When will this shit end?

[Radiochicken]

51 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

you don't need to wait, the papers are full of 'official leaks' - the BBC were openly admitting they'd had a 10.30pm embargo for what they'd given details of late last night.

Thanks! I have a tendency to not believe the shite coming out of Peston’s mouth, but if it’s legit now I’ll give it a read!

[JoeyT]

The group of 6 / two households thing on March 29th might as well just be 6 from different households.

Zero chance of being able to enforce especially over weekends & the upcoming easter bank holiday.

[zahidf]

1 minute ago, JoeyT said:

The group of 6 / two households thing on March 29th might as well just be 6 from different households.

Zero chance of being able to enforce especially over weekends & the upcoming easter bank holiday.

Oh yeah for sure. But if its outside, they won't really care

[Ryan1984]

Just now, JoeyT said:

The group of 6 / two households thing on March 29th might as well just be 6 from different households.

Zero chance of being able to enforce especially over weekends & the upcoming easter bank holiday.

Zahawi confirmed it’s the Rule of Six like pre-Christmas - so six people from different households would be allowed. I can imagine some people will stretch the two families/households rule.

[zahidf]

 

[JoeyT]

Just now, Ryan1984 said:

Zahawi confirmed it’s the Rule of Six like pre-Christmas - so six people from different households would be allowed. I can imagine some people will stretch the two families/households rule.

hang on that doesn't make sense?

it's either two households or not surely? 

[Zoo Music Girl]

BBC has this:

From 29 March - Outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed. It is understood this will include gatherings in private gardens. 

I'm pleased it's now two households or six people. Before we would have to break the rules to see our friends with three kids who all live in the same house, just because it made seven. Always seemed ridiculous to me.

[Ryan1984]

14 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

This is the key for me as we have to travel to see anyone. 

I'm actually feeling quite optimistic about this plan tbh. Don't know if it's the change in the weather or what, but the prospect of seeing people for the first time since early December (which we did just once and before that early October) is quite uplifting to me. We did a pub lunch outside in December so I reckon I can hack late March.

I’ve maintained for a while the lack of dates to aim towards has been the source of struggle for so many of us. Throw in the short days and lack of daylight etc and it’s been tough.

It now looks like we have a manageable - and reasonably cautious - plan and can start making tentative plans to see friends and family who live a bit further away. I share your optimism. Also, the last few Easters/springs have had really good weather (in fact, last year I was in shorts from mid-March to mid-October so it might be warm like that again!).

[JoeyT]

2 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

BBC has this:

From 29 March - Outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed. It is understood this will include gatherings in private gardens. 

I'm pleased it's now two households or six people. Before we would have to break the rules to see our friends with three kids who all live in the same house, just because it made seven. Always seemed ridiculous to me.

Ah okay, I get it now. 

I was just being dense...!

[Zoo Music Girl]

Just now, Ryan1984 said:

I’ve maintained for a while the lack of dates to aim towards has been the source of struggle for so many of us. Throw in the short days and lack of daylight etc and it’s been tough.

It now looks like we have a manageable - and reasonably cautious - plan and can start making tentative plans to see friends and family who live a bit further away. I share your optimism. Also, the last few Easters/springs have had really good weather (in fact, last year I was in shorts from mid-March to mid-October so it might be warm like that again!).

Yes I'm keeping everything crossed on the weather front! 

Am I right in thinking it's really just schools and socialising that have been basically confirmed at this stage? So nothing yet on shops, gyms, pubs beyond rumours?

[st dan]

From what we know for certain so far, I think they’ve found a sensible, realistic and balanced approach to this reopening, and in doing so have given hope to the people that this will finally be over soon. 

Edited February 22, 2021 by st dan

[Ryan1984]

6 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

Yes I'm keeping everything crossed on the weather front! 

Am I right in thinking it's really just schools and socialising that have been basically confirmed at this stage? So nothing yet on shops, gyms, pubs beyond rumours?

I think so. Zahawi wouldn’t be drawn on anything else this morning. There were a lot of ‘wait for the prime minister’s roadmap this afternoon’-type answers.

[Zoo Music Girl]

3 minutes ago, Ryan1984 said:

I think so. Zahawi wouldn’t be drawn on anything else this morning. There were a lot of ‘wait for the prime minister’s roadmap this afternoon’-type answers.

Thanks! Will be interesting to see.

[Chapple12345]

16 minutes ago, st dan said:

From what we know for certain so far, I think they’ve found a sensible, realistic and balanced approach to this reopening, and in doing so have given hope to the people that this will finally be over soon. 

