Originally Posted by Internaut (Post 33643327)

I think that depends on your definition of normal. I suspect what we have is close enough to the normal the government wants. That is the target number of infections, infection rates and vaccinations met or exceeded, certain thresholds for serious illness, hospitalisations and deaths, deemed threatening to the NHS, not being crossed and carefully targeted demographics* who still think the government are doing their best. I think the British government can cautiously congratulate itself.

* I think to describe these demographics here would be to cross a line and therefore inappropriate to this forum and thread.

Originally Posted by JNelson113 (Post 33641385)

I'm a US citizen and just had the pleasure of spending five days in London with my husband and ten year-old daughter. My family returned last night.

From the conversations I had with people there I got the feeling that people are just done with covid. Very few people wear a mask anywhere, and other than some extra hand sanitizer here and there, covid just doesn't feel like a thing anymore. A few people specifically mentioned being glad to have freedom back. I live in Texas and it feels more covid vigilant than the UK.

My family and I loved our trip because things felt so normal. I can't wait to come back again. I think that the moral of the story here is, if you're ready, get vaccinated and then live your life.

Originally Posted by lhrsfo (Post 33644687)

I live in London but am currently enjoying a week in Italy. To me, Italy feels very close to normal but much safer than The UK. There’s a recognition of the need for some caution but it doesn’t get in the way of enjoying bars, restaurants, galleries, shops or anything else. All you need is a mask, a cleaning of the hands and a vaccination certificate. Whereas behaviour in the UK seems reckless - no basic sanitation, no masks, no distancing, no recognition of the continuing danger. My fear is that it will lead to another lockdown which will be awful.

Originally Posted by rockflyertalk (Post 33643631)

I think the US has had one lockdown period, right?

Originally Posted by lhrsfo (Post 33644687)

I live in London but am currently enjoying a week in Italy. To me, Italy feels very close to normal but much safer than The UK. There’s a recognition of the need for some caution but it doesn’t get in the way of enjoying bars, restaurants, galleries, shops or anything else. All you need is a mask, a cleaning of the hands and a vaccination certificate. Whereas behaviour in the UK seems reckless - no basic sanitation, no masks, no distancing, no recognition of the continuing danger. My fear is that it will lead to another lockdown which will be awful.

Originally Posted by ringingup (Post 33645133)

Amen. Except that, as Scots_Al mentioned, it’s unique to England. The other 3 countries have retained some degree of cautionary measures.

Originally Posted by KARFA (Post 33645139)

is there any discernible difference in case rates between places? It would be interesting to see whether these different approaches actually have much impact - accepting that of course there are many other factors not controlled for.

Originally Posted by Scots_Al (Post 33645209)

I think it’s very difficult to make comparisons now - spikes seem to come and go. One of the factors in Scotland’s return-to-school spike was thought to be that because Scotland had previously had lower case rates (because of the more cautious approach), its people had lower naturally acquired immunity - I.e. that Scotland traded fewer cases earlier in the pandemic for more cases later on.

I just know I’m not looking forward to the post-COP 26 fallout…

Originally Posted by PxC (Post 33645269)

So in other words, the measures don’t seem to have any significant or noticeable impact. The way some people scream for measures like masks you’d think they’d actually make an obvious difference

Originally Posted by LETTERBOY (Post 33644962)

In the US, lockdowns are decided on at the state/local level. There was never a national lockdown - the federal government doesn't have the legal authority to order one (and half the country would ignore it if they did). Different states and cities had lockdowns of different lengths, some never had any at all. And of those that did have them, it was enforced with varying degrees of strength, depending on the jurisdiction.

Originally Posted by PxC (Post 33645269)

So in other words, the measures don’t seem to have any significant or noticeable impact. The way some people scream for measures like masks you’d think they’d actually make an obvious difference.

Aside from that, are the places they’d be brought back by law (shops/public transport) even areas where there is much transmission?

I’m currently in Vegas where they are mandatory indoors and it feels like I only use it where it won’t make much difference (ie walking around) and not in the places where it might (bars/clubs etc)

Originally Posted by 8420PR (Post 33646300)

Yesterday, the UK Government published a statement from the respiratory evidence panel, confirming that masks are effective in mitigating the transmission of covid:


Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/public...evidence-panel

But in any case, for England the war against covid is over. I cannot see restrictions returning. We accept the ongoing low levels of death and disability caused by covid-19 (I think mostly by saying it only impacts 'crazy anti-vaxxers'). The vaccines are incredibly effective, and across the world are the path out of this pandemic.

But I still cannot explain the high and flat cases in the UK, especially compared to other countries that have also removed restrictions. Is it purely explained by transmission in UK schools? My understanding is everyone will get covid-19 antibodies sooner or later (from the vaccine or the virus, or both where there is high levels of exposure) - are other countries just delaying the inevitable or have they found a better way?



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