The UK. The view from afar.

[arsenal]

For me, it's difficult to fully understand exactly how things are in the UK. It looks like, for once the govt is getting it mostly right and the people ate fucking it up big time.

In vaccination they're right on the money. Big Boris secured large numbers of vaccines from all the pharmaceutical companies very very early on. He also ensured they were not manufactured in America knowing they would be seized by Trumps administration. EU law prevents the Belgians doing the same. Whatever he did he also got a deal done that has given the UK uninterrupted supply, unlike the rest of Europe. Lockdown judgements are a toss of the coin in how long and how deep.

However. To me they've been very lax in closing corridors and seem to be continually opening and closing the border to this or that country, the transport of goods between France and Britain obviously necessary. No surprise when the South African strain showed up in the UK.

I also see huge crowds at Heathrow Airport while illegal raves are busted by the police.

A mixed bag indeed.

[goji]

The immigration people at Heathrow deserve a good kicking. There is zero excuse for queues at passport control with the airport operating at a fraction of capacity. If they need to check extra documents like covid certificates, get more immigration officers back to work.

The vaccination seems to be going well. What they need to do is ignore all the bleating from the spoilt brats in the public sector and carry on vaccinating older vulnerable people. We don't see frontline workers in essential services like Tesco asking to jump the queue. So why should the idle sods at the local council office or my local GP surgery jump the queue ? Particularly when both have spent the last 10 months dodging their customers as much as they can.

One dose per person until the hospital admission data suggests It's time for the second dose.

Quarantine hotels should only be for countries with high infection rates. There is more risk of a virus mutation in any small British town than the whole if Thailand at present.

(Thankfully my view is from afar as well)

[StevieWonders]

Total cock-up seems to be the majority view of how Boris is managing the pandemic response - but then my perspective comes solely from The Spectator, The Telegraph and - occasionally - the New Statesman. I should add I’m somewhat prejudiced in my views (as a life-long fan of Boris). A manager however he is not.

[cdnmatt]

What are you talking about? Boris is a total fucken moron who pooched the UK's response to the pandemic. Don't give him credit because he finally began taking it seriously in the last inning. He didn't care for the first long while, then when he finally started to him and his government had no clue what they were doing, constantly changing their minds as quickly as the wind changes direction.

Some cities are open at different times and some are closed, some weeks schools are open others they're not, "yes you can have Christmas, ok no Christmas for anyone, ok you can have Christmas, no your can't, ok you can have Christmas but only a little bit", and the list is endless. Hell, just finally now the UK decided to put in mandatory quarantine for everyone entering the country, whereas most developed countries Canada included have had that in place since I think around last March.

Don't give him credit for pre-ordering vaccines, because every country who could afford it did the same. Hell, Canada pre-ordered more vaccines per-capita than any country in the world. We have enough on order to vaccinate the entire Canadian population almost six times over. Wouldn't give him credit for having the vaccines manufactured in Belgium so they're off limits to the US defense production act either. I'm assuming it was a marketing pitch by Pfizer, as lots of countries seem to brag about coming up with that idea, Canada included.

The entire reason the guy got voted in was because he was the "get it done" guy for Brexit, and he totally fucked that up too. Blew past deadline after deadline after deadline, then ended up with an agreement that doesn't even cover services (ie. financial services), which is the UK's main export.

Everytime I hear that guys' voice on the news all I think can is, "the UK can't have another election soon enough". The guy is an absolute muppet who doesn't even seem to know what's going on at most times. Just blurts out whatever words his neural synapses can muster up at that moment.

[StevieWonders]

What are you talking about? Boris is a total fucken moron who pooched the UK's response to the pandemic. Don't give him credit because he finally began taking it seriously in the last inning. He didn't care for the first long while, then when he finally started to him and his government had no clue what they were doing, constantly changing their minds as quickly as the wind changes direction.

Some cities are open at different times and some are closed, some weeks schools are open others they're not, "yes you can have Christmas, ok no Christmas for anyone, ok you can have Christmas, no your can't, ok you can have Christmas but only a little bit", and the list is endless. Hell, just finally now the UK decided to put in mandatory quarantine for everyone entering the country, whereas most developed countries Canada included have had that in place since I think around last March.

Don't give him credit for pre-ordering vaccines, because every country who could afford it did the same. Hell, Canada pre-ordered more vaccines per-capita than any country in the world. We have enough on order to vaccinate the entire Canadian population almost six times over. Wouldn't give him credit for having the vaccines manufactured in Belgium so they're off limits to the US defense production act either. I'm assuming it was a marketing pitch by Pfizer, as lots of countries seem to brag about coming up with that idea, Canada included.

The entire reason the guy got voted in was because he was the "get it done" guy for Brexit, and he totally fucked that up too. Blew past deadline after deadline after deadline, then ended up with an agreement that doesn't even cover services (ie. financial services), which is the UK's main export.

Everytime I hear that guys' voice on the news all I think can is, "the UK can't have another election soon enough". The guy is an absolute muppet who doesn't even seem to know what's going on at most times. Just blurts out whatever words his neural synapses can muster up at that moment.
Mirror mirror on the wall

[cdnmatt]

Mirror mirror on the wall


Yeah, but I'm not prime minister of the UK, nor am I responsible for the well being of 68 million people.

[arsenal]

Neither are you in the UK. It's the view of those I'm more interested in. Eye witness testimony rather than those relying on primary sources, how ever many august organs they may devour.

[Ninodf1]

Boris and his cronies is the wrong leader at the wrong time. He’s done so many u turns we can’t keep up. I’ve forgotten/confused over the rules between lockdown, tier 3,4 and 5. They forced school children to go back to school one day then schools shut the next. This Lockdown feels nothing like the first. People are out and about, more traffic on the roads, people breaking or bending the rules. Ever since Cummings indiscretion people don’t take rules seriously. He relaxed rules for Christmas when he should have done opposite. Little enforcement. Way they have managed this an absolute joke. Over 100K dead and counting. If you die one day after a month you tested positive you’re not counted in the statistics. Shifting policies on travel in out of UK a joke. Testing a failure. Test and trace a failure. So far vaccine rollout on track but many have questioned 3 month gap between jabs. And it seems only Piers Morgan criticises Boris and crony’s publicly! Oh dear.

[Nirish guy]

But hey we can't really blame Boris as he was getting Brexit done - and what a total fucking mess he made of THAT too !!!

[Zebedee]

but hey we can't really blame boris as he was getting brexit done - and what a total fucking mess he made of that too !!!

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jan/23/brexit-hit-firms-advised-government-officials-set-up-shop-in-eu
“And then they said, 'the best way to avoid all this Brexit red tape is to just move your business to the EU' ”

[StevieWonders]

I read the OP’s post as a plea for information about COVID and the UK. Inevitably it’s turned into yet more “I hate Brexit”.

However what that post does reveal is a profound ignorance of the UK response - because there isn’t one. Devolution has meant that there are separate Welsh and Scottish responses. Even in England because of a messy attempt to lock down some regions harder than others there’s what’s colloquially referred to as a “postcode lottery” response.

