Coronavirus Super Thread ( merged )

[frankblack]

2 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Their caution was well founded, being open for a couple of weeks would’ve only made the situation worse. It’s more that she accepts responsibility for her decisions. 

 

However, she is witholding information from the public and going against scientific advice including the 5 day break over Christmas they advised against.  I note she is refusing to publish the adivce she was given over that.

 

The lack of transparency indicates a shambolic mismanagement of the pandemic where they set can keep Edinburgh locked down since September until god knows when and not have to justify their decisions.

[The Real Maroonblood]

1 minute ago, redjambo said:

Scottish numbers: 29 December 2020

Summary

• 1,895 new cases of COVID-19 reported [+928]
• 14,179 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results – 14.4% of these were positive [+5,360; +2.2%]
• 7 new reported deaths of people who have tested positive (noting that Register Offices have been closed over the public holidays)
• 65 people are in intensive care with recently confirmed COVID-19
• 1,092 people are in hospital with recently confirmed COVID-19

During 1-4 January, daily updates will be published to provide the latest data on the number of new cases of COVID-19 and the test positivity rate. During this period (1-4 January) there will be no updates to the remaining statistics – you can access the latest available data in the sections below and in the trends excel file. Following the next holiday weekend, we will update on Tuesday 5 January – we will provide the latest daily data for that day and the previous 4 days.

 

Redjambo note: Comparative figures are not included for deaths and folk in hospital/intensive care due to the missing data for the last few days. I have to say that I am unimpressed by the holes in the data over the festive period - Covid doesn't take a break for the festive period and neither should we be in reporting it.

Will things be a bit clearer tomorrow?

[Victorian]

I don't want "wild type".   

 

[kila]

4 minutes ago, redjambo said:

 

Redjambo note: Comparative figures are not included for deaths and folk in hospital/intensive care due to the missing data for the last few days. I have to say that I am unimpressed by the holes in the data over the festive period - Covid doesn't take a break for the festive period and neither should we be in reporting it.

 

Agreed - does my head in the delay from weekend reporting.

 

The register offices should be open and those people should be working, as key workers, if these numbers are being broadcast to give us an indication of where we're at.

 

The ICU number is the main one I keep an eye on though.

 

[Victorian]

10 minutes ago, Barack said:

 "Preliminary analysis just out suggests the new variant of Covid that has been spreading rapidly in England is no more harmful in terms of causing hospitalisations and deaths.

Researchers found no significant difference in terms of mortality or morbidity when they compared 1,769 people infected with the new variant versus 1,769 who had "regular" or "wild type" Covid. Good news indeed.

Out of those 3,538 people who caught the disease between September and December, 42 were admitted to hospital - 16 were ill with the new variant, while 26 had the wild type.

There were 12 deaths recorded among the new variant group and 10 in the wild type group within 28 days of a positive Covid test.

But, it is worth pointing out that the average age of the people included in the study was 35. Very few were over 70 – the age group at highest risk of getting very sick with Covid."

 

This is interesting and needs a lot more study.  Potentially quite encouraging as well.  

[redjambo]

1 minute ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

Will things be a bit clearer tomorrow?

 

Yes they should be, hopefully. I should also be able to produce a per-council graph later on today. That depends on how John from Travelling Tabby gets on today with taking on board the accumulation of several days of data at once and what holes there are in that data - I imagine it will be quite a hectic afternoon for him!

[The Real Maroonblood]

Just now, redjambo said:

 

Yes they should be, hopefully. I should also be able to produce a per-council graph later on today. That depends on how John from Travelling Tabby gets on today with taking on board the accumulation of several days of data at once and what holes there are in that data - I imagine it will be quite a hectic afternoon for him!

Much appreciated redjambo..

[TheOak88]

53 minutes ago, Victorian said:

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine saying that UK needs to vaccinate at a rate of 2 million per week to avoid a 3rd wave.  

 

Not sure if these scientists are in the category to be dismissed or in the category to be believed.  Depends... eh?

 

2M vaccinations a week sounds like a huge number to achieve. I assuming people will be given a date/time/place to turn up and get their vaccination. Just sounds like a logistical nightmare, would hate to be the person trying to organise it all!

[DETTY29]

1 minute ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

Will things be a bit clearer tomorrow?

I think we may need a full fortnight, rather than rolling 7 dats to identify trends.

 

Linda Bauld was on R Scotland saying people hadn't realised testing centres were open during festive season so centres were quiet, but this pushed up higher positivity rates as people really not feeling well contacted NHS, who were told they could be tested.  Mild symptons people wouldn't have bothered as much.

 

That make sense @redjambo ?

