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22nd February - Roadmap out of the pandemic, lifting of restrictions.

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317 forever

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I was on an SRO Thameslink train today (which I can barely remember pre Covid). Never been so pleased to see it to be honest...

The Charing X branch of the northern line is still several times busier than the Bank branch though (I skipped a Charing train at Edgware and got an empty Bank train instead!). I’m really looking forward to the W&C reopening, that’ll be a watershed moment I think, considering that didn’t even reopen last summer. We’re now up to 13 months of closure on that.
The reopening of the Waterloo & City Line could be a Watershed moment. It could also be a Bankshed moment :lol:
 
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johnnychips

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At Sheffield station today, the train to Manchester via Huddersfield (diversions going on) was subsigned with ‘social distancing may not be possible’. (As opposed to ‘we might not let you on’) and frustratingly every pub I walked past today‘s yard/beer garden was full - with the exception of the Barrel Inn at Bretton. The landlord was erecting a marquee and asked if I wanted a pint. Unfortunately it was 1115.
 

Bantamzen

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Sorry - as a GSS statistician going to stick up for the presentation here.

It is a perfectly valid way of presenting data on a chart whose sole purpose is to tell you the relative performance between different areas at a given point in time.

Using the same colour scheme today as you did in January when you had rates as high as 1,600 per 100,000 would just be pointless - For an example of how silly that looks take a look at the London Data Store graphs on prevalence - https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/coronavirus--covid-19--cases - since end of January the graph is just purple for all boroughs which tells you nothing.

Now if you had the two charts side-by-side in a single publication that would be a different story

And while it is cute to think that politicians are telling statisticians what colours to make things on charts that really isn't a thing.
Oh yes it is.
 

C J Snarzell

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I've seen some really busy places in the last week since the restrictions on non-essential businesses were eased.

I paid my dad a visit yesterday as it was a nice sunny day and I was able to sit in his garden and maintain social distancing.

We raised the topic of the 21st June which is only nine weeks away. Our conversation was something along the lines of 'will social distance restrictions really end then?'

I've seen loads and loads face mask wearing people queuing outside banks, sandwich shops, pubs and the local Tesco Extra in the last few days.

As much as I'm eager to get back to 'normal' can any of us expect we suddenly won't be doing this come midnight on the 20th June?

CJ
 

duncanp

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As much as I'm eager to get back to 'normal' can any of us expect we suddenly won't be doing this come midnight on the 20th June?

CJ

There will always be some people who are going to carry on wearing masks and social distancing after 21st June, or whatever the date is when they are no longer mandatory.

In some ways this is hardly surprising, as we have been so conditioned by fearmongering over the past year or so.

However the number of people wearing masks and social distancing is likely to decrease slowly over time.
 

bengley

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I went to a pub yesterday which had no free tables so they placed us at a table with another group! It was quite surreal, but refreshing. (No social distancing from the other group)
 

C J Snarzell

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I went to a pub yesterday which had no free tables so they placed us at a table with another group! It was quite surreal, but refreshing. (No social distancing from the other group)

The local pub near me has erected a marquee to cater for outside service and they have used the car park to set up extra seating.

On Friday evening and yesterday, there must have been at least 200 people there making the most of the sunshine. However, there was no social distancing going on and it was a typical scene one might expect to see on a bank holiday pre-covid. Most of those present, when I drove past were 'youngsters' - hardly any older folk.

I have a feeling many of the younger generation will simply flit back to normality instantly while those from my parents generation will probably continue to take extra care when they go 'out & about' post the 21st June.

CJ
 

brad465

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This is one of my local pubs in Maidstone this weekend, with queues on the order of "hundreds" apparently to get back:


A huge queue of people were seen eagerly waiting to enter a pub in Maidstone - but images showed they weren't exactly social distancing.

The Brenchley pub in Maidstone's town centre has attracted lots of attention from the locals, as an astonishing amount of people waited to enter.

