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Vaccine Passports - currently being considered in Scotland & Wales

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Philip

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Well we live and learn and now we know Covid isn’t the apocalypse we can definitely relax and go back to normal.

Last night on the tube I would say it was roughly 20-30% mask usage, which is great to see, we need more people to take back normality and not rely on the government to give us it back.

It also confirmed that another lockdown wouldn’t be tolerated, venues may shut but people will gather in other ways regardless, the feeling is very different from last year.

Covid passports are nothing more than a security blanket that has zero health benefits.

Though I see Blair has crawled out from under his rock again to voice his support for ID cards … I mean Covid Passports, if there’s one thing I’ve learnt that anything he voices his support to, most people go the opposite way, the man is a poison chalice who is beyond contempt.

The government will only intervene if they feel the situation is getting out of control. However I don't think you can speak for others in the way you have by saying the feeling is very different to last year.
 
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js1000

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Covid passports are nothing more than a security blanket that has zero health benefits.
Covid certification will only be introduced if the NHS will be overwhelmed. We are nowhere near that stage and it is highly unlikely we will get to situation we had last March or in January. Some epidemiologists actually think case numbers will actually decline in November if there is no immunity waning in older age cohorts with the vaccine boosters for over 60s this seems unlikely.

In my view, there is a big cost of Covid passports economically, ethically and in practical terms that isn't worth the hassle unless the alternative is a lockdown. The NHS is under pressure (it's always under pressure) and we're miles from that stage. If anything, considering 90% of adults have had a vaccine, "vaccine passports" will just be an inconvenience for the 90% because 10% don't want a vaccine.
 

plugwash

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I see both positive and negative signs.

On the plus side covid cases are still below the peak they hit two months ago despite the loosening of restrictions and the return to work/school, and the number of hospitalisations and the ICU occupancy is much lower than in previous waves.

On the minus side cases and hospitalisations are still much higher than they were this time last year.

I still think this could go either way.
 

92002

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Covid certification will only be introduced if the NHS will be overwhelmed. We are nowhere near that stage and it is highly unlikely we will get to situation we had last March or in January. Some epidemiologists actually think case numbers will actually decline in November if there is no immunity waning in older age cohorts with the vaccine boosters for over 60s this seems unlikely.

In my view, there is a big cost of Covid passports economically, ethically and in practical terms that isn't worth the hassle unless the alternative is a lockdown. The NHS is under pressure (it's always under pressure) and we're miles from that stage. If anything, considering 90% of adults have had a vaccine, "vaccine passports" will just be an inconvenience for the 90% because 10% don't want a vaccine.
Covid passports have been available in Scotland for many months in a paper form for free. The app is due to be Available by 1st October.
 

takno

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Covid passports have been available in Scotland for many months in a paper form for free. The app is due to be Available by 1st October.
The passports Scotland have been issuing on paper for months are due to be got rid of because they're not secure enough.

Meanwhile the main cost is the economic cost is of people (mainly in the vaccinated 90%) deciding they can't be bothered with the faff and not going out and spending money. The nightlife and pub sectors were fragile enough before Covid and won't cope with even a small fall in demand. For larger events, why bother booking a 50 quid ticket plus a hotel and travel if there's a danger that they'll decide they don't like your passport. This problem is particularly pronounced in Scotland because as far as I can see they are currently planning a no-foreigners (including the English Welsh) policy on the door.

The social cost is having people discouraged from re-engaging with society. We have already gone a long way down the road of creating a society of depressed and disengaged oddballs, who will be easily put off by the smallest barrier, and need to be encouraged to re-integrate. Anything which isn't actively fighting for people to socialise at the moment is making things worse. Ultimately we risk raising every social ill from suicide, domestic abuse and other violent crime.
 

kez19

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Covid passports have been available in Scotland for many months in a paper form for free. The app is due to be Available by 1st October.

aah the paper forms, first one just as a plain certificate the next update with the QR codes that don’t work and now scrapping it for the long awaited app better late than never but still I wonder how much this has cost from doing all this - nothing is simple in Scotland we have to be more complicated.
 

92002

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The passports Scotland have been issuing on paper for months are due to be got rid of because they're not secure enough.

Meanwhile the main cost is the economic cost is of people (mainly in the vaccinated 90%) deciding they can't be bothered with the faff and not going out and spending money. The nightlife and pub sectors were fragile enough before Covid and won't cope with even a small fall in demand. For larger events, why bother booking a 50 quid ticket plus a hotel and travel if there's a danger that they'll decide they don't like your passport. This problem is particularly pronounced in Scotland because as far as I can see they are currently planning a no-foreigners (including the English Welsh) policy on the door.

