Zero Covid is a fantasy without a "whole UK" approach its that pesky border issue again. Unless there are plans to build a wall (and make the Geordies pay for it)....
hels
Free Member
Zero Covid is a fantasy without a “whole UK” approach its that pesky border issue again. Unless there are plans to build a wall (and make the Geordies pay for it)….
Zero covid is a fantasy anywhere, it'll turn into something less concerning assuming vaccines are effective and continue to be so, but they won't eradicate covid, it'll still be around.
tbh she shouldn't use the term. As all she really means(she's explained this) is suppressing it as much as possible. Which is the correct current strategy, but assuming the vaccines continue to be effective, then suppression becomes less important. Cause we need to open up, we can't live like this forever.
There is the fear of mutations, but we can't live in fear of the what if. Over to the gov(s) to fix the crap test and trace system and to help accelerate worldwide vaccination as much as possible.
Weekend of 1st/2nd May shaping up for a perfect storm:
1) reopening of pubs/alcohol (at start of that week)
2) holiday weekend
3) just after payday
Already planning my escape to the middle of nowhere to avoid the potential carnage.
Though I don’t think it’s official til he’s been on Off The Ball.
It is the best place to get covid info.
I've just driven through the Meadows to Holyrood car park and it feels like any other year when we get the first bit of good weather. Loads of people hanging out at the Meadows, usual drinking etc. Car park at Holyrood was rammed and that was at 6pm.
Well, you're allowed to meet others in small groups outside for socialising...
I’ve just driven through the Meadows to Holyrood car park and it feels like any other year when we get the first bit of good weather. Loads of people hanging out at the Meadows, usual drinking etc. Car park at Holyrood was rammed and that was at 6pm.
C'mon Steven , what do you expect . Decent size city , A lot of students and a lot of people in the city centre with no gardens. It's the same as stating Portobello beach is busy or longniddry for that matter. Any of the park spaces or local beaches will obviously all be busy in the good weather It dosent really mean people are breaking rules.
I’ve just driven through the Meadows to Holyrood car park and it feels like any other year when we get the first bit of good weather. Loads of people hanging out at the Meadows, usual drinking etc.
Sounds great.
Already planning my escape to the middle of nowhere to avoid the potential carnage.
Much like everyone else. I think the middle of nowhere is going to be somewhat busier than usual...
Sadly some were breaking the rules, saw some fairly large groups with no social distancing. This is when we are just coming out of the latest lockdown, there is an outbreak at St Andrews uni and it looks like vaccination supply is going to slow down a fair bit. It's less than a fortnight since Rangers fans were rightly getting stuck for gathering. Everybodys circumstances are different but I'm fed up of the impact on my family and we can't just go out and do what we want to do.
Much like everyone else. I think the middle of nowhere is going to be somewhat busier than usual…
Indeed, but at least some won't venture any further than their nearest pub with a beer garden/pavement.
Predictions for the weekend?
I've seen a few posts on FB that suggest after this weeks unlock timetable announcements some have basically taken things as "crack on".
I am also aware of more and more friends and family arranging meets across the country.
If there is good weather I am predicting traffic jams and overcrowding at the usual honeypots. Part of me doesn't blame anyone for this - we all are feeling the need to get out and/or meet up with friends. However it is a concern.
Sadly some were breaking the rules, saw some fairly large groups with no social distancing
Been the same all the way through. But remember lots of the students are in larger bubbles than families because of the nature of their accommodation. Some may be breaking the rules but not all. Yesterday, there was at least decent separation between the groups. Groups of parents doing school drop off / collection were less responsible.
I feel the same way as Matt. It may be that case numbers are not going to be that important as long as hospital numbers stay low but it feels like the rules are out the window now.
Zero covid is a fantasy anywhere, it’ll turn into something less concerning assuming vaccines are effective and continue to be so, but they won’t eradicate covid, it’ll still be around.
tbh she shouldn’t use the term. As all she really means(she’s explained this) is suppressing it as much as possible. Which is the correct current strategy, but assuming the vaccines continue to be effective, then suppression becomes less important. Cause we need to open up, we can’t live like this forever.
Its a really badly named term - but its an internationally used term for maximum suppression, not eradication. It is a challenge without the whole island of Britain adopting it - but I think whilst its politically not the public strategy in England, behind the scenes they may actually be heading that way.
