COVID-19: 2nd Lockdown Imminent

 I've said for the past couple of weeks that a second lockdown is on it's way. Possibly only for 14 days, but this next one provides a bit of a quandary to the Government: how do we do a lockdown but at the same time prevent further economic strain?

The answer is, we can't. Businesses are having a hard time as it is and unfortunately a second lockdown and business closure will kill them off.

It's quite clear now that opening everything up and wearing masks isn't working. The infection rate is rising and the stats show that allowing people to mix in whatever way is providing an ideal spreading ground for the virus.

Now what is it that is causing the spread? We're now three weeks since the schools went back. Is it that causing the rise in cases? I mean, those of us that have had kids know what lovely little germ-spreaders they are. They don't just bring homework back from school. 

Of course the thought that millions of kids could start to mingle and not spread the virus was a fallacy. 

The thought that we could mingle in pubs and cafes with several strangers in close proximity, but can't have more than six people in a room at home is provable stupidity.

In my travels around the country I've seen good businesses doing their best to keep customers safe, but I've also seen cafes and pubs open with absolutely no changes to the way they operate. No screens, no masks, no extra separation, nothing. Only lip service to track and trace as if that's some panacea to the problem. It won't prevent infection, which should be the objective. Not bolting the stable door after the horse has been infected.

Right now, the government's health advisers have been shown to be totally inadequate and not up to the job. Chris Whitty is out of his depth and should be sacked. I said it from day one: he was wrong at the start and he is wrong in his advice to the government now.

I see already that thanks to the stats not showing increases in deaths in line with infection rates, that people are railing against a second lockdown. But we know that deaths may lag behind infection rates by as much as four weeks. So there is a case for locking down immediately.

I'd like to see establishments that don't put proper precautions in place to be closed down. With eating establishments it should be akin to the hygiene rating. Without proper covid countermeasures, you get zero rated and closed until you improve.

The problem with a new lockdown is how you keep the economy going whilst simultaneously attempting to lower infection rates. The answer is you can't. Either the economy takes a dive for a second time, or we learn to somehow live with the virus. 

Whether the Government is strong enough to live with the second option is a moot point. With a huge majority in Parliament it can essentially do whatever it wants, but it really needs to get it's shit together and stick with it.

For my two penn'orth I'd say because the virus hits the oldest and the weakest most, then those with underlying health conditions and those over retirement age should shield at home. The government can then boost any benefits or pension contributions to handle any extra costs involved in having goods delivered rather than collected. Even better if the supermarkets used some of those huge profits and waived the delivery costs for those shielding. That would cost a lot less than stopping the country from working at all. 

Public meeting places such as pubs and clubs subject to tighter restrictions and enforced closures under public health for those who fail to install effective distancing and screens. 

If necessary reduce the retirement age to 60 and pay those over 60 to shield in place. In effect make it a permanent retirement option for those over 60 and stop one of the highest risk age groups having to go to work. Solves the pandemic issue and also the issue of the people cheated out of pensions by raising the retirement age.

Those leaving the workforce can then be replaced by the younger , more covid-resistant age groups. That also solves the issue of unemployment in the young.  That way the economy carries on even if a vaccine cannot be found for the next year or two. 

By doing this the government is only supporting a population between the ages of 60 and the current retirement age. There will be fewer people in that age bracket thanks to old duffers dying off, so fewer numbers to support rather than the whole of the country. It really does make a sort of sense, especially if a properly tested and safe vaccine is some years away. Unless the object is to kill everyone off close to retirement age so they can't claim a pension...

It a pretty Socialist agenda, but by God this is the most Socialist Conservative government we've ever seen. So why not?

Be bold, be radical and help the people for once. Pay for it by raising corporation tax, let those benefitting from a younger and more productive workforce pay for it. You're welcome.

COVID-19: Land of Confusion.

 The Government has announced new extra lockdown measures for the Midlands, North West and parts of Yorkshire.

Glossing over the high Muslim population in the Midlands and Yorkshire, the restrictions are hitting Merseyside too, but then the Scousers don't go much for being told what to do.

