Forum Topic

Over 50,000 new cases today.

When is our government going to take this seriously- our nhs are really struggling again and the winter has not begun yet.- Javid saying complete rubbish  yesterday - what a travesty- no mandatory masks so what next.  Do we wait until we have covid overtaking our country again and lockdown done again too late-

Helen Bamberger ● 1830d14 Comments

And again, just to present the full picture, daily deaths lower than yesterday and the day before that.  And hospitalisations, whilst rising, are doing so at around the same level as they did from the start of August to mid September (after which they declined) and the actual level of hospitalisations is still lower than it was a month ago.Whilst it isn't exactly a happy picture, there is no reason to panic.

Adam Beamish ● 1830d

No panic Adam - we just need to take this seriously- I just wonder what goes next .

Helen Bamberger ● 1830d

No panic ? - starting a thread entitled "over 50,000 new cases today" and that's not panicking ?.  Where's the measured balance, where's the acknowledgement that on 8th September over 1,100 people were hospitalised and that levels then dropped ?.  Where's the acknowledgement that hospitalisations have remained relatively static for the last 3 months ?.  Surely the fact that cases are increasing but, as yet, deaths and hospitalisations are not reflecting that increase, is somewhat encouraging ?.  Wasn't it always likely that cases would increase as people went back to work, kids went back to school and autumn/winter started to arrive ?.It's just the same reaction as the fuel crisis the other week.

Adam Beamish ● 1830d

Exactly.  There is no need to be alarmist but equally as Helen as indicated there is no need to slack off either.  I went to Westfield yesterday and from what I could see barely 10% of people were wearing masks, just because we are not legally required to wear a mask in a shop does not make wearing it any less of a good idea.With schools in session and only those 12+ years old entitled to be vaccinated it was inevitable that there would be a rise in cases.  However thanks to mass vaccination the level of hospitalisations is far lower than previous surges (1/3rd of Apr 2020, 1/4 of Jan 2021) and a little better than the start of September.  Again thanks to mass vaccination daily deaths are massively lower than in previous surges.The NHS will easily cope, provided we do not also have a winter flu epidemic

Justin Stephenson ● 1830d

Mmmm - Adam I hope you are right !!!

Helen Bamberger ● 1830d

I have my doubts, don't get me wrong, and like everyone else I despair at the cavalier attitude of some people, but at the same time I'm also fundamentally opposed to a never-ending cycle of lockdown-freedom-lockdown-freedom-lockdown, because ultimately it isn't a solution.But I truly despise the media for their sensationalist headlines which don't acknowledge the full picture and are solely designed to grab people's attention.  Indeed on a different subject but in the same vein I was amused yesterday to see some sections of the media outraged at a radio presenter saying someone was a "chubby little thing" and yet at the very same time the same media were running articles like "celebrity x was showing off her ample assets on Instragram" or "celebrity y displayed her bronzed, hourglass figure" - hypocritical in the gutter media.

Adam Beamish ● 1830d

I think we all despair of the freedom-lockdown-freedom-lockdown cycle. But the argument for early adoption of light-touch measures is exactly to avoid the repetition of that cycle. Small inconveniences now may help to avoid major constraints on our freedom later.

Robert Fish ● 1830d

Robert, I completely agree with your comments. A sensible and pragmatic approach to reducing the number of cases and thus hospitalisations and deaths.

Loraine Pemberton ● 1830d

18 months on there are people who still don't get it.Still believing that a positive attitude is the best way to tackle this virus.The real shame of the report from the inquiry into the handling of this crisis last week was that they focussed on the stupid ignorant complacent self interested response of our government in March 2020. The real failings were that our government continued to ignore their mistakes and ignore the learnings from the thousands of people who died unnecessarily due to the delayed first lockdown.Instead, our government encouraged everyone to spend August 2020 spreading the virus in restaurants. With obvious consequences, so that in September 2020 we should have gone into lockdown again. But again, the government delayed until it was too late for thousands and beyond obvious and didn't lock down until November 5th 2020. Yet again the government didn't learn from its mistakes. And let us out for Christmas. Before it was safe. Leading to more virus spread and more unnecessary deaths. And another lockdown too late in Jan 2021.No-one wants another lockdown. It's true that deaths are a lot less than before.But...The number of people in hospital is up. Now over 8.000Over 800 of those are in intensive careDaily deaths are "low" but rising & still over 1,000 a weekNew Cases are rising 52k today.Yet...No one is wearing masksBig crowded events continueBooster Jab anyone? No chance you need to be in Israel, France or Germany for thatI'm not suggesting a lockdown. But we do need some sensible restrictions now based on our learnings these past 18 months.But nothing has changed in our attitude or most importantly the governments. Ignore the science until it is too late.

Richard Potts ● 1830d

In response to the Richard Potts diatribe earlier."Booster Jab anyone? No chance you need to be in Israel, France or Germany for that"I had mine last week, and I'm not in Israel, France or Germany.

James Roy ● 1829d

Long term : Covid19 = Influenza in severityGet used to it. Covid is not going to go away.

John Davies ● 1829d

People have just become complacent keep wearing masks in shops, busses and any other public transport or if there are crowds.  Use hand sanitiser and just take care

Janice White ● 1829d

The death rate since September is more than the previous 5 months  all put together .

Stewart Jones ● 1829d

I find it difficult to get used to the fact that in the past week the Covid mortality rate in the UK, as a percentage of population, is higher than in Brazil under Bolsonaro's genocidal regime. Moreover the rate has been consistently falling recently in Brazil, whilst the direction remains uncertain here. What does that say about the recklessness of our government's COVID policy?

Robert Fish ● 1829d