Gripe of the day - What is yours?

[garynortheast]

Sometime in February for me apparently.

[Ruffy]

Originally Posted by Bibio

politicians/advisers dont have a crystal ball. nobody can predict what will happen. you never know covid might mutate just like the flu does every few months. eventually our bodys will naturally get used to it, just like the flu.

True. I'm not expecting them to know the future or spoon feed me. However, I am expecting them to provide some sort of vision about how they will bring an end to this crisis and the framework they will put in place for the country to function on an enduring basis. Just saying 'whoo-ho, we have a vaccine' isn't enough, especially now they have chosen to clamp down even further.

I tend to agree that Covid is just a serious flu-like virus and we should treat it as such. Let's not forget 'the flu' is pretty deadly. (It kills about 11000 per year in the UK according to the NHS flu-vaccine ad that's currently on telly, and presumably hospitalises many more.) That's not nice for anyone affected, of course, but it does help to put Covid in perspective. But it seems that saying 'it's just the flu' about Covid-19 because we just want to get on with living in a less restricted, self-determined manner is a recipe for flaming in most parts of the internet, getting one labelled as a covidiot, heartless or worse. However, it seems to me that for most people, 2020 seems to have been a depressing waste of time compared to how they'd have wanted it to be.

Personally, I'm tired of it all and I remain unconvinced. I certainly don't believe or trust our politicians, with reducing confidence the more time passes. Any sort of quick assurance analysis I try to do just frustrates me because the data I can get access to is unclear (e.g. how to differentiate between 'deaths with Covid' and 'deaths from Covid', how to differentiae between 'cases' and 'cases requiring treatment intervention'). It all leads me to conclude that it's been an over-reaction. (Also, for comparison, I don't remember this sort of control being required for bird flu in 2005 despite similar horrific predictions.) However, I remain open-minded (just - my stance is hardening)!

IMHO, the real strategic-level questions that seem to have been lost are:
(i) should the country, especially the NHS, have been able to cope with the impact of this virus?
(ii) If so, why was it underprepared?
(iii) If not, what changes are needed to be better ready for the next one?

But perhaps that's a gripe for January or beyond ... (I've probably ranted enough for today!)

(P.S. It would even be better if there was an official tool for forecasting likely vaccine availability window, rather than needing to refer to an unofficial third-party calculator.)

[svenrico]

I don't believe the government will want to keep restrictions in place unless absolutely necessary (like some sort of regime controlling the people like China or the old soviet union !) ;but who knows how long it could drag on. I would hope things might ease by Spring or Summer at the latest after another possible lockdown in the new year.
Just my guess. Obviously everybody is fed up of it all.

[Craig380]

Originally Posted by Ruffy

IMHO, the real strategic-level questions that seem to have been lost are:
(i) should the country, especially the NHS, have been able to cope with the impact of this virus?
(ii) If so, why was it underprepared?
(iii) If not, what changes are needed to be better ready for the next one?

i) The country and the NHS could have been much better prepared. We're an island, like Australia or New Zealand. We knew Covid was heading our way, but the Government failed to restrict flights in and out of the country, failed to put in quarantining measures, failed to stop super-spreading events in March when it was public knowledge that cases had been identified on our shores, and failed to implement an effective, working test & trace system.

In terms of the NHS, it could have been better prepared if since 2010, under the coalition and Tories, England hadn't lost 12% of its hospital bed capacity. The UK has the lowest number of hospital beds per capita than 23 other European countries. Also if NHS procurement hadn't been taken out of its hands and put under a Dept of Health-created company to be 'more efficient.'

ii) See above: Tories.

iii) Vote Tories out.

[Seeker]

Originally Posted by Craig380

i) The country and the NHS could have been much better prepared. We're an island, like Australia or New Zealand. We knew Covid was heading our way, but the Government failed to restrict flights in and out of the country, failed to put in quarantining measures, failed to stop super-spreading events in March when it was public knowledge that cases had been identified on our shores, and failed to implement an effective, working test & trace system.

In terms of the NHS, it could have been better prepared if since 2010, under the coalition and Tories, England hadn't lost 12% of its hospital bed capacity. The UK has the lowest number of hospital beds per capita than 23 other European countries. Also if NHS procurement hadn't been taken out of its hands and put under a Dept of Health-created company to be 'more efficient.'

ii) See above: Tories.

iii) Vote Tories out.

Yep. 10+ years of austerity - cutting everything to the bone. Then there's this gem from Mr Austerity himself, Osbourne: " fixing the roof while the sun shines". Well, it's raining and the roof didn't get fixed.

The Conservatives think that privatisation is the answer to everything but they know that the proles like the NHS. Solution: defund it to the point of it being broken and then slip in private companies to take over services.

Not everything should have a price tag some things should be essential services - healthcare, energy, transport and these days, broadband. (imho).

[Bri w]

The hacking cough and burning sensation in my chest... hopefully its just the new house smell that has been getting on our.... for the last 2 weeks.

[DJ123]

Originally Posted by Craig380

i) The country and the NHS could have been much better prepared. We're an island, like Australia or New Zealand. We knew Covid was heading our way, but the Government failed to restrict flights in and out of the country, failed to put in quarantining measures, failed to stop super-spreading events in March when it was public knowledge that cases had been identified on our shores, and failed to implement an effective, working test & trace system.

In terms of the NHS, it could have been better prepared if since 2010, under the coalition and Tories, England hadn't lost 12% of its hospital bed capacity. The UK has the lowest number of hospital beds per capita than 23 other European countries. Also if NHS procurement hadn't been taken out of its hands and put under a Dept of Health-created company to be 'more efficient.'

ii) See above: Tories.

iii) Vote Tories out.

Completely agree. They were very late to shut off international travel which certainly accelerated things.
Test & trace was another failed venture - not through lack of funding but by sheer incompetence of the people they put in charge, and the awfully incompetent execution of the program.
The whole of the NHS needs to be reviewed and brought up to standard. The Nightingale hospitals have proven they can do it, and the funding is there. This needs to stay/be reinvested to current Trusts and bring up the quality/standard.
As per usual, anyone in a procurement seat is driving the budget to best suit their pocket (savings, lower targets, reduced consumption etc) not for the best of the actual Trust. They need to remove incentives for people in this position to prevent there being any conflict of interests (bonuses, share holding, wage increase etc)

[Chris_SVS]

This adapter kit to allow me to use a different bike on my indoor trainer, costing £54! I only actually need 4 of the 5 smaller parts.

Take up cycling they said, it'll save you money they said

[Adam Ef]

What wheel is it for Chris? Through-axle I'm guessing? I've had bikes that have "needed adaptors" in the past but I've actually got away without them.

[Chris_SVS]

Tacx Neo Trainer, the cups imitate a 142mm wide thru axle spacing and the QR holds it all together