Anger and bewilderment has been expressed by hospitality business owners in Thanet as they face more months of crushing closures or are restricted to takeaway and deliveries.
Pubs, hotels, restaurants, cinemas, indoor attractions and soft play areas are among the businesses that are bearing the brunt of the restrictions as the country moves from lockdown to tier 3 on December 2.
Businesses that have spent thousands of pounds on covid-secure measures, from hand sanitiser stations to screens, track and trace and regular deep cleans, say they are being compelled to stay closed despite seeing no evidence of a greater risk in their venues than can be found in supermarkets or personal care services.
At Margate’s Buoy and Oyster restaurant owners Nadine and Simon Morriss say while they agreed with the first national lockdown in a bid to beat the virus, they now feel the hospitality industry has been sacrificed under a “farcical tier” system.
The couple have run the High Street/Marine Drive restaurant for some five years and their efforts have earned numerous awards. They invested heavily to make the premises covid secure and reduced customer capacity by 50% when they reopened in July after lockdown 1.
Now they are facing £10,000 a month of fixed business costs – with grants barely covering a fifth of this – a threefold hike in insurance costs and wasted products after preparing for reopening only for hospitality to be hit with renewed restrictions.
In a letter to MP Craig Mackinlay – which has been passed to North Thanet MP Roger Gale- Nadine and Simon said: “We absolutely agreed with the first national lockdown as everyone was in the same position and although as a business owner we have financially struggled this year and had to take on loans to be able to pay local suppliers and our growing fixed monthly costs we knew it was nothing compared to the sacrifices that the key workers were making every day.
“After launching takeaway and a brand new recipe box business during the first national lockdown we reopened on July 4, like many other venues, after investing £1000s on additional safety measures and PPE. We remained positive and professional throughout and removed 50% of our covers with a smile despite knowing what this meant for our business. There were no spikes in cases after hospitality reopened.
“We are very proud to not only have reinstated every single employee on our team, but even made new seasonal hires of university and school students for the summer season, again adding to our local economy.
“We have not had a single case of Covid-19 within our premises and our team have maintained stringent measures throughout the last 4 months, reflected in our excellent customer reviews noting this and also in the fact we did not have a single case of Covid-19 linked to our team members or one of our thousands of customers served.
“When we were informed (whilst in tier 1) that we would have to close our doors again in November, we were in the process of renewing our insurance which due to the pandemic has increased three-fold this year. We then had approximately £1000 of wasted stock, knowing no insurance would cover this.
“Each month closed, our fixed business costs are £10,000 per month. This is inclusive of our mortgage, loans, suppliers and as we have 24 staff, the pension and national insurance contributions are now equal to our monthly mortgage repayments.
“We were told we were able to reopen on December 2 and have planned for this, with time and efforts invested on the Christmas season.
“We are not able to transform our business in to a takeaway for a number of reasons, the main one being that we would be risking taking our team members off of furlough without the belief that local takeaway sales in November would even cover the 80% wage of one or two team members, let alone any of the risk involved in wasting food or produce.
“Now that the “National Lockdown” comes to an end I cannot stress enough I am not trying to complain about what Tier we are in as with high rates locally it was inevitable that we would be in Tier 3.
“We are asking one simple question, why hospitality? Every single other industry is about the reopen regardless of what tier we are in.
“Our customers can go to school, go to work, go shopping, go to a spa/gym, go to a salon
“The only premises or sector which is being condemned as unsafe is that in a hospitality setting, where we firmly believe stringent safety measures, customer track and trace, social distancing and deep cleaning is in place and upheld.
“I’m a positive, proactive and hard working business owner and I do love to overcome a challenge. I hate to ‘complain’ and I appreciate the values of rules, sacrifice and patience and I have no worries in “doing what I’m told” when there is a cause and effect explanation or reason for doing something.
“If we are being asked once again to risk losing our businesses, premises, livelihoods and the secure employment we provide to our team members I do not understand why we should not be able to ask why?
“Why are the British public being given a false sense of security and led to believe that a Tier system will protect them or lead to reducing the R rate when there is no evidence for this? Hospitality has been linked to less than 5% of cases this year.
