About time too, we've been a joke around Europe for a lack of monitoring. Now lets follow this up by offering everyone over 50 with a free Covid and flu jab if they truly want to protect the NHS.
We are a joke Peter and I have just realised that the survey was last year. The UKHSA isn't fit for purpose and can't claim to be keeping the virus under surveillance if it limits it only to those hospitalised.
UKHSA senior personnel have come under severe criticism at the Covid Inquiry, for their downplaying of infection protection controls and refusal to accept how the virus is transmitted. The a*se covering from some like Dr Lisa Ritchie is breath-taking, no pun intended.
Not blaming it on the government as much as you used to.
About time too, we've been a joke around Europe for a lack of monitoring. Now lets follow this up by offering everyone over 50 with a free Covid and flu jab if they truly want to protect the NHS.
We are a joke Peter and I have just realised that the survey was last year. The UKHSA isn't fit for purpose and can't claim to be keeping the virus under surveillance if it limits it only to those hospitalised.
UKHSA senior personnel have come under severe criticism at the Covid Inquiry, for their downplaying of infection protection controls and refusal to accept how the virus is transmitted. The a*se covering from some like Dr Lisa Ritchie is breath-taking, no pun intended.
Not blaming it on the government as much as you used to.
The UKHSA was hastily put in place by the last Government and staffed by tame poodles who didn't follow the science, and are still not following the science. It was known early in the pandemic that Sars Cov-2 is airborne and spread by aerosol, yet they refused to acknowledge it.
The current Government, despite talking out the last Government for failing to put in place measures to reduce infection, is unfortunately continuing on the same path.
Evidence of the harmful effects of the Sars Cov-2 virus grows with hundreds of studies across the world, yet there is a refusal to do anything about it, despite there being a lot hat can be done to reduce the spread.
The Covid aware community are getting increasingly exasperated with the failure to take action.
Covid is not seasonal and because there are so many infections, new variants are appearing all the time. Herd immunity isn't possible because of the frequent mutations that come with mass infection.
The symptoms of infection are only part of the problem, it's what is happening within the body where the main harm is a problem, with increasing likelihood of cognitive problems, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, diabetes, reduced immunity and much more. New studies are published in reputable medical journals every day. It's unforgivable that the truth is being withheld by the MSM and Governments.
The cost to the economy and health is enormous. Children are affected too and let's hope that they don't have cause to look back in the years to come and say 'why did they let this happen to us when they knew that Sars Cov-2 was anything but harmless.
Maybe I am missing something. The ad currently doing the rounds to promote covid and flu vaccinations has four people on it holding one of the gladiator style sticks each. But only one of the four would be able to access the COVID jab, the pregnant woman I think. The little girl is older than 2 or 3 so wouldn't be eligible. The other adults are clearly under 65 so wouldn't be eligible unless they have underlying health conditions which is not made clear.
About time too, we've been a joke around Europe for a lack of monitoring. Now lets follow this up by offering everyone over 50 with a free Covid and flu jab if they truly want to protect the NHS.
We are a joke Peter and I have just realised that the survey was last year. The UKHSA isn't fit for purpose and can't claim to be keeping the virus under surveillance if it limits it only to those hospitalised.
UKHSA senior personnel have come under severe criticism at the Covid Inquiry, for their downplaying of infection protection controls and refusal to accept how the virus is transmitted. The a*se covering from some like Dr Lisa Ritchie is breath-taking, no pun intended.
Not blaming it on the government as much as you used to.
The UKHSA was hastily put in place by the last Government and staffed by tame poodles who didn't follow the science, and are still not following the science. It was known early in the pandemic that Sars Cov-2 is airborne and spread by aerosol, yet they refused to acknowledge it.
The current Government, despite talking out the last Government for failing to put in place measures to reduce infection, is unfortunately continuing on the same path.
Evidence of the harmful effects of the Sars Cov-2 virus grows with hundreds of studies across the world, yet there is a refusal to do anything about it, despite there being a lot hat can be done to reduce the spread.
The Covid aware community are getting increasingly exasperated with the failure to take action.
Covid is not seasonal and because there are so many infections, new variants are appearing all the time. Herd immunity isn't possible because of the frequent mutations that come with mass infection.
The symptoms of infection are only part of the problem, it's what is happening within the body where the main harm is a problem, with increasing likelihood of cognitive problems, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, diabetes, reduced immunity and much more. New studies are published in reputable medical journals every day. It's unforgivable that the truth is being withheld by the MSM and Governments.
The cost to the economy and health is enormous. Children are affected too and let's hope that they don't have cause to look back in the years to come and say 'why did they let this happen to us when they knew that Sars Cov-2 was anything but harmless.
To be honest I’m not really sure that there’s much that can be done as a society with regard to Covid. The data is still many years away from being complete and studies now won’t truly reflect the eventuality of what Covid is doing / has done. There simply hasn’t been enough time. I doubt we have 10% of the data on Covid. I think it’s unreasonable to expect governments to act and spend money they don’t have in ways that cannot be fully justified by the data or in this case lack of it. In addition, I’m certain that the public has no will to engage in anything more than what’s on offer now. Where no progress has been made, which I think is a disgrace, is in the installation of mechanical ventilation in schools and other public places. However, schools in many instances are falling down so I’d guess the expense of ventilation is a way down the list. When the next pandemic comes along I think it will be looked upon as a major mistake.
