Your idea of stable??

Oops! Typo alert. Cases should be nearer 13%

Isn't it odd, this topic was started a few days ago as Javid said we were stable, nothing to see here. Now here we are and it's almost as if we're in a different reality where we all need to go to action stations. Confused? You will be.

Sometimes it’s fascinating to watch things unfold over a period of time and have a point of reference like this thread. Seems to me that Javid is attempting to get us used to an idea that @ 100,000 cases a day is acceptable

This is getting too much. What the heck is going on?

It seems to me Urmstongran is that the government are completely ignoring what is happening. Yesterday Morocco announced there will no further direct flights between Morocco and the UK. How much longer before others say the same?

There's so many variables now in terms of who is catching it and who is getting sick. I don't think we can see the wood for the trees anymore.

What do you mean Josianne?

I thought the picture was reasonably clear. Nearly half of the new cases are in those 19 and under. It can't be a coincidence that schools are now fully open and there are almost no mitigations. Anecdotally, the cases I know about have all originated with an infected child and spread around families.

Immunity is waning, so even those who have been doubly vaccinated are being infected. Most of them have only had mild symptoms, but some have been more severely affected for a variety of reasons. Most of the deaths are still in the elderly because they are most vulnerable.

As has already been pointed out, most of those hospitalised have been vaccinated (because the majority of those most vulnerable have been vaccinated), but on an individual level hospitalisations and deaths are more likely in the unvaccinated.

There isn't much people can do if they can't be vaccinated or the vaccine hasn't produced an immune response, apart from being especially careful. However, people can still choose to be vaccinated. Most people (apart from children) can help themselves to avoid places and people who are more likely to infect them.

So many high profile doctors are urging action by the Government now, it’s obvious that they believe that hospital admissions and deaths are going to rise exponentially again very soon.

How much urging and expert advice do they need? Mask wearing in public places is simple and easy to do. I don’t understand why that simple measure wasn’t put in place yesterday. The number of people in shops without masks is truly astounding, even when the shop has a request for customers to wear a mask because the shop is small. People simply ignore it.

I get the overall picture growstuff especially concerning the young people and schools issue. What I struggle with is knowing how many double vaccinated people are ending up in hospital, how many were within the six months period, how many were sick any way etc? Are there figures for all this too so we can put things into perspective and make it clearer?

The BMA calls the government 'wilfully negligent' - and I'm not in the least surprised. In fact, it strikes me as consistent, par for the course, true to their agenda. How sad is that?

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/covid-winter-plan-bma-b1942368.html

blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/08/25/significant-proportions-of-people-admitted-to-hospital-or-dying-from-covid-19-in-england-are-vaccinated-this-doesnt-mean-the-vaccines-dont-work/

Ah! I get what you mean. I've seen information about the profile of those who have been hospitalised but I must admit I haven't taken much notice of it. I'm more concerned about minimising the risk to myself and I'm very clear how I can do that. People can only be infected if they come into contact with droplets from an infected person and I just do what I can to avoid that. I'm not too hung up about other people, although I feel sorry for those who had no choice.

Whitewavemark2

I keep reading that what Johnson is in fact doing now is once again pursuing herd immunity.

He had better be careful with that as Bolsonaro along with other members of his government are being charged with homicide.

I totally agree. BJ is acting like Bolsonaro. Friends in Europe call us the “mad Covid Isle”.

It may well be true the the government are pursuing herd immunity, which will probably never actually happen, but ordinary people should also be held responsible for their individual behaviour. People are acting as though there is no Covid. They are choosing not to wear a mask, they are choosing not to sanitise, they are choosing to ignore social distancing, they are choosing to go to crowded places such as theatres, sporting events, and festivals. Combine these behaviours together, no masks, crowds, no social distancing and you have perfect conditions to spread the virus.

My local GP has just been on air on LBC radio saying a mandate is needed on wearing face masks in public places.

Our local hospital was on black alert yesterday with ambulances queuing and diverting to other hospitals. She asks how long this is sustainable? The Government are not supporting the NHS.

The Government appear to be prioritising the economy over health, and only act when deaths are out of control.

However, to have a healthy economy we need to have the NHS working.

France, Spain and Germany prioritise the economy, but they’re doing it with masks

“Freedom Day” makes no sense whilst we’re in the middle of a pandemic.

I wrote to my MP recently accusing the government for aiming for herd immunity. This was a follow up letter from the one I sent her saying the Freedom Day was going to result in the situation we’re in now. I’m still waiting for her reply. People had got used to wearing masks: it had started to become part of our culture. It’s going to be difficult to reimpose that now.

There was unrest among many who resented being forced to "muzzle" themselves, as Ann Widdecombe put it.
Perhaps the government thought that seeing increased infections would persuade them of the need for masks.
I don't think it has/will if they don't actually know people who are badly affected by covid.

(Or perhaps the government really are the uncaring idiots they seem to be.)

All the so called ‘Covid recovery group’ care about is the economy, not people’s health.

Johnson saying today that no need for action as things are going according to plan. Pity he doesn't let the BMA and NHS confederation know what the plan is as they seem to be worried. Hey, what would they know?

Maddyone. but ordinary people should also be held responsible for their individual behaviour

But sadly they won’t. Even when we were supposedly in lockdown etc people broke the rules and nothing was enforced either.

In my mind it is just plain bizarre how many countries have mandatory mask wearing and England (I mean England) doesn’t …..please can someone explain that ?

Because we have a PM that believes in complete freedom to do anything you like. So that he can. And does…..also he’s moved on from covid now. Short attention span. Seems the important thing for him at the moment is getting First Lady status for his (latest) wife. Must get our priorities right, y’know…

Lucca

Maddyone. but ordinary people should also be held responsible for their individual behaviour

But sadly they won’t. Even when we were supposedly in lockdown etc people broke the rules and nothing was enforced either.

In my mind it is just plain bizarre how many countries have mandatory mask wearing and England (I mean England) doesn’t …..please can someone explain that ?

Lucca we don’t have mandatory mask wearing because people won’t stand for it. It interferes with their freedom and their rights. They don’t believe masks make any difference. I’ve read it all on here.
An acquaintance who has worn a lanyard all through the pandemic, for no other reason than that he doesn’t like masks was boasting that he was right because he’s never caught COVID.

And that’s before we get to how we police it. It’s not even the shortage of police that causes the problem, it’s the total disrespect for the police if it interferes with someone’s rights.
I’ve worn a mask all through, and still wear one now in shops and busy places.
How would you make masks mandatory?

Lucca we don’t have mandatory mask wearing because people won’t stand for it. It interferes with their freedom and their rights.

Aye, because of course the Scots and the Welsh are well known for their deference to authority and lack of concern for their rights.

(Sorry NI people, I don't know the circumstances in your part of the country)

Alegrias1 Does Scotland have mandatory mask wearing and is it obeyed?