O/T. The Government's handling of Covid

[mistaram]

I believe that everyone should quarantine when returning from abroad, the numbers of cases in the EU and worldwide are higher now, than in March, when it is widely accepted that the government should have imposed a quarantine.

On the subject of A level results, RA will explode, I believe that the teachers have let down their students. Let's look at the stats, 40% of the teachers' predicted grades have been downgraded, but the downgraded grades are still 2% higher than last year. If the teachers' grades are to be believed, then we must have a one off year full of 'Einsteins'. If we do as Mrs Crankie or the shadow education secretary says, giving grades as per teacher's assessments, it would mean an unprecedented increase in grades. These grades would show a 14% increase on last year's results.

Of course, there are individual cases where student's have been treated unfairly, but hopefully, the appeals procedure will work, as it does in any year. It seems to be that a lot of struggling schools were on course for great results this year, if you listen to their heads.

Ram afraid that's what happens when you have school league tables Headmasters and teachers under pressure to get those results ,human nature will tell you the results are all that matters

[ramAnag]

Ram afraid that's what happens when you have school league tables Headmasters and teachers under pressure to get those results ,human nature will tell you the results are all that matters

Excellent point...well made. Completely agree.

Standards and league tables are not synonymous, GP and while there is obviously a case for inspection and public accountability the current system is ludicrously expensive and inefficient, imo.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Mista: its not just secondary schools. I was governor at primary school that was "in measures" - before I was involved - following the head's involuntary retirement on health grounds following investigations of cheating in SATS for 11 year olds and more. I know its one bad apple in a barrel of good apples (I hope!) but when you make it a competition, that's what you get. But if you dont have standards, inspections and public accountability, isnt that even worse?

[mistaram]

So would you suggest giving people a 14 day "free pass" to get infected and bring covid back? As noted above, its not being abroad that exposes you if you take normal precautions, its what you are doing when overseas that makes you higher risk

Well they gave us 11days notice that face coverings would be mandatory in shops How stupid was that If it's that important it should have been immediately . Crazy you have to wear one in a shop but the person serving you does not ,how does that one work

[Andy_Faber]

Well they gave us 11days notice that face coverings would be mandatory in shops How stupid was that If it's that important it should have been immediately . Crazy you have to wear one in a shop but the person serving you does not ,how does that one work

Yes it’s bonkers but the whole mask wearing thing is so difficult to police, whatever the rules.

[Geoff Parkstone]

It isn't easy to police, but I dont get why staff walking around the store don't need to but customers do. Still I'm a passive sheep so will wear one. It's not difficult. Those that don't /won't... simple don't serve them. Close the self service tills first, though! If they then try to shoplift, security can handle it. It's only bloody mindedness in most cases.

[Ram59]

Well they gave us 11days notice that face coverings would be mandatory in shops How stupid was that If it's that important it should have been immediately . Crazy you have to wear one in a shop but the person serving you does not ,how does that one work

It was a law Mista, you have to give people a chance to comply, but I agree that its crazy that shop workers are exempt, unless they're working behind a screen.

The argument, not yours, that its impossible to police really annoys me. Who polices serving booze, fags, knives and glue to underage shoppers? Have you ever tried buying more than 2 small packs of paracetamol?

[Andy_Faber]

It was a law Mista, you have to give people a chance to comply, but I agree that its crazy that shop workers are exempt, unless they're working behind a screen.

The argument, not yours, that its impossible to police really annoys me. Who polices serving booze, fags, knives and glue to underage shoppers? Have you ever tried buying more than 2 small packs of paracetamol?

It’s not an argument Ram, it appears to just be a fact. I’m not sure why the public adherence to mask wearing is less than, say, seat belt wearing or indoor fag smoking, but someone with power needs to work out why and sort it IMO

[AdiSalisbury]

It was a law Mista, you have to give people a chance to comply, but I agree that its crazy that shop workers are exempt, unless they're working behind a screen.

The argument, not yours, that its impossible to police really annoys me. Who polices serving booze, fags, knives and glue to underage shoppers? Have you ever tried buying more than 2 small packs of paracetamol?

If you refuse a pack of fags, the customer moans and walks off. If you say I'm not serving you without a mask, the customer gets in your face, coughs, spits... Putting the retail worker at a very real and potentially fatal risk.

Perhaps, rather than complaining that the little lady behind the til isn't enforcing the rules, you should stand up and police it yourself?

#retaillivesmatter

[MadAmster]

Latest reports show the majority of the newer cases to be transmitted in the home. Person catches it at, say the pub, goes home and infects the entire family. At least that is the way it is here.

Also, despite the rising number of new cases, the vast majority seem to have either very mild symptoms OR are asyomptomatic. That might point to the the virus weakening, as I predicted from day 1, OR, as some doctors here are suggesting, it might be a new, weaker strain of the virus.

We shall see.

Is the UK showing the same sort of picture as here?