Why does UK need to know about infection cases now?

ROG

Aug 29, 2020
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The UK has steadily falling hospitalisations and deaths even with new variants about so why does the UK need to bother about who has the virus and why make those that have it isolate?

Todays data shows the R rate and infection cases are rising a little but at the same time hospitalisations and deaths are falling all due to the vaccine rollout
 
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To me it seems that the scientists are unsure about the consequences of relaxing covid-19 protective protocols. A rising R naught is a worrisome indicator; however, economic pressures are immense. Perhaps the authorities are "hedging their bets" by maintaining vigorous data collection. Note: Argentina, Brazil, India are cautionary examples .
 

ROG

Aug 29, 2020
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To me it seems that the scientists are unsure about the consequences of relaxing covid-19 protective protocols. A rising R naught is a worrisome indicator; however, economic pressures are immense. Perhaps the authorities are "hedging their bets" by maintaining vigorous data collection. Note: Argentina, Brazil, India are cautionary examples .
The R number used to be worrisome in the UK but is not anymore - in fact it never gets mentioned now by Government
 
Jul 24, 2020
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There are still a lot of people susceptible to infection and virus transmission is still high. Abandoning any consideration of the virus at this point would likely lead to a lot of illness, hospitalisations and deaths.
 

ROG

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There are still a lot of people susceptible to infection and virus transmission is still high. Abandoning any consideration of the virus at this point would likely lead to a lot of illness, hospitalisations and deaths.
How would it?
We in the UK already have slightly rising infections which ARE NOT leading to hospitalisations and deaths
 
Jul 24, 2020
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How would it?
We in the UK already have slightly rising infections which ARE NOT leading to hospitalisations and deaths

We are still living with restrictions designed to limit the spread of infection. If we abandoned any consideration of the virus and went back to life as it was Feb 2020, the virus would quickly spread amongst those susceptible to infection, especially the many yet to be vaccinated and a number of those people will get seriously ill and die. Allowing uncontrolled, and high levels of transmission would also give more opportunities for the virus to encounter and evolve against the immune systems of vaccinated people, which could risk undermining the vaccines and again lead to more people getting ill.
 

ROG

Aug 29, 2020
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We are still living with restrictions designed to limit the spread of infection. If we abandoned any consideration of the virus and went back to life as it was Feb 2020, the virus would quickly spread amongst those susceptible to infection, especially the many yet to be vaccinated and a number of those people will get seriously ill and die. Allowing uncontrolled, and high levels of transmission would also give more opportunities for the virus to encounter and evolve against the immune systems of vaccinated people, which could risk undermining the vaccines and again lead to more people getting ill.
The only people in the UK going into hospital are those over 40 who CHOSE not to be vaccinated
We have been told by our experts in the UK that we will have to live with this virus for the short. medium and long term no matter what the infection rates

For those who have a supressed immune system it will be an issue as they will have to decide whether to isolate forever or get on with life in general - there is no other choice for them as far as I can see....

If the virus does mutate enough to get past the current vaccination then we are told that it is fairly easy to produce a new variant vaccine based on the current one
We will know if a mutated virus does start to get past the vaccine by hospital rates rising not by testing for infections
 
Jul 24, 2020
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The only people in the UK going into hospital are those over 40 who CHOSE not to be vaccinated
We have been told by our experts in the UK that we will have to live with this virus for the short. medium and long term no matter what the infection rates

For those who have a supressed immune system it will be an issue as they will have to decide whether to isolate forever or get on with life in general - there is no other choice for them as far as I can see....

If the virus does mutate enough to get past the current vaccination then we are told that it is fairly easy to produce a new variant vaccine based on the current one
We will know if a mutated virus does start to get past the vaccine by hospital rates rising not by testing for infections

Thats not true -some people who have been vaccinated have been hospitalised with the new Indian variant. Six Indian variant hospitalisations in Bolton despite vaccine
This is an example of why we need to proceed carefully and minimise the chances of more variants emerging; as much as it is easy to make new vaccines with adjusted antibody targets, these take time and money to roll out.

It seems certain that the virus will remain endemic now, so yes we will have to live with it, but we will live with it with some widespread immunity -hopefully rendering its effects akin to the seasonal coronaviruses. We arent at that stage yet, with a large majority of the country still to be fully vaccinated, and so the virus is still potentially very serious for a lot of people, especially those you mention and others who may not be able to get vaccinated for particular health reasons.
 
The UK has steadily falling hospitalisations and deaths even with new variants about so why does the UK need to bother about who has the virus and why make those that have it isolate?

If we weren't bothered about who had the virus then we would not be bothered about variants such as the 'Indian' and any future....
Our outlook would be 'we hope mutations [that may or may not exist] are captured by the vaccines'.

Don;t forget we track all cases of infection, whether measles or influenza strains, so it would be weird to not track a virus that is impacting us so much.

Finally, no vaccine is 100% effective and if it is noted infection is increasing it serves as an early warning system as to whether a) the virus is starting to affect younger people, b) a mutation has occurred or been brought in we are not aware of, c) a targeted approach to a group or area that for whatever reason are against vaccination.
It allows movement of resources... It makes no sense to have resources spread and try and react at short notice to a problem.
 
The only people in the UK going into hospital are those over 40 who CHOSE not to be vaccinated
We have been told by our experts in the UK that we will have to live with this virus for the short. medium and long term no matter what the infection rates

You come across as saying if they don;t help themselves, stuff them... Those that believe that live in a naive bubble that avoids education and common sense...
I, and most people will come into contact with these people and as I said above, vaccines are not 100% effective, so although I am conscientious, did what I could and followed rules... I may find myself ill from someone that hasnt been supported.

If the virus does mutate enough to get past the current vaccination then we are told that it is fairly easy to produce a new variant vaccine based on the current one.

Easy to produce, but not roll-out/ administer otherwise there wouldn;t be 'bad' flu seasons.
 
ROG - I am confused as under the Livescience Thread 'Pub Closure', as recently as 3-4 weeks ago you were arguing about schools re-opening and that infection rates are set to in increase.
At one point you say '
UK school holls were February 12 to 22 and March 27 to April 12
On the graph those dates are where the graph has the definable slants then following those the line is virtually level again but stays at the lower level they were brought down to by the closures

Next week of school holls is May 29 to June 7 so I expect the same to happen again

The start of the Summer holls is mid July until the start of September and if this trend continues then the infection rates should drop to almost zero and stay there especially as by that time virtually all UK adults will be vaccinated '

Regardless of your position you specifically call out tracking infection rates until the start of September.

What has changed in the 3/ 4 weeks between arguing for action to reduce infections up until September and asking if we need to track infection rates?