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  • https://www.airpophealth.com/uk/airpop-pocket-4pcs-black

    These look really interesting but unsure of effectiveness
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,437
    edited December 2021
    This Boris presser strikes me as a political event to boost his “Prime Ministerial” image and nothing more
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,076

    I don't think people mean FFP3 do they? It's FFP2 that are the better ones, FFP3 aren't the equivalent to the US 95 from what I just Googled

    No.

    FFP3 - The total leakage may amount to a maximum of 5% and they must filter 99% of all particles measuring up to 0.6 μm.

    FFP2 - The total leakage may amount to a maximum of 11% and they must filter 94% of all particles measuring up to 0.6 μm
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,541
    Here we go. Lockdown announced at 8.
  • dixiedean said:

    Bloody hell.
    Everton are poor.

    I still cannot believe you've spent all that Moshiri money (£500 million and counting) to be this shit.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,089
    Boris is going to suspend the North Shropshire by-election on the day voting on health grounds I think :D
  • https://twitter.com/SebastianEPayne/status/1470079223335460865

    We're on the back foot again then. He'll announce stricter measures when it is too late.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,437
    Mask usage is just theatre. Hardly anyone wears them properly, they take them off at any opportunity and they’re never washed.

    Virtue signalling is just that.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,738
    kinabalu said:

    Johnson addressing the nation at 8 o'clock and for once his boosterism is exactly what's needed. Big push on 3rd jabs has to be the number one priority.

    When I hear that expression, I am instantly 7 years old once again and clutching my sixpence at the corner shop near the old railway carriage where we had our seaside holidays ...

    https://twitter.com/PulpLibrarian/status/1154432150344732672/photo/1
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,076
    Jonathan said:

    Anyone arguing masks don't work at all is a muppet frankly and best ignored

    I asked a great man the answer to this :

    image
    What's a prevert?
    I wondered that. It sounds fun.
    Are you questioning the abilities of Colonel Bat Guano?

    I take it you haven't seen Dr Strangeglove?
  • https://twitter.com/SebastianEPayne/status/1470079223335460865

    We're on the back foot again then. He'll announce stricter measures when it is too late.

    First week in Jan, nailed on.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Stocky said:

    dixiedean said:

    UK COVID Alert Level increased from Level 3 to Level 4

    epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high and direct COVID pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising

    Here we go....Boris up again on Monday?
    On Zoom !!!
    First question....please write down in full the FIA rules on the order of cars following a safety car event....
    Answer. Labour want to legalise Class A drugs.
    Something weird going on with quotes?? Keeps saying "one character short" and/or attaching to wrong post.
    Sometimes that is because someone's used a less than symbol in a previous post
  • I don't think people mean FFP3 do they? It's FFP2 that are the better ones, FFP3 aren't the equivalent to the US 95 from what I just Googled

    No.

    FFP3 - The total leakage may amount to a maximum of 5% and they must filter 99% of all particles measuring up to 0.6 μm.

    FFP2 - The total leakage may amount to a maximum of 11% and they must filter 94% of all particles measuring up to 0.6 μm
    Isn't that confirming what I said? FFP2 is closest to the US 95, which is 95% of all particles.

    I wasn't disputing that FFP3 is better, just that the "higher quality" mask that people are referring to in Boots etc is FFP2, not FFP3
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,193
    DougSeal said:

    Here we go. Lockdown announced at 8.

    With no rise in hospitalisations - hope you are kidding.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,089
    Is it 1/3 of Omicron cases that are likely sequenced ?

    If so I've got an estimate of about 90,000 cases by christmas day.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,840
    edited December 2021

    This Boris presser strikes me as a political event to boost his “Prime Ministerial” image and nothing more

    I don't think so. I think all the SAGE lot have been on to him, telling him the end of the world is nigh and he has done what Boris always does and will try a fudge.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    edited December 2021

    Carnyx said:

    Chris said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    FPT:

    @Farooq your problem is you seem to be, like Rochdale, incapable of seeing past "cases = BAD".

    For me, as many cases as happen naturally occur is a GOOD thing. Especially if those who are bothered about the virus are protected by wearing a quality FFP2 etc mask while those who aren't, are not wearing one.

    That segments the risk so that the right people are getting immunity more, which raises the herd immunity levels for the benefit of everyone including those having to wear a mask because they're afraid.

    I don't accept the premise that preventing "cases" is a good thing. It may have been early on in the pandemic pre vaccines but it isn't anymore. I don't want cases reduced by NPIs, so them being reduced by NPIs isn't a benefit.

    The BMJ article says how states (and nations) with mask mandates have had lower case rates. That is an argument AGAINST mask mandates for me. Those states have failed to get immunity.

    No, you're just attacking straw men now.
    The only point I'm trying to make is that masks work. This is in response to your repeated false assertions that they do not. At no point have I said masks should be mandated, I'm just trying to bring some truth in to usurp your lies.

    You seem on the verge in the above post of saying that NPIs do, in fact, work. Alongside a separate argument which is saying that, to paraphrase, "they are bad BECAUSE they work".

    Well, it's progress, I guess. I hope you'll stop with your anti-science premises now. I won't even attempt to tackle your argument that it's good to let this spread, not now at least.
    No shit Sherlock that masks work. That's why I advocated for them last year.

    I dispute that mask mandates work post vaccines because inhibiting those who are not bothered about catching Covid and putting them on the same footing as those who are bothered is a terrible idea.

    The only way out of this is immunity. The best way to get immunity is vaccines, we've done that.

    The second best way to get immunity is for those who don't care if they get infected, to naturally get infected before those who do care if they do.

    Inhibiting the spread of the virus post vaccines is stupid. The sane solution is those who are bothered wear masks to protect themselves and nobody else does.
    So you've gone on journey from being right about the facts of masks to being wrong about them. What do you want, part credit? Most people prefer to go the other way but horses for courses I guess.

    If you were confident in your justification that masks shouldn't be mandated, why go around spreading misinformation about mask efficacy? Why lie?
    I never said masks have no efficacy.

    I said mask mandates are bad.

    There's a difference. I've said that many times now. How many different ways do I need to say it?
    'Sadly there is a bullshit idea that has been spread that "your mask protects others"'

    'If mask mandates had efficacy, we should surely have studies demonstrating that by now. Where are they?'

    You, just in the last few days. I remember older stuff too, but I'm not doing your homework for you a third time.
    You've been trying to get people to think masks don't work for several weeks. It would be better if you used honest means to push your agenda. Philip, you've lied repeatedly.
    Mask mandates. Mask mandates not masks. 🤦‍♂️

    "If mask mandates had efficacy"

    They don't. Mask mandates don't work because they suppress the virus for everyone but the virus is still endemic. It doesn't ensure those capable of defeating the virus get immunity. It doesn't suppress the virus away from those vulnerable, since the virus remains endemic.

    Mandates don't work. Name any state or nation with mask mandates that has better immunity now than we do?
    Mask mandates do work. It's right there in one of the studies I sent you earlier that you claim to have read.
    Jesus fucking Christ, how is it possible you cram so much stupid into just one head? You're like a fucking goldfish.
    Define "work".

    Working is getting out of restrictions and our normal life with high immunity so the virus isn't causing problems. How do mask mandates achieve that end?

    They are counterproductive as they prevent the right people from getting infected, postponing the infection until down the road. They don't prevent infections, they just delay them for everyone which is not working.

