A Second Lockdown?

Here’s one for you mate - as someone who’s opinion I respect that’s on the opposite side of the argument to me - what was your take overall on that presser? Did you think it was a balanced and fair summing up of the current situation and risks?

 

I was pretty uncomfortable with the level of what seemed to be propaganda from people that I still (somewhat at least) respect and who are purported as apolitical men of facts, in quite obviously preparing us for what is coming tomorrow. Some of the graphs weren’t exactly clear and were dumbed down a bit too much in my opinion - but I understand why they did that.

I must confess I was in a meeting and missed the first couple of minutes, but from what I saw I think they made some valid points. Namely that we can’t allow people to voluntarily increase their own risk, as that has significant knock-on effects for others, which will eventually lead to a vulnerable individual getting infected. Similar to what I’ve been saying for months, that there’s no way to have a 2 tiered system in my opinion that allows the vulnerable to be quarantined while everyone else gets on with their lives.

I still don’t know what the right answer is. The NHS should absolutely never have stopped treating cancer patients etc. I still don’t understand why that happened and was seemingly grouped in with the lockdown when they’re really totally unrelated. I understand why people want to get back to normality, I really do, but it makes me so uncomfortable to just allow this virus to spread. We still know very little about it, specifically about long term effects and I’d rather we not gamble on it all being fine.

 

Feel a bit sorry for these science guys. They're getting a **** load of money and still have no more idea than they did back in March. Now Boris seems fed up so he's thrown them in front of a bus with this doomsday scenario which if it doesn't happen will make them look foolish. If we lockdown (circuit break) and nothing changes they're damned either way.

 

I think we are in a mess. What to do now? Boris and his (lying) flying circus have royally screwed up the whole thing. Confusing instructions which made little sense, follow the science-then don't follow the science, don't wear masks, oh wait...now wear masks, count the death figures differently so there's not as many, pretend members of the government have followed their own guidelines, change your mind every 2 minutes, then blame different sections of the population, impose local lockdowns which is akin to combating the virus by playing whack-a-mole, and don't enforce anything to any great extent except lament on television that some people are not following the rules.
Now he's set up the country for bad news by rolling out the corpse twins and a graph.
Boris is no doubt back in the fridge, Cummins is writing Boris's resignation letter for him, Shapps has disappeared completely, rumoured to be in Egypt as he's heard it has a Pyramid Scheme, Hancock will be working out how much he can flog the NHS for to the Yanks, and the Daily Heil is running an advert for the position of Nero who has to own a fiddle to get the job.
None of this has any effect on me of course, just off out to get my hair cut
And some bog rolls

 

On that last point, the difference is that if someone makes a mistake - picking up and putting back a packet of butter, accidentally getting too close to someone without thinking etc. Or someone blatantly flaunting the rules - In a national lockdown that’s still likely to not cause a huge problem as the likelihood of the other person having the virus is low. A worry is that by allowing it to run rampant the likelihood of others having it is going to be high.

 

Its beyond that too. My missis works with clinically vulnerable people in hospital. How do we shield them from her and her from our kids who are back at school etc ad Infinitum.

 

They shouldn't be presenting a graph like that which is just a scenario without taking questions. Then using the fear generated to bring in further restrictions. It just scaremongering

 

Could we be heading for segregation between ethnicities, vulnerable people and age groups? First thing I'd do is make the school and college day shorter so students aren't travelling during rush hour.

 

a test shows you clear on the day you took the test. You could get infected on the way home

 

I said people like you, not specifically you. I don't have the time or inclination to go through all the posts on here to find out who said what, but there has been a common thread from people like you, ie, anti-lockdown, that the virus has mutated to a less dangerous version, which it hasn't. There's not an argument to be had about that.

 

The list of things that could happen to someone is very long indeed. Managing the risk is all we can do

 

You’re right - which is why the fact that they haven’t attempted this strategy yet is very telling imo. People have had time to think about all these scenarios and have clearly decided it’s impossible, too expensive or too risky.

I don’t know what the solution is - I’ve never claimed I do. I just look at the facts and form my opinion. I’m very glad I’m not the one making the call at the end of the day. Every answer is wrong and that’s the crux of this whole sorry situation.

 

Possibly something along those lines. I'm no economist but for years governments around the globe have been talking about a basic universal income whether you work or not.

You can work for a better life or live off the state. It wood certainly negate the effect of future pandemics and wars etc.

 

Interesting article on the BBC today


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54228649

 

I read it earlier. Suggests the lockdown was a waste of time and we should have done the measures from the start regarding the vulnerable etc. We're living in a society where the young are going to feel penalised.

It reminds me of an episode of the Simpsons where the old had free rain of Springfield and the young were under curfew. Only in reverse. I mentioned it earlier there is mutual ground in between. However, that would involve segregation and families split in two.

There isn't an answer. Getting on with things has to be the aim or bring in more draconian measures.