The social cost is having people discouraged from re-engaging with society. We have already gone a long way down the road of creating a society of depressed and disengaged oddballs, who will be easily put off by the smallest barrier, and need to be encouraged to re-integrate. Anything which isn't actively fighting for people to socialise at the moment is making things worse. Ultimately we risk raising every social ill from suicide, domestic abuse and other violent crime.
Not strictly a true statement. You need to be registered with your unique sign in issued with your invitation to attend for your jab. Which protects patient confidentiality. It arrives as a pdf or by mail.

From 1st October you will not be able to attend large gatherings or nightclubs unless you can show it. The obvious next move was to create the app. No certificate or passport, no entry.

So it's your choice to continue to not be vacinnated. Will be written into law in Scotland just like face coverings. Since it was approved by the Government a couple of weeks ago.

aah the paper forms, first one just as a plain certificate the next update with the QR codes that don’t work and now scrapping it for the long awaited app better late than never but still I wonder how much this has cost from doing all this - nothing is simple in Scotland we have to be more complicated.
The app is the equivalent of the EU App
and brings it into line with their digital one. Meantime the paper one with the QR code is accepted as a fit to fly certificate if you want to go on holiday.
 
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kez19

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Not strictly a true statement. You need to be registered with your unique sign in issued with your invitation to attend for your jab. Which protects patient confidentiality. It arrives as a pdf or by mail.

From 1st October you will not be able to attend large gatherings or nightclubs unless you can show it. The obvious next move was to create the app. No certificate or passport, no entry.

So it's your choice to continue to not be vacinnated. Will be written into law in Scotland just like face coverings. Since it was approved by the Government a couple of weeks ago.


The app is the equivalent of the EU App
and brings it into line with their digital one. Meantime the paper one with the QR code is accepted as a fit to fly certificate if you want to go on holiday.

The QR code doesn’t even register and I have an iPhone, not the point really regardless of it’s brought in line with the EU app if we are going down that route it should have been done in the beginning not now.
Just to add but they are scrapping the whole paper certificate unless someone requests it - so why implement something to be later scrapped? Money wasted that could be going somewhere else or for the sake of the NHS money back to them for what they need.

Well we live and learn and now we know Covid isn’t the apocalypse we can definitely relax and go back to normal.

Last night on the tube I would say it was roughly 20-30% mask usage, which is great to see, we need more people to take back normality and not rely on the government to give us it back.

It also confirmed that another lockdown wouldn’t be tolerated, venues may shut but people will gather in other ways regardless, the feeling is very different from last year.

Covid passports are nothing more than a security blanket that has zero health benefits.

Though I see Blair has crawled out from under his rock again to voice his support for ID cards … I mean Covid Passports, if there’s one thing I’ve learnt that anything he voices his support to, most people go the opposite way, the man is a poison chalice who is beyond contempt.

In terms of Blair I’m surprised the media still give him light after the Iraq war of the 00s but still media like to glorify certain people and their lines of thoughts, maybe it is true that both media and politicians are indeed corrupt? (just to point out it’s opinion not stating as fact)
 
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92002

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The QR code doesn’t even register and I have an iPhone, not the point really regardless of it’s brought in line with the EU app if we are going down that route it should have been done in the beginning not now
Seemed to register fine with EU entry passport check a couple of weeks ago.
 

kez19

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Seemed to register fine with EU entry passport check a couple of weeks ago.

It only worked with certain apps - the France one I believe but it didn’t work on the NHS verifier but if I was to be required this in England I wouldn’t have gained entry (not that I go to pubs or nightclubs but that’s just the point), the app should have been universal in the UK

Regarding app: what works for you might not for others.
 

35B

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It only worked with certain apps - the France one I believe but it didn’t work on the NHS verifier but if I was to be required this in England I wouldn’t have gained entry (not that I go to pubs or nightclubs but that’s just the point), the app should have been universal in the UK

Regarding app: what works for you might not for others.
I think the devolution settlement is for a different thread - but as health is a devolved matter, it was always going to be the case that each nation in the UK would do their own thing.
 

92002

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It only worked with certain apps - the France one I believe but it didn’t work on the NHS verifier but if I was to be required this in England I wouldn’t have gained entry (not that I go to pubs or nightclubs but that’s just the point), the app should have been universal in the UK

Regarding app: what works for you might not for others.
My EU journey was not to France and I got in.