Nobody I know even tests now. It felt like a common cold the two times I had it. I only tested the second time time because my mate had been abroad to a location that turned out to be a bit of a hotspot.
Tested positive again for Covid today got to be the 5th time now 😩 Maybe travelling from London to Munich to Dublin to London to Leeds to London on planes and trains last week didn’t help
Tested positive again for Covid today got to be the 5th time now 😩 Maybe travelling from London to Munich to Dublin to London to Leeds to London on planes and trains last week didn’t help
5 times???? For sometime now I have been doubting the reliability of test kits.
About time too, we've been a joke around Europe for a lack of monitoring. Now lets follow this up by offering everyone over 50 with a free Covid and flu jab if they truly want to protect the NHS.
We are a joke Peter and I have just realised that the survey was last year. The UKHSA isn't fit for purpose and can't claim to be keeping the virus under surveillance if it limits it only to those hospitalised.
UKHSA senior personnel have come under severe criticism at the Covid Inquiry, for their downplaying of infection protection controls and refusal to accept how the virus is transmitted. The a*se covering from some like Dr Lisa Ritchie is breath-taking, no pun intended.
Not blaming it on the government as much as you used to.
The UKHSA was hastily put in place by the last Government and staffed by tame poodles who didn't follow the science, and are still not following the science. It was known early in the pandemic that Sars Cov-2 is airborne and spread by aerosol, yet they refused to acknowledge it.
The current Government, despite talking out the last Government for failing to put in place measures to reduce infection, is unfortunately continuing on the same path.
Evidence of the harmful effects of the Sars Cov-2 virus grows with hundreds of studies across the world, yet there is a refusal to do anything about it, despite there being a lot hat can be done to reduce the spread.
The Covid aware community are getting increasingly exasperated with the failure to take action.
Covid is not seasonal and because there are so many infections, new variants are appearing all the time. Herd immunity isn't possible because of the frequent mutations that come with mass infection.
The symptoms of infection are only part of the problem, it's what is happening within the body where the main harm is a problem, with increasing likelihood of cognitive problems, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, diabetes, reduced immunity and much more. New studies are published in reputable medical journals every day. It's unforgivable that the truth is being withheld by the MSM and Governments.
The cost to the economy and health is enormous. Children are affected too and let's hope that they don't have cause to look back in the years to come and say 'why did they let this happen to us when they knew that Sars Cov-2 was anything but harmless.
To be honest I’m not really sure that there’s much that can be done as a society with regard to Covid. The data is still many years away from being complete and studies now won’t truly reflect the eventuality of what Covid is doing / has done. There simply hasn’t been enough time. I doubt we have 10% of the data on Covid. I think it’s unreasonable to expect governments to act and spend money they don’t have in ways that cannot be fully justified by the data or in this case lack of it. In addition, I’m certain that the public has no will to engage in anything more than what’s on offer now. Where no progress has been made, which I think is a disgrace, is in the installation of mechanical ventilation in schools and other public places. However, schools in many instances are falling down so I’d guess the expense of ventilation is a way down the list. When the next pandemic comes along I think it will be looked upon as a major mistake.
There is already a wealth of evidence pointing to the harmful effects of a Covid infection, certainly enough that measures should be taken to limit the spread of the virus. Every day I read of new studies published in reputable medical and scientific publications.
We have millions claiming sickness benefit due to being unable to work. Two million people had Long Covid according to figures in March 2024, which was up on the previous year. What is needed is joined up thinking, because at the moment if someone develops a condition after Covid, there is very little being done to link it to the infection.
When I had a heart perfusion scan last year, one of the first questions I was asked was 'had I ever had Covid'. When I joined the 'Our Future Health' one of the questions was 'have you ever had Covid'. There were no questions asking if I had ever had flu. Covid is a known to increase heart conditions and strokes, that is in no doubt at all.
There is pretty strong evidence of reduced immunity to other infections after even a mild infection of Covid, and so many people are reporting that they have colds, coughs etc that linger.
The problem is that those who were party to decisions to allow mass infection, are still in important roles and to admit that they got it wrong would open them up to possible prosecution and financial claims.
We can do so much more and cleaning the air that we all breath in public places should be the norm, not only would it help stop the spread of Covid, but other viruses too. It's not healthy to continually subject the body to infections and immunity is not like a muscle that needs to be exercised, as some with no knowledge of viruses suggest.
We know that the SARS Cov-2 virus is mainly spread through the air and that it can linger, infecting people who then breathe it in. When it was found that some diseases were caused by water borne pathogens, measures were taken to clean the water supply, people weren't told that you have to learn to live with Typhoid fever, Cholera, Dysentary etc. money was spent to clean up the water people drink. It's crazy that we aren't taking this new virus more seriously.
It's also a lie that children are not affected by Covid infection, many are, and Long Covid in children is increasing.
