politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Tonight’s National Theatre at Home re-run of the The House is a must watch for all political nerds
Tonight on YouTube starting at 7pm there’s a rerun of what to me is best play about politics in years – James Graham’s “This House” chronicling the period 1974 until Mrs. Thatcher’s victory in 1979.
Spain just discovered 12 thousand extra dead out of nowhere. That's quite some revision - I wonder how many more such updates we'll get over the next year or so.
Spain just discovered 12 thousand extra dead out of nowhere. That's quite some revision - I wonder how many more such updates we'll get over the next year or so.
Have they started opening up their care homes? You know, the ones where they just abandoned them to their inevitable fate.
Bad as things may have been in the UK, they never got that bad...
I may be wrong on this - but there appears to be a subtle difference in how the England and Scotland 'groups meeting up' works.
Scotland explicitly says no more than 2 households at a time.
My interpretation of the England rules recognises that although households must keep 2m apart, there is not necessarily a max of 2 households but that the test is applied at a max of 6 people.
EG Household A 1 person Household B 2 persons Household C 3 people
So England more flexible in theory - but CHECK THE RULES!
On topic: the NT plays have been great I’m looking forward to this one. Off topic: this would have been big news under other circumstances: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52841223
Latest R from 4 day change in 7 day rolling case average:
UK wide = 0.82 Scotland = 0.82 NI = 1.19 (numerically an uptick of 5 cases/day in the 7dra) Wales = 0.87 London = 0.75
Doubt it's going to get any better than that tbh. Looking at the German numbers in particular, it just isn't going to drop to some low figure that quickly wipes the virus down to nothing.
Latest R from 4 day change in 7 day rolling case average:
UK wide = 0.82 Scotland = 0.82 NI = 1.19 (numerically an uptick of 5 cases/day in the 7dra) Wales = 0.87 London = 0.75
Doubt it's going to get any better than that tbh. Looking at the German numbers in particular, it just isn't going to drop to some low figure that quickly wipes the virus down to nothing.
That range of numbers over a month gets rid of 80% of infections each month, so whilst its not quickly to nothing, in 2 months its getting it down to 4% which isnt that slow either.
I have a question to those who closely followed the press conference: Did Prof. Whitty really just say that when approached by a contact tracer, and you tell them that you haven't been closer than 2m to the disease transmitter, you will not be considered a contact and, thus, will not have to isolate for 14 days?
Did I get that wrong, or did he really say that in all seriousness?
OT this BBC Scotland documentary on "Silicon Glen," the cluster of high-tech firms that developed on the west coast of Scotland when IBM opened a plant at Greenock in the 1950s, is worth watching on iplayer. Lots of footage of proper computers with das Blinkenlights, punch cards and reel-to-reel tape, and remniscences from workers.
It also reminds us, without labouring the point, of jobs for life, and how shop floor workers could be trained for technical or managerial roles, and sent around the world.
The programme shows how IBM landed on Greenock almost by chance, and the influence of Hector McNeil MP (although the programme does not mention McNeil's former PS, Guy Burgess of the Cambridge spy ring) in persuading IBM.
That range of numbers over a month gets rid of 80% of infections each month, so whilst its not quickly to nothing, in 2 months its getting it down to 4% which isnt that slow either.
Sure,. and 80% drop in a month seems to be the trend for current deaths also, so it fits. The R number though ..... it'll never be as far from 1 as some people would prefer for certainty.
I have a question to those who closely followed the press conference: Did Prof. Whitty really just say that when approached by a contact tracer, and you tell them that you haven't been closer than 2m to the disease transmitter, you will not be considered a contact and, thus, will not have to isolate for 14 days?
Did I get that wrong, or did he really say that in all seriousness?
Correct, also said 2m is 10-30x safer than 1m which seems unlikely to me, particularly in indoor settings where direction of air flow may override distance.
Any spread betting on how many track and trace hoaxers will call Dominic Cummings to self-isolate? Seriously, this does sound like fraudsters can have lots of fun unless safequards are in place when the details emerge.
I have a question to those who closely followed the press conference: Did Prof. Whitty really just say that when approached by a contact tracer, and you tell them that you haven't been closer than 2m to the disease transmitter, you will not be considered a contact and, thus, will not have to isolate for 14 days?
Did I get that wrong, or did he really say that in all seriousness?
What if you were closer but were both wearing masks?
Any spread betting on how many track and trace hoaxers will call Dominic Cummings to self-isolate? Seriously, this does sound like fraudsters can have lots of fun unless safequards are in place when the details emerge.
Ex partners, tradespeople who ripped you off, the policeman who arrested you, business competitors, mates (just a prank, why not)......
Any spread betting on how many track and trace hoaxers will call Dominic Cummings to self-isolate? Seriously, this does sound like fraudsters can have lots of fun unless safequards are in place when the details emerge.
Ex partners, tradespeople who ripped you off, the policeman who arrested you, business competitors, mates (just a prank, why not)......
I'd be interested to see what the penalties will be for that.
Any spread betting on how many track and trace hoaxers will call Dominic Cummings to self-isolate? Seriously, this does sound like fraudsters can have lots of fun unless safequards are in place when the details emerge.
Ex partners, tradespeople who ripped you off, the policeman who arrested you, business competitors, mates (just a prank, why not)......
I'd be interested to see what the penalties will be for that.
