The Run-in to Christmas 2020

[JGD]

Seemingly sadder times are once more before us. Tighter constraints being deemed essential now against a backdrop of bad numbers and possibly HMG re-thinking the reality of what risks exist about proposed relaxations around a few days at Christmas.

The BH and I have used the last few days to visit two of the best establishments in Sydenham. Just to provide an uplift in spirits. And both delivered a major boost.

The Dolphin with its superb safety regime and an offering and atmosphere that is excellent and the Trattoria Raffaele that continues to offer an award winning best-in-class service.

The uplift will endure. Our enjoyment bolstered that.

Those local businesses - and I am sure there are many more - deserve our support and goodwill.

It is understood both establishments have re-committed to a take-away service - please contact them.

Returned home just in time to see a classic of British comedy - Yes Prime Minister - The Key.

I am sure that those civil servants amongst our number might possibly grue at the portrayal of conduct of day-to-day events at No 10 and the Cabinet Office. The tightness of the writing is supreme. Did one senior civil servant really use the word azygous - in the midst of one of longest composite - and meaningless - word constructs in BBC comedy.

Another uplift - this time of superb comedic writing.

Laugh out loud moments. A sense that you were being given an insight into what really can happen.

Could it possibly be that after the passage of all these years - nothing much has changed.

See you on the other side.

[angela53]

I agree with you, nothing has changed, the civil service is running the country. Yes Prime minister was a brilliant series and the comedy has withstood the test of time. Fingers crossed for a more positive 2021

[JGD]

Seemingly sadder times are once more before us. Tighter constraints being deemed essential now against a backdrop of bad numbers

On reflection it might seem my use of the phrase "bad numbers" is more than insensitive.

Every single line included on the lists is a person, loved by someone and who represents a huge loss to their families and friends.

As we move forward, in the hope that vaccines will prove to have effective and enduring benefit to us all, we should never forget those who succumbed or who may have longer-term health problems that we do not yet have an adequate understanding of.

[alywin]

Please do all be careful. I've just had a look at the Govt. website, which is showing parts of Sydenham as having - if I've read it correctly - over 400 cases per 100,000 head of population. That is horrendous.

[syd]

Please do all be careful. I've just had a look at the Govt. website, which is showing parts of Sydenham as having - if I've read it correctly - over 400 cases per 100,000 head of population. That is horrendous.

You’re absolutely right its now taking hold in Sydenham. On twitter there are no UK mentions of the names of people who have died. The usa accounts are detailed and give names to many of the deceased as a reminder that there are real people with families behind the numbers.

308 people died in Sydenham since March an average of 1 a day. These people should have been alive for Christmas their families will be grieving and still the govt will lift restrictions next week causing more deaths in January.

My friends overseas are horrified and keep telling me to get out and my last delivery person had no mask and was happy to shout about the delivery as if there was no pandemic. Its all very strange at the moment I think its denial.

[The Lady]

Out of interest, how many deaths were recorded in Sydenham for the previous year?

[angela53]

good point
the numbers are no higher than in previous years
the numbers are rising in hospitals and care homes and not the general community
governments have cut the number of hosptal beds and A&E departments year on year and we are now experiencing the consequences
You are not going to catch covid 19 while out in sydenham high street but avoid health care establishments at all costs

[syd]

good point
the numbers are no higher than in previous years
the numbers are rising in hospitals and care homes and not the general community
governments have cut the number of hosptal beds and A&E departments year on year and we are now experiencing the consequences
You are not going to catch covid 19 while out in sydenham high street but avoid health care establishments at all costs

Yep tell that to the 45 dead bus drivers

https://www.itv.com/news/london/2020-10 ... river-dies

[angela53]

yes , many of whom probably had underlying health conditions eg were smokers , obese , diabetes etc

[angela53]

let us not forget about the hundreds of thousands of deaths due to undiagnosed and untreated cancers, doubling of suicide rates etc

[stuart]

You are not going to catch covid 19 while out in sydenham high street but avoid health care establishments at all costs

But there is a steep rise in infections that are happening around us. It isn't in care homes. Telling people who need urgent health care to avoid health care establishments can be lethal. I think we all need to be very careful about what is happening. It's confusing even to those who have expertise in this area. Meantime while they try and work it out please take precautions and encourage others to do the same for all our sakes.

Stuart

[syd]

You are not going to catch covid 19 while out in sydenham high street but avoid health care establishments at all costs

But there is a steep rise in infections that are happening around us. It isn't in care homes. Telling people who need urgent health care to avoid health care establishments can be lethal. I think we all need to be very careful about what is happening. It's confusing even to those who have expertise in this area. Meantime while they try and work it out please take precautions and encourage others to do the same for all our sakes.

