I can't get a haircut, go to any number of shops, have a cup of tea in cafe, travel any distance from my house, or go out for pretty much any reason other than exercise or propping up elderly relatives. Most importantly, children aren't in school.
Given that, journalists asking about going on holiday is ... rather annoying.
It will be quite close, but I think the government should beat the target by approx 300k, assuming no more acceleration. It might reach 15 million by Sunday without requiring the final counting day on Monday.
If it has a bumper weekend, it could smash the target.
Having spoken to staff at the vaccine site in Bath, I now believe we are trying hard to ensure NO-ONE in categories 1-4 has not had the chance of a jab by the 15th, to prevent the inevitable wankers in the media proclaiming Government lies about vaccination, when they claim to have done all in 1-4. (Awful sentence construction...). They could clearly have done many more in Bath this week, but I think they are holding back from calling say over 65 or over 60s up until the 1-4 are complete.
That would be a little disappointing. More death and disease would be prevented by getting on with some of groups 5-6 now, but if you're right then politics is causing them to do the suboptimal thing. At least it's not a huge difference and hopefully they will be increasing the rate soon.
On a personal note, one (not very close) member of my family is now on a ventilator, and being considered for ECMO. He's only 40, wife and two kids.
It will be quite close, but I think the government should beat the target by approx 300k, assuming no more acceleration. It might reach 15 million by Sunday without requiring the final counting day on Monday.
If it has a bumper weekend, it could smash the target.
Having spoken to staff at the vaccine site in Bath, I now believe we are trying hard to ensure NO-ONE in categories 1-4 has not had the chance of a jab by the 15th, to prevent the inevitable wankers in the media proclaiming Government lies about vaccination, when they claim to have done all in 1-4. (Awful sentence construction...). They could clearly have done many more in Bath this week, but I think they are holding back from calling say over 65 or over 60s up until the 1-4 are complete.
My GP sent out a notice asking anyone in group (tier? cohort? what is the correct term?) 5 to get in touch.
It will be quite close, but I think the government should beat the target by approx 300k, assuming no more acceleration. It might reach 15 million by Sunday without requiring the final counting day on Monday.
If it has a bumper weekend, it could smash the target.
Having spoken to staff at the vaccine site in Bath, I now believe we are trying hard to ensure NO-ONE in categories 1-4 has not had the chance of a jab by the 15th, to prevent the inevitable wankers in the media proclaiming Government lies about vaccination, when they claim to have done all in 1-4. (Awful sentence construction...). They could clearly have done many more in Bath this week, but I think they are holding back from calling say over 65 or over 60s up until the 1-4 are complete.
That would be a little disappointing. More death and disease would be prevented by getting on with some of groups 5-6 now, but if you're right then politics is causing them to do the suboptimal thing. At least it's not a huge difference and hopefully they will be increasing the rate soon.
On a personal note, one (not very close) member of my family is now on a ventilator, and being considered for ECMO. He's only 40, wife and two kids.
You have a chance to ask a question directly to the PM and the country's top boffin. A very privileged position.
Do you ask about vaccine efficacy? Do you ask about new variants? Do you ask about safeguards, the functionality of Test & Trace or secondary impacts on the functioning of the NHS? No. You say "When can I book my summer holiday?" That's what is wrong with it.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam has claimed it's 'perfectly possible' the UK will be giving coronavirus vaccines to children by the end of the year.
Get those little plague spreaders jabbed....
Vaccinations for children have carried on during lockdown. We had the Y9s in (one at a time) a few weeks ago to get which ever jab they were due under normal circumstances.
Yep my son had his Yr 9 jabs a couple of weeks ago. All very efficient and quickly (and safely) done at the school. In and out in a few minutes.
I'm beginning to think we do vaccinations pretty well as a country. One of the big advantages of the NHS.
Did I read that in some countries they were insisting that it had to be a doctor doing it, or was that just my imagination (which is entirely possible)?
Yep I believe both France and Spain from what I have read on here.
Doctors are usually terrible at administering injections. Give me a nurse any day.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam has claimed it's 'perfectly possible' the UK will be giving coronavirus vaccines to children by the end of the year.
Get those little plague spreaders jabbed....
Vaccinations for children have carried on during lockdown. We had the Y9s in (one at a time) a few weeks ago to get which ever jab they were due under normal circumstances.
Yep my son had his Yr 9 jabs a couple of weeks ago. All very efficient and quickly (and safely) done at the school. In and out in a few minutes.
I'm beginning to think we do vaccinations pretty well as a country. One of the big advantages of the NHS.
Did I read that in some countries they were insisting that it had to be a doctor doing it, or was that just my imagination (which is entirely possible)?
IME the very last person you want doing any sort of injection or blood test is a doctor
It will be quite close, but I think the government should beat the target by approx 300k, assuming no more acceleration. It might reach 15 million by Sunday without requiring the final counting day on Monday.
If it has a bumper weekend, it could smash the target.
Having spoken to staff at the vaccine site in Bath, I now believe we are trying hard to ensure NO-ONE in categories 1-4 has not had the chance of a jab by the 15th, to prevent the inevitable wankers in the media proclaiming Government lies about vaccination, when they claim to have done all in 1-4. (Awful sentence construction...). They could clearly have done many more in Bath this week, but I think they are holding back from calling say over 65 or over 60s up until the 1-4 are complete.
They could mitigate that by opening it up to groups 5-6 and simultaneously launching an information campaign to reach anyone in the higher priority groups who hasn't yet been vaccinated, maybe with a mobile squad to come out to people who can't easily get to a vaccination centre.
It will be quite close, but I think the government should beat the target by approx 300k, assuming no more acceleration. It might reach 15 million by Sunday without requiring the final counting day on Monday.
If it has a bumper weekend, it could smash the target.
Having spoken to staff at the vaccine site in Bath, I now believe we are trying hard to ensure NO-ONE in categories 1-4 has not had the chance of a jab by the 15th, to prevent the inevitable wankers in the media proclaiming Government lies about vaccination, when they claim to have done all in 1-4. (Awful sentence construction...). They could clearly have done many more in Bath this week, but I think they are holding back from calling say over 65 or over 60s up until the 1-4 are complete.