Presumably it will treated like perjury.
No-one will have time to enforce it. Im not recommending any of this by the way, just pointing out that all the above will happen.
First like the UK in all sorts of comparison tables.
But at least groups of six can soon travel to the Scottish border, to moon house-bound Scots....
I assume you lads involved in this high minded expression of liberty will be taking a detour to Barnard Castle to test your eyesight, just to make sure you can tell your arses from your elbows.
Any spread betting on how many track and trace hoaxers will call Dominic Cummings to self-isolate? Seriously, this does sound like fraudsters can have lots of fun unless safequards are in place when the details emerge.
Ex partners, tradespeople who ripped you off, the policeman who arrested you, business competitors, mates (just a prank, why not)......
I'd be interested to see what the penalties will be for that.
Presumably it will treated like perjury.
No-one will have time to enforce it. Im not recommending any of this by the way, just pointing out that all the above will happen.
It's true, some things in society rely on its members not acting like complete morons.
OT this BBC Scotland documentary on "Silicon Glen," the cluster of high-tech firms that developed on the west coast of Scotland when IBM opened a plant at Greenock in the 1950s, is worth watching on iplayer. Lots of footage of proper computers with das Blinkenlights, punch cards and reel-to-reel tape, and remniscences from workers.
It also reminds us, without labouring the point, of jobs for life, and how shop floor workers could be trained for technical or managerial roles, and sent around the world.
The programme shows how IBM landed on Greenock almost by chance, and the influence of Hector McNeil MP (although the programme does not mention McNeil's former PS, Guy Burgess of the Cambridge spy ring) in persuading IBM.
I have a question to those who closely followed the press conference: Did Prof. Whitty really just say that when approached by a contact tracer, and you tell them that you haven't been closer than 2m to the disease transmitter, you will not be considered a contact and, thus, will not have to isolate for 14 days?
Did I get that wrong, or did he really say that in all seriousness?
What if you were closer but were both wearing masks?
And how are people expected to know for certain that it was 2.0m instead of 1.9m?
But the more pertinent question may be, how likely is it that someone who isn't all that keen on 14 days of isolation and being registered with authorities as a possible case, will be completely honest?
And how sensible is it to point out this 'loophole' to everyone in advance?
I have a question to those who closely followed the press conference: Did Prof. Whitty really just say that when approached by a contact tracer, and you tell them that you haven't been closer than 2m to the disease transmitter, you will not be considered a contact and, thus, will not have to isolate for 14 days?
Did I get that wrong, or did he really say that in all seriousness?
What if you were closer but were both wearing masks?
And how are people expected to know for certain that it was 2.0m instead of 1.9m?
But the more pertinent question may be, how likely is it that someone who isn't all that keen on 14 days of isolation and being registered with authorities as a possible case, will be completely honest?
Its voluntary anyway. You have to but dont really. It is the governments preferred way for some reason......I cant think why.
I have a question to those who closely followed the press conference: Did Prof. Whitty really just say that when approached by a contact tracer, and you tell them that you haven't been closer than 2m to the disease transmitter, you will not be considered a contact and, thus, will not have to isolate for 14 days?
Did I get that wrong, or did he really say that in all seriousness?
What if you were closer but were both wearing masks?
And how are people expected to know for certain that it was 2.0m instead of 1.9m?
But the more pertinent question may be, how likely is it that someone who isn't all that keen on 14 days of isolation and being registered with authorities as a possible case, will be completely honest?
If the objective of the program is to have 100% success rate at isolating individuals with even the slightest risk of infection that might be important.
Thankfully, they can probably get away with a lower success rate and still keep infection reasonably under control.
Does anyone know whether This House is going to be available on YouTube for a week like the other NT broadcasts? I did a quick search but I can't see mention of how long it will be available for.
I went to see it at the National Theatre when I was working in London - one of the best productions I have ever seen, so keen to see it again on TV.
First like the UK in all sorts of comparison tables.
But at least groups of six can soon travel to the Scottish border, to moon house-bound Scots....
I assume you lads involved in this high minded expression of liberty will be taking a detour to Barnard Castle to test your eyesight, just to make sure you can tell your arses from your elbows.
It's also curious how he assumes that things will necessarily be worse in Scotland. He just comes out with it, he can't help himself. Though the moths are nice.
Any spread betting on how many track and trace hoaxers will call Dominic Cummings to self-isolate? Seriously, this does sound like fraudsters can have lots of fun unless safequards are in place when the details emerge.
Ex partners, tradespeople who ripped you off, the policeman who arrested you, business competitors, mates (just a prank, why not)......
Yes. This is England. 2 fingers to the world and 9 creme eggs up our arse. ✊
Any spread betting on how many track and trace hoaxers will call Dominic Cummings to self-isolate? Seriously, this does sound like fraudsters can have lots of fun unless safequards are in place when the details emerge.
As it appears he has had it wouldn't that be a waste of time, assuming antibodies exist?
I have a question to those who closely followed the press conference: Did Prof. Whitty really just say that when approached by a contact tracer, and you tell them that you haven't been closer than 2m to the disease transmitter, you will not be considered a contact and, thus, will not have to isolate for 14 days?
Did I get that wrong, or did he really say that in all seriousness?
What if you were closer but were both wearing masks?
And how are people expected to know for certain that it was 2.0m instead of 1.9m?
