[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Kam05

England might get another lockdown but how many will follow it? Uptake will be very low especially if there is no financial support (furlough). Regional lockdowns would be the best approach.

Did they really work though? The police don't have the resources to stop people travelling from a region in lockdown to one that isn't so when the likes of Leeds had restrictions last year you just had people travelling to York and Harrogate for a night out and spreading the virus there.....

[Kal101]

No re the lockdown

Some restrictions etc such as mask wearing back bit of social distancing maybe.

Don’t think the government could afford another lock down.

[MY340i]

Holland in lockdown by the looks of it

[Scoobyd]

Austria have locked down all the unvaccinated there now apparently. Imagine the meltdown we'd see here!!!

Can't see any reason as to why we'd be having a Christmas lockdown. The cases, deaths and hospitalisations have been pretty stable and consistent for a while now. Albeit any is too many. The 100k cases a day we were warned could happen thankfully hasn't materialised. The boosters are rolling out pretty well to top up the most at risk.

My hope is we get through the winter relatively ok and things really start to look a lot better from next Spring onwards. When we'll be at the 2 year mark of having this thing in our lives. Sigh.

[dopper99]

I've noticed pubs and hotels have removed perspex screens on the bar/reception so they clearly don't think we're heading for a lockdown.

Quite the opposite in fact.

I assume they were told to install them last year, and allowed to remove them now.

[agentorange]

An ex-pat friend recently returned from a trip to the UK. He said mask usage was pathetic and he fully expects another UK spike.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by dopper99

I've noticed pubs and hotels have removed perspex screens on the bar/reception so they clearly don't think we're heading for a lockdown.

Quite the opposite in fact.

I assume they were told to install them last year, and allowed to remove them now.

Not in ours. And no plans to.....

But yes, the risk mitigation was put in by the regulations and when the provisions were relaxed, so too was the need to put screens in place.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by agentorange

An ex-pat friend recently returned from a trip to the UK. He said mask usage was pathetic and he fully expects another UK spike.

Well apart from a few specific places, its not compulsory to wear facecoverings and so its hard to call it pathetic.... what is pathetic is that, despite all of the evidence, the govt leave it to the great British public to decide....

[ArthurKing]

No, there won't be a Christmas Lockdown.

A) Hospitalisations/Deaths remain stable and low in relation to 'cases' compared to Pre-Vaccine.
B) Its too late, people have already made plans etc on the basis Boris said no lockdown is planned. It would be even more damaging for him politically, if that is even possible.
C) Plenty would simply ignore it, its unenforceable anyway for the most part.

Cases remain 'High' because we have become lax in terms of social distancing and mask wearing combined with a not insignificant number of people unvaccinated still. Realistically in terms of percentage of people vaxxed vs those eligible is not going to get much higher, its sat on around 80% for months now so a level of spread and therefore hospitalisations is going to need to be accepted.

Will Christmas gathering cause an increase in cases? Undoubtedly but we have done all we can in terms of vaccinations, even those most vulnerable will have been offered a booster by that point so what else can we do?

In terms of mask wearing, I get the train into London 3x a week and on my service I would guess 10-15% still wear them. I see buses driving round where maybe 50% are wearing them despite it being compulsory on TFL services.
Do I wear one on the train? No, I don't.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by ArthurKing

No, there won't be a Christmas Lockdown.

A) Hospitalisations/Deaths remain stable and low in relation to 'cases' compared to Pre-Vaccine.
B) Its too late, people have already made plans etc on the basis Boris said no lockdown is planned. It would be even more damaging for him politically, if that is even possible.
C) Plenty would simply ignore it, its unenforceable anyway for the most part.

Cases remain 'High' because we have become lax in terms of social distancing and mask wearing combined with a not insignificant number of people unvaccinated still. Realistically in terms of percentage of people vaxxed vs those eligible is not going to get much higher, its sat on around 80% for months now so a level of spread and therefore hospitalisations is going to need to be accepted.

Will Christmas gathering cause an increase in cases? Undoubtedly but we have done all we can in terms of vaccinations, even those most vulnerable will have been offered a booster by that point so what else can we do?

In terms of mask wearing, I get the train into London 3x a week and on my service I would guess 10-15% still wear them. I see buses driving round where maybe 50% are wearing them despite it being compulsory on TFL services.
Do I wear one on the train? No, I don't.

I'd say when I get the rush hour train its 80% compliance for me. If I get a later train its much lower compliance.

Do I wear one> Of course. It shows respect to others. You dont wear one to protect yourself you wear it to protect others, and despite doing LFT tests most days before I get a train, I still think its worth doing.

Each to their own I guess...

