Forum Topic

Chiswick House this afternoon - very scary...

...Absolutely zero social distancing, zero face masks and people gathering in large groups, circa 12 plusDo any of these groups want Lockdown extended further or do they think like those who went to these Beaches yesterday won't catch Covid ? Have they not looked at the infection rate statistics for LB Hounslow  ? Apparently LBH, and especially Chiswick, is at the top of the infection rate league. Of course I may be wrong, does anyone know better  ?

Loraine Pemberton ● 2067d24 Comments

Latest search on https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/ shows for W4 1RG 8 per 100,000 which is below England average.But a bit of scaremongering will do some good

James Roy ● 2067d

JamesI've no desire to scaremonger, but this afternoons plwas deeply worrying. Why aren't people being being more community minded ? Since March 2020 I've been super careful and managed being infected with Covid-19 and its variants. So why are so many people being lackadaisical about this killer virus  ?

Loraine Pemberton ● 2067d

Maybe this is why?https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-beach-holidays-safe-sage-uk-b1803367.html

Russell Pearson ● 2067d

I want to go for a walk around Chiswick house grounds or by the river.  I have been incredibly careful over the past year - moving out of the way when runners and many people walking together - no masks etc.  What selfishness there is out there - do not they realise how many of our loved ones have died?  All of us want to go back to normality but these rubbish people are holding us back.  Please people understand how we cannot beat this until we all pull together - P L E A S E.

Helen Bamberger ● 2067d

Most people in Chiswick will do the right thing... because it’s the right thing to do...Sadly others need a meaningful deterrent... but there’s so few police about....and  too little enforcement of the rules...Net result is we all lose out with more and more lockdowns... time for locals and authorities to make it clear that slack behaviour is not ok...

Emma Elizabeth ● 2067d

RP > "Maybe this is why?"Quote:However, Prof Woolhouse told MPs beaches were safe. He said that some other mass gatherings – such as a horse racing event – were riskier because they do not involve social distancing and are full of “pinch points” like travel and refreshment facilities.This implies that beaches are less risky because they *do* involve social distancing and are *not* full of "pinch points". I find that very unconvincing.

John Whitworth ● 2067d

Indeed, there’s a lot more convicting needed. Commercial events such as a horse race with all its associated social interactions - betting, food, drink etc, have to be riskier than sitting in a park or on a beach. But are the latter, risky activities? The Sage guy says he’s not seen one instance from a beach, of transmission. And parks?

Russell Pearson ● 2067d

JW: "This implies that beaches are less risky because they *do* involve social distancing and are *not* full of "pinch points". I find that very unconvincing."To quote Professor Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh and an adviser to the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage):"... over the summer [of 2020] we were treated to all this on the television, news, pictures of crowded beaches and there was an outcry over this.“There were no outbreaks linked to crowded beaches. There has never been a COVID-19 outbreak linked to a beach ever anywhere in the world to the best of my knowledge.”More here: https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/not-single-covid-outbreak-linked-crowded-beaches-124027364.htmlProf. Woolhouse is surely well qualified and must have studied all available evidence before commenting.And no scientist is ever going to say something so definitive if he believes there is a real chance of being proven wrong in the near future (i.e. summer 2021).So that's good enough for me.Then again, I don't much like beaches, so hardly ever visit them anyway!

Richard Cathcart ● 2067d

Lorraine - you are a well adjusted and sensible resident of Chiswick.Why on earth are you going anywhere near Chiswick House on a weekend let alone a sunny one?Leave CH for weekdays.If this lockdown has taught us anything it's the places to avoid at weekends and sunny days.Yes, please quote your right to go where you want and enjoy these places like everyone else - but don't moan about crowding in popular places

Richard Potts ● 2067d

Loraine you are spot on. Chiswick is in a very dire state with covid19 infections. Stay clear of all open spaces continue to keep your distance and above all STAY SAFE !There is nowt so queer as folk !Best wishes, Chris

Chris Vessey ● 2067d

While there were a LOT of people there today:Most seemed to be in household groups (plus you can't really tell if 5 young people sitting together are meeting up, or are just as likely flatmates as the young can't afford to live alone these days) The rate of infection in Chiswick right now is actually quite low (32 positive tests in all of Chiswick last week) The chance of catching covid outside is very, very small(And all those children are going to be packed into classrooms next week anyway) I don't think the behaviour today is as risky as you think it is.But, midweek is much quieter if you worried for your own health

Ceinwen Mailvaganam ● 2067d

The best you can do is keep your distance and take responsibility for yourself. It’s the responsibility of the authorities to police this but they’re not doing a particularly good job. Similarly with cyclists and their new red lights.  These things are all life threatening situations so more important than littering and even parking fines.

