Current Affairs

[screwy]

I would gladly go into full lockdown, with a nighttime curfew.

[Onelife]

The recent replies on here don’t reflect that the virus has mutated and the mutated strain is more infectious.

London and the south east had been flat for infections through the summer, but boomed as the new variant tightened its grip.

Perhaps the issue is that people’s behaviour has stayed the same, but the virus has changed.

You really don’t want the variant to get a hold in other areas as infections have literally gone through the roof in the south east, where it is most prevalent.

If anybody’s main concern is public health in your local area - you should be crying out for the lockdown as a pre-emptive action.

The BBC news tonight reported that the variant has been identified in a number of European countries including Nerherlands Italy and probably Germany, if so then it will be interesting to see how they prevent it getting out of hand.

Depending on the numbers probably a full lockdown...We have the option of being a couple of weeks in front of them...don't blow it Boris.

There seems to be evidence that the young are more susceptible to this new strain ?..... if this proves to be the case most perents will keep there children away from school ....l certainly would have done so.

This will allow for a safer environment for children of essential workers..

[oldbluefox]

if this proves to be the case most perents will keep there children away from school

......................and let them roam the town centre in little groups, making a nuisance of themselves in the shops and probably spreading the virus amongst any who come into contact with them.

If they are not in school they should be isolating at home otherwise they may as well be in school where appropriate measures have been taken to contain the virus. Unfortunately many parents haven't a clue where their little darlings are, what they are doing and in many cases don't care. Everybody needs to take their part if we are to suppress this virus.

[david63]

I quite like this comment

Public Health Wales sequenced about 4,000 genomes in the past week, more than the whole of France since the beginning of the pandemic.

Says everything

[Onelife]

if this proves to be the case most perents will keep there children away from school

......................and let them roam the town centre in little groups, making a nuisance of themselves in the shops and probably spreading the virus amongst any who come into contact with them.

Not in a National lockdown they wouldn't.

If they are not in school they should be isolating at home otherwise they may as well be in school where appropriate measures have been taken to contain the virus. Unfortunately many parents haven't a clue where their little darlings are, what they are doing and in many cases don't care. Everybody needs to take their part if we are to suppress this virus.

Schoo's will be closing left right and centre if children become more susceptible to this new strain, so as above, any feral children will be quickly taken off the streets in the event of a lockdown.....where possible home learning is the way forward during this pandemic imo..

[oldbluefox]

I hope you're right. They should be taken off the streets and fines issued for any who re-assemble. Unfortunately during the previous lockdowns there were too many wandering around making a nuisance of themselves. Home learning sounds good when children and their parents comply. Many will see it just as a holiday from school and their parents will use any excuse why their offspring have fallen behind.
Strict lockdown should mean exactly that.............for everybody.

[Onelife]

I hope you're right. They should be taken off the streets and fines issued for any who re-assemble. Unfortunately during the previous lockdowns there were too many wandering around making a nuisance of themselves. Home learning sounds good when children and their parents comply. Many will see it just as a holiday from school and their parents will use any excuse why their offspring have fallen behind.
Strict lockdown should mean exactly that.............for everybody.

I have to say Foxy that I didn’t get the impression that there were kids roaming the streets in the last National lockdown but I’m sure some were doing so under the cover of darkness.
I agree with the rest of what you say especially with regard to the parents playing it wasn’t our responsibility card.
If we do go into a National lockdown with school closing, I think it would be an option to make the time up in the summer school holidays…perhaps cut it too two weeks and let the children make some of the time up during the other four weeks?

[Gill W]

In three weeks time we we'll be looking at a thousand deaths a day… time for Boris to get a grip or get someone in who can.

I’ve just seen something which made me think of your post.

691 deaths were reported today.

These will be mostly be people who got infected late November early December. The report I read said that infections had doubled since then, no doubt driven by the more infectious variant.

Therefore, Keith, I think you are completely correct. In fact, 1000 a day might be an under estimate.

I find this completely chilling.

[towny44]

if this proves to be the case most perents will keep there children away from school

......................and let them roam the town centre in little groups, making a nuisance of themselves in the shops and probably spreading the virus amongst any who come into contact with them.