That would be a little disappointing. More death and disease would be prevented by getting on with some of groups 5-6 now, but if you're right then politics is causing them to do the suboptimal thing. At least it's not a huge difference and hopefully they will be increasing the rate soon.
On a personal note, one (not very close) member of my family is now on a ventilator, and being considered for ECMO. He's only 40, wife and two kids.
--AS
Sorry to hear that and I hope they pull through. One of the reasons I was so happy to be jabbed today.
I'd love to be wrong about the jabbing, but it was really stark how quiet they were this week, and being directly told they wanted to drag people of the street to jab them.*
*Tricky - the racecourse is 3 miles out of Bath, but the thought stands!
I didn't see the presser but the idea that journalists shouldn't ask the question is:
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
This is a major issue that is exercising the mind of much of the public, and with good reason.
PBers has a hugely disproportion faction that aren't bothered about getting away.
Are people really clamouring for this? Polls suggest otherwise.
If my friends' WhatsApp group is anything to go by, absolutely.
People in low-risk groups 50 and under, and with families, are wanting to get away. Not now, but in the summer, even if it's within the UK.
It is absolutely valid that these questions are asked and that pressure is kept up on the government.
There is a hugely disproportionate representation on PB of people who are relatively sanguine about lockdown, aren't bothered about holidays and rarely get out much even in normal times.
The judgemental attitude on here is nauseating.
Nothing wrong with wanting a holiday – wanting something to look forward to.
I hope the questions continue to be asked, regularly.
Anecdotally I know several people in the 65-69 cohort in different health authorities now jabbed. How much double counting is there in the JCVI groupings I wonder.
You start to think that plenty of people with an age beginning 4 will be done next calendar month.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam has claimed it's 'perfectly possible' the UK will be giving coronavirus vaccines to children by the end of the year.
Get those little plague spreaders jabbed....
Vaccinations for children have carried on during lockdown. We had the Y9s in (one at a time) a few weeks ago to get which ever jab they were due under normal circumstances.
Yep my son had his Yr 9 jabs a couple of weeks ago. All very efficient and quickly (and safely) done at the school. In and out in a few minutes.
I'm beginning to think we do vaccinations pretty well as a country. One of the big advantages of the NHS.
Did I read that in some countries they were insisting that it had to be a doctor doing it, or was that just my imagination (which is entirely possible)?
Yep I believe both France and Spain from what I have read on here.
Doctors are usually terrible at administering injections. Give me a nurse any day.
The local heroin addict probably does a better job. My ex-gf is a doctor, when she was a student she said the actual doctors got the medical students to do anything with needles because they'd all forgotten how to do it.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam has claimed it's 'perfectly possible' the UK will be giving coronavirus vaccines to children by the end of the year.
Get those little plague spreaders jabbed....
Vaccinations for children have carried on during lockdown. We had the Y9s in (one at a time) a few weeks ago to get which ever jab they were due under normal circumstances.
Yep my son had his Yr 9 jabs a couple of weeks ago. All very efficient and quickly (and safely) done at the school. In and out in a few minutes.
I'm beginning to think we do vaccinations pretty well as a country. One of the big advantages of the NHS.
Did I read that in some countries they were insisting that it had to be a doctor doing it, or was that just my imagination (which is entirely possible)?
Yep I believe both France and Spain from what I have read on here.
Doctors are usually terrible at administering injections. Give me a nurse any day.
My favourite 'doctors being bad at a job' is phlebotomy. During my leukemia treatment I regularly had peripheral bloods taken. Easy with a line in, harder when they need to bleed a vein. Hospital phlebotomists, who have one job to do, many times a day, were routinely brilliant. Some doctors, not so much. One junior doc tried 5 (yes five) different locations to get about 10 mL of blood. Both arms, a foot, and two hands. Frankly embarassing.
It's a dumb question. Who on earth wants to go on a foreign holiday in the middle of a global pandemic?
A large fraction of the population, I would imagine - hence the endless questions.
Looks as if you can relax now after today's good news on AZN
I'm feeling more positive again about the vaccines, and to be honest I over-reacted when the bad news from South Africa came out. I think a lot of us are getting worn down by this, some at a faster rate than others. There have also been a lot of genuine setbacks throughout this rotten experience, and I keep expecting more to roll along.
On which topic - I remain concerned about the borders. No amount of good work here will help if we import a vaccine-evading variant and it runs amok.
I am pleased as you did seem very stressed but that is understandable
As far as our borders are concerned the predicted reduction to just 1,000 daily arrivals across the UK, with pre flight tests plus 2 test over 8 days, should be manageable
Now, I was under the impression that the thousand per day figure referred to the estimated number of incomers from the current red list countries, not the totality. I'm sure I read elsewhere that there's more like 10,000 per day still coming in through the airports. God alone knows who they all are, but regardless, it would be best to do what the Scottish Government has done and simply have quarantine for everyone.
It always bears repeating that lockdown is such a disaster that most means - including measures like prohibiting foreign holidays into the medium term, which will gut important parts of the economy - can be justified.
I didn't see the presser but the idea that journalists shouldn't ask the question is:
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
This is a major issue that is exercising the mind of much of the public, and with good reason.
PBers has a hugely disproportion faction that aren't bothered about getting away.
Are people really clamouring for this? Polls suggest otherwise.
If my friends' WhatsApp group is anything to go by, absolutely.
People in low-risk groups 50 and under, and with families, are wanting to get away. Not now, but in the summer, even if it's within the UK.
It is absolutely valid that these questions are asked and that pressure is kept up on the government.
There is a hugely disproportionate representation on PB of people who are relatively sanguine about lockdown, aren't bothered about holidays and rarely get out much even in normal times.
The judgemental attitude on here is nauseating.
Nothing wrong with wanting a holiday – wanting something to look forward to.
I hope the questions continue to be asked, regularly.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam has claimed it's 'perfectly possible' the UK will be giving coronavirus vaccines to children by the end of the year.
Get those little plague spreaders jabbed....
Vaccinations for children have carried on during lockdown. We had the Y9s in (one at a time) a few weeks ago to get which ever jab they were due under normal circumstances.
