COVID-19: Your Thoughts and it's effects on you.

[Ewart]

It’s like how we still can’t travel anywhere for exercise (which theoretically would make spotting acceptable again) - not because it poses much of a higher risk on an individual basis, but again it’s death by a thousand cuts. Thousands of people desperate for something to do will all flock to beauty spots, and then, they believe, there are higher risks, especially at pinch points.

See spotting in itself may not be ok, but going for a walk around an airfield or airport anywhere in England as part of excercise with a camera around your neck would be legal. I'd suggest sitting on the end of a runway with a camera and your butties wouldn't be legal.

I suppose it's no different to people walking around my local lake and taking photographs of the birds whilst doing so.

[Pen Pusher]

See spotting in itself may not be ok, but going for a walk around an airfield or airport anywhere in England as part of excercise with a camera around your neck would be legal. I'd suggest sitting on the end of a runway with a camera and your butties wouldn't be legal.

I suppose it's no different to people walking around my local lake and taking photographs of the birds whilst doing so.

Amateur photography
* Despite the recognition that predominantly solitary outdoor pursuits such as angling bring positive mental health benefits during lockdown, you are not allowed to go out specifically for recreational or leisure purposes, including photography.
* However, there is nothing to say you cannot take photographs or record video as part of your daily exercise. You are allowed to go out once a day to exercise in public outdoor spaces (parks, beaches, countryside, forests, public gardens, etc) provided you stay local. The police can and will stop people who drive out out of their local area for exercise and it looks as if they will become even stricter about enforcing fines or turning people back.

We contacted the Department of Culture, Media and Sport for further details, who commented as follows. “It goes back to applying common sense. We’ve made clear that basic exercise is allowed. So if you’re on the move whilst doing photography, then yes that should be fine.

* Setting up a tripod or lighting gear at the moment is likely to attract official attention, so unless you are professional photographer, this is best avoided.
* When you are taking photos as part of your daily exercise, you can only be alone, with your household, the people you live with or your support bubble. You are allowed to go out for exercise with one person from another household at the moment. Regardless of your individual circumstances and who you are with, social distancing must be respected.
* You can take photographs around your home or garden, either alone or with others within your household or support bubble.
* Face to face meetings with other photographers as a ‘group leisure activity’, eg camera club meetings, are not allowed. Online meetings are fine and many camera clubs and photographic societies are organising these.

https://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/l ... own-144796

[Spiny Norman]

Scotland's education minister John Swinney said this morning that the earlier return to schools (than other UK nations) could put the R-number up.

He tried to suggest that parents meeting up at gates might be to blame, but I think that having adults and children mixing indoors for 6 hours a day might be more relevant!

The cynical might think this decision is to prove Scottish exceptionalism, and and an experiment following Wave 2...

[iainpeden]

The sooner the children get back to school the better; this remote learning is playing havoc with my broadband speed.

[Tommy]

From the Beeb.

Step one, on 8 March, will see schools reopening and two people allowed to meet outdoors for a chat

From 29 March, outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed

Outdoor sports, including football, golf and tennis, will be allowed to resume from 29 March as well

Step two would see shops, hairdressers, gyms and outdoor hospitality reopening from 12 April in England

Also from 12 April, outdoor hospitality will resume, as well as zoos and theme parks

Step three would start on 17 May with most social contact rules lifted, as well as limited mixing indoors

The prime minister hopes that step four, from 21 June, would see the end of all legal limits on social contact

The UK PM will also hold a televised press conference at 19:00 GMT

Scotland, Wales and NI will set out their own approaches

Covid vaccines have a significant impact on the risk of serious illness Public Health Scotland analysis shows

In the fourth week after the first dose, hospitalisations were reduced by 85% and 94% for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs

This sounds inherently sensible, to me.

Told you summer would see things quite safe, and indeed, permitted, for airshows to take place.

My only worry is schools escalating rates again & I prefer Scotland and Wales’ approach of sending some of the younger kids back now, seeing how things go, and then the older kids back later, but beyond that, that’s as sensible a policy as I’ve seen for a while from Johnson.

[rockfordstone]

From the Beeb.

