Mr Bumble said that today would be our Freedom Day. The day on which Britain would break away from coronavirus restrictions.
On Saturday our new Health Secretary, Mr Spock came down with COVID-19 in spite of being double-vaccinated. Fortunately his symptoms are mild. Towards the end of last week Spock had been in protracted close contact with Mr Bumble and our Chancellor of the Exchequer - The Pocket Dynamo.
Following their own rules, this duo should have gone into self-isolation immediately. For thirty six hours they put about a story that they would instead join a "pilot scheme" which would not require them to self-isolate but they were rumbled. Recognising the growing public backlash they did a "U" turn and pledged to self-isolate like ordinary citizens.
A couple of months ago Britain was doing really well. Our key COVID figures were looking very promising with daily infections dropping below one thousand, hardly any new hospitalisations, the successful vaccination programme proceeding at pace and on some days there were no COVID-related deaths at all.
It's not like that now - ever since Mr Bumble failed to act decisively on the "Delta" variant that arose in India. Our daily infection tally is now worse than anywhere else in the world. Yesterday we had 48,161 new infections - more than any other country on the planet, including India, Brazil, The USA and Russia.
Our NHS driven vaccination programme has gone really well but several million British people remain unvaccinated. Nonetheless, just twenty five citizens died of COVID-19 yesterday which is a very low number when you consider the mushrooming infection rate.
A top epidemiologist reckons that our infection rate will climb over 100,000 a day this summer and hospitalisations and deaths will grow correspondingly. It is all very concerning.
At some stage in the very near future, economies must open up and we must all learn to live with COVID. It is not going away. But right now seems the wrong time for this country to ring the bells for Mr Bumble's Freedom Day. It is a very strange kind of freedom.
I guess we shall have to wait and see. Though I note that many of the respected SAGE scientists are actually in favour of opening up on the 19th. I find it near impossible to separate the hype, propaganda and fear from the data and sensible risk assessment... Like I said, we shall have to wait and see - so no change there then.
ReplyDeleteBeleaguered NHS staff and the relatives of new fatalities may not understand the "wait and see" philosophy.
DeleteI agree with you YP. Soon we'll have no medical personnel; they'll either be burned out or dead.
DeleteI couldn't believe they tried to get themselves off the hook. So glad people called them on it and forced them to isolate like everyone else. The numbers are scary -- I can't believe anyone is still hesitant to get the vaccine. (Apparently many of the infected have been vaccinated once, but they haven't gone back for their second shot -- or so I read in the Daily Mail, which is always accurate. LOL!)
ReplyDeleteI had not put you down as a "Daily Mail" fan. I thought you would be more of a "Guardian" guy.
DeleteActually I totally am a "Guardian" guy, but it's always good to know what the opposition is up to. :)
DeleteRestrictions here were also lifted recently and our infection numbers have surged upwards, although hospital cases are fairly low...for the moment at least.
ReplyDeleteI know that we have to learn to live with it but I cannot help but feel nervous every time I venture out.
I feel the same way JayCee.
DeleteJust noticced your comment on Cro's. You can get a vacc. cert through the post and it won't have an expiry date on it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that tip Tasker. I will investigate this immediately.
DeleteThat's shifty politicians for you - thinking they they can get away with anything!
ReplyDeleteSadly infections have soared here and we are second in line after the UK for the highest numbers - not something to be proud of. Talking to my doctor last week, she says that it's because of the tourist invasion, and as the season wears on it will become a real threat to the Health service. People slipping into the country without vaccinations, or negative tests. None of them have any intention of self isolating - they're here to party and have a good time. This is the downside of being part of the European land mass - it's impossible to police every port, or road crossing the border.
How ironic that Boris and his buddy should end up having to self isolate just as the rest of England is opening up.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what's really go on. I still wear my mask when I go out and I have to at work. We see a few more people now but only work people. A young nurse I work with told me about a patient she had a couple of weeks ago. This patient, in her sixties, had Covid back in March, had one vaccination and was back in ER on 9L of oxygen, which is a lot. The woman had antibodies and antibodies and still got very sick. Makes me nervous. I don't think I'll die nervous but I don't want to get that sick either. Time will tell.
I'm beginning to suspect that the vaccines are not that great against the delta variant as we have been told previously. With the problems you mentioned along with vaccinated Olympic athletes testing positive, it definitely seem more virulent. I definitely have no desire to go sit in a crowded anything anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteApparently the rise in cases is
ReplyDeleteconsistent with the dates of the recent Euro football games. Why they couldnt ban people from the pitches and make them watch it on TV I dont know. I still feel nervous to undertake too much and will be wearing a mask even though it's freedon day. This heatwave is going to make it a whole lot worse.
I fear further lockdowns and think England's going too fast with rising cases and vaccinated politicians testing positive. Worrying times.
ReplyDeleteI am doubting that the vaccines are anywhere near 90% effective on Delta. I will stick to my Covid protocols, wear a mask in public and stay away from unvaccinated people. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteWith new infection rates like that, it is really is looking like a case of let it rip. It is going to become almost impossible to avoid contracting the virus.
ReplyDeleteThe powers that be do not take this virus seriously enough. They can't wait until zero. You may find a 100000 cases in a day but how many are not found and diagnosed.?
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine who lives in the Bristol area was infected with Covid in spite of being fully vaccinated. He is a super-fit, strong man but the infection was very heavy on him, and he says he worries about what it does to people who are in less than superb condition to beging with.
ReplyDeleteOver here, infection rates are rising again, too, and we have the same problem with many people not showing up for their 2nd jab. Carelessness and an (understandable) wish to return to "normal" means that we'll soon be riding high on the Fourth Wave. I will stick to wearing FFP2 masks on public transport, in shops etc., even if it won't be mandatory at some stage anmyore.
My state is only 35% vaccinated (my county, 26%) and I just don't understand it. I've been fully vaccinated since the beginning of April. The media seems to enjoy reporting worse case scenarios and scaring folks, so I'm hoping all the breakthrough cases they're talking about are just a minuscule portion of the vaccinated population. Still.... with so many unvaccinated folks and the increase of variants, it almost seems inevitable that there will be breakthroughs. All the more reason I stay masked in public.
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