Guilt Free Railing 19

[WouldBeGood]

Rail away!

No judgment, no resilience wankery.

Equal opportunity railing 😃

Could this be the last thread..?!

This thread seems very timely in the context of Scotland's increasing cases and impending review of restrictions. It's the first global excess death comparison over the pandemic period (published in the Lancet) with excess deaths being used because this is the most reliable indicator that isn't dependent on testing levels or the variable definition of a COVID death. Three things jump out at me - firstly it confirms no statistical difference in excess deaths across the UK nations, with reckless England's actually being the lowest of the four. Secondly, the UK does not have one of the highest death rates in Europe (or even Western Europe if you exclude the eastern block with high levels of vaccine hesitancy) - we're actually en par with France and Germany and doing considerably better than Italy and Spain and a few others. I really wish this particular myth (that things are better on the continent) could be put to bed. Thirdly, looking across Europe there is no clear association between levels of restrictions and outcome - basically all the mask mandates, restrictions in restaurants etc. have made no discernible difference. Hopefully someone forwards this to Nicola, Devi and Jason before they decide on our fate.

That is so interesting, thanks for sharing @Y0uCann0tBeSer10us

It really underlines what some people have said all along. We can only see how well/badly we did when we look back at excess deaths because countries are counting differently. There are also countries (looking at you China) that clearly go to any lengths to find an alternative cause of death to keep their covid death numbers low

What I have found so frustrating is that some scientists and members of medical community have clearly had a political agenda when they have been commenting on handling of pandemic/restrictions when they should have been sticking to the science.
I remember hearing a member of SAGE being interviewed last September and he was going on about how reckless Boris was being and how much better the cautious approach of Scotland was. It was the week Scotland had the highest cases in Europe because we'd kept restrictions all summer and lifted them just before schools went back!

Thank you @Y0uCann0tBeSer10us, I had not seen that.

I feel vindicated. I am not a selfish, evil, granny killer after all.

I truly hope al countries take note and reflect and obviously especially Scotland.

I truly hope al countries take note and reflect and obviously especially Scotland.

No chance. Not for a good long while yet.

I truly hope al countries take note and reflect and obviously especially Scotland.

Have no doubt they will, people will make careers out of studying data from covid and the effects if restrictions on society, MH, education, economy, children's development

@Y0uCann0tBeSer10us

This thread seems very timely in the context of Scotland's increasing cases and impending review of restrictions. It's the first global excess death comparison over the pandemic period (published in the Lancet) with excess deaths being used because this is the most reliable indicator that isn't dependent on testing levels or the variable definition of a COVID death. Three things jump out at me - firstly it confirms no statistical difference in excess deaths across the UK nations, with reckless England's actually being the lowest of the four. Secondly, the UK does not have one of the highest death rates in Europe (or even Western Europe if you exclude the eastern block with high levels of vaccine hesitancy) - we're actually en par with France and Germany and doing considerably better than Italy and Spain and a few others. I really wish this particular myth (that things are better on the continent) could be put to bed. Thirdly, looking across Europe there is no clear association between levels of restrictions and outcome - basically all the mask mandates, restrictions in restaurants etc. have made no discernible difference. Hopefully someone forwards this to Nicola, Devi and Jason before they decide on our fate.

That's really interesting. Thanks youcannot! I agree, the data collected and still to be collected from the fallout will form many theses in the years to come...

I'm actually feeling quite positive about Tuesday (I know, I know, I'll get off the thread and douse myself in some cold water or something). I just think there would be far too much backlash if there was any u turn on the restrictions going. And previously I have expected tightening of restrictions and so on (like the extension of vaccine passports in January) which didn't come to pass because of it being disproportionate and so on - so I think the SG may be getting less gung ho at going too far from the rest of the UKs approach given the negligible/ negative effect keeping restrictions has been having.Plus, elections.

Though of course, I'm happy to come back and eat my hat next week when we're put back into essential shopping only ...

Supposed to be going on holiday next week with Scottish friends and family and almost all of them have someone in the house with Covid.
What’s going on with Scottish numbers?
So much for all the mask wearing, extra restrictions and keeping everyone ‘safe’.
So fed up, we’ve postponed this trip twice already.

Oh @ScarletTulips that’s rubbish. Our extra special measures do not appear to be helping

I'm starting to think, once covid is inside the masks the masks make it worse, more infections or something.
I know what I'm thinking but can't explain it.

Can I have a moan about Chicken Pox catching up with the LOs?

Can I also have a moan about a vile antibiotic two years ago putting LO off all medicines for life.

Chicken pox sucks...as do chest infections - dh flattened this week by chest infection as we've both caught a similar bug off the back of covid a few weeks back. It's been horrible. One of the dc had a sick bug last week. 2022 has been an execrable vintage so far!

