New South African variant.

[JimSh]

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring
Mr Johnson (not Cpl. Jones) appears to have started a bit of a panic reaction with his unscheduled broadcast on Sunday night - jammed websites, running out of tests both lateral flow and PCR in London and 6 hour queues for vaccinations.
Wonder if he thought to consult those in the front line before his announcements.
or if he consulted the NHS and army on more than doubling the rate of delivery  of vaccinations while still remaining functional in the middle of winter.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/covid-cases-omicron-testing-latest-b1974766.html
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2021/dec/13/uk-covid-live-nhs-appointments-postponed-help-omicron-booster-jabs-boris-johnson-latest-updates

and from two weeks ago
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/nov/29/dont-panic-government-covid-omicron-sketch

[JimSh]

The headline was a patient has died 'with' Omicron, not because of Omicron.

How old ?
Vaccinated ?
Other health issues ?

Don't know about patient who has died but those hospitalised :-
"We can confirm 10 people have been hospitalised with the Omicron variant in England; these individuals were diagnosed on or before admission.
The majority had received 2 doses of vaccination.
One individual diagnosed in hospital has sadly died."

UKHSA Chief Medical Adviser Susan Hopkins:

https://twitter.com/UKHSA/status/1470393604136968192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1470393604136968192%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive%2F2021%2Fdec%2F13%2Fuk-covid-live-nhs-appointments-postponed-help-omicron-booster-jabs-boris-johnson-latest-updates

[nowster]

Last month the Federal Drug Administration ( USA ) went to court to get an order so that it can delay the release of the trial data used to licence Pfizer / Biontec vaccines until 2076,  yup that is 55 years away -- I wonder why they did that ? Pfizer is well known for dodgy trial data and failing to reveal side effects,  they have been fined over $3billion in last 20 years for malpractice.

Cite please.

I had a booster of Moderna this weekend, but haven't yet sprouted blonde curly hair, expanded in the chest area or started to sing about butterflies or someone called Jolene.

[ColinB]

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring
Mr Johnson (not Cpl. Jones) appears to have started a bit of a panic reaction with his unscheduled broadcast on Sunday night - jammed websites, running out of tests both lateral flow and PCR in London and 6 hour queues for vaccinations.
Wonder if he thought to consult those in the front line before his announcements.
or if he consulted the NHS and army on more than doubling the rate of delivery  of vaccinations while still remaining functional in the middle of winter.

Mr Johnson does seem to have panicked yesterday. I think he really wanted stronger restrictions because that’s what’s worked before, but realised belatedly that (a) his own behaviour (partygate) meant that a large part of the Great British Public wouldn’t comply, and (b) - probably more importantly to him - his own party wouldn’t wear it (he faces a significant rebellion on Covid passports). So what does he do instead? A crash booster programme. Much was made yesterday of there being 19 days until the deadline, implying around 1M jabs/day. But 4 of those days are public holidays. So BoJo is relying on NHS staff who have been balls out over the last 18 months or so to lose some or all of their Christmas break in order to dig him out of his hole. I’m sure they’ll do their very best to meet the challenge, but it’s a sad reflection of his attitude that he thinks that’s an acceptable thing to do.

[nowster]

Mr Johnson does seem to have panicked yesterday. I think he really wanted stronger restrictions because that’s what’s worked before, but realised belatedly that (a) his own behaviour (partygate) meant that a large part of the Great British Public wouldn’t comply, and (b) - probably more importantly to him - his own party wouldn’t wear it (he faces a significant rebellion on Covid passports).

There's also the little problem of any new restrictions having to be placed before parliament at the very least at the same time as they're announced to the public.

My suspicion will be that the next set will be announced whilst parliament is in recess.

[culzean]

Mr Johnson does seem to have panicked yesterday. I think he really wanted stronger restrictions because that’s what’s worked before, but realised belatedly that (a) his own behaviour (partygate) meant that a large part of the Great British Public wouldn’t comply, and (b) - probably more importantly to him - his own party wouldn’t wear it (he faces a significant rebellion on Covid passports).

There's also the little problem of any new restrictions having to be placed before parliament at the very least at the same time as they're announced to the public.

