Are we being deliberately panicked to stop us seeing what is happening

I agree we are being panicked but I think its about getting the vaccine and when appropriate getting the booster which is not a bad thing. Unfortunately there are knock on effects for the economy. As usual I shall wait for the scientists to report the data.

A very long post but I esp agree with paras 3 to 5. I commented somewhere yesterday that the only person panicking was the prime minister.
On the 10 o'clock news last night BJ telling us that we can't assume that Omicron doesn't cause severe illness was directly followed by an item on its progress in South Africa where the prognosis of mild illness is borne out so far.
This is the result of having a government no one can trust.

Sadly once someone starts lying I’m unable to believe anything they say.

I'm not sure the pandemic WAS dreadful. It hasn't gone away. It IS dreadful.

I am not a scientist but I wondered if the reason for the panic was that they may be concerned a new variant appears from this one. I don't know for sure, it's just a thought. Mind you are South Africa's statistics accurate? It's a country I know nothing about. Perhaps someone in the know could comment. Mind you, if the hospitals become full, especially at this time of year, then that would be a worry. What I don't know is, how dangerous is this Omicrom?

The pandemic hasn’t gone away. The rich countries need to help vax in poorer countries. Stopping news reports may be appealing but would be unhelpful. The conspiracy theorists would rule with misinformation

What would help is having government ministers, especially the PM who we could believe

Yes more money and stop privatisation. GP services are not coping.

I've got to go out today. But I have a lot to say!

See you later

I would like to see the figures for hospitalisations and deaths divided between those who were vaccinated and those who weren't.

A bit of a rant OP , you sound as if you feel the pandemic is over and any “news” just a conspiracy to distract the public from the other shenanigans.
Well we are not distracted and the pandemic is far from over.
And without any allegiance to the PM his name is not Andrew Pfell Boris Johnson but for what it is worth Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson - so if you wanted to make a point about his name, it helps to get it right.
And yes, that numpty Dominic Raab misspoke but the fact that there are already 10 patients in hospital with the Omicron variant is surely bad enough?

Franbern
You said it all. ?

See you later Alegrias.I’m looking forward to seeing what you have to say.
Iam you’re right, GP services are really struggling.
All European and western countries need to do more to get the rest of the world vaccinated. Obviously this is not an easy task, with vaccine hesitation in some communities and the difficulties of transportation of the vaccine, but it cannot be beyond the wit of man/woman.

I do feel that that we are not being given any information about the one person who has sadly died with this new variant. I really feel that the public should be able to know whether this person was unvaccinated, or extremely old with comorbidities, or died with rather than from this variant. People are unable to understand the risks properly when they’re not given the facts.

It’s not just Johnson though is it? Scientists are warning us too. Until time passes and we have more statistics and data better be safe than sorry.

This:

Andrew Pfell Boris Johnson must be feel that heaven has come to his aid (once again), to take our minds of the horrific legisilation he is pushing through the Commons, as well as all the lies and corruption taking place in the government. No wonder he feel that he has a 'divine right to rule'.

The most appalling things are happening to limit our individual freedoms (and I DON'T* mean face masks) but the media are mostly giving him a free ride.

Well we are not distracted and the pandemic is far from over.

What do you think we are 'not distracted' from, Maw? Genuine question.

I never fully believe what I read in the press. Its designed to sell papers so sensationalises everything including figures affected, stories from 'reliable' sources, and even made up facts. If you read about a serious car pile up crash in 4 different papers numbers of injured are rarely the same.
I think we need to remember that nice happy stories of success rarely make headlines to sell papers. I liken reading the press to reading the daily comic.

No we are not being deliberately panicked - if like me you are extremely vulnerable due to compromised immunity or have lost loved ones, friends, neighbours and colleagues to COVID you know how serious this can be.

My DH is currently in hospital awaiting heart bypass surgery. He’s already been in there four weeks awaiting a bed in the nearby hospital where these operations take place.

This hospital however, is the major hospital in our area for lung function’ issues and there are no beds available. Nor can anyone give us any idea of when one will become free.

DD husband faces the prospect of spending Christmas in hospital and me spending it alone for the first time in our 45 years of marriage. We are both triple jabbed but I am frightened to death of what’s being reported daily. ?

I think Boris and his Ministers have messed up in all sorts of ways but I also think the Omicron variant is potentially a serious threat, not only to individuals but also by overwhelming the NHS. The science indicates a booster is necessary to develop more protection and Boris's call to get one is highly appropriate. The small numbers can easily become very big numbers as it doubles every 2/3 days. It is clearly highly infectious.

They have realised that to get most of us vaccinated voluntarily they do have to 'shout'. Those under about 55/60 do not have the thankful attitude, and belief in, the goodness of our health service the old have - we remember or had family who remembered not being able to get ANY care without paying upfront. There's no panic but to maintain the day to day health system by not having too many covid admissions, vaccination is a must.

I agree, Covid is diverting attention to things that are going on and being slipped in under the radar. As well as the examples you’ve given there are changes to the judicial review system allowing MP’s to effectively overrule the judiciary, changes to the human rights act which will have far reaching effects. Most NHS services are much harder to access and unless directly affected it seems most people are unaware of exactly what’s happening beyond not being able to see a GP. The ambulance service is in permanent crisis because of the knock on effects of hospital shortages. On a personal level, a family member had a fall last week and waited for nearly six hours for an ambulance, lying on her kitchen floor with a broken hip. What happened to the well equipped Nightingale hospitals set up to cope with Covid and take the strain ? It would seem they have the equipment but not the staff to operate them, so what was the point ?

As a disabled person, one of the things that concerns me is the green paper that’s been quietly drawn up on yet more draconian reform of disability benefits. Among other proposals there are long term plans to merge personal independence payment (PIP) with Universal Credit, for example. This would effectively mean that PIP is scrapped - those with a low incomes or on contribution based benefits who don’t qualify for UC, will no longer be eligible. They will lose the extra support and for many it will mean the loss of the motability cars that enable them to work and socialise. The consequences are enormous and whereas the ending of disability living allowance and roll out of PIP was well publicised, there is almost nothing said about this - many of the disability charities and organisations with whom the government is supposed to consult are also unaware of what’s being proposed. I think it was Jo Moore - an adviser to Tony Blair who sent that infamous 9/11 email saying it was a good day to get out anything they wanted to ‘bury’. Time will tell how much was buried during Covid.

GrandmaTrisha I'm so sorry to hear of your worries about your DH. Mine had bypass surgery before the pandemic, and that was worrying enough (although the number of people we spoke to who said "Oh, I had that 20 years ago" was encouraging!) and so I can't imagine how awful this is for you and your DH. I'm sending you hugs and very best wishes.

25Avalon

It’s not just Johnson though is it? Scientists are warning us too. Until time passes and we have more statistics and data better be safe than sorry.

The same scientists who warned us of 100,00 covid cases a day by end of August 2021???

M0nica

I would like to see the figures for hospitalisations and deaths divided between those who were vaccinated and those who weren't.

Easy ones first; here you go.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1039677/Vaccine_surveillance_report_-_week_49.pdf

Avalon Yes exactly.
Johnson has to go on the scientific ‘thoughts’ when he and the government decide what to do, mitigated slightly by what the mental health of the country would be ( lockdowns etc) and economic realities and job losses.
If he rode roughshod over the advice and many more lives were lost through that, he would rightly be facing the anger of the populace.
Hopefully the new variant will have much milder symptoms because the way it’s going ( in London anyway) the number of Omicron infections are really high in such a short time.

Pammie1

What green paper are u referring to.. scary details