Forum Topic

Latest announcement from Council on pandemic and it's not good

If I was a parent anywhere in this country I would be petrified right now.  The second wave has well and truly started should we not re think going back to school?  The clusters they are finding all over the country were mainly down to the over enthusiastic gatherings of friends and families when the government said you could do it.  I am very ill right now myself with Shingles and chronic Urticaria and I feel awful but I have had it before and I don't get blisters so my carers are safe from it.I have not left my bedroom since January so I know I do not have Covid19,  I am on my own so I have no children but I worry about friends and family who do.  Stay safe everyone out there it's a cruel world right now and there is no guarantee the government will get on top of this as they have proved over and over again they are not fit for the job. Crisis management is a skill some people are brilliant at it some are not I think it would be good though if political parties putting people forward for election sent them to crisis management training before they were in charge of peoples lives.Maybe we should take it out of front line politics and have a crisis management team allowed to make on the spot decisions and who make sure we have proper stocks of equipment needed for emergencies and they run the whole show no politicians at all.  Would you trust a goose to build a bridge?https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKHOUNSLOW/bulletins/29a6089

Caroline Carney ● 2268d27 Comments

CarolineI empathise with you and the thousands of others in your situation. It appears that in LB Hounslow there has been  at least 15 new confirmed Covid-19 cases, although that was 4 days ago, so may have increased since then ?I do need to shop and walk my dogs but take all precautions, over and above the recommended ones. I should say it's not just our Government who have got it wrong but also Our Council, LB Hounslow. There are a couple of mass events being advertised  and I do wonder if they should be permitted to go ahead  ?

Loraine Pemberton ● 2268d

There were also a number of mass gatherings for BLM in Hounslow and Brentford but many on here as well as the organiser were totally blase about the effect this could have on an increase in pandemic numbers.  Personally I don't think any mass events should be allowed at the moment for whatever reason.

Claire Moran ● 2268d

Hello Caroline  I wish you all the best Stuck in since January is awful as is Shingles I have heard.Just dont know what to think about all this.it is a b of a disease certainly I know our post office lost a postman my friends workmate lost his sister mum and dad 4 in a house now just him a living hell imagine that. No its not just a nasty dose of flu.....plus the stories on the radio last week from people who have long term issues ie one marathon runner can get up the stairs just and thats her finished for 10 minutes....I reckon coming out of lockdown wad an evonomical decision but what is tbe answer?..My partner I call her the covid queen she is paranoid me no im not im that french word I cant remember or spell.Now New Zealand after boasting has gone into total lockdown  what to do what to do.

Mick Collins ● 2268d

I am as cautious about this virus as anyone and thought re-opening the schools a huge risk.But by chance I heard "The Briefing Room" on Radio 4 this morning which addressed this very issue and was more reassured:https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000ln07Basically they looked at Sweden, where they didn't enforce mandatory lockdown and consequently had high infection/death rates etc.Sweden also didn't close their schools at any stage, yet the evidence suggests that not only did the kids not get it (or if they did, were asymptomatic or very mild) but they didn't seem to transmit it to adults.Better still, the infection rate amongst their teachers was not raised either.The programme is only 30 mins and well worth listening to.

Richard Cathcart ● 2268d

I find some local residents are being sensible about the precautions they are taking, but I have seen it all starting to slip.I popped into the local Co-Op yesterday evening (Fri)and realised that I was a bit overdressed, No customers were wearing masks, neither was any of the staff.Its a bit awkward trying to keep 2 metres apart in that shop ( but didn't Boris Change that, to just over a metre) That I gave up and went home.I think the mixed messages we have been getting is having an effect of not using the personal measures we ar meant to be using.Sorry Local Shops I am out, if you are not going to play the game

Bernard Allen ● 2268d

Why oh why aren't people playing closer attention to raw statistics instead of just pandering to the scaremongering of the media ?.Let's start with the bad - there's no doubt that most European countries are experience an increase in cases, although it is nothing like the surge they experienced in March/April time.But then take a step back from that and look at the death rates of the same countries - they have all experienced, and continue to experience, a decline in covid-related deaths.  Currently 6 a day in Italy, 2 in Sweden, 12 in France, 5 in Germany and so forth.  There's been 3 deaths in Slovakia related to covid in the last 12 weeks.So the statistics suggests that yes, for the last 3-4 weeks most countries has been seeing an increase in cases.  Which is surely to be expected as lockdowns continue to be eased and people circulate more, be in locally, nationally or internationally.  But, despite that increase, in European countries, deaths from covid are continuing to fall, to the extent that they are minimal - I imagine more than 12 people a day are dying from the flu in France for example.THe media don't focus on the daily date rate in France, oh no, that doesn't support a sensational headline to grab people's attention, they focus upon the slight increase in cases only.I'm sick and tired of the unnecessary scaremongering.  Yes we should all be sensible and cautious, but the alternative is to have a complete lockdown until everyone in the world has received a vaccine and there's not a single new case reported.And what really irks me is that people are just as at risk of getting covid here by going on a "staycation", or going in a restaurant to 'eat out to help out', as they are going to France or Spain or Holland.  Yet the same people who have happily gone on a staycation or stuffed their faces dining out from Monday to Wednesday all August will be the first to say in September "oh little Johnny can't to school, he might get covid, hence I can't go to work either, come on Boris give us more money".