My suspicion will be that the next set will be announced whilst parliament is in recess.

Before the vote in parliament even taken place ( the vote is today ) there are ads and advice on Alexa about the new rules  - some zealous civil dogsbody has jumped the gun,  there are over 80 Tories and at least 20 opposition MPs going to vote against it,  and even 10 parliamentary private secretaries , ( who will have to resign from that position  if they vote against government ).  The reason MPs are opposed to this plan B is that they fear it is the thin end of 'plan C ' wedge in the new year. 

[culzean]

The headline was a patient has died 'with' Omicron, not because of Omicron.

How old ?
Vaccinated ?
Other health issues ?

Don't know about patient who has died but those hospitalised :-
"We can confirm 10 people have been hospitalised with the Omicron variant in England; these individuals were diagnosed on or before admission.
The majority had received 2 doses of vaccination.
One individual diagnosed in hospital has sadly died."

UKHSA Chief Medical Adviser Susan Hopkins:

https://twitter.com/UKHSA/status/1470393604136968192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1470393604136968192%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive%2F2021%2Fdec%2F13%2Fuk-covid-live-nhs-appointments-postponed-help-omicron-booster-jabs-boris-johnson-latest-updates

Maybe the patient 'diagnosed while in hospital' was in for something serious anyway,  and as with lots of other caught the virus while in hospital..   I am very sceptical of government these days,  a death 'from' or 'with' Covid seem to be treated the same in our released data, but the ongoing stat that vast majority of deaths are over 85's who are already very ill with other stuff seems to point to 'dying with' covid rather that directly 'from' it. 

[JimSh]

I don't think he wants to impose tougher sanctions until he is forced into it.
As he has done previously he is waiting until the sh1t actually hits the fan before taking any action instead of planning ahead.

So BoJo is relying on NHS staff who have been balls out over the last 18 months or so to lose some or all of their Christmas break in order to dig him out of his hole. I’m sure they’ll do their very best to meet the challenge, but it’s a sad reflection of his attitude that he thinks that’s an acceptable thing to do.

+1

My suspicion will be that the next set will be announced whilst parliament is in recess.

But Boris will be on holiday by then.

[JimSh]

  The reason MPs are opposed to this plan B is that they fear it is the thin end of 'plan C ' wedge in the new year. 

If they had adopted plan B (which was not really onerous) earlier they could have at least delayed implementing plan C.

[culzean]

In the words of Glenn Reynolds: I'll believe there's a crisis when the people telling me there's a crisis behave like there's a crisis.

[nowster]

My suspicion will be that the next set will be announced whilst parliament is in recess.

But Boris will be on holiday by then.

My guess is Friday evening, like the last time (March 2020).

[nowster]

In the words of Glenn Reynolds: I'll believe there's a crisis when the people telling me there's a crisis behave like there's a crisis.

When in retreat, the bravest people are at the back.

[JimSh]

In the words of Glenn Reynolds: I'll believe there's a crisis when the people telling me there's a crisis behave like there's a crisis.

But there is no crisis for Johnson and his disaster capitalist friends. To them it is seen  as an opportunity to make money.

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/covid-government-contracts-handed-out-like-sweeties-to-people-with-friends-in-high-places-218181/

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/who-profits-coronavirus-government-spending-boom_uk_5f0890c0c5b63a72c3413817

Edit added second link

[embee]

You will of course recognise the very careful selection of wording in Johnson's statements. Not only does he not apologise for what has been done but for the effects of doing it and the impression it has given, he promises the "offer" of boosters not the delivery of them.
Weasel words ................... weasel man.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel_word

[culzean]

But there is no crisis for Johnson and his disaster capitalist friends. To them it is seen  as an opportunity to make money.

The ones stoking the panic are the ones making money, it is largely a fabricated 'disaster' ... and people are falling for it, who said there was no money to be made from sheep?  I would like to know how many politicans and their tame advisors and experts either work for big pharma companies, have links with them or receive funding from them.  Just like any expert who disagrees with MMCC theory gets 'cancelled' from funding and media, are the covid crisis experts worried that the same will happen to them unless they toe the line ?