[The Real Maroonblood]

2 minutes ago, TheOak88 said:

 

2M vaccinations a week sounds like a huge number to achieve. I assuming people will be given a date/time/place to turn up and get their vaccination. Just sounds like a logistical nightmare, would hate to be the person trying to organise it all!

It’s some task.

Getting the military involved in this would probably be a good idea.

[frankblack]

Q

1 minute ago, TheOak88 said:

 

2M vaccinations a week sounds like a huge number to achieve. I assuming people will be given a date/time/place to turn up and get their vaccination. Just sounds like a logistical nightmare, would hate to be the person trying to organise it all!

 

My main worry is the potential bottleneck of limited numbers of vaccination centres.

 

I think a city like Edinburgh needs at least 4 big centres, and I'd use places such as the Airport, and the football and rugby stadiums, and inform everybody where they are to attend, what day and am/pm.

 

They really need to be on the ball and have letters going out ASAP, but are they in a position to do that if they are waiting on the Oxford vaccine to be approved and produced?

[DETTY29]

3 minutes ago, Victorian said:

 

This is interesting and needs a lot more study.  Potentially quite encouraging as well.  

Isn't it just a confirmation of what we were being told?

 

The worry is the rate of infection of this strain leads to significantly more positive tests, hospital and ,ICU admissuons, long covid and death.

 

 

[frankblack]

1 minute ago, DETTY29 said:

Isn't it just a confirmation of what we were being told?

 

The worry is the rate of infection of this strain leads to significantly more positive tests, hospital and ,ICU admissuons, long covid and death.

 

 

 

I think the bigger worry is the sheer number of people out there that don't give a **** about social distancing or wearing face masks.

 

I went out to my local co-op this morning to get my messages and there were at least 20 kids and parents all grouped together sledding and playing in the snow.  Not a face mask in sight and zero social distancing.

 

This is typical with what I've seen throughout the pandemic and I'd keep schools shut until vaccination is complete or infection rates are manageable.

[redjambo]

Latest per-capita case rates around the boards. Due to the delay in reporting which resulted in huge increases today, I've accumulated all the data since 25 December to arrive at these figures and then averaged them out over the period. I hope that makes sense.

 

Scotland 22.

 

Greater Glasgow 27, Lanarkshire 27, Borders 26, Dumfries & Galloway 23, Tayside 23, Ayrshire 22, Shetland 22, Lothian 20.

 

Grampian 19, Forth Valley 16, Fife 15.

 

Highland 9, Orkney 1, Western Isles 1.

[Weakened Offender]

1 hour ago, Enzo Chiefo said:

How exactly is that trolling? The Army built the feckin hospitals and are more than capable of running them. So get back in your box instead of constantly boring the tits off everyone on this thread.

 

You have to be trolling. The alternative is unthinkable. 

[kila]

Could supermarkets not become vaccination centres?

 

Get your jag while you get your messages. A lot of supermarkets have pharmacies attached to them too, so already a trained vaccinator nearby.

 

Having seen the issues with the flu jag this winter, there needs to be a far more accessible/reachable CV19 vaccine rollout.

 

In fact, this is the very thing the Army could be called into help. Though some tinfoil hatters might say they are going to point guns at us until we get our microchip.

 

[redjambo]

13 minutes ago, DETTY29 said:

I think we may need a full fortnight, rather than rolling 7 dats to identify trends.

 

Linda Bauld was on R Scotland saying people hadn't realised testing centres were open during festive season so centres were quiet, but this pushed up higher positivity rates as people really not feeling well contacted NHS, who were told they could be tested.  Mild symptons people wouldn't have bothered as much.

 

That make sense @redjambo ?

 

That might certainly be one explanation for the fewer tests, Detty.

 

I think all the data should be there, eventually, but it will look like a mountain range with all the surges and drops in both tests and data acquisition over the festive period. It remains to be seen whether or not the 7-day rolling stats will be sufficient to mirror reality - we might have to wait a full 7 days in the New Year after data flow is normal again in order to obtain more accurate stats.

[Maroon Sailor]

4 minutes ago, kila said:

Could supermarkets not become vaccination centres?

 

Get your jag while you get your messages. A lot of supermarkets have pharmacies attached to them too, so already a trained vaccinator nearby.

 

Having seen the issues with the flu jag this winter, there needs to be a far more accessible/reachable CV19 vaccine rollout.

 

In fact, this is the very thing the Army could be called into help. Though some tinfoil hatters might say they are going to point guns at us until we get our microchip.

 

 

Redford Barracks would be an ideal place

[Nucky Thompson]

Does anyone else think that the MHRA has already approved the Oxford vaccine but has been told to delay announcing it until after New Years eve? 

