Current Affairs

[david63]

the cost to the economy was astronomical,

Something that our great grandchildren, and possibly their children, will be paying off for many years to come. It took over 60 years to pay off the war loans!

[towny44]

Oh dear, seems like Labour are tearing themselves apart over Corbyn...

It’s been my long-time belief that our present opposition parties are not fit for purpose and what is needed is the emergence of a new political party.

The number of occasions that has been attempted, even in my lifetime all of which have failed miserably, shows IMO, that only strong representatives of the left and right will ever succeed in our FPTP system, and I don't fancy the european PR system which can take months to cobble together a viable govt.
If somethings not broke leave it alone.

[Onelife]

What do tiers make?…more tears!!!

This Government should be done for manslaughter the way they have handled this pandemic, how many more have got to die before they do what should have been done three weeks ago?

Are you suggesting a national lockdown mate, because we certainly don’t want one down here.
Both North Devon and Torridge are still very low, even with the influx of foreigners coming down.
Regional, local restrictions are the way forward.

That is exactly what I am saying Barney, and have been saying so for weeks…you can’t keep ignoring the figures mate.
local restrictions are the way forward…that is what the other towns were saying until it got out of hand

.

[Onelife]

Oh dear, seems like Labour are tearing themselves apart over Corbyn...

It’s been my long-time belief that our present opposition parties are not fit for purpose and what is needed is the emergence of a new political party.

The number of occasions that has been attempted, even in my lifetime all of which have failed miserably, shows IMO, that only strong representatives of the left and right will ever succeed in our FPTP system, and I don't fancy the european PR system which can take months to cobble together a viable govt.
If somethings not broke leave it alone.

Its already broken John...time to look elsewhere.

[screwy]

Maybe it's the calibre of Mp's nowadays, just not up to the job on either side.?

[Gill W]

What do tiers make?…more tears!!!

This Government should be done for manslaughter the way they have handled this pandemic, how many more have got to die before they do what should have been done three weeks ago?

Are you suggesting a national lockdown mate, because we certainly don’t want one down here.
Both North Devon and Torridge are still very low, even with the influx of foreigners coming down.
Regional, local restrictions are the way forward.

I see Torridge is currently at 48 cases per 100,000 population , and the graph is on a fairly steep trajectory now.

My council area was at 48 a couple of weeks ago, now we are at 105 cases per 100,000.

Once exponential growth starts, the numbers rise rapidly. But we know this, because it was only 7 months ago that we were in the same situation and it took three months for the numbers to reduce to a level that allowed us some freedoms.

Unfortunately, the virus is now racing everywhere - reluctantly, I believe that a proper national lockdown is the only thing that might slow it down. But I’m not confident that even that will work, as many people are full on Covid denying anti maskers.

But Johnson needs to get his backside out of Chequers (or wherever he’s been during parliamentary recess) and back to London pronto to sort this out. We suffered due to his dither and delay last time - let’s hope recent history doesn’t repeat itself.

[Gill W]

This Government should be done for manslaughter the way they have handled this pandemic, how many more have got to die before they do what should have been done three weeks ago?

From where I am the current rules are working. The north west infection rate is falling as indicated by your beloved, can do no wrong, Zoe app.

You need to begin to accept that there will be thousands of deaths from Covid-19 for many years to come - there will no miracle cure that will stop people from dying from it. They have not found a way to stop people dying from flu and that has been arounf for decades.

Covid-19 will be around for at least the next 100 years so we all need to accept it and the consequences of it.

There will no doubt be thousands of deaths, but do we want them happening all at once because the NHS is over run

[Onelife]

This Government should be done for manslaughter the way they have handled this pandemic, how many more have got to die before they do what should have been done three weeks ago?

From where I am the current rules are working. The north west infection rate is falling as indicated by your beloved, can do no wrong, Zoe app.

You need to begin to accept that there will be thousands of deaths from Covid-19 for many years to come - there will no miracle cure that will stop people from dying from it. They have not found a way to stop people dying from flu and that has been arounf for decades.

Covid-19 will be around for at least the next 100 years so we all need to accept it and the consequences of it.

Don’t you mean the rate in which they are increasing is falling, the R rate is still above one in Lancashire/ North West.