Yep my son had his Yr 9 jabs a couple of weeks ago. All very efficient and quickly (and safely) done at the school. In and out in a few minutes.
I'm beginning to think we do vaccinations pretty well as a country. One of the big advantages of the NHS.
Did I read that in some countries they were insisting that it had to be a doctor doing it, or was that just my imagination (which is entirely possible)?
IME the very last person you want doing any sort of injection or blood test is a doctor
Anaesthetists tend to be OK, though some are much better than others.
Bit annoyed with my university today. We are told that they "aspire" to return exam results within 20 working days however 20 working days have been and gone and it has been nothing but radio silence.
If I had missed an important customer deadline and not told them in advance there was going to be a problem I would have been sacked.
A short email this morning saying there was going to be a delay would have sufficed. Instead I've spent all day refreshing the results page for no reason.
Another day, another 12 thousand pounds worth of bitterness.
You have a chance to ask a question directly to the PM and the country's top boffin. A very privileged position.
Do you ask about vaccine efficacy? Do you ask about new variants? Do you ask about safeguards, the functionality of Test & Trace or secondary impacts on the functioning of the NHS? No. You say "When can I book my summer holiday?" That's what is wrong with it.
You ask all of those questions. Every day.
All are valid. The idea that people's road to freedom shouldn't be investigated is absolute nonsense.
Very persuasive mix of video and advocacy from the Dems impeachment team
It certainly seems like Trump's lawyers had a terrible day but the numbers are just not there. Only 1 more defector and even he seems unlikely to convict.
You have a chance to ask a question directly to the PM and the country's top boffin. A very privileged position.
Do you ask about vaccine efficacy? Do you ask about new variants? Do you ask about safeguards, the functionality of Test & Trace or secondary impacts on the functioning of the NHS? No. You say "When can I book my summer holiday?" That's what is wrong with it.
Yes, but vaccine efficacy and variant questions were asked anyway, so I'm not really seeing the issue. I prefer to see the journalists react to what other journalists have previously asked, rather than steadfastly asking the same question and eliciting the same answer.
But what's maybe more pertinent rather than hoilidays per se is just general freedoms, as someone said below you can't get a hair cut, can't go out for a meal or a gym session or a swim or meet someone else indoors or whatever.
Pretty reasonable at this stage that there should be pressure to define what the exit plan is, even if tat does just mean getting Boris to say "wait for the 22nd" again.
It's a dumb question. Who on earth wants to go on a foreign holiday in the middle of a global pandemic?
I do. I want to be somewhere hot.
Summer in Cape Town or Rio?
Obviously not, you do write some facetious shite.
How about France in June half term or Majorca in September? These are reasonable questions to ask even if the answer is no.
People who live somewhere they really love (eg Wales) are just not interested in holidays at all.
It seems it is mainly the Londoners who can't want to get out of the place & go on their skiing holidays or their cheap holiday in the Sun.
I don’t think that is true. Living in a holiday destination myself, I love spending the high summer here. But still look forward to travelling Europe in May and September, which are the best months to travel there anyway. My May trip is already booked (on free cancellation terms) and is right now looking distinctly 50:50.
Really interesting, thanks for posting. It does sound like great news, 68% efficacy against symptoms would be close to 100% efficacy against severe symptoms, hospitalisation and death. The government has been absolutely vindicated in its 12 week gap strategy IMO and from the 20th of Feb we'll begin to ramp up second doses as well further ensuring no chance of people being hospitalised.
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
I'd love to see data that mapped that question onto people's views on the world. Is it the Knights of Gammon who are the authoritarian lovers or the Warriors of Woke?
I didn't see the presser but the idea that journalists shouldn't ask the question is:
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
This is a major issue that is exercising the mind of much of the public, and with good reason.
PBers has a hugely disproportion faction that aren't bothered about getting away.
Are people really clamouring for this? Polls suggest otherwise.
If my friends' WhatsApp group is anything to go by, absolutely.
People in low-risk groups 50 and under, and with families, are wanting to get away. Not now, but in the summer, even if it's within the UK.
It is absolutely valid that these questions are asked and that pressure is kept up on the government.
There is a hugely disproportionate representation on PB of people who are relatively sanguine about lockdown, aren't bothered about holidays and rarely get out much even in normal times.
The judgemental attitude on here is nauseating.
Nothing wrong with wanting a holiday – wanting something to look forward to.
I hope the questions continue to be asked, regularly.
Anecdote vs. data.
Even if only 30% of UK people want to plan a holiday in 2021, that's 20 million people.
I don't have the data but of those people who normally take holidays, I wonder how many want to take a holiday this year?
Those who never normally take a holiday are irrelevant to this question.
Same phenomenon that shows that people without school age children advocate the closure of schools, and people who never visit pubs advocate the closure of pubs.
You have a chance to ask a question directly to the PM and the country's top boffin. A very privileged position.
Do you ask about vaccine efficacy? Do you ask about new variants? Do you ask about safeguards, the functionality of Test & Trace or secondary impacts on the functioning of the NHS? No. You say "When can I book my summer holiday?" That's what is wrong with it.
Yes, but vaccine efficacy and variant questions were asked anyway, so I'm not really seeing the issue. I prefer to see the journalists react to what other journalists have previously asked, rather than steadfastly asking the same question and eliciting the same answer.
But what's maybe more pertinent rather than hoilidays per se is just general freedoms, as someone said below you can't get a hair cut, can't go out for a meal or a gym session or a swim or meet someone else indoors or whatever.
Pretty reasonable at this stage that there should be pressure to define what the exit plan is, even if tat does just mean getting Boris to say "wait for the 22nd" again.
Very persuasive mix of video and advocacy from the Dems impeachment team
It certainly seems like Trump's lawyers had a terrible day but the numbers are just not there. Only 1 more defector and even he seems unlikely to convict.
It isn’t impossible that a Senator might vote against the trial then vote to convict. We’ll have to see now risible the defence case proves to be.
They do all know their votes will go down on history, either way.