As for the “United” bit of the Kingdom, La Sturgeon is going all out to differentiate Scotland’s response as a precursor to a second referendum on independence. Had the OP been not quite so keen on bullying, belittling and traducing a certain member of that ilk he might have got the first-hand posts telling him that which he craves.

[arsenal]

Ignoring the above post. Regardless of however many prinary sources are available in Bangkok, it's not in the UK.

To those who are. The country does seem to be leading the way with vaccinating the population. More than 10% have had the jab. This compares with less than half that for the next highest in Europe, Malta with 4.5%.

Everything else is hard to picture which is why I requested first hand accounts.

[StevieWonders]

Everything else is hard to picture which is why I requested first hand accounts.
Yes c’mon all you UK residents allowed to go outside for non-essential purposes. Pop down to your local vaccination centre and do a head count for arsenal. Otherwise I guess your reading/watching of the same mass media sources available to the rest of us wherever we are in the world might suffice because you’re local.

[arsenal]

Supermarket shelves.
Petrol stations.
Parks. Walking the dog etc.
Food deliveries.
The neighbours.

Post 11 clearly written by someone mightily fucked off at getting up at 4.00am.

[StevieWonders]

Post 11 clearly written by someone mightily fucked off at getting up at 4.00am.Not really - I’m usually up for the last hour of trading on the NYSE.

[arsenal]

Of course you are.

[wingnut]

OK arsenal here's me - I'm in Manchester

Vaccination
Had my first shot. Don’t regard myself as vaccinated until I’ve had my second shot so I take "10% vaccinated" with a grain of salt as we don’t know how many won’t bother. I worry about the delay for the second shot. Sounds too much like politicians dicking around to create spin and illusion and good news stories

Supermarket shelves & food deliveries
No idea about the former as I get everything home delivered by the Co-op. I believe in cooking for myself and find I can live remarkable cheaply. Did you know you can cook a meal of scrambled eggs (2), a rasher of bacon and a smidgeon of milk for much less than one pound? No need for expensive food deliveries

Petrol stations
Don't drive, live close in, retired

Parks. Walking the dog etc.
No dog - what would I do with it when I go to Pattaya? Parks I maybe can sit in but the latest lockdown rules mean I can only go out once a day to exercise alone. No picking up rent boys also out cruising. I usually walk to the Alan Turing Memorial and back home when the weather isn't too foul. Otherwise I listen to the wireless and I have recently discovered podcasts. Somebody posted a good list here a little while ago. And Netflix

The neighbours
Curtain twitchers one and all. I usually give a them cheery wave when the latest rent boy arrives on my doorstep but that hasn't been happening so much of late

Dave

[arsenal]

Much appreciated wingnut.

[a447]

I usually give a them cheery wave when the latest rent boy arrives on my doorstep

Lol

[goji]

OK arsenal here's me - I'm in Manchester

Vaccination
Had my first shot. Don’t regard myself as vaccinated until I’ve had my second shot so I take "10% vaccinated" with a grain of salt as we don’t know how many won’t bother. I worry about the delay for the second shot. Sounds too much like politicians dicking around to create spin and illusion and good news stories

There's a graph somewhere in the Pfizer results that shows the vaccine is pretty effective from 10 days after the first jab.
So government policy to carry on dishing out first doses is sound.

[arsenal]

And as the CEO of Pfizer pointed out to the bleating EU mandarins. The UK signed a contract 3 months before the EU pulled it's finger out of its tardy arse and is therefore 3 months ahead in its vaccination program. He believes the UK can have 30m vaccinated by the end of March.

[cdnmatt]

There's a graph somewhere in the Pfizer results that shows the vaccine is pretty effective from 10 days after the first jab.
So government policy to carry on dishing out first doses is sound.

I'm not a doctor or anything, but... yeah, that's kinda the point. I'm not a doctor, and neither are the politicians.

I'm pretty sure Pfizer didn't put out a two dose regiment just for shits and giggles. I'll listen to the guys who made the vaccine moreso than politicians.

[Jellybean]

There's a graph somewhere in the Pfizer results that shows the vaccine is pretty effective from 10 days after the first jab.
So government policy to carry on dishing out first doses is sound.


I'm not a doctor or anything, but... yeah, that's kinda the point. I'm not a doctor, and neither are the politicians.

I'm pretty sure Pfizer didn't put out a two dose regiment just for shits and giggles. I'll listen to the guys who made the vaccine moreso than politicians.

As far as I can tell cdnmatt, the decision to extend the second dose of the vaccine from the Pfizer-BioNTech recommended 6 weeks to 12 weeks was not that of politicians, but of the UK Government’s medical advisers, but it has been criticised by other health professionals.

The following article from the MailOnline dated 23 January 2021 quotes Professor Jonathan Van-Tam (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/jonathan-van-tam), the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, as follows:


Prof Van-Tam also hit back at doctors who have criticised the decision to extend the gap between the first and second doses of the vaccine to 12 weeks.

The British Medical Association has written to the chief medical officer for England urging a rethink, saying that in the case of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine a maximum gap of six weeks had been mandated by the World Heath Organisation (WHO).

Prof Van-Tam said that extending the gap was the quickest way to get a first dose to as many people as possible as quickly as possible.

He said: “But what none of these (who ask reasonable questions) will tell me is: who on the at-risk list should suffer slower access to their first dose so that someone else who’s already had one dose (and therefore most of the protection) can get a second?”

BMA council chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said that while he understood the “rationale” behind the decision, no other country is taking the UK’s approach.

“We think the flexibility that the WHO offers of extending to 42 days is being stretched far too much to go from six weeks right through to 12 weeks,” he said.

“Obviously the protection will not vanish after six weeks but what we do not know is what level of protection will be offered. We should not be extrapolating data where we don’t have it.”

Source: MailOnline (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-9180207/Keep-following-rules-Covid-jab-Van-Tam-tells-public.html)

[cdnmatt]

As far as I can tell cdnmatt, the decision to extend the second dose of the vaccine from the Pfizer-BioNTech recommended 6 weeks to 12 weeks was not that of politicians, but of the UK Government’s medical advisers

Quick clarification there, Pfizer suggests the second dose after 21 days, not 42 days and definitely not 84 days. Moderna suggests second dose of theirs after 28 days.

Remind me though, who do the government medical advisors work for? Who are their bosses? Oh right, politicians. Granted, and I will give you, they're generally allowed to complete their work independent of any political concerns, and I think that pretty much goes the world over. However, you can't tell me the pressure to provide the "right" answer doesn't sometimes sway their judgement so they can provide an aswer their boss wants when they otherwise wouldn't.

I don't know, various provinces in Canada are thinking about doing the same, and I think Ontario has even started doing it. All I know if I I end up with the Pfizer vaccine, I want my second dose in 21 days, and if the Moderna vaccine, second dose in 28 days. That's what the scientists who developed the vaccines recommend for optimal immunity, so I'll go with that. I'll happily wait an extra 2 or 3 months for new supply to come in if that means the difference of whether or not I get the correct regiment.