Before the usual suspects start to ridicule mask wearing, the suggestion isn't that everyone should start wearing masks again, but that in certain settings, such as hospitals, they should be worn and that the standard should be at least FFP2, but preferably FFP3. Hospitals are a hotbed of infection and it's unforgivable that vulnerable people are not better protected. The testimonies of some at the Covid Inquiry have been heart breaking - vulnerable people being laughed and spat at by people objecting them to wearing masks.
The NHS and UKHSA are asking people to not go out and infect others if they are symptomatic, but unless this gets into the MSM, many people are unaware of that. There is a lot of criticism of the UKHSA only today, as they are talking about winter diseases. Covid is NOT a winter disease because there are so many new variants that there are several waves ever year, that doesn't happen with flu.
Unless the MSM actually start to talk about the harmful effects of Covid infection, the public will not take measures to reduce the spread of infections. The messaging has been so bad, that when the next pandemic hits, and we're not really out of the last one, it's going to be hard to get people to follow good infection control procedures.
Doing nothing to stop infections should not be an option, as the economic and health burdens of mass infection are so great.
To be honest I’m not really sure that there’s much that can be done as a society with regard to Covid. The data is still many years away from being complete and studies now won’t truly reflect the eventuality of what Covid is doing / has done. There simply hasn’t been enough time.
In truth, the same thing could be said of the possible long term effects of the vaccines
Maybe I am missing something. The ad currently doing the rounds to promote covid and flu vaccinations has four people on it holding one of the gladiator style sticks each. But only one of the four would be able to access the COVID jab, the pregnant woman I think. The little girl is older than 2 or 3 so wouldn't be eligible. The other adults are clearly under 65 so wouldn't be eligible unless they have underlying health conditions which is not made clear.
About time too, we've been a joke around Europe for a lack of monitoring. Now lets follow this up by offering everyone over 50 with a free Covid and flu jab if they truly want to protect the NHS.
We are a joke Peter and I have just realised that the survey was last year. The UKHSA isn't fit for purpose and can't claim to be keeping the virus under surveillance if it limits it only to those hospitalised.
UKHSA senior personnel have come under severe criticism at the Covid Inquiry, for their downplaying of infection protection controls and refusal to accept how the virus is transmitted. The a*se covering from some like Dr Lisa Ritchie is breath-taking, no pun intended.
Not blaming it on the government as much as you used to.
The UKHSA was hastily put in place by the last Government and staffed by tame poodles who didn't follow the science, and are still not following the science. It was known early in the pandemic that Sars Cov-2 is airborne and spread by aerosol, yet they refused to acknowledge it.
The current Government, despite talking out the last Government for failing to put in place measures to reduce infection, is unfortunately continuing on the same path.
Evidence of the harmful effects of the Sars Cov-2 virus grows with hundreds of studies across the world, yet there is a refusal to do anything about it, despite there being a lot hat can be done to reduce the spread.
The Covid aware community are getting increasingly exasperated with the failure to take action.
Covid is not seasonal and because there are so many infections, new variants are appearing all the time. Herd immunity isn't possible because of the frequent mutations that come with mass infection.
The symptoms of infection are only part of the problem, it's what is happening within the body where the main harm is a problem, with increasing likelihood of cognitive problems, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, diabetes, reduced immunity and much more. New studies are published in reputable medical journals every day. It's unforgivable that the truth is being withheld by the MSM and Governments.
The cost to the economy and health is enormous. Children are affected too and let's hope that they don't have cause to look back in the years to come and say 'why did they let this happen to us when they knew that Sars Cov-2 was anything but harmless.
To be honest I’m not really sure that there’s much that can be done as a society with regard to Covid. The data is still many years away from being complete and studies now won’t truly reflect the eventuality of what Covid is doing / has done. There simply hasn’t been enough time. I doubt we have 10% of the data on Covid. I think it’s unreasonable to expect governments to act and spend money they don’t have in ways that cannot be fully justified by the data or in this case lack of it. In addition, I’m certain that the public has no will to engage in anything more than what’s on offer now. Where no progress has been made, which I think is a disgrace, is in the installation of mechanical ventilation in schools and other public places. However, schools in many instances are falling down so I’d guess the expense of ventilation is a way down the list. When the next pandemic comes along I think it will be looked upon as a major mistake.
There is already a wealth of evidence pointing to the harmful effects of a Covid infection, certainly enough that measures should be taken to limit the spread of the virus. Every day I read of new studies published in reputable medical and scientific publications.
We have millions claiming sickness benefit due to being unable to work. Two million people had Long Covid according to figures in March 2024, which was up on the previous year. What is needed is joined up thinking, because at the moment if someone develops a condition after Covid, there is very little being done to link it to the infection.
When I had a heart perfusion scan last year, one of the first questions I was asked was 'had I ever had Covid'. When I joined the 'Our Future Health' one of the questions was 'have you ever had Covid'. There were no questions asking if I had ever had flu. Covid is a known to increase heart conditions and strokes, that is in no doubt at all.
There is pretty strong evidence of reduced immunity to other infections after even a mild infection of Covid, and so many people are reporting that they have colds, coughs etc that linger.
The problem is that those who were party to decisions to allow mass infection, are still in important roles and to admit that they got it wrong would open them up to possible prosecution and financial claims.