With respect David, what you need to accept is that the three-tier system isn’t bringing down the numbers sufficiently in order to bring this pandemic to a manageable level. The only way to do this, “in my expert opinion” is to bring in a system that can be policed…. a lock-down is the only way I can see this being done. Unfurtunatly what could have been a three week lock down will probably end up being a five/six-week lock-down when they finally get round to doing it, that is.

Btw…which tea leaves did you use to make your predictions?

[Onelife]

Maybe it's the calibre of Mp's nowadays, just not up to the job on either side.?

I think there is truth in what you say screwy...There aren’t may jobs you can apply for without having any qualification...Counsellors and MP's being the exception

[xmaslisa]

IMO the opportunity of a full lockdown should have been taken at half term for less disruption... it is getting out of control.
Tbh if you sat in the waiting room of our local A&E you would never think we were in the middle of a pandemic.... people are struggling to access alternative healthcare/services so are therefore attending A&E for non emergency issues... something will give this winter

On a positive it’s only 55 days til christmas!!

Hope you are all well

[Stephen]

It's not looking good.

Coronavirus: PM considering England lockdown next week https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54756950


And yes, Mrs S and I are both well Lisa thanks.

[david63]

It's not looking good.

Coronavirus: PM considering England lockdown next week https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54756950

Not sure if this is not some more "scaremongering". If you look at the chart in that BBC report it shows that the North West has the lowest R rate in the country and it is the North West where the highest tier has been in force the longest so, to me, that is an indication that the tier system is working (would have been working better if Andy Burnham had not been playing silly politics!). Whether the rate in the North West is coming down fast enough is another question to which I do not know the answer.

If you follow the Covid-19 Interactive map (https://coronavirus-staging.data.gov.uk ... active-map) then you can see that the infection rate is falling from the Liverpool area across into Lancashire - another indication that tier three restrictions are working.

All that is needed, in my opinion, is more robust enforcement of the existing rules. There was a report on the news this moring of a venue in Birminghan where there was a gathering of over 100 at one in the morning and this venue has already been fined £10k for breaching the rules

[towny44]

This Government should be done for manslaughter the way they have handled this pandemic, how many more have got to die before they do what should have been done three weeks ago?

From where I am the current rules are working. The north west infection rate is falling as indicated by your beloved, can do no wrong, Zoe app.

You need to begin to accept that there will be thousands of deaths from Covid-19 for many years to come - there will no miracle cure that will stop people from dying from it. They have not found a way to stop people dying from flu and that has been arounf for decades.

Covid-19 will be around for at least the next 100 years so we all need to accept it and the consequences of it.

Don’t you mean the rate in which they are increasing is falling, the R rate is still above one in Lancashire/ North West.

With respect David, what you need to accept is that the three-tier system isn’t bringing down the numbers sufficiently in order to bring this pandemic to a manageable level. The only way to do this, “in my expert opinion” is to bring in a system that can be policed…. a lock-down is the only way I can see this being done. Unfurtunatly what could have been a three week lock down will probably end up being a five/six-week lock-down when they finally get round to doing it, that is.

Btw…which tea leaves did you use to make your predictions?

You don't need tea leaves to know that unless you impose Marshall Law, in the current situation whichever lockdown system you employ will be flouted by sufficient people to allow the virus to continue spreading.
During the first lockdown we all expected it to end and things would begin to get back to normal which was why it was well observed. We now know that was very much wishful thinking on everyone's part.
We now have a situation where a high percentage of the population do not want tighter restrictions and will do everything in their power to avoid observing them.
As a result no lockdown will now work and we just have to try and live with the virus until a vaccine is available. A looser tiered lockdown stands far more chance of being well observed, and thus keeping the R rate as low as possible, it probably would never get us back to the June/July situation, but neither will a full lockdown without very strict policing, and we don't have the manpower for this, and any govt that brings in Marshall Law in these circumstances will lose the next election, and probably a few dozen more.

[oldbluefox]

It's not the government spreading the virus, it's not the NHS. It's those who flout the rules for whatever the reason. And the rest of us suffer the consequences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7MChtM ... ndependent

[Kendhni]

It's not the government spreading the virus, it's not the NHS. It's those who flout the rules for whatever the reason. And the rest of us suffer the consequences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7MChtM ... ndependent

Which is why I would be in favour of Police Officers being on a 5-10% commission for every fine they hand out. Give the police an incentive to make these selfish vermin abide by the rules.