It is the first weekend people are able to visit the pubs since lockdown began three months ago.

Although apparent "officers" were supervising the queue, it appears social distancing regulations weren't being followed to the letter.

A resident, who did not wish to be named, told KentLive: "My wife nipped in to Maidstone today and observed the queue outside The Brenchley.

"What's the point of a socially distanced pub without a socially distanced queue to get in? Officers were supervising though."

The scenes outside The Brenchley in Maidstone Town Centre yesterday (April 16)

Despite the easing of lockdown restrictions on Monday (April 12), the government is still maintaining social distancing regulations, and that of wearing masks, in place until late summer.
 

Baxenden Bank

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This is one of my local pubs in Maidstone this weekend, with queues on the order of "hundreds" apparently to get back:

Why?

Why on earth would you queue for a length of time to get into a pub (or other facility?). A short queue with a few minutes wait, possibly worth the wait. Does the pub have such a fantastic offer it is worth queueing for ie unlimited free beer and snacks?
 

yorksrob

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It could be a function of whether many pubs locally are still shut.

I seem to recall that West Malling has a smattering of nice looking pubs. If it were me, I'd hop on the train there (pun intended).

Seriously though. Even a simpleton could tell that if you halve the number of pubs then halve the space within the remaining half of pubs, there's going to be competition for space. Not SAGE it seems.
 

Ediswan

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This is one of my local pubs in Maidstone this weekend, with queues on the order of "hundreds" apparently to get back:

I see that web site has fallen for the ruse that social distancing in a public place is a regulation. It isn't. It is advice.
 

Bikeman78

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I see that web site has fallen for the ruse that social distancing in a public place is a regulation. It isn't. It is advice.
Exactly. Also there is no legal requirement to wear masks anywhere outside. Given that the people are standing on a public street, it's difficult to see how the pub can force them to do anything.
 

Nicholas Lewis

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Hancock surfaced after lying low for a few weeks and giving a Coronavirus statement at 3.30 in HoC.

Expect the rhetoric of hospitalisations remain at high level, we must remain cautious, that the Indian variant is now a significant threat of course after the the Brazil P1 variant failed to provide the threat forecast a few months back and what will he say on foreign holidays I wonder.
 

takno

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Hancock surfaced after lying low for a few weeks and giving a Coronavirus statement at 3.30 in HoC.

Expect the rhetoric of hospitalisations remain at high level, we must remain cautious, that the Indian variant is now a significant threat of course after the the Brazil P1 variant failed to provide the threat forecast a few months back and what will he say on foreign holidays I wonder.
I think on foreign holidays he'll say that he's looking forward to going to Cornwall, and that since the Notting Hill set have already given up on their cottages in Perugia you can certainly forget your week in Malaga or whatever godforsaken place it is that the likes of you goes to smash up every year. What's more you should all get back in your boxes and pay proper fearful respect to his variants.
 

brad465

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Switzerland appear to recognise that rising cases is not an immediate concern, as while they are rising there, they're still going ahead with easing restrictions, citing vaccine rollout success continuing and hospitals not being an immediate concern:


There is plenty of room for social distancing outside the Swiss parliament in BernImage caption: There is plenty of room for social distancing outside the Swiss parliament in Bern

Switzerland has begun relaxing Covid-19 restrictions, even though case numbers are rising.

Bars and restaurants will be able to reopen outdoor terraces, some university teaching can resume, and even gyms and cinemas can open as long as strict safety measures are observed.

Switzerland is alone in Europe in relaxing restrictions while Covid infections are rising. The government says the move is justified because they are rising very slowly, the vaccination programme is speeding up, and hospitals are not over burdened.

But the government’s own scientists say the risk is considerable and public opinion is divided.

If it works, Switzerland could emerge from the pandemic crisis relatively unscathed in comparison to its neighbours. If it doesn’t, and the third wave takes off, the Swiss are in for a very difficult summer.

