Forum Topic

Can any of us name a country of considerable population which has successfully dealt the virus ?.  So many countries are going through the same pattern as the UK.Of course Sweden currently isn't, maybe it will, but (and whilst it admits it failed in terms of its strategy around care homes) if it doesn't suffer a significant increase in infections then people are going to look at that very closely.As I said back in March, the problem with a lockdown is it has to be all or nothing.  What difference does the pub closing at 10pm make ? - at 21.59 everyone is responsible and the virus is sleeping and at 22.01 everyone goes crazy and the virus wakes up ?.In my view, alot of responsibility lies with the media.  How farcical is it when the news bangs on about new restrictions and then in the next breath brings us live TV pictures of Gareth Bale arriving at Tottenham's training ground, where there's hundreds of people publicly flouting those same rules, and all to see someone who happens to be able to kick a ball arrive in a car ?.Whilst, given their struggles to deal with crime and the whole issue of under-resourcing all public services, I don't expect the police to be able to rigorously enforce covid rules, it makes my blood boil when the media switches from one extreme (complete scaremongering) to the other (here's Gareth Bale, look at all the fans signing his name).And the problem is that's how polarised the public is.  People are sick of been told what to do when so little of what they are being told makes sense and there's so many glaring contradictions.  It's like when you're growing up, the more you're shielded from things the more curious you became about then and one thing often leads to another.  But then at the other end of the spectrum I note Sarah is anxious about going to John Lewis in Kingston.  Now it is merely my point of view but generally speaking and putting personal circumstances to one side I think that type of concern is excessive, yet many people are of that mindset.And then yesterday some sections of the media, not content with the scaremongering they inflict on us every day, were reporting how several supermarkets now haven't got any delivery slots - that's just great, if you haven't already terrified the more 'nervous' elements of the population then that kind of article should ensure that those elements now go into full panic-buying mode which will screw things up for everyone else.It's abit like surviving a nuclear war and then coming out your bunker all full of yourself and it belatedly dawning on you that whilst you may be alive, but the world you knew isn't because you were only interested in your own short-term salvation.I can't subscribe any more to the notion of another lockdown than I do to the other extreme of lifting all restrictions and saying "sod it, people are going to die but there'll be plenty who won't so let's just get on with our lives".And sat in the middle of those 2 extremes is relying upon other people...which is arguably even more 'terrifying' than either extreme...

Adam Beamish ● 1285d

Here are a few thoughts:First some facts:40% of deaths have been in Care Homes,the average age of people recording of dying having been tested positive for Covid-19 is 79,Quoted from 'Prospect' magazine.A quarantine period (aka 'Lockdown') may have been worthwhile at the initial stages, but is not worthwhile now. Death rate is tiny. 'Covid-19' deaths are those deaths recorded where a positive test has been made 28 days or less before date of death i.e. you test positive, you fall under a bus on the way home; you are recorded as a 'Covid related death'.Of course to lose someone close is difficult (I lost my mother last year), but it happens. People die of other things. I collapsed with heart failure at the height of the pandemic here in early April and now have to wait until next February for an appointment with a cardiologist. Why? Covid-19 is a respiratory not cardiac disease.In West Mid (early April remember) the place was like a ghost town. I was alone in a ward of seven beds. 'Crisis, what crisis?'The government is not responsible for everything that goes wrong. The NHS is not run by 300+ Conservatives, but by thousands of staff supported by thousands of civil servants. If we do not question their handling of the situation we'll never get things right. If the government is culpable then it is chiefly in not taking a more realistic, pragmatic approach for fear of a press and opposition who criticise without having the inconvenience of having to make a decision.Not that this government is alone in this 'strategy'. Watch some other channel (Al Jazeera is recommended) and you'll see other European countries behaving in the same way. Luxembourg's infection rate is much worse than ours as is Belgium's; France, Italy and Spain about the same (last time I looked as the statistics).Have the government made mistakes? Of course they have, but so would any government of any description. Macron had the sense to admit it: alas in this country own up to one's errors and your greeted by diatribes from those who benefit from lack of responsibility.As for the kids? Well, I'll wear my mask, but won't condemn them.

John Bradley ● 1286d

To turn this on its head, responsibility for what ?.I've no particular desire or need to break any rules/laws/guidance relating to covid, but I'm not a "yes man" who is going to always do what I'm told to do.I'm so sick of the talk about a potential second lockdown (which a significant proportion of people seem to almost be rubbing their hands in glee at) which in my opinion is a complete over-reaction, given that whilst new cases have been increasing (both here and elsewhere) death rates are largely remaining at the same negligible level.Quite frankly if push came to shove I'd rather see the complete lifting of all restrictions, i.e. a sink or swim scenario.  After all, if 100% of the population gets covid but the death rate remains negligible then there's no reason not to return to normality.And before anyone pipes up, that isn't selfish, selfish is saying that I can carry on like this forever because I'm all right Jack, sod the hundreds of thousands of people who are losing their jobs, homes etc.  People get ill and die, that's always been part of life, of course people shouldn't die needlessly but it's all about the difficult balance between minimising deaths and keeping the country afloat.Clearly some people thinks its a big deal whether or not kids are social distancing outside schools, wearing masks etc.  I really couldn't care less.  Indeed I suspect one of the biggest problems with testing at the moment is because now the kids are back there's a complete over-reaction if a pupil in little Johnny's class gets a cold, under the guidance the school tell all the pupils and parents to go and get a test, which must put so much pressure on the system, and really shouldn't be the priority.

Adam Beamish ● 1288d