"Covid rising in England" - let's stop the fear mongering

[Whistler40145]

The point is we can't have a functioning, productive society if everyone sits at home; the most important jobs don't involve sitting at home. Those who think that lockdowns are a solution are disrespectful towards those who need to go into work and my point stands.

I totally agree with you

 

[Enthusiast]

Agreed. Some of the Home Counties wannabee types will, in the medium term, find they have a rude awakening as employers realise there will be people in other parts of the country prepared to do the same roles on considerably lower remuneration than people in the south-east expect.

Or indeed in other countries where the remuneration will be considerably lower.

Those advocating the return to restrictions and particularly to lockdowns seem to be of the opinion that the country will continue to function because people can simply work at home. I've news. Many of the important jobs upon which we all depend for a reasonable existence cannot be done at home. These are what Yorkie refers to as "proper" jobs. In particular, food production and distribution, energy production, water supply, medical treatment, construction, highway repairs to name a very few. Then of course there are all the people who work producing the veritable cornucopias offered by the likes of McDonalds, Greggs and "Best Kebab Ye" as well as the scooter drivers ferrying the produce around. Those comfortably ensconced at home couldn't possibly be expected to collect it themselves, of course, such an exercise being far too dangerous. No, we can't all work from home.

And that, of course, disregards the fact that these so-called lockdowns (where only a privileged few actually do not have to leave home to earn a crust) are completely pointless.

 

[DelayRepay]

When you consider that covid cases are rising, th backlog of people waiting for NHS treatment and now monkeypox there is a certain inevitability that restrictions are due again.

Covid cases are falling now, but even when they were rising they were not the cause of the pressure on the NHS. The problems at the NHS are due to a staff shortage and a Covid backlog. I struggle to see how any restrictions would address those problems. Monkeypox is irrelevant.

It's not great but mask wearing and social distancing are more or less normalised now for most people. Lockdowns are less so but if done in January when little is going off after Christmas's and its cold and dark outside then working from home and staying in is something we can live with. Plus it helps save money after Christmas.

If people don't want to go out in January because it's cold and dark, or they need to save money, they are free to stay at home. If their job cannot be done from home, they'd have to go to work during a lockdown anyway.

Personally I found the January 2021 lockdown the hardest - precisely because it was cold and dark. So meeting people outdoors, as had been allowed previously all be it in limited numbers, wasn't really an option. I would not advocate any restrictions, but the spring lockdowns were easier for me to cope with simply because the weather was decent so outdoor activities were possible and provided a distraction.

Anyway, this is academic. Even the pro-lockdown politicians aren't actually calling for restrictions now - they know how much harm they do. And even if a lockdown were announced, I don't expect many people would comply with it, especially given the Government's own record on this subject.

Agreed. Some of the Home Counties wannabee types will, in the medium term, find they have a rude awakening as employers realise there will be people in other parts of the country prepared to do the same roles on considerably lower remuneration than people in the south-east expect.

Interestingly my employer has already banned the creation of any new London based positions. This, I think, is part of a wider plan that would have happened anyway to reduce the amount of expensive London office space, but Covid has accelerated it. The fact that new positions are not based in London means that they do not receive the London Weighting. And in most cases, we're still attracting lots of applicants - it turns out that not all talented people wish to live in London after all!

 

[Class 33]

Just spotted this on the Daily Mail. Here we bloody go again with more doom mongering and calls for "new" mask rules and other restrictions!!!! Just shut up will you!!! Enough is ENOUGH!!!! We put up with all that "restrictions" nonsense for long enough as it was before, which was HUGELY damaging to the economy and people's mental health and wellbeing. Something these so called "experts" don't consider or care about!!!! We don't need all those stupid damaging pointless nonsense "restrictions" back again! The vast majority of people are back to living normal lives now, and will not tolerate "restrictions" being brought back!!!