[Scoobyd]

Good news on the boosters being rolled out to all over 40's today too. That should help as long as there's decent take up. I'm getting mine on Friday.

[ArthurKing]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

I'd say when I get the rush hour train its 80% compliance for me. If I get a later train its much lower compliance.

Do I wear one> Of course. It shows respect to others. You dont wear one to protect yourself you wear it to protect others, and despite doing LFT tests most days before I get a train, I still think its worth doing.

Each to their own I guess...

Perhaps it varies per area, my train is 05:58 to be fair and its less than half full, mostly with builder/tradesmen types based on my observations and they were the ones less likely to wear them when they were mandatory from what I observed over the past 12 months.

Indeed, each to their own which is a right we now have with it not being mandatory to wear one. I haven't done a test since I got Covid in January this year, I would certainly do a PCR if I got symptoms but otherwise you are just going to be testing forever for a virus which is clearly going to circulate for years, likely forever so where do you stop?

Who are you protecting with the mask and LFD tests?
The unvaccinated? Quite frankly I have no sympathy for them, your make your bed you must lie in it.

In 3 years time if we are still at 10k cases a day, will you still be wearing a mask and doing the tests?

[ArthurKing]

Originally Posted by Scoobyd

Good news on the boosters being rolled out to all over 40's today too. That should help as long as there's decent take up. I'm getting mine on Friday.

Presumably you are going to get a booster every 6 months then?

If the virus is going to circulate largely forever when you consider how transmissible Delta is and how we are sitting on 20% unvaccinated and likely always will be, if vaccine efficacy wanes after 6 months you are effectively tying yourself into a jab every 6 months really.

I am 34, I won't be having a booster at all. I have had Covid and both Jabs, its a risk I am prepared to take. If I were in my 80s or had underlying conditions perhaps my decision would differ but as of now, I have faith that my memory cells will be able to fight it if I catch it again.

[MY340i]

Originally Posted by ArthurKing

Perhaps it varies per area, my train is 05:58 to be fair and its less than half full, mostly with builder/tradesmen types based on my observations and they were the ones less likely to wear them when they were mandatory from what I observed over the past 12 months.

Indeed, each to their own which is a right we now have with it not being mandatory to wear one. I haven't done a test since I got Covid in January this year, I would certainly do a PCR if I got symptoms but otherwise you are just going to be testing forever for a virus which is clearly going to circulate for years, likely forever so where do you stop?

Who are you protecting with the mask and LFD tests?
The unvaccinated? Quite frankly I have no sympathy for them, your make your bed you must lie in it.

In 3 years time if we are still at 10k cases a day, will you still be wearing a mask and doing the tests?

5:58 train, certainly don't miss those early morning trains into teh city.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by ArthurKing

Perhaps it varies per area, my train is 05:58 to be fair and its less than half full, mostly with builder/tradesmen types based on my observations and they were the ones less likely to wear them when they were mandatory from what I observed over the past 12 months.

Indeed, each to their own which is a right we now have with it not being mandatory to wear one. I haven't done a test since I got Covid in January this year, I would certainly do a PCR if I got symptoms but otherwise you are just going to be testing forever for a virus which is clearly going to circulate for years, likely forever so where do you stop?

Who are you protecting with the mask and LFD tests?
The unvaccinated? Quite frankly I have no sympathy for them, your make your bed you must lie in it.

In 3 years time if we are still at 10k cases a day, will you still be wearing a mask and doing the tests?

Well, there are 20% who havent had the vaccine and a whole bunch who havent been offered it. And of those offered it and not had it, some are for medical reasons.

So yes, whenever the advice is test and wear a facecovering, I will. I guess that is because it is of absolutely no consequence to me but it could be life or death for someone else....

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by ArthurKing

Presumably you are going to get a booster every 6 months then?

If the virus is going to circulate largely forever when you consider how transmissible Delta is and how we are sitting on 20% unvaccinated and likely always will be, if vaccine efficacy wanes after 6 months you are effectively tying yourself into a jab every 6 months really.

I am 34, I won't be having a booster at all. I have had Covid and both Jabs, its a risk I am prepared to take. If I were in my 80s or had underlying conditions perhaps my decision would differ but as of now, I have faith that my memory cells will be able to fight it if I catch it again.

No problem to me, hardly a massive sacrifice.

By the way, you wont be 34 forever and you may see it differently when you are a bit older, the parents you mix with are a bit older, your friends are a bit older, and you start to encounter ill health a bit more.

[Scoobyd]

Originally Posted by ArthurKing

Presumably you are going to get a booster every 6 months then?