Step one, on 8 March, will see schools reopening and two people allowed to meet outdoors for a chat

From 29 March, outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed

Outdoor sports, including football, golf and tennis, will be allowed to resume from 29 March as well

Step two would see shops, hairdressers, gyms and outdoor hospitality reopening from 12 April in England

Also from 12 April, outdoor hospitality will resume, as well as zoos and theme parks

Step three would start on 17 May with most social contact rules lifted, as well as limited mixing indoors

The prime minister hopes that step four, from 21 June, would see the end of all legal limits on social contact

The UK PM will also hold a televised press conference at 19:00 GMT

Scotland, Wales and NI will set out their own approaches

Covid vaccines have a significant impact on the risk of serious illness Public Health Scotland analysis shows

In the fourth week after the first dose, hospitalisations were reduced by 85% and 94% for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs

This sounds inherently sensible, to me.

Told you summer would see things quite safe, and indeed, permitted, for airshows to take place.

My only worry is schools escalating rates again & I prefer Scotland and Wales’ approach of sending some of the younger kids back now, seeing how things go, and then the older kids back later, but beyond that, that’s as sensible a policy as I’ve seen for a while from Johnson.

i think it's sensible if he keeps to the "assuming vaccine figures and there are no spikes" element. you can gaurantee the likes of steve baker will be wanting everything open by the end of april.
if he gets bullied into sticking to those dates even if its against the data they are using then it could be "Kris Kris Tofferson!" show again.
it's positive tho. i was due to go to spain on the 15th may, so its safe to say that is off, but have booked a holiday let as a replacement so hopefully we can stay close to those dates

[FGR2]

We aren’t going back to normal. This is just a best case scenario. Masks, distancing and the threats of localised lockdowns will go on far into the future. If large events happen what happens if you pay £80 to go to a gig, get tested by one of those inaccurate tests, and refused entry. That’s £80 gone. Who the hell is going to set up a new hospitality/retail business in this country when the government can whip this from under your feet at any time. Socially and economically we are screwed in this country. Lockdown in autumn seems inevitable, this is just a carrot and stick to keep people complying through summer. I don’t believe a word of anything Johnson says anymore, remember we would be “in a different world at Easter!”

[Tommy]

Lockdown in autumn seems inevitable

Based on what?

[Tommy]

[FGR2]

Lockdown in autumn seems inevitable

Based on what?

The fact that they still haven’t properly secured the borders, and that they can shut the country down under emergency legislation with no opposition from the public.

[Tommy]

Well, I hope you’re wrong.

[FGR2]

Well, I hope you’re wrong.

So do I but I have no trust in this government at all.

[Tommy]

On the wider issue. I think separating the phases out by 5 weeks is an inherently sensible option. Rather than all or nothing.

I still worry about schools, but I guess we have to see.

Now, finally, they’re having the debate over what X is. You look at the measures they’ve put in place, for once, for *once* they’re being careful and cautions.

Look at the data from all sources, the vaccination rate, and evidence from the past year, and the policy sounds sensible, workable, and leaves room to backtrack and manage cases for whatever reason (such as, perhaps, a new variant).

For once, this government has rediscovered its sensibility, and by gosh it shows.

I think, all things considered, 21st of June actually has a good chance of indeed working out. It’s like a weight has been lifted. There’s finically a pint at the end of the tunnel.

[Tommy]

Well, I hope you’re wrong.

So do I but I have no trust in this government at all.

Fair, and their incompetence needs to be held accountable.

Johnson still needs to resign in the fact that he’s allowed 120k deaths, one of the worst rates in the world.

But, *but* you take things at face value. Look at the data and the facts, and draw a conclusion.

The tier systems for example, were never going to work. Same with all the other useless ideas. There was simply zero evidence behind them, and they were badly thought out.

And, naturally, those who called it out were argued with, shouted down, and everything else.

[IATthenRIAT]

During our dog walking today through our closest parks we saw a chap in footy gear in one of those enclosed astro turf areas wearing one of those full face masks on his own i nearly pmsl - (wee - wee'd down my leg while having a jolly laugh) its not the only strange "over the top" scene I have seen over the past 12 months - someone in a car driving on thier own fully masked up, someone on a motor bike pulled up to use a ATM took helmet off and had a mask on underneath.

