Becky B

Did he ride there though? 7 miles isn't far, on a bike... The risk of transmission outdoors is much lower than where people are congregating indoors. I feel dirty now. I can't believe I'm even slightly defending the incompetent idiot 😬

It's getting caught between a rock and a hard place, I know. I guess people with a medical bias are looking at it from a point of view of hospitals being overwhelmed by numbers of people needing admission, whilst trying to balance keeping emergency services and more routine healthcare going. We've all come to expect healthcare to be available when we want it, but it is a finite resource and if most of the capacity is taken up by Covid-19 cases, where does that leave us? We can't go into hibernation, no (much as I feel I want to, and not just in a pandemic 😆), but we can be careful about the choices we make in this unprecedented situation. The virus spreads by contacts, the more contacts each person has with numbers of different people, the more likely it is to spread. I haven't seen the research behind it, I'm getting to the point where I can only take so much information in about it, and manage my mental health. We thought we were going to get a respite in the later stages of 2020, but things are just as bad as ever (this is just my limited perspective at work, but being in it day after day is getting a little wearing now).

Listening to a medical programme about this earlier, one of the experts said if anything, this lockdown should be stricter than the first because the new variant is 50% more transmissible. The first lockdown worked to bring the R number down, but this time it's harder to achieve because of the increased transmissibility. People have become complacent (even if they were bothering with social distancing in the first place). It feels like it's never going to end 😞

I agree it's a grotty site, but I don't think adding 300 luxury homes is the answer (because I suspect the so-called affordable housing will disappear from the plans as soon as the planning permission is agreed). Given the location, it's going to be a 'luxury' housing development. People are slaves to their cars, I don't think for one minute that anyone who will be able to afford a house there is going to use public transport (and it's too far away for most people to walk or cycle anywhere, they can't even manage it/wont even consider it when the journey is only a mile or two!) - the provision along there currently is minimal and if there's no demand, it won't be financially viable to run a service. So Malin Bridge, already a bottleneck, will become even worse. One of the reasons the plans were turned down is because of the additional burden on local services - healthcare, schools etc. I don't really have an answer for it, other than agreeing with @redruby - the population cannot continue to grow indefinitely.

Not having to wear a mask all day at work, and wrap myself up in plastic every time I see someone. Being able to communicate better with my patients because I'm not muffled behind a mask and a visor. Seeing/hugging my parents again. Going out on a ride and stopping at a cafe without worrying about whether I'm doing the right thing, or being hyper-aware of how I move around. Walking the Coast to Coast (which we had to cancel this year). Weekends away walking, running, riding. Being able to swim again. Being able to go to a shop to look at something before I buy it - or trying on clothes/shoes ( as I'll be needing some new running shoes this year!). Being able to go to rehearsals again, and make music in a big group. Socialising with friends, normally!

I see trainers as essential items. What's wrong with that? I don't think I've ever been in JD sports though.

@srtaylo0 I'll get an electric car when a) I can afford one (second hand prices start at twice what I paid for my last car, also second hand) b) house prices come down enough for me to afford a house with a drive where I can park and charge it. Seriously, an EV would suit the driving I have to do for work down to the ground. Maybe large employers need to look at getting pool cars for employees to use that have to drive for work, rather than stipulating in the contract that you must have your own vehicle. I'm glad I'm not a logistics/finance manager...

Well last time NHS staff were asked if they wanted to be seconded to work in the Nightingale hospitals. so basically it's creating extra beds and spreading the existing staff ever more thinly. Sounds like Jeremy Hunt and his '7 day NHS' again...

I'm going for Christmas dinner with my parents and brother/sister-in-law/niece/nephew. I may be eating mine in the garden...

Agreed. It seems to me that the government is putting the onus on the population to pick and choose what is risky, so they can slide the blame from themselves to us when the infection rate rises again. I suppose they think that people will be getting together anyway 'because it's Christmas, we can't not see people', so they're trying to make it look like they still have some semblance of leadership by relaxing the rules to what they expect people to do. The virus doesn't know it's Christmas, its goal is to find suitable hosts and spread itself far and wide. We'll just be giving it more opportunity to do that.

Try taking it yourself for 85p and see how far you get...

Is the children's play area closed?

Is the children's play area not closed at the moment? The one in Hillsborough Park is (though people are ignoring it). I'd worry more about picking up covid-19 from the play equipment than any rat borne disease, to be honest...

To quote Kryten: "reminds me of a species sitting not a million miles away from me now"...

Me too. Thank you, @mad-dad for taking the time to post your sentiments. Most people can't wait to get away from us! It's nice to know we are appreciated 🙂

Surely "person of colour" is putting all non-white people into a group, in the same way as saying "coloured"? I heard someone saying that BAME shouldn't be used, because minority has negative connotations. I can't remember where I heard it though, I'll see if I can track it down...

The NHS has been going towards "care away from hospital" for a number of years, with investment and development of community services. Guess how all those staff get around to deliver care... Will we see Nurse Gladys Emmanuel back on a bike?! One of the GP practices in Sheffield has a fleet of electric bikes to use for home visits. I was told I couldn't use a bike as my transport (even the e-bike). I'm relatively young and fit, so could probably manage it. (As long as it was still there at the end of each visit of course). Some of the older, less active staff? Not so much, I would think...

I'm enjoying the emergence (or at least, better advertising!) of online fitness classes! I used to go to the gym for classes, and wished I could have something as structured at home as it's so much more convenient - now I can!

I think we're ******* up a wall trying to convince people that "road tax" as an entity doesn't exist. Because there once was a road fund licence, which contributed towards maintenance of the roads, the idea is stuck in some people's heads, and can't be derailed because that would be admitting they are wrong, which takes a lot of courage. The fact that road maintenance is paid for from general taxation/council tax appears to be irrelevant - even though this means that people who don't drive a motor vehicle or ride a bike also contribute to 'the roads'...

How many motorists, that injure someone or damage a car, get made to re-take their driving test?

My bold. 🤣🤣🤣

I'm not sure that's open for the public at the moment. I saw one of them today that had a sign in the windscreen saying "NHS staff only"...

Point of order - I'm not sure any staff at NGH are being furloughed... As for the parking, it has looked quite empty this week, but as I go on my bike it's hard to be specific!

Yes. Not worn under your chin, and constantly fiddled with, touching your face in the process. Aaargh!!!!!!!

My bold. Yes, that's why it is recommended to wash or sanitise your hands before putting the mask on. I even had pictoral instructions somewhere, I'll see if I can find them!