But is there as many cases in other countries - do we have any data on this to confirm?

 

It's better to look at the 7-day graphs I think, as opposed to number of cases. Mainly because the UK's cases are slightly skewed vs other countries as the UK does the most testing in Europe (total tests are 2-3 times higher than France/Italy/Germany's total tests).

 

The UK is entering its third wave, whilst the other European countries are exiting/have exited their second wave.

 

Hopefully the vaccination progress in Europe will continue before the delta variant is able to spread there. They have a good chance of avoiding a third wave altogether via vaccination.

But is there as many cases in other countries - do we have any data on this to confirm?

 

It's hard to tell as the UK does so much testing in comparison. I think about 1% of our tests come back positive, but it's much higher in other countries. Obviously you can add 33% on to whatever Government figure comes out too.

Also the two doses is very important as both the Pfizer and Astrazeneca vaccines have been found to be more than 90% effective against hospitalisation. That's very good news at the very least.

 

Vaccines highly effective against hospitalisation from delta variant - Link

 

 

Whether we like it or not the Delta variant is going to find its way around Europe, just like our variant did in the first place. The UK is also aheasd of the rest of Europe in terms of opening up as far as I am aware? The good news is the data from PHE is good for AZ and Pfizer against hospitalisations so that's something positive.

 

There is definitely a lot of complacency in the UK, but I feel this is a human behaviour, rather than limited to people in the UK.

The Alpha variant was kept at bay for a while before it seeded and caused a third wave. Germany for example was about 10 weeks behind the UK on the wave driven by Alpha, if we can hold out that long against Delta then we will be in a much better place than the UK was at the start of its delta wave re vaccine coverage.

 

 

Yes the UK is broadly ahead of Europe in terms of opening up but it’s behind some states and ahead of others. But that’s to be expected and logical when our third wave was driven by the alpha variant and started much later than Your Alpha Wave.

 

It's better to look at the 7-day graphs I think, as opposed to number of cases. Mainly because the UK's cases are slightly skewed vs other countries as the UK does the most testing in Europe (total tests are 2-3 times higher than France/Italy/Germany's total tests).

 

The UK is entering its third wave, whilst the other European countries are exiting/have exited their second wave.

 

Hopefully the vaccination progress in Europe will continue before the delta variant is able to spread there. They have a good chance of avoiding a third wave altogether via vaccination.

Testing is hard to compare without really knowing the testing strategy of each state. Also it’s important to take into account the spread too. You don’t need to test as much if you’re no letting a deadly variant run through the country.

 

But also it depends what tests are counted in the official stats. For example Berlins test numbers have fallen but that’s because our test strategy drastically changed. It’s a lot harder to get a pcr test here now we have mass availability of rapid tests which aren’t counted in the official stats. You need a positive rapid test, close positive contact, or symptoms to go for a pcr. As a result our pcr test numbers have halved, but we’re doing more testing than ever.

 

As ever with Covid data, Theres too many differences to make good comparisons beyond what is declared for Cases, Deaths and excess deaths.

 

Clubs likely to open in The Netherlands at the end of this month. :cheeseblock:

I can finally thot it up again

Disgusting scenes in London where anti Lockdown scum start attacking a BBC Journalist calling him traitor

 

https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1...732072523190275

just been told I can't leave my school (I live on site) until the cases in my city clear up

 

yay for Chinese totality. though this sort of thing is how you beat new strains, as much as it sucks

Disgusting scenes in London where anti Lockdown scum start attacking a BBC Journalist calling him traitor

 

https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1...732072523190275

 

Poor Nick :( What are the police doing just standing around and watching them?!

Now what could be the root cause of a load of addled conspiracy theorists ready to intimidate people in public? Couldn't be the right-wing media and fringe elements of the right could it?

 

Awful stuff.

So absolute bedlam today at school. Due to positive LFT results we were down two teachers, a trainee teacher, the science technician and the whole of Year 8. Throughout the day several members of staff were contacted by Test and Trace and had to go home meaning we’re also closed to Year 10 tomorrow as we just don’t have the staff to cover the teaching. Luckily my LFT just came back negative again.

 

I’ve also received a text from the NHS offering the chance to bring my second dose forward due to a rise in infections in my area so I’m now having it after school on Wednesday, 11 days earlier than planned. That’s if I don’t test positive before that.