“Why are news outlets trying to make the public believe if they ‘stick to the rules’ they can be blessed with being dealt a better tier next time? If there is an outbreak in a school or care home the local numbers will increase, this has nothing to do with the general public sticking to the ‘rules’ of the tiers and is unfairly shifting the blame on to them and creating a blame culture within our society.
“If the tier system works why has Leicester been in some form of lockdown for 5 months and now finds itself back in Tier 3?
“It would appear that this ‘Tier system’ will be in place until at least April and so all I am asking is that our local council or Government representatives can offer some form of explanation behind the tier system that is in place and that will shape the future of the UK economy and decide the future and survival of every UK business, of every UK industry that finds itself on a knife edge.”
The couple add: “We all know that we will be in lock down for at least January, maybe even February and March again. Why should hospitality be singled out during December with absolutely zero evidence or substantiated reasoning provided by the Government as to why a restaurant/pub is deemed a higher risk environment than swarming Tesco, Primark or McDonald’s?
“We have friends that own independent salons, shops and gyms and are thrilled for them to be able to reopen as, like us, they have proven strict safety measures in place and are much more secure than a school or office environment. However we cannot help feeling we are now getting singled out, left behind and in turn sacrificed for no apparent reason.”
Nadine and Simon ask for the industry to be allowed to reopen or for proportionate grants to get businesses through to March, adding: “The localised grant of £2000 per month only covers the monthly cost of paying the staff furlough NI and pension contributions. Do I have to choose between paying my rent or make 25 local employees redundant?”
The withdrawal of the Job Retention bonus scheme has added to the financial pressures.
The feeling is one that is echoed by numerous affected businesses.
Owners of The Bay Tree hotel and restaurant in Broadstairs, Robert Stone and Alistair Dixon have also questioned whether the ‘tiny’ grants can be reviewed.
The pair, who also invested heavily in covid secure measures, have adapted with home delivery and innovative menus but this does not compensate for the loss of trade.
Robert said: “The current compensation levels are absolutely tiny. We are doing our best to remember this affects all hospitality not just us and we are also very mindful of what is best for the area, guests, staff, neighbours and Thanet. We want to do the right thing and we will not be defeated by this but depending on events we are likely to lobby MP.
“We are awaiting clarification on whether we can open over Christmas whilst in Tier 3 but is it worth opening for a five day period with the cost of getting guest ready and re-stocking?
“We, like many other hospitality venues, have made big efforts to remain spotlessly clean with not one infection yet we are bearing the brunt whilst retail in all tiers will be allowed to trade.
“On the positive side is the work we are doing with Liz and Lenny on our new menus although this won’t bring in anywhere near our normal revenue and we are about to put up an external tree and lights in the window to demonstrate we are still here.”
Marino Morelli, from Morelli’s ice cream parlour in Broadstairs, believes hospitality has become a covid scapegoat.
Taking to social media to vent his frustration he said: “As a caterer and owner of a business in Broadstairs established 88 years ago, I feel I must speak out in defence for all caterers in our area.
“Since March we have all complied with government directives and will continue to do so. However I do believe the hospitality industry are being made scapegoats for government failure to find the answers not just in the UK, but across Europe.
“All caterers have adapted their venues to ensure social distancing and allow their customers to be seated and served in a safe environment. This has worked well since the previous lockdown with absolutely no comeback regarding the spread of the virus within the huge majority of premises.
“All records were kept, no notification of any incidents on our premises were received. Yet incredibly, politicians have decided on tier 3 in Thanet preventing us as an industry from trading.
“We have been in lockdown together with retail for the last month and yet numbers we are told are rising. It is clear then that we are not to blame. The problem lies elsewhere.
“Thanet, we are told, has a high spread of the virus but we are not told how these figures are arrived at or why the spread has greatly risen. It is not from the hospitality industry (locked down since early November) that these high numbers are showing up.
“What is the difference if people go to the supermarket in large numbers passing many other people whilst doing the shopping, or sit at a table having a coffee or drink, respecting social distancing.”
Mr Morelli says businesses are “going to the wall,” adding: “There is a huge swathe of people who have substantial overheads and are struggling to find a way forward. Government loans have to be repaid at some point. The rates holiday and grant were used up long since, but no further offer is forthcoming.
