China Coronavirus

[Ed Ricketts]

Surely the most relevant statistic is the deaths though. I know it will probably take a number of weeks to quantify that as the spread is only reaching peak levels now but that must be the real barometer.

For whatever reason, the second wave doesn't seem to be as fatal as the first, whether that is down to being better prepared, the virus not being as potent or the fact that it's a younger demograph impacted I don't know.

Science still scratching itself about this anyway.

Rare I agree with you Angelo but this very true.

I still think the worry is deaths may ramp up as on the initial wave it was slow. I think to some degree they have learnt in terms of treating it and when and when not to go on ventilators etc. Be interesting to read learnings.

Worrying if it's back in care homes.

Lads, have a gawk: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/articles/covid-19-daily-dashboard-updates

Science is not 'scratching itself', and the answers you are looking are there for you too if you want them.

But to summarise in case that's too much bother:

~66% of cases in NI in the last week were in the under 40s. Most, if not all, of these people will live.
Only ~2% of cases (56) came from the most at risk cohort of over 80s. We'll have to see about this lot in the next few weeks.

This goes a way to explaining why the death to positive test rate is much lower than earlier in the year. The auld ones are still locked away and taking care of themselves, while it's the under 40s out 'living their best lives' driving up the numbers. Eventually, though, there will be a spill over into the vulnerable groupings and we'll see bigger death numbers. The vulnerable can't and won't exist in complete isolation from their communities.

[Taylor]

Frightening numbers in the North today.

470 in the South today (198 in Dublin).

Is this a case of the North lacking leadership or the young people not giving a shite.

The death rate is low because the elderly/vulnerable are isolating but really how long can that last? Quality of life is brutal for them currently (and I know it would be much worse if they died).

Sids figures of amount of care homes impacted is very worrying

[Captain Obvious]

Frightening numbers in the North today.

470 in the South today (198 in Dublin).

Is this a case of the North lacking leadership or the young people not giving a shite.

The death rate is low because the elderly/vulnerable are isolating but really how long can that last? Quality of life is brutal for them currently (and I know it would be much worse if they died).

Sids figures of amount of care homes impacted is very worrying

Lack of leadership and people having no respect for those so called leaders.

[ONeill]

Derry ones ridin Letterkenny prostitutes

[Dougal Maguire]

Any word on which DUP MP is self isolation as a result of having dinner with that SNP MP that tested positive?

[Rois]

Jim Shannon

[Dougal Maguire]

Yeah I see that. There's no word of anyone else self isolating as a result of sitting at that dining table is there, or was it a cozy twosome? Just asking for a friend

[imtommygunn]

What is the story with the south and universities? It doesn't sound like the same has happened with halls of residence.

[gallsman]

Shannon story shouldn't get buried.

Shannon is self isolating back home in Strangford. He flew home after a negative test result.

PHE advice is to immediately self isolate after coming into close contact with a confirmed case. Negative test does not change this (as it could of course still be incubating). It's akin to Phil Hogan taking a test, coming up negative and saying that he was grand to do what he wanted and didn't have to abide by the rules everyone else did.

House of Commons authorities told Shannon he could fly home. BBC has seen a letter to him saying "I can confirm you are ok to fly home this evening"

So, irrespective of anything else, Shannon appears to have breached PHE guidance and the HoC authorities appear to have assisted him in doing so.

[trileacman]

Where's all the gobsihtes that told us Covid would be at 0 by Christmas now?

[trileacman]

You said the aim was to reduce deaths, now you're saying it's a balancing act between opening up and reducing deaths. So which is it? What level of deaths are acceptable?

You're just being an internet eejit

Can you answer the question or not? What level of deaths are acceptable?

[From the Bunker]

The level of death acceptable should be always be more than total amounts of deaths that are a byproduct of Covid. Such as undetected terminal health problems, suicide, mental health decline.

[armaghniac]

The level of death acceptable should be always be more than total amounts of deaths that are a byproduct of Covid. Such as undetected terminal health problems, suicide, mental health decline.

Yes, but undetected health problems are not helped by allowing Covid run rampant, the best thing for health problems would be no Covid. Suicide presents problems as you can't have a public policy which regards one group of people as dispensable because of the threat of actions by others, so this is an immoral comparison.

[trileacman]

The level of death acceptable should be always be more than total amounts of deaths that are a byproduct of Covid. Such as undetected terminal health problems, suicide, mental health decline.

Suicide presents problems as you can't have a public policy which regards one group of people as dispensable because of the threat of actions by others, so this is an immoral comparison.

Are you saying comparing those who die by suicide with those who die by Covid is immoral?

Yes, but undetected health problems are not helped by allowing Covid run rampant, the best thing for health problems would be no Covid.

We all understand what would be best is that there is no Covid but blatantly stating the obvious achieves nothing. Unless of course you're advocating a zero Covid policy. In which case your opinion of the recent government policy of opening schools, opening pubs, eat out/help out scheme, return of premier league, GAA and other sports is that it has directly led to hundreds of avoidable deaths.

[sid waddell]

You said the aim was to reduce deaths, now you're saying it's a balancing act between opening up and reducing deaths. So which is it? What level of deaths are acceptable?

You're just being an internet eejit

Can you answer the question or not? What level of deaths are acceptable?

Clearly in your case it's a hell of a lot more than mine given that you're proposing letting the virus rip through the population

I'm not proposing that, so it's you that should be answering that question, not me