But the more pertinent question may be, how likely is it that someone who isn't all that keen on 14 days of isolation and being registered with authorities as a possible case, will be completely honest?
And how sensible is it to point out this 'loophole' to everyone in advance?
Actually they dont tell you who you have been in contact with, so it must be the ill person who decides the distance, not you.
First like the UK in all sorts of comparison tables.
But at least groups of six can soon travel to the Scottish border, to moon house-bound Scots....
I assume you lads involved in this high minded expression of liberty will be taking a detour to Barnard Castle to test your eyesight, just to make sure you can tell your arses from your elbows.
It's also curious how he assumes that things will necessarily be worse in Scotland. He just comes out with it, he can't help himself. Though the moths are nice.
Given that construction sites are not yet open in Scotland and can only open on Monday for site preparation with no date for retail to open - its not without foundation.
Any spread betting on how many track and trace hoaxers will call Dominic Cummings to self-isolate? Seriously, this does sound like fraudsters can have lots of fun unless safequards are in place when the details emerge.
As it appears he has had it that wouldn't that be a waste of time, assuming antibodies exist?
Mr C indeed claims he has had it. Did he say he was ever tested?
First like the UK in all sorts of comparison tables.
But at least groups of six can soon travel to the Scottish border, to moon house-bound Scots....
I assume you lads involved in this high minded expression of liberty will be taking a detour to Barnard Castle to test your eyesight, just to make sure you can tell your arses from your elbows.
It's also curious how he assumes that things will necessarily be worse in Scotland. He just comes out with it, he can't help himself. Though the moths are nice.
Given that construction sites are not yet open in Scotland and can only open on Monday for site preparation with no date for retail to open - its not without foundation.
Some people will feel that that is actually better/safer - given that Ro average in England is no better than Scotland, 0.82 wasn't it, under the current rules.
Any spread betting on how many track and trace hoaxers will call Dominic Cummings to self-isolate? Seriously, this does sound like fraudsters can have lots of fun unless safequards are in place when the details emerge.
As it appears he has had it that wouldn't that be a waste of time, assuming antibodies exist?
The advice is you "have" to self isolate, even if you have had a confirmed case, or tested for and found antibodies.
First like the UK in all sorts of comparison tables.
But at least groups of six can soon travel to the Scottish border, to moon house-bound Scots....
I assume you lads involved in this high minded expression of liberty will be taking a detour to Barnard Castle to test your eyesight, just to make sure you can tell your arses from your elbows.
It's also curious how he assumes that things will necessarily be worse in Scotland. He just comes out with it, he can't help himself. Though the moths are nice.
Given that construction sites are not yet open in Scotland and can only open on Monday for site preparation with no date for retail to open - its not without foundation.
That's true, but they picked entirely the wrong example to illustrate it for the reasons outlined in my previous post.
The Prime Minister's announcement on outdoor gatherings is a fine example of the law catching up with reality. It's been honoured more in the breach than the observance in my part of London since Easter in all honesty and certainly since the VE Day holiday.
It changes nothing except to recognise a reality. Unfortunately we aren't seeing the slides on passenger numbers but, and I stress this is anecdotal, I saw a tube travelling east from and one travelling west to East Ham and counted six passengers in total on the two services.
Buses are also quiet and much quieter than normal.
Good to case the number of new cases nicely below 2000 but the death numbers perhaps not quite so inspiring. As others have said, public compliance with and confidence in lockdown has been eroded so all Johnson can do is bend with the tide and ease further rightly or wrongly.
It will be interesting to see school attendances next week and I imagine the decision to re-start the PL season will have been well received in Downing Street. If people have racing and football to watch they'll be too busy to be unpleasant to Government Ministers and advisers.
I have a question to those who closely followed the press conference: Did Prof. Whitty really just say that when approached by a contact tracer, and you tell them that you haven't been closer than 2m to the disease transmitter, you will not be considered a contact and, thus, will not have to isolate for 14 days?
Did I get that wrong, or did he really say that in all seriousness?
I thought all this was going to be done anonymously - that no one would be told the identity of the person infected. Indeed, surely data protection would prevent that?
If so, you can't quibble about the details because you don't know who or what occasion they're talking about.
I have a question to those who closely followed the press conference: Did Prof. Whitty really just say that when approached by a contact tracer, and you tell them that you haven't been closer than 2m to the disease transmitter, you will not be considered a contact and, thus, will not have to isolate for 14 days?
Did I get that wrong, or did he really say that in all seriousness?
I thought all this was going to be done anonymously - that no one would be told the identity of the person infected. Indeed, surely data protection would prevent that?
If so, you can't quibble about the details because you don't know who or what occasion they're talking about.
In theory correct, but Id be able to have a very good guess at identifying the person if I had been called up to now, as the possible sample is just 1 person. I could of course have been incorrectly identified by mistake or sabotage so I couldnt be sure.
The Prime Minister's announcement on outdoor gatherings is a fine example of the law catching up with reality. It's been honoured more in the breach than the observance in my part of London since Easter in all honesty and certainly since the VE Day holiday.
It changes nothing except to recognise a reality. Unfortunately we aren't seeing the slides on passenger numbers but, and I stress this is anecdotal, I saw a tube travelling east from and one travelling west to East Ham and counted six passengers in total on the two services.
Buses are also quiet and much quieter than normal.
