Dear Prime Minister

[243deer]

2 minutes ago, Lampwick said:

Report them then!

Why?

Should I also report everyone who comes within 2m of me in a supermarket? Every biker I see out for a jolly on footpaths (a lot in my area)? Every car I see speeding or driver I see on their mobile phone or not wearing a seat belt? Anyone who does not clear up or at least stick and flick their dog **** from a footpath. Even anyone who has driven past a perfectly good ride in the forest to walk their dog at their preferred ride? Those are the actions of 'people' in a police state so I think not.

I was merely making the point for the benefit of some holier than thou virtue signalling folk that we live in a society that is not perfect so expecting perfection from folk is not realistic.

[shalfordninja33]

10 hours ago, Jim Neal said:

Tabloid bullpoop, pure and simple.  Move along everyone, nothing to see here.  The pictures are of teenagers sitting around in a loose circle.  Outdoors, with a sea breeze.  Risk level?  Less than negligible. 

FGS what's wrong with people, we cannot let covid or the covid-zealots rule our lives any longer.

It has to be accepted that the mental health of our country's population has begun to outweigh the diminishing "risk" which the doom-sayers continually bang their drums about. 

It's been a year now.  Yeah, covid, we know what it is and what it's about.  Using common sense, logic and reason.... let's get on with life.

I've got an Autistic/ADHD 4 year old who's literally climbing the walls and turning feral, and as a result I have a mrs who's been valiantly attempting to home-school him for two months but is now signing up to weight-watchers and alcoholics anonymous starting on the 8th March. 

Psychologically, many people are well beyond breaking point. 

Some kids met up down at the beach?  Yeah?  Whatever.  Go **** yourself.

I understand we're you coming from entirely. Peoples situations are entirely different and the affect is cumulative. My parents are retired and other than golf causes and shops being closed they can still dog walk, go to garden centres, DIY, life's not changed a great deal. My sister and her husband don't have kids, she is working from home alone and her husband does a manual job and is going to work as normal, again other than the home working and shops/pubs being closed life is carrying without too much inconvenience.

Then I come to my situation, schools have been closed since mid December, Covid went through the house in December despite us following the rules. My two kids 7 and 11 are on zoom calls from 9am to 3pm, my wife is on Furlough and is bearing the brunt of helping the 7 year old who can be difficult at best, my wife has no idea when or if she's going back to work. My office is closed and I've been WFH for the last 12 months, whilst my wife's upstairs with our youngest I have the 11 year old who I have to ensure is paying attention, giving her help when she needs it as well as continuing to do my own job through all the interruptions.

Enough is enough, the mental cracks in the family are getting wider and wider, if going to the beach for a walk, pretty village to feed the ducks or driving about for a bit releases some of the tension, gives the kids a chance to run around and ensures my marriage and kids well being isn't damaged too much in the long term so be it.

Like many in my situation I'm done with the rules now and choosing to focus on family well being instead. If on the outside that makes me look like a covidiot so be it. 

[Smokersmith]

We saw a high level of 'hysteria' around the beach gatherings last summer.

The BBC had someone on the other week saying that NO outbreaks were linked to the beach scenes that were so outrageous, and I can understand that in an outdoor setting, well spaced, that there would be no issue.

Unfortunately there are hotspots which do have rising levels, and I still believe that some restrictions are necessary to stop getting back into a situation with logarithmic growth.

 

 

[Vince Green]

1 hour ago, 243deer said:

Why?

Should I also report everyone who comes within 2m of me in a supermarket? Every biker I see out for a jolly on footpaths (a lot in my area)? Every car I see speeding or driver I see on their mobile phone or not wearing a seat belt? Anyone who does not clear up or at least stick and flick their dog **** from a footpath. Even anyone who has driven past a perfectly good ride in the forest to walk their dog at their preferred ride? Those are the actions of 'people' in a police state so I think not.

I was merely making the point for the benefit of some holier than thou virtue signalling folk that we live in a society that is not perfect so expecting perfection from folk is not realistic.

Its not a case of being holier than thou, if everybody had really stuck rigidly to the rules for a comparatively short time we would be out of this by now. Shops and businesses would be open, money would be going back into tills and we could be back to a "sort of" normal.

It could have been a blip but instead its turned into a saga. People have gone bust, lost their jobs, lost their homes. And don't think that each and every one of us isn't going to be paying higher taxes and interest rates for the rest of our lives because of the massive debts the country has run up.

