More Lockdowns?

[WestRiding]

It's a depressing question, one I fear the answer to. Do you think we will have yet more Lockdowns to come? It seems to be circulating todays media.

Britain 'WON'T need to lockdown' this winter to stop new Covid wave

The Office for National Statistics claimed 722,300 people were infected on in the seven-day spell ending July 31. Professor Neil Ferguson said the Uk can handle the pandemic with vaccines.

www.dailymail.co.uk

• Boris Johnson backs plans for 'local, regional or national lockdowns' if NHS swamped with cases in winter
• 'Firebreaks' could return with short breaks over holiday periods reportedly preferred to extended shutdowns

 

[Tracked]

Is this just Johnson putting his finger in the air to see which way the wind's blowing, again?

 

[WestRiding]

Is this just Johnson putting his finger in the air to see which way the wind's blowing, again?

Desperately looking for a different variant with his dart board would be my guess. Any reason and all that. Surely at some point people will demand to know the reason and point of the Vaccination if we can never end restrictions and lockdown. Surely.

 

[yorksrob]

I won't be abiding by one. If there is, I'm sure the poodles running the Labour party will be egging them on.

The irony is, these lockdowns are being proposed as much to quell flu and "other respiratory viruses", which will resurge entirely as a result of the previous lockdowns, so any new lockdowns will have been caused by lockdown.

 

[duncanp]

It depends what you mean by the NHS being "swamped" , and whether that applies to just COVID cases, or other illnesses such as flu.

It also depends what you mean by a "lockdown" , given that the furlough scheme is currently going to end next month.

I think the public will be very resistant to any type of lockdown just to "protect the NHS" from the usual winter pressures, and I for one will not be complying.

 

[102 fan]

It does make a nonsense of the 'vaccine' and begs the question of who is going to pay the wages, or will furlough payments restart?

 

[Domh245]

I think the public will be very resistant to any type of lockdown just to "protect the NHS" from the usual winter pressures, and I for one will not be complying.

I unfortunately disagree. The last 18 months has unfortunately shown that the public at large seem quite willing to sacrifice themselves on the altar of "are nhs"

 

[ExRes]

A Daily Mail 'sources say' article, strange how many people read and believe a source they supposedly detest

 

[Kremlin Stooge]

A key factor will be the view of the Treasury. How willing might they be to undertake further large expenditure, while at the same time seeing declining tax revenues as economic activity slows?

 

[Cdd89]

I unfortunately disagree. The last 18 months has unfortunately shown that the public at large seem quite willing to sacrifice themselves on the altar of "are nhs"

I’m not so sure. Someone I know who does medico-legal work mentioned that, since Covid, the number of patients sueing the NHS has gone through the roof. This was the opposite of their prediction whereby Covid would make people value hard working doctors (etc) more and that the supply of new customers for ambulance-chasing lawyers would drop!

 

[farleigh]

I am past caring about the NHS and do not want to endure another lockdown.

 

[Merseysider]

I won't be abiding by one.

Neither would I.

Not willing to give up months of my life every year in perpetuity.

 

[Spamcan81]

I am past caring about the NHS and do not want to endure another lockdown.

I'm sure you'll refuse NHS treatment in the event of any illness you contract and will be going private as a result.

 

[Scotrail12]

I'm sure you'll refuse NHS treatment in the event of any illness you contract and will be going private as a result.

Not if they pay taxes - it is accessible to all and we shouldn't encourage people to refuse/be refused service. I think it's also completely fair to not want to sacrifice another winter for a health service that isn't working well enough.

 

[Huntergreed]

I'm sure you'll refuse NHS treatment in the event of any illness you contract and will be going private as a result.

So is that how it works now? We must sacrifice months of our life to be entitled to receive the treatment which we pay for through our NI contributions?

We must suffer hardship in order to survive otherwise we are deemed “unclean” and left to die?

Your view of how society should be is disgusting

 

[Darandio]

I'm sure you'll refuse NHS treatment in the event of any illness you contract and will be going private as a result.

And would it any of your business if they didn't?

 

[Planesandtrain]

If we need lockdowns again this winter then quite simply said the vaccines do not work. I want them to work yet no one seems to have full confidence in them? Still recommended to keep distance, still have to wear masks, still need tests to travel abroad, what has actually changed?

 

[duncanp]

I think what @farleigh means is that we shouldn't surrender our whole way of life just to "protect the NHS", and I agree with this sentiment.

COVID-19 has exposed the strengths and weaknesses of healthcare systems around the world, including the NHS.

If the NHS cannot cope with what are considered "normal" winter pressures (ie. an increase in flu and other respiratory viruses) then you have to deal with the problem at source, either by giving the NHS more money (with controls on where that money is spent so that it does not disappear into a black hole) or reforming the NHS, or both.

 

[XAM2175]

A report in the Guardian from earlier this morning takes a different line:

UK death toll rises by 103; protests in France over health pass for fourth week – as it happened

This blog is closed

www.theguardian.com

08:58
In England, a top scientific adviser to the government has said lockdowns are “unlikely” to be needed again to control the Covid pandemic.
The claim comes as the number of people in hospitals with the virus has fallen, and the average rate of infection has decreased.
The number of Covid infections is expected to rise again in September when school and university terms begin and more workers are expected to return to the office.
But Prof Neil Ferguson, an immunologist among the government’s most prominent scientific advisers on Covid, has predicted it is unlikely a lockdown will be needed again to control the virus.
In an interview with the Times, he said: “I think it is unlikely we will need a new lockdown or even social distancing measures of the type we’ve had so far.”

