Coronavirus: General discussion (see opening post for rules)

[Danp]

15 year old daughter has symptoms, school moved her to an isolation space, phoned me and asked for her to be picked up early and a PCR booked.

[JSpaced]

15 year old daughter has symptoms, school moved her to an isolation space, phoned me and asked for her to be picked up early and a PCR booked.

 

Ah no! Hoping it's just a cold/ flu-y symptoms and nothing too serious.

[Danp]

Ah no! Hoping it's just a cold/ flu-y symptoms and nothing too serious.

 

It appears to be, just wait and see what happens with the result.

 

My 14 year old brother (yes, he's 6 months younger than my youngest) had a confirmed PCR and is unwell. We've had not contact with him for a few weeks though

Edited September 17, 2021 by Danp

[Ditto]

BBC headline reporting suggests a lack of deeper analysis. There is general feeling from them that cases are falling, with some variation between Scotland and England in. Cases did fall for a while in September, but for the last four days, I'm afraid the figures comparing against the previous weekday, have shown an increase. Even the 7 day average shows an increase today. Whilst the figures are still volatile, as we move deeper in to Autumn and Winter, I fear for the NHS staff having to take the strain. The report on NI NHS (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-58636057) is something I suspect England, Scotland and Wales countries are not so far behind. With current vaccination levels at all-time lows, it doesn't look like much extra protection is going to come that way, except perhaps vaccinations in school of 12-15 year olds and boosters.

 

With face mask wearing estimated as dropping from 80% - 20% (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-58635383 - 13:39) on public transport, you have to wonder if in the near future the advice will need to be much stronger - besides, I though many transport companies made it a requirement - that would be a lot of non-compliance.

[jmak]

I went to a concert in the Albert Hall tonight and we were there a month ago too.

 

Last time mask wearing during the concert was probably about 75%.

 

This time it was under 1%. I haven't been anywhere so mask free for over a year.

 

Both times the pattern looked approximately the same whether it was the cheap seats or the private boxes.

[elsiegee40]

I went to a concert in the Albert Hall tonight and we were there a month ago too.

 

Last time mask wearing during the concert was probably about 75%.

 

This time it was under 1%. I haven't been anywhere so mask free for over a year.

 

Both times the pattern looked approximately the same whether it was the cheap seats or the private boxes.

 

We were at the RAH on Saturday and there weren’t many wearing masks when we were there. More than 1% I’d have said, but not a lot.

[paulkerton]

We are still wearing masks in our office, but many don't seem to be otherwise.

 

Anyway, we have the first set of jabs for our 12-14 year olds today. I don't think the anti-vaxx of the region have picked up on it yet, which can only be a good thing! Don't want protests outside the gates!

[JordanT91]

The nasal flu vaccines due in school this week for our pupils has been cancelled because the NHS team that does it is gearing up to start the Covid jabs in school.

 

Like many other schools, we've had a few of those emails from the anti-vaxxers threatening legal action.

[paulkerton]

The nasal flu vaccines due in school this week for our pupils has been cancelled because the NHS team that does it is gearing up to start the Covid jabs in school.

Interesting. We have both happening together. Flu team and Covid teams are separate here and both on site today for our lot.

[the_quick]

I went to a concert in the Albert Hall tonight and we were there a month ago too.

 

Last time mask wearing during the concert was probably about 75%.

 

This time it was under 1%. I haven't been anywhere so mask free for over a year.

 

Both times the pattern looked approximately the same whether it was the cheap seats or the private boxes.

 

I still refuse to go to any theatre, cinema and so on, because of this. I don't want to be trapped with hundreds of people in the same room, breathing and splattering their germs. Not ready for this yet.

[smurfomatic]

I still refuse to go to any theatre, cinema and so on, because of this. I don't want to be trapped with hundreds of people in the same room, breathing and splattering their germs. Not ready for this yet.

 

Wish I'd had the same principles! Went to a gig last week, first night out in ages, no-one wearing masks (though a lot of people there were drinking almost continuously!) - then got pinged at the weekend. Could in theory be from work, but most likely from the live music event.

[mavhc]

I still refuse to go to any theatre, cinema and so on, because of this. I don't want to be trapped with hundreds of people in the same room, breathing and splattering their germs. Not ready for this yet.

 

Spend the money you save on a giant TV with surround sound and then it's just the same, but with better seats, better food, no annoying people around, and you get a pause button.

 

Good news, fewer new cases, bad news, more new cases per day than people getting their first vaccine dose per day

 

https://www.nationalworld.com/news/uk/did-the-return-to-school-cause-a-covid-surge-in-scotland-and-is-the-rest-of-the-uk-going-the-same-way-3386024

[Duranis]

I still refuse to go to any theatre, cinema and so on, because of this. I don't want to be trapped with hundreds of people in the same room, breathing and splattering their germs. Not ready for this yet.

Me too. It feels somewhat even worse now as everyone seems to have collectively just gone "sod it, pretend everything is fine and get on with life as normal".