If everything goes to timetable my big walk is on 🙂 Obviously my threat of a huge tantrum swayed Sturgeon
Sadly some were breaking the rules, saw some fairly large groups with no social distancing. This is when we are just coming out of the latest lockdown,
There's not been good social distancing outdoors for some time. There's an argument that despite this, infections are stable, so at least for transient interactions, are not actually a problem.
It’s less than a fortnight since Rangers fans were rightly getting stuck for gathering.
I doubt that the Meadows/Hoyrood park looked like George Square did; but like the Cummings effect, there must be a degree of **** it if they can escort thousands of people into George Sq with no sanctions, I'm not going to stop my own low risk activity.
Everybodys circumstances are different but I’m fed up of the impact on my family and we can’t just go out and do what we want to do.
Perhaps those people are just a few weeks ahead of you in terms of their frustrations and have decided to just do what they think is best for them / their family. Ever since the first lockdown the advisors have said the issue was how long you could really expect people to comply.
My wish is that the relaxation planned for 2nd April is as far as we get. That gives me 10,000sq miles to explore and keeps the trolley lickers of the central belt at a safe distance. Perthshire should be an adequate buffer zone.
As I am in the 'Perthshire buffer zone' can I overnight camp within it? Desperate to get some bike-packing in.
As I am in the ‘Perthshire buffer zone’ can I overnight camp within it? Desperate to get some bike-packing in.
I've already done a local overnight which isn't strictly allowed but isn't going to harm anyone. Is it the 2nd we change from 'stay at home' to 'stay local'? From that point I'll have no qualms about overnights within authority with all the usual discreetness/leave no trace caveats.
Perth & Kinross has borders with 8 other LAs - Highland, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Dundee City, Fife, Clackmannanshire, Stirling and Argyll & Bute. Technically you could travel 5 miles into each of them. That would be some bikepacking trip. Especially a nocturnal visit to Dundee!
Perthshire should be an adequate buffer zone.
Next week in Dunkeld:
stevenmenmuir
Free Member
I feel the same way as Matt. It may be that case numbers are not going to be that important as long as hospital numbers stay low but it feels like the rules are out the window now.
we are in the process of opening up now, the public are always going to be one or 2 steps ahead of the restrictions. better get used to it, cause we'll be well opened up come the end of april.
scotroutes
Full Member
My wish is that the relaxation planned for 2nd April is as far as we get. That gives me 10,000sq miles to explore and keeps the trolley lickers of the central belt at a safe distance. Perthshire should be an adequate buffer zone.
enjoy, cause after 26th of april it's fair game. 😆
I don't mind if we're all opened up by the 26th. My son hasn't been able to train properly for most of the last year so as long he's back in the pool by the 26th I'm fine. I'm just hoping that what happens over the next few weeks doesn't put that back further as I don't know how much longer he can handle it and I'll be sad to see everything he's worked towards for the last 8 or 9 years finish like that.
Next week in Dunkeld:
Dunkeld looks like that most weekends TBH.
Especially a nocturnal visit to Dundee!
😳
enjoy, cause after 26th of april it’s fair game
Yup - Scotroutes lawn seems like a fine place to camp
If anyone's worried that their local area will be overrun, come and ride in the pentlands, there'll be absolutely nobody there except for the drunk teenagers
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Looks like we're flat lining to me.
I guess as long as deaths and hospital admissions continue to fall, all should be well.
yeah, its interesting to show Hospital admissions, ICU admissions and death graphs in comparison. I guess each of those is in a sequential lag behind cases, but they seem to be in freefall in comparison to what looks like a flat number of cases as you suggest.
I look here btw https://public.tableau.com/profile/phs.covid.19#!/vizhome/COVID-19DailyDashboard_15960160643010/Overview
Hospital admissions still seem to be trending down, deaths too
Testing doesn't look to have increased if I'm reading that right?
@Piemonster yes, that's how I'm reading it too. Just need the politicos to realign the relationship between infection and admissions.
Loch Venechar, Forest Drive, Loch Archray all had lochshore campers back today. Motorhomes in every parking place, half packing up early to get away by 8am, half a dozen tents overlooking Archray, including a group of 5 tents and around 8 blokes.
