Coronavirus Death Thread

[Spikey M]

Agreed. Very tasteless.

[Spikey M]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56499588

Slooooooot

[Pepe]

Open the clubs.

[igor_balis]

I'm just waiting to hear what Igor pretends he says.

Cunt for you you wank.

[Boydy]

I wish they'd just say no foreign travel till next year or something to stop people whining about their summer holidays abroad.

[Spikey M]

Boyd, lad, I know you're earning far below your Oxford VaccineDegree but your financial problems are your own.

Open the Airport Lounges.

[Queenslander]

Community transmission again 1 person has been in the community for a week and has been everywhere.

3 day snap lockdown surely.

If we dodge more than a handful of cases the hot climate has saved us again maybe?

[Spikey M]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56529712


But if cases continue to rise, does this matter? After all, 99% of Covid deaths have been in the groups now vaccinated.

The link between infections and serious illness or death has been "severely weakened", says diseases expert Prof Mark Woolhouse, of Edinburgh University.

But if infection levels rise high enough the virus "will find those" who are unvaccinated and those for whom the vaccine hasn't worked, he says.

Fuck the fuck off.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The messaging around all this is disastrously irresponsible. If there is a 'third wave', which is not by any means certain, it will not at all resemble the first two waves, because the vast majority will have been vaccinated. And the third wave will not arrive as a result of outdoor fucking mixing, it will arrive some time after the end when social distancing goes.

Tom Newton Dunn tweeted something yesterday about CASES RISING based on Thurs being higher than Weds, Weds higher than Tues etc. Public alarm caused by someone who is too concerned by the sound of his own voice and doesn't understand numbers. Political journalists really desperately need to be taken off the covid beat, but I've been saying that for over a year.

[Spikey M]

It's just ridiculous. People are going to continue dying of Covid. Probably forever. Or, atleast until the virus decides to water its self down a bit. Flu kills every year. Meningitis kills every year. Shit happens.

All you can do is protect the most vulnerable as best you can. Which we now have. Any attempt to keep restrictions in place because "the vaccine doesn't work 100% of the time" is mental and should see the individual out of the job if not in the gallows.

[Yevrah]

Hang on and before I go to town on that, aren't the vaccines 100% effective against severe disease?

I only really realised this fully yesterday on the back of this article:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56521166

Why is this not being shouted from the rooftops?

[Kikó]

It was the trending item for most of yesterday on Twitter.

[Yevrah]

It was the trending item for most of yesterday on Twitter.

The 100% effectiveness against severe disease? If so, someone on here mentioned it ages ago and it went in one ear and out the other. How long have we known this and why on earth is it not mentioned when we discuss relaxing restrictions, let alone in an article talking about a third wave?

I mean, it even says this:


While the vaccines are good - they significantly reduce the risk of falling ill and for those who do develop symptoms there is a strong likelihood it will be a fairly mild cough, fever or short period of breathlessness - they are not 100% perfect.

So, are they or are they not 100% effective against severe disease? If they're not then fine, but what the fuck has happened there for that mistruth to get out? If they are then are we seriously talking about keeping some form of restriction going to stop people getting a mild or moderate form of this virus? Fucking really?

I spent a year of my life indoors to stop people dying, I'm fucked if I'm doing it any longer to stop people getting a mild or moderate illness.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You won't be either. What they're doing at the moment, feeding all this utter bullshit into the press, is just desperately trying to stop slippage and keep people adhering to the restrictions for a little while longer.

Press of course more than happy to oblige, rather than seeking the truth, because they are on their knees as an industry and sensational headlines are the only thing keeping it from total collapse.

[Spikey M]

They are 100% effective at preventing serious disease but "only" 80something% effective at preventing the spread.

Some vaccinated people will catch Covid and feel a bit poorly, basically.

We are still fixating on Case numbers.

[Yevrah]

That article even talks about 30,000 dead in a third wave, citing this modelling.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/963565/S1130_SPI-M-O_Summary_of_further_modelling_of_easing_restricti ons.pdf

If it's 100% effective against severe disease (I appreciate not everyone has been/will be vaccinated), but is this just a lie? The workings on page 12 and 13 don't take into account at all a 100% effectiveness? They've just used the flat % of reduction in risk of any form of disease.

I'm fucking fuming.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Warwick models use unbelievably pessimistic assumptions (as can be seen on page 3 of that pdf), but it's all red meat to the zero covid lot, who admittedly are on life support now but some attempting to cling on.

[Yevrah]

They are 100% effective at preventing serious disease but "only" 80something% effective at preventing the spread.

Some vaccinated people will catch Covid and feel a bit poorly, basically.

Well quite, that's what I said. So that entire article is based on a lie, or at best an omission of a crucial piece of information.

[Yevrah]

The Warwick models use unbelievably pessimistic assumptions (as can be seen in that pdf), but it's all red meat to the zero covid lot, who admittedly are on life support now but some attempting to cling on.

There's pessimistic and there's factually incorrect assumptions. The latter just isn't on.

[Yevrah]

Astrazeneca published the news about 100% effectiveness against severe disease on 3rd February, over 7 fucking weeks ago.

https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2021/covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca-confirms-protection-against-severe-disease-hospitalisation-and-death-in-the-primary-analysis-of-phase-iii-trials.html

That should have been the Bill Pullman speech moment, but instead it was barely mentioned.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's pretty standard scientific caution. It's like when you might make a sales forecast for the year, you wouldn't use the maximum figure that you think you might achieve, you'd use a moderate figure that you're pretty sure you'll achieve and then treat it as a bonus when you exceed it.

The problem is that the stakes involved here involve the granting of basic human liberty, which are somewhat higher stakes than modellers are used to working with.

The constant media/political barrage against AZ is pretty murky, in my view - note that it's the only vaccine not being made for profit.

[Yevrah]

It's pretty standard scientific caution. It's like when you might make a sales forecast for the year, you wouldn't use the maximum figure that you think you might achieve, you'd use a moderate figure that you're pretty sure you'll achieve and then treat it as a bonus when you exceed it.

The problem is that the stakes involved here involve the granting of basic human liberty, which are somewhat higher stakes than modellers are used to working with.

The constant media/political barrage against AZ is pretty murky, in my view - note that it's the only vaccine not being made for profit.

Astrazeneca wouldn't have issued a press release saying it was 100% effective against severe disease if it wasn't, not a chance in hell. If I'm presenting a forecast and someone was naive enough to ask me if it was 100% accurate I'd say "absolutely not", then internally lol myself through the rest of the slot.

