Political Information Social Service - Election Special

[Deleted]

Oct 8, 2021 13:41:14 GMT sword65 said:

Oct 8, 2021 13:07:43 GMT nws said:

We get 5% of our gas from Russia although I appreciate that gas we get from EU countries may originate in Russia. One big problem we have is lack of gas storage, which stems from the days when we imported nothing. Of course, a lot of our gas comes from Norway, Belgium and Netherlands. They are all in the IME, which we left. They are bound, by contract, to supply the IME first.

Well if Ñorway will not give us gas tell them to shove their xmas tree up their arse,we dont want it.

Steady. That tree is one of the few benefits we have post brexit. We might need to burn it because of the Johnson gas crisis

[Deleted]

Oct 8, 2021 18:48:28 GMT nws said:

Oct 8, 2021 13:41:14 GMT sword65 said:

Well if Ñorway will not give us gas tell them to shove their xmas tree up their arse,we dont want it.

Steady. That tree is one of the few benefits we have post brexit. We might need to burn it because of the Johnson gas crisis

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[Deleted]

Something that barely made the news last week was the opening of a billion pound electricity cable between UK and Norway. They send us hydro electric and when less of that is available, in winter, we send them wind power.
Joking aside about Bojo being all piss and wind, it seems somebody has been doing some joined up thinking for once.
The Tories (nobody else in power recently to blame) have this attitude that you just leave it to private enterprise and everything will sort itself out in the end. Sunak did ok over Covid, but a lot more government support is still needed to ensure the poorest don't suffer.

[Deleted]

Finnish ex-PM seems to be helpful

[Deleted]

A pretty damning report re our covid management.

Luckily we have an 'on the ball' PM who was present to answer the tough questions and take reponsibility

[Deleted]

Unfortunately, there is nothing in their report that most of us knew anyway, even as Covid was developing. Sadly, all too obvious to all but those in power.
The current situation isn't much better, particularly that we currently have between ten and twenty times as many cases as in France, Spain, Italy and Germany, yet nobody is saying much about it - AND they still seem happy for us to go there.
Have been trying to work out why, but all that I've seen thus far is that the vast majority of our cases are school age children. We are now vaccinating this group, but are behind what is happening in Europe. Also, it seems, Europe don't do as much testing as us and I wonder if they are testing their teen-agers? If not, that may go some way to explaining things, otherwise, why are our numbers so high? Another covert 'herd immunity' plot perhaps? Let the youngsters get Covid when it does them little harm, to build immunity later? If so, it ignores the damage to their education.
Numbers off are high at the moment and recent governor's meetings I've attended show that time lost in the last year has seriously affected both academic progress, especially writing, and mental health.
Bojo meanwhile relaxes in Malaga and Matt Hancock has a nice little job with the UN. Rewarding failure, or what???

[Deleted]

Oct 13, 2021 7:54:51 GMT @61666 said:

Unfortunately, there is nothing in their report that most of us knew anyway, even as Covid was developing. Sadly, all too obvious to all but those in power.
The current situation isn't much better, particularly that we currently have between ten and twenty times as many cases as in France, Spain, Italy and Germany, yet nobody is saying much about it - AND they still seem happy for us to go there.
Have been trying to work out why, but all that I've seen thus far is that the vast majority of our cases are school age children. We are now vaccinating this group, but are behind what is happening in Europe. Also, it seems, Europe don't do as much testing as us and I wonder if they are testing their teen-agers? If not, that may go some way to explaining things, otherwise, why are our numbers so high? Another covert 'herd immunity' plot perhaps? Let the youngsters get Covid when it does them little harm, to build immunity later? If so, it ignores the damage to their education.
Numbers off are high at the moment and recent governor's meetings I've attended show that time lost in the last year has seriously affected both academic progress, especially writing, and mental health.
Bojo meanwhile relaxes in Malaga and Matt Hancock has a nice little job with the UN. Rewarding failure, or what???

There are still around 700-1000 people dying per week. Assuming these are not schoolkids do these figures not show that the vaccine isn't really as good as it is supposed to be. On the same point if those that are dying are unvaccinated 20-30 year old does thus not prove once and for all that this country is full of idiots.

[Deleted]

Oct 13, 2021 8:19:07 GMT sword65 said:

Oct 13, 2021 7:54:51 GMT @61666 said:

Unfortunately, there is nothing in their report that most of us knew anyway, even as Covid was developing. Sadly, all too obvious to all but those in power.
The current situation isn't much better, particularly that we currently have between ten and twenty times as many cases as in France, Spain, Italy and Germany, yet nobody is saying much about it - AND they still seem happy for us to go there.
Have been trying to work out why, but all that I've seen thus far is that the vast majority of our cases are school age children. We are now vaccinating this group, but are behind what is happening in Europe. Also, it seems, Europe don't do as much testing as us and I wonder if they are testing their teen-agers? If not, that may go some way to explaining things, otherwise, why are our numbers so high? Another covert 'herd immunity' plot perhaps? Let the youngsters get Covid when it does them little harm, to build immunity later? If so, it ignores the damage to their education.
Numbers off are high at the moment and recent governor's meetings I've attended show that time lost in the last year has seriously affected both academic progress, especially writing, and mental health.
Bojo meanwhile relaxes in Malaga and Matt Hancock has a nice little job with the UN. Rewarding failure, or what???

