Current Affairs

[Kendhni]

How another country deals with this:

After 9 months of being stuck in the UK, my BIL was finally able to start his journey 'home' back in Thailand. When the flight landed everyone was unloaded from the plane onto buses that took them to hotels. They had to stay exclusively in that hotel room for 2 weeks - with food and clean bedding/towels being left at the door. My BIL was able to pay to at least get a balcony and wifi (others found out they did not even get a window). After 1 week (and a negative test) they were allowed out onto the roof of the hotel for 1 hour per day. After 2 weeks (and another negative test) He was able to leave and then return back to his home.

He was just saying that to get into any public place not you have to have a mask, get a temperature check and swipe their mobile phone showing that the tracking app is installed. There are no exceptions and no pandering to delicate little snowflakes who claim they can't wear a mask, or it is against their human rights to have their temperature taken or be forced to have the tracking app installed - you either confirm or you do not get access.

On the plus side he says lockdown in the sun is much more bearable.

[Kendhni]

Unfortunately, I think a lockdown to halt infections at the current rate would have to be very stringent, especially as the virus has mutated into a more infectious variant. Only essential workers to work outside of the home. Schools, colleges, universities shut. One person per household to do essential food shopping. Limited outside exercise within small radius of home. Patrols on the streets to randomly challenge people and stop cars. Rule breakers to be fined.

I strongly doubt that the government would go this far, I think we’re just going to go bumbling on to disaster.

By the way, do we really have to have yet another divide?

I have said before that the softly softly approach has not worked. It is time that the police were incentivised to issue fines. I would also suggest that those who flaunt the law/rules should be denied access to the NHS until this is over and the backlog of waiting lists has been cleared - or alternatively be made to work the COVID wards (they need the staff) and experience what their stupidity and selfishness is putting our healthcare workers through (PPE optional, since they seem to have no fear of it).

I wouldn't want those ignorant morons anywhere near me if I was in hospital. I prefer your first suggestion.

Don't count them out, bed pans need emptied and vomit cleaned up - better them doing that, freeing up our nurses to do more important things.

However a nurse friend was telling me that much of her time is spent simply holding the hand of a patient and trying to comfort them (while trying not to show fear in their own eyes).

[screwy]

Why would you want them working in hospitals, ? Possibly carrying the virus in there.?

Oxford/ Astra Zeneca Vaccine approved, great news, just don’t drop your guard now.

[david63]

We are actually in curfew mode at the minute

That I would guess makes little to no difference if everywhere is closed - especially at this time of year when it is cold and dark!

to get into any public place not you have to have a mask, get a temperature check and swipe their mobile phone showing that the tracking app is installed.

There is a similar system operating in New Zealand but hardly anybody uses it and it is not enforced.

[Stephen]

Enforcement is the big problem here in the UK.
I realise the police cannot be everywhere but a classic example was told by a friend of Mrs S yesterday who was out walking for exercise and walked past a group of about ten youths all together just as a police car came by at the same time. She said they must have seen all the people in a group but just ignored them and carried on past.

[Manoverboard]

To fine somebody who has no intention of paying it will achieve nothing ... apart from a good laugh.

[david63]

To fine somebody who has no intention of paying it will achieve nothing

Not if it is followed through and they get taken to court and end up with a criminal record.

[Manoverboard]

To fine somebody who has no intention of paying it will achieve nothing

Not if it is followed through and they get taken to court and end up with a criminal record.

Are the courts operating during this pandemic or will the case be held in 2022 ?

[oldbluefox]

To fine somebody who has no intention of paying it will achieve nothing ... apart from a good laugh.

Payment of fines should not be optional. Take the money at source in total or phased on a payment type plan.

[Kendhni]

Enforcement is the big problem here in the UK.
I realise the police cannot be everywhere but a classic example was told by a friend of Mrs S yesterday who was out walking for exercise and walked past a group of about ten youths all together just as a police car came by at the same time. She said they must have seen all the people in a group but just ignored them and carried on past.

Exactly why I think the police should be incentivised to deal with it.
An FOI request this week shows that our police have not issued a single fine (despite some major high profile breaches of the rules).