[The Real Maroonblood]

Just now, Maroon Sailor said:

 

Redford Barracks would be an ideal place

It certainly would.

[ri Alban]

1 minute ago, Nucky Thompson said:

Does anyone else think that the MHRA has already approved the Oxford vaccine but has been told to delay announcing it until after New Years eve? 

Why? 

[frankblack]

Just now, Nucky Thompson said:

Does anyone else think that the MHRA has already approved the Oxford vaccine but has been told to delay announcing it until after New Years eve? 

 

God knows.  Thursday is a perfect example of why the governments need to have enforcement measures.

 

I doubt the police will be doing anything on Thursday, but personally I'd make an 8pm curfew and then start dishing out fines to all the clowns out between that and 8am the next day who can't justify being there.

[Nucky Thompson]

2 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

Why? 

I'm sure you're clever enough to work out why it would be a possibility 

[doctor jambo]

2 minutes ago, frankblack said:

 

God knows.  Thursday is a perfect example of why the governments need to have enforcement measures.

 

I doubt the police will be doing anything on Thursday, but personally I'd make an 8pm curfew and then start dishing out fines to all the clowns out between that and 8am the next day who can't justify being there.

Nobody not working has any excuse.

everyone should be stopped, if not working then you get fined.the streets should be deserted after 1800

[redjambo]

Since the last update, according to Travelling Tabby:

 

. 51 new deaths have been reported (although there is still likely to be a backlog).

 

. The number of people in hospital has increased from 1,008 to 1,092.

 

. The number of people in ICU has increased from 56 to 65.

[ri Alban]

2 minutes ago, Nucky Thompson said:

I'm sure you're clever enough to work out why it would be a possibility 

No, why don't you tell us why you think this.

[Shanks]

1 hour ago, DETTY29 said:

For those of us that still watch, listen to the SG and WM briefings, the view is consistent on all sides.

 

The politicians say they follow the science, the scientists say they provide the science, research, data and modelling options to allow the politicians to decide the course of action to be taken.

Take it it was scientists that originally said we should allow household mixing for five days over Christmas then. 

[kila]

@doctor jambo when do you get your second jag? Are they already underway?

 

 

[redjambo]

Have I already expressed my extreme disappointment that the SG couldn't keep the data flowing through the festive weekend and have therefore mucked everyone up who is analysing and reporting the data? If you missed me expressing such feelings, here it is again. What a monumental data-related cock-up! Fecking idiots.

[Nucky Thompson]

2 minutes ago, frankblack said:

 

God knows.  Thursday is a perfect example of why the governments need to have enforcement measures.

 

I doubt the police will be doing anything on Thursday, but personally I'd make an 8pm curfew and then start dishing out fines to all the clowns out between that and 8am the next day who can't justify being there.

The police don't have the resources to enforce people to comply. 

The government and media seem to be going down the scare route this week like they did back in March.

 

[redjambo]

1 minute ago, kila said:

@doctor jambo when do you get your second jag? Are they already underway?

 

 

He's a doctor. His second jag is probably in the garage.

[Weakened Offender]

1 minute ago, kila said:

@doctor jambo when do you get your second jag? Are they already underway?

 

 

 

I know 3 people who all had the first shot on Christmas Eve and were all kaput with (different) side effects on Christmas Day. 😬

[frankblack]

Just now, Nucky Thompson said:

The police don't have the resources to enforce people to comply. 

The government and media seem to be going down the scare route this week like they did back in March.

 

 

I've been seeing that all over the BBC for the past week, but that horse has bolted.  The people they need to target are no longer listening.

[The Real Maroonblood]

2 minutes ago, redjambo said:

Have I already expressed my extreme disappointment that the SG couldn't keep the data flowing through the festive weekend and have therefore mucked everyone up who is analysing and reporting the data? If you missed me expressing such feelings, here it is again. What a monumental data-related cock-up! Fecking idiots.

Don’t let the b******s grind you down.

[redjambo]

Just now, The Real Maroonblood said:

Don’t let the b******s grind you down.

 

Just letting off steam, TRM.

[Nucky Thompson]

5 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

No, why don't you tell us why you think this.

It's a possibility that if they announced it before Thursday, loads of people would would let their guard down and meet up indoors for new year parties.

 

[Adam_the_legend]

33 minutes ago, frankblack said:

 

I think the bigger worry is the sheer number of people out there that don't give a **** about social distancing or wearing face masks.

 

I went out to my local co-op this morning to get my messages and there were at least 20 kids and parents all grouped together sledding and playing in the snow.  Not a face mask in sight and zero social distancing.

