Mutating Corona Virus

[unclebulgaria67]

Depends on how many infected people are in circulation. passing onto others.  

 

Yes Covid-19 cases will increase, schools will close, as will businesses etc. but on a local level and not a national lock down as before. 

 

Not sure a herd immunity policy is being followed, as I don't think many of the Governments advisors believes this would be helpful.  

 

There have been re-infection cases and some evidence to suggest any immunity after having the virus may be short. 

[unclebulgaria67]

conspiracy theorists believe Covid-19 is purely Government finding ways to control people and the vaccines will help with this in some way.  They seem to believe that globalists are behind it, as they realised the world could not continue as it was, due to population numbers, environment, natural resources supply not meeting demand, technology reducing jobs etc.

 

I can see why they might come to this view, but it would be a pretty extreme way for Governments to tackle world problems.  Complete rubbish in my opinion peddled by some people who make money from websites, books etc they sell to people who tend to like conspiracy theories.

[unclebulgaria67]

Full UK national lock down for 2 weeks possibly happening soon.  This may or may not include school and non essential shops.

 

Would people support this, if this was likely to reduce numbers infected by virus during a 'second wave' ?

 

Or is a lock down only likely to have a temporary effect and therefore it is not worth doing ?

 

I could see a national lockdown end of next week or week after, given the sharp rise in infections over the recent week. 

[unclebulgaria67]

@tobyjugg2 It has been decided that you will now be responsible for deciding on the Covid-19 measures that Government will apply to England.   What measures will you introduce ?

 

If it were me deciding, I think I would enforce PPE requirements in any place that is open to the public and that includes schools.    So both Children and all school staff would have to wear face masks and those that cannot wear masks due to a health condition, should not be attending school anyway.   In terms of how to enforce. I would employ more Council enforcement officers, with the power to issue £100 penalties to people and £1000 to any company/organisation.   These penalties would increase for second, third and subsequent offences.

 

This virus is going to be with us for months or years, so we might as well  get used to having to excercise reasonable precautions.   Lock downs should be used when they need to deploy a fire break to try to deal with the virus spread in areas.

[unclebulgaria67]

Had a laptop for a month, but required to work from office.   First day working from home as a trial and I can see why people like it.   Two minutes commute to work.  But supply of coffee nearer as well a food supplies, so it could become unhealthy.   The plan is to do a mixture of office and home based working. 

 

Virus numbers looking worrying and a full lockdown quite possible.  So if this happens, then I can see most people wanting to work from home all of the time.  But I work in the public sector, so our health and safety appears to be decided by Downing Street.

[unclebulgaria67]

SERCO seem to be a default company that Government use to perform contact centre type tasks. So any department faced with a problem, say a sudden increase in incoming phone calls, which they cannot handle, because they are dealing with more immediate issues such as making payments to the public, may in the short term involve SERCO.

 

SERCO seem to employ a lot of security cleared, DBS checked, financial checked etc employees, so they seem to be equipped and ready to manage tasks on behalf of Government departments.

 

No idea just how much work SERCO does on behalf of Government, but I should imagine it makes up a sizeable chunk of their business.

 

Public Health departments may want to perform the work themselves, but given the number of employees required, the recruitment process involved, the hours of work 24/7 and just how quick they need to be set up to perform the work, I question whether they are better placed to do so.

 

I would always prefer public sector employees over outsourced contracts, but I can understand why Government uses companies such as SERCO. 

[unclebulgaria67]

Not a fan of outsourcing in general, as I think control is lost.  And the companies used, can have problems meeting the standards required, as HB states above. 

 

But I can see why it is attractive, as then Government department or principal company does not have additional staff with pensions and all of the other costs.   If you needed say 200 staff to cover work that would last a year, it can make sense to outsource the work, depending on what is required.

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

What I want to know, is how many people have been admitted to hospitals in the last 7 days needing help with Covid-19 ? How does this compare with previous weeks?

 

 Virus numbers are high due to increased testing and number of deaths increasing, but I have heard that covid-19 was probably not primary cause of death in many cases. Is this true ?

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Just tell me when this virus is under control !

 

Mental health crisis is already starting to happen, due to the way the country has dealt with this.  I can see some people are finding it very difficult to cope with the constant tinkering by Government, rather than having a consistent plan. 

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

 

[unclebulgaria67]

@cjcregg How many have died due to Covid-19 in different age groups ?

 

Yes it is true that those close to average life expectancy have died, but many younger people have also died during this pandemic.

 

Does Covid-19  really warrant the level of economic harm that has been inflicted ?

 

Was there a concern that Covid-19 might mutate into stronger strains causing hundreds of thousands to die prematurely?  If there was such a concern, perhaps Governments have taken a very cautious approach, as they have no real idea of how this pandemic will run its course. 

[unclebulgaria67]

Why do I get the feeling that national lockdown no.2. will happen, but Government are delaying the decision for as long as possible ?

 

Is this so lockdown no.2 is timed for mid/late November ? With the hope virus numbers are then reducing by mid December, so the lockdown can be removed in the run up to Christmas ?

 

Bit of a risky strategy ?