On summer holidays, why can't BJ just give a straight answer? Here's his script, easy:
It's too early to say whether summer holidays will be allowed. If you book now, there is a risk that the holiday will not be allowed. That risk is higher for a holiday abroad than for one in the UK; but even UK holidays would be at risk is there is a resurgence in the virus. I really hope that in a few weeks I can give a more positive answer. Carrie and I have not booked a holiday.
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
The cases will be prosecuted under the Forgery Act. It could be worse - until 1832 forgery carried the death panalty. In 1805 some poor guy called Richard HArding was hanged for forging the stamp duty seal that was required to be carried on packs of playing cards.
Now this IS interesting. Apparently people were already wokeway back in 1899. They objected to Cecil Rhodes of statue fame being given an honorary degree by Oxford University because Black Lives Matter
That's an interesting insight. I have a theory that the statue in Bristol was put there deliberately to 'provoke the woke' of the era, because it went up well after slavery abolition, and the caption with it is so unremittingly adoring. There was a big debate at the time between the abolitionist 'chattering classes' and the more red in tooth and claw imperialists (who accused the former group of caring little about the condition of the domestic poor). I didn't think this was a good reason to tear it down though - makes it more interesting historically in my opinion. Contrasting it with a memorial to slaves would have been far more fitting and interesting.
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
The cases will be prosecuted under the Forgery Act. It could be worse - until 1832 forgery carried the death panalty. In 1805 some poor guy called Richard HArding was hanged for forging the stamp duty seal that was required to be carried on packs of playing cards.
It's a dreadful run of luck when being named Dick Harding turns out to be the least of your misfortunes in life.
On summer holidays, why can't BJ just give a straight answer? Here's his script, easy:
It's too early to say whether summer holidays will be allowed. If you book now, there is a risk that the holiday will not be allowed. That risk is higher for a holiday abroad than for one in the UK; but even UK holidays would be at risk is there is a resurgence in the virus. I really hope that in a few weeks I can give a more positive answer. Carrie and I have not booked a holiday.
He's incapable of giving a straight answer. His whole character is to dither and obfuscate until the very last minute.
I didn't see the presser but the idea that journalists shouldn't ask the question is:
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
This is a major issue that is exercising the mind of much of the public, and with good reason.
PBers has a hugely disproportion faction that aren't bothered about getting away.
Are people really clamouring for this? Polls suggest otherwise.
If my friends' WhatsApp group is anything to go by, absolutely.
People in low-risk groups 50 and under, and with families, are wanting to get away. Not now, but in the summer, even if it's within the UK.
It is absolutely valid that these questions are asked and that pressure is kept up on the government.
There is a hugely disproportionate representation on PB of people who are relatively sanguine about lockdown, aren't bothered about holidays and rarely get out much even in normal times.
The judgemental attitude on here is nauseating.
Nothing wrong with wanting a holiday – wanting something to look forward to.
I hope the questions continue to be asked, regularly.
Anecdote vs. data.
Even if only 30% of UK people want to plan a holiday in 2021, that's 20 million people.
I don't have the data but of those people who normally take holidays, I wonder how many want to take a holiday this year?
Those who never normally take a holiday are irrelevant to this question.
Same phenomenon that shows that people without school age children advocate the closure of schools, and people who never visit pubs advocate the closure of pubs.
I just would pose a polite question
Is there any reason why you cannot make your own decision based on present circumstances and make sure the tour operator offers a full refund if restrictions are still in place
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
This site would be a prime recruiting ground.
As we know, this populist government takes a lot of notice of polls and focus groups. Trouble is the majority of individuals who participate in both don`t go abroad every year. There must be a high degree of resentment against those who do in these polls. I effing hate populism. 51% say ten years is about right? 13% not harsh enough? Unbelievable. What a shite country we live in.
Looks like they have a lockdown AND a curfew in SA currently.
It was relaxed about 10 days ago. There is a theory there that the lockdown in the slums there made things worse - people living on top of each other simply cannot socially distance with no-where to go - which has resulted in early signs of herd immunity. That theory will be tested within the next week if cases start to go back up again as a result of that relaxation.
Very persuasive mix of video and advocacy from the Dems impeachment team
It certainly seems like Trump's lawyers had a terrible day but the numbers are just not there. Only 1 more defector and even he seems unlikely to convict.
It isn’t impossible that a Senator might vote against the trial then vote to convict. We’ll have to see now risible the defence case proves to be.
They do all know their votes will go down on history, either way.
I might be entirely wrong on this but all the data, anecdotal stuff etc suggests there would be a very large block of GOP voters who would look very dimly on any Republican Senator who voted for impeachment. Of the 5 often cited as the anti-Trump block, one is retiring (Toomey), three come from states where they have strong enough bases to reject Trump (Romney, Collins and Murkowski) with only one (arguably) at risk from de-selection (Sasse).
There is also a large block of people on the right who said Trump's speech was inflammatory and that his claims of election fraud were wrong but are also against this trial because they see it as double standards. Why single out Trump's words they say when people like Kamala Harris were using words that could similarly be interpreted as inciting violence and trouble. Which is why Rand Paul is talking about impeaching Chuck Schumer for his words about Kavanaugh and the other justices on the steps of the SC and where Judge Roberts rebuked Schumer.
I didn't see the presser but the idea that journalists shouldn't ask the question is:
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
This is a major issue that is exercising the mind of much of the public, and with good reason.
PBers has a hugely disproportion faction that aren't bothered about getting away.
Are people really clamouring for this? Polls suggest otherwise.
If my friends' WhatsApp group is anything to go by, absolutely.
People in low-risk groups 50 and under, and with families, are wanting to get away. Not now, but in the summer, even if it's within the UK.
It is absolutely valid that these questions are asked and that pressure is kept up on the government.
There is a hugely disproportionate representation on PB of people who are relatively sanguine about lockdown, aren't bothered about holidays and rarely get out much even in normal times.
The judgemental attitude on here is nauseating.
Nothing wrong with wanting a holiday – wanting something to look forward to.
I hope the questions continue to be asked, regularly.
Anecdote vs. data.
Even if only 30% of UK people want to plan a holiday in 2021, that's 20 million people.
I don't have the data but of those people who normally take holidays, I wonder how many want to take a holiday this year?