We can do so much more and cleaning the air that we all breath in public places should be the norm, not only would it help stop the spread of Covid, but other viruses too. It's not healthy to continually subject the body to infections and immunity is not like a muscle that needs to be exercised, as some with no knowledge of viruses suggest.
We know that the SARS Cov-2 virus is mainly spread through the air and that it can linger, infecting people who then breathe it in. When it was found that some diseases were caused by water borne pathogens, measures were taken to clean the water supply, people weren't told that you have to learn to live with Typhoid fever, Cholera, Dysentary etc. money was spent to clean up the water people drink. It's crazy that we aren't taking this new virus more seriously.
It's also a lie that children are not affected by Covid infection, many are, and Long Covid in children is increasing.
Before the usual suspects start to ridicule mask wearing, the suggestion isn't that everyone should start wearing masks again, but that in certain settings, such as hospitals, they should be worn and that the standard should be at least FFP2, but preferably FFP3. Hospitals are a hotbed of infection and it's unforgivable that vulnerable people are not better protected. The testimonies of some at the Covid Inquiry have been heart breaking - vulnerable people being laughed and spat at by people objecting them to wearing masks.
The NHS and UKHSA are asking people to not go out and infect others if they are symptomatic, but unless this gets into the MSM, many people are unaware of that. There is a lot of criticism of the UKHSA only today, as they are talking about winter diseases. Covid is NOT a winter disease because there are so many new variants that there are several waves ever year, that doesn't happen with flu.
Unless the MSM actually start to talk about the harmful effects of Covid infection, the public will not take measures to reduce the spread of infections. The messaging has been so bad, that when the next pandemic hits, and we're not really out of the last one, it's going to be hard to get people to follow good infection control procedures.
Doing nothing to stop infections should not be an option, as the economic and health burdens of mass infection are so great.
I’m certainly not dissing you post in the slightest. You have as always valid points. However. What would you have the authorities and public doing ? It’s a genuine question.
For a start I want to see more honesty about the effects that a Covid infection can have, information is key to getting people to act differently. It isn't just another 'winter' virus, it's constantly changing creating waves throughout the year. As I've previously said, it goes far beyond the symptomatic phase and can cause so many other conditions, hiding that from the public is terrible. If I didn't post about these problems, I'm sure most people on here wouldn't know about that.
The lie that Covid is just a cold needs to be stopped and good messaging is key.
People need to know that it is an airborne virus and that if there is an infected person in a setting with poor ventilation, then they can breathe in the virus and become infected themselves. If a building can't be fitted with air cleaning systems, then portable cleaners need to be used, especially in schools. CO2 monitors are a good indication of the cleanliness of the air, the higher the CO2 levels, the poorer the air quality will be. It's interesting to note that new air filtration systems were put in place in the House of Commons & Lords and associated buildings during the early stage of the pandemic. They knew that the Sars Cov-2 virus was airborne.
Making going out when infected needs to be made anti-social. The new Government has made a start in making staying at home if ill possible, by paying statutory sick pay from day one. Make working from home if infectious, the norm.
Make testing for Covid cheaper.
Children shouldn't be sent to school if unwell, an academy group recently told parents that they should send their children to school if unwell, and that they would be looked after by staff away from the classroom if they needed a break. That is madness, and they had to quickly back track due to the outcry.
Putting a stop to the notion that getting infected by any virus is good for your immunity, it isn't and any virus can cause long term sequelae.
Masking in medical settings in particular, so many people go into a hospital and contract Covid whilst they are there.
Better surveillance, most countries were testing waste water long after the UK stopped it.
Greater emphasis on vaccination for all.
The cost to the economy/health of so much sickness is enormous and needs to be addressed.
Would def agree on normalising people staying at home when ill - I've been hyper-aware of it since my extended bout of COVID effects started and it's ridiculous that 'battling through' and coming into the office when wfh is an option seems to be back as a behaviour.
Wider vaccination is another one I'd agree on - surely the cost of it is less than the economic damage of many more people being off long term sick?
For a start I want to see more honesty about the effects that a Covid infection can have, information is key to getting people to act differently. It isn't just another 'winter' virus, it's constantly changing creating waves throughout the year. As I've previously said, it goes far beyond the symptomatic phase and can cause so many other conditions, hiding that from the public is terrible. If I didn't post about these problems, I'm sure most people on here wouldn't know about that.
The lie that Covid is just a cold needs to be stopped and good messaging is key.
People need to know that it is an airborne virus and that if there is an infected person in a setting with poor ventilation, then they can breathe in the virus and become infected themselves. If a building can't be fitted with air cleaning systems, then portable cleaners need to be used, especially in schools. CO2 monitors are a good indication of the cleanliness of the air, the higher the CO2 levels, the poorer the air quality will be. It's interesting to note that new air filtration systems were put in place in the House of Commons & Lords and associated buildings during the early stage of the pandemic. They knew that the Sars Cov-2 virus was airborne.
Making going out when infected needs to be made anti-social. The new Government has made a start in making staying at home if ill possible, by paying statutory sick pay from day one. Make working from home if infectious, the norm.
Make testing for Covid cheaper.
Children shouldn't be sent to school if unwell, an academy group recently told parents that they should send their children to school if unwell, and that they would be looked after by staff away from the classroom if they needed a break. That is madness, and they had to quickly back track due to the outcry.