Warrick using people x % chance of getting ill having been vaccinated = cases x % chance of dying = deaths is just wrong. It should have been % of people not vaccinated in each risk group x % chance of catching it x % chance of dying = deaths. But I guess it is SCIENCE, so free passes all round.

Honestly, no other walk of life gets to get away with this shit so freely.

[Ian]

Gets away with what?

[Shindig]

The case rise in children's especially dumb because this is the first time we've specifically targeted them in testing. Of course it's going to turn more cases up.

[Yevrah]

Gets away with what?

Publishing factually incorrect wank.

Hell, Biden comes out and says no one is doing what the US are doing when it comes to vaccinations and you get a whole article on whether that's true or not.

30,000 dead? Yeah, we'll go with that.

[Ian]

Okay, I was just checking you didn't mean large-scale fibbing in general.

[Kikó]

You're losing the plot Yev.

[Spikey M]

He's in full YevRage but he's not wrong.

[Yevrah]

You're losing the plot Yev.

I'm absolutely not and you're a prime example of the mental block there is when it comes to this stuff. Very intelligent bloke, happy to think for himself the rest of the time, but seemingly takes these things unquestioningly.

It's worrying, because throughout history people have used good things for bad when left unchecked. Science on the whole is a wonderful, wonderful thing, but that should never mean it's just accepted, because, well, experts innit.

That paper is fundamentally wrong, but there it is, being cited unquestionably in a BBC article about what impact a third wave might have. If it was a stand alone example then fine, but there's been a myriad of examples over the last 6 months. People take what anyone connected with science says in better faith than anything from any other walk of life, no matter how much horseshit it's caked in. It's moronic.

[Yevrah]

Okay, I was just checking you didn't mean large-scale fibbing in general.

No, not that bad or anything like it really.

But I've lost count of the number of rent-a-gob scientists spouting crap that's then been recycled onto the BBC's front page as opinion-fact over the last few months. There was one I dissected and completely pwned just the other day.

[Ian]

I know they're not the only ones at it but expecting journalistic integrity out of the BBC has long since been questionable, at best.

Other than for football transfers obviously, where it's not official until they've written about it.

[Shindig]

I think moaning about the scientists is a bit daft when they're either being filtered by government or press narratives. On top of that, science is still travelling into uncharted waters on this. They know more about this virus than they used to but, when asked 'How bad could it get?' all they can do is speculate.

[Spikey M]

I think moaning about the scientists is a bit daft when they're either being filtered by government or press narratives. On top of that, science is still travelling into uncharted waters on this. They know more about this virus than they used to but, when asked 'How bad could it get?' all they can do is speculate.

They're making predictions on future deaths without factoring in the 100% effective vaccine that half the population have had. How's that for "a bit daft"?

[Magic]

Lol @ this 'VACCINE PASSPORT APP' being mooted. What the fuck sort of world is this where people actually want it.

[Spikey M]

We're all in it together (until the Boomers are covered then fuck you all).

[Shindig]

They're making predictions on future deaths without factoring in the 100% effective vaccine that half the population have had. How's that for "a bit daft"?

When's the last time this virus wasn't being contained by social distancing and stay at home orders? We've not let the virus fly like Brazil or the US have. That's the kind of data they're missing. As for the severe disease number, some of them will still wind up in hospital, on top of whoever isn't vaccinated. Predictions around this are wank, though. The numbers are wildly off because the situation to brew them didn't arrive. So they're either massively under/over estimated. "We'd be lucky to get away with 20,000" became 4,000 a day and now it's 30,000.

It'll be 10,000 because people are old and the ones that aren't are fat.

[Spikey M]

When's the last time this virus wasn't being contained by social distancing and stay at home orders? We've not let the virus fly like Brazil or the US have. That's the kind of data they're missing. As for the severe disease number, some of them will still wind up in hospital, on top of whoever isn't vaccinated. Predictions around this are wank, though. The numbers are wildly off because the situation to brew them didn't arrive. So they're either massively under/over estimated. "We'd be lucky to get away with 20,000" became 4,000 a day and now it's 30,000.

It'll be 10,000 because people are old and the ones that aren't are fat.

Even if I grant all of that, ignoring the impact of a vaccine is absolute nonsense. It's like predicting car crash deaths without factoring in Airbags and Seatbelts. It's pointless even making the predictions.

[Shindig]

They're probably also factoring in if lockdown was to end this very second. Which would be like asking people to start their engines and fuck the traffic lights and speed limit right off.

[Spikey M]

If we removed all restrictions this second things would be mostly fine.

[Waffdon]

Less than two weeks until the barbers open :drool:

Pubs in a month :drool:

[Spikey M]

The main thing is we keep the saunas closed for the rest of the year. Open everything else.

[Yevrah]

I think moaning about the scientists is a bit daft when they're either being filtered by government or press narratives. On top of that, science is still travelling into uncharted waters on this. They know more about this virus than they used to but, when asked 'How bad could it get?' all they can do is speculate.

This is another prime example of the type of response I'm getting at.

[Queenslander]

All Queenslanders are getting kicked out of AFL grounds in Victoria and South Australia tonight over 1 case in Brisbane.


https://i.ibb.co/hcr7Vfr/Screenshot-20210326-211449-Facebook.jpg (https://ibb.co/gdQjJVQ)

[Manc]

They're probably also factoring in if lockdown was to end this very second. Which would be like asking people to start their engines and fuck the traffic lights and speed limit right off.

What utter nonsense.

[Don]

The sauna dream is fucking delayed till May but daylight in 2 days, football in 3 and in 2 weeks...

https://i.ibb.co/h2thmfD/Ex-P4-Tr2-WQAMINAH.jpg

The 8th wonder of the world :drool:

[Spikey M]

What utter nonsense.

Surprisingly common though. I'm just off the phone with a 30 something that was calling our impending freedom "disgusting" and predicting 1000 deaths a day by June.

People are determined to ignore the vaccines and I really don't know why.

[Spikey M]

The sauna dream is fucking delayed till May but daylight in 2 days, football in 3 and in 2 weeks...

https://i.ibb.co/h2thmfD/Ex-P4-Tr2-WQAMINAH.jpg

The 8th wonder of the world :drool:

Genuine emotions are flowing over the idea of a beer and a burger meal deal right now.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Cricket restarts on Monday and we're still waiting on official regulation as to whether we can have 6, 8 or unlimited people in a single net lane, and to whether we can use two net lanes next to each other or have to leave one empty.

I've forgotten what life was like before you had to wade through all this shit. When you could just do what you wanted. Walk into a pub and walk out again, without having pre-booked.

