Chinese bug in the UK

[NTSOG]

G'day All,

We in the Antipodes are hearing terrible stories about the situation in the whole of the UK with the Chinese Bug [CB]. We are having our own localised problems in Australia, but nothing like you folks with 25% of people in London infected for example. I assume with the extreme lockdowns there is very little you are allowed to do including recreational pastimes like shooting anywhere?

Good luck to you all,

Jim

[Kevgun]

Hi Jim, yes it's not very good at the moment, we have a vaccine on the horizon , but we must continue to isolate until it's under control, however, over here everything is made much worse than it really is by our media, and the bloody mindedness of the British people. we won't be told

Our government seem to dither too much on key decisions, like stopping infected people coming into the country, I know Oz and New Zealand closed their borders almost straight away on the first sign of trouble, which was a good call, but our biggest problem is population density, there is nowhere to hide from it over here, too many people and not enough space, for instance the entire population of New Zealand would only half fill London alone and New Zealand is approximately 10% larger than the UK with a population of 4.9 Million compared to our 67 Million, we are falling off the sides

Anyway keeping my head down and will hopefully avoid it.

Kevgun

[phoenix]

Agreed - a small island with a lot of people and a highly transmissible virus is not a good combination.
The next 6-8 weeks will be tough - at least until the high risk members of our population get vaccinated.
That won't reduce the spread too much, but it should reduce hospitalisations and deaths.
For my wife and I (were both 70), the vaccination can't come soon enough
I have faith in the NHS to run the vaccination programme efficiently and as fast as it can be done.
Better than this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHn6PFI ... hannel=CNN
Queues of elderly people in Florida hoping to get vaccinated after rumours that a local hospital has limited supplies of the pfizer vaccine and were giving it on a first come. first served basis.
Of course, only those wealthy enough to pay for it were in the queue

Cheers

Bruce

[Kevgun]

Yes Bruce, our present government gets knocked for some of it's decisions, but we were the first to come up with a vaccine that everyone rich or poor will be offered eventually. In the meanwhile just keep your heads down, i would sooner be in Scotland than down here at the moment though, you have a bit more space than us + it's colder most likely and that in itself keeps people indoors.

[NTSOG]

G'day Gents,

I'm sure that geography is playing a role with your small island of England being about the size of my state of Victoria. We have 6 million people in Victoria while you are packed to the gunnels with thousands of immigrants still trying to get in. You're not alone in having 'ditherers' in government. Ours have just realised that airline crews should not be left unsupervised as they might be the means of importing other strains of the Bug. Our politicians' concept of quarantine seems very different from how medicos conceive quarantine - and exemptions seem to be continually being made for movie stars, professional athletes and other 'special' people, i.e. mates and chums. Bruce I'm also 70 - my wife 68 - and have a medical condition affecting my immune system so there's a good chance if I get the bug there'll be no chance of survival, hence a vaccine might be a godsend. What really bothers me is the absolute arrogance of a small portion of society full of their own Rights and 'quack' theories running around causing distraction and confusion when we all need to be following the same 'playbook'. Then we have a state government in NSW wanting the third Test against India to start today with spectators allowed in the Sydney Cricket Ground while Sydney is battling an outbreak.

Take care,

Jim

[phoenix]

Jim,
A Geography lesson is in order.
England is one of the 4 countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the others being Scotland and Wales.
People from Scotland,England, Wales and Northern Ireland are all British and we're happy to called British or Brits or even poms, but don't call someone from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland English - that could get you beaten up in a few pubs around here

Cheers

Bruce

[some bloke]

Yes we are overcrowded with snowflakes who simply must party come what may. Then there are the rebels who simply defy authority of any kind - including their own parents, grandparents and any other oldie. I suspect its because us older lot saw the after war years of hardship for our parents. I recall getting an orange in brown paper bag for Xmas and had a good deal of backhanders for leaving a light on if I left a room that would then be unoccupied. Could our millennials even imagine the discipline we saw?

Personally - I've been a tin foil hat wearing 69 years old heavy duty shielder for about 10 months now with breathing issues that would simply shut me down if I get covid. At least in the summer I could venture out to the garden and sunlight which is a good pathogen cleaner apparently but I spend so much time behind a screen now my eyes must be going widescreen shape. I even look at conspiracy theories for something to do - anyone looked at chemtrails?

I busy myself with the odd tiny project just for something to do and have begun to 'worry' that some of my rigs will end up in a skip because my family won't know what to do with them if covid takes me. I'm thinking I might sell more of the easily fathomed one's off so her indoors gets the money. I'll still have ones that need knowledge of an OSD display to adjust a retical zero.

I wonder how many firearms will get seized following completely unpredictable covid deaths - and of course their scopes will be taken too and likely end up contributing to plods retirement fund which is almost enough to turn a bloke in his grave.

[NTSOG]

Thanks Bruce,

I have actually studied the history of the British isles, especially From Edward I onwards and the constant conflicts between the English, the Scots, the Welsh and a little about the Irish who I believe enlisted Robert the Bruce to help them evict the English invaders. [I understand that the Scots in Ireland became a bigger problem than the English at one point.] From afar and never having visited the UK I guess I considered the four countries as just like out states in Australia rather than National entities in their own right. I don't think most of us in Australia really pay that much attention to the notion of four countries constituting the UK, but you are all Pommies any time there is Test cricket on. [We still haven't forgotten Douglas Jardine and bodyline.] Thank God I don't go to pubs; I'd probably get tuned up. My own lineage is: mother from Hertfordshire post WW I and father's lineage: Scotland via California and then to Australia during the gold rushes in the mid to late 1800s.

I should have stuck to the overall label I used in the title of this series, i.e. UK. Thank God I don't go to pubs; I'd probably get tuned up regularly!

some bloke: "Could our millennials even imagine the discipline we saw?"

No they could not! I began studying physical education in 1969 at university in Melbourne. The professor in charge of the department was a certain Dr. A W Willee, ex-Royal Navy - Sir!! We did everything at the double until we got tasks correct - Sir! My parents, after my father was 'demobbed' at the end of WW II, bred chickens on a few acres to make ends meet and he also taught himself auto mechanics to save money on car repairs. There was nothing he did not a teach himself to do and from age 6 I was expected to labour alongside as his apprentice.

The enforced confinement [and boredom] for many such as you with fragile health must be a stressor you don't need. Though I am definitely vulnerable I'm lucky to have the space [and effective quarantine] of my small farm and the necessary outdoor work I have to do to maintain the property, care for stock and machinery; I don't have time to get bored. I also agree about 'snowflakes'. I think, all around the world, this bug has shown how extremely selfish is the behaviour of a section of [mostly younger] people who have enjoyed all the benefits of society over the last 30-40 years or so without understanding the effort and sacrifices made by those who came before.

Add another layer to your tin foil hat and stay safe.

Jim