Coronavirus

[Jobbo]

between the government and people ignoring the rules & guidelines, I do wonder where we'd be now if a lot of the population had just thought a bit more about the consequences of their actions.

That’s exactly what Boris wants to foster - a blame culture where the people are responsible, not the Government. That’s absolutely not the case; the Government sets the rules for people to follow, and it has done so late, badly and confusingly throughout.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Boris and Hancock have created this situation, not people misbehaving.

[Rich B]

between the government and people ignoring the rules & guidelines, I do wonder where we'd be now if a lot of the population had just thought a bit more about the consequences of their actions.

That’s exactly what Boris wants to foster - a blame culture where the people are responsible, not the Government. That’s absolutely not the case; the Government sets the rules for people to follow, and it has done so late, badly and confusingly throughout.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Boris and Hancock have created this situation, not people misbehaving.

i agree, though I think for every one of us doing as we are told, there is another doing whatever the fuck they want.

[jamcg]

Round here doing what you’re told is an ever decreasing minority

[Simon]

Yesterday London and the SE were in Tier 3. It was illegal for the majority of them to do what they were doing then. Did you lot read the story? TThe number of suitcases on the train? They weren't (Saturday) commuters, not would they have been allowed to travel on to their 'second home' regardless. They thought they could evade the rules by travelling after Tier 4 was announced but before it was enacted, whilst casually ignoring that they were already in Tier 3.

[dinny_g]

You know, I’d fucking love to hear Rev’s take on all this...

[Simon]

You know, I’d fucking love to hear Rev’s take on all this...

I doubt he'd have an opinion on it. He was so chilled and not at all confrontational.

[Jobbo]

Yesterday London and the SE were in Tier 3. It was illegal for the majority of them to do what they were doing then. Did you lot read the story? TThe number of suitcases on the train? They weren't (Saturday) commuters, not would they have been allowed to travel on to their 'second home' regardless. They thought they could evade the rules by travelling after Tier 4 was announced but before it was enacted, whilst casually ignoring that they were already in Tier 3.

If it was illegal to take the train when London was in Tier 3, why were there trains running? Clue: it wasn't illegal.

[jamcg]

[Jobbo]

Round here doing what you’re told is an ever decreasing minority

To be fair, who knows what the actual law is? This thread is evidence of that, and bear in mind that the Government's guidance is not the same as the law. Doing what you're told when you're given instructions which are inconsistent, actively contradict the law or the guidance, or differ from what you've been told a day or two before... it's basically impossible.

[duncs500]

Yesterday London and the SE were in Tier 3. It was illegal for the majority of them to do what they were doing then. Did you lot read the story? TThe number of suitcases on the train? They weren't (Saturday) commuters, not would they have been allowed to travel on to their 'second home' regardless. They thought they could evade the rules by travelling after Tier 4 was announced but before it was enacted, whilst casually ignoring that they were already in Tier 3.

If it was illegal to take the train when London was in Tier 3, why were there trains running? Clue: it wasn't illegal.

Govt T3 guidance: "Where people cannot do so - including, but not limited to, people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction, or manufacturing - they should continue to travel to their workplace. This is essential to keeping the country operating and supporting sectors and employers.

Public sector employees working in essential services, including childcare or education, should continue to go into work."

In other words, it's not illegal or even against guidance for a huge amount of people to travel on a train from London. In fact, it could have easily been me if I wasn't on paternity (although I avoid working Saturdays as if my life depended on it!).

Also, JIC.

[Rich B]

The reality is, of course there were people packing up their stuff and leaving their london flat to go and stay with their family. But who knows the situations.

One of my best mates lost her dad last Boxing Day, her brother the Christmas Eve before and has just had to cancel going away with her mum and sister this year with the rule change. Her mum is understandably hugely depressed at this time of year so my mate has ignored the rules to go and stay with her over Christmas.

My boss has flown home to SA because his dad was a real suicide risk.

Don't judge everyone, half of them aren't arseholes.

[duncs500]

Don't judge everyone, half of them aren't arseholes.

That's the point really, unfortunately far too many people seem to be desperate to jump on everyone's case at any given opportunity. Sad really.

