Coronavirus: General discussion (see opening post for rules)

[the_quick]

3 schools in our neighbourhood have closed because lots of cases amongst theirs population. We are still OK here, but I can see it is spreading really quickly and not just self isolation, but actual positive cases and some teaches in hospital.

I heard some teachers saying that they will remove the app, as they don't want to be pinged - holidays booked and they don't want to miss it

[mavhc]

"I don't want to know if I might have a disease that easily passes to other people"

[Duranis]

Our office staff is out. One member tested positive, also the second time they have caught it.

 

Dreading coming back in Sept as it seems the plan at this stage is to open the school with no restrictions. At least I get a few weeks during the summer holidays were I can feel safe.

[bald_pig]

Bad luck - surely that should be in the annoying thread.

 

My annoying thing: that's six days. Isolation is 10 days after contact with a confirmed case. That means it's taken them 4 days from when the person you were in contact with had a positive test. Presumably (probably a mistake to presume anything, but anyway) once the test result is entered in the system, the association between that result and all of the contacts is effectively instantaneous so it's taking four days to get tests processed. In the mean time all of their contacts are walking around being potentially infectious. At that rate I suspect test and trace is still probably not having much effect reducing transmission.

 

Anyway, I really hope it's a false alarm [emoji1696]

 

I took a PCR test as part of an LFT quality assurance thing last week, it went through the usual PCR test route, and was back within 24 hours. My understanding is that the app goes back 48 hours from the onset of symptoms?

[jmak]

I took a PCR test as part of an LFT quality assurance thing last week, it went through the usual PCR test route, and was back within 24 hours. My understanding is that the app goes back 48 hours from the onset of symptoms?

Happy to be corrected - what I want is a system that works.

[bald_pig]

Happy to be corrected - what I want is a system that works.

 

Aside from the fact that they seemingly lowered the threshold so less people had to isolate, the app and the testing has been pretty good

[LeMarchand]

One of my schools is at 50% capacity (and dropping). Still, "Freedom Day" on Monday, eh?

[Garacesh]

Aside from the fact that they seemingly lowered the threshold so less people had to isolate, the app and the testing has been pretty good

 

Which is fantastic when you consider that (at least, according to a letter going home to P/Gs) schools will no longer be required to track and trace, and 'everything will now be controlled by NHS Track and Trace'.

He said, sarcastically.

[Rob_D]

I'm not sure that's right, it means it's 4 days since they were in contact with someone who has gone on to have a test (that has been positive) - likely because they've become symptomatic. PCR results seem to be coming back within 24h still as far as we've seen here.

So it's no indication it's taking 4 days for a test to be processed as far as I can see?

 

So are we saying that Person A and Person B ping as contacts, then 4 days later A gets a positive test so B gets a message saying to isolate for 10-4 days?

[jmak]

So are we saying that Person A and Person B ping as contacts, then 4 days later A gets a positive test so B gets a message saying to isolate for 10-4 days?

Yes. Exactly what happened to a friend and now ElsieG40

[sonofsanta]

Which is fantastic when you consider that (at least, according to a letter going home to P/Gs) schools will no longer be required to track and trace, and 'everything will now be controlled by NHS Track and Trace'.

He said, sarcastically.

 

 

Our Head was discussing this in briefing today--apparently what will happen now is that instead of the school checking seating plans and identifying friendship groups, the Test & Trace lot instead ring the student directly and find out from them. Which will (a) be an inevitably incomplete list, they're not going to remember definitively! (b) be full of people who've said "I don't want to go in, tell them my name so I can stay home"

 

Nothing to go wrong here, no sirree

[JordanT91]

Our Head was discussing this in briefing today--apparently what will happen now is that instead of the school checking seating plans and identifying friendship groups, the Test & Trace lot instead ring the student directly and find out from them. Which will (a) be an inevitably incomplete list, they're not going to remember definitively! (b) be full of people who've said "I don't want to go in, tell them my name so I can stay home"

 

Nothing to go wrong here, no sirree

Full details available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1X5SgRwxSIBJNnAGnT8rroKeX8rVpXEJI

[Ditto]

BBC are reporting from the just published ONS report at https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandwellbeing/bulletins/coronavirusandthesocialimpactsongreatbritain/16july2021. Some interesting data on mask wearing, which considering the cultural shift since they were first introduced is going to be very interesting to social scientists in the future.