People don't just catch this by chance, somebody has to infect them. Its a numbers game, and it should have been over by now.

This lockdown is costing me personally at least two thousand pounds a week in lost income, come the summer it will be three. There are millions more businesses like that. I can afford it, many can't and will never reopen 

Edited March 1, 2021 by Vince Green

[udderlyoffroad]

9 minutes ago, Vince Green said:

if everybody had really stuck rigidly to the rules we would be out of this by now.

Male bovine droppings.

First of all, people getting some much needed vitamin D and fresh air, not to mention some human contact, will be a net benefit.

Secondly, if you look internationally, there is scant correlation between 'compliance' and low deaths.  If anything, the opposite is true.

The ultra-conservative cover-their-backsides SAGE, not to mention the multiple-times discredited '*******' Ferguson, will keep finding excuses to keep us locked down, regardless of compliance.  They are seemingly only interested in COVID-19, and not the bigger picture. 

They are hopelessly addicted to restrictions  - masks forever anyone?  Doubtless  what's driving this approach  is they want  to come out of the inevitable public inquiry grilling 'on the right side of history'.

It's clear in my mind that they won't be, they have this so thoroughly wrong.  I wish they'd man up, and quickly, and come with strategies for living with this virus as it's not going away.

 

[strimmer_13]

Not do I think for a single moment we would of been out of this if everyone had obeyed the rules.

[243deer]

9 minutes ago, Vince Green said:

if everybody had really stuck rigidly to the rules

That is such a simplistic and unrealistic argument. I spoke to my next door neighbours yesterday, first time for some weeks. They have been cocooned but when I asked if they had been sanitising their wheelie bin handle after seeing Mel's comments about bin men catching covid - they had not, they had not thought of it. You cannot blame ordinary folk for not thinking of absolutely everything. Likewise sanitising everything 100% correctly that comes from a supermarket or through their letter box -  how else could covid get into the homes of folk who have been 'sticking rigidly to the rules'?

https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/news/staff-may-be-unknowingly-infected-coronavirus/ 3% of NHS staff possibly carrying Covid. I do not single them out as pariahs at all, they above all others will be taking the utmost of precautions as they are the professionals at this - yet they are still inadvertently infected as this is not a perfect world and we do not know how many different ways covid can spread, they have only just started clinical trials to try and narrow down types of transmission.

So it is not surprising that a percentage of folk that are not healthcare professionals and have stuck rigidly to the rules have become infected.

Another example of society currently not sticking 'rigidly to the rules' is our importation of food which still arrives from all around the world. It could be that between sanitising your hands when entering, picking up that bunch of grapes which touch a small cut you did not even realise you had and then sanitising on the way out you are already infected. None of us can yet say if this is viable or not.

 

[Pangolin]

The reason people have lost their jobs, homes, etc is not because people didnt follow the rules. Its because the government ignored the pre approved UK Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Stategy of 2011 that was agreed by all 4 governments of the UK, **** themselves and copied China instead. 

Even Neil Ferguson was quoted as saying regarding lockdown "its a Communist one-party state (China), we said. We couldnt get away with it in Europe, we thought..and then Italy did it and we realised we could"

Quite worrying, isnt it! This can be read on the Peter Hitchens Blog.

They inflated the numbers with faulty tests, counted deaths that involved deaths within 28 days of a positive test to justify their decision.

Terrified the majority of the public that take things at face value and wont read into things for themselves, got the public gaslighting each other as we see on this forum.

Got themselves down a hole and kept going and going whilst them and their friends still made money from shares in vaccines and government contracts for PPE.

Its disgusting what they've done to this country and its people.

If you watch V for Vendetta its like watching a documentary at the minute.

[Pangolin]

For anybody that is interested, this is from the strategy that was agreed regarding public gatherings and facemasks.

 

 

 

[Smokersmith]

I guess the widespread transmission events such as the Liverpool Barcelona game and the number of people who caught it at the Cheltenham festival showed it was a flawed policy.

 

What we really need is a body who are not only responsible for the health of the nation, but also the financial fortunes ... ideally a body that was voted in by the people.

 

Hang on a minute ... we have that ...  and they're better positioned than any of us to balance the risks !!!!