Maps show how 'most contagious Covid variant yet' has grown in the UK

Omicron sub-variant BA.5, the highly infectious Covid strain behind a recent surge in cases in the UK now accounts for 80 per cent of all cases in England, the latest data shows.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Time-lapse maps show how 'most contagious Covid variant yet' BA.5 has taken off in the UK amid calls for new mask rules, free tests and other restrictions - even though virus was just the FIFTEENTH leading cause of death last month​

• BA.5, considered the 'most contagious Covid variant yet', now accounts for about 80% of cases in England
• Sequencing data shows the new Omicron sub-variant is behind 100 per cent of cases in dozens of local areas
• A recent surge in Covid cases in the UK has prompted some to call for a return to masks and free Covid tests
• But, official data shows the virus is now only the 15th leading cause of death in June, down from 6th in May

Covid's most contagious variant yet now accounts for more than eight out of 10 cases in England, official figures suggest amid growing calls for the return of mask mandates and free tests.

A total of 82.2 per cent of virus positive swabs examined in the week to July 16 were the BA.5 version of Omicron, according to figures from the Sanger Institute, one of the UK's largest surveillance sites. That figure is expected to have risen since.

Fascinating maps show how the extremely transmissible subvariant has swept the country in just two months and now is completely dominant in dozens of local authorities in England.

BA.5 is considered even more infectious than the already highly contagious original Omicron variant and its BA.2 offshoot, which caused cases to hit pandemic highs in the spring.

Latest official data shows 3.1million people in England had Covid in the week ending July 13, or roughly one in 17 people. This marked the highest number of infections since April 17 when 3.2million were recorded, but was just 10 per cent up on the previous week, showing a clear slowdown in the growth of the outbreak.

And despite BA.5's higher infectivity, experts believe it is just as mild as the original Omicron.

This hasn't stopped some left-leaning scientists from calling for a return of pandemic-era curbs. Some have even raised the idea of reintroducing limits on gatherings, echoing harsh policies imposed during the darkest period of the pandemic.

Despite the calls for No10 to change strategy, data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) today shows Covid was only the 15th leading cause of death in June, accounting for just 1.6 per cent of all fatalities in England.

Since BA.5 was first detected in South Africa in February, experts have been concerned over the speed of its growth.

Data compiled by the Sanger Institute shows the variant officially displaced other Omicron descendants as the dominant strain in Britain as of the week to June 18, when it accounted for over 50 per cent of all infections.

It has since continued its meteoric rise and now accounts for close to 100 per cent of all Covid cases in large swathes of England.

BA.4 — a separate but closely-related Omicron sub-strain — has continued to decline while BA.5 has soared.

As of July 16, BA.4 now only accounts for 15.3 per cent of cases, down from a peak of 23 per cent on June 18.

BA.2, the previous dominant strain, is nearly extinct, only accounting for 2.5 per cent of cases in England, down from 95.4 per cent as of the end of March.

There are also sign hospital admissions for Covid are falling in every region of England, plunging by as much as a fifth in the South East — one of the first areas to see pressure ease off.

Leading experts have insisted Downing St's decision to axe all of the final pandemic-era restrictions in April — after initially changing course to start living with the virus like flu last July — was correct.

However, other influential voices have criticised the move.

Editors of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and the Health Service Journal (HSJ) last week accused Boris Johnson's Government of 'gaslighting the public' about Covid's threat.

Dr Kamran Abbasi (BMJ) and Alastair McLellan (HSJ) argued economically-crippling curbs needed to be brought back immediately to save the 'dying' NHS.

In a joint editorial, the pair wrote: 'The heart of the problem is the failure to recognise that the pandemic is far from over and that a return to some of the measures taken in the past two years is needed.'

Examples of curbs needed included a return to wearing masks in healthcare settings and on public transport, the reintroduction of the £2billion-a-month free testing scheme, WFH where possible and 'restrictions on some types and sizes of gathering'.


Meanwhile, Dr Kit Yates, a mathematical biologist at the University of Bath and member of Independent Sage, called for previous pandemic restrictions and measures imposed on Britons to be reintroduced.

Despite admitting the most recent surge now appears to be slowing, he said people should still be concerned by high infection rates.

On Saturday, he wrote that the impact of future peaks could be combatted by reintroducing masks and making lateral flow tests kits free for Britons again.

