He could have caught it off an asymptomatic doctor or carer though when he was being treated for pneumonia, I know the doctors would have taken all precautions so he just seems to be very unlucky to have caught it. He could have also caught it from a family member who caught it at a supermarket or something, even with masks it isn't completely risk free.

 

It seems a bit late now for him to have caught it on holiday if he went on December 11th, although maybe he has had Covid for a while and it's only been discovered now.

Edited February 1, 20214 yr by ElevenSnake

I get the frustration - but save your anger for those who really deserve it: e.g. the government who let the situation get this out-of-hand.

 

I'm not going to support the decision to go on holiday, but I can understand it - I mean the man is very, very old and likely to die soon. As long as he was happy with the risks involved, didn't put anyone else at risk, and it didn't break any rules (which at the time, it looks like it did not) then I don't have a huge problem with it. It sounds like he has been too ill to have the vaccine sadly.

 

I hate the way the media uses hyperbole over people like Captain (Colonel) Tom. He did a good thing, nothing more, nothing less.

Why is it OK for him to go abroad for a family holiday in December when Dua Lipa got totally vilified for that?

 

The reaction was always going to be different because:

 

- He's white

- He's a man

- He's a war veteran

- He raised a substantial amount of money for the NHS

 

All of that added together pretty much makes him untouchable in the eyes of the media.

My frustration has been around every man and his dog visiting him and, in turn, him then going out and meeting every other man and his dog whilst there’s millions of other vulnerable and elderly persons trapped in their own homes, unable to even see their own families and deteriorating physically and/or mentally because of it. Plus the complete exploitation by his, already extremely well-off, family.

 

I appreciate my frustrations should more be against the media/corporations though using him for their image/own sales. It was just frustrating to see him have so many visitors when you’re at home having to debate whether you can even see your own grandparents for a couple of hours.

 

I absolutely and unconditionally hope he can recover and have a speedy recovery at that. There is a complete lovely story behind him and what he’s achieved, completely wish him all the best.

The reaction was always going to be different because:

 

- He's white

- He's a man

- He's a war veteran

- He raised a substantial amount of money for the NHS

 

I think the first two points are a bit unfair to make, it's more to do with the latter two. Dua Lipa isn't in the category of '100 years old and likely not to survive much longer' so there is a difference as Dr Blind says. However I think ideally NOBODY in the UK should go on holiday at the moment or undertake non essential travel all the way across the country (looking at you Boris) , the same example has to be set by all celebrities or the public will start making excuses for undertaking non-essential travel.

Edited February 1, 20214 yr by ElevenSnake

1. Who says I don't have sympathy for him? I wouldn't wish Covid on anyone.

2. Surely if he went all year without catching Covid from his family then he travels across the globe to Barbados (through a busy airport and on a plane and mixing with residents there) and he suddenly catches it, the evidence points to the trip being the cause?

3. Giving someone criticism and treating them like a regular human being isn't 'drumming up hate'. Is he above questioning or criticism?

 

So what you're basically saying is forget the fact he went on holiday at Christmas because he's a poor old man and 'at least he was honest'? Okay, how would you feel if this was a story about a random member of the public doing the same?

 

And I have to laugh at you commenting about compassion when you're supporting a man potentially spreading a virus around Barbados and/or bringing a new strain back to the UK that could kill people off. :lol:

 

1. You rushing in here only to complain about him gives me that impression.

2. You have no evidence for that claim. You’re taking two facts and tying them together for convenience. For that matter, I didn’t see you angrily complaining in mid December when he actually went on this well publicised holiday. You’re only moaning because he’s got covid which he may not even have gotten from the holiday.

3. That’s not what I said but you do seem intent on vilifying him the way you haven’t with anyone else.

 

And I didn’t say it was ok, I said it was within the rules. Just because I’m not frothing at the mouth with hate about it, doesn’t mean I haven’t already condemned the matter in at least two other posts this afternoon if you even bothered to read them. I haven’t said any of it is ok but I also think you’re going OTT about it.

 

And yet again, I don’t ‘support’ him or him going on holiday. But I do think, once again, you’re going over the top accusing him of potentially bringing back a new strain when anyone could have done that. He also probably wouldn’t have been aware that there were new strains out there as, at the time he went, our own government were hush gushing our own new variant in order to keep people in schools.

My frustration has been around every man and his dog visiting him and, in turn, him then going out and meeting every other man and his dog whilst there’s millions of other vulnerable and elderly persons trapped in their own homes, unable to even see their own families and deteriorating physically and/or mentally because of it. Plus the complete exploitation by his, already extremely well-off, family.

 

I appreciate my frustrations should more be against the media/corporations though using him for their image/own sales. It was just frustrating to see him have so many visitors when you’re at home having to debate whether you can even see your own grandparents for a couple of hours.

 

I absolutely and unconditionally hope he can recover and have a speedy recovery at that. There is a complete lovely story behind him and what he’s achieved, completely wish him all the best.

 

I have no qualms with anyone being annoyed with the media/his family over this. They are a bunch of opportunists and his holiday was probably more about them than him anyway. And also, have contempt at the government for a) not changing the rules in time and b) parading him round for a year as some sort of hopeful symbol.

 

But as I’ve said in a previous post, let’s not attribute his covid to the holiday until there is proof. If we’re going to get angry with him for getting ill then why aren’t we getting angry at everyone else who gets ill?

I think the first two points are a bit unfair to make, it's more to do with the latter two. Dua Lipa isn't in the category of '100 years old and likely not to survive much longer' so there is a difference as Dr Blind says. However I think ideally NOBODY in the UK should go on holiday at the moment or undertake non essential travel all the way across the country (looking at you Boris) , the same example has to be set by all celebrities or the public will start making excuses for undertaking non-essential travel.