Putting a stop to the notion that getting infected by any virus is good for your immunity, it isn't and any virus can cause long term sequelae.
Masking in medical settings in particular, so many people go into a hospital and contract Covid whilst they are there.
Better surveillance, most countries were testing waste water long after the UK stopped it.
Greater emphasis on vaccination for all.
The cost to the economy/health of so much sickness is enormous and needs to be addressed.
I’ll try and get to addressing each point later today if I get time but there are glaring issues along with some sensible points.
For a start I want to see more honesty about the effects that a Covid infection can have, information is key to getting people to act differently. It isn't just another 'winter' virus, it's constantly changing creating waves throughout the year. As I've previously said, it goes far beyond the symptomatic phase and can cause so many other conditions, hiding that from the public is terrible. If I didn't post about these problems, I'm sure most people on here wouldn't know about that.
The lie that Covid is just a cold needs to be stopped and good messaging is key.
People need to know that it is an airborne virus and that if there is an infected person in a setting with poor ventilation, then they can breathe in the virus and become infected themselves. If a building can't be fitted with air cleaning systems, then portable cleaners need to be used, especially in schools. CO2 monitors are a good indication of the cleanliness of the air, the higher the CO2 levels, the poorer the air quality will be. It's interesting to note that new air filtration systems were put in place in the House of Commons & Lords and associated buildings during the early stage of the pandemic. They knew that the Sars Cov-2 virus was airborne.
Making going out when infected needs to be made anti-social. The new Government has made a start in making staying at home if ill possible, by paying statutory sick pay from day one. Make working from home if infectious, the norm.
Make testing for Covid cheaper.
Children shouldn't be sent to school if unwell, an academy group recently told parents that they should send their children to school if unwell, and that they would be looked after by staff away from the classroom if they needed a break. That is madness, and they had to quickly back track due to the outcry.
Putting a stop to the notion that getting infected by any virus is good for your immunity, it isn't and any virus can cause long term sequelae.
Masking in medical settings in particular, so many people go into a hospital and contract Covid whilst they are there.
Better surveillance, most countries were testing waste water long after the UK stopped it.
Greater emphasis on vaccination for all.
The cost to the economy/health of so much sickness is enormous and needs to be addressed.
Agree that Covid is not a winter virus and certainly not a cold or Influenza but now that Covid has evolved to become a disease of the upper respiratory tract there are many similarities. The reason all three of these spike in winter is due to people being indoors more than in the other seasons and consequently all three along with other transmitted diseases are more readily spread.
As I’ve suggested previously, the data on Covid is still woefully inadequate and there are absolutely no studies at this point that can give definitive answers to exactly how and why or actually even if Covid has affected so many bodily systems in some individuals. It’s not hidden from the public. The information as is, can be found if people were interested but mostly they’re not. It’s not the government’s job to provide information on as yet unsubstantiated claims and studies. The time may come as the body of evidence build. Years.
If people don’t know that Covid is an aerosol transmitted disease then they either don’t care or are pretty dim. Totally agree that air scrub systems should be fitted into all new public buildings and definitely retrofitted in schools and hospitals.
Ive long thought the battle through it and soldier on attitude by many is a ridiculous and potentially dangerous attitude. You are I believe correct that going out and going to work when full of a cold or other illness should become socially unacceptable. Years.
Exposure to any virus does not necessarily have good outcomes but being exposed to a virus primes the body’s immune system to make antibodies and recognise subsequent infections. Regular exposure keeps the body’s immune system alert to a certain extent. Over many generations we have of course been exposed to common viruses time and time again and have unequivocally developed some immunity. By way of extreme example. The Aztecs were wiped out after being exposed to viruses and germs they had never been exposed to and had no immunity to, brought by European colonisers. 5.8 million people died of smallpox in two decades in the immediate wake of Spanish colonisation. DNA studies have shown that the real suspect for extinction was Salmonella, known to have been in Europe during the Middle Ages and brought to the new world in livestock by the Spanish. Not a virus at all but a bacterium but still deadly to a virgin immune system.
Masks being worn in clinical settings is one for which I have some sympathy but I can speak from experience that wearing a mask 100% of the time over an eight hour or longer shift is actually quite exhausting. I’m not sure given the current evidence that it can be justified.
Can we really expect the authorities to fund widespread testing of individuals outside of a pandemic ? for a disease that has evolved into something that isn’t killing in numbers greater that eg influenza and with no unequivocal data on long term morbidities. I think not.
Vaccines for those in risk groups for poor outcomes for upper respiratory diseases and those with specific immune issues just like we have for influenza vaccines. I doubt expanding that would have any significant benefits.
The cost to the economy is subjective at this point. Long term sickness due to Covid exposure is still not medically substantiated although it seems there is little doubt that some individuals do suffer from long term effects. Is that surprising with a novel virus that is still not nearly fully understood. At this stage I’d suggest that cases are best dealt with on an individual basis and the body of data is built.
Doesn’t the UK doesn’t have statutory sick pay from Day 1. I always had it back in the 90s and noughties.