Good to case the number of new cases nicely below 2000 but the death numbers perhaps not quite so inspiring. As others have said, public compliance with and confidence in lockdown has been eroded so all Johnson can do is bend with the tide and ease further rightly or wrongly.
It will be interesting to see school attendances next week and I imagine the decision to re-start the PL season will have been well received in Downing Street. If people have racing and football to watch they'll be too busy to be unpleasant to Government Ministers and advisers.
That's interesting. Around here (Red Wall) I have seen nothing of the sort breaking guidance beyond a couple of incidents via the newspaper and maybe one whilst out on the bike.
Trains, buses really quiet. More cars around.
I have just had a couple of friends around for distanced tea / coffee.
Though one of our Ashfield Independent Councillors (Deputy Leader) is in stuck for parking his caravan across both halves of a shared drive, blocking his neighbours ease of exit in case of fire. Moron. That will go straight up the nose of a lot of locals. Tom Hollis for the high jump.
First like the UK in all sorts of comparison tables.
But at least groups of six can soon travel to the Scottish border, to moon house-bound Scots....
I assume you lads involved in this high minded expression of liberty will be taking a detour to Barnard Castle to test your eyesight, just to make sure you can tell your arses from your elbows.
It's also curious how he assumes that things will necessarily be worse in Scotland. He just comes out with it, he can't help himself. Though the moths are nice.
Given that construction sites are not yet open in Scotland and can only open on Monday for site preparation with no date for retail to open - its not without foundation.
Some people will feel that that is actually better/safer - given that Ro average in England is no better than Scotland, 0.82 wasn't it, under the current rules.
The R number is (a) an educated guess and (b) in all likelihood being grossly distorted by hospitals and care homes. The rate of transmission in the wider community is probably a very long way from 1, which is why the deaths and hospitalisations are still trickling steadily downwards - despite both the gradual easing of the official lockdown, and the likelihood that large numbers of people have been meeting up with friends and family since at least the VE Day bank holiday if not before.
Will this continue? I think we'll have a better idea by July, after the mass re-opening of the shops, but I am feeling cautiously optimistic for a change. Perhaps the theories about much of the population having reduced or zero susceptibility to the virus will turn out to be true?
All non partisans will know Whitty and Valance think Cummings broke the rules and should have apologised/resigned/been sacked. We dont necessarily need them to say it.
Them not wanting to be drawn into the political debate whilst they are in their professional roles during a crisis is completely genuine and probably should be respected.
They will damn Cummings and give their real thoughts when the inquiry comes or in their memoirs.
That's interesting. Around here (Red Wall) I have seen nothing of the sort beyond a couple of incidents via the newspaper.
I have just had a couple of friends around for distanced tea / coffee.
Though one of our Ashfield Independent Councillors (Deputy Leader) is in stuck for parking his caravan across both halves of a shared drive, blocking his neighbours ease of exit in case of fire. Moron. Tom Hollis for the high jump.
Perhaps I wasn't entirely clear, Matt. Groups of primarily young men have been walking round the streets for a number of weeks but, as you say, the majority have been playing by the rules though I think said rules have been increasingly bent since VE Day.
I also have the sense the Police were initially quite proactive in clearing the local parks but have been much less so since Easter.
"This article has been amended to take into account a one-off revision to Spanish data on Thursday. This meant the UK now has the second-highest death rate from coronavirus after Spain rather than the highest rate as originally reported. This article has been modified to replace a chart linking excess deaths to lockdown dates with one linking excess deaths per million."
One-off LOL. Many countries will do it, as we all know because inconsistencies have been reported.
How to faceplant, demonstrated. A pity - they were one of the better sources.
All non partisans will know Whitty and Valance think Cummings broke the rules and should have apologised/resigned/been sacked. We dont necessarily need them to say it.
Them not wanting to be drawn into the political debate whilst they are in their professional roles during a crisis is completely genuine and probably should be respected.
They will damn Cummings and give their real thoughts when the inquiry comes or in their memoirs.
Robinson has moved on since he acquired his nick-name.
"This article has been amended to take into account a one-off revision to Spanish data on Thursday. This meant the UK now has the second-highest death rate from coronavirus after Spain rather than the highest rate as originally reported. This article has been modified to replace a chart linking excess deaths to lockdown dates with one linking excess deaths per million."
One-off LOL. Many countries will do it, as we all know because inconsistencies have been reported.
How to faceplant, demonstrated. A pity - they were one of the better sources.
Not completely corrected:
The FT analysis shows that the UK's excess deaths figure remains the highest whether younger people are excluded or the analysis is limited to pensioners.
"This article has been amended to take into account a one-off revision to Spanish data on Thursday. This meant the UK now has the second-highest death rate from coronavirus after Spain rather than the highest rate as originally reported. This article has been modified to replace a chart linking excess deaths to lockdown dates with one linking excess deaths per million."
One-off LOL. Many countries will do it, as we all know because inconsistencies have been reported.
How to faceplant, demonstrated. A pity - they were one of the better sources.
International comparisons on this are really hard, there will be PHDs done trying to make them more accurate for the next decade. It is very unlikely comparisons that hit the press have much accuracy or context in them.
First like the UK in all sorts of comparison tables.
But at least groups of six can soon travel to the Scottish border, to moon house-bound Scots....
I assume you lads involved in this high minded expression of liberty will be taking a detour to Barnard Castle to test your eyesight, just to make sure you can tell your arses from your elbows.