Those who never normally take a holiday are irrelevant to this question.
Same phenomenon that shows that people without school age children advocate the closure of schools, and people who never visit pubs advocate the closure of pubs.
I want to take a holiday abroad. I normally travel several times a year. I even managed to get away twice last year. I expect I will be able to go on holiday this year. I don't know where, I don't know when. I will make plans (much) closer to the event. Seems a reasonable attitude to me. Airlines and hoteliers will be desperate for customers and there should be plenty of good short notice deals available.
Very persuasive mix of video and advocacy from the Dems impeachment team
It certainly seems like Trump's lawyers had a terrible day but the numbers are just not there. Only 1 more defector and even he seems unlikely to convict.
I think this is aimed at the court of public opinion rather than the Senate. I wonder how he managed to stay out of trouble for so long given the quality of legal representation he has been getting.
It's a dumb question. Who on earth wants to go on a foreign holiday in the middle of a global pandemic?
I do. I want to be somewhere hot.
Summer in Cape Town or Rio?
Obviously not, you do write some facetious shite.
How about France in June half term or Majorca in September? These are reasonable questions to ask even if the answer is no.
Time for my daily reminder that SA, new variant or no, is significantly closer to ending the epidemic within its own border than the United Kingdom is
I find the different case and death curves we see fascinating. If I ever finish some things I am working on, I have some ideas about analysing this vast data.
It will be quite close, but I think the government should beat the target by approx 300k, assuming no more acceleration. It might reach 15 million by Sunday without requiring the final counting day on Monday.
If it has a bumper weekend, it could smash the target.
Having spoken to staff at the vaccine site in Bath, I now believe we are trying hard to ensure NO-ONE in categories 1-4 has not had the chance of a jab by the 15th, to prevent the inevitable wankers in the media proclaiming Government lies about vaccination, when they claim to have done all in 1-4. (Awful sentence construction...). They could clearly have done many more in Bath this week, but I think they are holding back from calling say over 65 or over 60s up until the 1-4 are complete.
That would be a little disappointing. More death and disease would be prevented by getting on with some of groups 5-6 now, but if you're right then politics is causing them to do the suboptimal thing. At least it's not a huge difference and hopefully they will be increasing the rate soon.
On a personal note, one (not very close) member of my family is now on a ventilator, and being considered for ECMO. He's only 40, wife and two kids.
--AS
Sorry to hear that and I hope they pull through. One of the reasons I was so happy to be jabbed today.
I'd love to be wrong about the jabbing, but it was really stark how quiet they were this week, and being directly told they wanted to drag people of the street to jab them.*
*Tricky - the racecourse is 3 miles out of Bath, but the thought stands!
Under-70s are being done in some areas, some friends have been called in for their jabs in Farnham
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
This site would be a prime recruiting ground.
As we know, this populist government takes a lot of notice of polls and focus groups. Trouble is the majority of individuals who participate in both don`t go abroad every year. There must be a high degree of resentment against those who do in these polls. I effing hate populism. 51% say ten years is about right? 13% not harsh enough? Unbelievable. What a shite country we live in.
For some, closing the borders is not so much a requirement of fighting Covid as a substantial fringe benefit.
Now this IS interesting. Apparently people were already wokeway back in 1899. They objected to Cecil Rhodes of statue fame being given an honorary degree by Oxford University because Black Lives Matter
That's an interesting insight. I have a theory that the statue in Bristol was put there deliberately to 'provoke the woke' of the era, because it went up well after slavery abolition, and the caption with it is so unremittingly adoring. There was a big debate at the time between the abolitionist 'chattering classes' and the more red in tooth and claw imperialists (who accused the former group of caring little about the condition of the domestic poor). I didn't think this was a good reason to tear it down though - makes it more interesting historically in my opinion. Contrasting it with a memorial to slaves would have been far more fitting and interesting.
One of the things about Colston and others is that, even in their own time let alone subsequently, they were controversial figures. Slavery had been illegal in Britain for centuries, and everyone (them included) knew they were involved in a dark (albeit technically legal) business involving the abduction and trafficking of human beings, in the course of which death was common and misery guaranteed.
They weren't the victims of changing fashions that meant that long after their deaths people decided they were dodgy in a way they couldn't possibly have predicted. They were always dodgy, and their philanthropy was largely about buying a sort of civic respectability that everyone knew their behaviour didn't merit.
No doubt there are individuals who fall into the category of being victims of changing fashions. But they certainly aren't all like that, and Colston is a good example. And I'd not defend vandalism, but Bristol City Council did have decades to sort out a readily resolvable matter in a diverse city, and did a bloody useless job of listening to people and sorting it out.
It's a dumb question. Who on earth wants to go on a foreign holiday in the middle of a global pandemic?
I do. I want to be somewhere hot.
Summer in Cape Town or Rio?
Obviously not, you do write some facetious shite.
How about France in June half term or Majorca in September? These are reasonable questions to ask even if the answer is no.
Time for my daily reminder that SA, new variant or no, is significantly closer to ending the epidemic within its own border than the United Kingdom is
I find the different case and death curves we see fascinating. If I ever finish some things I am working on, I have some ideas about analysing this vast data.
I do wonder how much of the differences you'd see are just artefacts in how countries collect and report data. My experience suggests that datasets from different countries are hard to compare at the best of times, even if they've ostensibly been compiled by the same people using a consistent methodology.
Very persuasive mix of video and advocacy from the Dems impeachment team
It certainly seems like Trump's lawyers had a terrible day but the numbers are just not there. Only 1 more defector and even he seems unlikely to convict.
I think this is aimed at the court of public opinion rather than the Senate. I wonder how he managed to stay out of trouble for so long given the quality of legal representation he has been getting.
A lot of lawyers have been effectively scared off working for Trump because any who do will face a serious stain against their future career
Upto 10 years for breaking the rules is ridiculous, but i doubt we are going to see a single person get anywhere near that. A few months at most I reckon, unless they are literally found to be constantly doing this like some cross between Simon Caulder and Piers Corbyn.
I can't get a haircut, go to any number of shops, have a cup of tea in cafe, travel any distance from my house, or go out for pretty much any reason other than exercise or propping up elderly relatives. Most importantly, children aren't in school.
