UK Air travel suspended for 48 hours from midnight *Mod Warning in OP Please Read*

Melanchthon

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

I'd put my highest quality tin foil hat on here and say that the reaction you are seeing is because either what the British government says is simply not trusted, there is a belief that information is being withheld, or there is further information out there not available to the public.

This is always a possibility.

Doesn't need to be that elaborate, there is a new strain, might be worse for transmission, possibly considerably worse. It definitely exists. The UK (and a lot of other European countries too AFAIK France has a higher daily death rate than the UK but that will be ignored) have serious issues with spread, dramatic measures with a large emphasis on a dangerous new strain will cut through lockdown fatigue and remind people that things aren't normal, and it has the advantage that it's possibly true too.

BryanMartin21

Beasty wrote: »

You seriously think the EU would play games over Covid?

I actually thought of this as well.

Potential reason for both sides to say "we have agreed to a temporary Brexit extension due to the recent escalation of the covid situation in the UK"?

Graces7

faceman wrote: »

It’s definitely here. Based of the U.K. spread it will take 2-3 months to become an issue. Hopefully the vaccine has taken effect by then

There ae concerns that the vaccine will not protect against the new strain. Hence the righteous panic.

Kermit.de.frog

BryanMartin21 wrote: »

I actually thought of this as well.

Potential reason for both sides to say "we have agreed to a temporary Brexit extension due to the recent escalation of the covid situation in the UK"?

<tinfoil>

It also has the benefit of giving Boris Johnson cover for an extension of talks...

</tinfoil>

O'Neill

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

<tinfoil>

It also has the benefit of giving Boris Johnson cover for an extension of talks...

</tinfoil>

To be honest that's crossed my mind as well. It's at least a coincidence that flights across Europe being grounded was a prediction from a No Deal outcome.

GreeBo

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

<tinfoil>

It also has the benefit of giving Boris Johnson cover for an extension of talks...

</tinfoil>

I don't think extra time for talks will help get back onside all the people he just put into tier4, it wouldn't be a logical decision if it was voluntary.

Beasty

Graces7 wrote: »

There ae concerns that the vaccine will not protect against the new strain. Hence the righteous panic.

Everything I've heard so far is they expect it will

WoollyRedHat

So NI executive will issue trong advice to anyone on Tier 4 areas in Britain not to travel to N Ireland but that's it. They fudged it.

Kermit.de.frog

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

So NI executive will issue trong advice to anyone on Tier 4 areas in Britain not to travel to N Ireland but that's it. They fudged it.

Once again ideology gets in the way of common sense. Any wonder they have one of Europe's worst outbreaks. Ludicrous.

jam_mac_jam

Not too surprising but a pity all the same. They have a very high number of cases there.

I'm glad we went ahead regardless.

Fuascailteoir

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Once again ideology gets in the way of common sense. Any wonder they have one of Europe's worst outbreaks. Ludicrous.

The DUP are still trying to get their heads around the concept of evolution so best not to rush these things

BryanMartin21

Beasty wrote: »

Everything I've heard so far is they expect it will

I have even read that in the Faily Dail that it is more easily spread but no less impacted by the vaccine. Swapping the tinfoil for a more reasonable looking hat, I think it's the uncertainty of the new and improved covid strain and the low risk of screwing many people so close to Christmas which has resulted in these unprecedented (I think - maybe the Icelandic volcano?) travel blackout measures.

Kermit.de.frog

Actually north's health minister to consult legality of a ban

https://twitter.com/vincekearney/status/1340807608748417029

nocoverart

Graces7 wrote: »

There ae concerns that the vaccine will not protect against the new strain. Hence the righteous panic.

Think you pulled that out of your A - Hole mate.

BryanMartin21

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Actually north's health minister to consult legality of a ban

https://twitter.com/vincekearney/status/1340807608748417029

I think it's funny. Yes, there should be a fantastic contact track and trace system combined with rapid testing but there isn't. So the travel ban is being introduced in this context, get over it I would say to the moaning. Could they deliver what they argue should be in place in the next few days?

