BTRFTG

Not an issue as it was so early doors nobody had ever heard of Covid when she (and he,) contracted it. She's very vocal as she's one of the first identified cases of long Covid and it's ****ed her life beyond that of losing a partner. (She's also lost her health, career and pretty much everything.)

It was bloody tragic. He was buried on the day he should have married his partner. There's sod all he might have done given it was early doors, much like my mega fit nephew ( commercial pilot,) who returned from flights from Shanghai late 2019 and, though never seriously unwell, was confined to his pit unable to move for days. He thought it mega flu. Weeks later they mentioned Covid, though family in contact suffered various symptoms later identified as being signs of Covid. I met him a few weeks ago and he's angry. Very angry. He continues to fly to China, he showed me the photos of how he's treated when there. And for those of you who've seen the Hollywood disaster movies HAZMAT suits all round, zero contact, confined to hotel rooms (cells,) fed through a hatch. Yep, that's what he's been living these past two years. Beyond the confines of the airport he neither knows nor cares. His photos paint a thousand words, yet that's what the Chinese still think appropriate. Yet pillocks over here complain of infringement.

To echo these comments recall the first friend I had who died from Covid. Fitter than the most of you combined. Least likely bloke I know who'd die. But he did, very early doors, from Covid acquired before you'd ever heard the word. He died as a result of the 'minor' infection he contracted from his partner, who contracted the infection from ski lodges long before Britain had cottoned on to the virus. He was fine post illness, minor inconvenience, until his heart gave out that is. A heart at autopsy that resembled one that had previously suffered heard attacks. The heart of an old man. Save he wasn't. He was super fit, fitter than most of you will ever be. Years younger than I. A life to be lived. Until, that is, it (& he) wasn't. Out running he died. He wasn't expecting that. His friends weren't expecting that. Covid didn't care. So if you get Covid and dismiss it out of hand, well, I hope you aren't in for a shock, but you might be. Not you'll know until the dying. No pockets in shrouds, no smugness in knowing somebody called it wrong. Just as it is.....

Sunday Sport proved Elvis to be riding Shergar on the moon with Lord Lucan as his groom. Go to their online presence and there's a whole load of fact one might barely think credible - plus Tony 'Loudmouth' Livesey, now of credible 5Live, was once was their Editor in Chief, so must be true.....

But that wouldn't help one bit. Here's why. Vulnerable folks were the first priority to get vaccinated, problem being they remain vulnerable once jabbed, just better protected against the virus. So the old or sick are still more likely to die than the average Joe and that gets reported whether or not it was Covid that did for them if they've presented with the virus (if in hospital that's a given,) within X number of days of death and most vulnerable folks die in hospital. Non-vaccinated are likely not to fall into vulnerable categories, hence de facto will have a better prognosis than the vulnerable when catching the virus. Some will die (in hospital,) but not as many as comparable non-vaccinated vulnerables, of which there are few. Still with me? In which case reporting the raw metric you speak will show a disproportionate number of vaccinated folks dying, save they aren't. But that's the same as me arguing Eddie Large & Jethro died of Covid (though both had major underlying health conditions,) therefore vaccinated comics better watch out as they seem to be at greater risk (they aren't and Jimmy Tarbuck may sleep soundly.)

We do, don't we?

Can anybody explain to me why a club has to have a recognised 'keeper' to fulfil its fixtures? City don't have a striker but are expected to play A.N Other-Outfielder in that role. In all the games I played as a kid you took turns in goal or later, if your appointed keeper got crocked, 'the tall lad' went in goal. Same in pro football before so many subs were permitted teams might as well include a stand-by stickman. I get why in Rugby the frontline cannot be replaced given the potential for serious harm if not competent in the technicalities of the scrimmage, but keeper?

14 players and a keeper? Wouldn't need a lawyer to argue City struggled with that pre Covid.....

Bravo! There are many hundreds of thousands who'd rise to echo your sentiments, that it's only 'like having a cold' and talk of anything worse is 'scaremongering'. Sadly, as they've been rendered dust or are now pushing up the daisies we'll have to take your informed word for it.

I have it on good authority that on the way home they'll discover where the Fake Sheikh is going to build their Stadium of Dreams - it's not that bad a journey, is it?

Which rules? Do I wear a mask - yes. Do I keep socially distant - yes Have I been triple jabbed - yes Am I considerate of others and the wider public health perspective - yes Touch wood, I've avoided the virus to date so perhaps I've been doing something right....

You clearly don't know me as I'm never slow in coming forward in calling punters out. So yes, I have had several pops at folks who, frankly, take the ****. It's not difficult given 95% of those claiming exemption have sod all reason so to do.

Exemption from what; being intelligent, being a considerate citizen, making demands on the health service? Exemption works both ways. Funny how those I've witnessed who've claimed exemption would be running for ambulance chasing lawyers were they to be sensibly denied access to facilities on the ground of risk. "So you're severely claustrophobic and prone to suffer major panic attacks leading to hospitalisation? Yeah. You do know the station is packed to the rafters in there, it's stifling & you can't swing a cat. Yeah, but that's my business not yours. Actually it isn't and to save you and other passengers from yourself you ain't coming in....." Also it's funny how the 'exempt' (sic) appear to fall into distinct stereotypes, as others have noted.

What, you mean this....?