It's also curious how he assumes that things will necessarily be worse in Scotland. He just comes out with it, he can't help himself. Though the moths are nice.
Given that construction sites are not yet open in Scotland and can only open on Monday for site preparation with no date for retail to open - its not without foundation.
Some people will feel that that is actually better/safer - given that Ro average in England is no better than Scotland, 0.82 wasn't it, under the current rules.
The R number is (a) an educated guess and (b) in all likelihood being grossly distorted by hospitals and care homes. The rate of transmission in the wider community is probably a very long way from 1, which is why the deaths and hospitalisations are still trickling steadily downwards - despite both the gradual easing of the official lockdown, and the likelihood that large numbers of people have been meeting up with friends and family since at least the VE Day bank holiday if not before.
Will this continue? I think we'll have a better idea by July, after the mass re-opening of the shops, but I am feeling cautiously optimistic for a change. Perhaps the theories about much of the population having reduced or zero susceptibility to the virus will turn out to be true?
The problem is that if a large percentage of the population weren't susceptible, then R0 - which after all has been estimated by how fast the virus spreads in real populations - would have to be correspondingly larger.
Suppose you wanted only 10% to be susceptible, so that the 7% that have apparently been infected would be enough to take R below 1. That means R0 would have to be not 2.4, but 10 times larger. It would have to be 24, and only look like 2.4 because only a tenth of the people who would have been infected were susceptible.
But there isn't a virus known that has an R0 anywhere near that high. Measles has one of about 15. And it's very doubtful whether the kind of contact tracing that has been done with coronavirus in some countries would be feasible with an R0 of 24. For example measles can infect people who enter a room where someone infectious has been several hours earlier.
And of course we know of a coronavirus superspreader event in which nearly 90% of the people present were infected.
The problem is that if a large percentage of the population weren't susceptible, then R0 - which after all has been estimated by how fast the virus spreads in real populations - would have to be correspondingly larger.
Ignorant question: if R was very high among the susceptible, but low for everyone else, would not the published R figure be an average over the whole population?
Actually, re-reading your comment - I think you explained that; R would have to be unfeasibly high.
Boris dropped a clanger at the press conference...BBQs are now ok...there is no way everybody will be there maintaining social distance, carefully wiping down all plates and.glasses and when you go for a whizz INSIDE..
First like the UK in all sorts of comparison tables.
But at least groups of six can soon travel to the Scottish border, to moon house-bound Scots....
I assume you lads involved in this high minded expression of liberty will be taking a detour to Barnard Castle to test your eyesight, just to make sure you can tell your arses from your elbows.
It's also curious how he assumes that things will necessarily be worse in Scotland. He just comes out with it, he can't help himself. Though the moths are nice.
Given that construction sites are not yet open in Scotland and can only open on Monday for site preparation with no date for retail to open - its not without foundation.
Some people will feel that that is actually better/safer - given that Ro average in England is no better than Scotland, 0.82 wasn't it, under the current rules.
The R number is (a) an educated guess and (b) in all likelihood being grossly distorted by hospitals and care homes. The rate of transmission in the wider community is probably a very long way from 1, which is why the deaths and hospitalisations are still trickling steadily downwards - despite both the gradual easing of the official lockdown, and the likelihood that large numbers of people have been meeting up with friends and family since at least the VE Day bank holiday if not before.
Will this continue? I think we'll have a better idea by July, after the mass re-opening of the shops, but I am feeling cautiously optimistic for a change. Perhaps the theories about much of the population having reduced or zero susceptibility to the virus will turn out to be true?
I did find that theory (that many of us have a natural immunity, possibly linked to repeated exposure to the common cold coronaviruses) plausible and one of those that really attracted me. Of course, the "and actually the death rate is one in ten thousand" was obvious mince - even one in one thousand was obviously overoptimistic, but the core idea of people throwing it off without needing to generate antibodies (possibly linked with mild doses) seemed possible.
Everyone who has had it at all, even mildly or asymptomatically, has produced antibodies(*). It's not very plausible to go from that finding to the hoped-for possibility that many of us are naturally immune, sadly. Unless some very clear evidence to the contrary comes up, of course.
(*) - Actually, there was one out of 160 who didn't register antibodies. Given the 99.4% illness-to-antibodies result, it's vastly more likely that this was a double false negative than an actual non-antibody-immunity. Even if not, a sub-one-percent natural immunity rate isn't that helpful overall.
Boris dropped a clanger at the press conference...BBQs are now ok...there is no way everybody will be there maintaining social distance, carefully wiping down all plates and.glasses and when you go for a whizz INSIDE..
This presupposes that most of the people who were going to go round friends' homes for BBQs haven't already been doing so for weeks during the sunniest Spring ever recorded in the UK. The formal announcement may turn out to make very little difference to anything.
First like the UK in all sorts of comparison tables.
But at least groups of six can soon travel to the Scottish border, to moon house-bound Scots....
I assume you lads involved in this high minded expression of liberty will be taking a detour to Barnard Castle to test your eyesight, just to make sure you can tell your arses from your elbows.
It's also curious how he assumes that things will necessarily be worse in Scotland. He just comes out with it, he can't help himself. Though the moths are nice.
Given that construction sites are not yet open in Scotland and can only open on Monday for site preparation with no date for retail to open - its not without foundation.
