I do feel like a lot of people are still talking about this pandemic as though we hadn’t been through a hugely successful vaccination programme. The vaccines were always meant to be the ticket to normality and if we resort to shutting down every time a new threat comes along we are never going to escape this.

 

The 10% who are unvaccinated are taking up the majority of the COVID ICU beds. It’s a shame the 10% have declined the vaccine, but the rest of us can’t be held hostage by them. The vaccines work. The hospitalisations and deaths are very low compared to this time last year and rising very slowly. I’m not suggesting it reflects any great judgement on Johnson’s part, but I do honestly believe the approach taken in England is the right one.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are hardly shutting down though? That’s what the right wing English press would have people believe. Perhaps the added restrictions will be unnecessary and maybe England have got it right but that’s not the point. The point is why the leaders have made the decisions they have. Sturgeon and Drakeford may be wrong but they’ve done what they have with a view to protect their nations. Johnson hasn’t done anything so that he can protect himself.

 

Drakeford and Sturgeon being compared to Hitler and talked about like they’re fools is disgusting. The former lived in his shed throughout the height of the pandemic to protect his vulnerable wife and mother in law. The latter had the balls to apologise when she briefly removed her mask for a few seconds when outside at a funeral. And yet the Tories have repeatedly refused to apologise for any mistakes or blatant rule breaking. It’s not like the people of Wales and Scotland aren’t used to being looked down upon or questioned about why they have to audacity to be any different to England. But it is getting tiring.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are hardly shutting down though? That’s what the right wing English press would have people believe. Perhaps the added restrictions will be unnecessary and maybe England have got it right but that’s not the point. The point is why the leaders have made the decisions they have. Sturgeon and Drakeford may be wrong but they’ve done what they have with a view to protect their nations. Johnson hasn’t done anything so that he can protect himself.

 

Drakeford and Sturgeon being compared to Hitler and talked about like they’re fools is disgusting. The former lived in his shed throughout the height of the pandemic to protect his vulnerable wife and mother in law. The latter had the balls to apologise when she briefly removed her mask for a few seconds when outside at a funeral. And yet the Tories have repeatedly refused to apologise for any mistakes or blatant rule breaking. It’s not like the people of Wales and Scotland aren’t used to being looked down upon or questioned about why they have to audacity to be any different to England. But it is getting tiring.

 

It’s not just Scotland and Wales who have implemented extra restrictions. Many other countries have too including Germany and France. I think the focus has changed somewhat during this current phase of the pandemic. Yes, most people are vaccinated now and Omicron doesn’t appear to be as serious. However, the high rate of infections could still easily overwhelm the NHS so it’s a difficult balance by ensuring that doesn’t happen and people are allowed their freedom to socialise and go about their everyday lives.

I’d rather have someone in charge who is more cautious than someone who doesn’t appear to care. Johnson has been wrong several times before by delaying lockdown and other measures which could have saved many lives earlier in the pandemic so he can hardly be trusted to get it right.

 

 

Edited December 29, 20213 yr by slowdown73

I arrived back to Germany today and am now in a 14 day home quarantine. I bent the rules lightly be getting a load of food shopping at the supermarket on my route home so at least I’ve got the essentials!!

 

It’s mildly annoying but if it keeps folks safe then I’ll take it on the chin. I’ve bought enough crap over Xmas to keep me entertained

 

So the Scots and Welsh left with egg on their faces as Boris doesn't bring in any restrictions for NYE. Sturgeon is power mad and should stop ruining the live's of families at Hogmanay.

Have they f***. They actually have a grown up in charge and they’re happy to be under their respective regimes rather than under a clown

 

Get your head out of Boris Johnson’s hole and idk read a immunology for dummies book instead of whatever right wing shite you usually do

Hospital admissions up to 10400 from 8000 in last two days. 183k new cases today but only 50 something deaths.

Edited December 29, 20213 yr by slowdown73

With regards to the devolved nations, I could be wrong, but I think (especially in Wales/NI) the NHS capacity is a lot worse than England and there are also historical issues to contend with. Clearly Omicorn has ripped through Europe and I'm not sure what can be done to stop the spread.