Seems the app work has ready been done and will no doubt be sold to any other country. Unfortunately health is a devolved function. So each country can do their own thing. Just like lateral flow tests bring accepted in England, with the other 3 countries insisting on PCR tests. No matter whether they are more expensive they are more accurate.
 

kez19

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I think the devolution settlement is for a different thread - but as health is a devolved matter, it was always going to be the case that each nation in the UK would do their own thing.

I know that health is devolved I’ve known that for a while however this should have been an exception if that was the case but yes let’s play politics and point scoring than working together? I guess people are happy with this setup then, I been vaccinated I visit somewhere else in UK I can be refused entry but no one seems to care?

My EU journey was not to France and I got in.

Seems the app work has ready been done and will no doubt be sold to any other country. Unfortunately health is a devolved function. So each country can do their own thing. Just like lateral flow tests bring accepted in England, with the other 3 countries insisting on PCR tests. No matter whether they are more expensive they are more accurate.

I was only pointing out where one app accepted a code I wasn’t implying you had gone to France.

I was pointing out that say I tried entering a venue in England with what I have I could be refused whilst everyone else seems to care more about going abroad for people like myself that prefers to holiday in the UK do people not see barriers being put up or do we just stick our heads in the sand?
 
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NorthKent1989

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The government will only intervene if they feel the situation is getting out of control. However I don't think you can speak for others in the way you have by saying the feeling is very different to last year.

And how would the situation get out of control? Okay we have to live with Covid simple as, I think you’ll be disappointed to learn that most people are moving on from Covid, the only people who are still scared are the doom-mongers who for some bizarre reason are adverse to normality.

The fact is we are in a much different and better place than last year, people are getting vaccinated, we have been living with Covid restriction free for nearly three months now and there’s been no disaster, so I am correct in saying that the feeling is indeed very different from last year.
 

Philip

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And how would the situation get out of control? Okay we have to live with Covid simple as, I think you’ll be disappointed to learn that most people are moving on from Covid, the only people who are still scared are the doom-mongers who for some bizarre reason are adverse to normality.

The fact is we are in a much different and better place than last year, people are getting vaccinated, we have been living with Covid restriction free for nearly three months now and there’s been no disaster, so I am correct in saying that the feeling is indeed very different from last year.

It's not a case of being scared or hysterical, some people just want to continue to be cautious while it's so soon and while cases are still high. It might be that only time will gradually see a return to 'normality' as you define it.

It's not all good either compared with a year ago; the roads are ridiculously busy throughout the day now, food; gas and electricity bills are soaring, pubs and bars are often packed or fully booked in the evenings (more so than 2 years ago) which isn't much good if you can't get in or prefer a quiet few drinks or meal - I don't blame the government for this either.
 

bramling

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It's not a case of being scared or hysterical, some people just want to continue to be cautious while it's so soon and while cases are still high. It might be that only time will gradually see a return to 'normality' as you define it.

It's not all good either compared with a year ago; the roads are ridiculously busy throughout the day now, food; gas and electricity bills are soaring, pubs and bars are often packed or fully booked in the evenings (more so than 2 years ago) which isn't much good if you can't get in or prefer a quiet few drinks or meal - I don't blame the government for this either.

You’re right, it isn’t all good now compared to a year ago - and the reason? Because some people *want* this to continue.

It’s unfortunately the case that all of us are going to get this at some point or other, and there’s still plenty of millions of people who haven’t had it. We can either spend our entire life dodging the inevitable, or just get on with it.

A lot of the people claiming we need to be cautious are rather selective in this - cautious when it comes to things like performing their full range or work tasks or attending their workplace, but not so cautious about going to the pub or restaurants.
 

NorthKent1989

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It's not a case of being scared or hysterical, some people just want to continue to be cautious while it's so soon and while cases are still high. It might be that only time will gradually see a return to 'normality' as you define it.

It's not all good either compared with a year ago; the roads are ridiculously busy throughout the day now, food gas and electricity bills are soaring, pubs and bars are often packed or fully booked in the evenings (more so than 2 years ago) which isn't much good if you can't get in or prefer a quiet few drinks or meal.

That’s fine they can be cautious but they shouldn’t expect others to put their lives on hold any longer than necessary, 18 months is quite enough of my life to give up and I won’t give up anymore of it.