If the virus is going to circulate largely forever when you consider how transmissible Delta is and how we are sitting on 20% unvaccinated and likely always will be, if vaccine efficacy wanes after 6 months you are effectively tying yourself into a jab every 6 months really.

I am 34, I won't be having a booster at all. I have had Covid and both Jabs, its a risk I am prepared to take. If I were in my 80s or had underlying conditions perhaps my decision would differ but as of now, I have faith that my memory cells will be able to fight it if I catch it again.

Who knows. Depends what the medical advice is in 6 months time. But if this virus is still out there in large numbers and the recommendation is to get another booster then sure, why wouldn't I? No skin off my nose.

What's the issue with having a regular vaccine to help keep yourself and others safe? People have the flu vaccine each year. No real difference in my eyes.

Up to you whether you have the booster of course. Though just remember it's not only yourself you're potentially risking by not. Your other posts talk as though everyone that's vaccinated is 100% protected. They're not. As brilliant as the vaccines are some people will and are still slip through the net.

I look after my parents and my dad is vulnerable. So I'll be continuing to do everything necessary to keep them, myself, and others safe.

Can't understand why anyone wouldn't have the booster myself but to each their own.

[ArthurKing]

Originally Posted by Scoobyd

Can't understand why anyone wouldn't have the booster myself but to each their own.

We have gone from flattening the curve to potentially giving boosters to 68 million people every six months.

You can't prevent all death, thousands die of flu every year but you don't all rush out and pay for a flu vaccine for yourself in order to prevent as many flu deaths as you can each year.

Pfizer is what, £15 a dose? So a two billion pounds a year to jab everyone twice when the vast majority don't need a booster.

If your parents have had their booster, why do you need one unless you are vulnerable?

Getting vaccinated is the best way to get us out of this but getting the 20% who are unvaccinated to be vaccinated would be far more beneficial than giving a 30 year old double vaxxed person a booster they don't need.

[Nibbles]

Originally Posted by ArthurKing

We have gone from flattening the curve to potentially giving boosters to 68 million people every six months.

You can't prevent all death, thousands die of flu every year but you don't all rush out and pay for a flu vaccine for yourself in order to prevent as many flu deaths as you can each year.

Pfizer is what, £15 a dose? So a two billion pounds a year to jab everyone twice when the vast majority don't need a booster.

If your parents have had their booster, why do you need one unless you are vulnerable?

Getting vaccinated is the best way to get us out of this but getting the 20% who are unvaccinated to be vaccinated would be far more beneficial than giving a 30 year old double vaxxed person a booster they don't need.

Covering the two separate points in your post.

One - if it's offered to you would you have it every 6 months? Personally, I would if it lessens the effect of Covid-19 should I get it and helps lessen the spread amongst the community. Much like getting the flu jab every year which I do.

Two - Can the government afford to give everyone a jab every 6 months for the foreseeable future? Probably not and I expect that once the pandemic is classed as being over or tailing off, the vaccine will need to be paid for personally if you can afford it, much like the flu jab.

[JD6]

Originally Posted by ArthurKing

We have gone from flattening the curve to potentially giving boosters to 68 million people every six months.

You can't prevent all death, thousands die of flu every year but you don't all rush out and pay for a flu vaccine for yourself in order to prevent as many flu deaths as you can each year.

Pfizer is what, £15 a dose? So a two billion pounds a year to jab everyone twice when the vast majority don't need a booster.

If your parents have had their booster, why do you need one unless you are vulnerable?

Getting vaccinated is the best way to get us out of this but getting the 20% who are unvaccinated to be vaccinated would be far more beneficial than giving a 30 year old double vaxxed person a booster they don't need.

But £2bn a year is peanuts in the context of the cost to the economy of further restrictions, and we know that the boosters do a good job of reducing symptomatic infection and (I assume therefore) transmission. Furlough alone cost £68bn.

I'm a healthy 52 year old, so low risk but somewhat higher risk than you, but I have my booster booked for 6 months and 1 day after my second jab.

By all means try and convince those who haven't had their first jab, but that's not an easy task. Boosters seem to be our best hope of a winter without restrictions.

[TodmordenLad]

I had the booster as soon as it became available as I’m deemed to be clinically vulnerable because of the medication I’m on for a chronic illness. I wear a mask whenever I’m in interior public places (FFP3) – no hardship at all.
I’d say that the majority of people are wearing masks in my local shops. Public transport, which I only use occasionally now, is a different matter however.

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Not in ours. And no plans to.....

But yes, the risk mitigation was put in by the regulations and when the provisions were relaxed, so too was the need to put screens in place.

Our daughter works in a hotel and she said they removed their reception screens weeks ago.