Covid - Plan B & Omicron

[Chippy_Tea]

It's doom and gloom on the radio this morning figures are claiming rules on mask wearing are being discussed again which in my view shold never have been relaxed and a Christmas lock down is being predicted.

How are things in your area?

 

[simon12]

Looks like the government are all but ruling out any future lockdowns (not surprising or they would have extended furlough again) and are saying its not the time for plan B at least at the moment.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Looks like the government are all but ruling out any future lockdowns (not surprising or they would have extended furlough again) and are saying its not the time for plan B at least at the moment.

Lets hope they don't repeat previous mistakes and don't wait too long this time, its a worry to read "If the NHS comes under "unsustainable pressure", Health Secretary Sajid Javid said" i having listened to 5 live most of the day and many health workers have been phoning in to tell listeners they are already at crisis point, if flu spreads this winter they will be in all kinds of trouble.


What's Plan A?
Plan A is the winter strategy currently in operation in England:

• offering Covid booster jabs to about 30 million people
• offering healthy 12 to 15-year-olds a single vaccine dose
• encouraging unvaccinated people to get jabbed
• NHS Test and Trace continues and PCR and lateral flow tests remain free
• encouraging free flu *** take-up
• reminding people to let in fresh air when meeting indoors, to wash their hands, and to wear face coverings in crowded places

What is Plan B?
If the NHS comes under "unsustainable pressure", Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the government could bring in the following measures:

• Communicating clearly and urgently to the public that the level of risk has increased, and that they need to behave more cautiously
• Introducing mandatory Covid passports
• Making face coverings compulsory again
• Advising people to work from home

When would the government introduce Plan B?
No single event or set of figures would trigger Plan B, but scientific advisers are monitoring:

• hospitalisations
• rapid rates of change in figures
• the overall state of the NHS

Covid cases have been above 40,000 for seven days in a row, with 43,738 new infections reported on Tuesday.
That's why the NHS Confederation wants action.
But Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said it wasn't time for Plan B yet, and that he didn't want further lockdowns or to jeopardise the "hard-won gains" of reopening the economy

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Re-introducing face masks in shops, public transport and pubs (when not drinking) would make a big difference and wouldn't cause difficulty to the economy.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Re-introducing face masks in shops, public transport and pubs (when not drinking) would make a big difference and wouldn't cause difficulty to the economy.

A lot of people here are still wearing a mask even though they don't have to i think its time they brought the compulsory rule back in for crowded places.

 

[The Cat]

Even here in Wales where it is still supposed to be compulsory to wear a mask in a shop I've seen some people not bothering for weeks now.

I don't understand it it's not a big ask really is it?

 

[obscure]

The thing is ‘plan b’ really isn’t that arduous you will have to wear a mash and try and work from home when possible, plus horror of horrors have to provide proof you have being vaccinated before going into some venues. It’s fairly minor stuff but it might be enough to bring down the case levels and in turn hospitalisation. Or you can wait until it gets so bad that hospitals are on the brink of collapse and a lockdown similar to what we had in March last year and January this year has to be bought in.

 

[VW911]

Absolutely ridiculous here in the south west. Highest rates in the country - more than double the national average in many places (not helped by the false test results).
Yet, go into a supermarket, and you see so many numpties not wearing masks, standing right next to you, coughing and spluttering everywhere... Beggars belief.
I wear a mask when I'm anywhere near anyone else - common courtesy, surely?
I can see things going horribly wrong here when winter bites.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

plus horror of horrors have to provide proof you have being vaccinated before going into some venues.

I agree its not a big ask and i will be happy to wear mine again for the good of everyone else.

The problem is the anti-vaxxers don't want you to have permission to go into places they are not allowed because they haven't had a *** so will kick up a huge stink if they bring this in.

 

[Clint]

Yes...there's loads not wearing masks in Wales and they're not allowed to be challenged for whatever reason. I do find though there's a fair percentage of border crossers not bothering as they don't have to in England.
As for the antis...f@#k em! I've had a right kick off with some of them as they chose to get too close,too personal and too stupid...pity the plod turned up.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Are there any published death rates between the vaccinated and non vaccinated?

 

[VW911]

Don't get me started on schools. The local academy where my wife works (1,600ish) pupils are on "amber" level as the cases are so high.
Less than half have taken up the vaccination offer. Mask wearing is virtually non-existent, although it is compulsory. Even the head/principal wanders around the corridors swinging his mask around his finger.
These lovely children then pass it on to all and sundry, safe in the knowledge that they won't be affected by it too badly...

 

[The Baron]

I am all for masks I still wear one and may be controversial but I think the sporting and big venues should have double *** proof or no entry and maybe even go so far as nightclubs and pubs and big fines/closure if they catch anyone in the venues without double jabs
No more furlough as it hits the economy too much just those that can work at home to do so -, and doctors to start seeing patients instead of hiding I've worked all the way through with major contact with the crowds so why can't they see people face to face

 

[obscure]

Are there any published death rates between the vaccinated and non vaccinated?

Yes and it’s pretty marked
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...le-account-for-12-of-englands-covid-19-deaths.

To sum up between the 2nd January and 2nd July 51,281 died of COVID.

Of these 38,964 had not had a single dose of the COVID vaccine and as for what are classed as breakthrough deaths (people who contracted COVID more than 14 days after receiving their second *** their where 256 deaths).

No vaccine is perfect and with the sheer volume of cases breakthrough infections and deaths will increase the best way to improve the odds in your favour is to be double vaccinated.

Its also not just that it reduces the risk of death it is also the reduction in the risk of serious symptoms that will put you in hospital. While it’s true that the biggest advantage to me of being vaccinated is to reduce the chances of serious syptoms it’s also true that it doesn’t do me much good if I get hit by a bus (or have a heart attack or Stoke) if the intensive care is filled up with the unvaccinated.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I think this will be the first year i have a flu *** i never normally worry about the flu as i work alone most of the time but if i were to be unlucky and get flu and Covid even with both vaccinations i wouldn't fancy my chances.

 

[The Baron]

I too am contemplating the flu *** this year and certainly having the booster but not due till November

 

[Norfolk79]

Having a plan B does assume they’ve got a plan A

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Having a plan B does assume they’ve got a plan A

Its a shame they did away with mask wearing if they had stuck to it we probably wouldn't be having this conversation now.

 

[Leon103]

In Wales we are on plan b and cases continue to rise.
Most cases are the 10-19 age group and then being passed into their parents in the 40-49 group. The parents could be double vaccinated and still getting it.

 

[dad_of_jon]

working from home means no mixing with other households in the office and for most no public transport. Wales only really has cardiff as a city with lots of office workers. so cutting those 2 things out in england should reduce transmission. At least kids in the 12+ bracket will have an opportunity to be jabbed and that should reduce the spread via comps & colleges.

I have to shield prior to a major op so me and the mrs can't go into any indoor space where others would be Atm. But we'll be avoiding any packed places anyways when we no longer have to shield.