[Kikó]

I'm absolutely not and you're a prime example of the mental block there is when it comes to this stuff. Very intelligent bloke, happy to think for himself the rest of the time, but seemingly takes these things unquestioningly.

It's worrying, because throughout history people have used good things for bad when left unchecked. Science on the whole is a wonderful, wonderful thing, but that should never mean it's just accepted, because, well, experts innit.

That paper is fundamentally wrong, but there it is, being cited unquestionably in a BBC article about what impact a third wave might have. If it was a stand alone example then fine, but there's been a myriad of examples over the last 6 months. People take what anyone connected with science says in better faith than anything from any other walk of life, no matter how much horseshit it's caked in. It's moronic.

I'm not consuming it which is probably the main difference between us. The only important thing at the moment is the current dates to ending lockdown. The rest is just noise.

[Manc]

Surprisingly common though. I'm just off the phone with a 30 something that was calling our impending freedom "disgusting" and predicting 1000 deaths a day by June.

People are determined to ignore the vaccines and I really don't know why.


https://youtu.be/efHCdKb5UWc

[Shindig]

I'm not consuming it which is probably the main difference between us. The only important thing at the moment is the current dates to ending lockdown. The rest is just noise.

Kind of where I'm at as well. I'll still look at cases but, if I'm going to contextualise them, I do so against positivity %. 0.4%, in case you're interested. Probably the lowest amongst the proper countries.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Reading heavily and knowing every detail has been a massive help for me in the last three months. Far better than wandering around in a helpless haze waiting for someone to press the unlock button.

[Raoul Duke]

I just look at vaccination numbers versus supply. That's really all that matters

[Yevrah]

I'm not consuming it which is probably the main difference between us. The only important thing at the moment is the current dates to ending lockdown. The rest is just noise.

But every time I do consume it and post about it in here, you're on hand to say you don't see a problem with what they're saying.

[Kikó]

I don't think I am!

[wullie]

Had my own second wave on Wednesday with the side effects, shoulder started hurting and from the afternoon I had a cold that went away by Thursday. Nothing too bad though so either I had it very mild or being a double hard bastard helps

[Magic]

But every time I do consume it and post about it in here, you're on hand to say you don't see a problem with what they're saying.

He's been brainwashed. Just look at the state of him though. Working in a corrupt industry in isolation boasting about promotions that never come, living with his in-laws, a loveless marriage, Scotland, lockdown. He's completely lost his mind.

[Spikey M]

You really are a quite sizeable cunt.

[phonics]

Just an awful person doing massive amounts of projection on other people to make himself feel better. Truly pathetic and really quite sad.

[Magic]

Just an awful person doing massive amounts of projection on other people to make himself feel better. Truly pathetic and really quite sad.

Yes, sounds like projection...:cab:

[7om]

Embarrassing.

[Magic]

But I thought you guys like consuming data and information and coming to your own conclusions?

[Spikey M]

I mean, I feel like we've come to quite a well supported conclusion here.

[Yevrah]

Woah there Magic. Kik's is still solid, I just disagree with him slightly on this one. That's all.

[Magic]

I mean, I feel like we've come to quite a well supported conclusion here.

I know, I thought so too, I did. :drool:

[Magic]

Woah there Magic. Kik's is still solid, I just disagree with him slightly on this one. That's all.

Yes but we need to look at the reasons why. I'll source some articles later.

[Kikó]

He's been brainwashed. Just look at the state of him though. Working in a corrupt industry in isolation boasting about promotions that never come, living with his in-laws, a loveless marriage, Scotland, lockdown. He's completely lost his mind.

:)

u ok hun?

[Shindig]

"THE SPANIARDS ARE COUNTING THE 100+ twice!12!"

<source missing>

[Kikó]

Woah there Magic. Kik's is still solid, I just disagree with him slightly on this one. That's all.

To be honest, I've switched off from the news due to the unrelenting poor standard of reporting. There's a general lack of care taken on reporting on scientific reports or statements from medical professionals with little care on the impact and whether or not that is someone worth listening to. I've found it much more comforting to just ignore and carry on with my loveless marriage.

[Ian]

To be honest, I've switched off from the news due to the unrelenting poor standard of reporting. There's a general lack of care taken on reporting on scientific reports or statements from medical professionals with little care on the impact and whether or not that is someone worth listening to. I've found it much more comforting to just ignore and carry on with my loveless marriage.

You fool! You've only gone and admitted it and fallen right into his trap.

Checkmate.

[Spikey M]

Ffs. He was right all along.

[Magic]

I can't help it guys. It's easier and much simpler to look at the facts. :cool:

[7om]

“The UK is proud to have vaccinated many people with the first dose, but they will have a problem with the second dose,” Le Drian said. “And we are fully vaccinated with two doses, not one. Today we have the same number of fully vaccinated people in France and the United Kingdom.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/mar/26/france-uk-struggle-source-second-covid-jabs-eu-blackmail

The problem with that logic is the first dose provides the vast majority of the immunity. Nice attempt at trying to justify their shambles, though.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The frogsters are in real trouble - not just talking covid/vaccines, but they're in real danger this time of electing Mme Le Pen next year and having their very own Brexit-esque meltdown - and that I think colours everything the ministerial clowns say and do.

[Spikey M]

Couldn't happen to a nicer lot.

[Lewis]

1375506419219243009

[Manc]

Magnifique.

[Spikey M]

It's lucky they didn't faff about rolling out 1st doses to tens of millions or they'd really be in trouble.

[Yevrah]

Are they still sat on over a million doses of Astrazeneca too?

[Mellberg]

:lol:

That's what you get for being a rabble of spiteful cunts. The French love a riot too. Don't see this playing well at all.

[Waffdon]

Huge fan of the french farmers rocking up to government buildings in their tractors and dumping shite everywhere

[Dquincy]

Cricket restarts on Monday and we're still waiting on official regulation as to whether we can have 6, 8 or unlimited people in a single net lane, and to whether we can use two net lanes next to each other or have to leave one empty.

I've forgotten what life was like before you had to wade through all this shit. When you could just do what you wanted. Walk into a pub and walk out again, without having pre-booked.

If you're that confident in the vaccine and no third wave, just do what you want (and what you think is sensible). Don't be a sheep.

[Spikey M]

https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/covid-cases-my-area-how-many-map-coronavirus-rate-england-lockdown-rules-29-march-931235?ITO=upday&utm_source=upday&utm_medium=referral

Just build a wall around the Midlands. What is Corby playing at ffs?

[Boydy]

Anyone seen Giggles in a while? I just looked and his last post was back in February.

:uhoh:

[Magic]

:drool:

[Dquincy]

It's the rotund ones at risk as well. Thoughts are with his family.