I was discussing this with some French friends a few weeks ago. In France it begins on Day 4 and I (incorrectly?) told them that in the UK it’s from Day 1.
I don’t understand this in either country even disregarding Covid. Does it really disencourage people from taking a sickie more than genuinely sick people being forced to work when sick, or than sick people taking extra days off to compensate for the unfair loss of pay on days1-3?
For a start I want to see more honesty about the effects that a Covid infection can have, information is key to getting people to act differently. It isn't just another 'winter' virus, it's constantly changing creating waves throughout the year. As I've previously said, it goes far beyond the symptomatic phase and can cause so many other conditions, hiding that from the public is terrible. If I didn't post about these problems, I'm sure most people on here wouldn't know about that.
The lie that Covid is just a cold needs to be stopped and good messaging is key.
People need to know that it is an airborne virus and that if there is an infected person in a setting with poor ventilation, then they can breathe in the virus and become infected themselves. If a building can't be fitted with air cleaning systems, then portable cleaners need to be used, especially in schools. CO2 monitors are a good indication of the cleanliness of the air, the higher the CO2 levels, the poorer the air quality will be. It's interesting to note that new air filtration systems were put in place in the House of Commons & Lords and associated buildings during the early stage of the pandemic. They knew that the Sars Cov-2 virus was airborne.
Making going out when infected needs to be made anti-social. The new Government has made a start in making staying at home if ill possible, by paying statutory sick pay from day one. Make working from home if infectious, the norm.
Make testing for Covid cheaper.
Children shouldn't be sent to school if unwell, an academy group recently told parents that they should send their children to school if unwell, and that they would be looked after by staff away from the classroom if they needed a break. That is madness, and they had to quickly back track due to the outcry.
Putting a stop to the notion that getting infected by any virus is good for your immunity, it isn't and any virus can cause long term sequelae.
Masking in medical settings in particular, so many people go into a hospital and contract Covid whilst they are there.
Better surveillance, most countries were testing waste water long after the UK stopped it.
Greater emphasis on vaccination for all.
The cost to the economy/health of so much sickness is enormous and needs to be addressed.
1.
Ive long thought the battle through it and soldier on attitude by many is a ridiculous and potentially dangerous attitude. You are I believe correct that going out and going to work when full of a cold or other illness should become socially unacceptable. Years.
2.
Exposure to any virus does not necessarily have good outcomes but being exposed to a virus primes the body’s immune system to make antibodies and recognise subsequent infections. Regular exposure keeps the body’s immune system alert to a certain extent. Over many generations we have of course been exposed to common viruses time and time again and have unequivocally developed some immunity. By way of extreme example. The Aztecs were wiped out after being exposed to viruses and germs they had never been exposed to and had no immunity to, brought by European colonisers. 5.8 million people died of smallpox in two decades in the immediate wake of Spanish colonisation. DNA studies have shown that the real suspect for extinction was Salmonella, known to have been in Europe during the Middle Ages and brought to the new world in livestock by the Spanish. Not a virus at all but a bacterium but still deadly to a virgin immune system.
Aren’t these two paragraphs in contradiction to each other? I disagree with the idea in 1 largely due to what is said in 2.
Doesn’t the UK doesn’t have statutory sick pay from Day 1. I always had it back in the 90s and noughties.
I was discussing this with some French friends a few weeks ago. In France it begins on Day 4 and I (incorrectly?) told them that in the UK it’s from Day 1.
I don’t understand this in either country even disregarding Covid. Does it really disencourage people from taking a sickie more than genuinely sick people being forced to work when sick, or than sick people taking extra days off to compensate for the unfair loss of pay on days1-3?
Doesn’t the UK doesn’t have statutory sick pay from Day 1. I always had it back in the 90s and noughties.
I was discussing this with some French friends a few weeks ago. In France it begins on Day 4 and I (incorrectly?) told them that in the UK it’s from Day 1.
I don’t understand this in either country even disregarding Covid. Does it really disencourage people from taking a sickie more than genuinely sick people being forced to work when sick, or than sick people taking extra days off to compensate for the unfair loss of pay on days1-3?
At the moment statutory sick pay is not paid for the first 3 days, the new Government has said that it plans to introduce SSP from day 1.
The following is quite long but confirms most of what I have said. It's from an American point of view, but the action/inaction of the UK is mentioned.
It is widely believed that having a Covid infection can affect your immunity and that this is cumulative, so that with each infection, your immune system is damaged more, making you more susceptible to other infections.
The following discusses the economic burden of Long Covid on the Australian economy, and suggests that it would be the same for New Zealand, two countries whose early interventions meant that far fewer people caught Covid than the USA and UK, where freedom was prioritised over health, with an even greater economic effect.
For a virus that is being portrayed as mild, there have been over 7000 deaths in England alone since the start of 2024 and the number of hospitalisations that I have calculated from the downloadable file is over 80,000
For a start I want to see more honesty about the effects that a Covid infection can have, information is key to getting people to act differently. It isn't just another 'winter' virus, it's constantly changing creating waves throughout the year. As I've previously said, it goes far beyond the symptomatic phase and can cause so many other conditions, hiding that from the public is terrible. If I didn't post about these problems, I'm sure most people on here wouldn't know about that.