Adam Beamish ● 2268d

Hello Bernard I wear a mask in a shop I wear it out of respect to the shopworkers not for protection for me or them just because in this situation we are in thats what they expect and hope. I actually would put a bet on that I had it just after Christmas...so right or wrong I will wear it for them

Mick Collins ● 2268d

Voice of reaon there Adam very good spot on...now can you use your influence to obstruct the Bollo Lane monstrosity going up..

Mick Collins ● 2268d

Good to see Adam getting angry. More people need to get angry with this BS; but  even this could play into the satanic paedo's hands. We've def got our work cut out to stop things getting worse. In New Zealand, the 'infected' are no longer allowed to self-isolate at home but are matched off to quarantine camps.

Michael Brown ● 2268d

'Marched'. Predictive spelling rubbish. And paedos' maybe. JW will be cross with me.

Michael Brown ● 2268d

christ....everytime I see a mask wearer Im going to think are they a satanic paedo behind that mask.How will I find out ? ..I think I will ask them for the older do you prefer the Beatles or Tbe Stones  for the millenials do you drive or cycle and for the generation x are you always a mouth opener me me me type or can you actually look someone in the eye and ask an intersting question to the person your looking at. Then I will know

Mick Collins ● 2268d

Our goverment are incompetent at best.

Trevor Conway ● 2268d

MickI think you did have it after Christmas.My Granddaughters children went back to school after the Christmas holidays, and soon after her sons class, including the teacher went down with what the hospital called a virus.He had a horrible cough and a high temperature and it wasn't long before my Granddaughter went down with the same symptoms.She is a bad asthmatic so it hit her very hard, she was rushed into hospital 3 times being unable to Breath, and they still didn't suss Covid-19. she was bad for about 6 weeks.I recon that a parent of one of the pupils came back from China to the UK for Christmas and passed it on through one of their children.So knowing how bad my granddaughter was I wear a mask in most cases. If you cannot social distance I even wear a mask, but I am noticing more and more not wearing them.

Bernard Allen ● 2268d

I'm sick and tired of the unnecessary scaremongering.So am I AdamBut so many many residents are not playing by the rules, as I said in another post I popped into the Co-Op Friday evening to find all the customers and staff not wearing masks.Regardless of do they work or not, you are meant to, so why aren't they?I think the younger people think there invincible and cant catch it, well they can, and go home and pass it on to their parents.So you think we shouldn't stick to rules issued by the Government 

Bernard Allen ● 2268d

In the town of Bergerac, France, masks are mandatory outside on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Michael Brown ● 2268d

I agree with you Bernard, as I said in my earlier post I'm all for a degree of caution and sensible precautions, although then again it isn't a legal requirement to wear masks in Sweden (and nor, from what I hear, are many people wearing masks) and yet their death rate is not any higher now than anywhere else.But the quarantine restrictions on Spain, France, Holland etc. are a total nonsense.  Again, I wouldn't personally feel safe going to India or Brazil just now, and I'm all for restrictions on travel to such countries, but not places that have a lower death rate than we do - it seems to be nothing more than an attempt by the government to recoup some money by making it risky to travel abroad, thereby making people more likely to flock to coastal resorts here or stuff themselves in crowded restaurants for 50% off.

Adam Beamish ● 2268d

The New Zealand government gave very clear instructions to people and they started track and track almost immediately which allowed them to find all of those infected and shut down travel etc.  The new wave came immediately after they relaxed the rules.  Same in nearly every other country. Here track and trace is either incompetent or invisible.  Testing is a shambles. This is with us now for the future so we need clear instructions and good honest communications.  They literally told everyone go out and have fun so people did and now the numbers are going up again.  They were never steady here at any point so what in the world made them think they could do this so easily.  I felt a very real sense of dred when they stopped releasing the daily figures for England.