[Lofty]

Did we agree on a TTH bat signal in this scenario during the last John panic? Just looked at Giggles profile and the fact he averaged 12 posts a day until he went radio silent is quite glaring.

[Shindig]

Francis Walsh, we hardly knew ye.

[Spikey M]

I gave him a shout in the Beer thread (his natural environment) a week or so ago after I noticed he'd been missing a while.

Might see if I can workout how to email him via his profile.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm sure someone mentioned the fact that he used to go by his real name around the time of his most recent post, which is what made him shit the bed last time.

[Dquincy]

Giggles Have you passed?

[Spikey M]

He's replied and he's all good lads. Just got stuff on.

[7om]

That’s exactly what a wolf would say.

[niko_cee]

Someone send a letter addressed to that Miserable Git Francis, County Kildare, Bottom Ireland telling him to post again.

Remember to include "If this has arrived you live in a village" (https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/67207/letter-no-address-delivered-successfully-irish-town)

[Yevrah]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56553128


NHS England national medical director Prof Stephen Powis said "enormous progress" had been made, but it "does not mean job done".

But writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Prof Powis warned that coronavirus could still "wreak more havoc and ill-health on a significant scale". He cited concerns over variants.

Prof Powis said: "We've made enormous progress that we need to build on and not squander the gains we've made."

He added: "We need to hold our nerve and drive for the line, so everyone can get back safely and soon to our normal lives."

I don't even know what this man is saying. My best guess is warning people off breaking all restrictions as some lapse, but if that's the case then say so specifically. Don't couch it in language that looks suspiciously like you're advocating keeping restrictions in place.

[Alex]

I feel like the party line has been than now (right now!) is the time to "hold our nerve" and "drive for the line" every single day for about two months now. They love regurgitating that one.

[Spikey M]

He must have spent ages working out how to word that so that in future he can claim to have been both for or against easing the lockdown, depending on which way the wind blows.

[Spikey M]

I feel like the party line has been than now (right now!) is the time to "hold our nerve" and "drive for the line" every single day for about two months now. They love regurgitating that one.

I refuse to listen to anything unless it comes in the form of a Van-Tam football analogy.

"The vaccine is floating in, and we need your arms at the back post, ready to knock it in".

Wouldn't that be handball?

"Not now Peston. Not now."

[Shindig]

"This rollout has been a great success, but you're the most vulnerable after you've scored."

[Spikey M]

:D

[niko_cee]

He needs to use the 2-0 being the most dangerous score analogy.

[Spikey M]

If we don't get a "they think it's all over" in June, we riot.

[Shindig]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-56558059

Oof.

[Queenslander]

Greater Brisbane is going into 3 day lockdown from 5pm tonight....

[Lewis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QIaL5ZdYrw

One year on, and it's aged far better than anything else from March 2020. :cool:

[Queenslander]

3 days

https://i.ibb.co/BPGYvcZ/Screenshot-20210329-180343-Facebook.jpg (https://ibb.co/7zQ0BjW)

[Spikey M]

You lot are still panic buying? :D Fucking hell.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They live on a time delay, as ever.

[Lofty]

To be fair people are fucking idiots about the shops shutting for bank holidays so I wouldn't lord it over the Aussies as we will probably see similar idiocy over here in the run up to Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

[Spikey M]

The only time I've ever seen anything like that (other than last March) is when snow is forecast and everyone decides they need 18 pints of milk and enough bread to feed the street.

[Lofty]

You've never seen the christmas plebs decimate the bread and milk?

[Spikey M]

Not really. People over buy at Christmas but I've never not been able to buy bread and milk other than when Covid first rocked up.

[Spikey M]

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-europe-failed-covid-vaccine-rollout-lockdown-france-germany-eu-2021-3?utm_source=upday&utm_medium=referral&r=US&IR=T

You're welcome.

[Lewis]

1376595669062987787

Good point.

[Spikey M]

:lol:

[Shindig]

Are they going to keep adding to it over time?

[7om]

Even grandparents who have had both jabs were told not to hug grandchildren if they see them over the Easter weekend, when two households or groups of six can meet outdoors. Prof Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, said there is “still some vulnerability”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/29/englands-roadmap-out-of-covid-lockdown-to-go-on-as-planned-johnson-says

I don’t like this one bit. The whole point of the bastard vaccine is to allow us to return to normal human behaviours. You know, a fucking hug and trivial shit like that. Why on Earth would a person who has had the two doses then still be told not to have close contact with a family member? At what point then should we be able to?

I don’t know what vulnerability Whitty is talking about but it’s annoying me now. He’s even said himself that at some point we are going to have to live with this thing and accept an element of risk. Why aren’t we there yet, on an individual basis, if we’ve had two doses? It sounds like they’re covering their arses.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ever since December they've just been going for blanket 'caution for caution's sake' in an attempt to stop people taking the thin end of the wedge. i.e. we could have been doing outdoor meetings six weeks ago but they thought 'If we let them do that, people will do other stuff too'.

Possibly effective but ethically very questionable approach to governing (and it is governing - they're making political choices, not 'following the science').

[Lewis]

https://i.imgur.com/uLMrdZJ.png

:mourinho:

[Spikey M]

Anyone who isn't a mong will already be pretty much back to normal. Behind closed doors, anyway. My in-laws are both vaccinated. We've spent part of our weekend with them for the last 3 weeks. Hugs with the grandkids included.

We are long past these rules making sense and deep into "manage your own risk" territory. There is a 0% chance we can give them Covid and kill them. There is a 20% chance that they can catch Covid and even if they were to give it to us, the risk is vanishingly small, even with my wife's asthma.

[Spikey M]

1376617081882484748?s=19

I guess we know who's behind this contract.

[Shindig]

What a delightful coincidence. :D

[Don]

12 months of saunas being shut but MaccyDs being open and it's only now that some people are starting to be concerned it may not be about the science :happycry:

[Spoonsky]

Ever since December they've just been going for blanket 'caution for caution's sake' in an attempt to stop people taking the thin end of the wedge. i.e. we could have been doing outdoor meetings six weeks ago but they thought 'If we let them do that, people will do other stuff too'.

Possibly effective but ethically very questionable approach to governing (and it is governing - they're making political choices, not 'following the science').

Ethically questionable because they're being completely dishonest with people, or because they're prolonging people's suffering in lockdown longer than needed?

[Spikey M]

Ethically questionable because they're being completely dishonest with people, or because they're prolonging people's suffering in lockdown longer than needed?

Both.

[Boydy]

12 months of saunas being shut but MaccyDs being open and it's only now that some people are starting to be concerned it may not be about the science :happycry:

Shut the fuck up about fucking saunas.