There are still around 700-1000 people dying per week. Assuming these are not schoolkids do these figures not show that the vaccine isn't really as good as it is supposed to be. On the same point if those that are dying are unvaccinated 20-30 year old does thus not prove once and for all that this country is full of idiots.

Truck driver shortages, petrol issues, cronyism, steadily falling deportations of illegal immigrants over the last 10 years, High death tolls from covid, blatant lying from leaders, ignorance of political etiquette, evasion of scrutiny all coupled with voting intention polls shows quite amply that this country is full of idiots.

[Deleted]

Oct 13, 2021 7:54:51 GMT @61666 said:

Unfortunately, there is nothing in their report that most of us knew anyway, even as Covid was developing. Sadly, all too obvious to all but those in power.
The current situation isn't much better, particularly that we currently have between ten and twenty times as many cases as in France, Spain, Italy and Germany, yet nobody is saying much about it - AND they still seem happy for us to go there.
Have been trying to work out why, but all that I've seen thus far is that the vast majority of our cases are school age children. We are now vaccinating this group, but are behind what is happening in Europe. Also, it seems, Europe don't do as much testing as us and I wonder if they are testing their teen-agers? If not, that may go some way to explaining things, otherwise, why are our numbers so high? Another covert 'herd immunity' plot perhaps? Let the youngsters get Covid when it does them little harm, to build immunity later? If so, it ignores the damage to their education.
Numbers off are high at the moment and recent governor's meetings I've attended show that time lost in the last year has seriously affected both academic progress, especially writing, and mental health.
Bojo meanwhile relaxes in Malaga and Matt Hancock has a nice little job with the UN. Rewarding failure, or what???

The whole thing is very perplexing. We have an increasing infection rate - very close to the 'third wave' lockdown peak in July - and, although the hospitalisation and death rates are not as high, they are still persistently, and worryingly, high - around 7,000 in hospital, and still 100 or so dying each day. To put it bluntly, we are still very much in the throes of a pandemic, with the virus just as nasty (and deadly) as it's ever been. And we're approaching winter.

At any other time, such stats would warrant a national emergency being declared, and yet people are behaving as if nothing is happening. People even refer to us as being 'post-Covid' - if so, then what's causing all these death and hospitalisations??

The other aspect that doesn't seem to make sense is (as Sword points out) the apparent 'ineffectiveness' of the vaccine. If 'herd immunity' is around 80%, then we have pretty much reached it for ages 45 and above (at 60+, the rate is 90-95%). So how come so many people are still being infected, ending up in hospital and dying? Even the younger age groups are pretty effectively vaccinated - between 55% and 70+% for ages 18-45.

So is it just kids? I'm pretty sure that, if 7,000 kids were in hospital, and 100 a week were dying, we'd have heard about it! So, is it kids spreading the virus and adults then catching it and ending up in hospital or dead? Apart from the ethical/moral consequences of this as a government policy (basically, the same 'let it rip and hope for herd immunity' approach they were accused of in yesterday's review), the numbers just don't add up. How come, with so many people fully vaccinated, we are still getting infection rates almost as high as the last peak in July?

With the vaccination programme, plus the number of people who are naturally immune from having had Covid, by now we should be seeing very low infection, hospital and death rates. We should be 'living with Covid', rather than dying from it. So, what is it? Is the vaccine not that effective after all? Or is the concept of 'herd immunity' wrong? Or is it something else? Whichever - it would be nice to be kept informed.

Both my kids are at school (which appears to be the main vector), one is part vaccinated, the other isn't. Am I supposed to just sit here and wait for one of them to bring it home, so I can then find out just how effective the vaccine is - and hope it doesn't kill me? Call me naive, but I was hoping for something a little more sophisticated from the 'government' than that.

[Deleted]

You pays your money and take your choice as to who and what to believe.
My daughter is a nurse in covid ward in a Kent Hospital.
Still incredibly hard and difficult working conditions for the medical staff.
She does tell me that patients are typically much younger than the first 2 waves, mostly male and mostly with pre-existing health conditions.
Whilst many patients feel seriously ill, symptoms are generally less severe, with far better recovery rates and shorter stays in hospital.
The vacs have made a huge difference, long may it continue.
Hopefully people won't get complacent. They need to get boosters as soon as they are offered.

[Deleted]

Oct 13, 2021 20:26:40 GMT @boris said:

You pays your money and take your choice as to who and what to believe.
My daughter is a nurse in covid ward in a Kent Hospital.
Still incredibly hard and difficult working conditions for the medical staff.
She does tell me that patients are typically much younger than the first 2 waves, mostly male and mostly with pre-existing health conditions.
Whilst many patients feel seriously ill, symptoms are generally less severe, with far better recovery rates and shorter stays in hospital.
The vacs have made a huge difference, long may it continue.
Hopefully people won't get complacent. They need to get boosters as soon as they are offered.

Will they be offered?

[Deleted]

Round here we've been told we have to apply, six months after the date of our second jab. Different elsewhere it seems as know some people are being told they will be contacted, as per previous jabs, when they can book.
Detling meanwhile the place to live, with life expentency of 95. Blackpool less so - anyone over 68 who moves there can expect to die almost immediately!

[Deleted]

Are you sure about Detling ?

[Deleted]

Was on the BBC, so must be true?

[Deleted]

I think Detling has a couple of centenarians thus boosting the average figure.