'Everyone protects everyone else by wearing a mask in shared indoor spaces such as public transport and shops, but without government mandates or strong public health messaging, we have seen that most people are not inclined to do this voluntarily,' he wrote on Twitter.

Professor Christina Pagel, an expert in mathematics at University College London and fellow member of Indie Sage, said earlier this month wearing masks, particularly high-quality ones, was vital.

Indie Sage — a group made up of left-leaning scientists and an active Communist party professor — had lobbied heavily for a Christmas lockdown but quietly softened its stance after the milder Omicron wave subsided naturally and the NHS was not overwhelmed.

Ministers have so-far resisted calls for the reintroduction of restrictions, instead announcing an autumn Covid booster campaign for elderly and vulnerable Britons to help ward off a potential winter surge in cases which could increase demands on the NHS.

Meanwhile, data from the ONS published today has found no surge in Covid deaths in June, despite the huge rise in cases since May.

The ONS's monthly mortality analysis for England and Wales found the virus was the fifteenth and nineteenth leading cause of death last month, respectively. In comparison, the virus was the sixth leading cause of deaths in both nations in May.

This means Covid accounted for 1.6 per cent of all deaths in England June and 1.4 per cent of all deaths in Wales for the same period.

In contrast, dementia and Alzheimer's was the leading cause of death in England, accounting for 10.8 per cent of all fatalities, while heart disease was Wales's biggest killer, behind 10.7 per cent of all deaths.

Given how long it can take infected patients to fall severely ill, it can, however, take several weeks for fatalities to mirror any uptick in cases.

The number of deaths involving Covid, where the virus was the leading cause or a contributing factor, rose to 506 for the week ending July 8. This was up from 306 the previous week.

However, the proportion of virus deaths where Covid was the underlying cause of death decreased between May and June in England, from 63 per cent to 59 per cent. For comparison, in April 2020, 95 per cent of Covid deaths had the virus as the underlying cause.

Covid vaccines, as well as immunity from previous exposure to the virus, have been credited with reducing the chances of Britons becoming severely ill with the virus and slashing their risk of death.

Covid cases rise by 10% in England... but 'it's proof outbreak has PEAKED'​

England's Covid outbreak is slowing down, according to official data.
Analysts behind the country's most trusted surveillance project, ran by the Office for National Statistics, estimate 3.14million people were infected on July 13 — up only 9 per cent on the previous week's estimate. For comparison, the surge logged last Friday was roughly a third.
Cautious statisticians said it's 'too early to say' if the wave is peaking.
But public health experts claimed the worst is likely over, given that the mass-testing survey is 'always two or three weeks behind the epidemic curve'.
Separate NHS England figures shows admissions actually began to fall 10 days ago. MailOnline analysis yesterday revealed rates are now dropping in each region.
Despite the positive signs, some scientists have urged ministers to reintroduce mask mandates and working from home rules.
Others have even raised the prospect of limits on social gatherings, similar to harsh policies adopted during the darkest spell of the pandemic.

 

[DelayRepay]

In case anyone's still in any doubt about the harm that lockdowns can cause, please read this:

Likely cause of mystery child hepatitis outbreak found

UK experts believe they can now explain the recent spate of mysterious liver problems in young children.

www.bbc.co.uk

UK experts believe they have identified the cause of the recent spate of mysterious liver problems affecting young children around the world.
Investigations suggest two common viruses made a comeback after pandemic lockdowns ended - and triggered the rare but very serious hepatitis cases.
More than 1,000 children - many under the age of five - in 35 countries are thought to have been affected.
Some, including 12 in the UK, have needed a lifesaving liver transplant.
The two teams of researchers, from London and Glasgow, say infants exposed later than normal - because of Covid restrictions - missed out on some early immunity to:

• adenovirus, which normally causes colds and stomach upsets
• adeno-associated virus two, which normally causes no illness and requires a coinfecting "helper" virus - such as adenovirus - to replicate

That could explain why some developed the unusual and worrying liver complications.