[Manc]

:drool:

[Spikey M]

The first time we went to CentreParcs, we went with the in-laws and we got an "executive" lodge so that there was no bathroom drama.

Executive Lodges come with a Sauna. We used it to dry our swimwear. Nobody actually used it. Why? Because sitting in a hot room sweating into a towel is shit and anybody that enjoys such an experience is a tastebud deprived, tonsil enlarged, manbun manlet.

[Don]

Settle down son, the saunas are a symbol which include your pub quizzes and archery classes. We're on the same side.

Edit: replace pub quizzes and archery classes for CentreParcs and caravan clubs.

[Boydy]

1376577298237915141

They're really not handling this well.

[Spikey M]

1376577298237915141

They're really not handling this well.

https://img.gifglobe.com/grabs/partridgecloud/S02E06/gif/FpF9afIjgcgW.gif

[7om]

:drool:

I love it.

[niko_cee]

The irony surely being that it will be disastrous for EU nations if/when we're not allowed to travel to them to go on holiday.

In related news (https://murciatoday.com/thousands-of-german-tourists-heading-for-balearic-islands-this-easter_1579189-a.html)

:happycry:

Spain had been doing quite a good job of late as well.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We should probably invite Portugal to join the UK. Yes, we'd get 3 million immigrants, but we'd get rid of 3 million oldies in the other direction.

[John Arne]

Ha, you British may feel smug and ealthy with your pathetic little vaccinations - bit look at us! We have syphilis, herpes and gonarrhea! Zut alors!

[Spikey M]

The real fun won't start for a couple of years yet. That's then the Greeks and Italians start needing bailouts again.

They've turned me full Farage over the last 4 months the vapid cunts.

[Magic]

https://img.gifglobe.com/grabs/partridgecloud/S02E06/gif/FpF9afIjgcgW.gif

Come Dine With Me guy surely.

[Spikey M]

Come Dine With Me guy surely.
OK.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/DistinctImmenseAmericanwirehair-max-1mb.gif

[Yevrah]

I have a question.

When non-essential retail re-opens are we going to be able to try clothes on in-store from day 1? I need some new threads and if you can't try anything on I may as well get it all online now.

[Ian]

I didn't have you down as a 'threads' guy.

[Spikey M]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-56575135

:happycry:

[Boydy]

What's this about Canada and Germany pausing the AstraZeneca vaccine? It's mentioned on the Guardian's liveblog thing but they don't seem to have a full article.

[Spikey M]

Just more blood clot bollocks

[Yevrah]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-56575135

:happycry:

People? In a Park? Shut it down. Shut it down now!

[Yevrah]

I didn't have you down as a 'threads' guy.

I'm not really, it's a hateful phrase, close to 'foodie' and 'doing' somewhere on holiday.

[Spikey M]

People? In a Park? Shut it down. Shut it down now!

I think this is going to be the best part of all this. All the little Hitlers seething over people being legally allowed to go to a restaurant. 13 days Deirdre, saddle the fuck up.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The litter is the worst part.

[Jimmy Floyd]

People being in parks is neither here nor there, but anyone leaving litter behind should be in front of a firing squad.

EDIT: Beaten to a hot take by Mahow, what times we live in.

[Spikey M]

You are both welcome to visit Southends beaches (I felt you recoil there, Jimmy) and help with the litter-picking operation after the next sunny weekend.

[niko_cee]

It's good to see that the glorious weather that trolled everyone as we went into lockdown last year is back to troll everyone in a different way this year.

Being outside is meant to be good, isn't it?

[Jimmy Floyd]

You are both welcome to visit Southends beaches (I felt you recoil there, Jimmy) and help with the litter-picking operation after the next sunny weekend.

Once upon a time we (my cricket club) got drawn away to Colchester in the national cup so I looked into what the route was going to be to get there, and you basically can't drive to Essex from here. It's impossible. Fortunately the good Lord intervened and the tie got reversed so they ended up coming to us, which I feel is the way it should be, in the same way that peasants used to have to visit the home of their liege lord to appeal for alms or whatever was barely keeping them alive in those days.

[Alex]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-56575135

:happycry:

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/2873/production/_117755301_arboretum1ashleykirk.jpg

:D

Go on son.

[Yevrah]

I think this is going to be the best part of all this. All the little Hitlers seething over people being legally allowed to go to a restaurant. 13 days Deirdre, saddle the fuck up.

:D

The general seethe and proclamations from the zero-COVID lot/people who hate pubs brigade is going to be biblical.

Agree on the rubbish btw, utterly unacceptable. But then, if this whole process has taught us anything, it's that people are the virus and we need to get our R below 1.

[-james-]

The tribalism associated with Brexit or political affiliation is going to look small time as fuck in comparison to the No COVID vs Open the Brothels war that's brewing. People just love perceived moral superiority.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Women and the old vs men and the young. Only one winner of that war.

[Yevrah]

Women and the old vs men and the young. Only one winner of that war.

Wouldn't even matter if there wasn't. The latter (if we're grouping them like that) will hold more and more power at every loosening and all of it come mid-June.

I hate nightclubs and always have, but I'll be going to one, because I can.

[Manc]

That'll show 'em.

[Kikó]

You're not going to a nightclub.

[Ian]

He fucking is, he's getting new threads just for the occasion.

[7om]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/30/canada-suspends-use-of-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-for-those-under-55


Deeks said the updated recommendations came amid new data from Europe that suggests the risk of blood clots is now potentially as high as one in 100,000

Dear God, not 1 in 100,000. How awful!

[Spikey M]

He fucking is, he's getting new threads just for the occasion.

He's just over excited. It will get watered down to fitting a strobe light above the hottub and putting Annie Mac's song of the week on.

[Baz]

He fucking is, he's getting new threads just for the occasion.

:D

[Alex]

He fucking is, he's getting new threads just for the occasion.

:D

[Kikó]

He fucking is, he's getting new threads just for the occasion.

Ian :D

[Magic]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/30/canada-suspends-use-of-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-for-those-under-55



Dear God, not 1 in 100,000. How awful!

Same chance of being ill from Novid yet you're pissing your pants about that.

#airport

[7om]

Okay bruv.

[Kikó]

Same chance of being ill from Novid yet you're pissing your pants about that.

#airport

What do you mean by novid?

[Queenslander]

Covid community transmission is now present in Byron Bay/Northern Rivers Region aka anti-vax, anti-5g, crystal woowoo, feral capital of Oz. :drool:

[Lofty]

The facebook comment sections regarding the easing of restrictions are predictably polarised, so many broken brains coming out the other end of this.

