LOCKDOWN

What would you call someone who votes against their own economic self-interests to protect the wealth of the already super-rich? We have a real problem with a serf mentality in this country and these people need calling out. Sorry if it offends your delicate disposition.

Took the words out of my fingers - was literally about to ask the same question. If that isn’t boot-licking I don’t know what is.

I'm far from offended mate. But whats the point in even trying to come here to debate things when those kind of things get thrown around. 

It would be far better if, like Lobster mentioned, people try and bring others to their way of thinking.

Must say that it seems nobody is bothered anymore, sorry state of affairs when we’re just accepting hundreds of preventable deaths and hospitals being overwhelmed.

Quite incredible isn’t it, that people who seemingly don’t care about hundreds of thousands of deaths caused by austerity and Covid obsess about a few hundred refugees.

Over 11,000 Covid related deaths in the U.K. since ‘Freedom Day’. Some statistic that, and may be the reason the current Health Secretary remains in hiding.

I can only imagine the blame storming sessions at Tory HQ following the damming Select Committee report into the Government’s handling of the pandemic. As they labelled it “one of UK’s worst ever public health failures’ I expect key figures to do the honourable thing and resign immediately. However, as the last eleven years has shown, there is no honour among Tories and it doesn’t matter how much blood is on their hands, they will never do the decent thing.

“Let the bodies pile high.”

“I don’t care about cancer outcomes.”

“Get back to work so commercial landlords can make profits.”

“It’s all about the economy.”

Etc etc.

Think in a medical/healthcare environment I take it as a given to be wearing masks, but I definitely agree on the public transport issue - the very definition of a confined space with strangers.

The UN have got to be on a massive WUM at this point.

Just 4.4% of people in the entire continent of Africa have been fully vaccinated. HanCOCK was the Health Secretary in a government that has consistently blocked attempts to increase vaccine supplies to poor countries in order to protect pharmaceutical profits.

It’s an insult.

Remember about 25 pages ago when I was arguing that nobody is safe from the virus until everyone is safe and that it’s a world health problem and we should be ensuring as much of the entire world is vaccinated as possible whilst international travel was still happening and our borders have pretty much remained open? Well 19 months later we’re still in the pandemic. Says it all.

Our border is now firmly closed for trade of goods but has always remained wide open for transmission of a killer virus.

Good to see the UN have rescinded the offer to him. An entirely inappropriate, preposterous choice to work on Africa’s recovery from the Covid pandemic considering his involvement in blocking moves to make vaccines available to millions of people in poor and developing countries (thus prolonging the pandemic).

Covid cases yesterday:

France: 1,120
Spain: 1,277
Italy: 1,561
Germany: 4,872

UK: 40,224

We are now the epicentre of the pandemic and the Tories appear to have given up. Absolutely shaming dereliction of the duty of Government to protect the people. Why nobody in the media is holding them to account is frightening, you can bet your bottom dollar if this was a Corbyn led administration the outrage would be deafening.

Unfortunately COVID is yesterday's news. Everyone's too busy going on about a shortage of Paw Patrol toys at Christmas to worry about a global epidemic.

The figures don't look great, but would you rather live with restrictions indefinitely and have low number of infections, or no restrictions and a higher number? The vaccines have reduced the number of deaths and hospitalisations, and for the majority of double jabbed people who get covid they feel a bit shitty for a few days and then they are alright. I know full well there are those that will suffer long covid etc, but there's plenty of virus's that have nasty side effects that can stick with you for a while and we've not placed restrictions in our lives previously to combat that. I know a fair few people that have had it recently, recovered and are fine now, whereas pre vaccine I knew plenty that were on ventilators or passing away because of it - what we have now is trying to get on with our lives again whilst living with the threat of covid. Since restrictions ended I play weekly indoor sport, go to the Chester matches, been allowed into the office more frequently, and been to gigs......I've no doubt I'll probably get it at some point but I'd rather risk that than not be able to do any of the things I've just listed. It's all a balancing act, and I think it's easy to look at the stats of how many have it and feel alarmed, but rather than scrutinise that I think it should really be judged on NHS pressure and deaths because unless lockdowns and restrictions are re-imposed I can't see high numbers of cases coming down any time soon, especially heading into winter months.

That being said, I think it was unwise to give so much freedom to people about whether to wear a mask. I don't consider it a hardship to pop a mask on if I go into ASDA or get the train, it had become normal, but going into shops these days I'm the odd one out for wearing them. I agree with lifting the majority of restrictions but I think people could have lived with having to put a mask on in certain situations for a bit longer. I'm dubious about whether people sanitise as much either, but even if Covid had ended I think I'd still be carrying on with that as it's made me think how minging some places are and how germs are easily spread.