Not in a National lockdown they wouldn't.

If they are not in school they should be isolating at home otherwise they may as well be in school where appropriate measures have been taken to contain the virus. Unfortunately many parents haven't a clue where their little darlings are, what they are doing and in many cases don't care. Everybody needs to take their part if we are to suppress this virus.

Schoo's will be closing left right and centre if children become more susceptible to this new strain, so as above, any feral children will be quickly taken off the streets in the event of a lockdown.....where possible home learning is the way forward during this pandemic imo..

You would be condemning probably 2 whole school years to be permanent underachievers with that action Keefie, and as I have 4 Grandchildren currently in school I will hold you personally responsible for any future academic failure they suffer.

[Gill W]

Even if the schools stay open the pupils education will be constantly interrupted if the new variant takes hold.

In my area, attendance fell to 53% a couple of weeks ago due to illness from Covid and the need for groups to self isolate. Plus there’s staff shortages for the same reasons

[towny44]

Even if the schools stay open the pupils education will be constantly interrupted if the new variant takes hold.

In my area, attendance fell to 53% a couple of weeks ago due to illness from Covid and the need for groups to self isolate. Plus there’s staff shortages for the same reasons

It's not like that everywhere Gill, my 2 grandsons spent entire term with only a minor interruption.

[Onelife]

......................and let them roam the town centre in little groups, making a nuisance of themselves in the shops and probably spreading the virus amongst any who come into contact with them.

Not in a National lockdown they wouldn't.

If they are not in school they should be isolating at home otherwise they may as well be in school where appropriate measures have been taken to contain the virus. Unfortunately many parents haven't a clue where their little darlings are, what they are doing and in many cases don't care. Everybody needs to take their part if we are to suppress this virus.

Schoo's will be closing left right and centre if children become more susceptible to this new strain, so as above, any feral children will be quickly taken off the streets in the event of a lockdown.....where possible home learning is the way forward during this pandemic imo..

You would be condemning probably 2 whole school years to be permanent underachievers with that action Keefie, and as I have 4 Grandchildren currently in school I will hold you personally responsible for any future academic failure they suffer.

That’s a huge over exaggeration imo John… how have you reached that assumption?

There has been an enormous amount of disruption but those with the right attitude and parental guidance will, I believe, put the work in and achieve the grades similar to what they would have been expecting to get. As for those who don’t have the right attitude or indeed parental guidance, then they will achieve what they and their parents were expecting anyway…such is life.

I would be more concerned about the lack of job opportunities for both sets of school leavers… jobs are going to be in short supply during the next couple years one would imagine?

[Onelife]

In three weeks time we we'll be looking at a thousand deaths a day… time for Boris to get a grip or get someone in who can.

I’ve just seen something which made me think of your post.

691 deaths were reported today.

These will be mostly be people who got infected late November early December. The report I read said that infections had doubled since then, no doubt driven by the more infectious variant.

Therefore, Keith, I think you are completely correct. In fact, 1000 a day might be an under estimate.

I find this completely chilling.

I think to a certain extent we are becoming numb to the daily death figures Gill….I get that sinking feeling every time I think of them so try not to go there.

[screwy]

It’s quite funny watching the argy bargy in Dover......excuse me, not our fault, blame the French.

[Gill W]

Even if the schools stay open the pupils education will be constantly interrupted if the new variant takes hold.

In my area, attendance fell to 53% a couple of weeks ago due to illness from Covid and the need for groups to self isolate. Plus there’s staff shortages for the same reasons

It's not like that everywhere Gill, my 2 grandsons spent entire term with only a minor interruption.

The mutated virus hasn’t taken hold in your area.

[Gill W]

It’s quite funny watching the argy bargy in Dover......excuse me, not our fault, blame the French.

We are now 8 days from the end of the transition period.

We have allegedly prepared for 1000’s of lorries to be held at Dover.

It is not France’s fault that it turns out that we are ill prepared.

[david63]

The mutated virus hasn’t taken hold in your area.

May have something to do with having been in tier three/lockdown/tier three for the last three months, or so.

[towny44]

Even if the schools stay open the pupils education will be constantly interrupted if the new variant takes hold.