The lie that Covid is just a cold needs to be stopped and good messaging is key.
People need to know that it is an airborne virus and that if there is an infected person in a setting with poor ventilation, then they can breathe in the virus and become infected themselves. If a building can't be fitted with air cleaning systems, then portable cleaners need to be used, especially in schools. CO2 monitors are a good indication of the cleanliness of the air, the higher the CO2 levels, the poorer the air quality will be. It's interesting to note that new air filtration systems were put in place in the House of Commons & Lords and associated buildings during the early stage of the pandemic. They knew that the Sars Cov-2 virus was airborne.
Making going out when infected needs to be made anti-social. The new Government has made a start in making staying at home if ill possible, by paying statutory sick pay from day one. Make working from home if infectious, the norm.
Make testing for Covid cheaper.
Children shouldn't be sent to school if unwell, an academy group recently told parents that they should send their children to school if unwell, and that they would be looked after by staff away from the classroom if they needed a break. That is madness, and they had to quickly back track due to the outcry.
Putting a stop to the notion that getting infected by any virus is good for your immunity, it isn't and any virus can cause long term sequelae.
Masking in medical settings in particular, so many people go into a hospital and contract Covid whilst they are there.
Better surveillance, most countries were testing waste water long after the UK stopped it.
Greater emphasis on vaccination for all.
The cost to the economy/health of so much sickness is enormous and needs to be addressed.
1.
Ive long thought the battle through it and soldier on attitude by many is a ridiculous and potentially dangerous attitude. You are I believe correct that going out and going to work when full of a cold or other illness should become socially unacceptable. Years.
2.
Exposure to any virus does not necessarily have good outcomes but being exposed to a virus primes the body’s immune system to make antibodies and recognise subsequent infections. Regular exposure keeps the body’s immune system alert to a certain extent. Over many generations we have of course been exposed to common viruses time and time again and have unequivocally developed some immunity. By way of extreme example. The Aztecs were wiped out after being exposed to viruses and germs they had never been exposed to and had no immunity to, brought by European colonisers. 5.8 million people died of smallpox in two decades in the immediate wake of Spanish colonisation. DNA studies have shown that the real suspect for extinction was Salmonella, known to have been in Europe during the Middle Ages and brought to the new world in livestock by the Spanish. Not a virus at all but a bacterium but still deadly to a virgin immune system.
Aren’t these two paragraphs in contradiction to each other? I disagree with the idea in 1 largely due to what is said in 2.
Not sure I see your point although that could be me. I definitely agree that people shouldn’t go to work or socialise if they are ill. That work ethos of soldiering on is ridiculous. The second point doesn’t suggest that people should not worry about passing on their bugs but merely that just by living we come into contact with all sorts of viruses and bacteria. We eventually through such contacts gain to some extent a level of immunity.
Comments
The current Government, despite talking out the last Government for failing to put in place measures to reduce infection, is unfortunately continuing on the same path.
Evidence of the harmful effects of the Sars Cov-2 virus grows with hundreds of studies across the world, yet there is a refusal to do anything about it, despite there being a lot hat can be done to reduce the spread.
The Covid aware community are getting increasingly exasperated with the failure to take action.
Covid is not seasonal and because there are so many infections, new variants are appearing all the time. Herd immunity isn't possible because of the frequent mutations that come with mass infection.
The symptoms of infection are only part of the problem, it's what is happening within the body where the main harm is a problem, with increasing likelihood of cognitive problems, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, diabetes, reduced immunity and much more. New studies are published in reputable medical journals every day. It's unforgivable that the truth is being withheld by the MSM and Governments.
The cost to the economy and health is enormous. Children are affected too and let's hope that they don't have cause to look back in the years to come and say 'why did they let this happen to us when they knew that Sars Cov-2 was anything but harmless.
For sometime now I have been doubting the reliability of test kits.
We have millions claiming sickness benefit due to being unable to work. Two million people had Long Covid according to figures in March 2024, which was up on the previous year. What is needed is joined up thinking, because at the moment if someone develops a condition after Covid, there is very little being done to link it to the infection.
When I had a heart perfusion scan last year, one of the first questions I was asked was 'had I ever had Covid'. When I joined the 'Our Future Health' one of the questions was 'have you ever had Covid'. There were no questions asking if I had ever had flu. Covid is a known to increase heart conditions and strokes, that is in no doubt at all.
There is pretty strong evidence of reduced immunity to other infections after even a mild infection of Covid, and so many people are reporting that they have colds, coughs etc that linger.
The problem is that those who were party to decisions to allow mass infection, are still in important roles and to admit that they got it wrong would open them up to possible prosecution and financial claims.
We can do so much more and cleaning the air that we all breath in public places should be the norm, not only would it help stop the spread of Covid, but other viruses too. It's not healthy to continually subject the body to infections and immunity is not like a muscle that needs to be exercised, as some with no knowledge of viruses suggest.
We know that the SARS Cov-2 virus is mainly spread through the air and that it can linger, infecting people who then breathe it in. When it was found that some diseases were caused by water borne pathogens, measures were taken to clean the water supply, people weren't told that you have to learn to live with Typhoid fever, Cholera, Dysentary etc. money was spent to clean up the water people drink. It's crazy that we aren't taking this new virus more seriously.
