| Open letter in the Lancet: "Mass infection is not an option" 09:22 - Jul 9 with 9981 views | StokieBlue |
In the interest of balance and to counter some of the more cherry-picked claims on here over the last few days, here is an open letter in the Lancet, published yesterday by scientists from across a number of organisations advising the government.
"Mass Infection is not an option: we must do more to protect our young"
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01589-0/fullt
Some bits for those that don't want to read it:
"We believe this decision is dangerous and premature."
"We believe the government is embarking on a dangerous and unethical experiment, and we call on it to pause plans to abandon mitigations on July 19, 2021."
"The link between infection and death might have been weakened, but it has not been broken, and infection can still cause substantial morbidity in both acute and long-term illness."
"First, unmitigated transmission will disproportionately affect unvaccinated children and young people who have already suffered greatly. Official UK Government data show that as of July 4, 2021, 51% of the total UK population have been fully vaccinated and 68% have been partially vaccinated. Even assuming that approximately 20% of unvaccinated people are protected by previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, this still leaves more than 17 million people with no protection against COVID-19. Given this, and the high transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, exponential growth will probably continue until millions more people are infected, leaving hundreds of thousands of people with long-term illness and disability.4 This strategy risks creating a generation left with chronic health problems and disability, the personal and economic impacts of which might be felt for decades to come."
"Third, preliminary modelling data9 suggest the government's strategy provides fertile ground for the emergence of vaccine-resistant variants. This would place all at risk, including those already vaccinated, within the UK and globally."
"Fourth, this strategy will have a significant impact on health services and exhausted health-care staff who have not yet recovered from previous infection waves. The link between cases and hospital admissions has not been broken, and rising case numbers will inevitably lead to increased hospital admissions, applying further pressure at a time when millions of people are waiting for medical procedures and routine care."
"Instead, the government should delay complete re-opening until everyone, including adolescents, have been offered vaccination and uptake is high, and until mitigation measures, especially adequate ventilation (through investment in CO2 monitors and air filtration devices) and spacing (eg, by reducing class sizes), are in place in schools. Until then, public health measures must include those called for by WHO (universal mask wearing in indoor spaces, even for those vaccinated), the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ventilation and air filtration), and Independent SAGE (effective border quarantine; test, trace isolate, and support). This will ensure that everyone is protected and make it much less likely that we will need further restrictions or lockdowns in the autumn."
A number of people have said that in general scientists are behind the opening and it's simply not true. The WHO have said it's unprecedented to be opening up in this way with cases in a steep rise and that no other country in the world has reduced restrictions in this scenario.
They also feel that proceeding as we are will make it more likely to have lockdowns and restrictions in the Autumn (and by extension Winter).
SB |  |
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| Open letter in the Lancet: "Mass infection is not an option" on 20:18 - Jul 9 with 361 views | jeera |
| Open letter in the Lancet: "Mass infection is not an option" on 19:47 - Jul 9 by blue62 |
There are always idiots, but maybe I am ever hopeful that the majority of people will still proceed with caution.
I've been careful, stuck to the rules. I lost my dad last March and I dont want my mum to go the same way. |
You have more faith in people than I.
Sorry to hear about your dad.
Been there and know how hard it can be.
Hope your mum stays in good health for a long time yet. |  |
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| Open letter in the Lancet: "Mass infection is not an option" on 20:20 - Jul 9 with 361 views | StokieBlue |
| Open letter in the Lancet: "Mass infection is not an option" on 18:33 - Jul 9 by 26_Paz |
As soon as I’ve had my second vaccine in two weeks time I will be joining that surge in bookings! |
I honestly hope that all the other countries close their borders to the UK due to the ridiculously high number of cases we will have here at that point.
Why should they accept any risk at all from UK travellers going to their countries. Look at you, literally the first thing you can think of doing is travelling abroad even though you know the issues that travel has caused globally.
SB | |
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| Open letter in the Lancet: "Mass infection is not an option" on 20:31 - Jul 9 with 342 views | NewcyBlue |
| Open letter in the Lancet: "Mass infection is not an option" on 20:20 - Jul 9 by StokieBlue |
I honestly hope that all the other countries close their borders to the UK due to the ridiculously high number of cases we will have here at that point.
Why should they accept any risk at all from UK travellers going to their countries. Look at you, literally the first thing you can think of doing is travelling abroad even though you know the issues that travel has caused globally.
SB |
This.
In April when I got home I was told to self isolate after coming into contact with someone that was positive whilst flying or being in the airports.
Flying out this time, the same thing has happened.
It doesn’t matter if everyone has a negative test, that just proves they were negative when the test was taken. |  |
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| Open letter in the Lancet: "Mass infection is not an option" on 21:12 - Jul 9 with 296 views | Seablu |
| Open letter in the Lancet: "Mass infection is not an option" on 20:20 - Jul 9 by StokieBlue |
I honestly hope that all the other countries close their borders to the UK due to the ridiculously high number of cases we will have here at that point.
Why should they accept any risk at all from UK travellers going to their countries. Look at you, literally the first thing you can think of doing is travelling abroad even though you know the issues that travel has caused globally.
SB |
Exactly.
Our government are too popularist and mindlessly belligerent to do the right thing,
As usual, we’ll need our wiser neighbours to put us right whilst Boris stands aghast with his arms spread in mock surprise, like a meat headed centre half standing over a prostrate winger. |  | | |
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