[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Captain.Remy

Wasn't it Covid's birthday yesterday? The first case in China was recorded on November 17th 2019.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Ammi

[AnnieK]

Ha.....let's hope it doesn't get the Terrible 2s now or we're all ****ed.

[Zizu]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

Ha.....let's hope it doesn't get the Terrible 2s now or we're all ****ed.

I was dreading Boris testing positive again as that WOULD be a game changer ..


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[bitontheslide]

The week after the clocks went back saw Britain's highest levels of loneliness since the pandemic began, according to Office for National Statistics figures.

The start of November, with darker evenings, had 4.2 million adults always or often lonely, compared with 2.6 million before the pandemic.

This was the peak in levels of acute loneliness since the lockdown in March.

Loneliness Minister Baroness Barran says the next few months will be "incredibly challenging".

Figures also show that about 2.6 million adults had not left their home for any reason in the previous seven days.

Psychologist Vivian Hill says the "descent into winter" can be a "very significant factor" in how people feel about loneliness, with less daylight and colder weather reducing the opportunity to get outside

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) research, based on surveys of more than 4,000 people, found the young were particularly likely to feel cut off - with 16 to 29-year-olds twice as likely as the over-70s to be experiencing loneliness in the pandemic.

Elorm Fiavor from Salford, a young carer looking after her mother who is shielding, said there needed to more recognition of the pressures of loneliness on young people.

"It needs to be OK to talk about it," says the 16-year-old, who misses being able to go out with friends and socialising and who is helping a charity, Lonely Not Alone, which tackles isolation among the young.

"There's a lot of stigma attached to it.

"There's a great misconception that when people think of loneliness they only think of older people who are living alone."

Student Jade Low says he has missed partying and socialising in the pandemic - but the challenge is to "punch through" and find ways to keep in touch and stay motivated.

"Everyone feels lonely sometimes," says the student at Imperial College London - and to keep himself busy he has taught himself to play the ukulele.

The figures from the ONS show about one in four people experiencing some form of loneliness at the start of November.

But that week, following the clocks going back an hour and evenings getting darker earlier, saw a particular spike in the most acute levels of loneliness - those "always or often" lonely.

There were 8% of adults in this category - higher than at any point since March and above the 5% typically reported pre-pandemic and during parts of the summer, as restrictions were relaxed.

The numbers on loneliness have fluctuated through the pandemic, and nudged down again after the peak in the week ending 1 November - but they have consistently shown between 10 and 14 million people feeling some form of loneliness.

Dr Vivian Hill, who is the British Psychological Society's lead on isolation in the pandemic, says loneliness is a serious problem - and could be made more difficult in winter.

But she says it is something that can be tackled and people should be optimistic about being able to make connections and reduce loneliness.

Baroness Barran says there are new groups facing loneliness in the pandemic - such as those without internet access and those working from home who would usually rely on workplaces for their social lives.

The loneliness minister said there was funding for grassroots community projects to help people stay in touch.

But she said it was important not to underestimate the impact of things individuals could do - such as ringing someone up, writing a letter or helping a neighbour.

"It's those simple things that make people feel valued," she said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-54973709

[arista]

Originally Posted by Ammi

Nice cake

[arista]

[bitontheslide]

Covid vaccine by Pfizer and BioNTech 94% effective in adults aged over 65 latest trial data suggests

[arista]

For TS.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

Covid vaccine by Pfizer and BioNTech 94% effective in adults aged over 65 latest trial data suggests

Very encouraging, as this is the most vital age group. This is the latest data for Scotland to illustrate.



Also, because I think it shows the point very clearly, this is a stacked version of the same graph but with just the two categories (under and over 65)

[arista]

[arista]

19,609 Tested for Covid-19 today

Patients in hospital
16,271

Patients on ventilation
1,420

529 have Died today

53,274 Total UK deaths of Covid-19


https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

[arista]

[arista]

[Zizu]

Originally Posted by arista

It’s a complete disgrace !!

That said it’s been going on for at least 5 decades that I know about .. which ever party was in power at the time ..


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[arista]

[arista]

[arista]

[Zizu]

Originally Posted by arista

Seems fairly obvious tbh

We will continue to behave very responsible all throughout the Christmas period... that way we will hopefully remain safe and also be able to go into the new year with a clear conscience .


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[Cherie]

Fgs what is the obsession with the one day of Christmas, the virus won’t be on holiday ..sends completely the wrong message, hey it’s okay to mix on the 25th, the virus won’t get you but no mixing on the 2nd January

[bitontheslide]

i think it is complete madness that they are putting the thought into peoples minds that its ok to mix if its only at Christmas. It's completely irresponsible

[Toy Soldier]

I think the suggestion that people would be breaking the rule all over the place anyway is probably correct. But yes - I think they need to make it clear that while the legal requirements will be dropped temporarily, it is still a personal risk, especially for elderly relatives.

Imagine thousands of grannies and grandads who have been successfully shielding all catching Covid from their asymptomatic relatives at Christmas and ending up dead by the end of January .

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I think the suggestion that people would be breaking the rule all over the place anyway is probably correct. But yes - I think they need to make it clear that while the legal requirements will be dropped temporarily, it is still a personal risk, especially for elderly relatives.

Imagine thousands of grannies and grandads who have been successfully shielding all catching Covid from their asymptomatic relatives at Christmas and ending up dead by the end of January .

its a possibility, people tend to throw all caution to the wind in general at Christmas anyway financially, if the government say mix away for 5 days its going to be carnarge, I could understand it if there was no end in sight, but we are so close to a vaccine and there seems to be some good news coming out of Oxford this morning as well, why risk it for a roast dinner and a few party games, its madness, people can gather at any time during the year, this focus on one or two days at Christmas (and this goes for every year) is just crazy

[Vanessa]

If it's only one day, I think it's ok.
People are going to see their families in Christmas day anyway.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Cherie

its a possibility, people tend to throw all caution to the wind in general at Christmas anyway financially, if the government say mix away for 5 days its going to be carnarge, I could understand it if there was no end in sight, but we are so close to a vaccine and there seems to be some good news coming out of Oxford this morning as well, why risk it for a roast dinner and a few party games, its madness, people can gather at any time during the year, this focus on one or two days at Christmas (and this goes for every year) is just crazy

Bwitain wikes Cwistmas Cherie