China Coronavirus

[five points]

I would be sceptical about saying 'most' people have been responsible.

A slim majority perhaps.

I see and hear people talking about how deadly covid is, yet don't wear a mask in the local shop, or think they can visit as many people indoors as they like, as long as they are family, or who take wee day trips here there and everywhere, because they can.

They may wash thier hands more often, or 'distance' a couple of feet, or maybe stop visiting friends as often, but I would struggle to say they most people are fully 'responsible' in what they do, becasue there is so little comeback if they don't.

As long as all shops don't stop people entering unless they have a mask, for example, many people will still continue not to bother.

Still wondering how a family day trip to a beach, lake or wood spreads Covid?

[Taylor]

I can't comment on anywhere else but round where I live I pretty much never see anyone who isn't wearing a mask in shops.

I'm not seeing it much either tbf, and no one is allowed in without a mask either....

But tell me why are there still people in the town center? I know there are still people working in supermarkets and banks, I'm working also, but I'm actually classed as a front line worker (no clapping please) and unable to work from home due to the work I do, but office workers should (if able) work from home, like they did first time around. Coming into town to go shopping/banking is what's getting me, they are actually passing local shops to come into Belfast to shop!!

Getting taxi's, busses or asking friends or family to drive them in while they walk around the ghost town that is the city center just seems daft... I normally at lunch time do a 4k walk, I don't bother now as I don't want to catch anything

All of the scientific evidence would point to this being highly unlikely MR.

It is safe to exercise as long as you follow the guidelines?

[RedHand88]

I can't comment on anywhere else but round where I live I pretty much never see anyone who isn't wearing a mask in shops.

Go into any working class area in belfast and nobody gives a damn. Staff and customers. I regularly go into my local shop and would maybe be the only person in the shop wearing a mask.

[Jeepers Creepers]

Given I live through it I do know what a lockdown means. Cutting social contact down equals less spread London variant or not.

Via twitter


Almost 70% of Northern Ireland's #COVID19 infections are with the new variant. It shows the effect of no controls on ports and airports. Today's Office for National Statistics survey report: https://bit.ly/39YJ3zW

Not overall just from 11-17 of Jan.

[imtommygunn]

So lockdown in the north continues until March 5th
6 weeks today
Going by the law of averages case numbers likely to be below 200 by then and the r number probably 0.5 so what would be the plan to come out of lockdown?
Add into that potentially 400000 people vaccinated and the flu season coming to an end
Pretty easy to lockdown but no plan to come out

If the North has a high proportion of the new English variant lockdown won't help much.

Also Israel has run into trouble with vacvination after the first dose.  It may be Halloween before things start getting back to normal.

The bit in bold and italics SF. It reads like you're saying the lockdown won't help because we have the English variant. No amount of articles you post to me will change the fact I think that comment is nonsense.

[Last Man]

When might we as a society regain courage to plot a way out of this bind? The constant characterisation of these measures as a "Battle" much like someones battle against cancer, as if Cancer or a virus can be out witted. I am starting to think there is a growing cohort who crave some kind of distopian society where they never have to go outside again and AI taking over all the day to day shit that needs to be done. Being frightened all the time solves nothing and perhaps the attitude of some of the Jewish community mentioned earlier is telling.
In the last 100 years shit has got way more real than we are seeing now and could do so again in the near future. What hope for humanity if we carry on like this.
Just for the record, I am not  COvid denier/ anti Mask etc. and have been broadly compliant all the way through this but where has courage, resolve and thirst for life gone. 

[armaghniac]

When might we as a society regain courage to plot a way out of this bind? The constant characterisation of these measures as a "Battle" much like someones battle against cancer, as if Cancer or a virus can be out witted. I am starting to think there is a growing cohort who crave some kind of distopian society where they never have to go outside again and AI taking over all the day to day shit that needs to be done. Being frightened all the time solves nothing and perhaps the attitude of some of the Jewish community mentioned earlier is telling.
In the last 100 years shit has got way more real than we are seeing now and could do so again in the near future. What hope for humanity if we carry on like this.
Just for the record, I am not  COvid denier/ anti Mask etc. and have been broadly compliant all the way through this but where has courage, resolve and thirst for life gone.

If you have a dangerous virus in circulation where a vaccine will be distributed in a few months then battening down the hatches for that period is a rational response, this carry on in England is impatience and not a question of courage.