Some people will feel that that is actually better/safer - given that Ro average in England is no better than Scotland, 0.82 wasn't it, under the current rules.
The R number is (a) an educated guess and (b) in all likelihood being grossly distorted by hospitals and care homes. The rate of transmission in the wider community is probably a very long way from 1, which is why the deaths and hospitalisations are still trickling steadily downwards - despite both the gradual easing of the official lockdown, and the likelihood that large numbers of people have been meeting up with friends and family since at least the VE Day bank holiday if not before.
Will this continue? I think we'll have a better idea by July, after the mass re-opening of the shops, but I am feeling cautiously optimistic for a change. Perhaps the theories about much of the population having reduced or zero susceptibility to the virus will turn out to be true?
I did find that theory (that many of us have a natural immunity, possibly linked to repeated exposure to the common cold coronaviruses) plausible and one of those that really attracted me. Of course, the "and actually the death rate is one in ten thousand" was obvious mince - even one in one thousand was obviously overoptimistic, but the core idea of people throwing it off without needing to generate antibodies (possibly linked with mild doses) seemed possible.
Everyone who has had it at all, even mildly or asymptomatically, has produced antibodies(*). It's not very plausible to go from that finding to the hoped-for possibility that many of us are naturally immune, sadly. Unless some very clear evidence to the contrary comes up, of course.
(*) - Actually, there was one out of 160 who didn't register antibodies. Given the 99.4% illness-to-antibodies result, it's vastly more likely that this was a double false negative than an actual non-antibody-immunity. Even if not, a sub-one-percent natural immunity rate isn't that helpful overall.
However, this finding was encouraging for evidence that infection provides immunity (at least for a while):
"The neutralizing activity of the antibodies increased overtime"
Bit puzzled... watched the press briefing but didn’t hear any mention of the alert level being dropped from 4 to 3, which the PM said last night they would be looking at today. Did I miss that being announced? I did miss part of the response to Preston on the 2m separation so it could have been then.
Deputy Mayor of Liverpool is probably just in the top 2000 political jobs in the country, but not top 1000.
Chief Advisor to the PM is in the top 10 political jobs in the country.
Pathetic whataboutery to pretend they should be treated the same, and if they arent its because of a north south bias!
She is an elected politician, yes they should treated equally (as in neither should lose their jobs).
I don't believe it is actually north/south bias, it is left/right bias.
So if a Labour local parish councillor breaks the rules it should be on newsnight because they are all elected politicians? Its a view but not one anyone is going to believe you seriously hold.
So if a Labour local parish councillor breaks the rules it should be on newsnight because they are all elected politicians? Its a view but not one anyone is going to believe you seriously hold.
The MSM tends to report it front and centre when minor figures on the right do stupid things.
Bit puzzled... watched the press briefing but didn’t hear any mention of the alert level being dropped from 4 to 3, which the PM said last night they would be looking at today. Did I miss that being announced? I did miss part of the response to Preston on the 2m separation so it could have been then.
I could be wrong but dont think it was explicitly mentioned in terms of alert level 3, but he did say the 5 conditions to get there are now met.
First like the UK in all sorts of comparison tables.
But at least groups of six can soon travel to the Scottish border, to moon house-bound Scots....
I assume you lads involved in this high minded expression of liberty will be taking a detour to Barnard Castle to test your eyesight, just to make sure you can tell your arses from your elbows.
It's also curious how he assumes that things will necessarily be worse in Scotland. He just comes out with it, he can't help himself. Though the moths are nice.
Given that construction sites are not yet open in Scotland and can only open on Monday for site preparation with no date for retail to open - its not without foundation.
Some people will feel that that is actually better/safer - given that Ro average in England is no better than Scotland, 0.82 wasn't it, under the current rules.
The R number is (a) an educated guess and (b) in all likelihood being grossly distorted by hospitals and care homes. The rate of transmission in the wider community is probably a very long way from 1, which is why the deaths and hospitalisations are still trickling steadily downwards - despite both the gradual easing of the official lockdown, and the likelihood that large numbers of people have been meeting up with friends and family since at least the VE Day bank holiday if not before.
Will this continue? I think we'll have a better idea by July, after the mass re-opening of the shops, but I am feeling cautiously optimistic for a change. Perhaps the theories about much of the population having reduced or zero susceptibility to the virus will turn out to be true?
I did find that theory (that many of us have a natural immunity, possibly linked to repeated exposure to the common cold coronaviruses) plausible and one of those that really attracted me. Of course, the "and actually the death rate is one in ten thousand" was obvious mince - even one in one thousand was obviously overoptimistic, but the core idea of people throwing it off without needing to generate antibodies (possibly linked with mild doses) seemed possible.
Everyone who has had it at all, even mildly or asymptomatically, has produced antibodies(*). It's not very plausible to go from that finding to the hoped-for possibility that many of us are naturally immune, sadly. Unless some very clear evidence to the contrary comes up, of course.
(*) - Actually, there was one out of 160 who didn't register antibodies. Given the 99.4% illness-to-antibodies result, it's vastly more likely that this was a double false negative than an actual non-antibody-immunity. Even if not, a sub-one-percent natural immunity rate isn't that helpful overall.