 

Watch a famous black woman do the same thing and then witness her be verbally executed for it. Although the first two points could lead us down a separate route entirely, they’re still a very real contributing factor as to the lack of upset.

I am looking at the news of what is happening on the Isle of Man with envy but I don't think that's going to happen any time soon in the UK in general :( The South African varient will soon become prevalent in the UK I would imagine. So our summer 2021 will probably look similar to summer 2020 I think. Shops and hospitality open but social distancing guidelines and masks still in force. That would be the sensible option anyway while the risk of new, possibly vaccine resistant, varients is still present. But that will be too sensible for them to do probably, so I fear they'll probably ease all restrictions once they judge that 'enough people' are vaccinated :drama:

Edited February 1, 20214 yr by ElevenSnake

You're such a beacon of positivity aren't you?

 

In better news - it looks like Daily Deaths from Covid-19 peaked on 17th January (7-day average: 1246) and is the rate now back below 1000 for the first time since early January. With the vaccination programme making good progress, it does look like we should see sustained falls in this rate from here on in which is good news.

So apparently Mark Drakeford is expected to announce the return of some primary school children to schools in Wales on Friday. Always nice to know that the two weeks notice for schools to prepare will of course include a week of holiday.

Edited February 1, 20214 yr by T Boy

Sir Captain Tom's family are all with him in hospital now.. he's not got long left clearly. While I can appreciate some people are annoyed at him the guy is 100 years old, I don't think he broke any rules, I highly doubt he made the decision to go on holiday and he also likely caught covid while in hospital.

 

People should read this, it throws a whole new light on what the goverment was up too this past year.

 

It was allways ever about the endgame and never regret what you get wrong along the way,

 

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-rejecte...supply-12204044

You're such a beacon of positivity aren't you?

 

In better news - it looks like Daily Deaths from Covid-19 peaked on 17th January (7-day average: 1246) and is the rate now back below 1000 for the first time since early January. With the vaccination programme making good progress, it does look like we should see sustained falls in this rate from here on in which is good news.

 

But with all these vaccination figures do we know how many have had both doses yet?

But with all these vaccination figures do we know how many have had both doses yet?

 

It's about 500,000 I believe.

Re Captain Tom it's logically not consistent to believe simultaneously:

 

1) everyone should be locked down even if they aren#t personally at high risk of covid in order for the good of everyone

and

2) people near the end of their lives should be allowed to do whatever they want without people judging them

 

Either people have to take one for the team or they don't.

Re Captain Tom it's logically not consistent to believe simultaneously:

 

1) everyone should be locked down even if they aren#t personally at high risk of covid in order for the good of everyone

and

2) people near the end of their lives should be allowed to do whatever they want without people judging them

 

Either people have to take one for the team or they don't.

 

But I just do not get the uproar - it was not a lockdown when he went. Als,o if any of us were offered an all expenses paid trip at the start of December, I'm sure we would have all turned it down over covid fears :blink: I think people forget that up until the weekend before Christmas it was pretty much a free for all..

But I just do not get the uproar - it was not a lockdown when he went. Als,o if any of us were offered an all expenses paid trip at the start of December, I'm sure we would have all turned it down over covid fears :blink: I think people forget that up until the weekend before Christmas it was pretty much a free for all..

 

The whole country was under tier 2 or above restrictions at the time. No outright laws against going on holiday no but from that first point alone it should go without saying holidays are probably not a good idea.

 

Up to him though of course. I don't have any issues with it (or anyone who travelled) and of course it can't be proved that holiday was the reason he's got it.

 

 

But I just do not get the uproar - it was not a lockdown when he went. Als,o if any of us were offered an all expenses paid trip at the start of December, I'm sure we would have all turned it down over covid fears :blink: I think people forget that up until the weekend before Christmas it was pretty much a free for all..

 

I guess it's the difference between whether you can and whether you should, which might as well be a microcosm for the whole pandemic.

 

All throughout the government has urged people to do as little as possible, while not actually forbidding things outright sometimes.

 

One might say it's a little ironic for someone whose claim to fame is raising money to help the NHS cope with the pandemic then uses the defense that something ISN'T OUTRIGHT ILLEGAL, just recommended against and unhelpful to do, in order to justify doing it - especially when that thing is solely something to be done for personal pleasure.

I guess it's the difference between whether you can and whether you should, which might as well be a microcosm for the whole pandemic.

 

All throughout the government has urged people to do as little as possible, while not actually forbidding things outright sometimes.

 

One might say it's a little ironic for someone whose claim to fame is raising money to help the NHS cope with the pandemic then uses the defense that something ISN'T OUTRIGHT ILLEGAL, just recommended against and unhelpful to do, in order to justify doing it - especially when that thing is solely something to be done for personal pleasure.

 

Thousands of people were flying though, I just don't get the huge uproar. Yes it was unhelpful but he didn't get covid from going to Barbados. At the end of the day he's not a famous dude like Rita Ora or Dua Lipa (some examples used in this thread). Yes it was probably a little naive, but I just don't get the faux outrage over a 100 year bloke going on holiday in early December.

 

Urging people to do as little as possible is very different to locking down for example. The tone is completely different "you probably shouldn't do this, but if you do it's not too bad" is very different vs "you must not go somewhere". It's still not illegal to fly anywhere when we're in Tier 4. It's just complete faux outrage. The guy got pneumonia because he's 100 years old, which is common. Then he got covid, it happens.