[StevieWonders]

There's a graph somewhere in the Pfizer results that shows the vaccine is pretty effective from 10 days after the first jab.
So government policy to carry on dishing out first doses is sound.
The current “it’s ours”, “no it’s not, it’s ours” spat between the EU and everybody else about vaccine production points to the common fallacies of many economists - markets operate without friction and supply chains are uninterrupted. I’d have thought wingnut has every reason to be concerned. As Jellybean should know, once a politician has announced a policy decision the civil servants - even if they’re medical experts - must fall into line.

[arsenal]

The UK has been ahead of the pack with regards to the vaccine from the get go. If the country was lagging behind in this then the knives would be out for Boris. He deserves total credit for the success.

Politically this is a big thing for the EU. They've spent the last 4 decades being able to dictate terms to pretty much everybody and now Boris shows up and simply refuses to play ball. A possible domino effect in reverse is at the back of their minds.

[goji]

If developed countries did the exact opposite to what the tossers at the WHO recommended, we would be in a much better situation.

The exact opposite would have included stopping all flights out of China just over a year ago in January 2020. Instead of allowing rapid spread around the world, THEN trying to shut everything down.

The WHO were not recommending mask wearing for months after academic papers showed a likely benefit.

So any government ignoring WHO advice on vaccine deployment has probably seen the light. Since the UK is a major WHO funder, we should demand that Tedross is sacked before writing out the next cheque. He's clearly useless.

[cdnmatt]

Since the UK is a major WHO funder, we should demand that Tedross is sacked before writing out the next cheque. He's clearly useless.

Yeah, the WHO... useless sacks of shit. Now folks like Boris and Trump on the other hand, we need to listen up to them, because they obviously have their finger on the pulse and know what they're talking about.

Oh, and I guess did Ontario did start doleing out the second doses as first doses a while back. The government said no worries, supply chain is solid and they'll have lots of vaccine for everyone to get the second dose in time after 21 days. Then Pfizer abruptly cut Canada's supply by 50% while they expand manufacturing capacity in Belgium. So much for that...

Hope it doesn't turn out that waiting 8 or 10 weeks for the second dose nulls and voids the first dose, resulting in everyone having to get vaccinated again a second time around with a third dose at the end.

[latintopxxx]

greedy canadians...orddred enough to do their whole population 10 times...

[Brad the Impala]

The UK has been ahead of the pack with regards to the vaccine from the get go. If the country was lagging behind in this then the knives would be out for Boris. He deserves total credit for the success.



Boris is an incompetent ineffective gambler. Every gambler gets one right eventually and his government took a huge gamble when they bought on spec a shitload of vaccines, prior to the completion of their trials. I am pleased that he finally, and apparently, got one right. Although it's taken nearly a year since all those Cobra meetings about Covid early last year which he was just too too busy to attend.

I write, apparently got one right, because although the UK is ahead of the curve on vaccination, the efficacy of the methods being used has yet to be demonstrated and everyone being vaccinated is effectively taking part in the Phase Four trials.

[Jellybean]

As suggested by two members, some posts in this topic have been moved to a new thread and have been given the title, GameStop (GME) stock price.

A link to the new topic is below:
https://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/showthread.php?21850-GameStop-(GME)-stock-price

[cdnmatt]

greedy canadians...orddred enough to do their whole population 10 times...


Yeah, how dare the Canadian government take care of its citizens.

That's right up there with inciting an insurrection at parliament in Ottawa, if you ask me.

[arsenal]

Brad wrote.
"Boris is an incompetent ineffective gambler. Every gambler gets one right eventually"

What would you have done differently?

[Brad the Impala]

What would you have done differently?

1. I would not have been part of a government that allowed the NHS capacity to be so significantly reduced so that as of December 2019 there were 17,000 beds cut under the Conservative government with 43,000 unfilled nursing vacancies leading to record waiting times for treatment. This was all before Covid.
https://www.euronews.com/2019/12/11/the-nhs-has-barely-survived-under-tories-boris-johnson-s-victory-death-death-knell-view

2. This situation arose from lower levels of per capita government spending. For example.

The UK spent the least per capita on healthcare in 2017 compared with all other countries studied (UK $3825 (£2972; €3392); mean $5700), and spending was growing at slightly lower levels (0.02% of gross domestic product in the previous four years, compared with a mean of 0.07%). “ November 2019.
https://www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l6326

3. I would not have been a member of the government that allowed our UK emergency stockpile of PPE to reduce by 40% over the last seven years by not replacing PPE that had gone past it’s use by date. This despite an earlier government exercise to assess the situation:

In 2016, after years of delays, the government staged another nationwide pandemic drill, codenamed Exercise Cygnus. The exercise, which simulated a deadly outbreak of so-called “swan flu”, is believed to have shown that in the event of a deadly pandemic the NHS would be overwhelmed by a shortage of critical care beds and vital equipment.
No action was taken to either increase the number of critical beds or to increase the vital equipment levels.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/12/revealed-value-of-uk-pandemic-stockpile-fell-by-40-in-six-years

4. As Prime Minister I would not have skipped five consecutive emergency Cobra meetings in January and February despite having read in The Lancet that Covid could be as dangerous as Spanish Flu and despite being advised by my own specialist adviser in January that transmission rates in the UK were too high and needed to be contained by social distancing. That wasn’t introduced by Boris until late March which was way too late.
https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-skipped-five-emergency-meetings-on-the-coronavirus-2020-4?r=US&IR=T

5. I would not have allowed 25,000 untested patients to be released into Care Homes between Mid March and Mid April despite having publicly stated that only patients who tested negative would be sent to homes.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53574265

6. In March I would not have tried to manage the outbreak with a soft lockdown, but would have noted the ineffectiveness of that policy in Italy which was a few weeks ahead of the UK in the spread of covid.
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-03-23/italy-s-covid-19-trial-and-error-and-lessons-for-france-and-u-k

7. Having finally instituted a lockdown at the end of March I would not have allowed my chief adviser to remain in place, and spoken out in his support, when he had clearly breached the lockdown guidance given to the general public.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52811168

That one decision led to a gradual change in the general population’s mindset from previously acting principally “for the public good” to sowing the seeds of “self-exceptionialism”. In this new mindset, that has gradually increased over the last nine months, anyone could find justification in their own special circumstances for breaking the covid guidelines.

8. I would not have coloured all my covid announcements with the self dramatizing veneer of victimhood, my own victimhood. Thus undermining the communication of new guidelines.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/01/boris-johnson-victim-emotions

9. I would not have made repeated and over optimistic promises that I could not fulfil.
https://www.lbc.co.uk/politics/the-news-explained/governments-missed-targets-broken-promises/

10. I would not have encouraged students in September to travel from all over the country back to their universities. This was at a time when rates of infection in their age group was rising, and the SAGE group had warned of a significant risk of covid transmission in higher education. It was also the time of year that most experts expected a second covid wave of transmission.
https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-he-government-education-2020-9-boris-johnson-do-not-send-covid-positive-students-home/

11. I would have overcome my personal desire to play Santa by lifting covid restrictions to encourage families to travel all across the country for Christmas just as we were approaching a new peak of infections.
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2020/12/boris-johnson-overpromised-christmas-mistake-made-throughout-pandemic

These are just a few of the highlights of Boris’ cockups over this one issue. He has been behind the curveball, and behind public opinion, on almost all of these decisions, while seeking to hide behind the mantra of “just following the science”, while actually ignoring the advice whenever it didn’t fit with his chosen policy.

