbe. I actually checked my Bluetooth when I had been somewhere busy to make sure it was on as I expected to be pinging like crazy. Felt like an anticlimax to be honest. One of the Physicists at work tried to explain to me why being in a traffic jam or a next door flats etc shouldn't cause a false close contact. He lost me at at wavelengths

@WaxOnFeckOff I hear you

😂@Lidlfix yes, it sounds so complicated and not my area!

Sounds ok then. Not that I’m out much anyway (!) but was scared of having to self isolate every five minutes for no good reason. Thanks

Sorry Lidl, I was confusing, they are not keen for staff to have to get a PCR test or isolate in that way that the NHS are. They were all still sitting next to each other in the common room with no masks up until recently. Don't get me wrong, in terms of patient security they are by the book, changing masks, gloves etc etc. It's like you being in a hazmat suit in the classroom, leaving it at the staff room door and sitting buddied up to your fellow teachers and enjoying your sandwiches together.

I'm not sure what their status is on antibody tests but I'm sure they haven't been offered yet as DH was still moaning about wanting one today.

I'm pretty confident we've already had it in March but it would be interesting to know for certain and he has more chance of getting an antibody test than I do.

The queues for flu jabs in Edinburgh

A mate waited 2 and 1/2 hours for hers as she gets hers every year.

The junctions were blocked

What the heck is going on with that ?

Told to go to specific places and then get stuck in queue for hours.

Somebody was told to go to sighthill to get theirs. Was turned away as it was raining 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Some nhs staff have not had theirs as there is a shortage.

🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Never felt more isolated at work than I do just now. Staggered breaks and lunches mean we are never off at the same time , we are "discouraged" from going to each other's classrooms unless we sit in the corners. HT comes round to look . I can understand their worry if a whole department had to isolate but with all the SQA stuff going on we really need to be more collegiate than ever.

There was talk of school staff being able to access regular swab testing in the same way as care home staff but it hasn't really materialised. Certainly staff with high covid ages (my colleague has a covid age of 79 was previously shielding) would jump at the chance to test regularly for reassurance. My covid age is younger than my real age and I am firmly in green but lots aren't with no adjustments made even for the extremely clinically vulnerable .

DH was offered a flu jab when in the back of an ambulance last week, he turned it down as he claims the only times he's had flu was after the jags (i know ) he's a grown man so his choice.

I've never had one and I'm still not in the category to be offered one. Work would sometimes organise free flu jab clinics but i've never taken them up on it.

I've had flu twice, once at about age 16 and the other in my early twenties.

I normally get one at work after having flu was I was a skint supply teacher desperately trying to impress the school so that I could get something longer term. I had turned down the jab saying "I am young and fit flu won't be anything bad". Well flu wiped the smug look right off my face.

Normally the Tesco team come in but there is just no availability of vaccinations. We can arrange private ones and claim it back (taxable benefit) but we cannot magic them up.

I was definitely more ill with flu than i was with covid, if it was covid I had.

I remember with flu being unable to have enough energy to push my foot into the leg of my pyjamas - just slept for days on end. Then was getting chased up by a teacher for some portfolio work for my o'grade and I could barely talk on the phone, even when I came back to school having completed it but only in my best handwriting, she wasn't happy that i'd been unable to have it typed up... She was however reasonably sympathetic that a 5'10 16 year old was walking around whilst only weighing about 6 stone. I was only 8 stone usually but I did look terrible at that point.

I am actually becoming concerned at my level of can't be bothered-ness and of feeling angry all the time.

This is me - I've started sewing again which helps - mostly making cosy but presentable stuff for wearing at home so that I actually get out of my pyjamas! It's far too easy otherwise to just stay in the house all the time. I mostly am happy to WFH but I would prefer a day or two in the office just for the social side of things. Shopping is miserable (I have autism and find wearing masks really miserable) when it's normally my go to for "I want to get out of the house."

We moved at the end of August and I've not even been able to meet anyone beyond my immediate neighbours as nothing is open/running

@WouldBeGood

The incompetence of the whole thing is staggering.

@Lidlfix how are yiu finding the app? I have no objection to it in principle but was worried it would be inaccurate and keep pinging me! I’m never in close contact as it describes it, but was worried about it, for example, my phone was nearer someone than I was, or people in nearby cars or buildings.

This is why I wouldn’t have it. I am comfortable that I’ve not been in what is defined as close contact with anyone for many months, but my Strava , maps etc frequently shows me as being in the river when I am out walking! I am not being told to isolate by an app that I can’t even challenge.

I have the app and I'm genuinely confused by it ..Eg yesterday it told me it had made 342 contacts and 3 matches

It didnt tell me to self isolate or even pop up saying it had made a match just filed it away in my settings

I am guessing I was near someone wo had entered a positive result on their app but either the contagious period had passed or they werent within 2 ms for 15 mins or more but its a guess.. I cant find the answer on line