 

[Merseysider]

I’d also argue that lockdowns increase the risk of mental health problems, obesity & its related issues, and alcoholism - issues the NHS will still have to deal with at some point.

With everyone vaccinated, not worth it this time around.

 

[Green tractor]

I think what @farleigh means is that we shouldn't surrender our whole way of life just to "protect the NHS", and I agree with this sentiment.

COVID-19 has exposed the strengths and weaknesses of healthcare systems around the world, including the NHS.

If the NHS cannot cope with what are considered "normal" winter pressures (ie. an increase in flu and other respiratory viruses) then you have to deal with the problem at source, either by giving the NHS more money (with controls on where that money is spent so that it does not disappear into a black hole) or reforming the NHS, or both.

You seem to of forgotten 1 very important factor, that is the general heath of the population, something that really needs to be delt with where it is possible

 

[duncanp]

You seem to of forgotten 1 very important factor, that is the general heath of the population, something that really needs to be delt with where it is possible

I agree that we need to improve the general health of the population.

But since physical and mental health are inextricably linked, I don't think that more restrictions or lockdowns are the way to achieve this.

(eg. If you close pubs in the hope that people will drink less alcohol, people will drink more at home. If you ban alcohol sales altogether, then people will obtain supplies illegally (as happened during prohibition in the United States) or eat other unhealthy comfort foods)

 

[ExRes]

I agree that we need to improve the general health of the population.

But since physical and mental health are inextricably linked, I don't think that more restrictions or lockdowns are the way to achieve this.

Then I'll ask the question again as nobody has ever answered it, why are so many in favour of work from home? if staring at the same four walls with nobody to interact with is not a danger to physical and mental health then I don't know what is, I see it as no different whatsoever to lockdown

 

[Reliablebeam]

I consider myself left leaning and work in the public sector. I find the idea of any more lockdowns aborrant. I am not having another ruined winter and Christmas, having spent the last one alone - if the NHS can't cope, then frankly there needs to be some reform. It's been clear from some of the news coverage that there at least factions amongst medical professions that want lockdowns whenever the NHS comes under any pressure. If we give in and allow this, winter lockdowns will start yo become the norm. The correct ministerial direction to the NHS should be - no more lockdowns, get your resource bids in place now under this assumption.

 

[Green tractor]

I consider myself left leaning and work in the public sector. I find the idea of any more lockdowns aborrant. I am not having another ruined winter and Christmas, having spent the last one alone - if the NHS can't cope, then frankly there needs to be some reform. It's been clear from some of the news coverage that there at least factions amongst medical professions that want lockdowns whenever the NHS comes under any pressure. If we give in and allow this, winter lockdowns will start yo become the norm. The correct ministerial direction to the NHS should be - no more lockdowns, get your resource bids in place now under this assumption.

Where would you suddenly find more staff for the NHS from? The long term solution might be to expand NHS capacity, but it can't be done overnight. Nobody is saying at the moment that there will be another lockdown, it would be a very last resort.

Then I'll ask the question again as nobody has ever answered it, why are so many in favour of work from home? if staring at the same four walls with nobody to interact with is not a danger to physical and mental health then I don't know what is, I see it as no different whatsoever to lockdown

It suits some people and employers, but not all. There was a growing trend of WFH before Covid that has just been accelerated.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Similar news item in The Times



Looks like govt tactic of leaking a story and seeing what the reaction is. Undoubtedly there will be groups pressing for lockdowns as a policy that should be made public before Autumn comes. Also latest data from PHE confirms that the vaccinations are settling around 75-80% efficacy and that the secondary attack rate is substantially reduced in the vaccinated its difficult to se what additional benefit a lockdown would achieve.

 

[SuperNova]

I unfortunately disagree. The last 18 months has unfortunately shown that the public at large seem quite willing to sacrifice themselves on the altar of "are nhs"

And rightfully so. Having had the nightmare of trying to get a doctors appointment because of the backlog, I ended up in Same Day Emergency Care. Fully healthy, never neem to the docs in years - the pressure they are under is real.

Luckily, I was ok after my time in hospital. But with waiting lists piling up and wards being cleared to deal with Covid - then I think making some small sacrifices (face masks etc) is a viable alternative to letting the health services burn and those who work in it suffer for the selfish.

 

[Yew]

But with waiting lists piling up and wards being cleared to deal with Covid - then I think making some small sacrifices (face masks etc)

Only if they are are backed up by clear empirical evidence and a proper impact analysis. None of our current measures meet that standard.

 

[Green tractor]

Only if they are are backed up by clear empirical evidence and a proper impact analysis. None of our current measures meet that standard.

None of them?

Just wondering what your feelings are towards the families of those retired NHS staff who voluntarily returned to work to deal with all the ill folk who caught covid 19, and then caught it themselves and died?

 

[Darandio]

then I think making some small sacrifices (face masks etc) is a viable alternative to letting the health services burn and those who work in it suffer for the selfish.

Just to make sure i'm reading this correctly, you are saying that people who now don't wear masks are selfish?