Of course, if everyone is susceptible to infection then that just brings us back to the question of why it is that the deaths and hospitalisations are continuing to trend downwards, even though (i) the easing of lockdown measures has commenced and (ii) there is plenty of anecdotal evidence, along with the actual ongoing increases in road traffic, to suggest that people are travelling more (and, consequently, that social contacts have in all likelihood increased.) It presumably isn't some magical effect caused by the nice weather, because it's not as if April was cold and wet.
If the vast majority of the population is both vulnerable to the disease and hasn't yet had it, then we should have seen cases starting to trend upwards again by now. Especially in London, where the numbers of new cases and the rate of transmission seem to have fallen to especially low levels relative to other regions, despite its particularly high population density. So, what's going on?
Boris dropped a clanger at the press conference...BBQs are now ok...there is no way everybody will be there maintaining social distance, carefully wiping down all plates and.glasses and when you go for a whizz INSIDE..
Oh give over, people are already doing this and won't live like Trappist Monks forever.
Sensible to keep relaxing lockdown as sensibly as possible and if the advice is that outdoors is better than indoors then better to have people outside in each others gardens enjoying the summer and having a barbecue than to be inside shopping complexes because they're open and you're bored out of your mind and shopping is a leisure activity permitted.
If plates, glasses and social distancing from your friends while you go inside for a whizz are your greatest risks then you're doing well - I'm sure browsing the supermarket carries greater risk.
So if a Labour local parish councillor breaks the rules it should be on newsnight because they are all elected politicians? Its a view but not one anyone is going to believe you seriously hold.
The MSM tends to report it front and centre when minor figures on the right do stupid things.
DC isn't even a politician, he is an employee.
Like Ed Miliband eating a bacon sandwich? If you are correct, it will be because the Tories have almost twice the number of MPs as Labour, and their MPs are more powerful than Labours, so they are more newsworthy.
Id imagine most Labour fans would be quite happy to have more power and attention and scrutiny that comes with it. Are you wanting the right to have less power, or just keep the power but drop the scrutiny?
Boris dropped a clanger at the press conference...BBQs are now ok...there is no way everybody will be there maintaining social distance, carefully wiping down all plates and.glasses and when you go for a whizz INSIDE..
Oh give over, people are already doing this and won't live like Trappist Monks forever.
Sensible to keep relaxing lockdown as sensibly as possible and if the advice is that outdoors is better than indoors then better to have people outside in each others gardens enjoying the summer and having a barbecue than to be inside shopping complexes because they're open and you're bored out of your mind and shopping is a leisure activity permitted.
If plates, glasses and social distancing from your friends while you go inside for a whizz are your greatest risks then you're doing well - I'm sure browsing the supermarket carries greater risk.
I met someone today in a local supermarket who prior to today hadn’t been out for twelve weeks.
Comments
What a difference from last year when Bozo was desperate to throw away his majority.
Bad as things may have been in the UK, they never got that bad...
Now as short as 1/12 in a place.
Ladbrokes: 4/1 go, 1/7 stay
PP/Betfair: 5/1 go, 1/10 stay
Starsports: 11/2 go, 1/12 stay
Scotland explicitly says no more than 2 households at a time.
My interpretation of the England rules recognises that although households must keep 2m apart, there is not necessarily a max of 2 households but that the test is applied at a max of 6 people.
EG
Household A 1 person
Household B 2 persons
Household C 3 people
So England more flexible in theory - but CHECK THE RULES!
Off topic: this would have been big news under other circumstances: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52841223
Should be a market on the last date when moron journos ask a Dom question.
UK wide = 0.82
Scotland = 0.82
NI = 1.19 (numerically an uptick of 5 cases/day in the 7dra)
Wales = 0.87
London = 0.75
Doubt it's going to get any better than that tbh. Looking at the German numbers in particular, it just isn't going to drop to some low figure that quickly wipes the virus down to nothing.
Did I get that wrong, or did he really say that in all seriousness?
It also reminds us, without labouring the point, of jobs for life, and how shop floor workers could be trained for technical or managerial roles, and sent around the world.
The programme shows how IBM landed on Greenock almost by chance, and the influence of Hector McNeil MP (although the programme does not mention McNeil's former PS, Guy Burgess of the Cambridge spy ring) in persuading IBM.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000jltz/silicon-glen-from-ships-to-microchips
Presumably it will treated like perjury.
Probably as better players than me might be in close contact for extended time in the centre of the fairways.
But the more pertinent question may be, how likely is it that someone who isn't all that keen on 14 days of isolation and being registered with authorities as a possible case, will be completely honest?
And how sensible is it to point out this 'loophole' to everyone in advance?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-52834491#
The combination of one rule for us, one rule for them and shop your neighbours on Police helplines
Thankfully, they can probably get away with a lower success rate and still keep infection reasonably under control.
I went to see it at the National Theatre when I was working in London - one of the best productions I have ever seen, so keen to see it again on TV.
Interesting new version of a FOIA request ...
Although its voluntary for everyone.
The Prime Minister's announcement on outdoor gatherings is a fine example of the law catching up with reality. It's been honoured more in the breach than the observance in my part of London since Easter in all honesty and certainly since the VE Day holiday.
It changes nothing except to recognise a reality. Unfortunately we aren't seeing the slides on passenger numbers but, and I stress this is anecdotal, I saw a tube travelling east from and one travelling west to East Ham and counted six passengers in total on the two services.
Buses are also quiet and much quieter than normal.