    But if you don't have mask mandates then you can have more infections amongst the low-risk, but if you are high-risk you can be better protected than everyone else.
    Utter nonsense. And worse than that, dangerous.
    How is it nonsense? Or dangerous?

    What is dangerous is making the vulnerable as likely to be infected as the low-risk. Its bloody counterproductive in fact which is why hospitalisations have ended up higher in nations with mask mandates than those without them.

    The sooner the low-risk unvaccinated people get infected the better. That builds even more herd immunity than we already have, preventing it and ensuring the high-risk are as likely to be infected as the low-risk is stupid.
    Indeed. What is dangerous to you about other people dying?
    If I was wearing a mask while encouraging others not to then you'd have a point.

    You don't. Until it was the law I was following my own advice and not wearing a mask. I knew I could reduce my own risk by wearing an FFP2 mask but I'm not worried about being vulnerable so I would rather take my chances with the vaccine being enough and save the masks for the vulnerable instead.
    Maybe the best thing would be for the law to be changed so that people don't need to wear a mask provided they have "I don't give a toss about other people's lives" tattooed on their foreheads.

    It would probably be a public service in the long run.
    Wouldn’t it be more effective to simply state fund FFP3 masks for the vulnerable?
    I do sometimes wonder why that hasn't been done.
    I understand initially the idea of telling people to make their own cloth ones. But we really should have switched to public education about what the different gradings mean to enable people to make an informed choice.
    The girls in my office have very stylish silk ones. Whether they are much use I have never dared to inquire.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,193
    IshmaelZ said:

    Stocky said:

    dixiedean said:

    UK COVID Alert Level increased from Level 3 to Level 4

    epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high and direct COVID pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising

    Here we go....Boris up again on Monday?
    On Zoom !!!
    First question....please write down in full the FIA rules on the order of cars following a safety car event....
    Answer. Labour want to legalise Class A drugs.
    Something weird going on with quotes?? Keeps saying "one character short" and/or attaching to wrong post.
    Sometimes that is because someone's used a less than symbol in a previous post
    Oh - thanks - can that be removed when I reply?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,157
    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,922

    Carnyx said:

    I don't think people mean FFP3 do they? It's FFP2 that are the better ones, FFP3 aren't the equivalent to the US 95 from what I just Googled

    No, FFP3 are better than FFP2 AIUI. See eg.

    "The British Standard BS EN 149:2001 covers disposable filtering facepiece (FFP) respirators.
    FFP respirators are classified as FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3 according to the level of protection
    afforded as assessed by specified laboratory tests, with FFP3 offering the most protection. In
    order to aid the correct selection of ‘adequate’ RPE assigned protection factors (APF) have
    been derived, and for FFP respirators these are 4, 10 and 20 respectively. The APF is the ratio
    of pollutant outside the device to that inside the device and is defined by British Standard BS
    EN 529:2005 as the ‘level of respiratory protection that can realistically be expected to be
    achieved in the workplace by 95% of adequately trained and supervised wearers using a
    properly functioning and correctly fitted respiratory protective device and is based on the 5th
    percentile of the Workplace Protection Factor (WPF) data’. APFs are published by both BS
    EN 529:2005 and by HSE in its RPE guidance HSG53 (HSE 2005a). Table 1 shows the
    efficiency requirement levels for the three classes of filtering facepieces from British Standards,
    together with their assigned protection factors"

    https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr619.pdf

    I certainly hope so as I've spent a morning rummaging around in a very dusty woodwork room in a FFP3!
    That's not what I meant, apologies for my poor posting.

    I meant, Boots etc are selling the FFP2 ones which are the ones I see most people wearing when they go for higher quality ones. And FFP2 I think are very effective, FFP3 moreso but not a huge difference for COVID from what I call.

    I believe FFP2 is equivalent to 95 for the US?

    N95 and FFP2 are similar kinds of respiratory masks. These masks supposedly protect both the wearer and people around them. The World Health Organisation cites studies which show the filtration systems of FFP2 and N95 masks are 94 and 95 per cent effective respectively. Their enhanced effectiveness has led to countries such as Austria and Germany making them a requirement on public transport. FFP3 masks are the most effective, followed by FFP2/N95, then surgical masks and, finally, cloth masks.

    https://www.wired.co.uk/article/what-are-n95-and-ffp2-face-masks
    FFP2 filters 94%, FFP3 99%. The latter are the better ones.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7248188/
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,386

    dixiedean said:

    Bloody hell.
    Everton are poor.

    I still cannot believe you've spent all that Moshiri money (£500 million and counting) to be this shit.
    Yep.
    I could write for several pages on why. But I won't.
  • kinabalu said:

    Johnson addressing the nation at 8 o'clock and for once his boosterism is exactly what's needed. Big push on 3rd jabs has to be the number one priority.

    I wonder if he will make an apology some time in his speech

    It will be interesting to watch I content and tone
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,089
    He might strengthen the WFH guidance I think. Another remote audit beckons, that'll be fun....
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,076
    Carnyx said:

    I don't think people mean FFP3 do they? It's FFP2 that are the better ones, FFP3 aren't the equivalent to the US 95 from what I just Googled

    No, FFP3 are better than FFP2 AIUI. See eg.

    "The British Standard BS EN 149:2001 covers disposable filtering facepiece (FFP) respirators.
    FFP respirators are classified as FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3 according to the level of protection
    afforded as assessed by specified laboratory tests, with FFP3 offering the most protection. In
    order to aid the correct selection of ‘adequate’ RPE assigned protection factors (APF) have
    been derived, and for FFP respirators these are 4, 10 and 20 respectively. The APF is the ratio
    of pollutant outside the device to that inside the device and is defined by British Standard BS
    EN 529:2005 as the ‘level of respiratory protection that can realistically be expected to be
    achieved in the workplace by 95% of adequately trained and supervised wearers using a
    properly functioning and correctly fitted respiratory protective device and is based on the 5th
    percentile of the Workplace Protection Factor (WPF) data’. APFs are published by both BS
    EN 529:2005 and by HSE in its RPE guidance HSG53 (HSE 2005a). Table 1 shows the
    efficiency requirement levels for the three classes of filtering facepieces from British Standards,
    together with their assigned protection factors"

    https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr619.pdf

    I certainly hope so as I've spent a morning rummaging around in a very dusty woodwork room in a FFP3!
    A relative made himself very unpopular with his workforce by forcing them to uses FFP3, noddy suits, gloves etc when handling fibre glass insulation on his building sites.

    His theory is that he will be able to sleep in his old age, without hearing a lot of people coughing themselves to death, in his dreams.
  • RobD said:

    Carnyx said:

    I don't think people mean FFP3 do they? It's FFP2 that are the better ones, FFP3 aren't the equivalent to the US 95 from what I just Googled

    No, FFP3 are better than FFP2 AIUI. See eg.