[Stephen]

It's not looking good.

Coronavirus: PM considering England lockdown next week https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54756950

Not sure if this is not some more "scaremongering". If you look at the chart in that BBC report it shows that the North West has the lowest R rate in the country and it is the North West where the highest tier has been in force the longest so, to me, that is an indication that the tier system is working (would have been working better if Andy Burnham had not been playing silly politics!). Whether the rate in the North West is coming down fast enough is another question to which I do not know the answer.

If you follow the Covid-19 Interactive map (https://coronavirus-staging.data.gov.uk ... active-map) then you can see that the infection rate is falling from the Liverpool area across into Lancashire - another indication that tier three restrictions are working.

All that is needed, in my opinion, is more robust enforcement of the existing rules. There was a report on the news this moring of a venue in Birminghan where there was a gathering of over 100 at one in the morning and this venue has already been fined £10k for breaching the rules

Time will tell on Monday. But the word in the Saturday wail is lockdown will be announced on Monday and will come into affect on Wednesday. We shall see.

My thought is, if lockdown is implemented to 'save Christmas' as they put it, all that will happen is once we come out of lockdown the thick and selfish among us will just go mad and flout the rules again sending us back to square one.

[barney]

What do tiers make?…more tears!!!

This Government should be done for manslaughter the way they have handled this pandemic, how many more have got to die before they do what should have been done three weeks ago?

Are you suggesting a national lockdown mate, because we certainly don’t want one down here.
Both North Devon and Torridge are still very low, even with the influx of foreigners coming down.
Regional, local restrictions are the way forward.

I see Torridge is currently at 48 cases per 100,000 population , and the graph is on a fairly steep trajectory now.

My council area was at 48 a couple of weeks ago, now we are at 105 cases per 100,000.

Once exponential growth starts, the numbers rise rapidly. But we know this, because it was only 7 months ago that we were in the same situation and it took three months for the numbers to reduce to a level that allowed us some freedoms.

Unfortunately, the virus is now racing everywhere - reluctantly, I believe that a proper national lockdown is the only thing that might slow it down. But I’m not confident that even that will work, as many people are full on Covid denying anti maskers.

But Johnson needs to get his backside out of Chequers (or wherever he’s been during parliamentary recess) and back to London pronto to sort this out. We suffered due to his dither and delay last time - let’s hope recent history doesn’t repeat itself.

Torridge rate may well be 48 in 100,000 but that does not tell everything.
The actual amount of recorded infections is 33.
That’s up from 19 last week but still incredibly low in comparison.
If we had 2 and then it doubled 4 that’s 100% increase but could easily be in the same household.
Adherence to guidelines has been excellent so far.
We are however prepared to accept that due to other people’s idiotic behaviour, we are once again going into lockdown.
Fortunately for Mrs B , her business doesn’t have the cash flow problems that other small businesses in the area have.
The knock on effect is that the more local shops close, the less incentive their is for people to come into town, which in turn affects more successful businesses.
True tough times are ahead for millions.

[barney]

It's not looking good.

Coronavirus: PM considering England lockdown next week https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54756950

Not sure if this is not some more "scaremongering". If you look at the chart in that BBC report it shows that the North West has the lowest R rate in the country and it is the North West where the highest tier has been in force the longest so, to me, that is an indication that the tier system is working (would have been working better if Andy Burnham had not been playing silly politics!). Whether the rate in the North West is coming down fast enough is another question to which I do not know the answer.

If you follow the Covid-19 Interactive map (https://coronavirus-staging.data.gov.uk ... active-map) then you can see that the infection rate is falling from the Liverpool area across into Lancashire - another indication that tier three restrictions are working.

All that is needed, in my opinion, is more robust enforcement of the existing rules. There was a report on the news this moring of a venue in Birminghan where there was a gathering of over 100 at one in the morning and this venue has already been fined £10k for breaching the rules

Time will tell on Monday. But the word in the Saturday wail is lockdown will be announced on Monday and will come into affect on Wednesday. We shall see.

My thought is, if lockdown is implemented to 'save Christmas' as they put it, all that will happen is once we come out of lockdown the thick and selfish among us will just go mad and flout the rules again sending us back to square one.

