New Fred. It nearly ended in tiers.

[Cismyfatarse]

Sorry. Lost track of what was proposed. Hope this will do.

"Quite frankly I couldn't give a shit about it not working against the mild cases. Doesn't matter"

This is what I'm talking about. It does matter because the more people have it, mild or not, the more mutations are likely to occur.

You might not care on an individual level, but at a societal level this is very much what matters.

Thank you although I'm doing the admin so I'll be the one they're grumpy with

Oops posted too soon. We need to know what's out there! That's a solvable problem, great work done by the wastewater surveillance pilots as well as the individual viral sequencing shows how.

I think that we are heading for an eventual annual booster and periodic outbreaks. I worry that it'll take longer to get there because of people who believe it's a zero sum game between the economy and population health.

Just me that thinks just wait until we have a "Scottish" variant - what's Queen Nik going to do then?

Honestly borders should be none nationally not regionally.

Good luck with he shift @ladylunchalot

I would hope she would do whatever she could to contain it. I can't think she would do anything but that. I think most leaders would wouldn't they?

We are a nation and not a region.

It should be done nationally - we're an island, it's not difficult - but I can't imagine getting the UK government to mandate it, they're too libertarian to agree to it, and the Tory backbenchers would be in immediate uproar.

Some people just like being “kept safe”

Many many scientists do not agree that these mutations require further ongoing measures.

Good luck @ladylunchalot

from BBC:

"Covid-19 restrictions will not be fully lifted in Northern Ireland until 70 to 80% of people have been vaccinated, the chief medical officer says.

So far, about 22% of adults have received at least a first dose of a vaccine, Dr Michael McBride told a media briefing."

I wonder how long this would take and whether they mean 1st doses or both doses?

The SA variant being less responsive is a concern because it's therefore one step closer to a future mutation being a vaccine escape. But some of the reporting on it has been particular apocalyptic as if we are already there, and we should abandon the AZ vaccine immediately.

I also really hate the way that many politicians refer to "the science" like there is a singular set of absolutes when in reality much of what we're basing decisions on is - by necessity- projections and models which are far from certain.

Thanks everyone, looking forward to it although will need to dig my thermals out as it's baltic in that particular hall.

Well yes we'd try to contain. It the whole attitude that is getting me. The day will come when the tables turn and nobody will want their people visiting Scotland or coming back from Scotland.
Meanwhile Scotland will by crying out for tourists to visit and spend money.

We are a nation and not a region
My passport is British, therefore Britian is the nation, I can't figure out how to describe Scotland within that.

I don't think that's right.

People will come back to Scotland in the future because it'll be a safe place to visit. If we don't deal with things strictly now, that's when we'll become some sort of pariah state.

The tables will turn and nobody will want to spend their money in Scotland? Nobody will want their people visiting Scotland?

I genuinely don't know what you mean by that?

I’m happy enough with the borders being shut, we’re not supposed to be going anywhere anyway so I am more than happy to give up on the chance of a foreign holiday if it means more of a life here.

I wish we’d been more New Zealand like and had had a year of relative freedom compared to our crappy constant lockdowns.

My friends son moved to New Zealand about a week before all the borders shut, he’s having a grand old time out there. Can’t say I’m not super jealous. Imagine a year of skiing and surfing and meeting friend in restaurants and pubs and travelling around the two islands on holiday. It sounds amazing!
And yes I know we are not New Zealand etc etc but I can still wish we were

This is just existing, not living

24 hrs after the jag, both parents have V&D.

I'd take that thought if that's the only side effect (and hopefully doesn't last long)

After chasing and chasing via Twitter, e-Mail and phone DH has a more formal job offer, with paperwork about getting paid. They have not yet measured him for high viz or discussed clipboard requirements but things are moving.

I have taken to calling him THE VACCINATOR in a voice like from a game show.

I may be in a meringue induced sugar high.

But, things are happening.

@kurtrussellsbeard

The tables will turn and nobody will want to spend their money in Scotland? Nobody will want their people visiting Scotland?

I genuinely don't know what you mean by that?

All the efforts to discourage travel both by Scots going on holiday or people visiting here, even to / from other countries that the UK. Sooner or later something will happen and people won't want to visit us when we consider ourselves to be safe.

What 'something'?!

I completely disagree. Scotland is beautiful and historic, tourists will always be interested in coming.

It's not like we're the only country in the world doing this, either. Everyone's in the same boat. We're hardly turning ourselves into North Korea.

I can't see a situation where people will be put off from coming to Scotland because we are trying to keep our citizens safe...

North Korea is exactly it, with the restrictions snd the way the SG is behaving in the inquiry and daily broadcasts from Our Leader. No questioning tolerated.

I am sick and fed up of it. Every day a friend confesses to misery or poverty because of this and it needs to stop.

I think that people will visit Scotland for the same reasons that they always did. Admittedly it's another kick in the nuts to the tourism industry but hopefully we can go to bars and restaurants in the not too distant future.