Covid in UK

[Blaze]

Children have always been spreaders of illnesses, viruses etc. As a child we caught things like chickenpox, measles and mumps at school and if our parents weren't fortunate enough to have had them as children, passed it on to them, as I did with chickenpox to my mother
Last year there was a lull during the summer holidays, as there was this year. Once schools go back, as predicted, the virus starts circulating again.

The take-up (uptake ?) of the 3rd vaccination in our area has been pretty slow. One of the reasons is the difficulty of getting people to the vaccine centres - many are in wheelchairs or infirm and for some strange reason it's not always possible to get them done in the EHPADs. The efficacity of the vaccine appears to wane after 6 months, hence the need for a booster, particularly for the winter when general resistance to bugs seems to be lower. We were offered a 3rd vx earlier this week at the centre where we work but sadly it was too soon. The 2 doses left over had to be thrown away - 2 people scheduled didn't turn up ...

[Bayleaf]

One of the big spreaders from early last year in the UK was pointed at The Cheltenham Gold Cup being allowed to go ahead . Too much money and too many upset bigwigs at stake. A festival in Cornwall this summer "Broadmasters" was renamed "Covidmasters" by a regional newsreader, because of the amount of new cases that arose from it.

So, I think we can say across the board - any large gatherings of unprotected, possibly contagious people, is going to cause problems. Unfortunately children are squished into overcrowded situations in their schools, so they have little choice in the matter.

[Blaze]

Agree about children, Bayleaf - the over-crowded conditions in schools is probably the main cause of bugs spreading among children. Any enclosed area will provide an ideal breeding ground for the virus, particularly if people don't wear masks.
I don't understand the mentality of the British government - someone must be advising them or are they really not listening to medical experts ? It appears to be the latter.

[Pathca]

My concern from the half term is that,whilst schools with crammed together pupils will be full of virus,come half term those children may visit vulnerable relatives,go to places ie amusement parks for the last time before winter etc

[niemeyjt]

As we have said many, many times political, economic and social considerations trump medical advice for the UK government.

That is, after all, how Delta took hold.

And COP looks like it will cause another spike just the like UEFA Cup Final did.

[rabbit]

I am in the U.K. now and am shocked at the disregard for precautions. Even on the Ferry, despite all staff wearing masks and repeated announcements most Brits were not wearing them. I’ll be glad to get back

[Liz]

In a classic car place online someone asked who would be going to the NEC Classic Restoration Show mid-November. Friends of mine sensibly replied 'no, the last place we want to be is in a large hall all day with loads of other people, whether they are vaccinated or not'.