“Compensation is pitiful. Insurance pay outs are being argued rather than honoured and this government has not held them to account. Do those in charge really have any idea of the deep damage they are doing to businesses, the public at large and the economy?”
The government says:
Yesterday (November 27) government published a document which they say is evidence “that hospitality venues are a significant risk for transmission.”
Four SAGE research papers are quoted, with one saying: “Transmission risk is a combination of environmental and behavioural factors: higher risk contacts are those that are close, prolonged, indoors, face-to-face, in poorly ventilated and/or crowded spaces, or involve “loud” activities. “These are all prevalent in the hospitality sector (but not unique to it). The disinhibitory effects of alcohol are likely to exacerbate difficulties with social distancing.”
Thanet data
The most recent data for weekly positive covid cases in Thanet continues to fall with a 72% reduction on the previous seven days.
According to data published by Kent County Council the rate for the isle for the period 18 November to 24 November stands at 450.2 per 100,000 – compared to 516.5 on November 13.
The England average is 173.7 (November 24).
According to the government dashboard, 83 new cases were reported for Thanet yesterday, making 692 in the week up to November 27, a drop of just under 4%. The total number of people in Thanet who have had a confirmed positive test result as of 27 November was 3,735. The rolling weekly rate is shown as 470 per 100,000 but this has a two day lag on the Kent Public Health data.
There were 7 new deaths within 28 days of a positive test for Coronavirus reported on 27 November. The dashboard data says the number of people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for Coronavirus as of November 26 was 152.
The figures are updated daily, although there is some time lag on some statistics. They can be found on the government dashboard here and here and on the KCC website here
Club together, all open together, the public will come together. They will be overwhelmed..This facist and discriminatory lockdown can be beaten. The authority’s are only given their authority by the authority of the people. Rise up rise up
Totally agree. All hospitality should make a stand and open up, and hopefully local people will support them. There is no evidence that I have read to demonstrate that restaurants are more at risk of spreading the virus, in fact in my experience the opposite. This restriction is a joke.
Yes, your totally unbiased personal anecdotes are far more credible than epidemiologists & scientists, so glad we have unqualified people like yourself dictating public safety. Just because you & other selfish people want to eat at a restaurant or go to the pub & cannot wait another few days until they can legally reopen they should all reopen now & get fined.
Winston, You forgot to tell us what kind of Doctor you are and where you studied medicine, after all, judging by your post your an expert in the spread of contagious diseases.
It’s time the uneducated and ignorant stopped pretending they are medical experts and start listening to the real experts, the doctors who have had nearly a decade in university studying real medicine and haven’t received their grasp of contagious diseases from Facebook. The REAL experts are petrified of COVID and have witnessed the damage and deaths that COVID leaves in its wake.
Winston, The only joke is people like you who have no idea of what your talking about and are free to spout utter crap on the internet. It’s people with your attitude that are prolonging the restrictions with your selfish and completely ignorant viewpoints.
Barbie, the name says it all.
Never heard of martial law then? Enjoy your 10k fine or jail stretch.
We can’t even sit outside, socially distanced, at a coffee shop, restaurant or pub, yet we can go to gym or get our hair cut!! Why? It is time to think of the living, the lonely and the depressed. Our MPs should vote against these measures and get the economy moving again, whilst protecting the vulnerable
The hospitality industry has been wrongly singled out. If they are been to close until Easter while schools remain open it is double standards,either we have a short sharp COMPLETE lockdown or NO lockdown. This half lockdown is the worst of both worlds
Regretfully I have to agree, we will have to close until Easter. I also have canceled bookings for Christmas as a precaution as I do not want to assist in the spreading of the virus.
We cannot blame the government for imposing the restrictions on us as individuals or businesses. We are all personally responsible for our own actions. Some of us take all precautions whilst others flout the rules and restrictions putting not only lives but business at risk also.
I think most of this lockdown is wrong.
Everyone in life has the right to do what they want with their own body,be it smoke, drink have a tatoo etc etc.
So a simple letter from the goverment to everyone .
If you go out you risk your life or someone may murder you .If you open a shop whatever someone may kill you.
There wont be any hospitals or treatment for you .