Stuart

Agreed. Virologist aren’t sure and are suggesting caution including wearing masks in public but Angela knows better

[syd]

You are not going to catch covid 19 while out in sydenham high street but avoid health care establishments at all costs

But there is a steep rise in infections that are happening around us. It isn't in care homes. Telling people who need urgent health care to avoid health care establishments can be lethal. I think we all need to be very careful about what is happening. It's confusing even to those who have expertise in this area. Meantime while they try and work it out please take precautions and encourage others to do the same for all our sakes.

Stuart

Agreed. Virologist aren’t sure and are suggesting caution including wearing masks in public but Angela knows better

Well its Teir 4 for us until spring.

[JGD]

Paraphrasing Alistair Campbell, who was using this narrative as a lead-in to a different argument in The Indie today:

in a government in which critics and trouble makers are variously briefed against, bullied, sacked or marched to the door at gunpoint

To which can be added, "and a Cabinet lead by Johnson, all of whom are incapable of leadership and live in a world of self-serving, self-congratulation and self-justification".

Johnson had two jobs for 2020. Deliver an oven-ready Brexit deal and lead the nation through the Covid pandemic. Johnson has failed in both. Instead, Johnson created chaos. Johnson’s personality traits helped win the referendum, and then helped him become prime minister. But those characteristics are the exact opposite of what the country needs now.

From mid-week where castigation of opposing politicians and initiating legal action against a London borough who dared propose to introduce remote learning were their most prominent postures, events have moved to what is effectively a total lockdown for parts of east and south-east England and London in less than 48 hours.

They are unable to be candid with the nation. Despite emerging information today that HMG did have much earlier knowledge of the new coronavirus variant which is more infectious and spreads more rapidly, they mumble and dissemble and make claims that the relevance of the impact of its faster spread only came upon them on Friday.

Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer probably burst that fragile construct in the midst of the TV broadcast last night.

Whilst standing beside Johnson, he threw in a the most revelatory and damning remark when he stated he had to reinforce the message to a belligerently resistant Johnson that it was essential the PM act now.

I think to some, it is becoming obvious that what looks like a temporary imposition of Tier 4, driven by the appearance of the new mutant virus, will be, in fact, a fixed requirement until an effective level has been achieved in the programme of vaccination.

Whatever time that will take.

[syd]

Paraphrasing Alistair Campbell, who was using this narrative as a lead-in to a different argument in The Indie today:

in a government in which critics and trouble makers are variously briefed against, bullied, sacked or marched to the door at gunpoint

To which can be added, "and a Cabinet lead by Johnson, all of whom are incapable of leadership and live in a world of self-serving, self-congratulation and self-justification".

Johnson had two jobs for 2020. Deliver an oven-ready Brexit deal and lead the nation through the Covid pandemic. Johnson has failed in both. Instead, Johnson created chaos. Johnson’s personality traits helped win the referendum, and then helped him become prime minister. But those characteristics are the exact opposite of what the country needs now.

From mid-week where castigation of opposing politicians and initiating legal action against a London borough who dared propose to introduce remote learning were their most prominent postures, events have moved to what is effectively a total lockdown for parts of east and south-east England and London in less than 48 hours.

They are unable to be candid with the nation. Despite emerging information today that HMG did have much earlier knowledge of the new coronavirus variant which is more infectious and spreads more rapidly, they mumble and dissemble and make claims that the relevance of the impact of its faster spread only came upon them on Friday.

Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer probably burst that fragile construct in the midst of the TV broadcast last night.

Whilst standing beside Johnson, he threw in a the most revelatory and damning remark when he stated he had to reinforce the message to a belligerently resistant Johnson that it was essential the PM act now.

I think to some, it is becoming obvious that what looks like a temporary imposition of Tier 4, driven by the appearance of the new mutant virus, will be, in fact, a fixed requirement until an effective level has been achieved in the programme of vaccination.

Whatever time that will take.

The economy is the priority. Last Saturday before Christmas is called super Saturday and there was no way he'd shut the economy down before then.

[syd]

Hey all,

For those who dont know the Sydenham daily cases are now in triple digits for the first time since the pandemic started. So its worse now than in April / May

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details ... e=Lewisham

Lewisham
Find out more about the restrictions in your area

674 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week 19 Dec-25 Dec. The average area in England had 248.
2,060
cases in the latest week 19 Dec-25 Dec
+337
compared with the previous week
9,658
total cases to 29 Dec
309 coronavirus-related deaths registered to 11 Dec

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51768274

It’s a problem so be safe and ignore the people who prefer to pretend its no big deal