Dh had to cancel a work trip he first had scheduled May 2020 as his colleague has covid.

In both dcs' classes we are down to a handful of kids who haven't had covid since new year - maybe those were completely symptomless.

Oh, @Dinoteeth chicken pox is horrid. Ds was quite poorly with it. Hope yours are not too bad. Bugger about the medicine.

@mapleleavesreturn what a horrible year right enough. 💐

On the masks making things worse thing, I’ve wondered about this too, when people are wearing them all day anyway (which I doubt even surgeons would usually do). You must be breathing bacteria and viruses into them (COVID or otherwise). Let’s face it none of us use them ‘properly’ changing them every couple of hours, quite a lot of people reuse the same mask for days, so you’re breathing all these bugs back in after they’ve had a chance to fester a bit. I imagine this is worse if the masks gets a bit damp, which they often do. The longest I’ve worn one for is an couple of hours and by the end the inside was a bit damp, and I felt that whatever air I was breathing at that point couldn’t be good for me. I guess on top of that people may be breathing in microfibres etc which probably aren’t great either, and they certainly prevent you from breathing deeply.

Obviously I don’t KNOW that any of this is true, it’s pure speculation. But I’m not convinced ‘they’ know it’s not true either as the studies into this are so poor and tend to focus in ideal conditions rather than real world use. Unfortunately though it seems to be too much to ask to have these things thoroughly investigated with clear evidence of benefit and lack of harm. I feel for those who’ll have to keep them when their benefit is minimal just to make others ‘feel’ safer.

I read something about breathing in the fibres from those blue hospital masks being the next big health risk, comparing it to the asbestos scandal. It said the fibres stayed in your lungs, basically. Now I'm only quoting what i remember, but as a shop worker who has to wear a mask all day and finding it so bloody uncomfortable, reading that scared the shit out of me. It might be completely wrong, but i try to wear the mask under my nose now, which is a waste of time but i can't not wear it.
I'll be glad when i don't have to.

@ssd the long term effects of micro plastics from masks is definitely an unknown. They know they shed fibers and
Nobody is saying it is 100% safe.

Yes to the next wave of cases. DS is in S2 and 8 were off in his class yesterday.

Plastic shmastick. Who cares about plastic? DON'T YOU KNOW THERE'S A PANDEMIC? The whole last two years has been all about single use plastics, wipes, masks, aprons, gloves, lateral flow tests, hand soap, sanitiser. Plastic fantastic.

Yes, @FoxyFoxyLoxy, sod the turtles!

I'm in full search for a holiday mode as I need somethjng to look forward to!

But my rail is it takes twice as long as I then need to search what that's countries restrictions are to if we want to go! Malta is definitely off the list still with children from 3 in masks and no signs of changing!

3 yos in masks is crazy, poor kids.

I haven't thought too much about summer holidays either. I do fancy Cornwall but DH is really put off by the drive.

He is loathed to do a hotel with buffet because of the covid risk. I can't be bothered with the idea of self catering abroad.
So we are in a bit of a stalemate when it comes to summer holidays.

@dinoteeth covid risk because of a buffet??? He knows it's airborne right not on the salad handle!

We are looking at self catering but upgrading to half board that way best of both worlds if toddler is being a pain. Could that be a option? You get someone else to cook he cooks his own? 😂

I know he obviously never really thought that bit through about the buffet.
One advantage of self catering is accommodation usually means a living area rather than just bedrooms.
We will chat again on holidays!

That’s awful @Scottishskifun. I too am thinking holidays, possibly Spain in the summer, though I’m going to France at Easter!

@Dinoteeth covid buffet makes me realise how worried some people still are. I love a buffet breakfast and was very excited to see the premier inns seem to have reinstated theirs.

If the DCs are older I definitely prefer separate rooms/living area as it’s less intense 😃

Since mine have caught covid in term time twice with lots of restrictions in place, I'm happy to take my buffet chances! Off to Spain in three weeks with the children and really looking forward to it as first trip abroad in a year and a half.

I'm so excited at the prospect of holidays - kicking myself for not booking to go away at Easter. But we are going south of the border to the land of no restrictions for a week and have abroad trips booked for summer so can complain.

I am fond of self-catered accommodation for space, particularly once DC in bed. We have an AI hotel room booked later in the year - 5 days with sharing with DC seemed just about bearable a couple of years ago when it was booked, not thrilled about sharing with teens now. But £££ to upgrade room and I hope we'll at least just be grateful to be away.

booked to Spain 😊
Would have gone last minute like last year but I was getting jittery feet with warnings about price of flights etc so wanted deposit paid etc still going package which we never used to do pre covid but due to uncertainty I find it less stressful!