YOUR RISK YOUR CHOICE
Except like enforced second hand smoke on others made to breathe it in this isn’t just your body, you might contract it & be fine, but you can spread it to other people who could die or become seriously ill-including your own family.
Sorry i didnt think of that as my wife and Daughter died both cancer so i live on my own.
Tescos open they have to be and resturants who have spent thounsands of pounds on stuff to keep the public safe should be allowed the choice not be told.
My local corner shop did not sell food until April so they put up a few shelves of food so allowed to open but its a beer store .
I think what is needed is proportionality from the government and to let people make their own choice. This virus is horrific bit the facts show the vast majority of people who get it will not die from it.
And yet hospitality is dying on its feet. I think it is a sector very badly treated and I feel really desperate for everyone working in the sector. The rules just do not make sense.
Paul, apart from 26 patients at one Nightingale Hospital they’ve not been used at all and there are thousands of military medics who could be enlisted if needed.
I think everyone should be given their own choice . What the goverment see here is stay at home save lives.
What they not even thought about is what effect this may have on some , locked in no work lets have a few beers or we have sex more with wife/ partner , she he may not want .
This will cause mental healh problems .
Crime may increase by those short of money due to being told they cannot work.
Recent posts I have seen include cars being set on fire. bordom? we carnt go to the gym not allowed to see our mates, lets go torch a car.
A few stabbings maybe too long stuck at home .
It’s not that simple.
People don’t have a right “to do whatever they want with their own body” unless they lead a completely isolated life- because everybody else also has rights. Other people’s rights intersect with and modify mine, and vice versa.
Sorry I didnt know that, agree one cannot pump smoke down anothers lungs but I thought if I wanted to go for a beer as long as it dont effect others I can do that.
If I want to go out and risk my life catching covid or some thoughtless person passes it to me can do that also.
Thank you for correcting me.
Marva, you have expressed my feelings to a tee.
I also ‘have a right’ – not to be infected by another person that doesn’t give a damn as long as they can carry on as normal.
There are some ill-informed and selfish people around and I don’t want to be infected by these so entitled ones.
A very good article and brilliant words from the owners of the B&O. This article is not about lock down,not about defying lock down or ignoring the rules,it is about why hospitality is being singled out.
There is no logic to these draconian rules worthy of a totalitarian state. It’s hard not to think there is a reset agenda which will wipe out many small and medium sized businesses, plus a sizeable chunk of the hospitality industry, leaving barren high streets across the UK. I feel for sorry for all those who have lovingly built these businesses up. All that will be left will be the likes of McDonalds and Amazon, if people don’t wake up. There should be outcry from all political parties on this – and local communities. It is clearly evident now that the lockdowns and tiers are causing more damage and havoc than the virus. Compare ONS death stats over years to get a sense of proportion on this.
I feel desperately sorry for people who’ve struggled, and are struggling, to keep their businesses afloat.
But I also feel desperately sorry for medical staff who daily have to deal with the consequences of Coronavirus; staff at care homes who watch their charges die; people who’ve lost family and friends to Coronavirus.
The only way to stop the virus spreading at the moment is by curtailing the mixing and mingling of people. True, hospitality is “dying on its feet” as a consequence, but that’s better than 10s of thousands of people dying.
How many of your family would you kill in order that you can get your pint?
There’s an awful amount of selfish people living in Thanet who don’t give a f##k about anyone but themselves these gutter rats know they could spread the virus and kill people but they don’t care just as long as they can get to the pub f##k everyone else.Its because of people like them that we are in tier 3.
Well said Mac. These idiots who are opposed to the lockdown are the ones prolonging the pandemic. The selfishness shown by the ignorant is frightening. These people simply have no empathy towards others, it’s little wonder that with all the COVID deniers we are going into Tier 3.
Unsure if we into Tier 3 cos of them , but you are right on the selfishness , i walk up to the shop carry my heavy bag home but i nearly get hit by teenagers on pushbikes on the pavement , what the f###s up with the road.
I am wondering here if perhaps something that hasnt been closed is the cause.
Agree Democrat with everything you say. The lockdowns are doing more damage , you are right the only ones who will be left are the likes of Amazon and online shopping.