Given that, journalists asking about going on holiday is ... rather annoying.
I'm not too bothered about haircuts, shopping or cafes. I quite like working from home. I rather miss the pub, and holidays, though. We all have different things we are missing.
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
This site would be a prime recruiting ground.
As we know, this populist government takes a lot of notice of polls and focus groups. Trouble is the majority of individuals who participate in both don`t go abroad every year. There must be a high degree of resentment against those who do in these polls. I effing hate populism. 51% say ten years is about right? 13% not harsh enough? Unbelievable. What a shite country we live in.
For some, closing the borders is not so much a requirement of fighting Covid as a substantial fringe benefit.
Running a country based on the opinions of people living in Boston, Lincs, is almost certainly a sub optimal strategy.
It's a dumb question. Who on earth wants to go on a foreign holiday in the middle of a global pandemic?
I do. I want to be somewhere hot.
Summer in Cape Town or Rio?
Obviously not, you do write some facetious shite.
How about France in June half term or Majorca in September? These are reasonable questions to ask even if the answer is no.
Time for my daily reminder that SA, new variant or no, is significantly closer to ending the epidemic within its own border than the United Kingdom is
I find the different case and death curves we see fascinating. If I ever finish some things I am working on, I have some ideas about analysing this vast data.
I do wonder how much of the differences you'd see are just artefacts in how countries collect and report data. My experience suggests that datasets from different countries are hard to compare at the best of times, even if they've ostensibly been compiled by the same people using a consistent methodology.
That's one of the things i am interested in looking into.
So what yourself - you seem to care more about this issue than anyone, so why care if others also care but take a different stance? Saying everyone is the worst for it is an oddly judgey stance to take as well.
It's a dumb question. Who on earth wants to go on a foreign holiday in the middle of a global pandemic?
I do. I want to be somewhere hot.
Summer in Cape Town or Rio?
Obviously not, you do write some facetious shite.
How about France in June half term or Majorca in September? These are reasonable questions to ask even if the answer is no.
Time for my daily reminder that SA, new variant or no, is significantly closer to ending the epidemic within its own border than the United Kingdom is
I find the different case and death curves we see fascinating. If I ever finish some things I am working on, I have some ideas about analysing this vast data.
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
This site would be a prime recruiting ground.
As we know, this populist government takes a lot of notice of polls and focus groups. Trouble is the majority of individuals who participate in both don`t go abroad every year. There must be a high degree of resentment against those who do in these polls. I effing hate populism. 51% say ten years is about right? 13% not harsh enough? Unbelievable. What a shite country we live in.
For some, closing the borders is not so much a requirement of fighting Covid as a substantial fringe benefit.
Absolutely right. You`re going up in estimation these days! (I`d now do a smiley thing and a wink emoji but I don`t know how.)
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
I hope they are all having a laugh, but have an awful feeling some of them aren't.
What should be the max penalty for failing to renew a TV licence? Limb removal? 25 years? Death? £100,000 fine? It might be worth a try to see what answers you get.
It does strike me that the reaction to this pandemic is probably one unique to our age. In the Spanish Flu pandemic there were grim statistics piling up in your newspaper every morning but they were just that - statistics. You see the same thing in Defoe's "Journal of the Plague Year" (although he wrote it after the event) but here we have the immediacy of the visual representation of actual people, rather than numbers, beamed to our screens 24/7. You see the lives behind the statistics. That has informed the government's reaction in a way that it would not have done in earlier generations. I reckon as recently as the 90s a lockdown of this severity would not have happened - hell before 2005 how many people could work from home using dial-up?
I didn't see the presser but the idea that journalists shouldn't ask the question is:
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
This is a major issue that is exercising the mind of much of the public, and with good reason.
PBers has a hugely disproportion faction that aren't bothered about getting away.
Are people really clamouring for this? Polls suggest otherwise.
If my friends' WhatsApp group is anything to go by, absolutely.
People in low-risk groups 50 and under, and with families, are wanting to get away. Not now, but in the summer, even if it's within the UK.
It is absolutely valid that these questions are asked and that pressure is kept up on the government.
There is a hugely disproportionate representation on PB of people who are relatively sanguine about lockdown, aren't bothered about holidays and rarely get out much even in normal times.
The judgemental attitude on here is nauseating.
Nothing wrong with wanting a holiday – wanting something to look forward to.
I hope the questions continue to be asked, regularly.
Anecdote vs. data.
Even if only 30% of UK people want to plan a holiday in 2021, that's 20 million people.
I don't have the data but of those people who normally take holidays, I wonder how many want to take a holiday this year?
Those who never normally take a holiday are irrelevant to this question.
Same phenomenon that shows that people without school age children advocate the closure of schools, and people who never visit pubs advocate the closure of pubs.
It was asked and clearly answered at the Downing Street briefing. Boris supported Grant.
In fact with the “it’s currently illegal” opening line on the hymn sheet they are both clearly on message almost word for word. Don’t book any holiday of any kind just yet.
And to defend Matt Hancock (old library footage of him) as well, maybe thinking has changed in the last week or so.
So it’s not flip flopping, just cautious and not getting ahead of itself on messaging.
Nor is it a muddled message. Don’t book anything now at all.
Stop trying to inject some hyperbole into something calm and straightforward.
On topic but a little nerdy or geeky. There will be a reduction from 10 to 2 for nominations for candidates. But this year we will have a lot of multiple election in many wards. Can the same 2 people nominate more than one candidate?
More important than holiday travel is business travel. We need to be global Britain - out there making deals.
I read about some business meetings on the Tyrolean ski slopes last week, followed by some hard bargaining over a meal and drinks in the evening at a business only hotel.
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
I hope they are all having a laugh, but have an awful feeling some of them aren't.
What should be the max penalty for failing to renew a TV licence? Limb removal? 25 years? Death? £100,000 fine? It might be worth a try to see what answers you get.
Castration. And having your head then cut off and mounted on Broadcasting House, above the main door. The plinth of the Epstein statue would do nicely. Just add an abatis of sharpened stakes ready for the first comers.