    "The British Standard BS EN 149:2001 covers disposable filtering facepiece (FFP) respirators.
    FFP respirators are classified as FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3 according to the level of protection
    afforded as assessed by specified laboratory tests, with FFP3 offering the most protection. In
    order to aid the correct selection of ‘adequate’ RPE assigned protection factors (APF) have
    been derived, and for FFP respirators these are 4, 10 and 20 respectively. The APF is the ratio
    of pollutant outside the device to that inside the device and is defined by British Standard BS
    EN 529:2005 as the ‘level of respiratory protection that can realistically be expected to be
    achieved in the workplace by 95% of adequately trained and supervised wearers using a
    properly functioning and correctly fitted respiratory protective device and is based on the 5th
    percentile of the Workplace Protection Factor (WPF) data’. APFs are published by both BS
    EN 529:2005 and by HSE in its RPE guidance HSG53 (HSE 2005a). Table 1 shows the
    efficiency requirement levels for the three classes of filtering facepieces from British Standards,
    together with their assigned protection factors"

    https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr619.pdf

    I certainly hope so as I've spent a morning rummaging around in a very dusty woodwork room in a FFP3!
    That's not what I meant, apologies for my poor posting.

    I meant, Boots etc are selling the FFP2 ones which are the ones I see most people wearing when they go for higher quality ones. And FFP2 I think are very effective, FFP3 moreso but not a huge difference for COVID from what I call.

    I believe FFP2 is equivalent to 95 for the US?

    N95 and FFP2 are similar kinds of respiratory masks. These masks supposedly protect both the wearer and people around them. The World Health Organisation cites studies which show the filtration systems of FFP2 and N95 masks are 94 and 95 per cent effective respectively. Their enhanced effectiveness has led to countries such as Austria and Germany making them a requirement on public transport. FFP3 masks are the most effective, followed by FFP2/N95, then surgical masks and, finally, cloth masks.

    https://www.wired.co.uk/article/what-are-n95-and-ffp2-face-masks
    FFP2 filters 94%, FFP3 99%. The latter are the better ones.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7248188/
    If you want to misunderstand my point on purpose then do so.

    I was saying - and you've confirmed - that N95 is EQUIVALENT to FFP2. FFP3 is better still, that wasn't the point I was making.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,738

    Jonathan said:

    Anyone arguing masks don't work at all is a muppet frankly and best ignored

    I asked a great man the answer to this :

    image
    What's a prevert?
    I wondered that. It sounds fun.
    Are you questioning the abilities of Colonel Bat Guano?

    I take it you haven't seen Dr Strangeglove?
    Appropriate Freudian slip there.
  • pigeon said:

    pigeon said:

    UK COVID Alert Level increased from Level 3 to Level 4

    epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high and direct COVID pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising

    Here we go....Boris up again on Monday?
    I'm expecting the lockdown to be announced on the next scheduled review date, next Saturday, Dec 18. That'll allow the Parliamentary by-election on Thursday to be cleared first, but enable rules to (presumably) be railroaded through just in time to persuade that fraction of the population that's still very frightened, scrupulously law-abiding, or still willing to listen to Johnson's bullshit (no laughing at the back) to cancel Christmas.
    Parliament closes for Christmas on Tuesday after the days business
    Easy enough recalled.

    (NB I'm usually wrong about anything to do with politics. I've decided that if I keep predicting new dates for the next lockdown then, as with those weird American cults that keep trying to prophesy the Rapture, it will never happen. No need to thank me.)
    You made me chuckle
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,836

    rkrkrk said:

    Johnson press conference at 8pm.... any ideas what that's about?

    Lockdown here we come...

    Edit - Johnson is not expected to announce any new Covid restrictions.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/12/johnson-to-address-nation-on-booster-jabs-amid-omicron-concerns
    Nadhim Zahawi mentioned that Boris is doing a vaccine update tonight, on Trevor Phillips earlier. So I don't think we are going to see anything dramatic.
    We are getting primed here.....I am absolutely convinced of this....its the same pattern as always.
    Agree. The ostensible reason for this announcement is likely the extension of boosters to 30-39 year olds, but it's the ideal time to mention the latest batch of SAGE models that confidently predict we're all going to die by January 22nd 2022 without more restrictions. Is he going to be bringing along Whitty and Vallance again to confirm that we're all doomed?

    Lockdown decree to follow next Saturday.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,089
    tlg86 said:

    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.

    I was trying to book my other half's booster earlier, the system is stuck in a "please enter yr NHS number" loop.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,386

    Jonathan said:

    Anyone arguing masks don't work at all is a muppet frankly and best ignored

    I asked a great man the answer to this :

    image
    What's a prevert?
    I wondered that. It sounds fun.
    Are you questioning the abilities of Colonel Bat Guano?

    I take it you haven't seen Dr Strangeglove?
    Precious bodily fluids are at risk.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,076

    Carnyx said:

    Chris said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    FPT:

    @Farooq your problem is you seem to be, like Rochdale, incapable of seeing past "cases = BAD".

    For me, as many cases as happen naturally occur is a GOOD thing. Especially if those who are bothered about the virus are protected by wearing a quality FFP2 etc mask while those who aren't, are not wearing one.

    That segments the risk so that the right people are getting immunity more, which raises the herd immunity levels for the benefit of everyone including those having to wear a mask because they're afraid.

    I don't accept the premise that preventing "cases" is a good thing. It may have been early on in the pandemic pre vaccines but it isn't anymore. I don't want cases reduced by NPIs, so them being reduced by NPIs isn't a benefit.

    The BMJ article says how states (and nations) with mask mandates have had lower case rates. That is an argument AGAINST mask mandates for me. Those states have failed to get immunity.

    No, you're just attacking straw men now.
    The only point I'm trying to make is that masks work. This is in response to your repeated false assertions that they do not. At no point have I said masks should be mandated, I'm just trying to bring some truth in to usurp your lies.

    You seem on the verge in the above post of saying that NPIs do, in fact, work. Alongside a separate argument which is saying that, to paraphrase, "they are bad BECAUSE they work".

    Well, it's progress, I guess. I hope you'll stop with your anti-science premises now. I won't even attempt to tackle your argument that it's good to let this spread, not now at least.
    No shit Sherlock that masks work. That's why I advocated for them last year.

    I dispute that mask mandates work post vaccines because inhibiting those who are not bothered about catching Covid and putting them on the same footing as those who are bothered is a terrible idea.

    The only way out of this is immunity. The best way to get immunity is vaccines, we've done that.

    The second best way to get immunity is for those who don't care if they get infected, to naturally get infected before those who do care if they do.

    Inhibiting the spread of the virus post vaccines is stupid. The sane solution is those who are bothered wear masks to protect themselves and nobody else does.
    So you've gone on journey from being right about the facts of masks to being wrong about them. What do you want, part credit? Most people prefer to go the other way but horses for courses I guess.

    If you were confident in your justification that masks shouldn't be mandated, why go around spreading misinformation about mask efficacy? Why lie?
    I never said masks have no efficacy.

    I said mask mandates are bad.

    There's a difference. I've said that many times now. How many different ways do I need to say it?
    'Sadly there is a bullshit idea that has been spread that "your mask protects others"'

    'If mask mandates had efficacy, we should surely have studies demonstrating that by now. Where are they?'

    You, just in the last few days. I remember older stuff too, but I'm not doing your homework for you a third time.
    You've been trying to get people to think masks don't work for several weeks. It would be better if you used honest means to push your agenda. Philip, you've lied repeatedly.
    Mask mandates. Mask mandates not masks. 🤦‍♂️

    "If mask mandates had efficacy"

    They don't. Mask mandates don't work because they suppress the virus for everyone but the virus is still endemic. It doesn't ensure those capable of defeating the virus get immunity. It doesn't suppress the virus away from those vulnerable, since the virus remains endemic.

