CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Do we need a coronavirus thread?
(5710 posts)-
Posted 3 years ago #
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“
The UK cannot afford to be complacent and must be prepared to introduce tougher measures to control the spread of Covid-19 this winter if necessary, a government adviser and leading epidemiologist has said.
As mainland Europe is gripped by a new wave, some countries have imposed strict measures to control the spread of the virus.
Given Austria’s plans to introduce mandatory vaccinations from February and a new lockdown starting on Monday, and German ministers’ declaration of a national emergency, Prof Andrew Hayward, co-director of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, was asked whether the UK could be forced to take similar action in the coming weeks or months.
He said the UK was “on a knife edge” and that much depended on the booster jab campaign and the speed of uptake.
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Posted 3 years ago # -
They suggest face coverings need to be maintained - will England re-introduce this rule on public transport now? They have for shops there still or do they?
Of course city here is full of visitors - Edinburgh has a German Market to draw them in - unlike Germany.Posted 3 years ago # -
The UK cannot afford to be complacent and...
'Complacent' is another weasel word, used in the avoidant sense to imply unyielding support for policy commitments, and in so doing carefully deflecting attention from the very failure of policy that is often intentional though an orchestrated lack of action where that action is otherwise entrenched in the 'too difficult, indeed too courageous' pile; and neatly redirects blame for the ensuing failure to third parties, who are often the public.
Posted 3 years ago # -
@Laidback: AFAIK as of "Freedom Day®" i.e. 19th July this year, there are no situations in which a face covering is required by law in England (reference).
There was an extended and at times somewhat heated discussion on another (UK-wide) forum I read about why so many visitors from England this summer seemed unable or unwilling to abide by the laws still in place in Scotland.
Posted 3 years ago # -
“Most of all, however, I am now beaten back, exhausted, worn down by the continuous stream of people that we battle to treat when they have consciously passed up the opportunity to save themselves.”
This is what I hear from mrs nobrakes after every night shift. Not to mention the physical and verbal abuse, selfishness and other nastiness that has become so endemic among those coming in. I don’t think the government has any idea how completely broken all the front line staff are, and how much they are all waiting for the opportunity to get out. We’re both counting the years until she can retire. Hopefully still with enough physical and mental health intact to enjoy some of it.
Posted 3 years ago # -
@nb
Sympathy to your wife (and colleagues). I thought that ‘clapping for the NHS’ was dubious, though clearly some people did it in the right spirit. But that’s all gone now.
“I don’t think the government has any idea how completely broken all the front line staff are“
That seems to be completely true. Which is (almost) surprising as a) it’s their job to know/find out b) it’s been mentioned often enough on radio and tv.
May even be worse in England.
“Not to mention the physical and verbal abuse, selfishness and other nastiness that has become so endemic among those coming in“
This is the saddest part of recent times. No one wants to get Covid or (generally) go to hospital (some don’t even want to reduce the chance by getting vaccinated), but the idea that whatever is going on - waiting for/not getting treatment is the fault of the people that might be able to help you, is beyond stupid.
And now there is something of a media meme that GPs are hiding/lazy etc.
Posted 3 years ago # -
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The test-and-trace system, which has a £37bn two-year budget that is equivalent to almost a fifth of the annual NHS England budget, is designed to identify Covid cases and limit their spread.
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Posted 3 years ago # -
almost exactly 3 hours door to door to get to Ingliston, get jabbed and get home.
Posted 3 years ago # -
@SRD - That's a long haul! Blue letter for my boost next Saturday at 4.30 - think I might cycle as that's too long and can't do shop easily otherwise.
England falling into line with rest of UK/Europe.
New measures in England have been announced by Boris Johnson in response to the Omicron coronavirus variant
• Anyone arriving in the UK will now be asked to take a PCR test and isolate until they receive a negative result
• Wearing face coverings in shops and on public transport will become compulsory.
• All contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate for 10 days
• But the government is not moving to its full "Plan B" and people are not being asked to work from homeWhile we don't know how effective current vaccines will be, the PM says he is "confident" this Christmas will be better than last year's
• It was earlier confirmed that two Omicron cases had been detected in the UKSA has been able to detect this new variant in a population of 35 million. It may have come from elsewhere but an isolate Africa policy seems popular. Large chance it's already in India (eg).