It's a dumb question. Who on earth wants to go on a foreign holiday in the middle of a global pandemic?
I do. I want to be somewhere hot.
Summer in Cape Town or Rio?
Obviously not, you do write some facetious shite.
How about France in June half term or Majorca in September? These are reasonable questions to ask even if the answer is no.
Time for my daily reminder that SA, new variant or no, is significantly closer to ending the epidemic within its own border than the United Kingdom is
I find the different case and death curves we see fascinating. If I ever finish some things I am working on, I have some ideas about analysing this vast data.
Farr's Law is probably a fallacy but, globally, if there is any truth in it, the pandemic should be coming to an end in about 10 months from now.
The leading indicator - the daily reported case rate - has dropped to the level of around 4 months ago in early October. Then cases were rising rapidly, now they're falling rapidly. And we're conducting roughly 2.5 times the number of tests than we did then, so there will be more false positives in the latest figures, as well as more true positives being revealed just due to the volume of testing.
The death rate by actual date of death is now well below the peak of last Spring and also falling at a much faster rate.
If this positive trend continues unchanged for much longer, I don't think the Government will be able to maintain the line that things should stay exactly as they are for at least another month.
Yup. That is Johnson's problem now.
Looks like Sturgeon and Drakeford were right on schools.
There's a date in the diary for schools now: 08 March.
For most normal people once there's a date in the diary people can and will plan for that date - there won't be much pressure whatsoever to change the date once the date is in the diary because people will be setting their plans for that date. Schools will be putting plans in place for that date already.
If there was no date then of course people would be wanting something said, but that ship has sailed now. There's a date - its a few weeks off, but people have it in their diary and will work towards that. Chopping and changing that now isn't going to happen. It would really mess schools around to change it now.
OK, I could have added "minus two days" to my quote to cater for schools in England. But I'm also mindful that Johnson has said something to the effect that other restrictions will not be eased until AFTER schools are back, so that's more than a month, and that's what is going to fracture public consent.
Why for example is any form of outdoor recreation still going to be banned until what looks like mid-March based on current pronouncements? Even those sports involving just two people that are naturally socially distanced such as pairs golf and singles tennis, which would take place in areas which are currently deserted as people all crowd into the same public parks instead. (In contrast to jogging and cycling which seem designed to maximise the rate of contacts with people albeit fleeting ones.) Or how about just being able to sit down a suitable distance with both of your (vaccinated) parents in a public park? There are many marginal restrictions that were questionable in the first place and which could be brought back now to make the misery of lockdown just a bit more tolerable. The failure to countenance any relaxation whatsoever for another month risks undermining adherence to the rules in general.
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
I hope they are all having a laugh, but have an awful feeling some of them aren't.
What should be the max penalty for failing to renew a TV licence? Limb removal? 25 years? Death? £100,000 fine? It might be worth a try to see what answers you get.
All of the above. In order....
1) £100,000 fine 2) Limb removal 3) 25 years 4) Death
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
I hope they are all having a laugh, but have an awful feeling some of them aren't.
What should be the max penalty for failing to renew a TV licence? Limb removal? 25 years? Death? £100,000 fine? It might be worth a try to see what answers you get.
Never mind the TV licence, what about pineapple on pizza?!
Now this IS interesting. Apparently people were already wokeway back in 1899. They objected to Cecil Rhodes of statue fame being given an honorary degree by Oxford University because Black Lives Matter
That's an interesting insight. I have a theory that the statue in Bristol was put there deliberately to 'provoke the woke' of the era, because it went up well after slavery abolition, and the caption with it is so unremittingly adoring. There was a big debate at the time between the abolitionist 'chattering classes' and the more red in tooth and claw imperialists (who accused the former group of caring little about the condition of the domestic poor). I didn't think this was a good reason to tear it down though - makes it more interesting historically in my opinion. Contrasting it with a memorial to slaves would have been far more fitting and interesting.
One of the things about Colston and others is that, even in their own time let alone subsequently, they were controversial figures. Slavery had been illegal in Britain for centuries, and everyone (them included) knew they were involved in a dark (albeit technically legal) business involving the abduction and trafficking of human beings, in the course of which death was common and misery guaranteed.
They weren't the victims of changing fashions that meant that long after their deaths people decided they were dodgy in a way they couldn't possibly have predicted. They were always dodgy, and their philanthropy was largely about buying a sort of civic respectability that everyone knew their behaviour didn't merit.
No doubt there are individuals who fall into the category of being victims of changing fashions. But they certainly aren't all like that, and Colston is a good example. And I'd not defend vandalism, but Bristol City Council did have decades to sort out a readily resolvable matter in a diverse city, and did a bloody useless job of listening to people and sorting it out.
"Slavery had been illegal in Britain for centuries" is kinda not the point, cos that's not where the money was. I think slave trade related activity was much more mainstream than you suggest: who was building and manning the (specially designed) slave ships, forging the shackles to put the slaves in and producing the trade goods with which they were bought, and consuming the tea and sugar from the plantations?
It does strike me that the reaction to this pandemic is probably one unique to our age. In the Spanish Flu pandemic there were grim statistics piling up in your newspaper every morning but they were just that - statistics. You see the same thing in Defoe's "Journal of the Plague Year" (although he wrote it after the event) but here we have the immediacy of the visual representation of actual people, rather than numbers, beamed to our screens 24/7. You see the lives behind the statistics. That has informed the government's reaction in a way that it would not have done in earlier generations. I reckon as recently as the 90s a lockdown of this severity would not have happened - hell before 2005 how many people could work from home using dial-up?
“ immediacy of the visual representation of actual people, as cats , beamed to our screens 24/7. “
Corrected it for you. 😃
Maybe Spanish Flu is poor bench mark because of the distraction of the war? E.g. without the war on would response have been exactly the same.
"Average night in prison costs £118 to a UK tax payer.
£430,700 overall cost to tax payers. "
And how much does a new three month lockdown cost if one of these idiots brings back a vaccine evading mutation and lies to avoid the quarantine?
I knew someone would say something like that. I didn`t expect it to be you though, Max.
We`re never getting out of this are we. UK is starting to feel like prison.