 

I honestly don’t care about anyone defending government decisions (any UK government) right now because this is ripping through schools. School staff should have had priority for the vaccine.

Are yous vaccinating adolescents yet? We can vaccinate ages 12 and over now. It seems that it should be a particular priority for Britain as in my sister's school at least, she spends all day in unventilated classrooms with nobody wearing a mask (???), and as much as other restrictions make me rage, that practice seems a bit baffling.

Now what could be the root cause of a load of addled conspiracy theorists ready to intimidate people in public? Couldn't be the right-wing media and fringe elements of the right could it?

 

Awful stuff.

 

Exactly the stuff. I mainly blame the godawful overseas owned press like the Mail, Telegraph and Sun who are hysterically against the BBC (who are pretty much the Tory government mouthpiece nowadays) and anything "woke". The launch of GB ( Gammon Bullsh*t ) news exacerbates this. It starts with professional ghoul Dan Wooton going for a massive rant against Lockdown and well well well look what happens! -

Are yous vaccinating adolescents yet? We can vaccinate ages 12 and over now. It seems that it should be a particular priority for Britain as in my sister's school at least, she spends all day in unventilated classrooms with nobody wearing a mask (???), and as much as other restrictions make me rage, that practice seems a bit baffling.

 

I don’t think the plan to vaccinate school kids is until September and even then personally, I am uneasy about it. I’d rather we give vaccines to other nations. The only reason some countries in Europe and the US are vaccinating 11-17 year olds mainly is to build up herd immunity as it looks unlikely to come through the adult population. I think in the U.K. we should be able to get this through the adult population. Pretty clear that it can spread through wildfire in schools amongst kids.

Confirmed case in Year 8, they’re gone until a week Friday.

And of course Johnson shows his usual arrogance by completely bypassing Parliamentary standards by doing a Press conference rather than in front of MPs. The Speaker has rebuked him but of course rules don't apply for our immoral charlatan in charge.

Just to make it worse, the Speaker was apparently informed that the details were not available AFTER journalists had been given an advance copy of Johnson's statement.

He was going mad at this and rightly so!

Some interesting points in this Politico article which has a Whitehall source confirming it's true.

 

https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-p...reens-scrapped/

 

It will be really interesting to see what recommendations are applied and what are scrapped. Think we all knew the stuff about isolation, but some interesting stuff about working from home longer term and perplex screens.

County has now asked for all the vaccine status’ of the education workforce in the area as they want to prioritise them for first/second jabs following a rise in infections in the area. Talk about closing the door after the horse is bolted. I will never forget that the UK governments were so eager for education staff to return to face to face work and equally determined not to offer any protection.

Some interesting points in this Politico article which has a Whitehall source confirming it's true.

 

https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-p...reens-scrapped/

 

It will be really interesting to see what recommendations are applied and what are scrapped. Think we all knew the stuff about isolation, but some interesting stuff about working from home longer term and perplex screens.

 

I think the government will have a huge fight if they try to force companies to ban homeworking. The ship has truly sailed with that one as it has become apparent that you don’t need to bein the same office as the rest of your team. Productivity is holding up well and people prefer having more of their life back. Plus it can encourage flexible arrangements which suits people’s lifestyle. Not to mention the massive environmental win.

 

I can understand that some people with less than ideal home working situations or space should have an in office option and socialising should be encouraged where possible. But persons;oh love WFH and no screaming Daily Mail headline will stop this.

Work from home will surely be an eternal option now. I think what we'll see from most companies is flexibility to both extremes, that is person A can work every single day in the office for the rest of their lives & person B will never physically step foot in their workplace ever again.

 

Of course, what I envisage becoming a talking point in the future in such scenarios will be that people who work more in the office will have favouritism from their managers and be more likely to get promoted etc.

I’ve worked from home or less from the moment the pandemic started and absolutely hate it, although given that I live on my own and have no dependants at the moment there are more drawbacks than benefits for me - I love the coffee-pot conversations that can trigger interesting developments, and I like being able to turn my head to ask a colleague a question, rather than sending an email that can get garbled or hope they’re available to take a call. But I recognise that a few years down the line when I have kids I’d savour being able to work from home to spend more time with them, so I am glad that there will be a greater flexibility going forward plus it allows those people who would have been excluded from work due to having dependents or having mobility issues to keep on working in a way that more suits them.