The virus isn’t dangerous till Boxing Day

Just seen my typo of damned - oops!

Sparklefizz To save you having to read my previous post. Here is the key text:

'the South African experience of omicron suggests that it milder than previous variants,* even when they broke the figures down by age, older people were doing better than expected.*

It couldn't be more explicit.

With you all the way on this one Maw!

So the government have just announced that they’re not going to make an announcement. I despair when I see the informative updates we get from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

It may be that the UK govt has got it right after all and that Wales and Scotland jumped to restrictions too soon. It must be hard trying to judge what might be the case until more data becomes available.
Meanwhile, we all know what we should be doing - taking personal responsibility.

It's may well be milder, but many infections are with younger age groups. We don't know how this is going to play out in January after Christmas mixing. With this level of infection there's going to be a massive amount of sickness, that's a certainty. (Knocking head against brick wall).

Aveline

It may be that the UK govt has got it right after all and that Wales and Scotland jumped to restrictions too soon. It must be hard trying to judge what might be the case until more data becomes available.
Meanwhile, we all know what we should be doing - taking personal responsibility.

I agree with the steps England are taking at this time Scotland Wales and NI May have more restrictions but will they actually do anything so much effort made in trying to go round this virus without any great success
We have been vaccinated we have access to lateral flow tests hospitalisation or deaths are not going through the roof and yes personal responsibility
I believe our greatest problem will be employees being off work but the reduction in isolation time should help out

Just been reading the local Echo and hospitals in Liverpool are inundated with age 30's and under fighting for their lives---non-vaccinated. How frightening is that ? They're very sick. So what * Daisymae* says is true about the younger ones. Many young ones died during the Asian and Hong Kong 'flu epidemics.

To hell with being lonely/ alone, I'd rather be alive !

I really don't think they can tell people they cannot enjoy Christmas with their family.

I just went to pick up my meat order and our village pub looked so quiet, so although I sad about that as I'd like to visit myself I think I've take enough risk and I think others must feel the same?

This is the saddest Christmas I can remember. Because I really thought we’d be meeting up with family in one way or another. But, if I am going to catch covid (and with the new variant it’s unlikely that I will at some point) I don’t want to risk catching Delta, having protected myself thus far.

We no doubt have to be prepared to be flexible this Christmas the increase in infections has certainly thrown us a curved ball in that anyone can test positive.
Most in my family are now testing daily as my little grandson tested positive fortunately not ill but very bored
Fingers crossed he tests negative tomorrow but if not we will just move Christmas around a bit

This is the saddest Christmas I can remember.

I have had much sadder Christmases long before Covid, so I know I can cope with this one even though I'll be spending it on my own. Thank goodness for Zoom!

M0nica

Sparklefizz To save you having to read my previous post. Here is the key text:

'the South African experience of omicron suggests that it milder than previous variants,* even when they broke the figures down by age, older people were doing better than expected.*

It couldn't be more explicit.

Thanks Monica

Our youngest grandson, has a “cold” and feeling quite poorly. Tested negative so far, but DD is assuming the worse and won’t come to us for Christmas dinner as planned. We will plate everything up, including crackers etc and she will pick it all up.

Eldest grandson who has been staying with girlfriend is coming to us to avoid catching anything. They are then returning to girlfriends flat to go “brother- in-laws’ on Boxing Day.

Flexibility is the word.

MayBee70

This is the saddest Christmas I can remember. Because I really thought we’d be meeting up with family in one way or another. But, if I am going to catch covid (and with the new variant it’s unlikely that I will at some point) I don’t want to risk catching Delta, having protected myself thus far.

Likely, not unlikely…..

Whitewavemark2

Our youngest grandson, has a “cold” and feeling quite poorly. Tested negative so far, but DD is assuming the worse and won’t come to us for Christmas dinner as planned. We will plate everything up, including crackers etc and she will pick it all up.

Eldest grandson who has been staying with girlfriend is coming to us to avoid catching anything. They are then returning to girlfriends flat to go “brother- in-laws’ on Boxing Day.

Flexibility is the word.

I do hope your grandson soon feels better hopefully as he has had negative tests it’s just a cold.
With our grandson we really watched the lateral flows working as his mum was positive they were testing every day Grandson was negative in the morning then began to feel tired in the evening tested again positive before he had any symptoms. He was unwell for one day but is still testing positive
His younger brother although with him initially has never tested positive although he moved in with his dad quite quickly He is a very sassy 6 year old Covid wasn’t brave enough to infect him lol

If less people with Omicron need hospital admission it’s very encouraging, but there’s no evidence I can see that England has it right and the other UK nations have misjudged - it looks very much the other way. Even if it’s 30%, as reported in the news as best case scenario, it is a large number of people - presumably the Delta numbers aren’t actually decreasing yet, it’s just that there are now more and more Omicron cases on top of the Delta?

News headlines this evening:
“One in three Covid patients may have caught virus in hospital - making lockdown ‘difficult to justify’

Figures suggest large amount of transmission is on NHS wards and that many patients are primarily being treated for other conditions”

More news headlines just now:

“Mark Drakeford accused of lying over claim omicron is ‘probably’ as severe as delta

Health expert attacks Welsh First Minister for ‘deceiving the public’ to justify Covid restrictions despite studies refuting his comments”

*

Oh dear.
Welsh citizens and businesses are going to be mighty cross if Boris’ (in)action is proved to be correct after all.

Is that the Parkrun story Urmstongran? There’s a paywall on the Telegraph, so I can’t see it.

I’m more interested in the hard facts than the gossip, which was why I posted the figures about the infection rate rises. Drakeford is well thought of in Wales because he has a track record of being honest even if people don’t like his policies, but I hope that on this occasion hindsight will show that Drakeford, Sturgeon and the other European leaders are all wrong, although I doubt that’s the case. I’d be happy to be proved wrong, as I have a lot of family who live in England, including my parents.

One thing’s for sure, we will find out soon.

Urmstongran

News headlines this evening:
“One in three Covid patients may have caught virus in hospital - making lockdown ‘difficult to justify’

Figures suggest large amount of transmission is on NHS wards and that many patients are primarily being treated for other conditions”

Most Omicron cases in South Africa were picked up by people being in hospital for other things: not people in hospital with the virus. So a similar thing is happening here. But we can’t have essential services understaffed because so many people are off sick. Omicron isn’t quite the dominant virus here so we still have people catching Delta. It’s all rather uncertain. But looking hopeful. I think/hope….

Another headline:

“Cowboy Sturgeon sticks to her guns on Covid rules, even as the chickens come home to roost

John Wayne’s ‘Never apologise’ quote seems to fit a First Minister dead set on introducting curbs in the face of hopeful news over omicron”

*

I’m feeling optimistic that Boris has called this just right.

Boris hasn’t called anything. He’s doing what his backbenchers have told him to do because the 1922 committee are still accepting letters of no confidence in him. He’s scared that, if he doesn’t do what Bone, Cash Redwood et al tell him to do he’s out.

Chestnut

I think everyone is aware by now there is a dangerous virus spreading fast, and how to avoid catching it. So people should make their own decisions on how to protect themselves. We should take responsibility for ourselves.

Exactly Chestnut and Maw ????

The scientists ( luckily for them) don’t have to run a country.
If the new variant is milder, then Johnson’s approach will be vindicated.The UK is doing really well with booster vaccinations too.