Did I mention the decision in February to send 600,000 pieces of PPE to China, at the same time as he was skipping the Cobra meetings and his health advisers were telling him we didn’t have enough here!

The important thing to remember is that a lot of people have already died as a direct result of his mismanagement and his personal vanity.

Here is a more concise list of his failings over covid.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/uk-news/boris-johnson-coronavirus-crisis-mistakes-19708170

[cdnmatt]

Oh, and here's potentially some more supply chain disruptions for both, UK and Canada. EU might place limitations on exports of the vaccine, and since Pfizer's main manufacturing is in Belgium...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTn2jqd13Hk

And here's why you don't rush off to give everyone a first dose while not keeping the second dose available.

[wingnut]

Much appreciated wingnut.I seem to be the only person who has actually given you what you asked for. Lots of stories in the media here about selfish people jetting off to Dubai to escape the winter. Thailand too I guess. My dad was very critical of a man in our street who ran away to America to escape the Second World War and only came back when the danger had passed. "A complete s**t" he called him.

[Andaman!]

1. I would not have been part of a government that allowed the NHS capacity to be so significantly reduced so that as of December 2019 there were 17,000 beds cut under the Conservative government with 43,000 unfilled nursing vacancies leading to record waiting times for treatment. This was all before Covid.
https://www.euronews.com/2019/12/11/the-nhs-has-barely-survived-under-tories-boris-johnson-s-victory-death-death-knell-view

2. This situation arose from lower levels of per capita government spending. For example.

https://www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l6326

3. I would not have been a member of the government that allowed our UK emergency stockpile of PPE to reduce by 40% over the last seven years by not replacing PPE that had gone past it’s use by date. This despite an earlier government exercise to assess the situation:

No action was taken to either increase the number of critical beds or to increase the vital equipment levels.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/12/revealed-value-of-uk-pandemic-stockpile-fell-by-40-in-six-years

4. As Prime Minister I would not have skipped five consecutive emergency Cobra meetings in January and February despite having read in The Lancet that Covid could be as dangerous as Spanish Flu and despite being advised by my own specialist adviser in January that transmission rates in the UK were too high and needed to be contained by social distancing. That wasn’t introduced by Boris until late March which was way too late.
https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-skipped-five-emergency-meetings-on-the-coronavirus-2020-4?r=US&IR=T

5. I would not have allowed 25,000 untested patients to be released into Care Homes between Mid March and Mid April despite having publicly stated that only patients who tested negative would be sent to homes.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53574265

6. In March I would not have tried to manage the outbreak with a soft lockdown, but would have noted the ineffectiveness of that policy in Italy which was a few weeks ahead of the UK in the spread of covid.
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-03-23/italy-s-covid-19-trial-and-error-and-lessons-for-france-and-u-k

7. Having finally instituted a lockdown at the end of March I would not have allowed my chief adviser to remain in place, and spoken out in his support, when he had clearly breached the lockdown guidance given to the general public.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52811168

That one decision led to a gradual change in the general population’s mindset from previously acting principally “for the public good” to sowing the seeds of “self-exceptionialism”. In this new mindset, that has gradually increased over the last nine months, anyone could find justification in their own special circumstances for breaking the covid guidelines.

8. I would not have coloured all my covid announcements with the self dramatizing veneer of victimhood, my own victimhood. Thus undermining the communication of new guidelines.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/01/boris-johnson-victim-emotions

9. I would not have made repeated and over optimistic promises that I could not fulfil.
https://www.lbc.co.uk/politics/the-news-explained/governments-missed-targets-broken-promises/

10. I would not have encouraged students in September to travel from all over the country back to their universities. This was at a time when rates of infection in their age group was rising, and the SAGE group had warned of a significant risk of covid transmission in higher education. It was also the time of year that most experts expected a second covid wave of transmission.
https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-he-government-education-2020-9-boris-johnson-do-not-send-covid-positive-students-home/

11. I would have overcome my personal desire to play Santa by lifting covid restrictions to encourage families to travel all across the country for Christmas just as we were approaching a new peak of infections.
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2020/12/boris-johnson-overpromised-christmas-mistake-made-throughout-pandemic

These are just a few of the highlights of Boris’ cockups over this one issue. He has been behind the curveball, and behind public opinion, on almost all of these decisions, while seeking to hide behind the mantra of “just following the science”, while actually ignoring the advice whenever it didn’t fit with his chosen policy.

Did I mention the decision in February to send 600,000 pieces of PPE to China, at the same time as he was skipping the Cobra meetings and his health advisers were telling him we didn’t have enough here!

The important thing to remember is that a lot of people have already died as a direct result of his mismanagement and his personal vanity.

Here is a more concise list of his failings over covid.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/uk-news/boris-johnson-coronavirus-crisis-mistakes-19708170

You go into great detail about what you would not have done but completely fail to state what you would have done. It is easy to be critical in hindsight. I’m not a Boris fan but your weakness and carping does make me feel sorry for him in what has been an unprecedented situation since the last war. At least his vaccine strategy seems to be ahead of the game.

[Brad the Impala]

You go into great detail about what you would not have done but completely fail to state what you would have done. It is easy to be critical in hindsight. I’m not a Boris fan but your weakness and carping does make me feel sorry for him in what has been an unprecedented situation since the last war. At least his vaccine strategy seems to be ahead of the game.

If you write, for example, "I would not have missed five successive Cobra meetings" it's self evident what you would have done, you would have attended at least some of them etc etc. Didn't think that this would have needed spelling out.

As to the question of hindsight, that's the point! Most of the consequences of the government's decisions were entirely predictable, often by the government's own experts, but Boris' prevarication and desire to pander to the herd immunity/"civil liberty"/anti lockdown wing of his party overruled the judgment of the experts.

[latintopxxx]

gotta agree with brad,,,toooo many errors...guy is a buffoon.

[wingnut]

The British Medical Association and the WHO say the maximum distance in time between the two vaccine shots is six weeks. The British government is saying up to 12 weeks. That is my concern.

[cdnmatt]

Especially since Pfizer, you know... the ones who developed the vaccine so know it best, recommend second dose after 3 weeks.

Canada is in a similar spot now. I'm still waiting to see what happens with all those people who got a shot in Ontario, and due to supply problems, are going to have a huge delay in getting their second dose, maybe that 12 week or so mark.

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to find out they all need three shots now, because the first one got cancelled out due to such a delay to get the second shot, making the entire round of first shots not only a complete waste, but actually harmful because now even less people will be vaccinated opposed to if they kept that second dose available.