I've not quoted the full article. It goes on to say

One of the investigators, Prof Judith Breuer, an expert in virology, at University College London and Great Ormond Street Hospital, said: "During the lockdown period when children were not mixing, they were not transmitting viruses to each other.
"They were not building up immunity to the common infections they would normally encounter.
"When the restrictions were lifted, children began to mix, viruses began to circulate freely - and they suddenly were exposed with this lack of prior immunity to a whole battery of new infections."

It also tells the story of a three year old from Essex who ended up needing a Liver transplant. His mum was going to donate part of her liver, but ended up in intensive care herself due to an adverse reaction to the drugs. The little lad received a transplant - but needs to take immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of his life.

Still, I imagine the family are grateful nobody caught Covid, eh?

 

[duncanp]

Just spotted this on the Daily Mail. Here we bloody go again with more doom mongering and calls for "new" mask rules and other restrictions!!!! Just shut up will you!!! Enough is ENOUGH!!!! We put up with all that "restrictions" nonsense for long enough as it was before, which was HUGELY damaging to the economy and people's mental health and wellbeing. Something these so called "experts" don't consider or care about!!!! We don't need all those stupid damaging pointless nonsense "restrictions" back again! The vast majority of people are back to living normal lives now, and will not tolerate "restrictions" being brought back!!!

Maps show how 'most contagious Covid variant yet' has grown in the UK

Omicron sub-variant BA.5, the highly infectious Covid strain behind a recent surge in cases in the UK now accounts for 80 per cent of all cases in England, the latest data shows.

www.dailymail.co.uk

It is just a few leftie locktivists.

This hasn't stopped some left-leaning scientists from calling for a return of pandemic-era curbs. Some have even raised the idea of reintroducing limits on gatherings, echoing harsh policies imposed during the darkest period of the pandemic.

Many in the scientific community realise that lockdowns are no longer of any use, and as post #1055 shows, the damage caused by lockdowns is becoming ever more clearer.

The current wave of COVID has peaked, cases are falling, as are the healthcare statistics.

There really isn't anything to worry about regarding new restrictions, if only because the current wave will be well and truly over by the time the new Prime Minister takes office.

Most people are worried about the cost of living crisis.

 

[yorkie]

In case anyone's still in any doubt about the harm that lockdowns can cause, please read this:

Likely cause of mystery child hepatitis outbreak found

UK experts believe they can now explain the recent spate of mysterious liver problems in young children.

www.bbc.co.uk

I've not quoted the full article. It goes on to say



It also tells the story of a three year old from Essex who ended up needing a Liver transplant. His mum was going to donate part of her liver, but ended up in intensive care herself due to an adverse reaction to the drugs. The little lad received a transplant - but needs to take immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of his life.

Still, I imagine the family are grateful nobody caught Covid, eh?

Under discussion at:

Reports on effectiveness (or not!) and impacts of lockdown and other measures

I agree with @brad465's post above, and would further add that it's wrong to suggest that we avoided restrictions with the current government. We were locked down for months after we'd "vaccinated the vulnerable", and far from being a distant memory it was fewer than 6 months ago that we had...

www.railforums.co.uk

@STINT47 please follow the link above; if you still think lockdowns are justified post your reasons in that thread. However if, on reflection, you have changed your mind, I would totally respect you for doing that.

There are just a few types of people who want another lockdown/mask wearing/restrictions;

1) Those who lockdowns/restrictions provided a position of power/money
2) Those who require the feeling of self-righteousness and enjoy bullying others
3) Those who are of a nervous disposition

And that is it.

That sounds pretty much spot on to me.

In terms of infections, the Zoe app study is continuing to show significant reductions in estimated daily symptomatic infections across the UK:

Latest Daily UK COVID-19 Data: Vaccines, Cases, Trends | ZOE

COVID infection & vaccination rates in the UK today, based on public data and reports from millions of users of the ZOE Health Study app

health-study.joinzoe.com

Daily new cases of COVID​

Total numbers of new daily cases across the UK​

254,340​

Positive tests and hospital admissions in England are also down (I believe these figures include incidental cases i.e. people admitted with Covid and most of those are not admitted for Covid):

Cases

People tested positive in England​

Available at nation level.Latest data provided on 15 July 2022

• Last 7 days 150,591
• There has been a decrease of -25,383(-14.4%) compared to the previous 7 days.