I for one am quite happy at how busy hospitality has been even if it does mean queues, it means that most people do want to go back to normal.
 

35B

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I know that health is devolved I’ve known that for a while however this should have been an exception if that was the case but yes let’s play politics and point scoring than working together? I guess people are happy with this setup then, I been vaccinated I visit somewhere else in UK I can be refused entry but no one seems to care?
You may be surprised to know that I agree - as a resident of England, I'd quite like it if when I'm treated in Scotland, the doctor treating me could see my history, and update that history as easily as a doctor back home; that strikes me as an example of where being in the UK ought to be an advantage. But fixing this is something that falls in the bucket marked "constitutional change" which is not easily done in response to an emergency.

Whether you like it or not*, devolution of health means a lot more than just whether Whitehall or Holyrood is in charge - the inability of the Scottish app to cope with non-Scottish vaccinations will have a lot to do with the ability to integrate a variety of different databases quickly and efficiently. Now, that's the sort of thing that can be dealt with given the right circumstances, but in the middle of a crisis where it would add complexity and time to an urgent project, that was never very likely.

* - if you don't like it, and voted for a pro-independence party, you possibly ought to reflect on the implications of that choice.

You’re right, it isn’t all good now compared to a year ago - and the reason? Because some people *want* this to continue.

It’s unfortunately the case that all of us are going to get this at some point or other, and there’s still plenty of millions of people who haven’t had it. We can either spend our entire life dodging the inevitable, or just get on with it.

A lot of the people claiming we need to be cautious are rather selective in this - cautious when it comes to things like performing their full range or work tasks or attending their workplace, but not so cautious about going to the pub or restaurants.
I'd be fascinated to know who these people are, because I've not come across them. Those I've come across have been consistent about their attitude to risk whether considering work or their social life; slackers have continued to look for excuses and the hard working to have worked hard.

As someone who both has respect for the public health balance that the government has tried to strike, and also wishes to live normally, I find your repeated assertions that the cautious are only cautious because they somehow enjoy restrictions very offensive - and your repeated harking on about people who work from home as downright ignorant.
 
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43066

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As someone who both has respect for the public health balance that the government has tried to strike, and also wishes to live normally, I find your repeated assertions that the cautious are only cautious because they somehow enjoy restrictions very offensive - and your repeated harking on about people who work from home as downright ignorant.

That’s a little harsh. The poster hasn’t said *all* cautious people are in that category, but clearly some will be. Just as there are undoubtedly people who like seeing people being restricted from understanding activities they enjoy.

The guy who lives near a station popular with spotters (Acton Bridge?) and was calling the police on them during lockdown being a case in point - and the tip of a very small iceberg. The restrictions have certainly acted as a license for curtain twitchers and busybodies to settle scores.
 

Philip

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That’s fine they can be cautious but they shouldn’t expect others to put their lives on hold any longer than necessary, 18 months is quite enough of my life to give up and I won’t give up anymore of it.

I for one am quite happy at how busy hospitality has been even if it does mean queues, it means that most people do want to go back to normal.

You haven't given up your life for 18 months, to say this and that life has been on hold for this amount of time is nonsense.
 

92002

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I know that health is devolved I’ve known that for a while however this should have been an exception if that was the case but yes let’s play politics and point scoring than working together? I guess people are happy with this setup then, I been vaccinated I visit somewhere else in UK I can be refused entry but no one seems to care?



I was only pointing out where one app accepted a code I wasn’t implying you had gone to France.

I was pointing out that say I tried entering a venue in England with what I have I could be refused whilst everyone else seems to care more about going abroad for people like myself that prefers to holiday in the UK do people not see barriers being put up or do we just stick our heads in the sand?
Couldn't comment on what England do, however they don't want passports.
 

kez19

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You may be surprised to know that I agree - as a resident of England, I'd quite like it if when I'm treated in Scotland, the doctor treating me could see my history, and update that history as easily as a doctor back home; that strikes me as an example of where being in the UK ought to be an advantage. But fixing this is something that falls in the bucket marked "constitutional change" which is not easily done in response to an emergency.

Whether you like it or not*, devolution of health means a lot more than just whether Whitehall or Holyrood is in charge - the inability of the Scottish app to cope with non-Scottish vaccinations will have a lot to do with the ability to integrate a variety of different databases quickly and efficiently. Now, that's the sort of thing that can be dealt with given the right circumstances, but in the middle of a crisis where it would add complexity and time to an urgent project, that was never very likely.