 

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

@honeybee13I genuinely think Boris is confused about what to do. Economic disaster v even more unexpected deaths. 

 

The big problem with this virus is that many people have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, but can still pass on the virus to others. 

 

And with winter bugs having some similar symptoms to CV-19, there are probably thousands in workplaces with CV-19 who just don't know they are risking others lifes.

 

If Government are going to lockdown the country for a period, it has to be really strict and that includes schools and Colleges.  They should have done this in a planned way around the half-term period. 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

4 minutes ago, London1971 said:

No lock down = No NHS

No NHS = no economy

Think that is a very good way of summing up the situation.

 

At the moment Hospitals are coping, but  if the vulnerable are infected due to increasing numbers of people moving around with the virus, then a lockdown will be required. 

 

Latest info leaking from Government suggests a 1 month lockdown will be announced on Monday.

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Apparently my nearest major Hospital in Bristol has more patients  currently admitted due to Covid, than they had earlier in the year.  And they have cancelled people visiting all patients. 

 

My instinct is that the 4 week lockdown will prove not to be adequate and it will be extended by at least 2 weeks.  If you have Schools and Colleges still open, the virus is still being spread, plus many people are ignoring the lockdown holding social gatherings in their houses.

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54841185

 

This may surprise people, that to be sent a home Covid test, you need to have a credit file confirming your ID details.

[unclebulgaria67]

9 minutes ago, honeybee13 said:

I don't get that, UB. Why?

 

My guess is that the company administering the system, also has ability to cross check names/addresses to credit files, so they have chosen that option, to ensure ID is verified, for any follow up action e.g. isolation requirement following positive test.

 

Given this is a public health crisis, not sure on the merits of this approach.

[unclebulgaria67]

Remember many years ago, when Blairs Labour Government wanted to introduce national ID cards, as they believed that it would really help people obtaining easy access to some services.  This was dropped, as many MP's across all parties in the HoC  would not support this.  Also there was a cost to people obtaining the cards, unless they qualified for a fee exemption.

 

I can remember thinking that it was just delaying the inevitable and that at some point, some form of ID card would be introduced.  

 

The credit file ID check is acting like an ID card, although it is an online check, without needing to physically show the card.  And people, when applying for services, jobs etc. they still often need to provide at least 2 forms of ID.

 

I think the next step is that Government requires everyone to have some gateway/online record, which they need to keep up to date with latest contact details.  

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Glad to read that the frozen vaccine is going be thawed to room temperature before injection! 

 

I am some way down the priority list, so there will be millions going through the process before it is my turn. 

 

Hopefully side effects will be limited to minor headaches and nausea, without too many additional issues found.

 

Likelihood is that this will be an ongoing process with vaccines required every year, similar to  flu jabs.

[unclebulgaria67]

Since the first Coronovirus stories appeared in the media in January 2020, there has been discussions about different strains of the virus.  So it was already known that different countries had different versions of the virus. But it was only last week that UK Scientists discovered that one strain was transmitting more quickly.

 

Boris is going to make more announcements today which apparently is going to be that most of Southern England ( but not Devon or Cornwall) and the Midlands will be placed into tier 4. And it may be announced that schools in these areas will be closed to all pupils except key workers until middle of January.

 

It was always going to be this way, as people over the last few weeks have been shopping in larger numbers getting ready for Christmas and we are seeing the results.  

[unclebulgaria67]

Seems a lockdown is on the way for England, with Boris possibly making an announcement later.

 

According to media reports most primary schools in tier 4 areas will be staying closed to all children apart from those from key workers.  

 

Given virus numbers have accelerated, you would think SAGE would have been shouting at Government to implement a quick lockdown. And I think any Government resistance to this will be removed early this week, as most of England would be in tier 4 anyway.

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

My daily commute is now about 1 minute each way, was 60 minutes each way.

 

Civil Service appears to see new strain of virus as a much higher risk and wants most staff working from home, unless this is not possible.

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

We can spend up to £200 on basic furniture for office set up and be reimbursed. 

 

I have a fully adjustable chair with back support arriving today and may get another table, as a I am using an old kitchen table at the moment. Already have a separate large monitor, so I am not looking at small laptop screen all day.

 

So far I seem to be working harder at home with less distractions, with phone calls lasting longer. So I am going to have to start being more disciplined taking breaks away from my work. 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

I just checked and my Benq monitor is flicker free and is one of their eyecare models. 

 

I am going to try to visit shops less often, probably 1 or 2 visits per week max.  From what I understand, apart from schools, the next places viruses have found to have caused infection outbreaks is Supermarkets. I always take precautions applying hand gel, but apparently according to a senior Doctor* this new strain of virus is more able to pass through most face masks people are wearing.

 

*Someone I know has a relative who is a Senior Doctor who told them there is some evidence that this new virus strain may get through the cheap masks that are mostly available.  If this is true, then may be it would be worth buying  better quality masks, just to be on the safe side !

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Bit worrying these crony contracts.

 

Think there has been an increase in Civil Service jobs not subject to fair and open competition, due to the urgency of tasks related to Covid and Brexit.  These positions are time limited to 12 or 18 months usually. 

 

Any inquiries will no doubt report after the next general election