Chris Whitty & Patrick Vallance @ 11.00 - what will follow?

Tillybelle for the record, I agree with all you’re saying. I was trying not to be provocative as I realise that some feel it is opinion (rather than fact). Gently does it.

Thanks for the post about the Bill Gates conspiracy theory, OldWoman70. It's deeply worrying that so much can be made from so little.

Having mentioned Soros I'm reposting this (long) article about how he was made into a conspiricists' hate figure.. The techniques used are familiar to us from other contexts, I think. We should be on our guard against them.

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hnsgrassegger/george-soros-conspiracy-finkelstein-birnbaum-orban-netanyahu

All in favour of public statements but they can never be inalienable truths. The progress of this virus has been unpredictable all along, what reason is there to suppose it's any more predictable now.
I'd like to see (1) a 2-month projection of what things will be like if the trajectory is the same as for the last fortnight, and similar projections if we do x % better or worse than that, and (2) The % of positive tests over total number of tests over the last month, and % of the positives who go on to develop a serious illness.
What has happened to the constant assertion that nos. of cases will rise as the number of tests increase. Not heard that lately. And a poster above was right to point out that while the nation is so focused on this much else is being ignored.
Meanwhile, I find Mr Whitty very scary in manner. Does the man never smile or look human?
Wholly agree that any further restrictions should be discussed by parliament

Maybe the original poster should watch it before comnenting

I am happier to hear the details from the scientists rather than politicians, but it must be very hard for the politicians to make the rules to make sure that the whole country's economy doesn't collapse in the meantime. The main problem as I see it is that more people seem to think that rules are for everyone else and not for themselves. Just the same as complying with speed limits etc. If we are not careful, we will end up with loud-speakers in the streets telling us what to do.

Alegrias.
Or was it Bill Gates' with Mastercard and the under-the-skin ID card that you called 'conspiracy'?

If you think that is "conspiracy theory" then just google:
"Bill Gates and Mastercard and West Africa"

you will straight away get things such as:

www.gavi.org/investing-gavi/funding/donor-profiles/mastercard

privacyinternational.org/examples/4083/public-private-partnership-launches-biometrics-identity-and-vaccination-record-system

bigtechtopia.com/2020/07/africa-to-become-testing-ground-for-vaccine-record-and-payment-system/

greatgameindia.com/bill-gates-vaccination-based-digital-identity/

www.newsbreak.com/news/1600381347268/trust-stamp-vaccine-record-and-payment-system-rolling-out-in-africa

It's not conspiracy, Alegrias, I only work on facts.

On the safety of this 'vaccine': Yesterday I heard on the BBC radio that the "vaccine" may take longer as there are difficulties with the safety testing. Rather than being upset by this, as a Scientist myself, I was relieved to hear that our Vaccine makers were being very careful and prepared to take longer.

All vaccine delivery and how they are made has changed a lot since my children had theirs.
You would do well to read the research. There is a book by a Doctor collating research papers, presented so that other Doctors, Researchers and Parents can access the information from the research papers more readily, there is now an updated one:
Vaccine Safety Manual for Concerned Families and Health Practitioners, 2nd Edition Paperback – Illustrated, 14 May 2010
by Neil Z Miller (Author)

By no means conspiracy. Merely facts, to help people understand and help them make informed decisions.

It is easy to live in a comfortable cocoon and let others do your thinking. If you want others to decide for you and not bother to learn about the facts around whatever the subject may be you are perfectly entitled to do that. But here we are discussing a particular subject. I want to have as much information about the science the government is relying on as possible. I know that science is very rarely a yes/no binary answer. There is a lot to discuss and many issues to take take into consideration. We often have to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of a possible approach and decide which way will have most advantages. In the virus decisions previously, the government overlooked that the deaths were very heavily weighted in the over 65 age group and even more over 70 (me!). They did not notice how few were under 45. In fact, only 2 people died with Covid in Scotland under 45. And some scientists have an agenda, that is very clear - on both sides! So we need discussion to weed out the best way forward. And it should be open, as all good science has always been.

Oh no, not daily broadcasts going over what we all already know, and media asking politically based questions. Who has time to sit and listen everyday with all the " we may have tos" but no decisions. Just get on with it as per the scientists' advice.

I'm off shopping to buy cat food! It's not fair to expect the cats to suffer deprivations they can't understand!