[Smurfy123]

Now saying the summer before restrictions are lifted in the uk
Sweet Christ

[sid waddell]

When might we as a society regain courage to plot a way out of this bind? The constant characterisation of these measures as a "Battle" much like someones battle against cancer, as if Cancer or a virus can be out witted. I am starting to think there is a growing cohort who crave some kind of distopian society where they never have to go outside again and AI taking over all the day to day shit that needs to be done. Being frightened all the time solves nothing and perhaps the attitude of some of the Jewish community mentioned earlier is telling.
In the last 100 years shit has got way more real than we are seeing now and could do so again in the near future. What hope for humanity if we carry on like this.
Just for the record, I am not  COvid denier/ anti Mask etc. and have been broadly compliant all the way through this but where has courage, resolve and thirst for life gone.

Many diseases have indeed been outwitted. It's called science. Science is outwitting and will outwit this one too. Science uses human intelligence, human wit.

Who exactly craves a dystopian society? Is it not the case that there is a cohort who want to imagine others as craving a dystopian society? Why do they do this? Is it a coping strategy to mask their lack of the courage and resolve needed to maintain restrictions that are there for the benefit of all of us?

Who lacks a thirst for life? Those who are able to deal with lockdown? Hardly. Things are a bit shit, but there are things you can do to make the best of it. Those who are unable to deal with lockdown? Hardly. I would not denigrate anybody for feeling down at this time, or any other time for that matter.

Why are restrictions in place? Because most people want to live, and don't want to die, and are prepared to put up with incovenience in the hope they will not fall victim to this pandemic.

A virus is not an enemy, it is an inanimate thing that has no feeling. You cannot "give in to it" or "not give in to it", the virus doesn't care. It is not a war enemy. Society can only deal with it by a combination of science and physical distancing.

Why are people frightened? Are they wrong to be frightened?

But is not courage and resolve exactly what we need to get through this time? And not denial? And how is fear incompatible with courage and resolve?

What hope is there for humanity if we don't react in a way which tries to protect people at this time? If we didn't impose restrictions at this time, what would that say about humanity?

[sid waddell]

Now saying the summer before restrictions are lifted in the uk
Sweet Christ

The rational response now is elimination, not temporary suppression.

[BennyCake]

Now saying the summer before restrictions are lifted in the uk
Sweet Christ

No surprise. Forget about planning anything for 2021, as this year will be a write off.

[Milltown Row2]

Now saying the summer before restrictions are lifted in the uk
Sweet Christ

No surprise. Forget about planning anything for 2021, as this year will be a write off.

I'm planning on doing moonshine!!

[bennydorano]

Booked a cycling trip to Majorca in October, definitely think it'll  go ahead in a restricted sorta way.

[Cunny Funt]

Good improvements on the case load in ROI. Seven day average is 2538 cases per day. Just 12 days ago the average was 6539.

The amount of people currently hospitalised is a similar number to last weekend so hopefully that means we have seen a peak and hospital figures will decrease.

Reported deaths is just 3 off last week with 2 days to go. The damage of having 6k weekly cases is seen there.

Sid Waddell condolences to you and your family on the passing of your dad.

[sid waddell]

Good improvements on the case load in ROI. Seven day average is 2538 cases per day. Just 12 days ago the average was 6539.

The amount of people currently hospitalised is a similar number to last weekend so hopefully that means we have seen a peak and hospital figures will decrease.

Reported deaths is just 3 off last week with 2 days to go. The damage of having 6k weekly cases is seen there.

Sid Waddell condolences to you and your family on the passing of your dad.

Thanks and thanks to all other posters who did same. It means a lot even if I don't know you personally. I just watched the last 20 minutes of Dublin v Kerry 1977 in his company, though I can't see him as it's a closed coffin. This is the same match I played the highlights of on my phone for him on Tuesday morning. He died pretty much around the moment I was showing him Bernard Brogan's clinching goal. Think I'll hook up the two 1983 semi-finals against Cork to the telly for him later on, I think these were his favourite Dublin matches ever and they're definitely mine, even though I was too young for them.

Please bear in mind that anything I said about this pandemic before now was borne out of wanting to avoid the nightmare I have experienced over the last few weeks and anything I say in future about it will be borne out of wanting others to avoid that same fate.