It suggests the vast majority of 'people' are not 'idiots' and show a lot of concern about the next phase. In spite of the legal stance changing, many of us, including me, are going to keep wearing masks for quite some time more.

[LeMarchand]

It suggests the vast majority of 'people' are not 'idiots' and show a lot of concern about the next phase. In spite of the legal stance changing, many of us, including me, are going to keep wearing masks for quite some time more.

 

I hope this conclusion is correct. However, I always operate under the principle that the vast majority of people are idiots. Obviously this place is an exception to the rule!

[Ditto]

I hope this conclusion is correct. However, I always operate under the principle that the vast majority of people are idiots. Obviously this place is an exception to the rule!

 

There's still plenty out there! Unfortunately they tend to stand out more than the sensible majority.

[southhamster]

3 classes now out. We've been lucky/careful before. This says to me that there is more transmission about [emoji45]

[Boredguy]

We started with 1 class yesterday morning, and the whole year group by the end of day.

Shame we've another week of lessons to go =(

[LeMarchand]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/16/englands-covid-unlocking-a-threat-to-the-world-experts-say

 

Let's hope those 1,200 signatories are wrong...

[Andrew_C]

1200 medics and health professionals or HM govt.?

[witch]

I went back to a band this week - still wearing masks if moving around but the chairs are no longer decently spaced. Ok for me because no instruments blowing air on me from behind. But not great for the Sax sitting next to me - given that I play the French Horn which sends air out sideways

[mikeprice]

In other news

 

There is a great open air concert around here this weekend

 

Look up CLone Roses and STone Roses Spike Island for detail and history

 

I was assuming it was all cancelled

 

but no - it is all going ahead with lots of tribute acts of various bands and several DJs

 

all properly setup

 

It is sort of and experiment and the first totally unrestricted concert type thingy to let people go and enjoy themselves

 

In normal time - we would go

 

now

 

no way

 

sounds like a recipe for trouble and spread of the virus

 

 

does sound like the Liverpool area has been the subject of several 'experiments' over the last 2 years

[jmak]

I went back to a band this week - still wearing masks if moving around but the chairs are no longer decently spaced. Ok for me because no instruments blowing air on me from behind. But not great for the Sax sitting next to me - given that I play the French Horn which sends air out sideways

Not as bad as you might think:

https://inews.co.uk/news/science/wind-and-brass-instruments-emit-no-more-covid-laden-aerosols-than-breathing-1075757

 

Original published paper here:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02786826.2021.1947470?src=

 

You just need to watch out for the singers - but we didn't need covid to tell us that!

 

Unfortunately they didn't manage to find a French horn player to take part - although I would have expected the flautists to cause problems if anyone did.

 

And if one French horn is great, how good is a group of eight?!

https://cor8horns.com/

They gave their first post lockdown concert today - definitely worth looking out for.

[6Foot2]

Link: Double-vaccinated arrivals from France must still quarantine as ministers impose new ‘amber-plus’ category | The Independent

 

Less than 60 hours before international travel is due to become easier for vaccinated British travellers, France is to be left out of the scheme.

 

Hundreds of thousands of travellers who were hoping for quarantine-free travel back from France have had their hopes dashed.

 

Fears about the “beta variant” of coronavirus have led ministers to create a new category for incoming travellers: “amber plus”.

 

Unlike the regular amber list, from 4am on Monday arrivals from France must quarantine in their own accommodation for 10 days and complete two PCR tests, regardless of vaccination status.

 

The health secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “We have always been clear that we will not hesitate to take rapid action at our borders to stop the spread of Covid-19 and protect the gains made by our successful vaccination programme...

[Andrew_C]

"not hesitate..."

 

HAHAHAHHAHAHA....

[Steve21]

The prime minister and chancellor will not be self-isolating after contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who has tested positive for coronavirus.

 

Downing Street said the pair would take part in a pilot programme, where daily tests replace self-isolation.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57877373

 

Does this mean anyone who's currently isolating can take part in the pilot?!? *facepalm*

 

Steve

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57879730

 

Rapid u turn! 157 minutes later... Seems we do all have to isolate still!

 

Steve

Edited July 18, 2021 by Steve21