England's low mask laissez faire approach is genius as they can now go up to the punitive measures that Scotland has had to endure (!) Scotland now has to go one stage further? :-)
Seriously worried though as we need to work together. Lack of vaccine dominance in Africa is a problem for all. In this case Gordon Brown is right.Posted 3 years ago # -
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/26/rich-countries-could-have-prevented-new-covid-variant-say-experts
That Guardian article is interesting, because as I understand it, South Africa has delayed vaccine orders as it has too much stock due to vaccine hesitancy in the population..Posted 3 years ago # -
@stiltskin - could be, as majority of population are too busy trying to come and go to work for minimum wage too. Plus the 'Indian Market' in Durban (eg) sells all manor of 'alternative prescription'. Anglophile part noted the casual 'no mask wearing in UK' (Scottish rules a bit niche in a country that has its evening news in seven languages!)
We all have a role to play and every admin has contradictions.
One point noted in UK 'stricter approach' is the Day 2 rule for PCR test coming in. You can not board a plane in Edinburgh without fit to fly PCR. Sure same at Eurostar. But coming back we had no need to prove a negative result but show a code that we had purchased AntiGen Day 2. Fine for not submitting by end of 48 hours is £4k. Assume same in NL / EU as Schipol had 61 cases when tested out of 600 incoming passengers from Jo'burg.Posted 3 years ago # -
in discussions about vaccine hesitancy in southern africa, there's a bit of a chicken and egg dynamic. Sense that once vaccination is normalised, then people will get vaccinated. but right now it is still seen as 'strange' and 'out there'.
like in eastern europe, people are wary of the government, especially around healthcare. not that long ago south african doctors sterilised women without telling them, etc etc People don't always believe that government policies are for their own good.
People i talk to think that more could be done through churches, civil society etc, in the way that other publci health drives function. but if they do that, they need to have lots of stocks.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Distrust of central government certainly a factor in Bulgaria and Romania, which have the lowest rates of vaccination in the EU. Bulgaria has the highest death rate in the EU, and by some measures is second only to Peru in the ghoulish tally globally.
Here in Scotland, it would appear that we are once again leading the UK in new variant cases. Government claims no link to travel. However I dare to speculate this may have something to do with South Africa playing rugby at Murrayfield a fortnight ago. Presumably SA fans that were thronging the streets then (a family group asked me for directions on Regent Road) have since left, but not before infecting a few residents.
Lastly, the vaccination roll out in Edinburgh continues to be a shambles and exclusionary to those who don't have a car. Vaccine clinics in Leith are swamped with folk trying to get a more local alternative to slogging out to Ingliston by public transport or bike. It's a terrible policy decision and very poor planning to have so little provision within reach of the most densely populated area in Scotland, with a very high proportion of households with no access to a car. I don't know what the reasons were for closing the vaccination centre at EICC, but this was an incredibly short sighted decision.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Yes EICC was so easy for us. Outside centre though car is first choice for many - some people haven't been on a bus for over a year.
I'm taking e-bike out this Saturday - although not the nicest place to visit on bike.Scottish numbers are very high for a population 1/10th of UK. England should have more - unless they just aren't being picked up. Javid says he'll drop the mask restrictions in south as soon as he can / if omicron isn't as bad as feared.
Another two cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have been detected in London bringing the total number of people with the strain identified in the UK to 11.It comes after authorities confirmed six cases were found in Scotland earlier today in addition to the three detected in England over the weekend.
The latest London cases - one in Camden and the other in Wandsworth - are not connected to each other and are not linked to the previously confirmed cases - but both do have "links to travel to southern Africa".
Posted 3 years ago # -
@LaidBack, I have an appointment in Leith in three weeks' time which I booked as soon as the booster programme opened to my age group. However I'm now not sure I want to wait that long. 24 weeks have passed since 2nd dose and will be 27 weeks by time of Leith appointment. Would normally have had flu jab by now as in priority group pre-Covid.
I have to travel by train regularly and mask wearing observance is not always great on board - people want to eat, drink, not have their glasses steam up, etc. Also have to meet people face to face indoors as part of my job (all wearing masks).
Seriously considering cycling out to Ingliston this week. Don't really want to but small Leith drop-in clinic at Ocean Terminal now appointments only for boosters/flu jab (even though not on NHS online booking system at all). 23 miles round trip to Lowland Hall from home if I want to avoid the busiest city centre roads...
Pretty annoyed that NHS Lothian haven't properly considered needs of 40% of households.
Posted 3 years ago # -
What's the situation like out at Ingliston for bikes anyway, anywhere secure to lock up?