Not to mention, having say 70% of your population ~50% immune to KoVid is going to do sweet fuck all in stopping the spread.

[StevieWonders]

The New Statesman (the UK's venerable journal of (mostly) the Labour Party and the Left) has this week a lengthy article on why the punters are not, mostly, blaming Boris and HM government for any failures during these past 12 months of COVID-19 (NB: you can register your email address to read the article for free) - https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2021/01/why-boris-johnson-may-well-get-away-failure-covid-19

In The Spectator there's a different view of the impact of the EU limiting exports of vaccines (no registration required); it may have woken Remainers up to the idea that "the apex of civilisation no longer resides in Brussels. And while some prominent anti-Brexit campaigners appear to prefer to stay silent today, it appears that the EU’s continent-wide tantrum over its inability to procure vaccines has almost united the country in disgust." https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/remainers-turn-on-the-eu

[cdnmatt]

Maybe it's just me, but isn't it a little hypocritical that folks are pissed that the EU is excercising it's sovereignty? Isn't that the UK's thing?

[StevieWonders]

Maybe it's just me, but isn't it a little hypocritical that folks are pissed that the EU is excercising it's sovereignty? Isn't that the UK's thing?I do love your naive beliefs cdnmatt. Punters behaving logically?! Perish the thought

[arsenal]

While Brad has made some fair points on another thread I'm sure he'll be pleased to be vaccinated ahead of 99 percent of the rest of the world. This is entirely due to Boris and his policy of buying millions of doses of every single vaccine before the first petri dish was filled with agar. Having vaccinated the population he can then donate the surplus to countries we like. Politically wise. Fucking awesome. Look at his CV. The guy wins, he just does.

[goji]

Yes, if I'm not mistaken, the biggest Conservative majority since 1987. That's a high bar, as back in 1987 we had the finest British PM of the last century.

Whilst Boris could have done better by paying for advance manufacture and stockpiling of the AZN vaccine at risk, the vaccine strategy is way a heads of most other major economies.

[StevieWonders]

Yes, if I'm not mistaken, the biggest Conservative majority since 1987. That's a high bar, as back in 1987 we had the finest British PM of the last century.
Right, wingnut, your job is to determine whether the British PM in 1987 was finer than the British PM in 1943 or even the British PM in 1936

[wingnut]

Right, wingnut, your job is to determine whether the British PM in 1987 was finer than the British PM in 1943 or even the British PM in 1936Is that the opening line from Mission Impossible?? I don't understand.

[arsenal]

600000 vaccinated yesterday. That EU woman backtracked completely on the Irish border, quite possibly after the Irish PM or someone told her quietly that any dictum from Brussels would be quietly ignored. Now she's saying that the most vulnerable should get the vaccine ahead of the non vulnerable UK citizens. Unlikely that Boris will agree to that. The story of how Britain got a head in the vaccination sweepstake makes interesting reading.

[StevieWonders]

600000 vaccinated yesterday. That EU woman backtracked completely on the Irish border, quite possibly after the Irish PM or someone told her quietly ... Might that person possibly be your hero, Boris Johnston? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-covid-astrazeneca-vaccine-lockdown-end-johnson/

I realise that this is of course secondhand news, not something provided firsthand by your only forum pal actually in the UK, wingnut, but into every life a little rain must fall.

[arsenal]

"Might that person possibly be your hero, Boris Johnston?

I realise that this is of course secondhand news, not something provided firsthand by your only forum pal actually in the UK, wingnut, but into every life a little rain must fall."

Eh!

[StevieWonders]

Two excerpts from a recent article (https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/vaccine-wars-the-global-battle-for-a-precious-resource) on vaccine nationalism:
“The blame game has already started. The EU hijacked the vaccination programme, wildly overpromised and then failed to deliver. It ordered too few vaccines, made some bets that went wrong (including the failed Sanofi vaccine) and didn’t put down enough money upfront to allow companies to prepare for mass production.”

“Given that the two most widely used vaccines were invented in Britain and Germany, Europe should by now be leading distribution instead of squabbling over deployment. In this race, it is worth noting, the West is already losing badly. Europe has turned on itself when it should be working out how to counter the inoculation imperialism of its two greatest rivals. There will be a high price to be paid for that.
In truth, the vaccine is turning into the weapon of choice in a new version of the Great Game, an intense rivalry between competing powers, played on multiple different levels, between many different players, and with different weapons.”

[cdnmatt]

I thought this was a good take on vaccine nationalism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4Lmp5b0toc

Zakaria is good, I like him. He's on every Sunday.

[latintopxxx]

hes on cnn....oh dear

[goji]

“Given that the two most widely used vaccines were invented in Britain and Germany, Europe should by now be leading distribution instead of squabbling over deployment. In this race, it is worth noting, the West is already losing badly. Europe has turned on itself when it should be working out how to counter the inoculation imperialism of its two greatest rivals. There will be a high price to be paid for that. ”

Britain is one of the countries leading global deployment, with the Oxford vaccine licensed for production in numerous countries, including India and Thailand, amongst others.

On the other hand, the EU commission is just creating a very embarrassing scene. Since they were too dumb and slow to pay for vaccine manufacture in a timely fashion, they just launched their toys out of the pram.
Fortunately, the remaining EU nations have more sense than the EU commission.
Signing the contracts 3 months late typically means delivery is 3 months late.

[StevieWonders]

How long is too long? One jab or two? The plot thickens. Here’s a lengthy excerpt from today’s The Times - lengthy because the full article is behind a paywall

In my opinion the key finding comes right at the end: “The figures for the effectiveness of one dose relied on a subgroup of Brazilian volunteers who were relatively young, more likely to be female and more likely to be white than those who received two doses, noted Professor Azra Ghani of Imperial College London, who was not involved in the study. All the volunteers were over 18. About 10 per cent were between 56 and 69 and 5 per cent were 70 or over.”

Returning to the beginning (the emphasis was made by me): “A single dose of the Oxford vaccine provides about 75 per cent protection against Covid-19 and also has a substantial effect in stopping transmission, analysis of the ongoing trial has found.

The findings are a vindication of the government’s “one dose” strategy, indicating that a single injection offers a high level of efficacy that persists for at least 12 weeks, after which people should receive their second dose.

The figures also confirm that leaving a longer interval between the doses appears to improve rather than diminish long-term protection.

The study, which is under peer review and is expected to be published in The Lancet, concludes that leaving a 12-week gap between shots “may be the optimal for rollout of a pandemic vaccine when supplies are limited in the short term”.

Professor Andrew Pollard of Oxford University, who led the vaccine trial, said that the new data “supports the policy recommendation made by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) for a 12-week prime-boost interval”.

The findings were a reassurance that people “are protected from 22 days after a single dose of the vaccine”, he added.

However, other scientists cautioned that there were shortcomings in how the trials were run. The figures for the effectiveness of one dose relied on a subgroup of Brazilian volunteers who were relatively young, more likely to be female and more likely to be white than those who received two doses, noted Professor Azra Ghani of Imperial College London, who was not involved in the study. All the volunteers were over 18. About 10 per cent were between 56 and 69 and 5 per cent were 70 or over.