    Mandates don't work. Name any state or nation with mask mandates that has better immunity now than we do?
    Mask mandates do work. It's right there in one of the studies I sent you earlier that you claim to have read.
    Jesus fucking Christ, how is it possible you cram so much stupid into just one head? You're like a fucking goldfish.
    Define "work".

    Working is getting out of restrictions and our normal life with high immunity so the virus isn't causing problems. How do mask mandates achieve that end?

    They are counterproductive as they prevent the right people from getting infected, postponing the infection until down the road. They don't prevent infections, they just delay them for everyone which is not working.

    But if you don't have mask mandates then you can have more infections amongst the low-risk, but if you are high-risk you can be better protected than everyone else.
    Utter nonsense. And worse than that, dangerous.
    How is it nonsense? Or dangerous?

    What is dangerous is making the vulnerable as likely to be infected as the low-risk. Its bloody counterproductive in fact which is why hospitalisations have ended up higher in nations with mask mandates than those without them.

    The sooner the low-risk unvaccinated people get infected the better. That builds even more herd immunity than we already have, preventing it and ensuring the high-risk are as likely to be infected as the low-risk is stupid.
    Indeed. What is dangerous to you about other people dying?
    If I was wearing a mask while encouraging others not to then you'd have a point.

    You don't. Until it was the law I was following my own advice and not wearing a mask. I knew I could reduce my own risk by wearing an FFP2 mask but I'm not worried about being vulnerable so I would rather take my chances with the vaccine being enough and save the masks for the vulnerable instead.
    Maybe the best thing would be for the law to be changed so that people don't need to wear a mask provided they have "I don't give a toss about other people's lives" tattooed on their foreheads.

    It would probably be a public service in the long run.
    Wouldn’t it be more effective to simply state fund FFP3 masks for the vulnerable?
    I do sometimes wonder why that hasn't been done.
    I understand initially the idea of telling people to make their own cloth ones. But we really should have switched to public education about what the different gradings mean to enable people to make an informed choice.
    The girls in my office have very stylish silk ones. Whether they are much use I have dared to inquire.
    Quite a few have a pocket to insert disposable filters.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,088
    Carnyx said:

    kinabalu said:

    Johnson addressing the nation at 8 o'clock and for once his boosterism is exactly what's needed. Big push on 3rd jabs has to be the number one priority.

    When I hear that expression, I am instantly 7 years old once again and clutching my sixpence at the corner shop near the old railway carriage where we had our seaside holidays ...

    https://twitter.com/PulpLibrarian/status/1154432150344732672/photo/1
    Ah yes. I remember the Zoom but not the Booster.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,193
    edited December 2021

    kinabalu said:

    Johnson addressing the nation at 8 o'clock and for once his boosterism is exactly what's needed. Big push on 3rd jabs has to be the number one priority.

    I wonder if he will make an apology some time in his speech

    It will be interesting to watch I content and tone
    I can't bear to watch - all I think of is Benny Hill as Fred Scuttle:

    https://twitter.com/antonyshepherd/status/1153914452661723136
  • My point was that when people refer to the "better" masks they're referring to FFP2, N95, 95% ones. FFP3 is the best one but that isn't what most are referring to when I say that.
  • It's pre-recorded, what a load of nonsense
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,836

    pigeon said:

    pigeon said:

    UK COVID Alert Level increased from Level 3 to Level 4

    epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high and direct COVID pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising

    Here we go....Boris up again on Monday?
    I'm expecting the lockdown to be announced on the next scheduled review date, next Saturday, Dec 18. That'll allow the Parliamentary by-election on Thursday to be cleared first, but enable rules to (presumably) be railroaded through just in time to persuade that fraction of the population that's still very frightened, scrupulously law-abiding, or still willing to listen to Johnson's bullshit (no laughing at the back) to cancel Christmas.
    Parliament closes for Christmas on Tuesday after the days business
    Easy enough recalled.

    (NB I'm usually wrong about anything to do with politics. I've decided that if I keep predicting new dates for the next lockdown then, as with those weird American cults that keep trying to prophesy the Rapture, it will never happen. No need to thank me.)
    You made me chuckle
    We have to laugh Mr G or we'd all cry instead. Having been sunk in the mire of despond for the past couple of days, I am trying my best to remember this.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,193

    Carnyx said:

    Chris said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    FPT:

    @Farooq your problem is you seem to be, like Rochdale, incapable of seeing past "cases = BAD".

    For me, as many cases as happen naturally occur is a GOOD thing. Especially if those who are bothered about the virus are protected by wearing a quality FFP2 etc mask while those who aren't, are not wearing one.

    That segments the risk so that the right people are getting immunity more, which raises the herd immunity levels for the benefit of everyone including those having to wear a mask because they're afraid.

    I don't accept the premise that preventing "cases" is a good thing. It may have been early on in the pandemic pre vaccines but it isn't anymore. I don't want cases reduced by NPIs, so them being reduced by NPIs isn't a benefit.

    The BMJ article says how states (and nations) with mask mandates have had lower case rates. That is an argument AGAINST mask mandates for me. Those states have failed to get immunity.

    No, you're just attacking straw men now.
    The only point I'm trying to make is that masks work. This is in response to your repeated false assertions that they do not. At no point have I said masks should be mandated, I'm just trying to bring some truth in to usurp your lies.

    You seem on the verge in the above post of saying that NPIs do, in fact, work. Alongside a separate argument which is saying that, to paraphrase, "they are bad BECAUSE they work".

    Well, it's progress, I guess. I hope you'll stop with your anti-science premises now. I won't even attempt to tackle your argument that it's good to let this spread, not now at least.
    No shit Sherlock that masks work. That's why I advocated for them last year.

    I dispute that mask mandates work post vaccines because inhibiting those who are not bothered about catching Covid and putting them on the same footing as those who are bothered is a terrible idea.

    The only way out of this is immunity. The best way to get immunity is vaccines, we've done that.

    The second best way to get immunity is for those who don't care if they get infected, to naturally get infected before those who do care if they do.

    Inhibiting the spread of the virus post vaccines is stupid. The sane solution is those who are bothered wear masks to protect themselves and nobody else does.
    So you've gone on journey from being right about the facts of masks to being wrong about them. What do you want, part credit? Most people prefer to go the other way but horses for courses I guess.

    If you were confident in your justification that masks shouldn't be mandated, why go around spreading misinformation about mask efficacy? Why lie?
    I never said masks have no efficacy.

    I said mask mandates are bad.

    There's a difference. I've said that many times now. How many different ways do I need to say it?
    'Sadly there is a bullshit idea that has been spread that "your mask protects others"'

    'If mask mandates had efficacy, we should surely have studies demonstrating that by now. Where are they?'

    You, just in the last few days. I remember older stuff too, but I'm not doing your homework for you a third time.
    You've been trying to get people to think masks don't work for several weeks. It would be better if you used honest means to push your agenda. Philip, you've lied repeatedly.
    Mask mandates. Mask mandates not masks. 🤦‍♂️

    "If mask mandates had efficacy"

    They don't. Mask mandates don't work because they suppress the virus for everyone but the virus is still endemic. It doesn't ensure those capable of defeating the virus get immunity. It doesn't suppress the virus away from those vulnerable, since the virus remains endemic.

    Mandates don't work. Name any state or nation with mask mandates that has better immunity now than we do?
    Mask mandates do work. It's right there in one of the studies I sent you earlier that you claim to have read.
    Jesus fucking Christ, how is it possible you cram so much stupid into just one head? You're like a fucking goldfish.
    Define "work".

