So - now masks protect the wearer?

This explains it

Children must have lost a lot of education during the war (sorry to bring up WWII) so what happened after 1945? I’m sure children will catch up if the resources are made available by the government, albeit that being a bit of a concern. But lost lives can’t be brought back.

If other countries have closed schools, then provided we keep on getting online lessons to the pupils we will be on a level playing field with our competitors. Everything we are learning about online education can be appled to lifelong learning to, and to leisure subjects.

No, low education achievement by comparisons with other countries.

Lucca

A. A lower education achievement only by the possibly arbitrary goals currently in force
B. Still no answer to what should happen. Schools open? No lockdown ?

With regard to B, I don’t think anyone knows what the answers are.

Sorry I should have said that children are being educated.

A. A lower education achievement only by the possibly arbitrary goals currently in force
B. Still no answer to what should happen. Schools open? No lockdown ?

I think covid is horrendous a terrible disease but to ruin your economy and not educate your younger generation is terrible

I am in complete agreement with Biscuitmuncher on this and ruining the economy and not educating children is far more dangerous in health terms than COVID is.

Economies cannot live on air and struggle if they take on a too large burden of debt - and before we get the argument that the government prints money so doesn't owe it I would point out most of this debt is financed by issuing government bonds, known as gilts, which are sold on the market to the likes of us, Pension funds and other savings vehicles and their value and viability relies on borrowers thinking they are a safe place to put their money.

Even if we can level the playing field as far as access to higher education is concerned, the fact of the matter that 13 years of children will be going through the system having lost a year's education, that means they will be going into higher education with a lower education achievement, that will require universities to adjust their courses to deal with this. This learning deficit will leave us less well skilled and competitive and able to innovate and take on the skills of other countries in the world economy.

biscuitmuncher seems to say that there is no point taking any precautions as all, as they make no difference to the number of people infected. That is more radical than saying that it is not serious for most of the people who are infected by it.

To return to my analogies of home insurance, seatbelts, hot pans, and keeping carving knives in places inaccessible to toddlers, most people involved in accidents and home damage are not seriously hurt, and most toddlers won't find the carving knife, but it is common sense to routinely avoid the circumstances where accidents can happen - while not getting paranoid imagining they will happen.

Ok I give up. I’d have liked to know what you and biscuitmuncher suggest should happen ???

Lucca

“ it's not serious for most” Tell that to the families of the tens of thousands in the uk who have died, not to mention those who survived but are still suffering the after effects.

The suffering of the families who have lost loved ones and of those who have long covid does not alter the fact that covid19 is not serious for most of the people who are infected by it.

Lucca

I haven’t said s/he is a bad person. I have said I do not understand her attitude,

I see.

Well, it's okay not to understand someone's attitude.

MayBee70

But the deaths are avoidable deaths. And long covid is avoidable.

I don't agree. It's been known, or at least suspected, for some time, long before covid, that viral infections can cause long-term problems.

Some infections by the covid virus are doubtless avoidable, but not all. Likewise with long covid. Likewise with deaths from covid.

I haven’t said s/he is a bad person. I have said I do not understand her attitude,

“ it's not serious for most” Tell that to the families of the tens of thousands in the uk who have died, not to mention those who survived but are still suffering the after effects.

Biscuitmuncher

I think covid is horrendous a terrible disease but to ruin your economy and not educate your younger generation is terrible

Biscuit's point is a view that is shared by many others, including well qualified epidemiologists.

Voicing it does not make her, or anyone else, a bad person.

It's always good to listen to opposing points of view.

But the deaths are avoidable deaths. And long covid is avoidable.

Lucca

Baggs

2 million out of 7+ billion is not a high percentage.

Whch is not an argument against mask-wearing, just in case anyone should think it is.

The screenshot is from ourworldindata.org from the page about global births and deaths per year.

I absolutely cannot understand what you mean ?

What I mean is that while covid19 is a serious disease as it affects some people, getting on for 60 million people die every year. While I understand that knowing this will make some people (many even?) think "so what?", for me it adds a certain perspective that I find useful. That is all.

And what I mean about it being serious for some is that it's not serious for most. Looking at those perspectives helps me to deal with the day to day stuff – lockdowns, masks, other associated limitations on 'normal' life – that covid19 has imposed on us all.

Biscuitmuncher

I think covid is horrendous a terrible disease but to ruin your economy and not educate your younger generation is terrible

Younger generation will have a chance to catch up on at least sone of their education. Those who die can’t catch up on anything.
You still have not answered my questions. Are you saying we shouldn’t do anything about Covid ?

Interestingly, someone on The Last Leg last night said that mask wearing will continue after the pandemic and will become baked into our culture the way it has been in Eastern countries. I hope she’s right because it is all about courtesy and caring about our fellow humans.

Skye17

According to Dr John Campbell on YouTube, there is scientific evidence that wearing a mask protects the wearer to some extent. If you are exposed to someone breathing out the virus near you, the mask cuts down the number of virus particles you breathe in (reduces your viral load), so you are more likely to be able to fight off the infection. If you do get it you are likely to have milder symptoms. Heavy viral load = worse illness.

I can really recommend Dr John’s videos. He is a former A & E nurse and nurse trainer with a PhD.

Sorry if I am repeating something already said - I don’t have time to read the whole thread.

Dr John has got me through this pandemic. Gives links to all the reports he bases his findings on. Will come back and say he was wrong about something (he rarely is though). I despair when I hear politicians tell us things that Dr John has been saying for months eg covid carriers often being asymptomatic. I worry if he doesn’t post some days! Often interviewed by news channels in other countries but largely ignored here.

My d.I.ls maternal aunt has just passed away with COVID. She was a healthy mid-fifties - please look after yourselves. Stay home, and definitely wear masks if you have to go out ....

We are all (well, most of us) working hard at trying to educate - not only to educate the younger generation, but grownups too. There is a hell of a lot of ignorance about how infections spread and what to do to minimise that spread, So much ignorance that some people deny there is any risk at all of catching the virus, and even if you do catch it, that its seriousness is exaggerated.

You are determined to equate being aware of a risk with worrying about it and being scared and on edge all the time, aren't you?

I think covid is horrendous a terrible disease but to ruin your economy and not educate your younger generation is terrible