Posted 3 years ago # -
@Yodhrin, I don't think so. Bloody pain to get out there too.
Posted 3 years ago # -
@Laidback - are you sure” You can not board a plane in Edinburgh without fit to fly PCR”? Doesn’t it depend on destination and vaccination status? A friend is going to USA via Dublin and I think they don’t need any test to get to Dublin and only Antigen test to get to USA.
Posted 3 years ago # -
@crowriver I can see a route, the pavements seem to be shared use on the A8 from Gogar Roundabout all the way out to Ratho Station, with one slightly hairy looking side switch at the Park & Ride's double roundabout, and I can get to Gogar easy enough via Roseburn, Broomhouse, and Gyle Park, but I'm not chancing it if there's nowhere secure to lock up when I get there.
Posted 3 years ago # -
@Yodhrin - fairly grim. Cycled out there with mini-Morningsider a few weeks ago to get his first jab. Ended up chaining the bikes to an air conditioning unit near the pedestrian entrance, as no obvious bike parking.
Cycled most of the way along the canal, then Gogar Station Road, A8 cycle lanes and onto the airport approach roads. Last couple of miles was pretty horrible.
Posted 3 years ago # -
When I cycled out there, security guards at the entrance said to chain it to some railings just inside and they would keep an eye on it. There's probably CCTV covering the site and there's a constant flow of people/witnesses. Yes there is no dedicated bike parking which is unforgivable for somewhere that sees itself as Scotland's national showground but if there was, it would likely be some open shelter in a secluded corner that paradoxically would be more likely to attract the attention of thieves. I'm unclear what, beyond this, 'secure' would mean in a setting where many thousands of people will attend 1/2/3/tbc times.
@Morningsider it may have been comfortable to continue along the A8
pavementshared path to Ingliston Rd opposite the BP garage? Less traffic that way.Posted 3 years ago # -
@Yodhrin, I've been out that way a few times.
Pedal For Scotland started out Ingliston in its penultimate edition (got tram to Ingliston P&R on way there to board coach to Glesca, but returned from finish at show ground via shared use paths). Also used to ride that way sometimes on DIY audaxes. Path as far as airport road is fine, but then problems start as no priority over roundabout entrances/exits, traffic coming off A8 is fast and drivers not in any mood to slow down for some pesky cyclist they haven't even seen trying to cross. Pretty nasty even in the height of summer, in winter conditions and darkness horrible.
Posted 3 years ago # -
@slowcoach ” You can not board a plane in Edinburgh without fit to fly PCR”? Doesn’t it depend on destination and vaccination status? "
May be right. When we flew we just followed conditions set by NLGov. Their website said you must have proof of having had both vaccines, a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of boarding, a Quarantine Declaration and a reason why you were visiting from high risk (at the time) UK.
A week later they went into a 5pm to 5am lockdown.
Hard to know how strict countries are. Fake vaccine docs in some jurisdictions. QR code on phone app harder to fake.Posted 3 years ago # -
@yodhrin I went round the back of the airport when I went to Ingliston for my first dose.
Out via Cramond, along Burnshot Road to Kirkliston, down the B800, then take a left on Lochend Road and emerge eventually on the A8 - take a left on the Shared-Use pavement to reach the showground. Pleasant ride on a May afternoon. Perhaps less so in December/Jan.
I locked to a sturdy-ish looking fence in view of the vaccine centre security people. However my rat-look steed is probably not all that attractive to magpies.
Posted 3 years ago # -
I went out on the airport approach roads but came back on Ingliston Road. As @Murun says Ingliston road is more pleasant to cycle on. It also has a (narrow and rough) pavement to cycle on if desired. However you will still need to wait to cross the slip roads at the airport junction.
Once there I walked my bike through the perimeter fence and locked it to the crowd control barriers directly outside the Lowland Hall entrance. There was already another bike locked up and as the security guard was only 20m away I was very happy with the arrangement. The only thing missing was an official sign saying "Bike Parking". If you drive to the site you then have a half mile walk from the parking to the Hall so in many ways the unofficial arrangement is superior to what could be an official bike parking location in the car park.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Well if there's actual guards there I suppose that's a tolerable risk. @MediumDave that sounds like a nice ride, but aye in this weather I'll stick to my planned route since it's a couple of miles shorter from my bit and it's almost entirely off-road. All academic for now of course, since it depends if they permit drop-ins for under 40 boosters there.
Posted 3 years ago #
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