Corona Virus and The Simpsons

[Cuchculan]

Just the numbers are not adding up here. I know we had the Christmas period and the run up to Christmas. To see such a huge jump in numbers. One doctor did that everybody in the country would have at least 1 symptom of the virus. That does not mean they have the virus. But if tested it might come back as positive. talking 7,000 cases a day for the next few weeks. Case of do you believe it or not? Is this them wanting to keep people indoors. Creating an illusion for us to think if we leave the house we might get the virus. Plus that magic word again. Back log. How far is this back log? They are not telling us. Remains to be seen what happens over the coming weeks.

[CloudMaker]

So yesterday I went to my credit union to pay my bills as I normally do. There was this big alert banner.

It said stimulus checks are going out but they have nothing to do with this Credit Union. Those checks are going out through the United States Government. We can not guarantee when they will get to you.

I hate people so stupid that they think thier banks have any control over anything, and I also feel bad, that they are so desperate to get any money.

God help us once the free money stops.

[Otherside]

Its infuriating here. Boris has come out and said yes, further measures will be needed, schools will need to be shut at somepoint - then not doing anything. Doesn't seem capable of taking action fast. Far too desperate to be liked, far too scared of a rebellion from his party - who might just remove him if he does it. So won't act.

What we're doing just isnt working. We haven't kept the economy going - there's still the huge job losses, still the damage and the constant opening that having to shut at short notice is hurting them. We haven't managed to keep the infection rates down - hospitals are now once again overloaded, theres now teachers on strike refusing to go to school because they're saying its unsafe to do so.

So why not try what New Zealand and Australia managed to do successfully? Shutdown, provide the support for those that need it, close off everything that is not essential. Bar anyone coming in who isn't a UK resident - and require those residents that do come in to spend time isolating in a hotel room until they get a negative test. Just as they do in Aus. Then when those numbers are down at near zero, reopen, keeping the borders shut off.

[Cuchculan]

They still want schools to open here. As was pointed out, they are asking all other people to work from home if they can. What is the difference between a school and an office? 30 people in one room.

From day 1 I said ban alcohol. From day 1 the government have been moaning about house parties. But the earn from the sale of alcohol. What good would a house party be without alcohol? It is the easy things they are failing to do. Close the borders into Ireland. We have water around us. You know what I mean. Nobody enters or leaves the country. No movement between North and South. These are such easy things. But they have been ignored since day 1. Movement and alcohol. Two spreaders of the virus.

Was shopping this morning. The shop was badly staffed. One checkout open only. That is not good enough. Open 3 or 4 and there will be no queues. Open only 1 and you will have a queue and a half. Simple little things. Not like they are complicated.

[Otherside]

We are in lockdown again. Just like it was back in March. Everything shut that isnt essential, back to stay indoors, although go out once a day for exercise.

Implication in todays Boris speech was that it will go on until the first groups have been vaccinated - predicted mid-February if they dont screw that up.

Know what you mean about islands. Incredibly frustrating that this island here let it get out of control. Wish we'd done what Australia and NZ did with there islands. Or closer to home, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands that have it under control.

On the subject of the Isle of Man, one guy from Scotland was missing his girlfriend there, with travel between the two shut off. So what did he do? Got a jetski and decided he was going to jetski all the way from Scotland to Man, four hours in total - thought it would only take half an hour. Apparently was spurred on by listening to "Love is in the air" over and over. Honestly impressed that he managed to make it over, given that he apparently had never used a jetski before. But, guy got arrested, spent a few days in prison, the Manx weren't thrilled. Assume they sent him back to Scotland.

[Cuchculan]

That would be some rough sea to get across on a jetski. Must have been dying for some. LOL

I think if people used some common sense they could get by. But they refuse to do so. Plus we know the vaccine is in the country. Only 1 person has been given it so far. They are waiting till the end of the month to give it to others. Wait till things get worse and then give it out. Common sense not been used again.

Numbers are crazy here. Hard to know what to believe. Is like they are telling us the numbers for tomorrow a day in advance. Like ' tomorrow they will be 7,000 new cases '. There is that exact amount the next day.

[Otherside]

I'm kind of in awe of that guy, like, how the heck did he manage to get to the Isle of Man on a jetski when he'd never jet-skied before? Mental. Surprised he didn't drown. Saw a Mancman say it felt very bizarre seeing all the shut downs and chaos elsewhere, whilst life on the Isle of Man was normal and just went on - other than the fact nobody else is going onto the islander able to leave, and theres apparently a shortages of some items that usually come in from the UK because of restrictions. Would kill to be on the Isle of Man right now.

Don't doubt the numbers here are insane - thinking on it, know more people here who've tested positive or who have symptoms in the past week alone, than I have throughout the whole thing. About a third of people at work are off citing covid19 symptoms. Relying on commonsense - most people do here I think, but you get the small minority who ruin it for the rest of us.

[Cuchculan]

How much fuel does a jetski hold? I am doubting enough for six hours. Unless some have reserve tanks. Long, choppy ride for a newbie.

The health experts have said there are no other illnesses you can catch right now only Covid. Those sorts of statements make us dubious. So you can't catch anything else at all. All the normal things are not out there at the moment. This is were you begin to think a bit. Are other things showing up as positive? Thus them saying that. In another statement they told everybody to assume they all had Covid. Talking the whole country here. Odd statements to be throwing out there. I also wonder if other illnesses are forming into Covid? Is it even possible? Must be something going on. That they are not telling us.