This shows that we don't need to worry about infection rises ourselves, and if we continue the roadmap despite rising cases we won't be the only ones to do so, but it's a question of the Government and/or the CRG deploying a backbone to stand up to SAGE and the loud restriction lovers.
 

initiation

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A pub landlord not holding much back against Starmer on a visit.

If I was a pub landlord where say Matt Hancock was going on holiday I would be baring him from my pub, and encouraging others to do the same.
 

kristiang85

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A pub landlord not holding much back against Starmer on a visit.

If I was a pub landlord where say Matt Hancock was going on holiday I would be baring him from my pub, and encouraging others to do the same.

Good to see. There is a lot of anger out there.

Interesting to see today that all opposition party leaders signed a letter calling for an inquiry into Johnson's dishonesty... well, all signed it apart from Starmer. I really do wonder what the point of Labour is right now; they are just aiding and abetting the Conservative party's agenda it seems.
 

brad465

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A pub landlord not holding much back against Starmer on a visit.

If I was a pub landlord where say Matt Hancock was going on holiday I would be baring him from my pub, and encouraging others to do the same.

Good to see. There is a lot of anger out there.

Interesting to see today that all opposition party leaders signed a letter calling for an inquiry into Johnson's dishonesty... well, all signed it apart from Starmer. I really do wonder what the point of Labour is right now; they are just aiding and abetting the Conservative party's agenda it seems.
I do wonder how much this will be manipulated as a Labour failure in general to try and boost the Tories, even though they are at least as guilty of implementing all the lockdown policies. The BBC have this video on with the title "Starmer told to leave pub over lockdown policies", which is what happened, but any Tory supporter using this to their advantage has no moral high ground on this issue.
 

yorksrob

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I think it would be very difficult for the Tories to gain advantage from this sentiment, given they've introduced lockdown. I'm sure they'll try though.
 

Dent

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I do wonder how much this will be manipulated as a Labour failure in general to try and boost the Tories, even though they are at least as guilty of implementing all the lockdown policies.

Given that Labour's failure was not standing up to the Tories, that's hardly a selling point for the Tories.
 

brad465

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Just 4 deaths reported today, which while a weekend lag figure is the lowest since August, when 3 or 4 was occasionally reported.
 

initiation

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Good to see. There is a lot of anger out there.

Interesting to see today that all opposition party leaders signed a letter calling for an inquiry into Johnson's dishonesty... well, all signed it apart from Starmer. I really do wonder what the point of Labour is right now; they are just aiding and abetting the Conservative party's agenda it seems.

I see the labour party have now branded the publican as 'spreading dangerous misinformation'
 

Ediswan

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What misinformation did he spread?
That is the cunning plan Cast doubt about something an opponent has said, without being specific about what is objected to, in the hope that everything they have said will be discredited.
 

Nicholas Lewis

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Just 4 deaths reported today, which while a weekend lag figure is the lowest since August, when 3 or 4 was occasionally reported.
England hospitalisation reported after weekend today now stands at 1782 for an 18% weekly drop. There has been the usual Monday uptick after a weekend but its slightly higher than it has been over the last few weeks and consistent across all regions so one to watch.
 

takno

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What misinformation did he spread?
I don't think he did spread any, and I think Keir's performance was absolutely dreadful and really reveals that he isn't playing a long game - he's just a self-satisfied twit who 100% agrees with Boris and doesn't care about gathering opinions from beyond his own household.

The landlord did made a bit of a mess of his argument though. Leading with masks in schools, which is a lost argument unless you've got 20 minutes to have it in, and which doesn't have any relevance to pubs. It's also not fantastic to concentrate on the age of the victims when the argument for lockdown was always NHS capacity. Going with the suicides, the misery, the needless extra just-in-case months of this endless lockdown, and the failure to gather or properly assess any statistics would be more useful.

Labour couldn't have done a lot, but they could have pressed for a wider spectrum of scientific opinion on SAGE, and demanded proper justification from the government rather than meaningless soundbites.
 
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