Healthcare

Patients admitted in England​

Available at nation level.Latest data provided on 18 July 2022

• Last 7 days 12,038
• There has been a decrease of -991(-7.6%) compared to the previous 7 days.

 

[DelayRepay]

Under discussion at:

Reports on effectiveness (or not!) and impacts of lockdown and other measures

I agree with @brad465's post above, and would further add that it's wrong to suggest that we avoided restrictions with the current government. We were locked down for months after we'd "vaccinated the vulnerable", and far from being a distant memory it was fewer than 6 months ago that we had...

www.railforums.co.uk

Sorry, I did not see that.

In terms of infections, the Zoe app study is continuing to show significant reductions in estimated daily symptomatic infections across the UK

Positive tests and hospital admissions in England are also down (I believe these figures include incidental cases i.e. people admitted with Covid and most of those are not admitted for Covid):

This is the same we've seen in every previous 'wave' isn't it? What goes up must come down, and once cases reach a peak using any of the different metrics, they start to drop very quickly.

No doubt we'll go through all this again in September when case numbers start to rise due to mixing in schools/universities etc.

 

[Eyersey468]

When you consider that covid cases are rising, th backlog of people waiting for NHS treatment and now monkeypox there is a certain inevitability that restrictions are due again.

I think we are just going to have to get used to wearing masks during the winter months and social distancing. Hopefully most years will be mild and this is all that will be needed but on some more severe years a month or two lockdown will be a sacrifice that we just have to make to protect the vulnerable and the health services.

It's not great but mask wearing and social distancing are more or less normalised now for most people. Lockdowns are less so but if done in January when little is going off after Christmas's and its cold and dark outside then working from home and staying in is something we can live with. Plus it helps save money after Christmas.

As the experts tell us we cannot afford to become complacent now and undo all our achievements to date. This is the new normall for at least a few more years.

With respect what planet are you living on? A lot of sectors simply cannot operate profitably with anti social distancing measures in place, including the bus industry which is my line of work. If you want to wear a mask every winter feel free but I shall not be doing so

It's been very dry down here recently, and indeed it often is - 2018 was notably so.

I do expect the government are going to make public raindances compulsory for the population to participate in daily, every June and July, going forward. And if it gets particularly bad in any year, I suppose we will have to sacrifice some young maidens to the rain god.

After all, we have to do something, right? It doesn't actually seem to matter if it is something *useful*, as long as it makes everyone as miserable as possible.

it does seem like a lot of the last 2 years has been we have to be seen to do something, regardless of how useful that something is

 

[LAX54]

When you consider that covid cases are rising, th backlog of people waiting for NHS treatment and now monkeypox there is a certain inevitability that restrictions are due again.

I think we are just going to have to get used to wearing masks during the winter months and social distancing. Hopefully most years will be mild and this is all that will be needed but on some more severe years a month or two lockdown will be a sacrifice that we just have to make to protect the vulnerable and the health services.

It's not great but mask wearing and social distancing are more or less normalised now for most people. Lockdowns are less so but if done in January when little is going off after Christmas's and its cold and dark outside then working from home and staying in is something we can live with. Plus it helps save money after Christmas.

As the experts tell us we cannot afford to become complacent now and undo all our achievements to date. This is the new normall for at least a few more years.

Well, what a bundle of laughs you are ! We will not get used to wearing masks, as most people will not be wearing them, you really think there will be more lockdowns, when it has been agreed by some Countries that actually they did not work, and made matters worse, masks, unless you use the FFP2/N95 then you are wasting your time, they are purely surgical masks, and don't stop virus getting in or out ! Social distancing is now in the past, and it can stay there. Hand sanitizer will still be used, but millions used this method long before Covid was invented !
As for working from home, when I ring a Company and they say they are working from home...the old heart sinks, as you know its going to be hopeless !

 

[OuterDistant]

Is there any chance that the current level of fear mongering can be maintained permanently?