But I notice that some parts of Greater Manchester are going back into lockdown after Augusts extra restrictions were lifted. I didn't know that the extra restrictions were lifted already.

And there's the issue: with all of these different edicts, rules, regulations and restrictions coming out of government, it's hard to know what the score is in parts of the country. England, Wales and Scotland, not a problem. Wales and Scotland talk funny so you know you're somewhere where the rules may be different.

But issuing several on-off-in-out-shake-it-all-about restrictions and relaxations in England is just causing confusion. And people are now saying "fuck it, why bother?" because it's too complicated to keep up.

Instead, lets have a short, sharp shutdown to sort the issue out. 14 days lockdown and let's see how the virus progresses afterwards. The time has come to reset, reboot and make it simple again. Stop spreading the fucking virus!

And why the fuck are we accepting illegal immigrant's from plague-ridden France still? Immediately bussed to hotels in Northern England and the Midlands (those locations sound familiar) and then free to roam the streets immediately, with no 14 days isolation period. Coincidence? I think not!

Let's have it: lockdown and only essential workers exempt. 

And only release lockdown after clear guidelines have been given and pubs, restaurants and cafes only allowed to reopen with proper mitigation measures in place. I've seen too many lax establishments open up with absolutely nothing in the way of mitigation. No screens, no distancing, not even hand sanitiser. Those fuckers need to be jumped on.

And lets stop pretending BLM and Extinction Rebellion are immune. They're not. Large Gatherings and protests should be stopped.

In Southampton the boat show was stopped just hours before it was due to open. What the fuck was it doing opening anyway? Who the fuck thought it was a good idea?

God fucking help us if COVID-19 was something really deadly like Ebola. We'd be royally fucked by now.

COVID-19 - Release from Lockdown Failing

 The cracks in the release from Lockdown are starting to show. The Government has just released figures that show the R or infection rating is above 1 for the first time since lockdown.

It's now quite obvious the policy employed since lockdown has failed. For whatever reason, the infection rating has climbed above 1 and the virus is starting to increase once again.

I urge the government to act now and not fuck about like it did last time. We need lockdown NOW.

Close the schools, close the pubs (the most obvious vector for the virus and not at all necessary to keep open), and limit access to shops again. This time, keep non-essential shops open, but limit access. So at least a significant majority of people can continue to work and keep their jobs.

Schools should become a safe repository for kids while parents are working. Kids stay in fixed classes, no moving around from class to class spreading the virus. 

Beauty salons are not essential and promote close personal contact. They should also be closed. Tough luck ladies, learn to love the grey.

Work should continue as much as possible, with proper social distancing measures in place. Offices should install screens between desks and workers should wear masks where they can.

Movement between households should be stopped. Scrap the rule of six, stop all non-essential meetings between households.

Non-essential travel should also be stopped.

Migrants reaching our shores should be returned under quarantine back to France. They should not be allowed into the country, they should not be bussed to the North and they should not be allowed the freedom to roam the streets.

It should be made clear to the country that they cannot go back to pre-lockdown levels of social interaction. If they continue to act in the irresponsible way they are, then they risk a second lockdown and this time the country may not be able to afford the cushion that was given to them the first time round. Next time will be harder. Unless they start to act responsibly and start to get back to what they were doing during lockdown, then there will be a tougher period of lockdown. Your choice.

And to the Government: for fuck's sake stop changing the rules! No wonder people just do what the fuck they like, because the Government changes the rules every week. Let's have some common sense rules that people can actually see make sense. Stop with the ever changing tag lines.

Right now the government should be saying we should be working to prevent another harder lockdown. We are all in it together and if we don't, the government cannot be as generous as last time and the next time will be harder for a lot of people. It may be harder for YOU.

Do you ant to risk your home, your job? If you don't then start to act like responsible adults and keep your distance, stop spreading the virus and stop acting like there's nothing going on. Stay away from pubs if at all possible. The pubs are there as a service, they are not be be abused on drunken orgies like before the virus. If you can't grow up and take some responsibility, then you will lose the privilege and pubs and other services will be shut down again.