Good to case the number of new cases nicely below 2000 but the death numbers perhaps not quite so inspiring. As others have said, public compliance with and confidence in lockdown has been eroded so all Johnson can do is bend with the tide and ease further rightly or wrongly.
It will be interesting to see school attendances next week and I imagine the decision to re-start the PL season will have been well received in Downing Street. If people have racing and football to watch they'll be too busy to be unpleasant to Government Ministers and advisers.
If so, you can't quibble about the details because you don't know who or what occasion they're talking about.
https://twitter.com/bbcnickrobinson/status/1266050139891945473?s=20
Trains, buses really quiet. More cars around.
I have just had a couple of friends around for distanced tea / coffee.
Though one of our Ashfield Independent Councillors (Deputy Leader) is in stuck for parking his caravan across both halves of a shared drive, blocking his neighbours ease of exit in case of fire. Moron. That will go straight up the nose of a lot of locals. Tom Hollis for the high jump.
Will this continue? I think we'll have a better idea by July, after the mass re-opening of the shops, but I am feeling cautiously optimistic for a change. Perhaps the theories about much of the population having reduced or zero susceptibility to the virus will turn out to be true?
All non partisans will know Whitty and Valance think Cummings broke the rules and should have apologised/resigned/been sacked. We dont necessarily need them to say it.
Them not wanting to be drawn into the political debate whilst they are in their professional roles during a crisis is completely genuine and probably should be respected.
They will damn Cummings and give their real thoughts when the inquiry comes or in their memoirs.
I also have the sense the Police were initially quite proactive in clearing the local parks but have been much less so since Easter.
"This article has been amended to take into account a one-off revision to Spanish data on Thursday. This meant the UK now has the second-highest death rate from coronavirus after Spain rather than the highest rate as originally reported. This article has been modified to replace a chart linking excess deaths to lockdown dates with one linking excess deaths per million."
One-off LOL. Many countries will do it, as we all know because inconsistencies have been reported.
How to faceplant, demonstrated. A pity - they were one of the better sources.
He can go suck his lollipop.
The FT analysis shows that the UK's excess deaths figure remains the highest whether younger people are excluded or the analysis is limited to pensioners.
Suppose you wanted only 10% to be susceptible, so that the 7% that have apparently been infected would be enough to take R below 1. That means R0 would have to be not 2.4, but 10 times larger. It would have to be 24, and only look like 2.4 because only a tenth of the people who would have been infected were susceptible.
But there isn't a virus known that has an R0 anywhere near that high. Measles has one of about 15. And it's very doubtful whether the kind of contact tracing that has been done with coronavirus in some countries would be feasible with an R0 of 24. For example measles can infect people who enter a room where someone infectious has been several hours earlier.
And of course we know of a coronavirus superspreader event in which nearly 90% of the people present were infected.
Actually, re-reading your comment - I think you explained that; R would have to be unfeasibly high.
That Salford move isn't working then.
https://twitter.com/reuters/status/1266069224721510401?s=21
Although presumably Twitter would just delete his tweets rather than fact check them....
Chief Advisor to the PM is in the top 10 political jobs in the country.
Pathetic whataboutery to pretend they should be treated the same, and if they arent its because of a north south bias!
I suppose there's the small point the Deputy Mayor of Liverpool isn't quite as powerful as the PM's principal adviser, would you say?
Of course, the "and actually the death rate is one in ten thousand" was obvious mince - even one in one thousand was obviously overoptimistic, but the core idea of people throwing it off without needing to generate antibodies (possibly linked with mild doses) seemed possible.
Unfortunately, there's recently been a full-on study checking out everyone who's had even mild symptoms in a hospital in France here: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.19.20101832v2
Everyone who has had it at all, even mildly or asymptomatically, has produced antibodies(*). It's not very plausible to go from that finding to the hoped-for possibility that many of us are naturally immune, sadly. Unless some very clear evidence to the contrary comes up, of course.
(*) - Actually, there was one out of 160 who didn't register antibodies. Given the 99.4% illness-to-antibodies result, it's vastly more likely that this was a double false negative than an actual non-antibody-immunity. Even if not, a sub-one-percent natural immunity rate isn't that helpful overall.
I don't believe it is actually north/south bias, it is left/right bias.
Evening all.
"The neutralizing activity of the antibodies increased overtime"
If the Labour deputy mayor has to answer to anyone, I suggest we leave it to the voters.
DC isn't even a politician, he is an employee.
If the vast majority of the population is both vulnerable to the disease and hasn't yet had it, then we should have seen cases starting to trend upwards again by now. Especially in London, where the numbers of new cases and the rate of transmission seem to have fallen to especially low levels relative to other regions, despite its particularly high population density. So, what's going on?
Sensible to keep relaxing lockdown as sensibly as possible and if the advice is that outdoors is better than indoors then better to have people outside in each others gardens enjoying the summer and having a barbecue than to be inside shopping complexes because they're open and you're bored out of your mind and shopping is a leisure activity permitted.
If plates, glasses and social distancing from your friends while you go inside for a whizz are your greatest risks then you're doing well - I'm sure browsing the supermarket carries greater risk.
Id imagine most Labour fans would be quite happy to have more power and attention and scrutiny that comes with it. Are you wanting the right to have less power, or just keep the power but drop the scrutiny?
She lives alone.
She said life had not been pleasant.