please empty your brain below
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NHS calculates 1 in 500 in my Borough have the virus. Assuming they are not aware of the fact and so self-isolating to some degree, what are the odds of my meeting them at any given place at any given time? Spending any period of time with them? And the odds of them infecting me if I do? And of my dying if they do? Not worth trashing my children’s’ mental health and economic future for, that’s for sure. Viruses come, and mostly (slightly) prematurely conclude lives already drawing to their close; in many cases not very happy lives. T’was ever thus and of course there are a few very sad exceptions. But.
Unlock with a few obvious safeguards and let those that wish to stay withdrawn from society do so. There is never an absolute guarantee of safety. But there is a price on a life - it’s used by NICE and in traffic safety measures to name but two - and we are collectively paying massively over the odds at the moment.
David | 23.06.20 - 7:13 a.m. | #
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Another dimension to this is that without a vaccine and without population immunity we are vulnerable next winter. So there is an argument in favour of allowing the virus to spread steadily through those who are least vulnerable (the healthy young). This, I believe was the original strategy up to mid March until derailed by scenes of hospital chaos in Italy, New York and Northwick Park, along with the Imperial College study predicting a "do nothing" death toll of 500,000.
Additionally and against the notion that our opinions are pointless, I think that since Cressida Dick was seen with dozens of police on Westminster Bridge clapping the NHS in a non distanced way, people have been making their own minds up and managing their own risk. It seems that the politicians are following the public on this - what you would expect from a populist I suppose.
Andy Riley | 23.06.20 - 7:14 a.m. | #
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Time to put up with a few deaths, bit like flu and colds. Happens to us all in the end.
scrumpy | 23.06.20 - 7:26 a.m. | #
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Just get on with it, by all means respect those who have to lock down - and help them as much as possible, but equally respect those of us who are in the 'no health or age problems' group, the 'don't care' group, or the 'calculated risk' group.
OK it'll be health apartheid, but the public can't moan about being unaware of the risks now, I personally will avoid being indoors with groups of people as much as possible, and won't be visiting elderly relatives anytime soon.
Still Anon | 23.06.20 - 7:51 a.m. | #
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Hurry up, we need good old proper DG posts again!
Jimmy | 23.06.20 - 7:55 a.m. | #
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Andy Riley. What you say rings true.
the other eric | 23.06.20 - 8:58 a.m. | #
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Strongly in this box just as I have been since March. The 2m separation must be removed entirely and all the silly yellow lines ripped up. As said above the chance of you being next to an infected person for 20 minutes and them sneezing are to all intents zero. Those who feel they need to isolate should wear face masks, not pointless ribbons. For the rest of us face masks are an intrusion on our lives and cause far more problems than they solve.
davews | 23.06.20 - 9:34 a.m. | #
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Keep facemasks compulsory on transport.
Plus wear gloves and also in public places like shopping streets, football/sports grounds, cinemas.
But drop all distancing restrictions.
Open up pubs, schools, workplaces etc.
All 'at risk' category people must stay isolated (that includes myself).
Compare the death rate now to the normal death rate in say the last 10 years...I suspect all are very similar .
Doug Kermit | Homepage | 23.06.20 - 10:47 a.m. | #
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It's difficult and we need to be careful, since a second wave would be disastrous. But the number of people whose mental health has been destroyed by this crisis is huge - if the people I know are even vaguely representative, it's many millions. The economic consequences will be dreadful too (remember an economic crash doesn't really hurt the millionaires but would send those on the breadline into poverty). We need to start to return to normal more rapidly, and return to living our lives rather than just existing.
RickC | 23.06.20 - 12:33 p.m. | #
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Its time to end the stupidity.
Physical distancing for lower respiratory infectious diseases has zero scientific basis. As normal stranger physical distance is already over one meter the whole subject has just been ludicrous. As for masks, same. Upper respiratory infectious diseases some small utility unless N95/99. Otherwise purely a placebo.
jmc | 23.06.20 - 2:03 p.m. | #
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[I'm ticking this box insofar as it relates to London, in late June.]
The total number of COVID deaths in London in the past seven days was 17, and that is 'with COVID' rather than 'of COVID'. In a typical week, London would expect around 1600 deaths from all causes.
So, at present, in London, the contribution of COVID-19 to the overall death rate is quite close to zero. By observation, social distancing has been fairly openly flouted for well over a month now and has had no adverse effect on the infection or death rates. It's time to ease the lockdown.
Nightmale | 23.06.20 - 3:52 p.m. | #
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Team unlock. Many of the deaths were via the insanity of sending sick patients to care homes.
Also, gloves are utterly pointless, in response to an above comment. People seem to believe that they are coated with some sort of anti viral agent. Touching things will still transfer germs.
Green Kitten | 24.06.20 - 1:44 a.m. | #
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Publish the facts, let individuals do their own Risk Assessment. Am I elderly (at higher risk), am I obese, diabetic, hypertensive, have lung disease, smoke? (All comorbidities). Factor those in and then make personal choices. For these any reduction in personal restrictions is a risk, for those under 40 with no additional factors the actual risk of harm is very low, less than 1%. Just dont go visiting those still at real risk. Also Test Test Test, especially for infected, recovered but remained well with no symptoms via antibodies testing.
Andrew Jarman | 24.06.20 - 6:43 a.m. | #
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