[Pangolin]

2 minutes ago, Smokersmith said:

I guess the widespread transmission events such as the Liverpool Barcelona game and the number of people who caught it at the Cheltenham festival showed it was a flawed policy.

 

What we really need is a body who are not only responsible for the health of the nation, but also the financial fortunes ... ideally a body that was voted in by the people.

 

Hang on a minute ... we have that ...  and they're better positioned than any of us to balance the risks !!!!

Based off the faulty lateral flow tests

[Rewulf]

1 hour ago, Vince Green said:

Its not a case of being holier than thou, if everybody had really stuck rigidly to the rules for a comparatively short time we would be out of this by now. Shops and businesses would be open, money would be going back into tills and we could be back to a "sort of" normal.

Can you tell me which countries that  followed the strict lockdown strategy,  are now back to 'normal' ?

Then look at the countries that didnt have lockdowns, Sweden , Belarus, to name a few, they are far closer to normality , and didnt have to borrow hundreds of billions to pay for the ridiculous whims of the 'experts' , some of whom are quite notorious for ignoring their own rules !!

There are some great answers here to your rather naive post BTW, I suggest you try to absorb them.

2 minutes ago, Smokersmith said:

What we really need is a body who are not only responsible for the health of the nation, but also the financial fortunes ... ideally a body that was voted in by the people.

I think you are confusing SAGE with the government here, the government are largely following SAGE advice, who are not remotely bothered about how much it costs US.
Its a lazy policy of copying other EU countries measures, and making yourself unaccountable should it all go Pet Tong.

'Its not our fault, we followed the science'

Caution is good in an unknown situation, but it costs money, and the situation is not as cloudy as it was.
 

[Smokersmith]

7 minutes ago, Pangolin said:

 

13 minutes ago, Smokersmith said:

I guess the widespread transmission events such as the Liverpool Barcelona game and the number of people who caught it at the Cheltenham festival showed it was a flawed policy.

 

What we really need is a body who are not only responsible for the health of the nation, but also the financial fortunes ... ideally a body that was voted in by the people.

 

Hang on a minute ... we have that ...  and they're better positioned than any of us to balance the risks !!!!

Expand  

Based off the faulty lateral flow tests

 

Not at all ... these events took place last spring when the lft’s were just a twinkle in the eye.

[Pangolin]

6 minutes ago, Smokersmith said:

Not at all ... these events took place last spring when the lft’s were just a twinkle in the eye.

Even so, none of this justifies the measures put in place.

[Raja Clavata]

43 minutes ago, Rewulf said:

Can you tell me which countries that  followed the strict lockdown strategy,  are now back to 'normal' ?

Then look at the countries that didnt have lockdowns, Sweden , Belarus, to name a few, they are far closer to normality , and didnt have to borrow hundreds of billions to pay for the ridiculous whims of the 'experts' , some of whom are quite notorious for ignoring their own rules !!

There are some great answers here to your rather naive post BTW, I suggest you try to absorb them.

I think you are confusing SAGE with the government here, the government are largely following SAGE advice, who are not remotely bothered about how much it costs US.
Its a lazy policy of copying other EU countries measures, and making yourself unaccountable should it all go Pet Tong.

'Its not our fault, we followed the science'

Caution is good in an unknown situation, but it costs money, and the situation is not as cloudy as it was.
 

Spot on 👍

[TRINITY]

Some one asked who cares , well I chuffin do !!!!!

What was seen on the beech is happening at beeches, beauty spots, parks, etc all over the country and it has been going on throught this lockdown. Are the people who make the decisions about the rules blind or locked in some surreal world? 

All this happening out there and yet we are not allowed to go clay shooting for another month 😡

Couple of what were once beauty spots within walking distance of where I live. They are no longer nice, the paths are worn out and you can barely move around. I never go there, I would feel far safer at a clay ground or playing golf etc, and yet we still have to wait.

[Pangolin]

Not sure how you not being able to clayshooting shooting is the fault of people using parks, beauty spots, and beaches to go walking.

If they hadnt locked down and taken peoples freedoms away those people would have likely stuck to their own hobbies and wouldnt have ruined your footpaths to alleviate the boredom imposed on them by the government for a virus that is barely dangerous for the the vast majority of people.

[Walker570]

A part from masks I find that things have almost returend to normal regarding the movement of folks. It is just the pathetic lockdown of pubs, shops etc which is the problem.