[Queenslander]

Blues Fest in Byron has had their 15000 person festival cancelled...

[Shindig]

This is probably the part of the Aussie approach that gets a bit pissy. They've prevented it really taking off but now they have to keep pumping the brakes until everyone is jabbed. And probably beyond.

[Spikey M]

How foolish they must feel.

[Shindig]

Actually, compared to the year we've had, that's a lot easier to stomach. All their 3-day lockdowns probably won't add up to our six months +. And y'know, all the alive Australians compared to our dead Brits.

[Spikey M]

I may have been being sarcastic.

[Queenslander]

We still have a mental amount of people complaining either side of the ball.

[Queenslander]

https://i.ibb.co/565GS4y/Screenshot-20210331-180011-Facebook.jpg (https://ibb.co/TkHY72S)


:drool:

[Spikey M]

Just on my team meeting and our resident ZeroCovid muppet started whining about there being loads of people down the beach yesterday. I was surprised by the fairly firm pushback from the rest of the team, including her former ally saying that "we can't stay indoors forever".

The tide is turning, lads. :happycry:

[Lewis]

1377321250951987211

Piss off we're vaccinated. :cool:

[Queenslander]

Lockdown is lifted but I have to stay seated while at the pub. I guess Ill take one for the team.

[Spikey M]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56598217

The wheels are well and truly off. :happycry:

[Magic]

What a shock...told you it was those freaks getting 17 tests a day wishing they had it.

[Queenslander]

Im deep in post lockdown decisions

[Spikey M]

People are just done now. Team panic are largely vaccinated now and the rest of us are seemingly happy to take the risk of infection on the chin.

We really are at the stage where the choice should be given back to people. If you want to attend a mass orchestra, have at it, if you want to carry on hiding behind the sofa, feel free.

Enough of this bollocks.

[Queenslander]

People are just done now. Team panic are largely vaccinated now and the rest of us are seemingly happy to take the risk of infection on the chin.

We really are at the stage where the choice should be given back to people. If you want to attend a mass orchestra, have at it, if you want to carry on hiding behind the sofa, feel free.

Enough of this bollocks.

Dealt a hand far harsher than mine

[Jimmy Floyd]

It is great watching Indy Sage tweets now, like the cellists on the Titanic sticking to the same tune even as the room fills up with water. They even got one of them on Sky News earlier for a Custer's Last Stand style takefest. 'There are really 8,000 cases a day!', he says.

Deepti, after a slew of tweets making the same denial, has happily moved on to other topics:


Deepti Gurdasani @dgurdasani1
5h
If one claims institutional racism doesn't exist, how does one explain observable gaps at all levels - representation of ethnic minorities in senior positions, educational opportunities, attainment, health outcomes?
(rhetorical question)

Denying institutional racism is racist.

[Shindig]

"So many elderly black people are dying of covid." <elderly black person refuses the jab, an opportunity given>

RACISMS!

[Queenslander]

The more I cop muzzy the more Ill keep it.

#doinmypart

https://i.ibb.co/JqLWZ1y/20210401-171957.jpg (https://ibb.co/tzfwRGx)

[Don]

Geezer :cool:

[Andrew]

We are at a point in this pandemic now that there's more deaths from suicides than daily deaths from covid..

[Spikey M]

The more I cop muzzy the more Ill keep it.

#doinmypart

https://i.ibb.co/JqLWZ1y/20210401-171957.jpg (https://ibb.co/tzfwRGx)

You should release a beard care range. :nodd:

It's easy enough. Buy some baby oil, chuck some Sandlewood scented aftershave in it, £5 per 50ml.

I'll be the before photo.

[Don]

We are at a point in this pandemic now that there's more deaths from suicides than daily deaths from covid..

:cool:

Everyone please meet our new recruit.

MJ and I wanted to hold a full stadium unveiling but restrictions and all that.

[Yevrah]

We are at a point in this pandemic now that there's more deaths from suicides than daily deaths from covid..

We should be at a point where all outdoor activities are allowed, including pub gardens, but idiots who're incapable of reacting to information/changing their opinion in light of new information have put paid to all of that, so on the interminable roadmap we stay.

[Spikey M]

We should maintain social distancing and masks but everything should be open as far as I'm concerned.

[Lewis]

I can see why the government are sticking to their timetable since they're also saying this is it now, no more lockdowns (could also shut the borders like lads but let's not expect miracles). The nonces walking in masks who turned away from me when I passed them earlier are just write-offs.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The timetable isn't bad from here on, imo. Lots of things will be open 11 days from now, and every day of vaccination is another day closer to not having to bother after that. It's just March which should have had more outdoor stuff open.

Borders are neither here nor there.

[Yevrah]

We should maintain social distancing and masks but everything should be open as far as I'm concerned.

I'd sort of rather (as the roadmap implies) that social distancing has a clear cut off point and everything else is unwound before that. If not, I'm sure the next clamour from the zero-COVID lot (once they've finished moaning about pubs being open) will be that we keep wearing masks and stay 2m apart for eternity.

Which I'd take this minute to get back into a pub, but I won't be so ready to when I've been back in a pub for weeks and we're still having to maintain that facade.

[Lewis]

Gives you time to choose the right threads.

[Spikey M]

I'd sort of rather (as the roadmap implies) that social distancing has a clear cut off point and everything else is unwound before that. If not, I'm sure the next clamour from the zero-COVID lot (once they've finished moaning about pubs being open) will be that we keep wearing masks and stay 2m apart for eternity.

Which I'd take this minute to get back into a pub, but I won't be so ready to when I've been back in a pub for weeks and we're still having to maintain that facade.

I would just do that around the data though. You could bin masks and distancing at 75% of the population vaccinated or whatever.

[Andrew]

Open the saunas!!

Unfortunately, I think half the population of Wales are irreversibly damaged mentally from all this.

Seen my first double masker today aswell in the middle of a park, then pulling the masks down to take a drag on a cigarette and swig from a can of pop. 🤦

[Lewis]

I've noticed a lot of younger people walking about with their masks on, and if you see an illegally large (lol) group of them half of them tend to be masked up. I'd like to think their parents are making them wear them, like when only one of my friends used to have to wear a bike helmet like a loser.

[Shindig]

The only person I saw maskless on the buses today was a fat mess and her children. "STOP PRANCING ABOUT! YOU'LL GET KILLED ON THE ROAD!" was probably her best bellow.

[Dquincy]

Prediction: The government will have us back in another lockdown by July.

See you in July :cool:

[mo]

Been able to sign up for a 'short notice' vaccination as the roll out has gone so well locally, so may well get a call to get jabbed soon.