 

I think there is just so much unknown still. Is it that Omicron is less lethal or do we just have better immunity from it? Are the majority of the patients in hospital unvaccinated!? Saw something really interesting that suggested most of the people in hospital have Delta rather than Omicron. London looks to have peaked which is a good sign, but it's also messy with the cases all over the place too.

I bent the rules lightly be getting a load of food shopping at the supermarket on my route home

:nono:

Germany is lifting its red list restrictions from the end of the 3rd of Jan but I still have absolutely no idea if that means I get out of quarantine jail or not

 

Think imma just stay in just in case except for a sneaky run to the corner shop after the 3rd

So Wales, that country Chris said has egg on its face for rolling out public health measures in the face of omicron, has had to loan 4 million LFTs to England who, despite running out of tests, according to Chris do not have egg on their face.

So the Scots and Welsh left with egg on their faces as Boris doesn't bring in any restrictions for NYE. Sturgeon is power mad and should stop ruining the live's of families at Hogmanay.

 

STOP TROLLING!!! Blojo the Clown is a wannabe dictator and has wamted to be the "king of the world" since an Etonian child. He is a piece of shit! He is the one curtsiling our rights and freedoms, you ignoramus!!

 

I do feel like a lot of people are still talking about this pandemic as though we hadn’t been through a hugely successful vaccination programme. The vaccines were always meant to be the ticket to normality and if we resort to shutting down every time a new threat comes along we are never going to escape this.

 

The 10% who are unvaccinated are taking up the majority of the COVID ICU beds. It’s a shame the 10% have declined the vaccine, but the rest of us can’t be held hostage by them. The vaccines work. The hospitalisations and deaths are very low compared to this time last year and rising very slowly. I’m not suggesting it reflects any great judgement on Johnson’s part, but I do honestly believe the approach taken in England is the right one.

 

Exactly - it's pretty clear we're going through an entirely new - almost entering endemic - phase of this pandemic. Hospitalisations are rising, though this is in-part due to more people in hospital for other illnesses testing positive, but also we can see clearly from the data that serious illness requiring ICU is dropping off dramatically as Delta is outcompeted by Omicron.

 

That is interesting

 

Of course the „but it’s mild“ gang forget about long covid and the what impact of having 3% of the country having to self isolate does. But that is good news for us all. If it’s mutated itself to be a lot weaker by accident then we’re a step closer to this becoming closer to the common cold, which is after all a corona virus

Did anyone see the article on Twitter yday about the discovery of Fluona in a patient in I think it was Isreal or Florida? It was a person with two viruses mixed of flu and corona, they seemed worried about it. I am never sure of these articles are fake news or not!

I tested positive for Covid yesterday and again today but I hardly have any symptoms which just goes to show how dangerous this is. The worst thing that happened was an unusual level of fatigue on Thursday night but after a good nights sleep it almost went completely away by Friday morning/afternoon. I feel even stronger energy wise today than I did yesterday but this time the line on the testing kit was not faint like it was yesterday. I've got a bit of a cough but compared to previous times when I've had a full blown cold I can hardly call it a cough.

Good to hear your keeping grand though!

Thanks Steve!

So my Christmas and New Year was pretty shit. My brother caught covid just before christmas and my mum not long after meaning I've not seen either of them and then my friend who was hosting a NYE party caught it too (plus family still positive) meaning I've done naff all to celebrate. It's worrying that so many people I know who went this entire time not catching it now have it.

My husband got covid and he works from home...he is doing fine though.

 

First I thought I brought it since just recently I was on a trip but I did already tested negative twice.

 

This Omicron variant is definitely very contagious but if you are vaccinated I think you won't suffer for too long. And yes my husband is boosted as well!!!

That is interesting

 

Of course the „but it’s mild“ gang forget about long covid and the what impact of having 3% of the country having to self isolate does. But that is good news for us all. If it’s mutated itself to be a lot weaker by accident then we’re a step closer to this becoming closer to the common cold, which is after all a corona virus

 

Be interesting to see what happens if Omicron takes hold of somewhere with a lower vaccination rate. I'm sure the reason it "appears" to be less lethal here is due to immunity from prior infection and vaccination. Anyway, suspect the real test in the UK is going to be what happens over the next 7-10 days.

Be interesting to see what happens if Omicron takes hold of somewhere with a lower vaccination rate.

 

It already has - southern Africa?