Maggie Dodge ● 2067d

The Guardian on this“To Çevik, the hysteria over the beach gatherings in some quarters was, above all, evidence of how dislocated some pockets of social media users are from the reality of about 15 million people who are still going to work every day. “Low-income families have been working throughout this pandemic, and they are much more likely to live in overcrowded housing,” she said. “If you live in a big house and order everything on Amazon, you might be shocked by those images. But they’re missing the bigger picture.”“https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/19/how-the-beach-super-spreader-myth-can-inform-uks-future-covid-response?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Russell Pearson ● 2067d

I have to say tho, those not wearing masks in shops without very good reason are reprehensible.That put others at risks and creates unnecessary worry for everyone else there.

Ceinwen Mailvaganam ● 2067d

If you were there Lorraine then you are part of what you perceive to be a problem.

Mark Talbot ● 2067d

RP > "The Guardian on this"Neither you nor RC have addressed the point I was making which was not about the the relative risk of crowded beaches versus other "mass gatherings". It was the reasons given for the difference in that risk that I found implausible.

John Whitworth ● 2067d

I think if you flash your VIP badge on the gate they'll clear out the grounds for you.

John Hall ● 2067d

Me also JW, a lot of implausibility. People are in a panic about a socially distanced picnic, or just being in a park, but is there any data in that being a real risk? The Guardian guy points to 15 million mainly poorer people are going to work every day. Where does that risk factor equate with sitting in a park.

Russell Pearson ● 2067d

Loraine Pemberton asked" So why are so many people being lackadaisical about this killer virus  ?"Simple answer. Because for people under 30 it poses no more threat than does a bad case of flu. *Yes* thereare the odd exceptions but then we never heared of similar odd exceptions before, which must surely have existed  of young people dying of flu complications.Myself I'm over 70 and I haven't traveled on public transport or been out of my house much after8.a.m since last March. Which admittedly in Winterfor people uncomrfortable in the dark isn't much help This morning between 7 and 7.30 am. ish I walked both banks of the Thames between Kew and Chiswick Bridges.I passed 1 person on the Surrey side walking hisspringer spaniel, and one person on HartingtonRd and one jogger on SOTG.There are supermarkets open at 6 and 7.a.m.Basically when people complain about crowds on SOTG or anywhere else for that matter it implies to me that they're going out at the wrong time of day. With the days lengthening it will soon be light at 5.a.m.If I was a young person at no real threat from Covid, whose livelihood and standard of living had been threatened if not destroyed by this pandemic, I think I might feel rather less sympathic to the measures which are being imposed on me.michael adams...  

Michael Adams ● 2067d

Wise words!

Richard Cathcart ● 2067d

Michael,I often find your analyses quite insightful. You look at the situation and I get the impression you don't enter the debate with a previously determined point of view you just want to justify - you examine the issues rationally and try to empathise with other people's points of view. Thank you for your posts.

Andrew Jones ● 2067d

RichardQuite simply I had to walk my 2 lively dogs who do need to run around, Turnham Green was very busy which is the nearest park to me, so i decided on CH. I gave up after 10 minutes.

Loraine Pemberton ● 2067d

Michael, I do exactly the same as you . I use the smaller supermarkets, usually later in the day rather than early. I’ve never failed to find somewhere quiet to walk , again small parks nearby, at the right time of day. There are undoubtedly people breaking the rules but it is possible not to get caught up if you don’t want to.  I’m retired of course so there is more flexibility for people of a certain age. Hopefully we are nearing the end.

Maggie Dodge ● 2067d

RP > "Where does that risk factor equate with sitting in a park."The risk is taken in context: essential versus non-essential activities?Anyway, we've moved away from my quibble which is the apparent difference in risk between crowded beaches and other "mass gatherings", e.g. horse racing events.

John Whitworth ● 2066d