Caroline Carney ● 2268d

Agree completely, Caroline

Claire Moran ● 2268d

Only a few days ago the testing total was reduced by 1.1 million, so yes testing is a shambles. I could not believe that smoking is still allowed in public. That says it all.

Nicholas Beard ● 2268d

Caroline, I'm sorry to hear that you're not in good health and are worried but I have to take issue with your latest post, which is factually incorrect.New Zealand lifted virtually all its restrictions on 8th JUne, over 2 months ago.  It went 102 days without any new internal cases, with the 22 positive cases during that 102 days all being returning travellers quarantined in isolation facilities.That 102 day run has been stopped by 4 new cases consisting of members of a single family who haven't travelled.  So your statement "the new wave came immediately after they relaxed the rules" is wholly untrue.You're worried and anxious - that's your prerogative.  But not to use wholly untrue statements.Moving onto a matter for opinion/discussion, do people really think a 15 day lockdown of Auckland (population 1.6 million) is a proportionate response to 4 new cases being diagnosed, all within the same family, after 102 days without a single cases in the entire country  ?.

Adam Beamish ● 2268d

Adam - your message is factually incorrect concerning the number of NZ cases.

Catherine Smith ● 2268d

Is it ?.  When the lockdown was reintroduced earlier this week was it not in response to 4 new local cases being confirmed ?.

Adam Beamish ● 2268d

4 cases, all within 1 family, triggered a 3 day lockdown, during which time the number of new cases increases, resulting in the lockdown being extended by 12 days.My post did expressly state that the country went 102 without a single new internal case being confirmed, until 4 positive cases were confirmed, all from within the same family.If that is factually incorrect than please correct me and I'll acknowledge my error, and trust others to do the same.

Adam Beamish ● 2268d

AB > "Moving onto a matter for opinion/discussion, do people really think a 15 day lockdown of Auckland (population 1.6 million) is a proportionate response to 4 new cases being diagnosed, all within the same family, after 102 days without a single cases in the entire country  ?."The response is consistent with the NZ policy of total elimination of the virus within its territory. Whether the policy is sensible is another question.

John Whitworth ● 2268d

Yes, I guess you are correct Adam - sorry - my thoughts were ahead of your comments, I guess. I was rather picking up on the spread since the new initial lock-down - and does that spread therefore justify the lock-down?  NZ had success with their initial strategy so more of the same (and it is 'interesting' to hear more details of that initial family spread.)  We learn more every day.

Catherine Smith ● 2267d

No problem Catherine.Personally, I think the recent NZ cluster shows that no matter what any country does, it's pretty much inevitable that there'll always be a recurrence of covid somewhere.Which of course no-one wants, but complete eradication is arguably impossible.  And, despite the ongoing, gradual increases in new cases in most European countries over recent weeks, the fact that death rates are dropping to effectively negligible levels has got to be encouraging.But for some reason the media as a whole doesn't want to report that, the BBC feed today for instance focuses solely upon the rise of new cases, yet it wasn't that long ago when it was all about the number of deaths.

Adam Beamish ● 2267d

Fir accuracy I said I was terrified not worried not anxious it is a wholly different feeling believe me. I've always wondered why people tell you what you are when you have already done that. A friend who is a linguist calls it the downplay.  Apparently it's what governments and big corporations do when they kill lots of people with some idea they didn't really research enough with people.  They are also a psychologist and told me that in their work for the prison service they see it a lot. Sorry people I was talking about how I felt and made the crucial mistake of not being accurate enough so here we are if people can absorb it one of the best sites for world statistics according to my friend who lives in Christchurch the New Zealand one.  It is also good for everywhere else I'm told by another friend who teaches Statistics. I personally find the presentation of statistics too academic for most people to grasp.  I like pie charts for the general public they are easy on the eye and give a better absorption rate of data.  I did SPSS at university and I was very ill the whole year and missed every class due to morning treatment.  My lecturer told me to do the exam anyway he was sure I could pass as I was good at processing and logic.  He was right I got 95%.  having shingles especially in your eye and ear is excruciating and has left me with one working eye possibly for the future so I will add the statistics from the site I read if I mention them in future.  This talking about your feelings business is very competitive isn't it. Mia Culpa.  PS I have not been able to read until last night so no book before bedtime which is my sleep routine.  I have found 2 perfect things to relax toPink noise and Boone Bake. The former is ambient noise of rain and the sea played through your headphones during sleep.  The latter is a person baking a beautiful cake with delicacy and a love of their art. Music  i am off to sleep now my head is in agony which afte 5 days of meds is not good.  Back to the Dr tomorrow  accompaniment no talkinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgCq6vha_-8  Which do you like?  .https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/new-zealand?country=~NZL

Caroline Carney ● 2267d