Covid restrictions abroad: updates & observations

[Peterthegreat]

The announcement states that they are being instructed to do this.

I wouldn't be so sure - the current Irish government are always looking for brownie points from the EU (who say this is unnecessary) and would hate to be seen to be following the UK.

But it looks like Spain, France and Italy will also place restrictions on arrivals from China.

 

[johnnychips]

Can I ask a question that I haven’t seen an answer to (though no doubt it has been fifteen posts back)?

What variant is current in China? If it is the Alpha, we have had this in the UK for ages, (erm…is there one in between), or the Omicron, in which case it is mild and loads of people got it last year anyway? Or is it a shock horror new strain, which my lack of knowledge of the Greek alphabet precludes me from predicting.

I cannot express how annoyed I am by this, but at least it stops people thinking about record inflation (energy, food, mortgage rates), the threat of war, the Health Service, a Winter of Discontent, and so on.

 

[yorkie]

An updated Omicron.

 

[johnnychips]

An updated Omicron.

Thank you. Blimey, if their almost three-year lockdown had worked that well, they should still be on Alpha, which is what I was wondering!

 

[Peterthegreat]

Apparently Omicron BF.7.
This is believed to have caused the surge in China. It was first recorded in the UK in October and it then accounted for around 7% of cases tested. It has not increased and has since been de escalated as a potential threat.

 

[Citybreak1]

My fear is cancelling my holidays again. Traveled fine in 2022 to go back the way is a disaster. I wouldn’t be travelling anywhere that requires testing. I am sure most of these mobile airport testing sites got shut down or scaled back. So much for living with covid longest pandemic in history.

Simon Calder begging for more restrictions on Twitter. 2020 all over again.

 

[Bungle73]

It’s obvious why this happening. Government needs a distraction is why.

 

[Citybreak1]

It’s obvious why this happening. Government needs a distraction is why.

They have been pushing out new narratives every week since 2020. What happened to the winter blackouts and pubs closing at 9pm?

 

[Lampshade]

An updated Omicron.

I was going to say isn’t it just Omicron? In which case any measures will do… zip.

 

[MikeWM]

They have been pushing out new narratives every week since 2020. What happened to the winter blackouts and pubs closing at 9pm?

Not to mention the monkeypox, the bird flu, the polio in the sewers, the immigrants bringing in diptheria, the RSV, the continual threats of bad flu...

Plus the energy shortages, the 'fuel shortages' last October, the supply chain disruptions, the two carbon dioxide shortages, the recent antibiotic shortages, and no doubt a hundred other things I've forgotten.

All on top of a continual background of a slow-motion economic catastrophe, an ongoing war that no-one appears to have any interest in trying to end, and a climate crisis.

It is all getting very pathetic. The media and the government seem to be constantly competing as to which can create the most fear and uncertainty in the population, in both cases seemingly to try and distract us from what a terrible job they are doing at the things they are actually supposed to be doing.

Going back to trying to stir up baseless panic about covid, particularly covid from China, is very difficult to look at as anything other than an expression of 'this is just about the only thing that's really worked recently to divide the population and distract it from examining what we're doing, let's see if we can get away with it again.'

 

[island]

Guess the ROI will as well.

I don't think so, for reasons including that Ireland doesn't have direct flights from China.

 

[adc82140]

I think far too much is being read in to all of this. It's not the first step back to lockdown. It's not the first step to cancelling everyone's holiday. It's a purely political move by certain countries to enact their "revenge" against China. Utterly childish, but what else do we expect from our current political classes worldwide.

 

[duncanp]

I think far too much is being read in to all of this. It's not the first step back to lockdown. It's not the first step to cancelling everyone's holiday. It's a purely political move by certain countries to enact their "revenge" against China. Utterly childish, but what else do we expect from our current political classes worldwide.

I think you are right.

Most Western governments are well aware that their populations would not tolerate a return to large scale restrictions, not least because we are now all fully aware of the economic consequences, which we will have to live with for years to come.

It is precisley because the people of China are thoroughly <expletive deleted> off with the harsh COVID restrictions there that the Chinese government has been forced to abandon its zero COVID policy and let people travel again.

 

[Ian Cunningham]

Can I ask a question that I haven’t seen an answer to (though no doubt it has been fifteen posts back)?

What variant is current in China? If it is the Alpha, we have had this in the UK for ages, (erm…is there one in between), or the Omicron, in which case it is mild and loads of people got it last year anyway? Or is it a shock horror new strain, which my lack of knowledge of the Greek alphabet precludes me from predicting.

I cannot express how annoyed I am by this, but at least it stops people thinking about record inflation (energy, food, mortgage rates), the threat of war, the Health Service, a Winter of Discontent, and so on.

A useful thing from the Italian policy of PCR on arrival is they are sequencing the positive tests in their labs and initial findings show it to be all existing Omnicron variants so nothing really to worry about.

The Italian PM, Giorgia Meloni, said at a press conference Thursday (29th) that Italy had already sequenced half of the samples tested in Milan and they all show the omicron strain of the coronavirus.
“This is quite reassuring,” she said . “The situation in Italy is under control, and there are no immediate concerns.”

What will probably be seen as a concern to the public (or will be spun that way) is a high level of infection of arrivals from China (over 50% on one flight into Milan), even though it's Omnicron and the absolute number of infections is low

 

[nw1]

I think this is partly true. Listening to LBC I hear the majority of young (university age) callers are just desperate for this nonsense to persist. One such caller suggested that 2020-esque paranoia should prevail year round to stop the flu!