Aye. Loads of campervans around Morlich.
It's gonna be bedlam isn't it
Yep. As I said on another thread, we were very lucky not to have a major forest fire last year. Getting lucky again this year too?
Great for some local businesses if there are folk around but we lack the infrastructure to cope with the possible influx - sites, parking, roads, litter, toilets, even shops.
Aye. Loads of campervans
We've just finished building our new campervan (sold the old one at the beginning of the summer last year) so far I've had 5 nights on the drive testing it all out.
We usually find quiet places away from the crowds to hide for the night, I'm expecting not to be able to find many quiet places this year and I'm not sure how much I'm looking forward to it.
Well if its bedlam then great. None of us has greater rights than others so I hope as many as possible get out and enjoy. If squeezing up if the worst hardship then good.
Great for some local businesses if there are folk around but we lack the infrastructure to cope with the possible influx – sites, parking, roads, litter, toilets, even shops.
I think you have to ask if that is short-sighted council though... they own plenty of land, getting a level hardcore surface and some payment meters to use for overnight parking (especially if they offer water or power plugging) seems like a simple investment - some bins and perhaps a couple of composting toilets. Don't need to be huge sites, just several spaced for half a dozen campers at a time. It would cover its operating costs and the general economic boost and reduction in problems caused by bad tourists would offset the investment.
I'm sure (at least in non-covid times) there is probably something could have been done to promote local business with toilets - either simply to increase footfall or perhaps with some sort of card/app that allows you to pay a fee to access the loo.
In fact it seems such an obvious set of solutions, I can't help wonder why they haven't set up a scheme where individual farmers/landowners/crofters can do it and the council just direct people to them, perhaps with simplified planning, maybe even a council booking/payments system. Its how I understand Campervans work on Tiree - you have to be staying in a designated spot, and the spots are operated by individual crofters who make £ in return.
Roads are not so easy to solve - at least not without big budgets. Although I think they could probably think outside the box a little there too, and improved roads help the locals too.
It’s gonna be bedlam isn’t it
Och I wouldn't worry, I had reason to be in Armadale this afternoon (for legitimate reasons) and I think the "Central Belt Trolley Lickers" don't seem to be waiting till the end of April to get it out their system... Not only were the Rangers fans trying to have their very own little George Square style party in the street (with red, white and blue smoke flares etc) but loads of people were rushing towards it to take pictures for social media!
If we want to keep the countryside sensible - all we need to do is encourage them to gather in the cities!
@poly that’s all sensible - unfortunately there are always folk who won’t pay at all if there is a no cost option to them.
These include camps of fishermen on Loch Morlich and outdoorsy folk (what a hateful term) in their T6s in the Ciste car park. ☹️
I think you have to ask if that is short-sighted council though
I don't doubt it is. However, as OTS suggests, some folk won't even pay a minimal charge even if it does bring with it some benefits (like litter bins etc).
There are plans for some hook-up in the lower Cas car park btw. Easier to install there as there is power nearby.
It does feel like the majority has decided that travel for recreation is fine now, along with meeting up in houses and gardens for Old Firm games and anything else really.
Hard to criticise, given that a slim majority have now had first vaccinations and increasing daily. I’ll be playing ball on local authority travel till late April, however maybe that’s just me ... 🤔
I’ll be playing ball on local authority travel till late April, however maybe that’s just me …
We're sticking to the travel dates - LA only in April. Thousands are ignoring it though. Warmer weather, more daylight, lockdown fatigue, it's hard to blame folk for doing so and I'm over fretting about it.
Re parking/facilities etc. Visit Scotland's Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund has been running a few years (and offering millions in total each funding round) with the intention of dealing with a lot of these issues. It's one that local authorities have to be the applications, though they are often partnered with other organisations. Round 4 of it has just been announced.
Still needs land owner and tenent agreements or purchases, drawings, planning permissions, tenders and the rest in place which often isn't at all straight forward. Those issues have held up and stopped many projects.
I'm involved in a project with NatureScot that's just got off the ground and it's taken us over two years to get it actually going and there's still issues with SEPA and water supply connections.
You can't just chuck down a bit of gravel in a likely looking spot with the nod if the laird and have all the infrastructure at hand to connect up to. If only...