The winter is near upon us , if its raining / windy or showing Tescos will bring out an umberra so one has to stand in the cold/ wet and maybe for an hour , then one cannot go up that isle because others are up there.
im in my late 60s now , when i was a kid there used to be a corner shop on most roads now they gone to be replaced with superstores .
These will be gone in another 50 years. The car parks could be used for housing , less cars on the road some are only used to visit friends/ family or shopping if one risks moving it because one wont get the parking space back.
It has been learnt many can work from home so why travel to London to sit in that office.
Then we have this gobal warning so got to cut back on that.
More Asda/ Tesco/ Sainsburys to name a few vans on the road , a few more cabs so if we want to visit friends/ family we pick up the phone.
I remember my mum getting a telegram 1970 saying her mum was very ill, now we can chat to people on the other side of the world on this , no need to send a Birthday card we send a text .
Thats the furture i think.
They call this progress, I wonder sometimes??
Unfortunately the science says we cannot have everything open. So hospitality venues will suffer. Seems to be a choice between Schools and Pubs. Boris has chosen schools to stay open.
Much as I agree that restaurants (though not pubs that don’t sell food) should open, I can’t recall many eateries complaining how they effectively got preferential treatment in the summer with the help out to eat out scheme (something I confess that I took full advantage of!). Imagine how much it would help (say) clothes stores if we all got a discount of £10.
Obedient, compliant, moronic sheep that love to be told what to do and herded by a useless, frightened government. Time to protest.
Buggins, on the flip side of your statement you can argue Disobedient, non compliant, ignorant fools that refuse to listen to highly trained scientists and doctors and protest their rights while potentially killing others in the process and spreading a highly contagious disease while protesting.
The majority of the educated will follow the advice and guidance of the highly trained and skilled doctors and scientists who understand what they are talking about and ignore the selfishness and ignorance offered by a mob of protesters who are vocal but ignorant of the facts.
It’s amazing that the militants who are protesting against COVID restrictions owe their right to protest to the sacrifices their grandparents suffered fighting the fascist Hitler but now these same militants are prepared to sacrifice their grandparents and neighbours just so they can get pissed. Selfish pricks.
It’s time to stop getting your news from Facebook and start listening to the doctors who are are experts in the profession.
Concerned, it’s statistically unlikely that many WW2 veterans are alive to battle covid. Those that are would probably be aware that being in ones late 90s is a precarious position, and, having fought against a fascist, controlling regime,I doubt if they would support a government which is prepared to bankrupt the country and ruin the prospects of future generations, manipulating statistics so to do.
Your utter contempt for the older generations, the recovering cancer patients and thousands of other unfortunate souls who are recovering from operations or suffering with serious illness is staggering and typifies the current state of the me first generation that is blighting British society.
Everyone is suffering from the lockdown but the majority of the population realise that the needs of others can’t be brushed aside, leaving people for dead because it doesn’t fit your agenda isn’t exactly something to be proud of or brag about.
Thousands of people have died of COVID in this country,, many thousands more are at risk. Am I going to take the word of medically trained doctors and scientists or the word of keyboard warriors with paranoid conspiracy theories and unproven Facebook generated arguments.?
I’m sorry you can’t get pissed on a Saturday and then vomit all over town but for a lot of people who love and care for their parents and actually give a crap about the rest of society your need to live your life at the expense of all others isn’t a very convincing reason to let thousands more die needlessly.
Previous generations have fought wars for this country and sacrificed so much but how sad that the younger generations deem staying at home and wearing a face covering so frighteningly difficult and consider their sacrifices harder than losing another persons life to a highly contagious disease.
Virtually every other European country is in lockdown or emerging from lockdown. Most states in America are also under some form of semi lockdown or curfews. Do you honestly believe that the governments are risking their economies for a trivial cold ? No they are not, the truth is that they are petrified of how contagious this disease really is and how quickly it can collapse a nations health system. But that’s something you obviously don’t care about.
You can keep spreading your misinformation and Facebook conspiracies, after all we are a free country made possible by actual sacrifices. Personally I think you should be forced to spend a week in a COVID ward and see the damage this is doing to our health service and the hard working doctors and nurses, I believe that given a real insight into how contagious and overwhelming this virus is you would soon change your tune.