* - if you don't like it, and voted for a pro-independence party, you possibly ought to reflect on the implications of that choice.


I'd be fascinated to know who these people are, because I've not come across them. Those I've come across have been consistent about their attitude to risk whether considering work or their social life; slackers have continued to look for excuses and the hard working to have worked hard.

As someone who both has respect for the public health balance that the government has tried to strike, and also wishes to live normally, I find your repeated assertions that the cautious are only cautious because they somehow enjoy restrictions very offensive - and your repeated harking on about people who work from home as downright ignorant.

To give you a sense of reality I had to be taken to hospital in Newcastle couple years ago, I couldn’t be found on the system (I wonder why?), luckily enough give the paramedics the credit they found me so I must be on an external source to be found? I don’t know the NHS system but you would think regardless of devolution this could have been one thing that is at least universal regardless where you stay in the UK.

Couldn't comment on what England do, however they don't want passports.

I am aware of what England wants but if that situation had arisen for me what would you do?

You haven't given up your life for 18 months, to say this and that life has been on hold for this amount of time is nonsense.

What about visiting people that have family abroad? I guess that’s ok but once again it’s ok for the likes of Boris and Piers Morgan to tell us it’s a no go? Maybe we should ask them to give up their 18 months so we can have ours yes?

Giving up activities: during the time locked up (mind I’m in Scotland restrictions were longer than England) I wasn’t able to but began feeling unmotivated but did we see the governments encouraging people to go out? Of course not it was the opposite - stay away if you see someone (actions have consequences and I believe these actions from our governments are catching up with them now)

18 months on: am I able to go and see my GP pre COVID? Answer to date: nope - yet I am meant to go and see about something that’s important to me which I believe is 2022? Am I likely to get an appointment? Of course not but let’s add that 18 months on to my 2 year waiting list and let’s see how I get on?
 
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Yew

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You haven't given up your life for 18 months, to say this and that life has been on hold for this amount of time is nonsense.
No, those months have been take by force, not given up.
 

NorthKent1989

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You haven't given up your life for 18 months, to say this and that life has been on hold for this amount of time is nonsense.

Actually I think you find we have given up 18 months of our lives, 18 months of creating new experiences, I’ve had over a year of online learning when instead I could have been with my mates studying in the library which actually would have made our projects a lot easier and I’m certain many feel the same way, we’ve had to give up seeing our families and friends to “save” a dying health service.

Sorry but your comment is utter nonsense, maybe you personally haven’t felt you’ve given up 18 months but don’t speak for me.

No, those months have been take by force, not given up.

Spot on.
 

bramling

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You may be surprised to know that I agree - as a resident of England, I'd quite like it if when I'm treated in Scotland, the doctor treating me could see my history, and update that history as easily as a doctor back home; that strikes me as an example of where being in the UK ought to be an advantage. But fixing this is something that falls in the bucket marked "constitutional change" which is not easily done in response to an emergency.

Whether you like it or not*, devolution of health means a lot more than just whether Whitehall or Holyrood is in charge - the inability of the Scottish app to cope with non-Scottish vaccinations will have a lot to do with the ability to integrate a variety of different databases quickly and efficiently. Now, that's the sort of thing that can be dealt with given the right circumstances, but in the middle of a crisis where it would add complexity and time to an urgent project, that was never very likely.

* - if you don't like it, and voted for a pro-independence party, you possibly ought to reflect on the implications of that choice.


I'd be fascinated to know who these people are, because I've not come across them. Those I've come across have been consistent about their attitude to risk whether considering work or their social life; slackers have continued to look for excuses and the hard working to have worked hard.

As someone who both has respect for the public health balance that the government has tried to strike, and also wishes to live normally, I find your repeated assertions that the cautious are only cautious because they somehow enjoy restrictions very offensive - and your repeated harking on about people who work from home as downright ignorant.

I didn’t say *everyone* is being cautious for nefarious reasons. There are clearly people who need to be, and I’m sure they are doing exactly that.

But just as last year we had “cyclists stop panting your germs through our village”, I’m sick of reading and hearing locally about how dangerous it is to be being dragged back to the workplace. Note that this is people who clearly *aren’t* being offered the ability to work at home otherwise they wouldn’t be bleating on about it.

If not now, then when?

You haven't given up your life for 18 months, to say this and that life has been on hold for this amount of time is nonsense.