[Kendhni]

To fine somebody who has no intention of paying it will achieve nothing ... apart from a good laugh.

Payment of fines should not be optional. Take the money at source in total or phased on a payment type plan.

Exactly.

[david63]

An FOI request this week shows that our police have not issued a single fine

I presume you are referring to the NI police because there have certainly been several reports of the English police issuing fines - whether they actually have or not I cannot say.

[Kendhni]

We are actually in curfew mode at the minute

That I would guess makes little to no difference if everywhere is closed - especially at this time of year when it is cold and dark!

'Essential' shops are open (although the definition of 'essential' seems somewhat relaxed) but they must close at 8PM.

to get into any public place not you have to have a mask, get a temperature check and swipe their mobile phone showing that the tracking app is installed.

There is a similar system operating in New Zealand but hardly anybody uses it and it is not enforced.

Therein lies the problem. Apparently in Thailand it is being strictly enforced because it is the businesses themselves that can be fined if they let someone in or serve someone not meeting the criteria. BIL has just said that it appears there has been another outbreak due to Burmese workers in Bangkok - while he is hundreds of miles away he is expecting that their lockdown will be significantly tightened in the next few days.

[oldbluefox]

My experience of NI police is they are big b*****S!!!!

[Kendhni]

An FOI request this week shows that our police have not issued a single fine

I presume you are referring to the NI police because there have certainly been several reports of the English police issuing fines - whether they actually have or not I cannot say.

Indeed. I believe your guys are starting to get into the swing of things, ours are probably still a bit too nervous to rock too many boats.

[Kendhni]

My experience of NI police is they are big b*****S!!!!

They definitely will be to people that are big b*****S!!!!

[Manoverboard]

To fine somebody who has no intention of paying it will achieve nothing ... apart from a good laugh.

Payment of fines should not be optional. Take the money at source in total or phased on a payment type plan.

They will claim that they haven't got any money at hand and plod is hardly going to set up a mandate for payment without absolute proof of their Banking details. I agree they should be fined in a perfect world but it will not work for those who chose to be obstructive.

[oldbluefox]

Taken at source out of wages or benefits. No choice no get out. They can appeal but they pay for it. It's time we stopped pussy footiing about with these people who by their selfishness and pigheadedness are wrecking businesses and putting the health of the nation at risk.

[Stephen]

My experience of NI police is they are big b*****S!!!!

Tell us more Foxy. Were you causing trouble again

[Stephen]

Taken at source out of wages or benefits. No choice no get out. They can appeal but they pay for it. It's time we stopped pussy footiing about with these people who by their selfishness and pigheadedness are wrecking businesses and putting the health of the nation at risk.

....or just send in the bailiffs, like they do on the telly. 'Can't pay we'll take it away'. That'll wake their ideas up when they see the telly and the chip pan go out the door.

[oldbluefox]

My experience of NI police is they are big b*****S!!!!

Tell us more Foxy. Were you causing trouble again

Not with that lot!! I'm nearly six foot and I got a stiff neck looking up at them.

[Whynd1]

Did I really just hear
Keir Starmer in the House of Commons this morning say
A bad deal is better than no deal.

Unbelievable

Lindsey

[Kendhni]

Did I really just hear
Keir Starmer in the House of Commons this morning say
A bad deal is better than no deal.

Unbelievable

Lindsey

I have not heard the comment but would guess that what he means is that any deal is better than no deal - in which case he is probably right.
However I think the deal now on the table is probably as good as we were ever likely to get and it is somewhat disingenuous to call it a bad deal (his use of a 'thin deal' is probably better). We have to remember that this is just the start of a process that is likely to take many more years to iron out. Both parties have agreed to annual reviews on aspects allowing both parties to choose to diverge or work towards closer cooperation.

[Manoverboard]

It seems that the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland Parties were all critical of the deal plus Labour and the Libdems of course. Fair enough I suppose but if I was, for example, a Labour voter I would want my leader to be seen to be supportive of the Government of the day at this momentus time rather than resorting to scoring cheap political points.

[oldbluefox]

Ian 'One Note' Blackford was on good form this morning. Does that man have a different record?