Concerned. I think you’re right. I think you should self isolate until the government tells you to come out. They’ll doubtless keep paying your benefits and allowances, along with those of all the other low-grades. While you’re locked up, all the real people who think for themselves and earn their own money will attempt to restore some sanity to the country.
Buggins, again your showing yourself to be ignorant. I haven’t stopped working since the pandemic, I work in an essential industry. I have never been on benefits and have never taken from the benefits system and have only ever put into it.
I am still waiting for you to tell us how many years you have studied medicine or how many years you’ve been a scientist? I really would like to know how qualified you are on infectious diseases You are very vocal so please let us know how your more qualified than medical experts who have studied for nearly a decade. It’s not hard, come on tell us how you know more than the “real” experts.
It’s not hard, tell us why people should listen to you and not the doctors and scientists who actually know what they are talking about and talk facts rather than bullshit. Just because Dave on Facebook read somewhere that its not that bad a virus isn’t a valid argument.
Some of us do care for others and aren’t prepared to sacrifice family members, neighbours and friends just to get pissed up on a Saturday night. Any fool can think for themselves, however it’s advisable to listen to people who actually have an understanding of that they are talking about.rather than a free thinking ignoramos .
Enjoy your Sunday, keep believing those conspiracy theories and one day if your lucky you might actually meet that extraterrestrial your so paranoid about. (Don’t want to alarm you but the world is also round and not flat)
Concerned. I’m not sure why you’re so fixated on facebook and drinking until sick, perhaps you have a problem with one or both. I’ve never been on facebook but I understand that it’s popular.
There are also people who could help youwith the drink problem.
You mistakenly assume that I have no belief in medical professionals.On the contrary, I know they do a sterling job. The figures repetitively quoted and promoted by such as yourself are government generated BS.
Had you lived in 1930s Germany, I’m sure you would have been quick to spot that your neighbor’s salute wasn’t crisp enough? A quick word to the man in the leather coat would encourage compliance surely? You wouldn’t want enemies of the State taking liberties now, would you?
Oh but people are listening to the highly qualified medical and scientific and legal experts (and more) world wide who are questioning the lockdowns and statistics issued, and stating that lockdown and tier systems are more harmful and are killing more people than the virus itself. The list is very long and includes the Great Barrington Declaration with numerous experts – Dr Mike Yeadon, Lord Sumpton, Prof. Karl Skora, Dr Michael Levitt, Dr Tom Jefferson, Prof. Carl Heneghan, Prof. Sunetra Gupta, Graham Hutchinson, Dr Hans Muellich, Robert F Kennedy Jnr, Prof. Bhakdi, Emma Kenny, Prof. Dolores Cahill, a group of 40 German doctors led by Dr Robert Kluger and Dr Bruno Weil etc. etc. Court cases are developing across the world including in the UK and Germany. A Portuguese court has just ruled the PCT test unreliable and the British Medical Journal (even) is raising alarm at the questionable science. Increasingly MPs and the more thinking journalists are also raising the alarm bell, and there is one legal case with barrister chamber representation citing treason of MPs. I would be concerned, Concerned, about getting yourself up to speed first. And conspiracy theory is a framed propaganda term – surely we all know that nowadays..
Robert F Kennedy is a lawyer not a scientist, and he is part of an organization which still believes there is a link between vaccinations and autism.
But a vastly larger number of scientists and health care professionals follows the standard view. (It’s worth noting that all scientists, all the time, question things. That’s how science works)
The Great Barrington Declaration is not supported by scientific consensus.
Is this the same declaration that scientists who have been dead for years have miraculously signed, and some of the other “real” experts, let’s not forget the great DR Johnny bananas, DR IP Freely, DR person fakename, DR Iknow Best, then you’ve also got the thousands of homeopaths, Tattoo artists and beauty technicians that have signed it,? On that declaration anyone can tick the box and claim to be a doctor.
There will always be doubters, just like people do not believe in climate change. There are also many people who believe the earth is flat, should we all start believing them ? Should we start believing that the world is only a couple of thousand years old because some right wing states in America promote it ?? Should we stop believing in evolution because a few religious believers don’t agree with it?
