Guilt Free Railing Four

[WouldBeGood]

The tone stays low and the railing goes on

Great news about Mr @Groovee

DD has made plans to meet up with her friends every lunchtime during the phased return. They're doing the phased return alphabetically and not by class so DD is not in with any of her pals, just one I think, so they've all come to an agreement to meet up at lunchtime. It ties in with the meeting outdoors changes anyway and its good for DDs mental health to see some of her friends.

Great news @Groovee

Good news, @Groovee!

@fandabbydoozy that’s a good about your dd. I think it will make a huge difference to them just to knock about with their pals

Dh has went to the office to pick up his new laptop and will be gone until lunchtime. Dd has been dropped off at in laws for childcare whilst we work (the first time since last summer) the peace and quiet is glorious.

Enjoy the peace @DeepfriedPizza!

Glad to hear that @Groovee

NS is giving evidence to the Covid 19 committee today at 11am about the government's strategy going forward, along with Gregor Smith.

Just if you need more good railing material, it's being shown live

Oh god! @GirlLovesWorld 😂

@GirlLovesWorld I can't watch as have a Teams meeting but is this where they get the ability to extend the coronavirus laws?

I can't either but it will be recorded, you'll be able to find it here later:

www.scottishparliament.tv/meetings

This is the committee asking NS and GS to explain what their strategy is going forwards i.e. elimination, suppression, or whatever they are going for. I think it will be looking at some of the stuff from the citizen's panel too from a few weeks ago, looking at the document.

Hate Crime Bill today too- I’m liking the moniker Humza Useless

Hate Crime Bill

I emailed all (8!) of my MSPs and all party leaders about this last week.

God I just logged onto that. I'm so fucked off no sense of normal for some time to come. Another fucking surge later on the year. I don't fucking want protected from COVID forever. They are so out of touch with reality it's ridiculous

I just logged on quickly too!

I don't know, I think we have a different view on this. I'm of the view that we need to roll out restrictions slowly while the vaccination programme covers more and more people in the age group of 40+ and working.

I appreciate all views on this even if they don't match my own. I do appreciate what your saying but given our vaccination programme is far from great and the weekends events I just feel it is utter cheek to go down the road that has the highest impact on the poorest of our society.

I accept my judgement may be clouded, I heard of yet another suicide yesterday of someone I know. The impact of lockdown is a lot further reaching that COVID at this point.

I don't propose all restrictions lifted right away but suppression/elimination now comes at to high a cost for me

I don't think many people are advocating completely opening up everything all at once, but there is a middle ground between this and what the SG seem to be aiming for, which is keeping restrictions in place until COVID is virtually eliminated. I expect there will be another surge in the winter as the virus becomes seasonal, and it's inevitable that there will be more variants (that's what viruses do), some of which will be worse. This is the reality that we have to expect. (On a tangent, I also think it's likely that flu will surge next winter because people haven't had the priming for it this past winter that they would usually get.)

What I'd really like to see is a pragmatic, realistic approach of the kind seen in England right now, where they know that there almost certainly will be an increase in infections from getting all children back in school, but are doing it anyway because the harms to those children of not being back are worse than the likely harms from COVID. They have already mitigated the bulk of the worst COVID harms by vaccinating the most vulnerable, and this seems like a proportionate response that takes into account all harms. They are also opening up incrementally, and carefully studying each stage, and crucially have a 'completely normal' end point in mind. I'm getting increasingly annoyed that the SG have this tunnel vision on COVID harm only, and still no indication of when 'normal' will return.

"What I'd really like to see is a pragmatic, realistic approach of the kind seen in England right now, where they know that there almost certainly will be an increase in infections from getting all children back in school, but are doing it anyway because the harms to those children of not being back are worse than the likely harms from COVID. They have already mitigated the bulk of the worst COVID harms by vaccinating the most vulnerable, and this seems like a proportionate response that takes into account all harms. They are also opening up incrementally, and carefully studying each stage, and crucially have a 'completely normal' end point in mind."

That's exactly what's happening here.

I don't think that is what is happening here. The S1-s3 stuff is such a poor way of them being able to say oh we got all kids back too when the reality is it's maybe 1 day a week. Anyway I will happily continue this on the tiers thread with you 😂 I do actually find your posts informative but I want to moan so that what I'm doing. I'm sick to the back teeth of the double standards from ScotGov, more seedy accusations today, allowing the crowds at weekend and their numerous cover ups I don't trust a word they say. I hope you take that in good fun and as it is intended.

@Dinnafashyerselyoh articulate better that me. There is no end in sight and I swear this fucking 2 weeks and I might tell you something is driving me nuts

Yeah we can switch threads. Rant away! I'll bugger off

@GirlLovesWorld I don't think I agree with that. Schools are not back fully, there is possibly a plan to get them fully back towards the end of April (over a month after England). Our 'roadmap' ends in Tier 3 (at least the one that was widely reported), not at 'normal'. There is still a worrying amount of chat about 'suppressing the virus to very low levels' implying zero COVID by the back door. To me, the feel is completely different.

Oh see, they don't feel that different to me!

@GirlLovesWorld please don't bugger off but I do just want a moan I know you have a different view and that ok we can coexist and rail 😂

I'll see, I'm probably not a natural fit on this thread, I genuinely only posted on it because it appeared on my 'Threads I'm On' list, but I don't want to derail. That wouldn't be fair.

Ok it's just a general place to moan. I'm just having one of those days today