[Lewis]

1377742201929752578

#LibDemFightback

[Spikey M]

He wants them from the end of the vaccine roll out, right? So it's only hitting the anti-vaxx-vegan-tarot-card mob and the disabled that can't take them. His voters worst enemies. Pure politics.

[Yevrah]

I don't think it's just that, in line with what I was getting at on the last page, the shitting the bed is definitely continuing...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56608632


New rules to help pubs, cafes and restaurants reopen outdoors safely in England on 12 April have sparked anger from industry groups.

All customers will have to sign in on entry, not just one member of the group like before. It is also unclear whether payment at the bar will be permitted.

Why?

[Yevrah]

The vaccines are helping pubs, cafes and restaurants to reopen outdoors safely.

What more evidence is needed of this?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56011982


Pfizer says its vaccine is preventing 91% of coronavirus cases in the six months after people are immunised.

[Yevrah]

And now I've thought about this even more, it's even worse than I thought.

If these details are being taken to help with test and trace then is it safe to assume that if someone is in the pub garden at the same time I am and they later test positive for Coronavirus that I'll be contacted and expected to isolate for 14 days? Despite being in the open air and likely on a completely different table to them (any friends I meet in the pub will tell me if they test positive at any point).

I can tell you now that should I get contacted and it wasn't through sitting on the same table with someone in the pub I went to, I sure as shit won't be isolating for 14 days. I've done a year, the vulnerable have all had a shot, I'm out unless I have good cause to think I actually have it, and good cause would consist of far more than sharing an open air space with someone on the same planet.

[Lewis]

Either way I hope the passports are blue.

[-james-]

And now I've thought about this even more, it's even worse than I thought.

If these details are being taken to help with test and trace then is it safe to assume that if someone is in the pub garden at the same time I am and they later test positive for Coronavirus that I'll be contacted and expected to isolate for 14 days? Despite being in the open air and likely on a completely different table to them (any friends I meet in the pub will tell me if they test positive at any point).

I can tell you now that should I get contacted and it wasn't through sitting on the same table with someone in the pub I went to, I sure as shit won't be isolating for 14 days. I've done a year, the vulnerable have all had a shot, I'm out unless I have good cause to think I actually have it, and good cause would consist of far more than sharing an open air space with someone on the same planet.

It's probably to track and trace VARIANTS, which at this stage are the only thing between us and this all being over.

[Yevrah]

It's probably to track and trace VARIANTS, which at this stage are the only thing between us and this all being over.

You might like to think that, but given there's not a shred of credible evidence that any of the variants are more deadly or that vaccines don't work against them I somehow doubt it.

Our test and trace system is unworkable and broken too.

[Alex]

And now I've thought about this even more, it's even worse than I thought.

If these details are being taken to help with test and trace then is it safe to assume that if someone is in the pub garden at the same time I am and they later test positive for Coronavirus that I'll be contacted and expected to isolate for 14 days? Despite being in the open air and likely on a completely different table to them (any friends I meet in the pub will tell me if they test positive at any point).

I can tell you now that should I get contacted and it wasn't through sitting on the same table with someone in the pub I went to, I sure as shit won't be isolating for 14 days. I've done a year, the vulnerable have all had a shot, I'm out unless I have good cause to think I actually have it, and good cause would consist of far more than sharing an open air space with someone on the same planet.

Just miss a digit off your phone number when you write it down. Fuck all that nonsense.

[-james-]

You might like to think that, but given there's not a shred of credible evidence that any of the variants are more deadly or that vaccines don't work against them I somehow doubt it.

Our test and trace system is unworkable and broken too.

The reason things look good at the moment is that vaccines seem to protect against variants. The only thing that might fuck us is that eventually not being the case. Not inconceivable and worth investing a lot of time and money into. As is track and trace but yeah.

[Lewis]

Gutted we can't even attempt to prevent the new variants getting in.

[Lewis]

Pubs OPEN. Dinghies SUNK. Vaccine passports BINNED.

[Spikey M]

Mr D Smith, 14 Raasclaat Road, E3 1LD, 0755778345

[Shindig]

Neil Armstrong, the Moon, USA.

Actually, don't the chains all have apps now? That's one way to have that data without asking on entry.

[niko_cee]

Best two covid stories of the day surely the rightful shaming of Australia for the reprehensible way they have treated their overseas citizens and the fact that the UK government chucked a load of cash into this Dutch vaccine plant (unmatched by anyone else, god knows why) that is at the centre of the most recent AZ row. Matt Hancock's open chequebook I saw this film once policies not entirely without merit it seems.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Matt Hancock has donned most things since about August, not that he'll ever get the credit for it. Of course in this kind of situation it turns out that acting quickly and decisively > spending ages weighing up the evidence, which upsets a lot of people's worldviews.

[Lewis]

That story about celebrities flocking to Australia was a bit weird. Surely America is still sufficiently open that if you're rich and famous you could do most of what you wanted to be doing without having to move to Australia.

[Shindig]

Clot watch: Our regulator's found 30 rare clot events in 18.1m doses. Carry on.

Also, how has our R number increased when cases are decreasing?

[7om]

During a Twitter question and answer session, Johnson was asked if people could meet loved ones indoors if they are vaccinated, to which he replied:

I’m afraid the answer is no, because we’re not yet at that stage. We’re still very much in a world where you can meet friends and family outdoors under the rule of six or two households. And even though your friends and family members may be vaccinated, the vaccines are not giving 100% protection, and that’s why we just need to be cautious. We don’t think that they entirely reduce or remove the risk of transmission.

Fuck. Off.

This is absolutely contradictory to THE SCIENCE.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's not for that reason, it's because he thinks/knows that as soon as you allow any two people to meet up indoors then others will immediately do it and in larger numbers.

So he has to parrot that kind of bullshit to keep the show on the road.

[Spikey M]

Indeed. Not that it's working.

Next-door currently have the birds mum and dad round and they're all in doors. We're going round my wife's mum and dad's tomorrow and am I bollocks sitting outside in the cold all day.

We're just back from the park too and it was rammed. All the kids playing together. All the parents stood talking. Complete normality.

It's done lads. Fuck the R. Fuck the cases. :drool:

[7om]

I’ve had my first shot and I don’t give a fuck anymore. All of my immediate family have had at least one so we’re all meeting up for Easter. Fuck ‘em.

[Spikey M]

The goalposts have been moved from "protect the NHS" to... whatever the fuck we're doing now. The vulnerable are no longer vulnerable and there's no reason to suspect the NHS can be overwhelmed by this now.