Interesting that all on here, myself included, have given reasons as to why they'll attend or not citing reasons personal to them. Not one has mentioned the most important factor, that being for public health reasons whether or not they should attend. That's human nature for you.

Don't wish to worry you but make sure you stay healthy as the Welsh Ambulance Service and Welsh A&E performance continues to break records each month, though not the type of thing Roy Castle would be trumpeting were he still alive ......

LFT can't differentiate between variants, PCRs can, in part, but they don't bother half the time given that's not what they're designed for. That's why T&T may ask you to take part in antibody testing such they know who's encountered what, including the vaccines. Given vaccines are working so well from the numbers I know up here the widely reported Omicron distinguishing symptoms are an itchy/scratchy throat, mild but DRY cough and mild lower back pain. Fatigue is common to both and chesty cough and breathing issues are more prevalent in Delta. LFTs are in very short supply up here, as are PCR appointments but likely that's because London's ahead of the curve. Ditto ITU units being full here. That's the problem with lots of folks getting sick at once.

Probably not. As I flagged in my post Monday when all hell broke loose up here those reporting symptoms and testing positive Monday/Tuesday almost certainly contracted the virus Friday or Saturday, the big outbreaks we know had common events during Saturday. Given the prevalence of Omicron here compared to Bristol I'd suggest you more than likely got it here or on your journey to London. This variant seems to manifest itself within 48 hours (it's more transmissible than Delta not only between hosts but also in entering and spreading through cell membranes, hence you'll get symptoms quicker than Delta, which is likely what T&T were quoting.)

Best wishes for a speedy recovery but here in London folks do not 'forget' to wear masks, they simply choose not to. Coverings are mandated on TFL but few wear them as the idiot Khan chooses not to enforce their wearing (he and his entourage opened two new tube stations, replete with signs reinforcing masks MUST be worn, all whilst, er, failing to cover up.) Leadership for you. As for Track and Trace that's a waste of time. But if you had symptoms one would have to ask why didn't you test yourself before deciding to travel? It's not as though there were no mass campaigns asking folks to do exactly that.

Any virus that 'kills millions in days' wouldn't last more than a few hours and for good reason. There are plenty of high morbidity viruses floating around the tropics (this week there's an outbreak in South Sudan,) and we don't worry about those as they kill before they can spread. At some stage there will be another highly transmissible, mildly dangerous virus doing the rounds , but lest not forget there are tens of millions more folks now on this planet than when Covid first appeared. WHO reckoned morbidity of Covid at 1 - 1.5% of those infected yet we've seen nowhere near that death rate (directly it's probably nearer 0.2%, the worry being indirect deaths are likely to arise over the next few years.) Covid has focussed thoughts on the subject we spend our lives ignoring, our own mortality. To paraphrase Hank Williams 'You'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive...' and should you get Covid, like Eddie Large, it probably won't have been that which did for you.

Probably, but it's not that more onerous than rolling out flu jabs plus, as the latest variant appears to show, viruses really love spreading but hate harming hosts. Like flu it'll largely sit in the background doing minor damage only to pop up every few decades in a more serious form. Positive to take from Covid is the investment made in sequencing, development, testing & deployment means science is already guessing where the virus goes next such, has already undertaken preparation in that respect, with response times for new vaccines very quick. Pity Science cannot help with idiots who refuse to take them.

Save there no evidence, unlike the Liverpool Vs Athletico fixture, that Cheltenham acted as a super-spreader event. The media, for media reasons, loved the 'Local Landlord Dies' / 'Footy Tipster Charlie Austin Get Covid' headlines though given all else that was going on there's no evidence to suggest the festival was a hotspot. We went 3 days that week and other than those celebs in the paper know of nobody who contracted the virus that week. Folks did, but whether that was at the festival or elsewhere that month, who knows? There's also nothing charlatan in highlighting the spread of the virus is largely due to unvaccinated infections - they are, hence the recent Delta surge when schools went back. Vaccinated folks can get infected but their viral payload is vastly diminished and thus less likely to spread. As for testing, it's a useful tool but impractical. LTFs are in short supply, not always accurate and are best reserved for those who've been in close contact with an infected person. I also know if no PCR facility near AG that could process the volume of tests required, if that's the route you wish to take, not folks would stump up the £100 or so to simply get into the ground.

Save the club doesn't HAVE to encourage folks into the concourse, yet they are. They could opt use concourses as access only and drive folks straight to seats. As you say, it's stupid and is why despite having tickets we won't be in attendance.

You wrote it was a 'more dangerous environment for covid', that's the virus, not punters who might get infected. Though not your intention that you wrote implied it was safer for attendees. Queues outside are not of themselves an issue as considerate punters would remain masked, at 2m distances, with adequate ventilation and where transmission rates have been demonstrated to be negligible. Last two games Omicron wasn't an issue and from my late arrival perspective at the Dolman neither were queues as we simply walked straight in. Of course with the many F'Wits who follow City I appreciate that scenario is unlikely to materialise Saturday once additional (pointless) checks kick in. Once inside the concourse, enclosed, little social distancing and masks removed whilst eating and drinking, that's a whole different ballgame.

Against us I'd be amazed if it wasn't David Kelly. You'd put your mortgage on him scoring as soon as you saw his name on the teamsheet.