Seriously, I, and other friends also on their own are covid-weary. My GP's surgery is overwhelmed with mental health issues caused by lack of socialising and is having to give them priority. When I commented during a phone call that I was anxious, I was offered an immediate telephone appointment for that, but an appointment for anything else was not available! We need facts about what is happening, and not massaged figures designed to support ministers in what they are deciding to do.

Where is Parliament in all this? Has it abdicated its responsibility of scrutiny?

Too many questions from an ageing rebel who wants to know what is going on, why, and is this the best way forward.

Rant over!!

PS. I am not someone who denies the seriousness of the virus. I had it relatively mildly 6 months ago and am still recovering. Ironically, the issues I am left with exacerbate my problem wearing a face-covering, to the point that I am caused extreme distress!

So many people are ignoring the rules. For instance Tottenham Hotspur fans gathering together to cheer new footballer the other day. Not one mask.

Ad hominem attacks won't help Tillybelle, but since we are on that track, I'll point out that Miller gets a lot of his facts from extraterrestrials. I googled that, so it must be true.

Can anyone tell me the scientific thinking behind curfew?

How on earth would that stop the spread?

Minimising inessential contacts is the key. What is “inessential” is for the politicians, in whom we have little trust, deciding.

We’ve just been to Aldi. It was packed with stuff flying off the shelves. People are stocking up.

To tell the truth, I am sick to death with chit chat about Corona virus. There would appear to be no other news in the world. I can't even listen to the radio and not hear people ranting and raving about Covid related things. We all know about the rules. We should know how to behave by this time. We have had six months of it. Its not going to go away anytime soon, at least until a vaccine is freely available

Every day again at moment seems a bit much, but Keir Starmer is right, we should have some regular broadcasts again, perhaps twice weekday and once on a weekend?(for those back at work midweek) If only to help remind people What to do do- what 'rules' of the moment are, and that its creeping up again, and that its not going away and then maybe they will be more careful not to spread it- as soon as it stopped being broadcast regularly a lot of people seemed to forget it exists and forget taking care! Maybe it needs to be still 'in their face' to a certain extent!?

If people would do what they were asked to do we wouldn't be in this mess. We have been asked not to visit/hug relatives. People have been ignoring this. Of course we want to hug our family, especially our grandchildren but we can't. I haven't hugged my granddaughter since February and am dying to do so but I can't and won't.

vegansrock

Minimising inessential contacts is the key. What is “inessential” is for the politicians, in whom we have little trust, deciding.

It was said the other day that the longer the pubs/clubs stay open, the more drunk people get and therefore less distancing.

Oh For Gods Sake! AGAIN WITH THE STOCKING UP!!! Its not WW2!!

Sorry, I quoted vegansrock instead of WW2
"^Can anyone tell me the scientific thinking behind curfew?
How on earth would that stop the spread?^"

Just watched it. Well that's the way to do it. Straightforward non political info. Nicola take note. No need to see politicians telling us this info.

DaisyL

Am I the only person who is getting more and more confused by the rules? Sheilding - that's over isn't it? Self-isolating - that is when you have been in contact with someone who has the virus? Quarantine - when you come home from abroad? Social distancing - what we are all supposed to do? Bubble - with one other family? Rule of 6 - for indoors and out but what if you are a family of 7? My poor old brain would just like to see it set out nice and clearly.

Don’t worry about the Rule of Six for families of more than that. It has already been stated that they are an exception

Kate1949

If people would do what they were asked to do we wouldn't be in this mess. We have been asked not to visit/hug relatives. People have been ignoring this. Of course we want to hug our family, especially our grandchildren but we can't. I haven't hugged my granddaughter since February and am dying to do so but I can't and won't.

Sensible common sense, Kate1949. Sadly this seems to be lacking

Agreed Tweedle. We are in extra measures here. No two households can mix. It's not nice but it needs to be done. Some around here are carrying on as normal.

Jane10

Just watched it. Well that's the way to do it. Straightforward non political info. Nicola take note. No need to see politicians telling us this info.

Yes, straightforward non-political info - but what will the politicians do with this knowledge, that's what I was pondering.

We'll just have to wait and see.

I'd prefer to listen to the scientists and medical people. They seem to have been ignored sometimes the past by politicians. Trust them more than the government tbh. I suspect we'll get a broadcast from Boris tomorrow to tell us about a new lockdown.