+1 for Fuck 'em

[Kikó]

It's not for that reason, it's because he thinks/knows that as soon as you allow any two people to meet up indoors then others will immediately do it and in larger numbers.

So he has to parrot that kind of bullshit to keep the show on the road.

That's it really. Keep the message consistent and follow the roadmap to avoid special cases.

Stupid to say the vaccines don't give protection though.

[Yevrah]

Fuck. Off.

This is absolutely contradictory to THE SCIENCE.

But weirdly it'll be the SCIENtists (perhaps behavioural) telling him to say that.

[Yevrah]

That's it really. Keep the message consistent and follow the roadmap to avoid special cases.

Stupid to say the vaccines don't give protection though.

If he follows that line (for the reasons stated) then he absolutely has to say that. We're in a joke of a situation at the moment.

[7om]

He must know it’s all bollocks. We don’t need, and might never get, a vaccine that is 100% effective. So to use that as an excuse to keep VACCINATED loved ones apart is completely disingenuous.

[Waffdon]

First weekend of pubs opening being May Day weekend is making booking places a right cunt

[Yevrah]

He must know it’s all bollocks. We don’t need, and might never get, a vaccine that is 100% effective. So to use that as an excuse to keep VACCINATED loved ones apart is completely disingenuous.

I agree, but he's doing it because SCIENCE wankers are telling him to, and that shouldn't be overlooked.

[Magic]

Or to continue to make BREXIT a side story instead of an unmitigated disaster.

[Yevrah]

Or to continue to make BREXIT a side story instead of an unmitigated disaster.

From where I'm sat Brexit has been fine so far. Over 50% vaccinated vs. 14%.

[Shindig]

I've just discovered cool shit like museums are off the table until May.

[Magic]

From where I'm sat Brexit has been fine so far. Over 50% vaccinated vs. 14%.

I meant in every other aspect.

[Yevrah]

I meant in every other aspect.

What aspects? Hit me.

[Magic]

The ones that have nothing to do with Covid. Trade, travel etc

[Yevrah]

The ones that have nothing to do with Covid. Trade, travel etc

Hit me. What are the problems with trade and travel?

[niko_cee]

You need a visa to go to France!

Oh wait.

Imports/Exports dropped loads in January.

Capital flight! The banks are all relocating for a 4 day week and a siesta every day in Madrid.

It'll be interesting to see if any analysis is done on the number of billions being able to reopen ahead of our all-knowing European overlords yields versus the number 'lost' to Brexit.

[Yevrah]

Magic?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Exporting is definitely more difficult (partly because European customs agencies are deliberately trying to make it so), but it will settle down after a while.

[Yevrah]

Exporting is definitely more difficult (partly because European customs agencies are deliberately trying to make it so), but it will settle down after a while.

Importing is too, but I'd like to know how people think it's bad enough to warrant being part of that backward and useless overarching organisation.

[Manc]

Magic?

He's pissed himself.

[Spikey M]

I think I read somewhere that 20% of companies that used to export to Europe have stopped doing so because it's not worth the effort anymore, but I can't find the source and without any context that stat is pretty much worthless.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What I'm finding is that our bigger customers are cracking on, but the smaller shipments (£500 and less) are becoming less worth it because of the customs clearance. We sell engine components so it's relatively ok, but if you sell cheese or cakes or something then life will be pretty difficult.

What's making life slightly more difficult is that the customs agencies, whether told to by government or just because they're surly cunts themselves, are deliberately delaying/blocking process of shipments from the UK. Some are even telling our customers things like 'You need to stop buying from the UK'.

[Kikó]

Private eye has export of beef, pork and lamb are down by around 85-90% from norms. The EU stuff is just being waved through on our end to avoid food shortages/disruption. Anecdotally, my wife's wine exports to Europe is completely disrupted to the point of wine being sent back to the UK because the couriers on the other side unable to take on the challenge. Personally, I now need a work permit to make my current move into the motherland possible.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The couriers being unwilling to reconfigure their business (at all) to deal with it is another issue, yeah.

What I've found is that many customers on the European end were taken completely by surprise. Some had never heard of Brexit. Even those who had seemed to have no idea that it would change anything substantially. I'm still getting French people now shocked that their goods have to be customs cleared.

[Kikó]

The story in private eye below:


FARMERS in Great Britain (Northern Ireland remains in the EU single market) are trying to adjust to post-Brexit "tariff-free" exports to the EU as best they can. But in January, given little practical help from the government, beef exports fell 91.5 percent from £39.9m to £3.4m, cheese by 85.1 percent from £45.3m to £6.8m, and pork by 86.9 percent from £27m to £3.5m. Some exports - such as breeding animals, seed potatoes and certified seeds - stopped entirely.

Certain food products have not been granted "equivalence" status as part of the UK/ EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, under which a "trade specialised committee" was meant to sort out problems. Threemonths on and the committee has not even been set up.

Another difficulty is that animal products sent to the EU now need "export health certificates" signed by a vet, and there aren't enough of them (see An Eville Failing, last issue and passim). Defra secretary George Useless (aka Eustice) has suggested "para-professionals" or "technical managers" could do this work. But until this is agreed with the EU, let alone implemented, it's no help to Great Britain's animal product exporters, who say 350 extra vets are needed.

The export of live animals, meanwhile, is not helped by the lack of facilities on either side of the Channel to oversee their movement. Specialist livestock transporter Edward Gilder & Co. based in Bourton-on-the Water, Gloucestershire, runs the highest quality humane modern trucks to carry valuable cattle, sheep and pigs for breeding to EU countries, and estimates it has lost £300,000 in custom since 1 January. Its drivers, though trained to EU standards, are no longer recognised as qualified to transport live animals because the firm does not have an EU address.

Unfairly, no pre-notification and export health certification for animal products will be required for EU exports into Great Britain until at least October. Similarly, no checks will be required on plants and many agri-food products until next January and live animals will not be checked until next March. Even the creation of border control posts this side of the Channel - supposedly operational by January 2021 - has been put back a year. The lack of inspection in GB is due to fear in government that import controls will create food shortages here. But until it finds the courage to threaten reciprocity to EU food import standards, there is no incentive for the EU to address this near one-way direction in food trade. So much for taking back control" at our borders.

Was January's catastrophic fall in food exports to the EU down to "teething problems" or do the new arrangements signify a permanent crash in food trade? Will GB's food exporters have to throw in the towel because costs are too high and bureaucracy too overwhelming? Trends will soon become clear: but a more worrying first month of post-Brexit food exports to the EU is hard to imagine.

[Lewis]

Ban the import of foreign muck, force the Muslims to eat British pork. Easy.