And so on and so on and so on until a vaccine.
That’s exactly the point I made in the first place.
It’s either total lockdown or accept infections.

[david63]

It’s either total lockdown or accept infections.

Just as long as the NHS does not get overwhelmed.

In itself the number of infections is a meaningless figure. We keep being told by the Beeb that infections are higher now than in April - well yes they will be because we are testing more and targeting testing in high risk areas. The figure that should be being reported as a guide is the number being admitted to hospital and what the ratio is between "infections" and hospital admissions - I'm sure that is available somewhere but it is not obvious.

[Manoverboard]

On a positive it’s only 55 days til christmas!!

Hope you are all well

Hi XL ... we are well but have decided to be on our ownsome this Christmas period, what will you be doing ?

[towny44]

It's not the government spreading the virus, it's not the NHS. It's those who flout the rules for whatever the reason. And the rest of us suffer the consequences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7MChtM ... ndependent

Which is why I would be in favour of Police Officers being on a 5-10% commission for every fine they hand out. Give the police an incentive to make these selfish vermin abide by the rules.

I did not have you down as a Police State supporter Ken.

[oldbluefox]

You wouldn't need to clamp down on many and the rest will fall into line. We are far too soft in enforcing the rules.

There was a clown in Nottingham yesterday saying as he couldn't go drinking in Nottingham he would just go to Derby. When queried he said rules are there to be broken. With that sort of dumb mentality what hope is there for the rest of us? He is the sort who needs a hefty fine slapped on him.

At the other extreme there is Richard and Judy supporting Victoria Derbyshire, espousing their views on Christmas with phrases such as "advance notice to PC Plod..........sneak our loved ones in through the garden gate hoping the neighbours will be too full of Christmas cheer and plonk to dob us in............. but one way or another the Grinch will get his way". Meanwhile people are dying, many are losing their jobs, businesses are going under, the seriously ill cannot get into hospital for vital treatment, those in care homes cannot get to see their loved ones. But hey, feel sorry for Richard and Judy and their ilk for whom "It'll be lonely this Christmas but the two of us can pretend". My heart bleeds for them.

[david63]

At the other extreme there is Richard and Judy supporting Victoria Derbyshire, espousing their views on Christmas

If it was up to me I would terminate their employment immediately - no ifs or buts, but out of the door never to return.

The main problem with enforcing the rules has been the police who adopted an "engagement" policy rather then an enforcement policy

[Stephen]

You wouldn't need to clamp down on many and the rest will fall into line. We are far too soft in enforcing the rules.

There was a clown in Nottingham yesterday saying as he couldn't go drinking in Nottingham he would just go to Derby. When queried he said rules are there to be broken. With that sort of dumb mentality what hope is there for the rest of us? He is the sort who needs a hefty fine slapped on him.

At the other extreme there is Richard and Judy supporting Victoria Derbyshire, espousing their views on Christmas with phrases such as "advance notice to PC Plod..........sneak our loved ones in through the garden gate hoping the neighbours will be too full of Christmas cheer and plonk to dob us in............. but one way or another the Grinch will get his way". Meanwhile people are dying, many are losing their jobs, businesses are going under, the seriously ill cannot get into hospital for vital treatment, those in care homes cannot get to see their loved ones. But hey, feel sorry for Richard and Judy and their ilk for whom "It'll be lonely this Christmas but the two of us can pretend". My heart bleeds for them.

I've yet to see anyone enforce the rules. Shops don't want to know. I was in my local pharmacy earlier in the week. I followed one chap in who didn't bother wearing a face covering and there was another young chap not wearing one. I asked the lady behind the counter why they weren't enforcing the rule and her reply was 'I know, but it's not worth getting into an argument over it'.

That's the sort of mentality we are having to put up with. I said to her, no wonder the country is in the state it is.

What she should have said to them, please wear a face covering or leave the premises. And if they get all bolshy then call the police. But no doubt profit comes before the health and safety of others. And they're in the health game. Laughable....not

[david63]

What she should have said to them, please wear a face covering or leave the premises. And if they get all bolshy then call the police. But no doubt profit comes before the health and safety of others. And they're in the health game

Even easier - a sign at the door

NO MASK
NO ENTRY
NO EXCUSES