[goji]

The whole debate about efficacy of one dose misses the point that they could simply monitor covid hospital admissions among anyone who has had a single dose for more than 3 weeks.

If the admission rate for vaccinated over 80s looks like it might exceed the oldest unvaccinated group, start dishing out a second dose. Otherwise, carry on with first doses.

No need to politicize this, just collect and act upon the data.

Note: If there are another considerations fair enough, but I don't see the "experts" raising anything. Thet are too busy defending entrenched positions, rather than thinking about the opportunities with an open mind.

[StevieWonders]

Britain on Thursday launched a trial to assess the immune responses generated if doses of the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer Inc and AstraZeneca Plc are combined in a two-shot schedule. The British researchers behind the trial said data on vaccinating people with the two different types of coronavirus vaccines could help understanding of whether shots can be rolled out with greater flexibility around the world. Initial data on immune responses is expected to be generated around June.

The trial will examine the immune responses of an initial dose of Pfizer vaccine followed by a booster of AstraZeneca’s, as well as vice versa, with intervals of 4 and 12 weeks.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-britain-vaccine-mi-idUSKBN2A400P

[StevieWonders]

Clever UK? England certainly. The Scots seem to be making a dog’s breakfast of vaccinations

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-55903509

[cdnmatt]

Who knew that these vaccines would turn into cocktail drinks you get to mix with each other to your personal liking.

I'll take a J&J with Modurna, and a little squirt of Pfizer on the top please.

[arsenal]

Ursula von der Leyen has said the UK is a speedboat and the EU a tanker. The tanker speed EU has also now decided the Russian vaccine is bloody brilliant and can they. please have some.

[wingnut]

No summer holidays for us this year? That’s what the experts are saying as reported in The Times

“Foreign holiday plans should be put on hold until at least October because of fears that foreign variants could evade vaccines and reinfect people who have already had coronavirus, a government adviser says.

Nicola Sturgeon has said that allowing summer holidays last year was one of her biggest regrets of the pandemic.

Devi Sridhar, chairwoman of global public health at Edinburgh University and who sits on Sturgeon’s Covid-19 advisory group, told politicians to avoid repeating the error. She told Good Morning Scotland on BBC Radio: “We must try to get things open domestically by not going abroad for your summer holidays and being ready to stay put for at least six to eight months.”

Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical officer, said that the “more elaborate your plans are for summer holidays” the higher risk they have of being cancelled because of coronavirus. He told a Downing Street press conference that it was “just too early to say” whether the vaccination programme would make it possible for people to go on holiday abroad or with other households.”

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/no-overseas-holidays-until-october-says-top-scientist-bvblt23zr

[gerefan2]

[QUOTE=wingnut;274560]No “We must try to get things open domestically by not going abroad for your summer holidays and being ready to stay put for at least six to eight months.”
/QUOTE]

Perhaps she can remind us which country has the highest density of Covid.

[Nirish guy]

Good to see our UK Government doing their usual now re holidays - i.e whatever you do stay local for you holidays this year, closely followed with "dont be planning any holidays this year, either local or elsewhere, followed by the health Secretary confirming that they're trying their best to work to get holidays available for people and that he has in fact already booked his own, followed by "it's too early to be thinking of booking any holidays this yet yet even so dont even think of booking any" !


So, it's go on holiday but dont go on holiday but whatever you do think about just booking a local holiday, but dont be booking any holiday but we might be allowing you go go on holiday, but whatever you do dont be going on holiday !

So, ok, you all got that then !

Boris and his cronies at their best as usual.

[goji]

dont be booking any holiday .

The way to get a holiday in the covid era is to watch for an opportunity to arise, quickly evaluate the pros and cons, then pounce.

I missed the boat last summer, but acted in time to get a nice little winter break.

For summer holidays in 2021, it's probably too early for the government to make any recommendations.
Also the public shouldn't be keen to give their money to barely solvent travel companies, months in advance of a trip. Wait and be prepared to make quick decisions later in the year.

[latintopxxx]

...why cant people just holiday in their own countries for a year or two...

[Nirish guy]

Have you been to the UK lately - if not - well there's your answer to that perhaps, its a HOLIDAY I want, not more of the same with shit weather and even more shit attitudes to just drive 200 miles up the road.

[scottish-guy]

Clever UK? England certainly. The Scots seem to be making a dog’s breakfast of vaccinations

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-55903509

Scotland concentrated in vaccinating all Care Home residents as they were regarded as the most vulnerable. As of last week 98% had received the vaccine. Clearly it takes more time to vaccinate people at home than it does in conveyor belt fashion at a vaccination centre. Roll-out to care home residents in England has been far slower with Michael Gove last week unable to say on live radio what % of care home residents in England had been actually vaccinated as opposed to being *offered* the vaccine at a later date.

Now that the care home vaccination programme is scaling down, Scotland’s vaccination rate is climbing. Recently the daily total surpassed that of England but all 4 countries are set to be hit by a shortage of vaccine from the manufacturers in the next few days.



Scotland is doing perfectly well in it’s programme and far better if you look at the death toll pro rata. For those who don’t know, we have just under 10% of the population of England so our deaths should be over 10,000. Check the total:

10748

[christianpfc]

...why cant people just holiday in their own countries for a year or two...
There are not enough Asian boys in Germany to satisfy my sexual desires. And no temples and Thai food (authentic street food) either. And the weather.

[latintopxxx]

christian...u r young...not like u r in your eighties and the end game is in sight...so bite the bullet and hop on some German or Brazilian butt...as for the weather I've been in siuthern Germany in summer and the weather was glorious.
nirish...guess the UK is no novelty if u grew up there but not long ago I landed in Bristol and made my way to London vis a very siuthern circuitous route...Cornwall was a gem..absolutely beautiful...took me 2 slow weeks..evem managed to squeeze in a few grindr encounters...and the people were real noce...maybe its your accent that puts then off..

[StevieWonders]

christian...u r young...not like u r in your eighties and the end game is in sight...so bite the bullet and hop on some German or Brazilian butt...as for the weather I've been in siuthern Germany in summer and the weather was glorious.
nirish...guess the UK is no novelty if u grew up there but not long ago I landed in Bristol and made my way to London vis a very siuthern circuitous route...Cornwall was a gem..absolutely beautiful...took me 2 slow weeks..evem managed to squeeze in a few grindr encounters...and the people were real noce...maybe its your accent that puts then off..Readers of Christian’s blog are well aware that he abhors body hair - “crab ladder” is one of his criteria for assessing physical attractiveness - so that rules out a large proportion of German boys.

[scottish-guy]

The reality behind the British Nationalist propaganda:

10761

[arsenal]

15 million UK citizens vaccinated thanks to the UK prime minister Boris Johnson and his Monopoly style of 'buy it, buy it, buy it with regards to vaccines.

