To think we’ll be in lockdown by Christmas

I wouldn't be surprised if we are in lockdown of some kind after Christmas .
Things are slightly different now from last year when so few had been vaccinated and there have been several doctors said that those that have currently been hospitalised have not been vaccinated on the whole.
I think it's high time that all nations decided to work together , rather than different mandates depending on which country or state that you live in.
Then maybe everyone will be singing off the same hymn sheet and also countries that are struggling to supply vaccines will get the support they need.

Haha !

EllanVannin

I won't mix with anyone who has been vaccinated as it doesn't stop them from carrying the virus.

I've got used to this hermit way of life----and bug-free so far.

EV I can understand your stance, I remember how very ill you were after your first vaccine and I’m sorry to learn one of the family have Covid.

However, for all who are fully vaccinated and are following the rules regarding mask wearing and social distancing I don’t think another full lockdown is workable.

All the adults in my family have now had boosters. I will spend Christmas with them, as I did last year and it's now much less risky than it was then.
I heard from a friend whose son is in hospital management that the hospitals are already filling up with omicron patients. It's my suspicion that unvaccinated people, who take no precautions, will be the majority of those admitted to hospital.

hetty ‘known cases' are always an underestimate, though, merely a sample. If one in three people have no symptoms (and that's with Covid overall) then a 'mild' version may be undetectable unless tested.

That applies to official figures too, especially when the government doesn’t recognise all the symptoms of Covid. The ZOE study estimates are even higher than the official figures.

Watching the news tonight makes me think Xmas restrictions are becoming increasingly likely!

Elegran

Let it rip, you mean? Life wouldn't have been anything like normal for those who were ill enough to be hospitalised, or for the medical staff trying to fit a quart into a pint pot, and getting exhausted looking after so many patients who needed ICU treatment, while the staff numbers were themselves depleted. The lockdowns were an attempt (too little, too late) to minimise that.

I didn’t mean let it rip Elegran, after all most people are double vaccinated and I specifically mentioned social distancing and mask wearing in enclosed spaces. What I was suggesting was that those who are vulnerable should be allowed maximum protection while those who are low risk should continue to be allowed to work and children attend school.

Apparently No 10 briefing at 8pm tonight (Sunday 12 Dec 21)

janeainsworth, Whatever the 'official figures', I'm wary of anything highly transmissable.

'known cases' are always an underestimate, though, merely a sample. If one in three people have no symptoms (and that's with Covid overall) then a 'mild' version may be undetectable unless tested.

How many people regularly do twice-weekly tests, I wonder?

eazybee

I had my booster jab a fortnight ago, at a local venue which was half -empty to the disappointment of the staff. I learned of the venue via a recorded message whilst trying to get to speak to a doctor (failed). The receptionist said I should have have received a notification from them, which strangely arrived during our conversation, and I duly booked and attended my appointment, minus the number the surgery failed to give me.

The GP service being offered in this country at present needs urgent investigation as it is certainly not matching the care offered by the NHS hospitals. I was fortunate to get an immediate appointment concerning an eye problem as my doctor refused to see me and told me, via the receptionist, to visit an optician. No information given about the excellent triage service at the local hospital which I discovered for myself.

I’m sorry that you have had unsatisfactory service from your GP but that is not the case for everyone.

I was frustrated earlier in the year when trying to get appointments to monitor my high blood pressure, I struggled even to get phone consultations but I persevered and finally succeeded.

Moving on a few months to end of August, I have had a very quick response to a referral made by my optician during my biannual check. She noticed an issue in one eye which she felt indicated that I’d had a TIA and referred me to the Local hospital, eye hospital and my GP. Within two weeks I had my first appointment at The Stroke Clinic and shortly afterwards at the eye hospital. I am still undergoing investigation, I’ve had another eye hospital visit and a MRI scan on Friday, as well as several phone calls with my GP to discuss the follow up letters and new medications.

I have been treated with care and respect at all hospital visits and am so grateful for our NHS - without the speedy intervention, it is possible that I would have had a stroke by now. Of course, I’m not sure if the outcome would have been as expedient if I had approached by GP with the problem.

Too early to tell about Omicron variant yet. Boris said 3 weeks. We’re only 11 days in.

The cumulative figure which is a better comparison is >10 million.

The rapid increase in omicron might seem
alarming but has to be seen in context. Hetty’s graph shows there are 1898 known cases today. The government figures show a total of just under 60,000 daily cases.

What else can we do?

If you continue the graph in Hetty's link along the same line, it shoots up into infinity!

I won't mix with anyone who has been vaccinated as it doesn't stop them from carrying the virus.

I've got used to this hermit way of life----and bug-free so far.

SueDonim, exactly - there are now cases in hospitals. The really alarming thing is the rapidity of spread in the last few days (see the graph) and it's a numbers game. Even if it's generally 'mild' the NHS could still be overwhelmed by those who are vulnerable:

news.sky.com/story/covid-19-omicron-cases-now-being-treated-in-hospital-cabinet-minister-nadhim-zahawi-tells-sky-news-12493679

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59627188

Hospitalisation starting now.

winterwhite

Does anyone have stats of people in hospital with omicron as the identified cause?

I have not seen anything apart from they have not identified whether the people are in hospital because of Omicron or just happen to have it when being admitted for something else entirely

Too early yet, I think winterwhite. We've only known of its existence for a couple of weeks.

Does anyone have stats of people in hospital with omicron as the identified cause?

Casdon

Exactly how far in the sand have you buried your head love0c?
Pammiel I think there will be further restrictions before Christmas although not a lockdown, but the school holidays should buy some time. We aren’t going to know the next steps until we know the likely percentage of people who will require hospitalisation with Omicron. I did think Michael Gove looked very worried when he was talking about it on the news last night.

Personally I think Michael Gove is playing a prospective party leader card!

If you have had three jabs, practise distancing and keep safe, I won’t mix with anyone not vaccinated, we can carry on as we as we are. People won’t go into full lockdown again, we know how it spreads.

No lockdown equals a volley of people flooding the NHS next month. Ignore what the pleb in No 10 did ( partygate ) and don't anyone think they can/ should follow suit.
It's too late when it's too late !!

Pammie1

Alegrias1

OK, time to not be popular...

What would the the desired outcome of lockdown this time? I mean real, proper lockdown? Not WFH or limiting big gatherings.

The first one was because we had no idea what to do about Covid - fair enough.

The second time, we were biding time until the vaccine rolled out - fair enough.

This time?

Good question. My own personal opinion is that Omicron has them in a panic and it’s beginning to dawn on them that it’s possibly only a matter of time before a variant emerges that the vaccines can’t cope with. I think the answer to this isn’t more lockdowns. Instead of drip feeding information to the public on the possible or expected consequences of different mutations/variants as they arise, I think the government need to get their act together and get clear, accurate and easy to understand information out to the public as to how the virus mutates and how remaining unvaccinated facilitates this.

Finally, we need a drive to dispel the myths and disinformation about the vaccines and to encourage more people to come forward to be vaccinated. There will always be the hard core anti vaxxers, but I think we need to do more to encourage voluntary vaccination, because I fear the day is coming when an element of compulsion will be introduced.

Good post Pammie