    Working is getting out of restrictions and our normal life with high immunity so the virus isn't causing problems. How do mask mandates achieve that end?

    They are counterproductive as they prevent the right people from getting infected, postponing the infection until down the road. They don't prevent infections, they just delay them for everyone which is not working.

    But if you don't have mask mandates then you can have more infections amongst the low-risk, but if you are high-risk you can be better protected than everyone else.
    Utter nonsense. And worse than that, dangerous.
    How is it nonsense? Or dangerous?

    What is dangerous is making the vulnerable as likely to be infected as the low-risk. Its bloody counterproductive in fact which is why hospitalisations have ended up higher in nations with mask mandates than those without them.

    The sooner the low-risk unvaccinated people get infected the better. That builds even more herd immunity than we already have, preventing it and ensuring the high-risk are as likely to be infected as the low-risk is stupid.
    Indeed. What is dangerous to you about other people dying?
    If I was wearing a mask while encouraging others not to then you'd have a point.

    You don't. Until it was the law I was following my own advice and not wearing a mask. I knew I could reduce my own risk by wearing an FFP2 mask but I'm not worried about being vulnerable so I would rather take my chances with the vaccine being enough and save the masks for the vulnerable instead.
    Maybe the best thing would be for the law to be changed so that people don't need to wear a mask provided they have "I don't give a toss about other people's lives" tattooed on their foreheads.

    It would probably be a public service in the long run.
    Wouldn’t it be more effective to simply state fund FFP3 masks for the vulnerable?
    I do sometimes wonder why that hasn't been done.
    I understand initially the idea of telling people to make their own cloth ones. But we really should have switched to public education about what the different gradings mean to enable people to make an informed choice.
    The girls in my office have very stylish silk ones. Whether they are much use I have dared to inquire.
    Quite a few have a pocket to insert disposable filters.
    Like to one I linked to earlier:

    https://www.boots.com/the-body-doctor-reusable-antibacterial-mask-10285764
  • Stocky said:

    DougSeal said:

    Here we go. Lockdown announced at 8.

    With no rise in hospitalisations - hope you are kidding.
    Get those letters into Brady if that lockdown turns out to be the case on these numbers.

  • tlg86 said:

    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.

    Can't book as in no slots or can't book as in the system says too young?
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,386
    tlg86 said:

    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.

    It only opens for the thirty summats tomorrow AIUI.
  • The biggest lie of the year has to now be the vaccine programme.

    Good start then complacency and the boosters have been woeful
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,353

    Can I just have an update on things, so BoJo was at a party he claimed didn't happen and there are more photos to come right?

    rkrkrk said:

    Johnson press conference at 8pm.... any ideas what that's about?

    Resignation?
    Would be good for Lab. if so.
    No, it's a Johnson presser not a Starmer presser.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,840
    edited December 2021
    Boris Johnson is to address the nation at 8pm in a pre-recorded message, providing an update on the booster campaign.

    Its not going to say anything of real note.
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,836

    kinabalu said:

    Johnson addressing the nation at 8 o'clock and for once his boosterism is exactly what's needed. Big push on 3rd jabs has to be the number one priority.

    I wonder if he will make an apology some time in his speech

    It will be interesting to watch I content and tone
    It would, only I'm off to a pub quiz just before eight this evening. I shall have to read the reports later on after I return.

    Might as well enjoy all these little occasions for the rest of the week, before they get cancelled until next Easter.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,716

    tlg86 said:

    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.

    Can't book as in no slots or can't book as in the system says too young?
    Think they have realised half the nation's under 40s are trying to book before tomorrow's official announcement.
  • Israel has announced that it is adding the UK to its "red list" of countries that residents are banned from visiting amid its concern over the spread of omicron.

    The measures will be in place from Wednesday, and a senior Israeli health official confirmed the ban would also apply to Denmark and Belgium.

    ----

    Racist.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,089

    tlg86 said:

    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.

    Can't book as in no slots or can't book as in the system says too young?
    Enter NHS number -> Enter Postcode -> Enter DOB -> Enter NHS number loop
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,088

    kinabalu said:

    Johnson addressing the nation at 8 o'clock and for once his boosterism is exactly what's needed. Big push on 3rd jabs has to be the number one priority.

    I wonder if he will make an apology some time in his speech

    It will be interesting to watch I content and tone
    If I was him I'd try something like that. Nothing to lose really.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,922

    The biggest lie of the year has to now be the vaccine programme.

    Good start then complacency and the boosters have been woeful

    Woeful? The rate is about the same as in the first phase.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,193

    The biggest lie of the year has to now be the vaccine programme.

    Good start then complacency and the boosters have been woeful

    Not my experience. My, my wife, and everyone I know has got booster promptly.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,840
    edited December 2021

    The biggest lie of the year has to now be the vaccine programme.

    Good start then complacency and the boosters have been woeful

    "Boosters have been woeful" is massively overegging it. The JCVI are the root cause of the problem with their delay and vax the world / boosters aren't needed, and even then we are doing much better than the rest of Europe.

    I agree with complacency in the middle.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,386
    FIA meeting adjourned for 8 minutes.
    Mercedes came with a barrister on hand.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,738

    Carnyx said:

    I don't think people mean FFP3 do they? It's FFP2 that are the better ones, FFP3 aren't the equivalent to the US 95 from what I just Googled

    No, FFP3 are better than FFP2 AIUI. See eg.

    "The British Standard BS EN 149:2001 covers disposable filtering facepiece (FFP) respirators.
    FFP respirators are classified as FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3 according to the level of protection
    afforded as assessed by specified laboratory tests, with FFP3 offering the most protection. In
    order to aid the correct selection of ‘adequate’ RPE assigned protection factors (APF) have
    been derived, and for FFP respirators these are 4, 10 and 20 respectively. The APF is the ratio
    of pollutant outside the device to that inside the device and is defined by British Standard BS
    EN 529:2005 as the ‘level of respiratory protection that can realistically be expected to be
    achieved in the workplace by 95% of adequately trained and supervised wearers using a
    properly functioning and correctly fitted respiratory protective device and is based on the 5th
    percentile of the Workplace Protection Factor (WPF) data’. APFs are published by both BS
    EN 529:2005 and by HSE in its RPE guidance HSG53 (HSE 2005a). Table 1 shows the
    efficiency requirement levels for the three classes of filtering facepieces from British Standards,
    together with their assigned protection factors"

    https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr619.pdf

    I certainly hope so as I've spent a morning rummaging around in a very dusty woodwork room in a FFP3!
    A relative made himself very unpopular with his workforce by forcing them to uses FFP3, noddy suits, gloves etc when handling fibre glass insulation on his building sites.

    His theory is that he will be able to sleep in his old age, without hearing a lot of people coughing themselves to death, in his dreams.
    Had exactly that sentiment when getting the old garage at our house demolished - a previous owner had lined it with asbestos cement sheeting which was deteriorating so I never used it except as a dump for junk. Very relieved when the chaps tooled up with noddy suits and a complete airlock and shower/changing room in their trailer.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,157

    tlg86 said:

    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.