No, we want to get out of this as soon as humanly possible. Given that the importation of a new vaccine-resistant strain at this point could mean the difference between opening back up and endless lockdown for the whole country, like any good (temporary) Benthamite I think we can briefly curtail the frivolities of the few to ensure the freedom of the many.
Comments
Given that, journalists asking about going on holiday is ... rather annoying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8wEo3ZdFdg
Do you ask about vaccine efficacy? Do you ask about new variants? Do you ask about safeguards, the functionality of Test & Trace or secondary impacts on the functioning of the NHS? No. You say "When can I book my summer holiday?" That's what is wrong with it.
I'd love to be wrong about the jabbing, but it was really stark how quiet they were this week, and being directly told they wanted to drag people of the street to jab them.*
*Tricky - the racecourse is 3 miles out of Bath, but the thought stands!
People in low-risk groups 50 and under, and with families, are wanting to get away. Not now, but in the summer, even if it's within the UK.
It is absolutely valid that these questions are asked and that pressure is kept up on the government.
There is a hugely disproportionate representation on PB of people who are relatively sanguine about lockdown, aren't bothered about holidays and rarely get out much even in normal times.
The judgemental attitude on here is nauseating.
Nothing wrong with wanting a holiday – wanting something to look forward to.
I hope the questions continue to be asked, regularly.
So what?
You start to think that plenty of people with an age beginning 4 will be done next calendar month.
It seems it is mainly the Londoners who can't want to get out of the place & go on their skiing holidays or their cheap holiday in the Sun.
It always bears repeating that lockdown is such a disaster that most means - including measures like prohibiting foreign holidays into the medium term, which will gut important parts of the economy - can be justified.
If you really believe the government aren't modelling this internally, you are a fool.
But actually you aren't a fool, you are just a judgemental authoritarian.
If I had missed an important customer deadline and not told them in advance there was going to be a problem I would have been sacked.
A short email this morning saying there was going to be a delay would have sufficed. Instead I've spent all day refreshing the results page for no reason.
Another day, another 12 thousand pounds worth of bitterness.
All are valid. The idea that people's road to freedom shouldn't be investigated is absolute nonsense.
PB at it's worst.
You can see why authoritarian regimes have no problem finding bodies to do the enforcing.
But what's maybe more pertinent rather than hoilidays per se is just general freedoms, as someone said below you can't get a hair cut, can't go out for a meal or a gym session or a swim or meet someone else indoors or whatever.
Pretty reasonable at this stage that there should be pressure to define what the exit plan is, even if tat does just mean getting Boris to say "wait for the 22nd" again.
I don't have the data but of those people who normally take holidays, I wonder how many want to take a holiday this year?
Those who never normally take a holiday are irrelevant to this question.
Same phenomenon that shows that people without school age children advocate the closure of schools, and people who never visit pubs advocate the closure of pubs.
They do all know their votes will go down on history, either way.
It's too early to say whether summer holidays will be allowed. If you book now, there is a risk that the holiday will not be allowed. That risk is higher for a holiday abroad than for one in the UK; but even UK holidays would be at risk is there is a resurgence in the virus. I really hope that in a few weeks I can give a more positive answer. Carrie and I have not booked a holiday.
This site would be a prime recruiting ground.
They really are a ****ing disgrace.
Is there any reason why you cannot make your own decision based on present circumstances and make sure the tour operator offers a full refund if restrictions are still in place
There is also a large block of people on the right who said Trump's speech was inflammatory and that his claims of election fraud were wrong but are also against this trial because they see it as double standards. Why single out Trump's words they say when people like Kamala Harris were using words that could similarly be interpreted as inciting violence and trouble. Which is why Rand Paul is talking about impeaching Chuck Schumer for his words about Kavanaugh and the other justices on the steps of the SC and where Judge Roberts rebuked Schumer.
https://twitter.com/HarriLine/status/1359564484982034440
Teenager is not impressed.
They weren't the victims of changing fashions that meant that long after their deaths people decided they were dodgy in a way they couldn't possibly have predicted. They were always dodgy, and their philanthropy was largely about buying a sort of civic respectability that everyone knew their behaviour didn't merit.
No doubt there are individuals who fall into the category of being victims of changing fashions. But they certainly aren't all like that, and Colston is a good example. And I'd not defend vandalism, but Bristol City Council did have decades to sort out a readily resolvable matter in a diverse city, and did a bloody useless job of listening to people and sorting it out.
"Average night in prison costs £118 to a UK tax payer.
£430,700 overall cost to tax payers. "
aren't.
What should be the max penalty for failing to renew a TV licence? Limb removal? 25 years? Death? £100,000 fine? It might be worth a try to see what answers you get.
In fact with the “it’s currently illegal” opening line on the hymn sheet they are both clearly on message almost word for word. Don’t book any holiday of any kind just yet.
And to defend Matt Hancock (old library footage of him) as well, maybe thinking has changed in the last week or so.
So it’s not flip flopping, just cautious and not getting ahead of itself on messaging.
Nor is it a muddled message. Don’t book anything now at all.
Stop trying to inject some hyperbole into something calm and straightforward.
We`re never getting out of this are we. UK is starting to feel like prison.
Why for example is any form of outdoor recreation still going to be banned until what looks like mid-March based on current pronouncements? Even those sports involving just two people that are naturally socially distanced such as pairs golf and singles tennis, which would take place in areas which are currently deserted as people all crowd into the same public parks instead. (In contrast to jogging and cycling which seem designed to maximise the rate of contacts with people albeit fleeting ones.) Or how about just being able to sit down a suitable distance with both of your (vaccinated) parents in a public park? There are many marginal restrictions that were questionable in the first place and which could be brought back now to make the misery of lockdown just a bit more tolerable. The failure to countenance any relaxation whatsoever for another month risks undermining adherence to the rules in general.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56012869
1) £100,000 fine
2) Limb removal
3) 25 years
4) Death
Corrected it for you. 😃
Maybe Spanish Flu is poor bench mark because of the distraction of the war? E.g. without the war on would response have been exactly the same.
I'm still smarting at her cars for cheese contra deal with the lactose intolerant Japanese.