The virus is out there and regardless, someone is going to catch it if they have not been vaccinated. The numbers will drop naturally but it is VERY important that life gets back to normal, it is not a rehearsal and the likes of Vince(and I do appreciate his fears) have to make a living, so get on and get back to normal, NOW.

[Pangolin]

14 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

A part from masks I find that things have almost returend to normal regarding the movement of folks. It is just the pathetic lockdown of pubs, shops etc which is the problem.

The virus is out there and regardless, someone is going to catch it if they have not been vaccinated. The numbers will drop naturally but it is VERY important that life gets back to normal, it is not a rehearsal and the likes of Vince(and I do appreciate his fears) have to make a living, so get on and get back to normal, NOW.

Imagine being a business landlord, spending thousands of pounds to make your business (I hate to use this phrase) 'Covid Safe' and then the Gov turns around and tells you that youre business is put on hold until god knows when because of a virus with an astonishingly high survival rate. I would understand if this was Ebola or Nipah virus.

Edited March 1, 2021 by Pangolin

[TRINITY]

18 minutes ago, Pangolin said:

Not sure how you not being able to clayshooting shooting is the fault of people using parks, beauty spots, and beaches to go walking.

If they hadnt locked down and taken peoples freedoms away those people would have likely stuck to their own hobbies and wouldnt have ruined your footpaths to alleviate the boredom imposed on them by the government for a virus that is barely dangerous for the the vast majority of people.

No it's not their fault at all and I did not intend my post to say that. My gripe is with the rule makers not living in the real world or blind to actual reality. Not only is it parks etc, garden centres and supermarkets are rammed. People just bored stiff and getting out and about where they can. However due to the lack of legal activity and places to visit it's making extremely high levels of public activity in a limited number of spaces. I am agreeing with your views

[Walker570]

6 minutes ago, Pangolin said:

Imagine being a business landlord, spending thousands of pounds to make your business (I hate to use this phrase) 'Covid Safe' and then the Gov turns around and tells you that youre business is put on hold until god knows when because of a virus with an astonishingly high survival rate. I would understand if this was Ebola or Nipah virus.

The big problem is that Hancock and that so called expert who has a face of doom with his graphs have scared folks totally rigid. I walked across a car park of a garden nursery yesterday and a young man , one of their employees was walking towatd me. he literally veered around me about 15ft away and i chided him for it. He had a stary look in his eyes and i have seen it so often these days when i walk into any shop or establishment.  How we get back to wsihing each other a proper " good Morning" and a smile beats me.  It is troubling times and life is definitely not a rehearsal as I heard of the passing of another good friend today and not from the virus. It happens kids, we all die one day but make sure that every day inbetween is the best you have ever had.  I intend to do that 100%

[Pangolin]

8 minutes ago, TRINITY said:

No it's not their fault at all and I did not intend my post to say that. My gripe is with the rule makers not living in the real world or blind to actual reality. Not only is it parks etc, garden centres and supermarkets are rammed. People just bored stiff and getting out and about where they can. However due to the lack of legal activity and places to visit it's making extremely high levels of public activity in a limited number of spaces. I am agreeing with your views

Yes, sorry, bud. Totally agree, sorry for the confusion. Claygrounds should never have closed, a lot of the time you are alone in a stand with a voice activated trap.

8 minutes ago, TRINITY said:

No it's not their fault at all and I did not intend my post to say that. My gripe is with the rule makers not living in the real world or blind to actual reality. Not only is it parks etc, garden centres and supermarkets are rammed. People just bored stiff and getting out and about where they can. However due to the lack of legal activity and places to visit it's making extremely high levels of public activity in a limited number of spaces. I am agreeing with your views

One of the ones that gets me is that in May only 2 households can mix indoors (unenforceable) but you can attend a 1000 person indoor venue, ***.

Edited March 1, 2021 by Pangolin

[39TDS]

5 hours ago, Rewulf said:

Can you tell me which countries that  followed the strict lockdown strategy,  are now back to 'normal' ?

China, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand

[Pangolin]

Dont believe China, they'll show the world whatever they want.

New Zealand and Australia have tiny populations for their land mass. Australia's climate probably helps.

They barely get any flu deaths in regular years.

Edited March 1, 2021 by Pangolin

[243deer]

https://gvid.tv/v/wWZdGo

an alternative view