    Can't book as in no slots or can't book as in the system says too young?
    Wouldn’t let him through.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,353

    It's pre-recorded, what a load of nonsense

    Maybe he has a Christmas Party to go to tonight.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Stocky said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Stocky said:

    dixiedean said:

    UK COVID Alert Level increased from Level 3 to Level 4

    epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high and direct COVID pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising

    Here we go....Boris up again on Monday?
    On Zoom !!!
    First question....please write down in full the FIA rules on the order of cars following a safety car event....
    Answer. Labour want to legalise Class A drugs.
    Something weird going on with quotes?? Keeps saying "one character short" and/or attaching to wrong post.
    Sometimes that is because someone's used a less than symbol in a previous post
    Oh - thanks - can that be removed when I reply?
    Yes, you can edit quotes to your heart's content. Pref not substantively but fo' sho' you can substitute "less than" for the symbol.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,076
    dixiedean said:

    Jonathan said:

    Anyone arguing masks don't work at all is a muppet frankly and best ignored

    I asked a great man the answer to this :

    image
    What's a prevert?
    I wondered that. It sounds fun.
    Are you questioning the abilities of Colonel Bat Guano?

    I take it you haven't seen Dr Strangeglove?
    Precious bodily fluids are at risk.
    CRM 114 Discriminator to OPE. CRM 114 Discriminator to OPE.

    ENDS.
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,836

    The biggest lie of the year has to now be the vaccine programme.

    Good start then complacency and the boosters have been woeful

    Lie doesn't begin to cover it. We were sold vaccines as the route out of restrictions. If, with nearly 90% of everyone over 12 now having had at least one shot, we still end up back in another bloody lockdown - my God, what will the country say?
  • pigeon said:

    The biggest lie of the year has to now be the vaccine programme.

    Good start then complacency and the boosters have been woeful

    Lie doesn't begin to cover it. We were sold vaccines as the route out of restrictions. If, with nearly 90% of everyone over 12 now having had at least one shot, we still end up back in another bloody lockdown - my God, what will the country say?
    I said at the time vaccines would not be our way out and I was shouted down
  • dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    Bloody hell.
    Everton are poor.

    I still cannot believe you've spent all that Moshiri money (£500 million and counting) to be this shit.
    Yep.
    I could write for several pages on why. But I won't.
    I think the initials K and J might be a hint.
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,836

    Boris Johnson is to address the nation at 8pm in a pre-recorded message, providing an update on the booster campaign.

    Its not going to say anything of real note.

    If it counts as a ministerial broadcast rather than a press conference, does that afford Starmer the right of reply same time tomorrow?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,088

    Can I just have an update on things, so BoJo was at a party he claimed didn't happen and there are more photos to come right?

    rkrkrk said:

    Johnson press conference at 8pm.... any ideas what that's about?

    Resignation?
    Would be good for Lab. if so.
    I agree. So you are not one of these people saying Labour are only polling well now under SKS because BJ is shit?
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,193

    pigeon said:

    The biggest lie of the year has to now be the vaccine programme.

    Good start then complacency and the boosters have been woeful

    Lie doesn't begin to cover it. We were sold vaccines as the route out of restrictions. If, with nearly 90% of everyone over 12 now having had at least one shot, we still end up back in another bloody lockdown - my God, what will the country say?
    I said at the time vaccines would not be our way out and I was shouted down
    What other way out is there? Natural immunity would be too damaging and take far longer time.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,076
    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    I don't think people mean FFP3 do they? It's FFP2 that are the better ones, FFP3 aren't the equivalent to the US 95 from what I just Googled

    No, FFP3 are better than FFP2 AIUI. See eg.

    "The British Standard BS EN 149:2001 covers disposable filtering facepiece (FFP) respirators.
    FFP respirators are classified as FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3 according to the level of protection
    afforded as assessed by specified laboratory tests, with FFP3 offering the most protection. In
    order to aid the correct selection of ‘adequate’ RPE assigned protection factors (APF) have
    been derived, and for FFP respirators these are 4, 10 and 20 respectively. The APF is the ratio
    of pollutant outside the device to that inside the device and is defined by British Standard BS
    EN 529:2005 as the ‘level of respiratory protection that can realistically be expected to be
    achieved in the workplace by 95% of adequately trained and supervised wearers using a
    properly functioning and correctly fitted respiratory protective device and is based on the 5th
    percentile of the Workplace Protection Factor (WPF) data’. APFs are published by both BS
    EN 529:2005 and by HSE in its RPE guidance HSG53 (HSE 2005a). Table 1 shows the
    efficiency requirement levels for the three classes of filtering facepieces from British Standards,
    together with their assigned protection factors"

    https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr619.pdf

    I certainly hope so as I've spent a morning rummaging around in a very dusty woodwork room in a FFP3!
    A relative made himself very unpopular with his workforce by forcing them to uses FFP3, noddy suits, gloves etc when handling fibre glass insulation on his building sites.

    His theory is that he will be able to sleep in his old age, without hearing a lot of people coughing themselves to death, in his dreams.
    Had exactly that sentiment when getting the old garage at our house demolished - a previous owner had lined it with asbestos cement sheeting which was deteriorating so I never used it except as a dump for junk. Very relieved when the chaps tooled up with noddy suits and a complete airlock and shower/changing room in their trailer.
    Those "kit" concrete garages are everywhere. The best bit are the roof tiles - nearly universally full of asbestos fibre...

    The number of times I've told a friend that they are the proud owners of some asbestos......
  • BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,578
    Stocky said:

    @Barnesian - any ski trips planned?

    Dolomites in March. France in April. Currently on the Queen Elizabeth in the Channel.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,193
    kinabalu said:

    Can I just have an update on things, so BoJo was at a party he claimed didn't happen and there are more photos to come right?

    rkrkrk said:

    Johnson press conference at 8pm.... any ideas what that's about?

    Resignation?
    Would be good for Lab. if so.
    I agree. So you are not one of these people saying Labour are only polling well now under SKS because BJ is shit?
    You think LP polling well and Johnson imploding in shitness is a coincidence?
  • Jonathan said:

    Oh man.

    Sitting here for CV19 booster. 😀
    Son gets result of positive PCR test. 😱

    Don’t need this.

    Wife due to have CT scan for cancer investigation on Tuesday😬🤞
    Father in law alas has days/ weeks left with lung cancer. 😔
    Work having reorg to having to reapply for job. 😡

    When life comes at you, it really comes at you.

    Aw man that's awful.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,437
    dixiedean said:

    FIA meeting adjourned for 8 minutes.
    Mercedes came with a barrister on hand.

    Assemble the lawyers!!!
  • Stocky said:

    kinabalu said:

    Can I just have an update on things, so BoJo was at a party he claimed didn't happen and there are more photos to come right?

    rkrkrk said:

    Johnson press conference at 8pm.... any ideas what that's about?

    Resignation?
    Would be good for Lab. if so.
    I agree. So you are not one of these people saying Labour are only polling well now under SKS because BJ is shit?
    You think LP polling well and Johnson imploding in shitness is a coincidence?
    They are linked but I think you are kidding yourself if you think Corbyn would be polling 40 points right now
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    Has anyone posted this? I’m starting to think that this lady is the real world embodiment of Cassandra

    https://twitter.com/lbc/status/1469998211863621636?s=21
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,386
    MaxPB said:

    tlg86 said:

    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.