It's just that this is now the third year in a row I've not been expected to spend at least one week on holiday with my in-laws (both are terrified of COVID and are avid lockdown enthusiasts), and my life is immeasurably better as a result.

 

[duncanp]

Is there any chance that the current level of fear mongering can be maintained permanently?

It's just that this is now the third year in a row I've not been expected to spend at least one week on holiday with my in-laws (both are terrified of COVID and are avid lockdown enthusiasts), and my life is immeasurably better as a result.

I am sure the late, great and much missed Les Dawson would have been very pleased at COVID restrictions making it illegal to go and visit his mother-in-law

Some people will be fearful of COVID long after any real risk has passed. (ie. now)

 

[Drogba11CFC]

Meanwhile, the WHO has appointed the ghastly Susan Michie as chair of their "Behaviour Advisory Group".

Foxtrot and Oscar spring to mind.

 

[Mag_seven]

Meanwhile, the WHO has appointed the ghastly Susan Michie as chair of their "Behaviour Advisory Group".

Foxtrot and Oscar spring to mind.

My behaviour or anyone else's for that matter has nothing to do with the WHO. They are overstepping their bounds IMHO.

 

[DustyBin]

My behaviour or anyone else's for that matter has nothing to do with the WHO. They are overstepping their bounds IMHO.

Very much so. I hope this doesn't lead to an increase in manipulation, coercion and general meddling in our everyday lives by the WHO, all of which are Michie's speciality subjects....

 

[kristiang85]

Very much so. I hope this doesn't lead to an increase in manipulation, coercion and general meddling in our everyday lives by the WHO, all of which are Michie's speciality subjects....

Sadly, I think this is exactly what the plan is.

 

[Eyersey468]

My behaviour or anyone else's for that matter has nothing to do with the WHO. They are overstepping their bounds IMHO.

I agree

 

[MikeWM]

Is this a good time to point out the very first line of the constitution of the WHO?

https://www.who.int/about/governance/constitution

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

The WHO need a swift and forceful reminder of what their purpose actually is.

 

[duncanp]

I agree

And so do I.

No doubt Comrade Michie will try and get the WHO to "recommend" compulsory face nappies on public transport on a permanent basis, or include all of the COVID restrictions that we have had to endure over the past two years as "guidance" in the cases of other respiratory diseases, particularly flu.

Comrade Michie can shove her restrictions somewhere where the sun doesn't shine.

 

[Class 33]

This weeks Gov Covid dashboard updated. As of 22nd July - just 5 days ago, Covid cases are now down 35.1% compared to the week before(when they were down 14.4%). Covid cases are continuing to FALL, and the fall in cases is currently accelerating! So the media outlets going on about the RISE in cases last week was absolute NONSENSE!!!

 

[stuartl]

This weeks Gov Covid dashboard updated. As of 22nd July - just 5 days ago, Covid cases are now down 35.1% compared to the week before(when they were down 14.4%). Covid cases are continuing to FALL, and the fall in cases is currently accelerating! So the media outlets going on about the RISE in cases last week was absolute NONSENSE!!!

I wish someone would tell my doctor's this. Had a text on Monday saying that you must wear a face mask to enter the surgery due to rise in Covid cases.

 

[Class 33]

I wish someone would tell my doctor's this. Had a text on Monday saying that you must wear a face mask to enter the surgery due to rise in Covid cases.

When you go for your appointment(if you've not already done so that is) I would challenge them about them saying "due to rise in Covid cases" and show them the Gov Covid Dashboard on your phone(or a printout of the page if you don't have a smartphone/iphone) showing clear evidence that Covid cases are definitely FALLING and not rising.

Seen a headline article the other day which mentioned "... due to extremely worrying rise in cases"!!!! I didn't click to read the article and can't remember where it was from. But what absolute nonsense saying "extremely worrying rise in cases" when cases are not rising atall, they are clearly falling!!! Some of these media outlets must think we're stupid!!!

 

[yorkie]

I wish someone would tell my doctor's this. Had a text on Monday saying that you must wear a face mask to enter the surgery due to rise in Covid cases.

