China Coronavirus

[Gmac]

You sound like you are happy to report those cases and deaths.

of course he is

[armaghniac]

Not good in the US of A.

[dublin7]

Any news on Sweden?

Could have sworn I read they had nearly 6,000 cases and 42 deaths in their latest daily figures

Probably just my imagination though, because the self appointed internet experts™ tell us Sweden got it right, and I can't believe the self appointed internet experts™ would be wrong

Sweden are averaging 4,000 cases a day this week and hospital numbers are rising. The Swedish PM announced he had COVID-19 and was self isolating, but it seems to have been a false positives as he said he doesn't have it now

They have implemented local lockdowns in parts of the country and pubs have to close at 10pm. Still won't make wearing masks mandatory anywhere except in hospitals

[Cunny Funt]

Weekly update for the ROI, decent progress seen again this week.

Cases 2,613 (887 less than last week)
Reported deaths 34 ( one more than last week)

In Hospital  249 (32 less than last week)
In ICU 31 ( 9 less)

[armaghniac]

There were a few higher days during the week though, illicit parties and the like.

[marty34]

Will there be another lockdown in early January?

[armaghniac]

Will there be another lockdown in early January?

That is dependent on how people conduct themselves in the meantime.

[marty34]

Will there be another lockdown in early January?

That is dependent on how people conduct themselves in the meantime.

With numbers still not that great yet, I take it that's a yes.

[Ronnie]

Probably.  More lockdowns or an acceptable (but avoidable) death toll.  Or national mindset change.  I'm not adding much that hasn't already been said.

[marty34]

Probably.  More lockdowns or an acceptable (but avoidable) death toll.  Or national mindset change.  I'm not adding much that hasn't already been said.

True, just seems to be a policy of containment.

On the other side of Christmas, it'll soon be the full 12 months!

[clarshack]

Will there be another lockdown in early January?

Nothing happens in January so probably wouldn't notice any difference tbh.

[armaghniac]

In the North they don't seem planning to reduce the rate much. it has only come down marginally in the last week. So they won't be able to tolerate much of an increase either. In the 26 counties they are planning to reduce it, so they can tolerate some increase. People say that it doesn't make much difference why not open pubs etc, but if R is 1.2 then the Covid does not increase 10 times for 13 weeks, but if R is 1.3 then it increases 10 times in 6.5 weeks. So if they ran a tight ship in the 26 counties and kept R down then they might stretch it out to the point where the vaccine was beginning to contribute and we might get a fair wind from that.

[GetOverTheBar]

https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1328079938654773249?s=20

A slap in the face to those that have to close here that are deemed high risk industries. Can you imagine if this was linked to a bar for example?

[tbrick18]

15 further Coronavirus deaths in Northern Ireland, 11 occurring during past 24 hours. Also 548 new cases from tests on 2,892 individual

Good to see that everyone realises that there is a problem
https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2020/1111/1177574-coronavirus-northern-ireland-belfast-party/

It's only going to get worse and worse until it crumbles from here.

Why should it worse? You can't relax the restrictions until you have reduced the virus, Covid isn't interested in whether you are tired of it or not.

People are sick of it. Sick of the politicians in the North and South. Pretty much everyone socially and in work I talk to now is along the lines of "lets get on with it".

I'm not saying I agree with it, it's not my view. But I can definitely sense over the last 4 weeks especially the good will has gone for whatever reasons.

The bars and hotels in the North "making the decision for the Government" is probably the start of it, if the North doesn't act in the next 24 hours this weekend will be a shambles.

The government have acted - restrictions lasting for another week - although I think some sectors can open after that

The government have acted, but are not being led by the science. And I notice that it's very rarely mentioned now that they are being led by the science.
The science said they needed to lock down for another 2 weeks at least. All parties except the DUP agreed and so the DUP used a cross community mechanism for a purpose it was never intended to be used for to veto the science and the overwhelming cross community vote to lock down for 2 weeks.
Robin Swan has even said that he is a unionist making the recommendations but the DUP used a cross community tool too block it. How can it be a cross community issue if both sides agree?
The DUP have their own agenda and seem to be only interested in either the money OR any route of action that is opposite to what SF want to follow.
It's reckless and scandalous and will undoubtedly cost more lives.
I wonder can a legal challenge be made against the DUP for using the cross community veto in a manner that it was not intended for.

[armaghniac]

The government have acted, but are not being led by the science. And I notice that it's very rarely mentioned now that they are being led by the science.
The science said they needed to lock down for another 2 weeks at least. All parties except the DUP agreed and so the DUP used a cross community mechanism for a purpose it was never intended to be used for to veto the science and the overwhelming cross community vote to lock down for 2 weeks.
Robin Swan has even said that he is a unionist making the recommendations but the DUP used a cross community tool too block it. How can it be a cross community issue if both sides agree?
The DUP have their own agenda and seem to be only interested in either the money OR any route of action that is opposite to what SF want to follow.
It's reckless and scandalous and will undoubtedly cost more lives.
I wonder can a legal challenge be made against the DUP for using the cross community veto in a manner that it was not intended for.

Somebody point out on Slugger that this is wasn't a petition of concern, but something brought in by SF and the DUP in the St Andrews agreement requiring ministerial votes on a cross community basis. It resulted from the stitch up by SF and the DUP to make sure that nothing could be done without them.