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Coronavirus discussion thread

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run free Jan 2021 5:20pm, 27 Jan 2021 4,663 posts	0 run free Seems a bit late!!! Border control should have been done during the first lockdown and after bbc.co.uk
larkim Jan 2021 5:36pm, 27 Jan 2021 13,355 posts	0 larkim Given we've generated our own troubling variant, and given the number of cases in the population as a whole, it really does feel like anything done to address borders at this point is shutting a door after the horse has won the Grand National and been sold for glue. Am I being unfair? What sort of volume of infected persons might we expect to see arriving into the UK and spreading a "nasty" covid variant around? Surely it's tiny; are border closures a dog whistle policy to earn some good reviews from Boris' natural supporters in the media etc?
Johnny Blaze Jan 2021 5:49pm, 27 Jan 2021 24,652 posts	0 Johnny Blaze I don't think they are, no. It isn't a dog whistle to suggest that any policy needs to both eliminate community infections and prevent new sources of infection from entering the country. Otherwise we are just in a continual whackamole situation. If a new variant cropped up in, say, Turkey, which was 6 times more virulent than existing variants what would you do? Leave the borders open? We already have a number of cases of the SA variant in the country so we clearly aren't doing our job properly. It's got nothing to do with racism; it's a public health question.
jda Jan 2021 6:02pm, 27 Jan 2021 9,325 posts	0 jda Yes I think the new variant issue is a genuine reason for further controls on borders, though hard to see it being practical with cross-border trade.
run free Jan 2021 6:02pm, 27 Jan 2021 4,664 posts	0 run free So better late than never at this moment in time
larkim Jan 2021 6:24pm, 27 Jan 2021 13,357 posts	0 larkim OK, maybe I'm being unfair! I wasn't implying racism per se, but I do think there is a cohort of the population who's "gut feel" would be to "stop foreigners coming in" as a preventative tool rather than implement tough measures which impact their own daily lives. I can buy the better late than never argument, absolutely. Just curious about a rational projection of impact. I'll be honest though I didn't quite realise how many people came through Heathrow annually, even in the pandemic - the numbers are bigger than I'd previously expected. However, I presume most air passengers are either a) Brits returning / travelling on business b) passengers passing through terminals making connecting flights rather than heading out into the community to spread infection.
Little Miss Happy Jan 2021 6:28pm, 27 Jan 2021 4,230 posts	0 Little Miss Happy Those Brits returning are just as much of a threat larkim.
larkim Jan 2021 6:33pm, 27 Jan 2021 13,358 posts	0 larkim Yes of course. But self isolation on return was already a requirement, so if that was complied with the risk should be relatively small (though there are travel considerations to get from airport to home etc which would create a spread opportunity).
Tim of Fife Jan 2021 6:41pm, 27 Jan 2021 3,243 posts	0 Tim of Fife What earthly reason does Boris have to travel from London to Scotland to see a vaccination centre (just like all the others). He surely can't believe that this utterly non-essential trip will strengthen the Union.
Hunkyteddy Jan 2021 6:45pm, 27 Jan 2021 734 posts	0 Hunkyteddy Tim, he cant win. Stay in London and he'd be accused of not caring about the rest of the country. Surprised he went back given the 'welcome' he received on his Summer holiday in Applecross