I agree with this, im glad they're encouraging outdoor activities too, I think it's going to help a lot of people being to socialise in that capacity - I also think this mixed with the success of the vaccine roll out will help a lot of people over the coming weeks and months 

[Ozanne]

25 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

Yes I'm keeping everything crossed on the weather front! 

Am I right in thinking it's really just schools and socialising that have been basically confirmed at this stage? So nothing yet on shops, gyms, pubs beyond rumours?

Yeah schools from the 8th then rule of 6 outside from the 29th March.

Seems fair to allow some socialising outside by that date. I don’t think it’s very helpful to claim that there’s zero chance people will follow certain rules, can’t we go with the hopeful view that people will stick to them like most have been. 

[zahidf]

Oh ffs. I see the geeks have got to BJ

 

[JoeyT]

7 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

Yeah schools from the 8th then rule of 6 outside from the 29th March.

Seems fair to allow some socialising outside by that date. I don’t think it’s very helpful to claim that there’s zero chance people will follow certain rules, can’t we go with the hopeful view that people will stick to them like most have been. 

Don't be so sensitive!

[gizmoman]

1 hour ago, mcshed said:

"I'm not undermining the vaccine effort putting lives at risk by being vocal about the dangers of the vaccine I'm just here on this public forum being very vocal about my personal and private decision to be concerned about the dangers of this vaccine."

I think you've exaggerated my contributions as far as the vax goes, I have certainly asked questions and I don't think that's unreasonable given this is all new,  I haven't told anyone not to have the vax nor would I, it's a personal choice you make based on your own perceptions, I doubt if my contributions have made any efester decide not to get jabbed, indeed the overwhelming consensus on this thread is pro-jab. In any case why would I want to undermine the vaccine effort? The more people who get vaccinated the safer I am, whether I get the jab or not.

[st dan]

13 minutes ago, zahidf said:

Oh ffs. I see the geeks have got to BJ

 

The main thing is that it looks like number of positive cases alone is not going to be a determining factor - despite some scientists pushing for it. 

[zahidf]

Pfizer and AZ vaccines reduce hospital admissions by 85% and 94%, study suggests

The Covid vaccination programme has been linked to a substantial reduction in hospital admissions, PA Media is reporting. The PA story goes on:

Researchers examined coronavirus hospital admissions in Scotland among people who have had their first jab and compared them with those who had not yet received a dose of the vaccine.

Scientists from the University of Edinburgh, the University of Strathclyde and Public Health Scotland examined data on people who had received either the Pfizer/BioNTech jab or the one developed by experts at the University of Oxford with AstraZeneca.

By the fourth week after receiving the initial dose, the Pfizer and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines were shown to reduce the risk of hospital admission from Covid-19 by up to 85% and 94%, respectively, they found.

[Ozanne]

2 minutes ago, st dan said:

The main thing is that it looks like number of positive cases alone is not going to be a determining factor - despite some scientists pushing for it. 

5 weeks also seems like a fair compromise between what some of the experts would want and some of the people like the CRG. 

[JoeyT]

4 minutes ago, zahidf said:

Pfizer and AZ vaccines reduce hospital admissions by 85% and 94%, study suggests

The Covid vaccination programme has been linked to a substantial reduction in hospital admissions, PA Media is reporting. The PA story goes on:

Researchers examined coronavirus hospital admissions in Scotland among people who have had their first jab and compared them with those who had not yet received a dose of the vaccine.

Scientists from the University of Edinburgh, the University of Strathclyde and Public Health Scotland examined data on people who had received either the Pfizer/BioNTech jab or the one developed by experts at the University of Oxford with AstraZeneca.

By the fourth week after receiving the initial dose, the Pfizer and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines were shown to reduce the risk of hospital admission from Covid-19 by up to 85% and 94%, respectively, they found.

With data like this coming out Boris has got a hell of a job on his hands with the CRG...

[zahidf]

2 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

5 weeks also seems like a fair compromise between what some of the experts would want and some of the people like the CRG. 

No it isnt 3 weeks seems just about reasonable. 5 seems ridiculous, especially with the new evidence of one dose of the vaccine cutting hospital numbers by that much

[Paul ™]

6 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

5 weeks also seems like a fair compromise between what some of the experts would want and some of the people like the CRG. 

Nonsense, 5 weeks is too long. Plenty evidence coming out now that the vaccine is doing as well as expected, and transmission reduction better than hoped.

3 weeks is the right timescale between steps, as long as the tests are being met.

[Fuzzy Afro]

1 hour ago, JoeyT said:

The group of 6 / two households thing on March 29th might as well just be 6 from different households.

Zero chance of being able to enforce especially over weekends & the upcoming easter bank holiday.

I think it’s 6 OR two households. So you can meet with 5 of your mates, but 2 families can meet in their entirety.