Again the government is slow to react – lorry drivers coming into the UK will have to be tested, unless they stay for less than 48 hours – please explain the logic of this, and why has it taken so long to come up with this. New variants have been around for months.
Relaxation of rules today which to be honest should not make a difference to numbers of infections as they refer to outside activities. It is good that schools do not seem to have caused a spike. The main concern I have now is the situation in Chile – why have they got a 3rd surge when their vaccination % is higher than ours. Is winter approaching there? But temp today is 25C and at night 11C so hardly cold? Is there a new variant?
Outside activities are fine, but then changing rooms, club houses? Shared cars?
Modena vaccine comes in at £24 per dose compared to Oxford/az at £3 per dose. Yes Mr. Johnson capitalism and greed do work ‘for the rich’.
The Ever Given remains wedged in the Suez Canal blocking it totally and preventing the carriage of £6.6 billion of trade per day, (12% of world trade – 50 ships per day). The 200000 tonne 400m long vessel went aground on Tuesday and may take days to clear. Ships are now embarking on the journey around the Cape of Good Hope which adds a week on the journey. High winds of 30mph and a dust storm were given as a cause of the incident.
Paraquat still being manufactured in the UK (Huddersfield) for export 14 years after it was banned here. Thousands of mainly poor farmers have died. Lets talk capitalism and greed Mr. Johnson!
Super large containership goes aground in the Suez Canal and blocks it. It may have an impact on petrol prices and other products if not shifted soon.
Covid ‘passports’ likely to be necessary in many pubs and restaurants. I have not put all the statistics into perspective yet. North Somerset has lower levels of infection than in September. The oldest half of the population has been vaccinated and school children tested. I suppose we do not know the long term effectiveness of the vaccines yet. Being old and vaccinated I would want everyone possible vaccinated, but does it really matter if 30 year olds are not? If the vaccine protects successfully against infection what is to be lost? It would seem sensible for mask wearing in winter everywhere inside to protect against flu? Personally I would not go to a football ground now, or a concert, and will continue to plan my shopping trips to quiet times.
Talking with my learned friend Andy he suggested that the infection rate was no longer relevant as hospital cases and deaths had fallen dramatically. So I need to think a minute!
Stats for the week to the 8th March are on next page. If this was a board game it would be fantastic! Unfortunately peopler still dying so that would be a bit sick.
27.09
5.11
19.11
5.12
2.1
7.1
21.1
28
4.2
15.2
22.2
14.3
N.Som
31
177
304
142
256
372
368
239
173
138
81
39
Cornw
20
47
90
25
173
324
258
176
157
81
42
12
Bristol
46
350
480
168
217
408
434
306
258
176
123
50
Chelms
41
91
150
109
878
1058
573
328
247
141
75
35
Exeter
283
128
168
102
147
226
244
126
61
37
73
22
Braintr
42
58
109
104
910
1160
552
406
303
154
81
47
Ply
30
150
225
63
219
221
327
208
118
63
49
32
IoW
10
41
78
29
253
916
647
382
226
122
50
14
Liverp
516
330
276
97
242
611
809
516
348
262
170
52
Manch
466
372
175
208
351
443
329
297
225
187
84
Sunderl
274
309
412
161
267
514
426
326
327
270
186
73
Newca
445
284
449
156
147
235
284
226
174
132
114
71
Swans
397
231
368
400
431
202
114
87
67
61
31
Cardiff
301
156
247
460
470
282
168
122
93
104
38
Glasgo
286
275
147
194
318
325
258
207
158
130
115
Aberde
41
58
61
171
279
236
148
80
50
30
36
Belfast
317
213
109
225
504
284
229
175
143
115
82
Newry
199
118
113
256
756
447
306
210
145
80
46
Sandf
201
320
189
226
248
71
59
0
W.Bod
62
287
437
387
337
262
137
100
Lostwit
190
308
381
349
417
63
81
0
Some observations. Firstly West Bodmin is 8 cases, so not as bad as it looks. Also looking at the government map of small areas, only 5 places in Cornwall are shown on the map (less than 3 cases) BUT the total number is 68 cases in last week. The inference here is that the virus lurks in almost all places. To some extent this correlates with what seems to be a levelling off in the fall of positive tests. Whilst from a much smaller base the r number seems to be around about the 1 mark. How can this be interpreted? The stats are before the schools fully reopened (that will be interesting and hopefully positive). People with the virus must be passing it on, hopefully they are asymptomatic and not just evil. Now is surely the time for test and trace to start working properly. For instance if there are 8 people who have tested positive in Congresbury and Kewstoke, that is just 8 people to ensure contact is made immediately and all contacts of these people also contacted.
In the south-west I would say we are in a position to virtually eradicate Covid, but then we have tourism which is essential to the economy. Some difficult personal liberty issues need to be made, and fast. Should vac passports be mandatory, could under-30 camp sites be established?
There is light at the end of this shitty year, but a way to go yet. Has Johnson the balls to see it through?
Should be a thing of the past, certainly in this country. Do we need the coal for steelworks to build wind farms? I do not know the answer. But the Government is also spending millions on new Trident Missiles and reportedly increasing the defence budget by £80 billion. Can we have a drugs raid on Westminster and Downing Street please?
It is hardly believable that 118 women have been killed by men this year, and before some right wing idiot posts about many men being killed by women we just know that is not true.