You mean the virus is getting weaker as viruses tend to do to survive? And most people are asymptomatic? No way!

You might think that, I couldn't possibly comment! :)

Lets have another lockdown just to be on the safe side.

Interesting data here that applies to London, and the weekly key points for both London and England make for interesting reading with respect to "where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate".

• An additional 202 deaths in London hospitals of patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 and an additional 12 where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate were announced in the week ending 15 December 2020. This compares with 207 and 16 for the previous week.
• A total of 1,878 deaths in hospitals of patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 and 90 where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate were announced for England as whole. This compares with 1,938 and 111 for the previous week.
• The total number of COVID-19 deaths reported in London hospitals of patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 is now 7,468. The total number of deaths in London hospitals where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate is now 348.
• This compares to figures of 45,126 and 2,162 for English hospitals as a whole.

Hopefully some careful data analysis will prevail and London will come out of T3 soon.

I think HMG primarily look at incidence over the last 7-14 days and hospital bed occupancy which is missing above. But thanks for the data, it is interesting.

Question for those in the know. As we've given up on travel abroad this Xmas, the Mrs and I were considering at least a couple of days' staycation in London, which is where we live, but in a different borough. Now, the question is: with London in Tier 3 - and knowing full well nothing's open - can we book a hotel for a couple of nights?

Probably easier just to call your target hotel and ask.

If the hotel is open, you will be welcomed.

There are no restrictions for stays between 22 and 28 December. Outside the dates hotels should be closed except for limited purposes. Every hotel seems to be enforcing this differently (if at all) so if you want to stay outside the relaxed Christmas rules period contact them and ask what their policy is

Thanks both. It would be over the 'relaxed' Xmas period, hopefully.

This is very interesting data. However, I am conscious that there's a lag between infection and hospitalisation of about 2-3 weeks, and a further similar lag between hospitalisation and death, so, as always, we do need more data.

That said, it's amazing how the predictions that Whitty and his un-merry crew flourish always turn out to be over-egged.

Tier revisions just announced, from 00:01 Saturday 19 December.

Moving up to tier 3

Bedfordshire
Buckinghamshire
Berkshire
Peterborough
The whole of Hertfordshire
Surrey, except Waverley
Hastings and Rother
Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant

Dropping to tier 2

Bristol and North Somerset

Dropping to tier 1

Herefordshire

They are predictions that provoke palliative responses. The measures taken ensure the predictions are not met.

Surely that outcome is preferable to giving Whitty an "I told you so!" moment.

Chapter and verse:

• If necessary, you can stay in a hotel, hostel or B&B during the Christmas period, in line with the rules in your tier. This includes tier 3 areas between 22 and 28 December, as long as you’re staying by yourself or with other members of your household, or support bubble. You should not gather as a Christmas bubble in a hotel, hostel or B&B in any tier unless a member of your Christmas bubble lives there permanently.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance...nd-restaurants


But it seems likely in-house bars, restaurants, gyms, pools and fripperies like club lounges will be closed, or limited in access and/or their levels of service. If any of these things are important to you, it's maybe best to check.

Thanks IAN-UK. To be honest with you the idea would be to go somewhere we don't normally go and to stay someplace we don't normally stay at... Room ordering will suit us just fine.

Changes to areas in Scotland with effect from 6pm Friday 18 December
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2020/439/contents/made

Moving from Level 2 to Level 3
Aberdeen City
Aberdeenshire
East Lothian