Really? Given they're in an extremely low risk group, and given how much lockdown messed up their experience of university life in 2020/21, I would be very, very surprised indeed.

I would expect the biggest lockdown sceptics to be people aged around 18-25, and also people aged around 45-60, but for different reasons. The former because lockdown has impacted upon their experience as a young person and may be harming their job prospects, and the latter (which I am a member of) because the impacts of the economic after-effects are eating away at our remaining working life.

 

[yorkie]

What will probably be seen as a concern to the public (or will be spun that way) is a high level of infection of arrivals from China (over 50% on one flight into Milan), even though it's Omnicron and the absolute number of infections is low

Yes, it will be seen as a concern by people who lack understanding, but anyone who has a basic understanding of this matter will not be concerned.

People like Tony Blackburn for example, who are about as clueless as you can possibly get.

Really? Given they're in an extremely low risk group, and given how much lockdown messed up their experience of university life in 2020/21, I would be very, very surprised indeed.

Logic doesn't come into it for these sort of people. The problem is some people of University age are very left-wing and the far left have a tendency to panic over Covid. This is far more the case in the extremely politically polarised US than it is in the UK, but it's still a bit of a thing over here, and is particularly visible in the cesspool that is Twitter, where the far left appear to be particularly active.

I reject that the moderate left wants restrictions; it's not a mainstream view at all. But those with such views are very vocal.

 

[class68fan]

I dont know what you are getting excited about.

It make sence to test people coming from China. We not know much about what is happening their.

If it were lockdown
quarintine hotel and more I would understand.

 

[Dent]

It make sence to test people coming from China. We not know much about what is happening their.

Why does it "make sense" when it is already endemic here?

 

[Lampshade]

I dont know what you are getting excited about.

It make sence to test people coming from China. We not know much about what is happening their.

If it were lockdown
quarintine hotel and more I would understand.

Because it’s a total waste of time, effort and money (unless you’re a Tory donor), it’s the same variant that is endemic pretty much everywhere else.

 

[philosopher]

I think far too much is being read in to all of this. It's not the first step back to lockdown. It's not the first step to cancelling everyone's holiday. It's a purely political move by certain countries to enact their "revenge" against China. Utterly childish, but what else do we expect from our current political classes worldwide.

I agree, I think restrictions on travellers from China will be as far as it goes. I do think the usual suspects such as Christina Pagel will be advocating that all overseas travellers are tested but their demands will be ignored, partly due to pressure from the travel industry.

 

[johncrossley]

I presume the border force will have virtually zero responsibility for enforcing restrictions from China and any test checking will be done by the airline at check-in abroad.

 

[bengley]

Personally I don't care if a load of COVID riddled Chinese citizens enter the country. We have plenty of COVID riddled Brits walking around (quite rightly) like it doesn't matter anymore so why should the Chinese be any different?

 

[Hans]

It is a case of being seen to do something rather than being accused of doing nothing, or doing it too late? It is just the normal MSM hysteria aided and abetted by groups who thrive on the whole covid narrative. Sometimes doing nothing is the best option.

 

[class68fan]

Why does it "make sense" when it is already endemic here?

China has been almost close and we dont get proper information from there. Far better to cheque what type is being got there.

 

[Dent]

China has been almost close and we dont get proper information from there. Far better to cheque what type is being got there.

None of that changes the point that out is already endemic here, so there is nothing to be gained by trying to prevent it entering when it is already here.

 

[Smidster]

I dont know what you are getting excited about.

It make sence to test people coming from China. We not know much about what is happening their.

If it were lockdown
quarintine hotel and more I would understand.

Because it is a totally pointless policy that is nothing more than xenophobia.

This will have zero impact on either the spread or levels of Covid in the UK (which is fine) and travel bans / restrictions have zero impact on whether or not "scarients" (of which there aren't any in China) arrive here.

You may as well force all travellers to wear the paper hats from Christmas crackers and come off the plane doing the Conga - it would have the same effect but be more entertaining

 

[gabrielhj07]

China has been almost close and we dont get proper information from there. Far better to cheque what type is being got there.

We learnt 2 years ago that by the time we know about it somewhere else, it is probably already here.

 

[nw1]

Apparently Omicron BF.7.
This is believed to have caused the surge in China. It was first recorded in the UK in October and it then accounted for around 7% of cases tested. It has not increased and has since been de escalated as a potential threat.

So why are people like Sunak calling for tests for a relatively small number of Chinese tourists? It makes absolutely no sense and needs to be challenged. If we have this variant already, why on earth is it going to make any difference?

Is Sunak actually intellectually challenged? He seems little more intelligent than Truss, based on the experience of him so far.

 

[Butts]

None of that changes the point that out is already endemic here, so there is nothing to be gained by trying to prevent it entering when it is already here.

What do the scientists/politicians reply when that argument is proffered ?

 

[Hans]

So why are people like Sunak calling for tests for a relatively small number of Chinese tourists? It makes absolutely no sense and needs to be challenged. If we have this variant already, why on earth is it going to make any difference?

Is Sunak actually intellectually challenged? He seems little more intelligent than Truss, based on the experience of him so far.

Sunak is hopeless and is purely reacting to the mutterings in the MSM and on social media - it is the way decisions are made now, who shouts the loudest on twitter.