[Aquarious]

While out for my daily walk, I've noticed a lot of people wearing face masks whilst driving their cars but at the same time not wearing seatbelts. What's that all about?

[FarnboroJohn]

While out for my daily walk, I've noticed a lot of people wearing face masks whilst driving their cars but at the same time not wearing seatbelts. What's that all about?

Poor risk assessment.

[CJS]

While out for my daily walk, I've noticed a lot of people wearing face masks whilst driving their cars but at the same time not wearing seatbelts. What's that all about?

Have you actually? I mean, I don't wish to call your comment in to question, but I don't remember the last time I noticed someone not wearing a seatbelt

Another leaked document:


153867222_1687804454737324_5529040002930962982_o by Chris Strawson, on Flickr

[FGR2]

Someone that lives a couple of doors from my parents passed away from COVID last night. Quite an active guy in his early 70’s, he was always in the front garden or garage doing things and gave a friendly wave when I drove past. My Dad and I spoke to him just over the Christmas period. He had been in ICU for about 3 weeks but never came through. Such a shame as he was such a nice person. I really feel for his family, the neighbours are all pretty shocked at his passing too. He is the second person I know to have died in the last month from COVID, a friend’s mother died at the end of January, I think she was only in her late 50’s or early 60’s.

[Mooshie1956]

Just a follow up to my Covid Jab on the 13th. I had been on a course of antibiotics up until the 11th for a bowel complaint. I had the AZ jab.
Anyway I hadn't been able to settle my bowels down since the vaccination, been to the Doctors today and there seems to be quite a few reports of stomach complaints with the AZ vaccine. It looks like the vaccine might (without tests it can't be proven) have set my Diverticulitis off again. It will be reported to AZ by the doctors, I suppose if they get enough data back it will be looked into.
Bottom line is would I still have the jab today knowing this might happen and yes I would, I had thought about this before the jab but decided the risk was more than worth it.

[IATthenRIAT]

So the gov are looking into vaccine passports - nice, that will go down well.

[Ewart]

So the gov are looking into vaccine passports - nice, that will go down well.

How is it any different than having a yellow fever jab certificate? Or a record of you immunisations when you were a child?

And they would be criticised if they didn't look into it as well.

[IATthenRIAT]

So the gov are looking into vaccine passports - nice, that will go down well.

How is it any different than having a yellow fever jab certificate? Or a record of you immunisations when you were a child?

And they would be criticised if they didn't look into it as well.

Because peoples entrance into places perhaps even shopping (just normal things) will be based on showing a vaccine certificate (vaccine passport).
People who have not had the vaccine for what ever reason (remember the vaccine is Completely voluntary and each and everyones choice) will loose the ability to visit places I mentioned above - that is not a fair or democratic system and will only favour those who have had the jab.
Dont get me wrong I understand people needing to have vaccines if they are flying to other countries - but to go to your own supermarket is Way ove rthe top.

[Tommy]

So the gov are looking into vaccine passports - nice, that will go down well.

How is it any different than having a yellow fever jab certificate? Or a record of you immunisations when you were a child?

And they would be criticised if they didn't look into it as well.

Well, they “categorically ruled it out” last week, so they already made their choice.

[iainpeden]

ItR - I understand your reticence about vaccine passports because it does appear to go against all civil liberties and so on - remember the arguments about compulsory ID cards a number of years ago?
However, a few points:
Young adults already have to prove they are 18 or over to buy alcohol in pubs and supermarkets, and I think the same is true for tobacco.

It's 100% that at least some foreign travel will require proof of up-to-date vaccination; that one will play out once the length of immunisation is determined and internationally agreed.

There is an argument that the requirement to provide vaccination proof will "encourage" people who are unsure of or anti vaccination to be jabbed. Much has been made of herd immunity and take up. From the briefings we know that the expectation was that about 75% of people would take up the vaccine - apparently it's over 90% at present. However if a large enough, maybe localised, cohort stay unvaccinated then the level of virus in that group will be a danger to all of us in that it will mutate and rise again and although it's less likely that a mass event will happen again there is the risk that a roller coaster of infection v. clearance keeps happening.

The problem of course is how to do it at a level that is recognised internationally, can only be forged at a cost which makes it unviable for the crooks and works in a system which is quick and allows for smooth running of that open society.