Current Affairs

[Manoverboard]

I thought that's what I basically said.

Yeah, what a co-incidence

[towny44]

But surely whatever route they came in by immigration should have tested and quarantined them or sent the back.

I am sure a reporter said that some who missed the deadline to fly back had flown to another country, did the quarantine and then flew on to UK, which then just required a test.

Presumably this would only apply if they came in from a green country, any other would have required quarantine?

[Onelife]

If the Indian variant is 50% more transmissible "we have a problem" – but it may be lower – "we just don't yet know", Mr Hancock says.

Then the sensible approach would be to side with caution until we do know Matt

“London Luton Airport (LTN) based easyJet issued a statement on Thursday saying that it added 105,000 extra seats on flights between the United Kingdom and Portugal. By doing this, the low-cost carrier now offers more seats on flights to green list countries than any other UK airline.”

[david63]

Then the sensible approach would be to side with caution

Which would be what?

[Onelife]

Then the sensible approach would be to side with caution

Which would be what?

Well, we certainly shouldn’t be sending tourists to Portugal or anywhere else until we can be sure our vaccines are effective against the new variants. Matt Hancock is quoted as saying he doesn’t know if the Indian variant is 50% more or less transmissible and yet his Government is prepared to allow thousands of tourists to leave the country only for them to return to every part of this island. This to my mind is irresponsible…but hey! This government makes a habit of arriving after the bird has flown so one shouldn’t be surprised if in a few weeks we reap what we have sown.

The other thing that would help would be if Boris the dogger ditherer stopped waffling…one minute he is saying we should think seriously about not taking a holiday abroad, the next he signs up to allow thousands to do exactly that….

[Kendhni]

It will be interesting to watch this. Johnson has said there will be no more lockdowns (although I guess he will find some way to back away from that statement as necessary). Much as it galls me to say it maybe you are right Keith, and we should block all travel (possibly including within the UK) until next spring - I don't think that would go down well though.

[david63]

I think that the whole point is that sooner rather than later we have to accept that Covid is with us for many years and we cannot start shutting the country down every other week because there is a surge of infections - we don't do that with flu.

Where I can see that we need some caution is for the next couple of months until everyone has been "offered" their first dose of the vaccine, after which there will/should be a considerable more protection.

One of the main problems with the Bolton/Blackburn surge is that there has been a lower uptake of the vaccine and, not wanting to appear racist, this is because those towns have large Asian immunities and the outbreak has coincided with the end of Ramadan.

Unless the effect of the Indian variant causes an increase in hospitalisations then, in my opinion, we should carry on with easing lockdown.

Should people fly off to Portugal (other destinations are available) or not? I do not know the answer - other than I will not be one of them, but I do not think that we should ban all travel, international or domestic.

[barney]

Then the sensible approach would be to side with caution

Which would be what?

Well, we certainly shouldn’t be sending tourists to Portugal or anywhere else until we can be sure our vaccines are effective against the new variants. Matt Hancock is quoted as saying he doesn’t know if the Indian variant is 50% more or less transmissible and yet his Government is prepared to allow thousands of tourists to leave the country only for them to return to every part of this island. This to my mind is irresponsible…but hey! This government makes a habit of arriving after the bird has flown so one shouldn’t be surprised if in a few weeks we reap what we have sown.

The other thing that would help would be if Boris the dogger ditherer stopped waffling…one minute he is saying we should think seriously about not taking a holiday abroad, the next he signs up to allow thousands to do exactly that….

I’ve said that from day one keefy.
It’s a proven fact that international travel is the main driver for COVID infections.
The only way that this variant could get in to the country is by someone bringing it in.
Nobody should be travelling internationally unless it’s absolutely essential, and I’m talking life or death essential, not attending a blooming wedding.

Anyone going on holiday abroad this summer needs their head tested.
It’s simply not essential.

[Kendhni]

Should people fly off to Portugal (other destinations are available) or not? I do not know the answer - other than I will not be one of them, but I do not think that we should ban all travel, international or domestic.

Our intention is to follow the scientific advice, and ignore all the nay sayers ... as soon as that advice says where and when is safe then we are out of here. Watching the IONA naming ceremony this evening just reminded me how much we miss P&O.

