Coronavirus: General discussion (see opening post for rules)

[jthompson]

Heard of a thing that is going around

 

Apparently some people, who normally get the flu vaccine, are not going to have it this year

 

because it is a different virus

 

 

Oh - OK then - so we are now at the point where people are choosing what virus to catch and potentially die from - and spread to other people - in spite of having been happy to be vaccinated for it before with no problems

 

just how can we still have taken over the planet with such a high density of dumb people

 

Could this be a mangling of the idea that flu vaccines each year are tailored to whatever new strain is expected that season, and isn't one and the same thing year after year?

[6Foot2]

Link: Coronavirus: Ebbsfleet Covid-19 test centre shut to become lorry park [bBC News]

 

A coronavirus testing centre in Kent has been closed to make way for a lorry park for post-Brexit customs checks.

 

The government is planning to use the land at Ebbsfleet International station if the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 31 December, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

 

One councillor said local infrastructure "cannot cope" and there would be chaos on the M25.

 

A Cabinet Office spokesman said no final decision has yet been made.

 

In July the government pledged £470m on new border infrastructure, which included, if necessary, building additional inland sites across the country where checks can take place.

 

The spokesman added: "Final decisions on inland sites will not be made until we have established the extent of new infrastructure that will be delivered at ports."

 

However a leaked Kent County Council letter says: "We have also been notified that the Ebbsfleet testing centre has closed, as the site is required by HMRC for EU exit."

 

Dartford Labour councillor Sacha Gosine said: "The infrastructure at Ebbsfleet cannot cope with lorries."

 

He said it would be a "logistical nightmare" for officials.

 

Closed 'out of the blue'

 

In September 2019 planning permission was granted to allow use of the Ebbsfleet site temporarily for customs clearance until the end of this year.

 

Work had started at one of the car parks at the station but this was put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Ebbsfleet station was then used as a Covid testing site with a capacity for about 2,000 tests a day, but earlier this month testing staff were told "out of the blue" that the site would be closing.

 

A new coronavirus testing centre has opened in Rochester.

 

According to the Cabinet Office regional testing sites like Ebbsfleet "were set up at great speed" but the relocation will allow the network "to continue operating as long as needed".

 

The government's testing system has faced criticism in recent weeks.

 

An increase in demand for coronavirus tests has led to local shortages - with some people being directed to test sites hundreds of miles from their homes.

 

The home secretary Priti Patel has defended the system, saying capacity was increasing.

 

People can't get coronavirus tested, so let's close one of the testing centres!

 

[mikeprice]

To quote Tommy Lee Jones, from Men In Black:

 

Facebook - making persons into people since [enter date here}

 

other SNs are available to do the same job

[Norphy]

Coronavirus: Testing problems to be solved in weeks, says Hancock https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54163683

 

 

I’m sorry but WTF? W T ACTUAL F? How has this been allowed to happen? Our so called world beating system was put in, when? April? May? Why is it that coming on for half a year down the line we are still struggling to test people? And what good is fixing it “in weeks” when people need testing now?

 

I’d call them a bunch of clowns but at least clowns have their uses...

[mikeprice]

Coronavirus: Testing problems to be solved in weeks, says Hancock https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54163683

 

 

I’m sorry but WTF? W T ACTUAL F? How has this been allowed to happen? Our so called world beating system was put in, when? April? May? Why is it that coming on for half a year down the line we are still struggling to test people? And what good is fixing it “in weeks” when people need testing now?

 

I’d call them a bunch of clowns but at least clowns have their uses...

 

send then to Speke - damn place is always empty

 

what a carp booking system!!!

[Andrew_C]

I've heard similar. Looks like another gvt IT triumph.

[witch]

Our local testing centre looks fairly busy but apparently it is the lab processing time that is the issue

[elsiegee40]

No, You Can't Wear A Live Snake As A Face Covering On A Bus

Authorities have confirmed a snake is not a valid face covering after a man was spotted with one wrapped around his head on a bus.

 

The commuter and his reptilian mask, which was wrapped around his neck and mouth, were seen on a bus from Swinton to Manchester on Monday.

 

One passenger, who asked not to be named, said she initially thought the man was wearing a “funky mask” before she spotted it slithering over the hand rails.

 

She said she found the incident “really funny” and that the animal did not seem to be bothering any of her fellow passengers, telling PA: “No-one batted a eyelid.”

 

Pictures showed the man was not wearing a mask under the snake.

 

Using a face covering on public transport is mandatory, except for those who are exempt for reasons of age, health or disability.

 

A Transport for Greater Manchester spokesperson said: “Government guidance clearly states that this needn’t be a surgical mask, and that passengers can make their own or wear something suitable, such as a scarf or bandana.

 

“While there is a small degree of interpretation that can be applied to this, we do not believe it extends to the use of snakeskin – especially when still attached to the snake.”

[the_quick]

Our local testing centre looks fairly busy but apparently it is the lab processing time that is the issue

 

That's the problem, some test centres were doing test if people just showed up - I guess just to avoid confrontation. But these test will not be processed in time, so it was wasted.

Maybe given capacity is the number of test kits, not how many test can be processed by the labs - that would explain a lot

[6Foot2]

That's the problem, some test centres were doing test if people just showed up - I guess just to avoid confrontation. But these test will not be processed in time, so it was wasted.

