So - in summary:

Spot on! The dirty foreigners routine has played well for the tories in the once red wall. Why not do it again?

 

‘Doesn’t agree with my views’?
So do you believe that calling me xenophobic because I pointed out that our borders were open to flights from India, but that we aren’t allowed to fly to India and return is OK?
I made no mention of nationality, I find it questionable that our government has decided that a country that’s unsafe for me to travel to is free to fly people here (whether they’re Indian Australian or indeed U.K. citizens).

He might be a bright bloke, but on the issue of Covid his posts are often inflammatory or sometimes just plain counter factual.

That’s why I choose to not engage with him on the subject.

 

Isn’t that simply a direct consequence of people mixing more freely?

My boss at work had houseguests a couple of weeks ago (for the first time in over a year) and got a cold.

Me and the Mrs went away for a couple of days last week (first time since last Feb) and both got a mild cold.

The more we mix, the more we spread germs; this is nothing we didn’t all know already.

 

Actual facts from the frontline;

We are still allowing folk to travel and enter/reenter the UK from hot spots.
Border policy is a joke, the delay in dealing with Indian flights went against lots of advice.

Track, trace and testing policy still isnt fit for purpose. Its easy to cheat the system.

Basically the uptick in cases is due to government actions.

The Alpha variant came in via holiday makers last summer. All of the governments own making.

Here we go again. British businesses are going to the wall because no one is willing to make the tough decisions. You can't protect every sector, airlines and travel need support. But its always been a case of protecting our border via travel bans and having a legally well staffed enforceable track and trace policy. They got in on being tough on foreigners, that doesn't automatically mean they're protecting the border (contrary to Daily Mail expert advice).

 

So when are we actually going back to the old normal?

 

Yep. I got a cold after mixing with fellow reds to watch the Swansea match. Social distancing was, shall we say, "compromised"; especially as the game went on and the beer went down.

 

Never it would seem.

 

Never. Which to be fair some of us have been predicting since the start of lockdown. I actually think it’s starting to land with folk now - and even more so when they inevitably either delay or massively water down June 21.

 

True, it's also down to the fact the general population's immune systems are now going to be weaker and more prone to colds etc (when mixing again) as a result of not mixing for 12 months plus. If we never come into contact with others, we will avoid the common cold (hurrah!). Personally I'd rather mix with others - as people have done throughout history - and get a cold every now and then and build a stronger immune system. But people will be blamed for mixing by the government, despite them easing rules, and we will be back to square one. All the public's fault (what happened to trusting the public to use common sense?), and Corbyn. When we're on the 23rd wave this will all seem arbitrary.

 

Some people don't want this to end.

Dr hilary on ITV has tripled his income in the last year through doom mongering.

Newspapers can make scary headlines about mutant variants.

Others are famous or relevant for the first time i.e Sage & Drakeford.

We have to stop listening to these people.

 

Who doesn't want it to end?

People have different views on what to do. Some don't want to do anything and just get back to "normal". Others want to be as cautious as it's possible to be. Some are in between.

I've no idea what the nation should do as a whole, and the chances of getting the whole world to act in unison is just not going to happen, so this is only likely to go away if the virus mutates to the point of neutralising itself, and I don't know how likely that is. All I can personally do is take actions that reduce the risks of killing my family.

 

Just out of interest, who should we be listening to?
We all want this to end & go away, what's the answer?

 

Actions on the border have been shambolic from day 1. From allowing fans fly in from Madrid for a football match, when Madrid was a hotspot, allowing millions of people to fly into the country during various lockdowns, going against advice to put India on the red list because the PM wanted to go there, and now deciding it's ok to go on holiday to certain places only to change their mind shortly after.

Add to this the fact the airports are not setting up any sort of segregation for arrivals from red list, and the ridiculous notion of an amber list (if it's a bad idea to go there, it's a bad idea).

I have zero confidence that whatever decision they make on restrictions from 21st June onwards will be based on any robust analysis of data available, one way or another. If they open up, expect it to be reversed again once pubs and venues have ordered all their stock in for opening at full capacity.

I don't think anyone would've made such a mess of handling this pandemic as this Government have. May would've done better, Corbyn would've done better, Binface would definitely have done better.

 

Maybe some of us, who have always known this govt, as being inept, out of its depth, lying, manipulative, money grabbing, self- centred, uncaring, etc, etc, have even underestimated how they have not learned anything from the outset, such as Allowing incoming flights from COVID hotspots, still awaiting the PM promise of a ‘World- leading’ track and trace system. What I hope will ‘land with folk’ is what a complete and utter ****** this govt have made throughout this pandemic, (Vaccine rollout taken into account) There is absolutely no way any second or third wave should’ve affected us in this way.

 

Britain must lift everything.

90% of oldies are jabbed twice.

The deal was to 'save NHS'. That is achieved. So lift everything.

 

“Back to normal” should not happen until every adult has been offered 2 jabs. Simple as that. Need a very high % of vaccination in order to achieve herd immunity.

People still going on about how this is never going to stop and people want it to last forever etc. Is shameful, ridiculous, dangerous and frankly idiotic.

 

How do you know that it has been achieved?

 

Under 50s dont matter.

We are not vulnerable.

I'd rather send my jab to India

 

There is 1 covid patient in ICU for every 2 hospitals.

How will they cope?

 

Then you know absolutely nothing about how inoculation and immunity works.

Herd immunity needs to be reached. Which will take about 80% of the population.