In my area, attendance fell to 53% a couple of weeks ago due to illness from Covid and the need for groups to self isolate. Plus there’s staff shortages for the same reasons

It's not like that everywhere Gill, my 2 grandsons spent entire term with only a minor interruption.

The mutated virus hasn’t taken hold in your area.

So you are suggesting we base our entire covid strategy on how it impacts the South East are you?

[Gill W]

In three weeks time we we'll be looking at a thousand deaths a day… time for Boris to get a grip or get someone in who can.

I’ve just seen something which made me think of your post.

691 deaths were reported today.

These will be mostly be people who got infected late November early December. The report I read said that infections had doubled since then, no doubt driven by the more infectious variant.

Therefore, Keith, I think you are completely correct. In fact, 1000 a day might be an under estimate.

I find this completely chilling.

I think to a certain extent we are becoming numb to the daily death figures Gill….I get that sinking feeling every time I think of them so try not to go there.

Agreed. You get ‘used’ to 500 deaths a day. Then the figure jumps up, and you get that shock all over again, then it becomes the norm again.

I suppose the numbness is a self preservation thing, as it is too awful to think about

[Gill W]

The mutated virus hasn’t taken hold in your area.

May have something to do with having been in tier three/lockdown/tier three for the last three months, or so.

Our figures boomed in full lock down. This mutation has changed things a lot.

If it gets to your area and takes a hold, the variant virus won’t behave any differently in your schools

[towny44]

I’ve just seen something which made me think of your post.

691 deaths were reported today.

These will be mostly be people who got infected late November early December. The report I read said that infections had doubled since then, no doubt driven by the more infectious variant.

Therefore, Keith, I think you are completely correct. In fact, 1000 a day might be an under estimate.

I find this completely chilling.

I think to a certain extent we are becoming numb to the daily death figures Gill….I get that sinking feeling every time I think of them so try not to go there.

Agreed. You get ‘used’ to 500 deaths a day. Then the figure jumps up, and you get that shock all over again, then it becomes the norm again.

I suppose the numbness is a self preservation thing, as it is too awful to think about

Why have you never expressed the same concern about the regular 20,000 deaths from flu every year?

[screwy]

It’s quite funny watching the argy bargy in Dover......excuse me, not our fault, blame the French.

We are now 8 days from the end of the transition period.

We have allegedly prepared for 1000’s of lorries to be held at Dover.

It is not France’s fault that it turns out that we are ill prepared.

No, but it was France that closed the border.

[Gill W]

It's not like that everywhere Gill, my 2 grandsons spent entire term with only a minor interruption.

The mutated virus hasn’t taken hold in your area.

So you are suggesting we base our entire covid strategy on how it impacts the South East are you?

Where did I say that?

The variant is on the loose in the south east, whatever action is taken now won’t change that. Nothing was done to curb it until it was too late.

You want to pray that the variant doesn’t get a grip in your area - or pray that the government takes swift action to protect you from the variant.

[Gill W]

I think to a certain extent we are becoming numb to the daily death figures Gill….I get that sinking feeling every time I think of them so try not to go there.

Agreed. You get ‘used’ to 500 deaths a day. Then the figure jumps up, and you get that shock all over again, then it becomes the norm again.

I suppose the numbness is a self preservation thing, as it is too awful to think about

Why have you never expressed the same concern about the regular 20,000 deaths from flu every year?

You could ask that about any illness or disease.

Unfortunately, people tend only to remark on deaths if they are out of the ordinary.

For example, 3000 deaths at the World Trade Centre. We are currently having the equivalent of a WTC a week. On track to become two WTC per week.

That’s worth a comment or two

[towny44]

The mutated virus hasn’t taken hold in your area.

So you are suggesting we base our entire covid strategy on how it impacts the South East are you?

Where did I say that?

The variant is on the loose in the south east, whatever action is taken now won’t change that. Nothing was done to curb it until it was too late.

You want to pray that the variant doesn’t get a grip in your area - or pray that the government takes swift action to protect you from the variant.

Gill, along with many millions of others we are taking personal steps to avoid any version of covid from affecting us, it's a great pity that not everyone is being as cautious with their own or their loved ones protection.