Schools will remain closed this month. Nearly everything is cancelled. Though my mother has a hospital appointment. Was cancelled yesterday. Today she got a call saying it was still cancelled but she could go if she wanted to. They give you a time. One person allowed in at a time in that department. This hospital is overrun with Covid cases. Hence cancelling all appointments. Seems they are saying ' it is up to you '. Catch anything, you can't blame them.

[Ironman]

Our numbers are huge. Just seen the graphs, the numbers...UK has huge numbers. Inevitable I think that we'll be in another lockdown.

Schools are the issue here today. Gov wants them opened when the term starts up again tomorrow. Teachers aren't happy about it. Now one of the teaching unions has advised there members to go on strike, saying "its unsafe to go to work because of covid levels, dont go." So then schools shut anyway because there isn't any teachers.

Wondering if the best thing is to just go hard on the lockdown this time for a few months and get it completely under control, instead of doing this half-arsed approach of sort of locking down when things get to code red levels which succeeds in neither keeping the economy going and keeping covid under control.

Can't help but look at places like Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia that have managed to keep it under control and go back to a normal life.

People always forget - it's summer down there. It lightened up here in the north during the summer. Virus like the Corona don't like heat and humidity - it bulks the cell up and weighs it down.

[Otherside]

Sure, also different ways in how they've approached it though. SE Asia - the Taiwan and South Korea never really had a lockdown per say, managed to keep it under control. Aus and NZ have extreme entry bans - quite a few Kiwis in the UK on working holiday visas or the like who are having an interesting time trying to get back (very difficult due to the restrictions), similar with the Aussies.

Definatley was better here during the summer though, although undoubtedly, return to universites and the Christmas gatherings have contributed to the situation we are in now.

Of all the things, Trump is the UK Covid controversy today. Apparently he has his private jet booked to fly to Scotland so he can take a holiday playing golf. That...might be interesting if he does end up coming. Scottish government have said that they're not letting anyone who is not travelling for an essential reason, and playing golf isn't essential. Going to be something if he ends up being denied entry and sent back to the US. Wonder if it's just a threat, or if they will if does show up.

[Cuchculan]

Here the government are been slammed for the slow roll out of the vaccine. they are been accused of letting people die. Not the first time they have been accused of that one. Plus this back log. Deaths read out yesterday were weeks old. But they refuse to say how far the back log goes back exactly. So they are giving us numbers days in advance. Bit like saying in three days time there will be another 5,000 cases. When esxactly are these cases from? That is why we are all confused. Oh and you must show a negative Covid test result before you are allowed into Ireland now.

[Otherside]

They did that here last night - you need a negative test to enter the UK. Which seems like it was something that was needed six months ago.

[Cuchculan]

I was just over at the post office and shopping. Pick the right time and there is hardly anybody over there. In and out. Pick the wrong time and you will have queues. Was happy with this morning. More people working the check-outs as well. Whivh was what I mentioned the other day. This morning I shopped and checked out straight away. No queue.

Few other things have come up here in a leaked document. Government want to close more places down. Leave only the bare essentials opened. Some never have anybody in them. Accept the person who works there. Building sites I can understand. Hard to social distance at times. But not hearing of any outbreaks on building sites. Has gotten into a few prisons. Normal jokes about them self isolating. It was the staff who brought it into the prisons. So now every prisoner has to get tested. They would get tested quicker than we would. The ban on coming from the UK is still in place for a few more days. They will meet to decide what to do about that ban. Should be the exact same thing really. Test them before they come here.

[Cuchculan]

This is just an example of how some people have gotten. The woman in this story is the first one I have come across to have actually said anything to me at least. it was in the shops yesterday. I just walked in. Place was almost empty. She followed me in and stopped me and told me I never Sanatized my hands before entering the shops. I made it clear that I had gloves on. My hands would not be touching a single thing in the shops. Did she expect me to sanatize my gloves? She told me to remove them and sanatize my hands and then put them back on. I said ' what's the bloody point '. Before I left my house I had washed my hands. i had put my gloves on. I had not passed one person on my way to the shops. ' And you really need to get a life '. then i did point out she was standing too close to me. Not observing social distancing rules. I just found it funny. My own view on the whole thing is how many other actually touch that hand sanatizer machine? Probably thousands. Then you have the shop fridges. My gloves were not those latex type. Just normal gloves. I do wash them every other day. I wear them so I am not touching everything / anything in the shop. When she saw she was getting nowhere with me she moved on to somebody else. No. She did not work in the shop. Just a woman with a lot of time on her hands and nothing better to do. I thought I done good from holding back and not telling her to go F off and bug somebody else.

[Otherside]

Hearing a lot about "long covid" here which sounds terrifying. Some saying it's a high as 1 in 20, leaves you completely debilitated. Had people on the news saying they have lung damage, nerve damage. Serious symptoms for a very long time with.

Colleagues been off sick with it for the last month. Said in an email this morning he that he fees breathless everytime he leaves his bed to go to the bathroom. Seem to know more people that have had it this past two weeks than I have at any point since this began.