Some Doctors lack common sense and a wider understanding of the world, unfortunately.

 

[Kite159]

This weeks Gov Covid dashboard updated. As of 22nd July - just 5 days ago, Covid cases are now down 35.1% compared to the week before(when they were down 14.4%). Covid cases are continuing to FALL, and the fall in cases is currently accelerating! So the media outlets going on about the RISE in cases last week was absolute NONSENSE!!!

No doubt it won't be reported as much by the media, whom only want to scare people into staying home to watch TV. Outside is dangerous with a deadly virus on the loose, stay home where it's safe and watch the latest series of Celebrity Lego Making

 

[Howardh]

No doubt it won't be reported as much by the media, whom only want to scare people into staying home to watch TV. Outside is dangerous with a deadly virus on the loose, stay home where it's safe and watch the latest series of Celebrity Lego Making

Of all the absurd things that went on during covid, one of the daftest was having county cricket played in front of zero spectators. County cricket was/is a social distancer's heaven, a few hundred scattered around grounds holding 15,000+!!

Yes we had to sit at home and watch on the TV.

*With the happy exceptions of Scarborough, Southport, Cheltenham etc (all outgrounds that do get packed)

Must admit though to be slightly concerned at Monkeypox, been trying to avoid news of it as I've had enough of covid, but looks like I'm in the group most likely to catch it. It isn't deadly though?

 

[DustyBin]

Of all the absurd things that went on during covid, one of the daftest was having county cricket played in front of zero spectators. County cricket was/is a social distancer's heaven, a few hundred scattered around grounds holding 15,000+!!

Yes we had to sit at home and watch on the TV.

*With the happy exceptions of Scarborough, Southport, Cheltenham etc (all outgrounds that do get packed)

True, there’s countless instances of such nonsense.

Must admit though to be slightly concerned at Monkeypox, been trying to avoid news of it as I've had enough of covid, but looks like I'm in the group most likely to catch it. It isn't deadly though?

It isn’t generally deadly, but it sounds rather unpleasant if you get the full range of symptoms. I’d just be careful and try not to worry about it too much. There’s obviously an established vaccine as well, although I don’t know who’s being offered it at present.

 

[NLC1072]

Of all the absurd things that went on during covid, one of the daftest was having county cricket played in front of zero spectators. County cricket was/is a social distancer's heaven, a few hundred scattered around grounds holding 15,000+!!

Yes we had to sit at home and watch on the TV.

*With the happy exceptions of Scarborough, Southport, Cheltenham etc (all outgrounds that do get packed)

Must admit though to be slightly concerned at Monkeypox, been trying to avoid news of it as I've had enough of covid, but looks like I'm in the group most likely to catch it. It isn't deadly though?

I'd be very concerned if you caught monkeypox in day to day life. Mainly it is caught through intimate contact and the sharing of bodily fluids. Unless you go around touching people as a habit, you probably won't be catching it!

 

[Grecian 1998]

I have noticed over the last few weeks that Friday seems to be the BBC's day for publishing carefully selected statistics regarding covid, along with a live news tracker. Doesn't seem to happen on other weekdays.

With cases dropping, it wouldn't surprise me if there's nothing. Good news doesn't act as clickbait.

 

[yorkie]

Cases are well down:

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/cases?areaType=nation&areaName=England

(image shows the peak occurring around 4th July at approx 30k cases down to under 11k viruses on 22nd July)

The Zoe study also shows the number of estimated symptomatic infections to have reduced to 217,368 daily, down from about 100k compared to the peak. Many infections are asymptomatic of course.

Most "covid positive" hospitalisations are incidental (i.e. people happen to test positive and are in hospital for other reasons) so the proportion of infections that result in hospitalisations must be absolutely tiny.

Some people claim the recent decrease was due to the school holidays but most schools only broke up 6 days ago, yet the peak was 3 weeks ago!

 

[Richard Scott]

Some people claim the recent decrease was due to the school holidays but most schools only broke up 6 days ago, yet the peak was 3 weeks ago!

Local school seemed to be very few kids had it but lots of staff did! Maybe not so prevalent amongst youngsters?