Coronavirus (COVID-19) General Chat

[Deleted member 63]

Ontario has a plan laid out for reopening. Stage 1 should happen mid-June but is dependent on vaccination rates and epidemiological measures continuing to improve. They are also starting to shorten the time between first and second shot, allowing those with second shots already scheduled (like moi) to rebook. They are going by ages again so 80+ get to go first, meaning I'll be a while yet.

My son and daughter-in-law in Ottawa got their first shots yesterday so at least the whole family is on track now.

 

[Tom]

Warnings today that the UK could be entering third wave of infections.

 

[David76]

The following areas will move to level one from one minute past midnight on Saturday:

Highland, Argyll and Bute, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus, Perth and Kinross, Falkirk, Fife, Inverclyde, East and West Lothian, West Dunbartonshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders.

The first minister says case numbers are still high in some areas of Scotland and they will be held at level 2 for a further period.

In addition to Glasgow, these areas are:

Edinburgh, Midlothian, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Clackmannanshire, Stirling

 

[Deleted member 63]

The stay-at-home in Ontario technically ends tomorrow but all restrictions except the actual "Stay at home" part will remain in place until approx. June 14 (exact date depends on vaccination rates and other measures of progress). It will then be relaxed in stages at 3 week intervals, so we might have some semblance of normalcy by August, though even Stage 3 (the last stage) is not "normal", just minimal restrictions compared to now.

Everyone in my immediate family (me, wife, son, daughter-in-law) is now vaccinated with first shot of either Pfizer or Moderna. Wife and I got off with sore arms, son and his wife were sick for a couple days after their shots. Second shots aren't schedule until August or September but improved supply lines means that will probably get bumped up over the next month or so.

 

[Jess]

Cases definitely rising in the UK. Over 6000 positive cases in the last 24 hours, the highest number for 10 weeks.

Scotland's National Clinical Director Jason Leitch has warned Scotland is in the "in the foothills of a third wave" of the coronavirus pandemic, as case numbers continue to rise.

Welsh First Minister, Mark Drakeford, has said social distancing could continue in Wales for the rest of the year and into 2022.

 

[Tom]

The final stage of easing lockdown restrictions in England is to be delayed until 19 July, the PM has said.

It means most remaining curbs on social contact will continue beyond 21 June, when they had been due to be lifted.

The limit on wedding guest numbers will be removed but venues will still have to adhere to other rules.

Boris Johnson said there would be a review after two weeks and he was "confident" the delay would not need to be longer than four weeks.

"We will monitor the position every day and if, after two weeks, we have concluded that the risk has diminished then we reserve the possibility of proceeding to step four, and a full opening, sooner," he told a Downing Street news conference.

I'd imagine that the other nations in the UK will follow suit, cannot see any way that they can fully open up when cases are gradually rising again.

 

[Alex]

I'd imagine that the other nations in the UK will follow suit, cannot see any way that they can fully open up when cases are gradually rising again.

Nicola Sturgeon making an announcement tomorrow. Reports say she is considering easing some restrictions?

 

[Dylan]

Nicola Sturgeon making an announcement tomorrow. Reports say she is considering easing some restrictions?

Nicola Sturgeon signals delay in lockdown easing. "Unlikely" that any part of Scotland will move down a level from June 28.

"Instead, it is likely that we will opt to maintain restrictions for a further three weeks from June 28 and use that time to vaccinate"

 

[Jess]

Wales are also delaying the easing of restrictions for 4 weeks

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: "In the space of just a few short weeks, the Delta variant has entered Wales and quickly spread throughout the country.

"There is sustained and accelerating transmission, not just in north and south-east Wales but in all parts of Wales.

 

[Dylan]

Current Covid restrictions are to remain in place in Scotland until at least July 19th with no mainland areas moving to the lowest "level zero" restrictions next week.