Maybe given capacity is the number of test kits, not how many test can be processed by the labs - that would explain a lot

I saw a report on the BBC this morning that spoke of testing capacity, and test turnaround times taking a knock because the PhD students performing (some of) the tests were returning to their respective universities to continue their courses.

[paulkerton]

I saw a report on the BBC this morning that spoke of testing capacity, and test turnaround times taking a knock because the PhD students performing (some of) the tests were returning to their respective universities to continue their courses.

I've been waiting for this one to appear!

 

• Schools reopen = increased demand for tests for under 18s
  
• PhD Students back in classes = Reduced staffing to process tests
  
• General reopening of society = increased demand for tests
  
• Increased leadtime for tests = Tests take longer, so some of them end up waiting so long that the test is rendered useless to have taken in the first place
  

 

Absolute recipe for disaster, really. Anyone competent should've seen it coming.

[6Foot2]

NOTE: Not a political post: No political replies are expected, nor are they invited.

 

They'll be OK in America because they are going to develop a 'herd mentality'

 

https://youtu.be/wQ8DwqXUT60

 

[6Foot2]

NOTE: Not a political post: No political replies are expected, nor are they invited.

 

Link:

[Neil Henderson Picture Tweet]

 

FT: Letter about rule of 6...

 

[PyROm]

What hasn't been mentioned is that when Scouts and Guides start back under youth association rules, you can have 5 leaders and 15 members and they will either not be bubbled or in school bubbles (thus putting all year groups of members from the same school together).

[LeMarchand]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]59131[/ATTACH]

 

 

Look here, old chap. You simply must understand that children feeding ducks are peasants likely to be harbouring all sorts of nasty diseases that we do not wish to spread, even amongst the hoi polloi. We need our labourers, even though the ungrateful blighters seem to expect ever increasing pay. Besides, ducks on ponds are likely protected by various arcane laws that mean one can't simply take pot shots at them - more's the pity.

 

Much more importantly, who cares about bally ducks when there are grice to be bagged. Ah! The Glorious Twelfth!

Edited September 17, 2020 by LeMarchand

[Rob_D]

What hasn't been mentioned is that when Scouts and Guides start back under youth association rules, you can have 5 leaders and 15 members and they will either not be bubbled or in school bubbles (thus putting all year groups of members from the same school together).

To be fair, students at our school might transition between bubbles during the school day (for example if they catch a buss, they have to move from their "year group bubble" to their "buss bubble").

[hardtailstar]

What hasn't been mentioned is that when Scouts and Guides start back under youth association rules, you can have 5 leaders and 15 members and they will either not be bubbled or in school bubbles (thus putting all year groups of members from the same school together).

 

Plus mixing with students from other schools.

 

My Explorers (18 in total) all go to different schools/colleges, I think I only have about 2-3 that go to the same school.

[MrFlibble]

One of my favourites for this:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]59103[/ATTACH]

Surely they realise correlation does not equal causation, or is that a step too far?

This is true; I don't agree with anyone claiming they make things worse, and their logic is indeed flawed, but the statistics of what is happening in differing countries with differing policies cannot be ignored; if they made things much better then you'd not see Sweden doing so well, and yet Spain and France seeing a huge increase in cases.

 

The reality is they probably make very little difference.

[sonofsanta]

Interesting article on the current state of the science. In short: surface transmission less of an issue than thought, the virus dies on surfaces quite quickly (i.e. 24 hours rather than 72); aerosol transmission probably how it spreads in most cases; practical advice is therefore to wear your flipping mask.

 

https://elemental.medium.com/the-most-likely-way-youll-get-infected-with-covid-19-30430384e5a5

[Norphy]

This is true; I don't agree with anyone claiming they make things worse, and their logic is indeed flawed, but the statistics of what is happening in differing countries with differing policies cannot be ignored; if they made things much better then you'd not see Sweden doing so well, and yet Spain and France seeing a huge increase in cases.

 

The reality is they probably make very little difference.

 

Disney+ opened in this country just after lockdown started. Lots of people took out subscriptions. Therefore, COVID-19 was engineered to push up Disney+ subscriptions.

 

[mavhc]

This is true; I don't agree with anyone claiming they make things worse, and their logic is indeed flawed, but the statistics of what is happening in differing countries with differing policies cannot be ignored; if they made things much better then you'd not see Sweden doing so well, and yet Spain and France seeing a huge increase in cases.

 

The reality is they probably make very little difference.

 

Sweden and Spain have very different climates, and population densities, and cultural attitudes, and wealth, and cross border travel

[Andrew_C]

The reality is they probably make very little difference.

Oh good... Another medical expert; with so many in the country how did we get in this mess.

[mavhc]

Oh good... Another medical expert; with so many in the country how did we get in this mess.

 

Taking advice from MrFlibble is always a bad idea

 

[jthompson]

Interesting piece on Inside Science on R4 yesterday about the severity of COVID in cold versus warm weather. Reporting a 15% drop in mortality for every 1 degree temperature rise. That's quite alarming.

 

One simple takeaway is to make sure you keep the humidity in your bedroom up during colder months and not let the air get too dry. Easy to do.

[Rob_D]

Disney+ opened in this country just after lockdown started. Lots of people took out subscriptions. Therefore, COVID-19 was engineered to push up Disney+ subscriptions.

 

That one makes a lot of sense. I've always thought Micky looked shifty.