[StevieWonders]

A story to gladden arsenal’s heart:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/drkathmackay/2021/02/16/why-is-the-uk-doing-so-well-at-the-vaccine-roll-out/?sh=4241df7835fc

[goji]

15 million UK citizens vaccinated thanks to the UK prime minister Boris Johnson and his Monopoly style of 'buy it, buy it, buy it with regards to vaccines.

This is partly correct. Although there is a key difference, as Monopoly involves buying at the expense of others. Whereas, with something like the Astra Zeneca vaccine, paying for development and setting up manufacturing is something many countries could do.
Hence the UK did this early and had capacity in place.
India had even more capacity than the UK, with about 100 million doses made by the end of January.
The EU commission chose to spend months dicking around and signed contracts months later than the UK. They could also have signed contracts early to ensure capacity was in place, but chose not to. Then like spoilt children, the commission threw their toys out of the pram when it went wrong.
Thankfully, some of the EU governments had a more responsible attitude.

[wingnut]

15 million UK citizens vaccinated thanks to the UK prime minister Boris Johnson and his Monopoly style of 'buy it, buy it, buy it with regards to vaccines.According to reports I've seen this triumph applies mostly to the white population. BAME people are forgoing their vaccination appointments at up to 10 times the rate of white people.

[goji]

According to reports I've seen this triumph applies mostly to the white population. BAME people are forgoing their vaccination appointments at up to 10 times the rate of white people.
With the multicultural composition of the NHS, I'm sure BAME people get an equal opportunity of the vaccine. After that, the decision is their responsibility.

BAME people were also slow to step up to the plate and volunteer for trials last year.

[arsenal]

18 million UK citizens vaccinated and entirely due to Boris Johnson.

If BJ had the gonads to do it he could tell the holiday/travel starved population that they can all go on holiday in the summer/autumn but only in the UK and perhaps the Falklands and a few other very small UKOST thereby keeping most of the cash spend for the British economy.

[Brad the Impala]

If BJ had the gonads to do it he could tell the holiday/travel starved population that they can all go on holiday in the summer/autumn but only in the UK and perhaps the Falklands and a few other very small UKOST thereby keeping most of the cash spend for the British economy.

Says the man in China who can't wait to go to Thailand! I can understand how Boris would appeal to you. "Don't do as I do, do as I say".

[StevieWonders]

Says the man in China who can't wait to go to Thailand! I can understand how Boris would appeal to you. "Don't do as I do, do as I say".Don’t knock arsenal’s adulation of Boris, it’s the one thing he and I have in common - apart from a love of cock ... and I wouldn’t describe my attitude to Boris as “adulation” exactly. But Boris is Forever In My Prayers, hereafter known as FIMP.

[arsenal]

Don't be like that Brad. Had your vaccination yet? Anyway two weeks at a nice guesthouse in Scarborough would be very fair.

Gosh I miss Pattaya steviewonders, henceforth known as GIMP.

[StevieWonders]

In an article likely to gladden arsenal’s heart The Economist this week has a longish piece about how British science discovered effective treatments for COVID-19:

https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/02/27/how-british-science-came-to-the-rescue

Although it’s behind a paywall you need only register an email address. I find arsenal2469@hotmail.com password Boris4eva! invaluable in that regard

[arsenal]

Well it really should be arsenal2469@hotmale. The club full of boys off of Pattaya 3rd Road.

Gosh I miss Pattaya steviewonders, now known by all as GIMP.

[StevieWonders]

Well it really should be arsenal2469@hotmale. The club full of boys off of Pattaya 3rd Road.

Gosh I miss Pattaya steviewonders, now known by all as GIMP.Why am I known as GIMP?

[wingnut]

Why am I known as GIMP?Is this a typical love-hate relationship? Should you two get a room?

[StevieWonders]

Is this a typical love-hate relationship? Should you two get a room?The love that dare not speak its name

[StevieWonders]

Good news for those of our members who believe that the oldies should line up to die from COVID-19 (“because they’re going to die soon anyway”) - The Telegraph reports today that “more than 34,000 people with dementia have died from Covid in the UK”. Well done those people eh, goji?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/01/34000-people-dementia-have-died-covid-say-campaigners/

[wingnut]

Good news for those of our members who believe that the oldies should line up to die from COVID-19 (“because they’re going to die soon anyway”) - The Telegraph reports today that “more than 34,000 people with dementia have died from Covid in the UK”. Well done those people eh, goji?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/01/34000-people-dementia-have-died-covid-say-campaigners/Be reasonable. I've just finished reading the same article. They died from emotional neglect, separated from their loved ones because of the lockdown. goji argues against having a lockdown, so not all of them would have died.

Now on with Matt, Alex and the crossword.

[wingnut]

One of the lessons of the pandemic here is that relying on for-profit organisations is the wrong way to go. The Army has been magnificent in its management of the vaccine rollout.

[cdnmatt]

One of the lessons of the pandemic here is that relying on for-profit organisations is the wrong way to go. The Army has been magnificent in its management of the vaccine rollout.

But the military wouldn't have a vaccine to roll out if it wasn't for private enterprise.

[wingnut]

But the military wouldn't have a vaccine to roll out if it wasn't for private enterprise.The British government underwrote the development of the AstraZeneca vaccine - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/funding-and-manufacturing-boost-for-uk-vaccine-programme

[goji]

This has gone a long way off topic.

[Jellybean]

This has gone a long way off topic.

It sure has goji. It is patently clear that many posts bear no relation to the topic title and it is time the off-topic posts were separated from this thread. They have therefore been moved to a new topic under the title, Yet another right old howdy-do.

To contribute to this new topic please click on the following link:
https://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/showthread.php?21981-Yet-another-right-old-howdy-do

[Jellybean]

From my point of view it has been pretty miserable back here in the UK, arsenal. And, from what I have read and seen in your Tales from the Dragon (https://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/showthread.php?21614-Tales-from-the-Dragon) topic, you are certainly much better off where you are, although I know you would much rather be in Pattaya.

There is however a chink of light at the end of the tunnel here in the UK. At the time of writing the number of people in the UK for whom the first dose of the vaccine has been received is, 30,905,538 and the figure for those who have received the second dose currently stands at 4,108,536. I had my first jab back in February and, I understand, the second dose will be sometime in May. For information, the UK has a population of 68,239,339.

Here in Scotland, restrictions which have been in place since Boxing Day (December 26, 2020), will be eased from April 2, 2021. Only essential shops and pharmacies are currently open and most places have resembled ghost towns (See photos below). In England however the easing of Covid-19 restrictions began on March 29, 2021.

From a personal point of view, I can’t wait for the restrictions to be lifted and some form of normality restored. But we keep being told not to expect things to return to how they were pre-Covid for some time to come, which is in itself rather depressing.

Once again, getting a haircut has become an important event in my life and the lives of many other people. I’ve not had my hair cut since December 21, 2020 and, all too frequently, friends say I am beginning to resemble the character Dr Emmett Brown from the Back to the Future movies! :) To obtain a haircut, everyone must book an appointment, even for the most humble of barber shops where previously an appointment was unnecessary. I am pleased to report my appointment is booked for April 6, 2021.