For children who have had their once-in-a-lifetime exams disrupted or students who have had their once-in-a-lifetime university disrupted, they have been forced to give up a lot. Likewise people whose pastimes are a little more sophisticated than doing laps of the local park.

None of this should be dismissed lightly. Last March as an emergency measure was one thing, but we shouldn’t be even thinking about doing it a fourth time.

And it isn’t just about the things which make life worth living. How many cancer diagnoses are continuing to be missed because people are being fobbed off by their GP? Should we be forcibly giving that up too?
 
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Philip

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It's still an exaggeration to suggest life has been put on hold, inconvenienced yes but even the time during the lockdowns in the UK was still a life people from many other countries would consider luxury and with reasonable liberties; it also encouraged people to try more healthy leisure past times such as walking, running, appreciating nature etc. It is just that people weren't prepared for it, but we always knew it would only be temporary.
 

35B

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To give you a sense of reality I had to be taken to hospital in Newcastle couple years ago, I couldn’t be found on the system (I wonder why?), luckily enough give the paramedics the credit they found me so I must be on an external source to be found? I don’t know the NHS system but you would think regardless of devolution this could have been one thing that is at least universal regardless where you stay in the UK.
Nor do I know much of NHS IT, except that I'm pleasantly surprised when it works well! I do work in the IT industry (not in any kind of technical role), and one thing I've learned in my 25 years there is that getting systems to talk to each other reliably is much more challenging than you'd think from outside. It has to be thought about carefully and early, and if missed, becomes a real sod to put right - there's a good reason why the industry has job titles like "architect" and "engineer".

However, and as a unionist it grieves me to write this, there is no point in devolving powers if that isn't accompanied by the ability to make changes to suit local circumstances. Health is devolved, so we should not be surprised that things work differently between the four nations. If I'm going to criticise anything about the divergence of Covid apps, it is that the Scottish system wasn't specifically required to consider the possibility of people crossing the border for treatment or vaccination. Once that decision had been made/fallen into, the rest we've seen follows as night follows day.

It's still an exaggeration to suggest life has been put on hold, inconvenienced yes but even the time during the lockdowns in the UK was still a life people from many other countries would consider luxury and with reasonable liberties; it also encouraged people to try more healthy leisure past times such as walking, running, appreciating nature etc. It is just that people weren't prepared for it, but we always knew it would only be temporary.
I disagree with @bramling and others quite strongly about the reasonableness of responses to Covid. However, I know from my own experience and that of others, that the last 18 months have involved putting life on partial hold - and I'm relatively lucky in my circumstances. There are legitimate arguments for the policies that have been followed, but defending them on the basis that somehow life hasn't been put on hold is not one of them. The case for the pandemic responses followed can only be based on the basis of harm minimisation arguments; denying that the pandemic response has involved and continues to involve harms is simply not credible.
 
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NorthKent1989

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It's still an exaggeration to suggest life has been put on hold, inconvenienced yes but even the time during the lockdowns in the UK was still a life people from many other countries would consider luxury and with reasonable liberties; it also encouraged people to try more healthy leisure past times such as walking, running, appreciating nature etc. It is just that people weren't prepared for it, but we always knew it would only be temporary.

Try explaining this to people with missed cancer appointments, those struggling with mental health and couldn’t cope any longer, what might be considered a mere exaggeration to you might be a massive Boulder to others
 

nedchester

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I disagree with @bramling and others quite strongly about the reasonableness of responses to Covid. However, I know from my own experience and that of others, that the last 18 months have involved putting life on partial hold - and I'm relatively lucky in my circumstances. There are legitimate arguments for the policies that have been followed, but defending them on the basis that somehow life hasn't been put on hold is not one of them. The case for the pandemic responses followed can only be based on the basis of harm minimisation arguments; denying that the pandemic response has involved and continues to involve harms is simply not credible.
I think we are at the stage where people have had enough of putting their lives on hold. Since July 19th people have gradually learned (in the main) to live life as they did pre-March 2020. They have had enough, it is why the streets are crowded, the pubs busy and public transport getting busier. Mask wearing is getting less not because people believe they don't work but because want to get back to some kind of normality. Masks to many are a sign of the inconveniences and restrictions of the last 18 months.
 

Philip

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I did acknowledge inconveniences and some people have suffered more than others, but I would associate phrases like 'life on hold' and 'giving up 18 months' more with being under literal house arrest or in jail, or stuck in hospital for ages for example.

It irritates me to read people implying they've had no life during this time when it's an exaggeration.
 
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