Every day the vaccine rolls out

[offshore_arab83]

It's not case numbers per se that are the main issue now. It's how many are actually being hospitilised and the associated death rate that's now critical. If that remains low and under control then THAT is the barometer that should be being used to assess restrictions levels.

Exactly, the measure should be on deaths and people in hospital now, the media wont get away from how many infected people there is though, concentrating on the negatives rather than the positives, we've come a long way and it should all be positives

[Chick A Saw]

It's not case numbers per se that are the main issue now. It's how many are actually being hospitilised and the associated death rate that's now critical. If that remains low and under control then THAT is the barometer that should be being used to assess restrictions levels.

I agree with what is being said about hospital rates, but the objective with keeping infection rates down is to ensure that this virus does not find a host that allows a mutation that is more transmissible, causes deaths in younger unvaccinated age groups and is able to hide from currently available vaccines.

To me we are talking about beating this in months, rather than years, and we need to just stick at it for that wee while longer!

[JamesMcClean]

I agree with what is being said about hospital rates, but the objective with keeping infection rates down is to ensure that this virus does not find a host that allows a mutation that is more transmissible, causes deaths in younger unvaccinated age groups and is able to hide from currently available vaccines.

If that were the case, then schools and universities should not be open again until all the youngsters are vaccinated.

[Chick A Saw]

If that were the case, then schools and universities should not be open again until all the youngsters are vaccinated.

I fully agree that schools and Universities should still be closed, but that is only for purely selfish reasons. Schools are not fully back though, and i do wonder how many college and university students are physically in buildings?

As we continue to win the small battles, we have to balance things by getting us all back to a semblance of normality until everyone is vaccinated. Testing is part of that battle, and there is more testing going on than ever, including surge testing areas where a concern is raised.

The trend in testing just now is finding lower numbers, and lower percentages than anyone could have expected!

[Chick A Saw]

Crikey, the Covid polis are out early today. I'll try harder next time officer.

To be fair bud, youve done that to me on more than one occasion, and im not sure that i replied, never mind with a hint of nastiness built in!

[tHeArAb]

It's not case numbers per se that are the main issue now. It's how many are actually being hospitilised and the associated death rate that's now critical. If that remains low and under control then THAT is the barometer that should be being used to assess restrictions levels.

Surely thats been the real main issue from the beginning, no? Tier levels and restrictions have always been based on case numbers however.

[JamesMcClean]

Surely thats been the real main issue from the beginning, no? Tier levels and restrictions have always been based on case numbers however.

While immunity in the population was low due to lack of natural immunity due to no previous viral exposure and lack of vaccine, case numbers were very important as statistically that would give the pointer toward the then inevitable increase in hospitilisations and deaths that would subsequently follow.

Now though, it is NOT the case that case numbers will result in high mortality and risk of the NHS being over run. And the final point is the kicker - this has always been (rightly) about ensuring that the NHS was protected and was not going to be overwhelmed. The risk of that now is receeding rapidly so consequently heavy restrictions based on case numbers alone makes no sense.

[tHeArAb]

Exactly, the measure should be on deaths and people in hospital now, the media wont get away from how many infected people there is though, concentrating on the negatives rather than the positives, we've come a long way and it should all be positives

The thing is, its a precedent that the government have set and still continue to go by so the media are just following suit. It's always been about case numbers, cases per 100,000, cases over the last 7 days.

[offshore_arab83]

The thing is, its a precedent that the government have set and still continue to go by so the media are just following suit. It's always been about case numbers, cases per 100,000, cases over the last 7 days.

i know mate and its negative as f uck

[AraBrian]

i know mate and its negative as f uck

Yeah think before the number of infected was a pointer to how many were going to land up in hospital or dead.now the elderly and those with underlying problems have had vaccine at least once then students and school kids getting the infection with no symptoms should not be keeping us all locked up and business's still suffering.