    Can't book as in no slots or can't book as in the system says too young?
    Think they have realised half the nation's under 40s are trying to book before tomorrow's official announcement.
    Yeah. I fail to understand. As a 55yo I couldn't get an appointment before last Wednesday.
    How do they intend to ramp up capacity so quickly?
    Or are they going to open it up but with appointments in late January?
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,716

    dixiedean said:

    FIA meeting adjourned for 8 minutes.
    Mercedes came with a barrister on hand.

    Assemble the lawyers!!!
    Quick, get yourself to Abu Dhabi!
  • Stocky said:

    The biggest lie of the year has to now be the vaccine programme.

    Good start then complacency and the boosters have been woeful

    Not my experience. My, my wife, and everyone I know has got booster promptly.
    As have all my family
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,738

    Has anyone posted this? I’m starting to think that this lady is the real world embodiment of Cassandra

    https://twitter.com/lbc/status/1469998211863621636?s=21

    Er, wrong way round (except from the point of view of the undertakers, I suppose).
  • Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    FPT:

    @Farooq your problem is you seem to be, like Rochdale, incapable of seeing past "cases = BAD".

    For me, as many cases as happen naturally occur is a GOOD thing. Especially if those who are bothered about the virus are protected by wearing a quality FFP2 etc mask while those who aren't, are not wearing one.

    That segments the risk so that the right people are getting immunity more, which raises the herd immunity levels for the benefit of everyone including those having to wear a mask because they're afraid.

    I don't accept the premise that preventing "cases" is a good thing. It may have been early on in the pandemic pre vaccines but it isn't anymore. I don't want cases reduced by NPIs, so them being reduced by NPIs isn't a benefit.

    The BMJ article says how states (and nations) with mask mandates have had lower case rates. That is an argument AGAINST mask mandates for me. Those states have failed to get immunity.

    No, you're just attacking straw men now.
    The only point I'm trying to make is that masks work. This is in response to your repeated false assertions that they do not. At no point have I said masks should be mandated, I'm just trying to bring some truth in to usurp your lies.

    You seem on the verge in the above post of saying that NPIs do, in fact, work. Alongside a separate argument which is saying that, to paraphrase, "they are bad BECAUSE they work".

    Well, it's progress, I guess. I hope you'll stop with your anti-science premises now. I won't even attempt to tackle your argument that it's good to let this spread, not now at least.
    No shit Sherlock that masks work. That's why I advocated for them last year.

    I dispute that mask mandates work post vaccines because inhibiting those who are not bothered about catching Covid and putting them on the same footing as those who are bothered is a terrible idea.

    The only way out of this is immunity. The best way to get immunity is vaccines, we've done that.

    The second best way to get immunity is for those who don't care if they get infected, to naturally get infected before those who do care if they do.

    Inhibiting the spread of the virus post vaccines is stupid. The sane solution is those who are bothered wear masks to protect themselves and nobody else does.
    So you've gone on journey from being right about the facts of masks to being wrong about them. What do you want, part credit? Most people prefer to go the other way but horses for courses I guess.

    If you were confident in your justification that masks shouldn't be mandated, why go around spreading misinformation about mask efficacy? Why lie?
    I never said masks have no efficacy.

    I said mask mandates are bad.

    There's a difference. I've said that many times now. How many different ways do I need to say it?
    'Sadly there is a bullshit idea that has been spread that "your mask protects others"'

    'If mask mandates had efficacy, we should surely have studies demonstrating that by now. Where are they?'

    You, just in the last few days. I remember older stuff too, but I'm not doing your homework for you a third time.
    You've been trying to get people to think masks don't work for several weeks. It would be better if you used honest means to push your agenda. Philip, you've lied repeatedly.
    Mask mandates. Mask mandates not masks. 🤦‍♂️

    "If mask mandates had efficacy"

    They don't. Mask mandates don't work because they suppress the virus for everyone but the virus is still endemic. It doesn't ensure those capable of defeating the virus get immunity. It doesn't suppress the virus away from those vulnerable, since the virus remains endemic.

    Mandates don't work. Name any state or nation with mask mandates that has better immunity now than we do?
    Mask mandates do work. It's right there in one of the studies I sent you earlier that you claim to have read.
    Jesus fucking Christ, how is it possible you cram so much stupid into just one head? You're like a fucking goldfish.
    Define "work".

    Working is getting out of restrictions and our normal life with high immunity so the virus isn't causing problems. How do mask mandates achieve that end?

    They are counterproductive as they prevent the right people from getting infected, postponing the infection until down the road. They don't prevent infections, they just delay them for everyone which is not working.

    But if you don't have mask mandates then you can have more infections amongst the low-risk, but if you are high-risk you can be better protected than everyone else.
    Work in that they reduce transmission of the virus. And, in the right circumstances, they can keep the R below 1.
    That's it. It's a perfectly simple fact.

    Once again I'm trying not to involve myself in the argument you're making beyond that which is "is that even desirable?" You make your case well but I'll note that there are arguments against what you're saying too. But I'm not going to enter into those right now, especially not with you because you have a tendency to resort easily to fallacies and even lies. And partially because I would be exploring an issue where I haven't decided where I stand. And you are a very poor person to do that with, for the reasons stated above: I don't trust you not to lie.

    The one thing that concerns me most about what you're saying is I think high incidence leads to higher chances of mutations.I haven't read into it or thought much about it, but it "feels" like it's a gamble.
    But again, I'm not pushing a point of view there. I need to know more facts.
    Then you have a completely different and in my view faintly ridiculous definition of working.

    Using your logic, lockdowns work, so we should be under lockdown still.

    Why is suppressing cases the aim? Suppressing cases should only ever be a means to an end.

    My definition for working would be getting to the other side and out of restrictions with as few restrictions, hospitalisations and deaths as possible.

    If you end up with more restrictions which suppresses cases in the short term, but overall leads to more hospitalisations and deaths, then you have failed all three of my tests but passed yours.

    Do you really think fewer cases in the short term, but more restrictions, more deaths and more hospitalisations over the long term is "working"?
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,848
    pigeon said:

    The biggest lie of the year has to now be the vaccine programme.

    Good start then complacency and the boosters have been woeful

    Lie doesn't begin to cover it. We were sold vaccines as the route out of restrictions. If, with nearly 90% of everyone over 12 now having had at least one shot, we still end up back in another bloody lockdown - my God, what will the country say?
    The country will "say" we like lockdowns. Steve Baker meanwhile will try to do something against it.
  • Hope F1 fans are OK with so many races this season being held in what Freedom House terms Not Free countries. Let's see now:

    Bahrain - Not Free
    Azerbaijan - Not Free
    Russia - Not Free
    Turkey - Not Free
    Qatar - Not Free
    Saudi - Not Free
    Abu Dhabi - Not Free
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,836
    dixiedean said:

    MaxPB said:

    tlg86 said:

    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.

    Can't book as in no slots or can't book as in the system says too young?
    Think they have realised half the nation's under 40s are trying to book before tomorrow's official announcement.
    Yeah. I fail to understand. As a 55yo I couldn't get an appointment before last Wednesday.
    How do they intend to ramp up capacity so quickly?
    Or are they going to open it up but with appointments in late January?
    Presumably not as far ahead as late January, but you do wonder if the under 40s are going to have to be shunted to after Christmas at least. I'm 45 and my own appointment isn't until Friday 17th.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,088
    Stocky said:

    kinabalu said:

    Can I just have an update on things, so BoJo was at a party he claimed didn't happen and there are more photos to come right?

    rkrkrk said:

    Johnson press conference at 8pm.... any ideas what that's about?