If you go to this link, and scroll down the report, you’ll find a bar chart showing the incidence of respiratory infection by institution.
It’s quite clear that care homes, educational establishments and the work place are far, far more dangerous than pubs and cafes.
The government’s own data says so.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938650/Weekly_Flu_and_COVID-19_report_w48_FINAL.PDF
Hospitals are dying on their feet.
For anyone to assess the risk they would have to know how easily it is to catch and avoid catching the virus and that still is not clear.
Yes, wear masks, socially distance and wash hands, yet still people catch it. The reason is because air currents can transport droplets and it all depends on ventilation etc. In simple terms by staying at home there is no need to risk assess. The fewer people milling around the better.
The reason why supermarkets are open and pubs are not is alcohol. Once people imbibe all sense goes out the window.
If people who catch the virus turn purple it might be easier to control, but this virus is insidious it can infect and the host might not know it.
As for rights: What right has anyone to get infected and to spread the virus? You may survive but some people may not. Does anyone have the right to decide who lives and who dies, just because it is inconvenient.
I was talking to a near neighbour yesterday, distanced of course, who is a front line nurse at QEQM.
She told me that she was exhausted and quite frankly she looked it although I didn’t say that to her. She also said it was getting manic again at the hospital.
Says it all in my books.
Ask your friend about the physical condition of those the hospital is treating for covid, how many have a bmi under 27, are reasonably fit, don’t smoke or drink excessively? Of the remainder that fall into these categories can it be assumed that they can be considered as being as selfish/ self centred as those that don’t agree with the lockdowns? Or do we have a set of double standards ? Personal / social responsibility exists in many forms. Picking and choosing purely on the grounds that it allows one to select those whose views/ behaviours are deemed disagreeable is surely nonsensical.
Yes, despite all the people here saying hospitals are empty, the reality of those working there is very different-the people inside are being run ragged by this virus-especially the last month or so where Thanet has shot up in cases. The selfish halfwits here & indeed in London yesterday & elsewhere encouraging/inciting businesses to break the law & open & for people to go out & do as they please are a total disgrace.
“Once people imbibe all sense goes out the window.”
But the data on the PHE website doesn’t support this view.
The greatest spread of infection is in care homes, educational institutions and the work place. Hospitality venues are well down the list.
“The most recent data for weekly positive covid cases in Thanet continues to fall with a 72% reduction on the previous seven days.”
Can you not read the data table you posted immediately above this sentence? In the last 7 days there were 692 cases, 28 fewer than in the previous 7 day period and a 3.9% reduction.
This should probably have been covered at Key Stage 2.
People are entitled to a view on tiers and illogical rules without being referred to as a rat or a spreader or other insults.
People who are entitled to care about the sector and have their own opinion about the lack of evidence to support the tiering rules.
There is plenty of publicly available evidence that (currently) the *only* effective intervention in the fight against CV is lockdown.
The shame of it is that this government didn’t do it soon enough or long enough.
Thanet entered lockdown one of the lowest areas in the country and left lockdown one of the highest. It can only be food retail, schools and mixing indoors or outdoors that has made the numbers explode. What else could it be? This latest lockdown has not worked at all. Thanet is clear evidence of it. The wrong things are closed and the wrong things are open.
Buggins, again your spouting utter nonsense. I will ask again, please tell us how you know more than the medical PROFESSIONALS who are advising the government’s of the world ? It’s a very simple question, come on, once again , how do you know more than the medical professionals ? ????????????????
Your paranoia is frightening. Perhaps you should put some more tin foil in your hat, it might protect you from the government’s gamma rays. You are clueless when it comes to dictatorships and even more clueless when it comes to the spread of contagious diseases.
Concerned. I’m now bored with your repetitive, self absorbed comments. Enjoy your lockdown, stay safe, take a lonely knee when appropriate.
I’m off to have fun on Facebook, drink til I vomit and cough over old people.
Just one last question..who told you that you’re a key worker? Keep going to achieve 5 stars on your lapel badge.
I daresay Concerned is pretty fed-up with the tosh posted by our local anti-proper-science enthusiasts.
What does “take a lonely knee”mean? It sounds uncomfortable.
It’s like a fisting, but slightly lower down
What is a fisting?