[screwy]

With the further lifting of Lockdown,2 households can mix indoors and can stay overnight.!
Does this mean Swinging is back on the agenda.?
Asking for a friend.

[Kendhni]

With the further lifting of Lockdown,2 households can mix indoors and can stay overnight.!
Does this mean Swinging is back on the agenda.?
Asking for a friend.

I believe Michael Buble has a concert in the pipeline.

[Stephen]

With the further lifting of Lockdown,2 households can mix indoors and can stay overnight.!
Does this mean Swinging is back on the agenda.?
Asking for a friend.

Ask Onelife

[screwy]

He asked me to ask.!

[Onelife]

I can't speak for my wife but I've always been a bit of a swinger

[barney]

The scientific advice before Xmas was that it was safe to have relatives around for Christmas dinner.
That went well with a spike in infections and many many deaths.
Stay in the U.K. and stay safe.
Go abroad and take the risk.
Kill a few friends or relatives ?
Never mind, you’ve had a good holiday !

[Manoverboard]

Portugal is an odd choice ... are they still exposed to the Brazilian strain ?

[Kendhni]

Portugal is an odd choice ... are they still exposed to the Brazilian strain ?

That one surprised me too, especially with a large Spanish border. But when you look at Johns Hopkins, their trajectory is similar to our own. I had hoped that the Med and Atlantic Islands might have done better.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I surprised the islands didn't do better. Madeira is okay under the Pirtugsl banner but I would have thought others would be relatively safe too.

[CaroleF]

I watched the Downing Street briefing last evening for the first time in a while. I find that Professor Van Tam is both good at explanations of the present position and also at handling the press. He certainly doesn't stand any nonsense from any of them. Just out of interest I looked him up and discovered that his family are Vietnamese and he has quite a link with the military. He received an MBE for designing special medical equipment to meet the special requirements of teenagers on camping expeditions which sprang from his connections with the Lincolnshhire Army Cadets. He's also a season ticket holder for Boston United!

Carole

[Ray B]

I kinda like the guy, he comes over very clearly and understandable, his examples are good like the tank of sharks last night.
I wonder if they discuss some of the stupid questions put to them by the press when they have finished on TV.

[oldbluefox]

I like his no nonsense style and have noticed that the Press don't get as much leeway as they used to. Some of the silly questions are just brushed aside almost as if they have lost patience. I wonder if the Press are told beforehand what is to be discussed and anybody deviating away from, say Coronavirus, just gets abruptly told to keep to the agenda. They just don't seem as tolerant any longer.

[Kendhni]

I like his no nonsense style and have noticed that the Press don't get as much leeway as they used to. Some of the silly questions are just brushed aside almost as if they have lost patience. I wonder if the Press are told beforehand what is to be discussed and anybody deviating away from, say Coronavirus, just gets abruptly told to keep to the agenda. They just don't seem as tolerant any longer.

I always wondered if it was like Prime Minister question time where both the questions and answers are crafted and rehearsed beforehand.

[oldbluefox]

I always wondered if it was like Prime Minister question time where both the questions and answers are crafted and rehearsed beforehand.

I'm not so sure about that Ken as I know on a couple of occasions BBC's Laura Kuennsberg has asked a question which is nothing to do with coronavirus and has been told she is off beat and they quickly move on to the next questioner.
I would imagine they have been told to keep to the script and any questions about anything other than coronavirus will not be answered, If they ignore then on their heads be it. Matt Hancock is certainly not as tolerant as he used to be and JVT just tells it how it is.

[Stephen]

I always wondered if it was like Prime Minister question time where both the questions and answers are crafted and rehearsed beforehand.

I'm not so sure about that Ken as I know on a couple of occasions BBC's Laura Kuennsberg has asked a question which is nothing to do with coronavirus and has been told she is off beat and they quickly move on to the next questioner.
I would imagine they have been told to keep to the script and any questions about anything other than coronavirus will not be answered, If they ignore then on their heads be it. Matt Hancock is certainly not as tolerant as he used to be and JVT just tells it how it is.

Top man at his job but with a good sense if humour.

[david63]

I wonder if they discuss some of the stupid questions put to them by the press when they have finished on TV.

They probably play "Stupid Question Bingo" - see who can predict the most stupid questions with a bonus if you can predict the most stupid of them all!