ACitizenErased

ECDC report:
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/threat-assessment-brief-rapid-increase-sars-cov-2-variant-united-kingdom
"This new variant has emerged at a time of the year when there has traditionally been increased family and social mixing. There is no indication at this point of increased infection severity associated with the new variant."

BryanMartin21

ACitizenErased wrote: »

ECDC report:
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/threat-assessment-brief-rapid-increase-sars-cov-2-variant-united-kingdom
"This new variant has emerged at a time of the year when there has traditionally been increased family and social mixing. There is no indication at this point of increased infection severity associated with the new variant."

In my lay interpretation, surely it's just like the way the flu mutates each year?

ACitizenErased

Also:
https://twitter.com/afp/status/1340734983661600769?s=21

Complete overreaction by all involved.

ACitizenErased

BryanMartin21 wrote: »

In my lay interpretation, surely it's just like the way the flu mutates each year?

Yes

stevenup7002

BryanMartin21 wrote: »

I think it's funny. Yes, there should be a fantastic contact track and trace system combined with rapid testing but there isn't. So the travel ban is being introduced in this context, get over it I would say to the moaning. Could they deliver what they argue should be in place in the next few days?

They've had nine months to deliver this.......

BryanMartin21

ACitizenErased wrote: »

Also:
https://twitter.com/afp/status/1340734983661600769?s=21

Complete overreaction by all involved.

Is this related to the UK travel ban though?

As in, is the ban due to the new strain and/or the spike in cases etc. And/or Brexit?

BryanMartin21

stevenup7002 wrote: »

They've had nine months to deliver this.......

No, I agree. My argument against their complaints is that it's all well and good complaining that we should have it in place, and I agree with that, but at least this travel ban, albeit bluntly, gets the job done in the short term, more than time it would take to correct the contact tracing system. No?

ACitizenErased

BryanMartin21 wrote: »

Is this related to the UK travel ban though?

As in, is the ban due to the new strain and/or the spike in cases etc. And/or Brexit?

The travel ban is because of this new “mutation” which the ECDC are saying is no different and Irish health sources are saying is a complete overreaction.

GarIT

ACitizenErased wrote: »

Also:
https://twitter.com/afp/status/1340734983661600769?s=21

Complete overreaction by all involved.

We don't have the vaccine yet.

GarIT

ACitizenErased wrote: »

The travel ban is because of this new “mutation” which the ECDC are saying is no different and Irish health sources are saying is a complete overreaction.

The ECDC said it's 70% more transmissible but doesn't increase the severity of symptoms. And also say timely prevention measures are needed to reduce the spread. Read your own link.

ACitizenErased

GarIT wrote: »

We don't have the vaccine yet.

? Pfizer vaccine is being approved by the EU tomorrow. Already approved in US, Canada, Switzerland.

So yes, we do have a vaccine.

jam_mac_jam

ACitizenErased wrote: »

? Pfizer vaccine is being approved by the EU tomorrow. Already approved in US, Canada, Switzerland.

So yes, we do have a vaccine.

Well not really now, because it's going to take months for it to be available for everyone.

ACitizenErased

GarIT wrote: »

The ECDC said it's 70% more transmissible but doesn't increase the severity of symptoms.

Think you need to read the report. It says there is a lack of evidence to back up any of the claims made by the UK so far.

SortingYouOut

ACitizenErased wrote: »

? Pfizer vaccine is being approved by the EU tomorrow. Already approved in US, Canada, Switzerland.

So yes, we do have a vaccine.

No, we have approval. Can you stick approval in my arm?

ACitizenErased

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

Well not really now, because it's going to take months for it to be available for everyone.

Everyone doesn’t need it. Once vulnerable people are covered then it doesn’t really matter. Anyway, this isn’t the vaccine thread so I digress.