    Resignation?
    Would be good for Lab. if so.
    I agree. So you are not one of these people saying Labour are only polling well now under SKS because BJ is shit?
    You think LP polling well and Johnson imploding in shitness is a coincidence?
    No, but BJO thinks (like me) that BJ is an asset for the Cons (cf their alternatives). And BJO is also of the Lab faction that thinks SKS is rubbish and a liability. So I was wondering how he reconciles these 2 views.

    How can SKS be rubbish and a liability if he's polling miles clear of a Tory Party under their strongest leader?
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,848
    @Jonathan very sorry to hear all that as you say that is a lot of life coming at you all at once.

    I wish you well in navigating through it and also best wishes.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,076

    NEW! IMPROVED!

    Percentages of people who have had a 3rd dose of vaccine in England and Scotland

    image

    Experimental. Not to be trusted. The management take no all responsibility for the numbers in this item. The management take no responsibility. Your mileage will vary. May contain nuts. May contain nutters, May contain trained Marxist nutters.

    I'm upset that no-one has said anything rude about this one.

    Tower Hamlets is fucked, it looks like.
  • @Jonathan Sorry to hear this awful news. Really sending you my very best wishes
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,193
    pigeon said:

    dixiedean said:

    MaxPB said:

    tlg86 said:

    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.

    Can't book as in no slots or can't book as in the system says too young?
    Think they have realised half the nation's under 40s are trying to book before tomorrow's official announcement.
    Yeah. I fail to understand. As a 55yo I couldn't get an appointment before last Wednesday.
    How do they intend to ramp up capacity so quickly?
    Or are they going to open it up but with appointments in late January?
    Presumably not as far ahead as late January, but you do wonder if the under 40s are going to have to be shunted to after Christmas at least. I'm 45 and my own appointment isn't until Friday 17th.
    My wife is same age and she got appt next day. Check different postcodes?
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,464
    Jonathan said:

    Oh man.

    Sitting here for CV19 booster. 😀
    Son gets result of positive PCR test. 😱

    Don’t need this.

    Wife due to have CT scan for cancer investigation on Tuesday😬🤞
    Father in law alas has days/ weeks left with lung cancer. 😔
    Work having reorg to having to reapply for job. 😡

    When life comes at you, it really comes at you.

    ❤️
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,341
    DougSeal said:

    Jonathan said:

    Oh man.

    Sitting here for CV19 booster. 😀
    Son gets result of positive PCR test. 😱

    Don’t need this.

    Wife due to have CT scan for cancer investigation on Tuesday😬🤞
    Father in law alas has days/ weeks left with lung cancer. 😔
    Work having reorg to having to reapply for job. 😡

    When life comes at you, it really comes at you.

    I’m so sorry. You have my best wishes.

    I’m not sure I should do this (mods please delete this or ban me if I’m overstepping a line) but if you need any pro-bono employment law advice on the work re-org then DM me.

    (Again - mods - if that’s advertising/solicitation (excuse the pun) huge apologies and please delete)
    We can't have people soliciting on these boards.

    It's Political Betting not Porn Betting.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,386
    pigeon said:

    dixiedean said:

    MaxPB said:

    tlg86 said:

    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.

    Can't book as in no slots or can't book as in the system says too young?
    Think they have realised half the nation's under 40s are trying to book before tomorrow's official announcement.
    Yeah. I fail to understand. As a 55yo I couldn't get an appointment before last Wednesday.
    How do they intend to ramp up capacity so quickly?
    Or are they going to open it up but with appointments in late January?
    Presumably not as far ahead as late January, but you do wonder if the under 40s are going to have to be shunted to after Christmas at least. I'm 45 and my own appointment isn't until Friday 17th.
    We are doing half a million a day. Can't see how everyone over 30 is going to be done by New Year. Or even close.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,353
    edited December 2021
    kinabalu said:

    Can I just have an update on things, so BoJo was at a party he claimed didn't happen and there are more photos to come right?

    rkrkrk said:

    Johnson press conference at 8pm.... any ideas what that's about?

    Resignation?
    Would be good for Lab. if so.
    I agree. So you are not one of these people saying Labour are only polling well now under SKS because BJ is shit?
    It is helping though. I am surprised it has taken voters so long to catch up with us. I doubt many are laughing heartily with the fat ***** stranded on a zip wire waving two toy Union flags any more.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,341
    pigeon said:

    dixiedean said:

    MaxPB said:

    tlg86 said:

    By the way, my 34 year old friend says he can’t book his booster. Sounds like someone went early and they’ve shut it down for 30 somethings.

    Can't book as in no slots or can't book as in the system says too young?
    Think they have realised half the nation's under 40s are trying to book before tomorrow's official announcement.
    Yeah. I fail to understand. As a 55yo I couldn't get an appointment before last Wednesday.
    How do they intend to ramp up capacity so quickly?
    Or are they going to open it up but with appointments in late January?
    Presumably not as far ahead as late January, but you do wonder if the under 40s are going to have to be shunted to after Christmas at least. I'm 45 and my own appointment isn't until Friday 17th.
    I managed to get mine for next Sunday but only because you tipped me off about the early opening of bookings.
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,836
    TOPPING said:

    pigeon said:

    The biggest lie of the year has to now be the vaccine programme.

    Good start then complacency and the boosters have been woeful

    Lie doesn't begin to cover it. We were sold vaccines as the route out of restrictions. If, with nearly 90% of everyone over 12 now having had at least one shot, we still end up back in another bloody lockdown - my God, what will the country say?
    The country will "say" we like lockdowns. Steve Baker meanwhile will try to do something against it.
    The notion that everyone likes lockdowns is a myth. A lot of people do like lockdowns, particularly frightened old people (who are numerous and constitute the Government's core vote, hence the fact that their voice is so loud,) but there's a great many of us whom are heartily sick of them and a lot of those will disobey.

    A sufficient number of people refusing to comply and spreading plague around each others' households is one of a number of mechanisms by which another lockdown attempt might eventually fail. Other possibilities include the disease being too transmissible for even lockdown to suppress adequately, and too many key workers being taken out of circulation by self-isolation requirements at the same time.
  • Should it be a surprise that F1 having been bought by a US media business it now has the sporting integrity of WWE…
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    ydoethur said:

    DougSeal said:

    Jonathan said:

    Oh man.

    Sitting here for CV19 booster. 😀
    Son gets result of positive PCR test. 😱

    Don’t need this.

    Wife due to have CT scan for cancer investigation on Tuesday😬🤞
    Father in law alas has days/ weeks left with lung cancer. 😔
    Work having reorg to having to reapply for job. 😡

    When life comes at you, it really comes at you.

    I’m so sorry. You have my best wishes.

    I’m not sure I should do this (mods please delete this or ban me if I’m overstepping a line) but if you need any pro-bono employment law advice on the work re-org then DM me.

    (Again - mods - if that’s advertising/solicitation (excuse the pun) huge apologies and please delete)
    We can't have people soliciting on these boards.

    It's Political Betting not Porn Betting.
    I am with Tom Lehrer:

    Don't solicit for your sister: that's not nice
    Unless you get a good percentage of the price.
  • https://twitter.com/DanielKorski/status/1470084014509862917

    We spent the entire summer being complacent and not getting prepared. Yet again we have repeated mistakes again, anytime people raised concerns, they were shouted down
This discussion has been closed.