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Doddie
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 Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2020 5:42 pm |
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Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:13 pm
Posts: 1740
Location: Dunedin, Alba.
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Three days ago a new strain was announced to parliament in the UK. Covid-19: New coronavirus variant is identified in UK https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4857Time will tell if it turns out to be as dangerous as the parliaments within the UK believe, but it has spooked them enough that they've drastically reduced the relaxation of restrictions over the christmas period within all areas of the UK, except Northern Ireland (so far). The scientific data so far appears to be that it has an accelarated rate of infection, most notably in the South of England where infections have suddenly started to rise out of control. The Scottish Government today announced that all of mainland Scotland will be moved into the highest level of restrictions on Boxing day (level 4) and that the border between England and Scotland will effectively be closed... The Scottish First Minister is calling these measures preventative, in recent days the new strain has been detected in Scotland, albeit it a very low levels (only 17 cases, i think she said?). Putting that into some context, nowhere in Scotland today is at level 4 and infection rates are falling in almost all areas of Scotland. England today introduced a WHOLE NEW level of restrictions (their level 4) that will come into effect at midnight tonight that covers London and much of the South East of England. Whether this new strain turns out to be something to be worried about i don't know, but the politicians certainly appear spooked enough to put whole swathes of the UK back into a full lockdown akin to that at the start of the year. cf. Covid-19: New coronavirus variant is identified in UK https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4857Covid: Lockdown looms as Scotland tightens Christmas rules https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-55379632Covid-19: Christmas rules tightened for England, Scotland and Wales https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55379220
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Doddie
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Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2020 6:06 pm |
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Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:13 pm
Posts: 1740
Location: Dunedin, Alba.
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sboots
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Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2020 8:22 pm |
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Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:48 pm
Posts: 2955
Location: New Jersey
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I saw the reports of the new strain. but I'm skeptical about any information about the new strain being more transmissible -- especially tagging a percentage on the chance. I think it's entirely too soon to tell if it is or isn't.
_________________ stephen boots Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020 "Life's always an adventure with computers!"
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Doddie
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Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2020 8:31 pm |
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Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:13 pm
Posts: 1740
Location: Dunedin, Alba.
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When i watched the news unfold yesterday i have to admit i was somewhat sceptical myself, my first reaction was this surely must be a political ploy centered around the ongoing Brexit Trade Deal talks, but as other UK nations put up the shutters to England it made me think there might be something in this... fast forward to today and: Quote: France banned all travel from the U.K. for 48 hours from midnight Sunday, including trucks carrying freight through the tunnel under the English Channel or from the port of Dover on England’s south coast. French officials said the pause would buy time to find a “common doctrine” on how to deal with the threat, but it threw the busy cross-channel route used by thousands of trucks a day into chaos.
The Port of Dover tweeted Sunday night that its ferry terminal was “closed to all accompanied traffic leaving the UK until further notice due to border restrictions in France.”
Eurostar passenger trains from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam were also halted.
Germany said all flights coming from Britain, except cargo flights, were no longer allowed to land starting midnight Sunday. It didn’t immediately say how long the flight ban would last. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said he was issuing a flight ban for 24 hours starting at midnight “out of precaution.” “There are a great many questions about this new mutation,” he said, adding he hoped to have more clarity by Tuesday. Source: https://apnews.com/article/europe-england-united-kingdom-coronavirus-pandemic-germany-06a35eb02ce885ae7b80b2e1851ab893Either the UK just shot itself in the foot in the most spectacular fashion in the history of the of the UK or there is something in this, time will tell but i'm considerably less sceptical than i was yesterday. Edit: Since posting the content quoted within the link above has been updated, click on the link to see the updated version.
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Doddie
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Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2020 8:47 pm |
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Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:13 pm
Posts: 1740
Location: Dunedin, Alba.
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I just came across this, i haven't fully looked into the backgrond of the author so don't blame me if it's not 100% accurate. That said, there are no experts when it comes to Covid-19... let alone for the new variants... all i know is he talks the talk and it makes sense to me. If you take the time to watch all of the following almost 30 minute long video it is very sobering, don't expect to find a lot of New Year cheer in it. UK and South Africa new viral varianthttps://youtu.be/NmfLkEuyWdo
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Doddie
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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2020 9:05 pm |
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Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:13 pm
Posts: 1740
Location: Dunedin, Alba.
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Doddie
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Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2021 11:44 pm |
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Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:13 pm
Posts: 1740
Location: Dunedin, Alba.
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sboots wrote: I saw the reports of the new strain. but I'm skeptical about any information about the new strain being more transmissible -- especially tagging a percentage on the chance. I think it's entirely too soon to tell if it is or isn't. I can't see how now there is any doubt  ... COVID-19: Scotland to enter a national lockdownhttps://youtu.be/arMYXpVikX0England soon followed... Boris Johnson announces new England lockdownhttps://youtu.be/rQopV_NlYNcWales and Northern Ireland, i hope follow soon.
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Doddie
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Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2021 12:12 am |
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Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:13 pm
Posts: 1740
Location: Dunedin, Alba.
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Fwiw, I never really rated Boris as a UK leader even though i thought he might be the man to deliver Brexit... jeez, i wanted Brexit!
With hindsight i have to admit than when he speaks, i take notice.
Time will tell if that makes him a great leader but so far it's looking good for him, before i get jumped on for making a political post can i just say that leadership isn't always about politics, more often than not a single man (or woman, in Scotland) can make the difference between despair and desperation.
2020 was a time of desperation, the future is what counts now, how we move forward is what matters.
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sboots
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Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2021 12:05 pm |
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Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:48 pm
Posts: 2955
Location: New Jersey
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Doddie wrote: sboots wrote: I saw the reports of the new strain. but I'm skeptical about any information about the new strain being more transmissible -- especially tagging a percentage on the chance. I think it's entirely too soon to tell if it is or isn't. I can't see how now there is any doubt ... Yes, unfortunately, it does appear that the mutation may be more transmissible -- which really sucks.  _________________ stephen boots Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020 "Life's always an adventure with computers!"
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