It's also a lie that children are not affected by Covid infection, many are, and Long Covid in children is increasing.
Before the usual suspects start to ridicule mask wearing, the suggestion isn't that everyone should start wearing masks again, but that in certain settings, such as hospitals, they should be worn and that the standard should be at least FFP2, but preferably FFP3. Hospitals are a hotbed of infection and it's unforgivable that vulnerable people are not better protected. The testimonies of some at the Covid Inquiry have been heart breaking - vulnerable people being laughed and spat at by people objecting them to wearing masks.
The NHS and UKHSA are asking people to not go out and infect others if they are symptomatic, but unless this gets into the MSM, many people are unaware of that. There is a lot of criticism of the UKHSA only today, as they are talking about winter diseases. Covid is NOT a winter disease because there are so many new variants that there are several waves ever year, that doesn't happen with flu.
Unless the MSM actually start to talk about the harmful effects of Covid infection, the public will not take measures to reduce the spread of infections. The messaging has been so bad, that when the next pandemic hits, and we're not really out of the last one, it's going to be hard to get people to follow good infection control procedures.
Doing nothing to stop infections should not be an option, as the economic and health burdens of mass infection are so great.
The lie that Covid is just a cold needs to be stopped and good messaging is key.
People need to know that it is an airborne virus and that if there is an infected person in a setting with poor ventilation, then they can breathe in the virus and become infected themselves. If a building can't be fitted with air cleaning systems, then portable cleaners need to be used, especially in schools. CO2 monitors are a good indication of the cleanliness of the air, the higher the CO2 levels, the poorer the air quality will be. It's interesting to note that new air filtration systems were put in place in the House of Commons & Lords and associated buildings during the early stage of the pandemic. They knew that the Sars Cov-2 virus was airborne.
Making going out when infected needs to be made anti-social. The new Government has made a start in making staying at home if ill possible, by paying statutory sick pay from day one. Make working from home if infectious, the norm.
Make testing for Covid cheaper.
Children shouldn't be sent to school if unwell, an academy group recently told parents that they should send their children to school if unwell, and that they would be looked after by staff away from the classroom if they needed a break. That is madness, and they had to quickly back track due to the outcry.
Putting a stop to the notion that getting infected by any virus is good for your immunity, it isn't and any virus can cause long term sequelae.
Masking in medical settings in particular, so many people go into a hospital and contract Covid whilst they are there.
Better surveillance, most countries were testing waste water long after the UK stopped it.
Greater emphasis on vaccination for all.
The cost to the economy/health of so much sickness is enormous and needs to be addressed.
Wider vaccination is another one I'd agree on - surely the cost of it is less than the economic damage of many more people being off long term sick?
Vaccines for those in risk groups for poor outcomes for upper respiratory diseases and those with specific immune issues just like we have for influenza vaccines. I doubt expanding that would have any significant benefits.
The cost to the economy is subjective at this point. Long term sickness due to Covid exposure is still not medically substantiated although it seems there is little doubt that some individuals do suffer from long term effects. Is that surprising with a novel virus that is still not nearly fully understood. At this stage I’d suggest that cases are best dealt with on an individual basis and the body of data is built.
Doesn’t the UK doesn’t have statutory sick pay from Day 1. I always had it back in the 90s and noughties.
I was discussing this with some French friends a few weeks ago. In France it begins on Day 4 and I (incorrectly?) told them that in the UK it’s from Day 1.
I don’t understand this in either country even disregarding Covid. Does it really disencourage people from taking a sickie more than genuinely sick people being forced to work when sick, or than sick people taking extra days off to compensate for the unfair loss of pay on days1-3?
I disagree with the idea in 1 largely due to what is said in 2.
https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay/what-youll-get
https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/blog/debilitating-a-generation-expert-warns-that-long-covid-may-eventually-affect-most-americans
An article regarding the apparent wall of silence on Covid:
https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/covid-19-is-there-a-gagging-order/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFSQP9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcd9Odb66S0GpULLmv0pM50L5HRR20a4tU0vhxTboaKenmHj_vIueB3HDw_aem_l-ePs5Dno-nti_-vHeKaew
It is widely believed that having a Covid infection can affect your immunity and that this is cumulative, so that with each infection, your immune system is damaged more, making you more susceptible to other infections.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanwpc/article/PIIS2666-6065(24)00212-8/fulltext
The following discusses the economic burden of Long Covid on the Australian economy, and suggests that it would be the same for New Zealand, two countries whose early interventions meant that far fewer people caught Covid than the USA and UK, where freedom was prioritised over health, with an even greater economic effect.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/527433/long-covid-could-be-costing-the-economy-2b-a-year-research-says?fbclid=IwY2xjawFLvIJleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQqtGwP7muOgCeBZ2aRF3HBjECSfYKTs-zt7uBhuP9rkOb3OnQ1YYoV58w_aem_abR_DmTa9f3t6Sa_O8Rehg
For a virus that is being portrayed as mild, there have been over 7000 deaths in England alone since the start of 2024 and the number of hospitalisations that I have calculated from the downloadable file is over 80,000
https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/topics/covid-19
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03173-6