Coronavirus discussion thread

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um Jan 2021 8:39am, 21 Jan 2021 4,137 posts	0 um Given the age of many of the deaths - how much has our 'care' of the elderly got to do with it? How many other countries put the elderly into homes as much as we do, vs family or communities looking after them?
geordiegirl Jan 2021 9:13am, 21 Jan 2021 13,211 posts	0 geordiegirl Terrifying stats. I still think we acted too slow, we should have shut borders or severely reduced traffic and put in enforceable measures that were enforced. People here will take the piss there is no consequence (unless you’re out for a SD walk with one other person) they have seen big crowds but are powerless to stop them. France have a curfew after 6pm now, it was 8pm and the police will stop & fine you. During L1 my cousin was stuck in France every time one of them left the apartment to go out their letter was checked and stamped they were allowed out once per day. She said it was terrifying but also they felt safe knowing they were doing it to prevent the virus spreading. HK, Singapore very strict and full compliance or there is consequences. Australia (NSW at least while we were there) people did what I think Boris hoped we would do here just get on with life living responsibly with restrictions but of course we’re more like Americans. I would also question that this new variant is less deadly - if it was surely cases would be high but deaths lower. I’m surprised this hasn’t been addressed by now. Or is it that by time it gets bad enough for hospitalisation it’s too late? You may recall my uncle was in HDU around New Year. NYE 2 of the patients in his ward died, the 3rd was took to ICU, he woke to the priest standing over him. He hadn’t been able to walk the 2 days prior at that point he pushed himself to get up and prove he was getting better and got home. What that must have been like is frightening and 3 weeks later he’s still not great but tiny glimmers of improvement.
larkim Jan 2021 9:38am, 21 Jan 2021 13,299 posts	0 larkim @cheg - yes, I completely agree that it would be wrong to hold the govt to the 20,000 figure. It's the second wave handling that has angered me, partly because i was suckered in by the rhetoric that things would settle down for Christmas and some degree of normality would soon follow through into 2020. We're so far away from that, it's almost as if we wanted to walk into the narrative that was being established in the first wave - namely that the second wave had the potential to be more deadly. Knowing that, we should have had a better prepared country, and all the failures that people like jda have shouted about throughout the year have come to roost.
Tim of Fife Jan 2021 9:39am, 21 Jan 2021 3,215 posts	0 Tim of Fife In Scotland, there are circa 600-700k people over 70 years old. Around 40k are in care homes. Having visited care homes, it struck me forcibly that many (obviously not all) guests were in the best place for them. Prior to my FiL's passing, our family (even putting the rest of our lives on total hold) couldn't possibly have given him the same exceptional care as he received at his care home
paul the builder Jan 2021 9:39am, 21 Jan 2021 6,965 posts	0 paul the builder ""I would also question that this new variant is less deadly - if it was surely cases would be high but deaths lower. I’m surprised this hasn’t been addressed by now."" I'm not sure you have a good grasp on numbers. Which is the deadlier strain of these 2 examples? Strain ABC: 20,000 cases & 100 daily deaths Strain XYZ: 40,000 cases & 150 daily deaths
geordiegirl Jan 2021 9:51am, 21 Jan 2021 13,213 posts	0 geordiegirl I have a perfectly good grasp on the numbers but the message from government is still this variant is more infectious but less deadly - the point was they need to change this message as it’s clearly more deadly!
Bazoaxe Jan 2021 9:54am, 21 Jan 2021 18,658 posts	0 Bazoaxe I thought it was more infectious but no change in how deadly it was. Or maybe too early to tell. I don’t think I have seen the less deadly message.
larkim Jan 2021 10:02am, 21 Jan 2021 13,300 posts	0 larkim I don't think it's been claimed that this one is less deadly - it's the same, but more virulent. There's also too much simplification in the data to see much; the clinicians have repeatedly said they are improving in treatments etc so it would probably be a challenge to see a direct relationship from the headline data, it would need a better more detailed study.
Tim of Fife Jan 2021 10:04am, 21 Jan 2021 3,216 posts	0 Tim of Fife There are many, many restrictions in place across the UK. Most people are complying with them. Some are not, or are in denial. This second group are surely unlikely to care how many variants there are. Or how deadly each one is.
EvilPixie Jan 2021 10:05am, 21 Jan 2021 22,491 posts	0 EvilPixie it's definitely been said on more than one occasion that this is more easily spread but no reason to believe it is more deadly/outcome will be worse