[Localtechie]

Wish I'd had the same principles! Went to a gig last week, first night out in ages, no-one wearing masks (though a lot of people there were drinking almost continuously!) - then got pinged at the weekend. Could in theory be from work, but most likely from the live music event.

You can go onto the app settings and it will day the day the person reported and then when you were pinged if your curious.

[Norphy]

Me too. It feels somewhat even worse now as everyone seems to have collectively just gone "sod it, pretend everything is fine and get on with life as normal".

 

This is what happens when you leave things like wearing masks to personal choice. Most people think at the beginning that they'll keep wearing them. Then those people go to the supermarket or where-ever. The majority are wearing them, but one or two people aren't so some of those people think "Well, if they're not why should I?". Less people are wearing masks, more people are thinking "Why bother?". It gets to the point where wearing masks is the exception rather than the rule

 

I still think that wearing face coverings is still the way to go at the moment but even I'm getting to the point where I'm asking "Why bother?". Wearing a mask will help prevent me spreading the lurgy to other people, but it won't stop people from sneezing on produce, contaminating it and spreading it to me in other ways.

[LeMarchand]

This is what happens when you leave things like wearing masks to personal choice. Most people think at the beginning that they'll keep wearing them. Then those people go to the supermarket or where-ever. The majority are wearing them, but one or two people aren't so some of those people think "Well, if they're not why should I?". Less people are wearing masks, more people are thinking "Why bother?". It gets to the point where wearing masks is the exception rather than the rule

 

Exactly! But it has been decided that a simple and cost effective way to limit some of the spread is not to be encouraged.

[smurfomatic]

You can go onto the app settings and it will day the day the person reported and then when you were pinged if your curious.

 

The ping was from the day of the gig, but I was also at work that day and we've had a fair few positive cases there too

[Pink_Panda]

Attended a 6th form info evening last night at my son's school. Not as busy as I remember these events, but of course the 6th form has less students. Chairs were all set up as normal (no extra distance). Apart from me, nine other people were wearing masks...

[jmak]

Not for a minute suggesting we shouldn't be wearing masks, but least in RAH it's 1) a massive space and 2) someone had the foresight to update the ventilation to a useful spec while they were refurbishing during last year's enforced closure.

 

How is air circulated in our old Victorian building?

We might be old but our air isn’t, thank you very much. Our air handling system is fed by filtered fresh air. Used air is extracted to the outside and is not recirculated. Filters are changed as part of regular, routine maintenance and we have full control over the air system – both fan speed and temperature – throughout the auditorium.

 

While the Hall was closed to the public, we successfully raised £900,000 for our major ventilation project to enhance the Hall's air quality. Thanks to donations from our audiences, Members and Major Donors, we have been able to complete this project in good time for the Hall's reopening.[/Quote]

 

And big screen with surround sound at home is not the same as a 70 piece symphony orchestra, 60 strong choir with a massive pipe organ and 10 extra trumpets and a couple of tubas for extra oomph all playing live! And that's before you mention the soloists. I know live music isn't everyone's thing, but it is undeniably different live.

[stevejp]

Not for a minute suggesting we shouldn't be wearing masks, but least in RAH it's 1) a massive space and 2) someone had the foresight to update the ventilation to a useful spec while they were refurbishing during last year's enforced closure.

 

 

 

And big screen with surround sound at home is not the same as a 70 piece symphony orchestra, 60 strong choir with a massive pipe organ and 10 extra trumpets and a couple of tubas for extra oomph all playing live! And that's before you mention the soloists. I know live music isn't everyone's thing, but it is undeniably different live.

 

Belshazzar’s Feast, by any chance?

[jmak]

Belshazzar’s Feast, by any chance?

The very thing [emoji16]

 

Perfect venue for that, but Sheku Kanneh-Mason's performance of Elgar's cello concerto was outstanding too.

[stevejp]

The very thing [emoji16]

 

Perfect venue for that, but Sheku Kanneh-Mason's performance of Elgar's cello concerto was outstanding too.

 

I love the Elgar. Played it with Robert Cohen many years ago, which was rather special. Nothing against the Kanneh-Mason family, but I really wish the BBC would stop the constant fuss. They are always going on about the plight of all of the freelancers at the moment - how about spreading the work out a bit? To use the Beeb’s own oft-used phrase ‘other musicians are available.’

 

Sorry - don’t know where that mini-rant came from…

[Ditto]

Llamas play their part in possible Covid treatment https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58628689

 

This caught my eye, in part as a walk I did with some visiting friends over the weekend, we happened across some Llamas and they had a good 'llamas humming' chat. Are Llamas the nearest relatives of Unicorns?

[mavhc]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58651812

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/sep/22/chris-whitty-warns-mps-it-is-inevitable-unvaccinated-children-will-catch-covid

[pooley]

Both my children are home awaiting results of PCR test (ages 8 -13) only 1 is symptomatic.

 

1 school I work at has closed nursery class today, not enough staff to cover and no supplies available.