Latest update on Delta variant from Tomas Pueyo FAQ part one

[culzean]

Latest ONS report shows lockdowns have caused a lot of deaths,  and the only link between Covid and the excess deaths is lockdowns.  Expect the number of non-covid deaths to continue to rise and undoubtedly pass the covid toll in future years, and that will probably be younger people than the over 60's who were 95% of the covid deaths.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-10186237/60-000-Brits-usual-died-home-pandemic-official-data-shows.html

[ColinS]

Well that just isn't what the report said. I grant you that there was a suggestion (by a journalist) but not a defined link.  And the data is over five month old.

[JimSh]

Latest ONS report shows lockdowns have caused a lot of deaths,  and the only link between Covid and the excess deaths is lockdowns.  Expect the number of non-covid deaths to continue to rise and undoubtedly pass the covid toll in future years, and that will probably be younger people than the over 60's who were 95% of the covid deaths.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-10186237/60-000-Brits-usual-died-home-pandemic-official-data-shows.html

Lockdowns did not cause deaths.
Without the lockdowns there would have been many more deaths and the health service would have been completely over-run and collapsed leading to even further deaths.
The problem with this country's handling of the pandemic was that lockdowns were applied too late  not just once but
every time there was an upsurge in cases.
Instead of Tomas Pueyo's Hammer and the Dance it was a case of Hammer ---wait-- panic--Hammer again-----
rinse and repeat.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Tomsas+pueyo+yhe+hammer+and+the+dance&&view=detail&mid=44951E50F65655753BA044951E50F65655753BA0&&FORM=VDRVRV

https://tomaspueyo.medium.com/coronavirus-the-hammer-and-the-dance-be9337092b56

Edit added links

[ColinS]

The biggest issue we have where I live is the lack of being able to visit our GPs and getting fobbed off during telephone consultations.  My Niece had a phone consultation about her child's asthma during which the GP asked her to put the child's mouth to the phone so he could hear the breathing, following this he said there was no problem.

In my opinion, doctors such as this should be struck off.

And as for even getting to speak to a doctor: If we gave these receptionist a job on border control, we wouldn't have an immigration issue as none would be allowed in

[Kenneve]

The biggest issue we have where I live is the lack of being able to visit our GPs and getting fobbed off during telephone consultations.  My Niece had a phone consultation about her child's asthma during which the GP asked her to put the child's mouth to the phone so he could hear the breathing, following this he said there was no problem.

In my opinion, doctors such as this should be struck off.

And as for even getting to speak to a doctor: If we gave these receptionist a job on border control, we wouldn't have an immigration issue as none would be allowed in

Totally agree with these comments.
Recently tried to contact my GP, by phone to a call centre and got the message, 'you are No 41 in the queue', its just not good enough.
However, yesterday I did get a text message, saying my surgery was now open, so hopefully things should improve, not sure they will, but watch this space!!

[Jocko]

Getting an appointment with my doctor is not an issue. Initially, it will be a telephone consultation (or video if required) but if you are not happy with what the outcome of that is, she will happily schedule a face to face appointment, usually at your home. Mind you, I live in a small village.

[JimSh]

That's how it should be.
In a lot of cases it would suit people better to have a telephone call or video call -quicker and no waiting in a crowded waiting room with infectious people.
While covid is about this is especially important.
The need for Covid precautions would also increase waiting time.
There are however cases which would require face to face appointments.

[culzean]

Wait till we see the stats for people who died because of trying to diagnose over the phone or video.......

[ColinS]

Our surgery have been conducting initial telephone consultations for quite a while now and I am absolutely fine with that as it should weed out those that just need reassurance or are simply hypochondriacs.  And indeed, some can be diagnosed over the phone, but having got past that stage, I think you should have a face to face.  Unfortunately our GPs will only do this on an absolute necessity and that is not good enough.

The result is either patients giving up, visiting the local A&E or in a lot of cases phoning 111 or 999.  Invariably either of these result in paramedics being deployed.

So now look at the news today that the ambulance service can't cope.  I wonder why??

[JimSh]

So now look at the news today that the ambulance service can't cope.  I wonder why??

I've pinched this post, written by a paramedic,
from another forum

"The ambulance service gets press as the visible point in a failure cascade. Our local 999 service is more than equipped to deal with current demand. Pre-covid it would be expected to see 8-10 patients in a shift. A&E might be rammed but moderately unwell patients would be left in the corridor under supervision of a hospital nurse. It was rubbish and undignified but the machine creaked on. Now if you have a patient who almost certainly has good ole fashioned pneumonia (but potentially could be covid) it's considered, quite reasonably, unacceptable to leave a possible covid patient in a corridor with other sick people so they get held on an ambulance. It's entirely normal to wait 5-8 hours with 1 patient parked up outside a&e. So now it's pretty routine to see 2-3 patients in a shift... But the other 5 people you should have seen are still as sick. There are horror stories of people whose 999 calls go unanswered. The pinch point is a&e departments are massively underfunded, understaffed and have very cautious covid protocols but the visible failure is the ambulance service because they are picking up the slack from a&e. It's all still the NHS so kind of swings and roundabouts but the headlines don't reflect the issues. Basically it's 20% abuse by people misusing services and 80% 13 years of underfunding and hamstringing by a Tory government."

From <https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/off_belay/the_ambulance_service__is_up_on_bricks-740821>

[ColinB]

... 13 years of underfunding and hamstringing by a Tory government."

Quite. All those years of seeking "efficiency savings" resulted in lots of stuff that gave the NHS resilience and flexibility being salami-sliced away. So they're not there when we need them. I'm reminded of a quote from a German during the Clap for Carers period, which went something like "In Germany, we show our respect by funding them properly, not clapping on the streets".

[JimSh]

Yep and it's not really winter yet.
https://careappointments.com/care-news/england/168275/nhs-on-its-knees-with-chronic-workforce-shortages-heaping-pressure-on-overstretched-staff/

See also related items at end of article.

[ColinS]

My point is that patients who should be seeing GPs (who are moonlighting in private practice) are ending up, one way or another, in A&E.  And they just can't cope.

I know someone, who in frustration, went privately, only to end up seeing the GP (privately) who is based at their local NHS surgery but clearly only works part time.  Why is this allowed?

[JimSh]

My point is that patients who should be seeing GPs (who are moonlighting in private practice) are ending up, one way or another, in A&E.  And they just can't cope.

I know someone, who in frustration, went privately, only to end up seeing the GP (privately) who is based at their local NHS surgery but clearly only works part time.  Why is this allowed?

Dare I mention the Tory government again?
https://www.patients4nhs.org.uk/how-is-the-nhs-being-privatised/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CPrivatisation%20is%20where%20non-government%20bodies%20become%20increasingly%20involved,competitive%20tender%2C%20allowing%20the%20NHS%20to%20become%20

[embee]

........  Why is this allowed?

Not so much allowed, more a case of endorsed and encouraged. If they think they can get away with stuff ........
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/geoffrey-cox-taxpayer-funded-flat-b1955687.html

If it's good enough for the politicians it's good enough for the rest of us.