 

This is typical with what I've seen throughout the pandemic and I'd keep schools shut until vaccination is complete or infection rates are manageable.

To be fair there’s very little evidence of transmission outdoors. Doubt people sledging would cause issues. 

[Pasquale for King]

48 minutes ago, frankblack said:

 

However, she is witholding information from the public and going against scientific advice including the 5 day break over Christmas they advised against.  I note she is refusing to publish the adivce she was given over that.

 

The lack of transparency indicates a shambolic mismanagement of the pandemic where they set can keep Edinburgh locked down since September until god knows when and not have to justify their decisions.

I couldn’t comment on the lack of information being given to the public, others seem more informed on that. 
It was October 10th that the pubs closed for that initial 16 day circuit breaker, I said Merry Xmas to folk at the time as it was clear that this wasn’t going away. 
It’s not quite a lockdown though, near as dammit though. 
There are obvious shortcomings in how the SG have dealt with the pandemic, not all of its own making though. 

[Pasquale for King]

11 minutes ago, redjambo said:

Have I already expressed my extreme disappointment that the SG couldn't keep the data flowing through the festive weekend and have therefore mucked everyone up who is analysing and reporting the data? If you missed me expressing such feelings, here it is again. What a monumental data-related cock-up! Fecking idiots.

Drama queen 😜

[Jambo-Jimbo]

11 minutes ago, kila said:

@doctor jambo when do you get your second jag? Are they already underway?

 

 

 

Second doses have just started according to Sky News, as the wifey who was the first to receive the vaccine has just had her second tracking chip injected.

[Pasquale for King]

30 minutes ago, kila said:

Could supermarkets not become vaccination centres?

 

Get your jag while you get your messages. A lot of supermarkets have pharmacies attached to them too, so already a trained vaccinator nearby.

 

Having seen the issues with the flu jag this winter, there needs to be a far more accessible/reachable CV19 vaccine rollout.

 

In fact, this is the very thing the Army could be called into help. Though some tinfoil hatters might say they are going to point guns at us until we get our microchip.

 

Did someone not say it takes 15 minutes to administer it per person? 
The army really don’t have many bodies to offer these days but anything that helps speed up the process would obviously be good. 

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Adam_the_legend said:

To be fair there’s very little evidence of transmission outdoors. Doubt people sledging would cause issues. 

I'd imagine you'd go downhill very quickly if you caught it sledging

[redjambo]

3 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Drama queen 😜

 

100% spot on. Ooh, I could crush a grape!

[Pasquale for King]

Just now, redjambo said:

 

100% spot on. Ooh, I could crush a grape!

Keep up the good work mate it’s much appreciated 👍🏽

[The Real Maroonblood]

13 minutes ago, redjambo said:

 

Just letting off steam, TRM.

I know the feeling.

[Pasquale for King]

3 minutes ago, Candy said:

I'd imagine you'd go downhill very quickly if you caught it sledging

Yes shouting at English cricketers is not a good idea 🤔😜. 

[Nucky Thompson]

Just now, Pasquale for King said:

Did someone not say it takes 15 minutes to administer it per person? 
The army really don’t have many bodies to offer these days but anything that helps speed up the process would obviously be good. 

I think the 15 minutes is the time that the person needs to be monitored for after getting the jab.

Hopefully the Oxford jab doesn't have side effects for people with allergies 

[OBE]

9 minutes ago, Adam_the_legend said:

To be fair there’s very little evidence of transmission outdoors. Doubt people sledging would cause issues. 

 

Ski resorts, international rugby matches, Uefa qualifying football comps and Cheltenham all blamed for outdoor transmission.

[frankblack]

16 minutes ago, Adam_the_legend said:

To be fair there’s very little evidence of transmission outdoors. Doubt people sledging would cause issues. 

 

The advice is not to stand and talk to people from outwith your household within the social distancing recommendations especially without masks, so yes people gabbing away in a group are at risk.

 

The virus is airbourne so water droplets from people standing speaking without masks on either side are just as likely to infect within that social distance indoors or outdoors.

[DETTY29]

45 minutes ago, frankblack said:

 

I think the bigger worry is the sheer number of people out there that don't give a **** about social distancing or wearing face masks.

 

I went out to my local co-op this morning to get my messages and there were at least 20 kids and parents all grouped together sledding and playing in the snow.  Not a face mask in sight and zero social distancing.

 

This is typical with what I've seen throughout the pandemic and I'd keep schools shut until vaccination is complete or infection rates are manageable.

Masks should be compulsory for entry everywhere with exemption cards only sent out from the NHS database for folks that really can't manage with one medically.

 

Even then if there are better 'breathable' masks more suited for some respiratory challenges, supplies should have been provided centrally too.