And hurrah! Garden centres will once again be open to the public from April 5, 2021, so I can crack on with my spring gardening plans. In the years before the apocalypse if someone had told me I'd be excited about having my haircut and visiting a garden centre I'd have thought they were mad! But anything to get out of the current malaise is to be welcomed!

Unfortunately, here in Scotland, we shall have to wait until April 26, 2021 for coffee shops, restaurants and bars (the later with restrictions) to open.

The latest schedule, as far as I am aware, showing Scotland’s roadmap out of the current restrictions is, as follows:


Scotland's roadmap out of Coronavirus restrictions

2 April:


The stay-at-home order will be lifted and replaced with guidance to "stay local", with the hope this will be in place for no more than three weeks


5 April


The phased reopening of non-essential retail will begin
Barbers and salons will be able to reopen, along with click-and-collect retail services, garden centres, car dealerships and homeware stores will also reopen
More students will be able to return to face-to-face learning, particularly those in college, with those at risk of not finishing their courses the priority


26 April


Scotland will come out of lockdown and into a "modified Level 3"
Six people from up to three households can meet outside
Travel restrictions across the country will end
Non-essential shops, libraries, museums, galleries and gyms can reopen
Cafes, restaurants and bars will be able to serve people outdoors, in groups of up to six from three different households, until 10pm
Alcohol will be allowed and there will be no requirement for food to be served
Hospitality venues can reopen until 8pm, but only for food and non-alcoholic drinks


17 May


Scotland will move from Level 3 to Level 2
Indoor socialising set to be allowed, with four people from two households permitted to gather
Rules around outdoor mixing also set to be eased further
Pubs will be allowed to reopen indoors
Cinemas, amusement arcades and bingo halls will be able to reopen
Outdoor contact sport for adults set to return


June


Scotland will move to Level 1 at the start of the month, before dropping to Level 0 before the end of June
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she cannot say when restrictions will be scrapped entirely.



And, to show arsenal and my fellow members just how quiet it is around these parts and to bring a touch of colour to an otherwise unexciting post, I thought I would attach a selection of photos taken during some of my recent walks, which is the nearest thing I get to exercise these days. And to begin with, what could be more appropriate than a photo of a bar in the Royal Mile with the name, The World’s End. :)

10940

10941

10942

10943

10944

10945

[gerefan2]

Wow...and people complain about the deserted streets in Pattaya!

[arsenal]

Now Jellybean. I don't know about Bonnie Scotland but in England it is quite unusual for a garden centre of any size not to have a cafe attached. So indulge in a frappecappelattecino at the same time as you stock up on triffids. If the plant you required was only available at a garden centre 50 m8les away and took you through some of old Alba's glorious countryside then so be it..

[goji]

Now Jellybean. I don't know about Bonnie Scotland but in England it is quite unusual for a garden centre of any size not to have a cafe attached. So indulge in a frappecappelattecino

In England, the coffee shops at garden centres are closed for drinking in. As verified when I was looking for a particular breed of courgette seed.
In Wales, I'm told garden centres were closed completely, although that may have changed in the last couple of weeks.
Who knows what rules Scotland applies ?

[dinagam]

And hurrah! Garden centres will once again be open to the public from April 5, 2021, so I can crack on with my spring gardening plans

Master Jelly quite contrary
How does your garden grow
With silver bells
And cockle shells
And pretty lads all in a row
So he calls for his fiddlers three
To play his favourite tunes
Among leprechauns a dancing
With elves so delicate and sweet
His heart is warm and merry
At the sight of his beautiful garden
For this is all that he has always wanted
Together with sweet young lads
Greeting him 'sawatdee'
Master Jelly quite contrary.

[Jellybean]

Now Jellybean. I don't know about Bonnie Scotland but in England it is quite unusual for a garden centre of any size not to have a cafe attached. So indulge in a frappecappelattecino at the same time as you stock up on triffids. If the plant you required was only available at a garden centre 50 miles away and took you through some of old Alba's glorious countryside then so be it..

arsenal, my local gardening centre does indeed have a cafe/ restaurant. It is huge, very popular and is always busy when not suffering from these tiresome lockdown restrictions.

My sister and I popped into the garden centre a few weeks ago, knowing full well that the indoor and outdoor gardening areas were closed. It was a pitiful sight with all the gardening sections closed and taped off. The enormous cafe/ restaurant area was also closed and taped off. All that remained open was a small section allocated to food sales.

To comply with the Covid-19 lockdown restriction regulations I suspect the cafe/ restaurant area will remain closed until April 5, 2021 so, not long to wait. :)


Master Jelly quite contrary
How does your garden grow
With silver bells
And cockle shells
And pretty lads all in a row
So he calls for his fiddlers three
To play his favourite tunes
Among leprechauns a dancing
With elves so delicate and sweet
His heart is warm and merry
At the sight of his beautiful garden
For this is all that he has always wanted
Together with sweet young lads
Greeting him 'sawatdee'
Master Jelly quite contrary.

Thanks dinagam, what a first-rate post, which made me chuckle.

Hmmm . . . ‘Master Jelly’ has a certain ring to it, which I must say I rather fancy and shall make use of whenever I can. ;)

[latintopxxx]

they need to vaccinate faster like theose clever israelis...life is just about back to normal there...would love to se tghe UK open for business & thriving while those venal europeans wallow in their incompetence and petty vindictive politics

[Jellybean]

As reported on March 31, 2021, at post #94, the order to ‘stay-at-home’ changed today (April 2, 2021) to ‘stay local’. I went into town for my usual 30-40 minute walk and noticed a small increase in the number of people out and about. To be honest, I expected quite a lot more, but perhaps they chose to visit parks and coastal areas as there really isn’t much to do in the city centre, as almost everything is still closed.

In England, where the weather has been considerably better, large crowds have been gathering on beaches and in parks to such an extent that the authorities have closed certain parks, issued warnings or, where parks are still open, banned the drinking of alcohol.

See the BBC News report to follow:


Covid: 'Don't blow it' says health secretary as thousands gather in sunshine

As the UK enjoyed the hottest March day in half a century, thousands gathered to enjoy the weather in outdoor spaces, prompting social distancing concerns.

Parks in Birmingham and Leeds as well as Brighton beach were busy on Tuesday evening. Two parks in Nottingham are now shut after "frightening" scenes.

Heath Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted to say "don't blow it" - urging people to enjoy the warm weather safely.

A Birmingham resident said scenes at a city park "looked like a festival" . . .

For the full article click on the following link:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-56588196

And once again, to add a touch of colour and show the small difference on the streets since I reported two days ago, I am attaching several photos to brighten up my post:

10951

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[goji]

In England, where the weather has been considerably better
They reported that it was the hottest March day since 1968. It didn't feel like it and sure enough, there was one part of the country which reached 24C, whilst I think it got to about 20C where I am.

That was short lived. Max temp 8C today. Even worse next week.