[GG.]

Like most arguments in life - there are elements of truth on both sides.

Yes the rules are stupid and confusing and yes also significant numbers of people are ignoring guidance and increasing transmission.

How many people have you seen shopping in supermarkets with their other halves and or kids. In some circumstances people will have to take their kids but hardly anyone has the excuse of going with their OH.

On the rules - I’ve just walked by Herne Hill market which is still open with large numbers of people mingling in close proximity. Half of the stalls are not selling food products. Stupid and inexcusable rules that don’t prohibit this but mean we have to be without family on Christmas Day.

There were also significant numbers of partners in my firm who see any form of not being in the office as a loss of face and were still going in two days a week even during the November lockdown. Just inexcusable really if the reflect that actions like that lead to this.

[Broccers]

Made me laugh anyway.

[Mito Man]

Like most arguments in life - there are elements of truth on both sides.

Yes the rules are stupid and confusing and yes also significant numbers of people are ignoring guidance and increasing transmission.

How many people have you seen shopping in supermarkets with their other halves and or kids. In some circumstances people will have to take their kids but hardly anyone has the excuse of going with their OH.

On the rules - I’ve just walked by Herne Hill market which is still open with large numbers of people mingling in close proximity. Half of the stalls are not selling food products. Stupid and inexcusable rules that don’t prohibit this but mean we have to be without family on Christmas Day.

There were also significant numbers of partners in my firm who see any form of not being in the office as a loss of face and were still going in two days a week even during the November lockdown. Just inexcusable really if the reflect that actions like that lead to this.

London has been particularly bad in terms of rule breaking. All the fancy clubs and restaurants have been rammed the past few weeks and stores have been pretty full in the run up to Christmas.
Not surprising it’s spreading so quickly before even getting to the new more infectious variant.

Personal opinion but I think Boris is a bit of an irresponsible cunt having kept the borders open without stricter quarantine measures whilst in knowledge that we were harbouring a new strain. I see other countries are starting to ban air travel from here but it’s been around 3 months now so pretty futile - it must be all across the world by now.

[duncs500]

Do we even know if it originated here? We're probably just one of the countries that picked it up early.

[V8Granite]

Pah, as shit as it is she is an awesome woman, terrible arthritis that has meant all joints replaced by her 40s, never complained, husband (my grandad) was a code breaker during the war on the HMS Ajax and generally was a brilliant woman. They did though purchase a Brown Austin Princess with a vinyl roof though, maybe it was a cry for help

Fair play, she is showing what Whiney fuckers a lot of us can be at times.

As we all have a buggered Christmas, that’s a lot of drink to get through!

Dave!

[GG.]

Do we even know if it originated here? We're probably just one of the countries that picked it up early.

Can’t remember exactly which country but one of the previous alternate strains they analysed didn’t mutate here so it’s certainly possible it’s imported.

[V8Granite]

Peterborough has certainly been full of wanker rule breakers. The difference between here and Bridgnorth was night and day.

I had to pop to Smyths for a click and collect that was a week late on Friday and had to tell multiple people to back off. It was full of people who couldn’t wear a mask properly squeezing past others. It was horrible.

Went to Waitrose (it’s not the norm, I was just trying to keep away from mouth breathers) and it was calm, nicely controlled and the store wasn’t busy at all despite the large queue outside.

Dave!

[Explosive Newt]

The streets have been rammed shopping lately. Myself and the other half went out for dinner last night and it was quite obvious that a couple of tables in the restaurant were not from the same household.

I'm reserving opinion on how much the new mutation has to contribute until I have seen nervtag's modelling (not yet released, only this claim of 70%) but it has multiple missense mutations in the spike protein (the bit it uses to attach to cells), so it's entirely feasible that it can be more infectious. An origin in Kent has to raise suspicion of it being imported; we have better surveillance than other countries so seems likely we'd detect it first.

Went to Waitrose (it’s not the norm, I was just trying to keep away from mouth breathers) and it was calm, nicely controlled and the store wasn’t busy at all despite the large queue outside.

Waitrose is just a superior shop, attracting superior people. You can tell because the people serving you are wearing ties.