Government sources fear that an increase in Covid cases on the Continent could prevent Brits from holidaying abroad this summer, and could even cause a “new wave” of infections in Britain. The Times has the story.
Scientific advisers and other senior figures are becoming extremely concerned by an increase in infections that is forcing some regions on the Continent back into lockdown. They fear a rise in cases here within weeks.
European holidays in May – and even in the summer – look doubtful. Scientists are wary of outbreaks of the South African variant in some European countries and some are calling for tougher travel restrictions.
Although the British data is heading in the right direction, with a record 660,276 vaccinations yesterday and the seven-day average of deaths falling below 100 for the first time since October, science advisers are urging caution.
A Government scientist warned there was a danger that travellers could bring back new variants of the virus that are less susceptible to vaccines.
Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of the Spi-M modelling group, told Today on Radio 4: “International travel this summer is, for the average holidaymaker, sadly I think, extremely unlikely. I think we are running a real risk if we do start to have lots of people going overseas in July and August because of the potential for bringing more of these new variants back into the country.”
“What is really dangerous is if we jeopardise our vaccination campaign by having these variants where the vaccines don’t work as effectively spreading more rapidly.”
Officials believe that an increase in Covid cases across Europe could also impact Britain’s vaccine rollout.
Rises in cases in France, Italy, Spain and Germany have prefigured similar trends in Britain several times over the pandemic. A surge in cases on the Continent is also likely to complicate Boris Johnson’s attempt to stop the European Union blocking exports of the Pfizer jab to Britain. He is hoping to recruit allies such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland to oppose Brussels, whose threats are backed by Germany, France and Italy.
This morning EU chief Ursula von der Leyen escalated the row over delayed shipments by threatening to halt exports of AstraZeneca vaccines if the bloc did not receive its deliveries first.
Worth reading in full.
Stop Press: A reader has pointed out the double standards in the Government’s approach to Covid testing. Why, if it’s so important to produce a negative test or to have had the vaccine before attending anything (schools included), is the Government not requiring people to take a test before getting the jab at vaccine centres (attended, until now, by those most vulnerable to Covid)?
If asymptomatic “cases” are numerous and serious – as NHS advertising still tells us they are – surely we would ALL be told to have a Covid test just before booking a vaccine slot (not just those who, for whatever reason, have recently had a test that has been positive)? Then, if positive, the we could self-isolate and wait for the recommended interval, rather than expose other people to possible infection and compromise their vaccine response.
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And yet a visit to euromomo.eu shows most of the traditional places of interests for the British traveler to be at normal or even below normal death levels. PCR test ‘cases’ levels, as we all know are, a symptom of numbers of tests and cycles of the equipment. What’s the truth of this story then?
Yes. Surprise surprise! :
“ They fear a rise in cases here within weeks.”
As we said – ‘cases’ and ‘infections’ – i.e. PCR positives – the gift that keeps on giving.
Although the facts are that the past 60+ weeks has seen mortality well within historical levels overall, the myth of a deadly disease is now firmly embedded in the collective mind, so that strings can be pulled on command.
Clearly, the large majority don’t have the mental equipment to know when they’re being conned by a bunch of snake-oil salesmen.
If they’re not being given the true information, and don’t understand basic immunology (a branch of science that seems to have been rewritten just for CV19) then it’s not surprising.
‘Covid will spoil your holiday again’ just another smokescreen to cover the predictable (and predicted) seasonal demise of the Covid as we move rapidly toward spring.
It’s all over, for now, folks; keep calm and carry on.
Well that’s just dandy!
Everyone on my road is fed up. The local paper’s Facebook comments contain mostly anti-lockdown, anti-vaccine, anti-govt rhetoric. The council is slowly winding down its services after another hike in payments and we haven’t seen the Police in ages. And this is a Conservative stronghold!
Local elections will be a bloodbath I hope. Though you won’t catch me voting Labour ever again after watching that spineless waster Starmer take the helm so utterly ineffectually.
I’m not voting for any of the main parties, assuming that I get a choice.
Re Toby’s tweet in the above article, I do wish people would stop repeating the lie that having the vaccine makes it ‘safer’ for other people. It is not a vaccine. It is a prophylactic that might stop someone suffering severely if they get covid. It does not stop you getting or spreading covid. So there is no justification for treating the unvaccinated any differently. In fact policies that allow a vaccinated person in and ask everyone else to get a test are completely illogical – in that scenario the vaccinated pose more or a risk than those who have been tested. Yes, you could give special privileges to those who have acquired natural immunity but that is hardly ethical, and not practical for countries who need their tourist industries in order for their economies to survive.
At this point, I don’t care what they say. We’ll be driving down to the south of France in June. We’ll find a way. I always knew they would come out with a variant story to try and stop international travel so we are prepared to jump through whatever hoops we have to. Remember that we also need to be PCR tested before we leave, while we are their and before we return. Then quarantine for 10 days whilst testing again. And apparently this still isn’t enough. But don’t worry, Boris said that we have to live with the virus everyone. What has particularly irked me is the way that the government have clearly dispatched their SAGE goons to go and brief the press and seed it with the public that most of them won’t be going on holiday this year. Absolute cowards. This is clearly their new tactic for announcing policy. Tip your toe in the water of a compliant press and then run away and hide to see what the reaction is. And the most upsetting thing of all – there is never any reaction. Everyone – STILL – thinks this will be over when everyone has been… Read more »
Does anyone have an explanation of the possible new wave hitting Germany, France et al?
Of course we have the fact that these are positive test results not actual cases but presumably they are testing roughly the same numbers as they were a month ago etc
is the number of hospitalisation rising?
is the number of deaths rising?
can it be attributed to the seasonal nature? We are going into spring so I guess not
Is it just them playing ‘catch up’?
I was asked this over a drink last night and for once I was a little stumped…..any thoughts appreciated.
Didn’t our numbers rocket when the vaccine was started before Christmas?