lpm wrote: ↑Fri Jun 05, 2020 4:49 pm
A quick look at the numbers suggests overall average of 1, but a fuzzy picture with <1 in many areas blurring out the problem spots. South West looks worse than North West to me, both clearly >1. The London and South East numbers look good, and obviously that weight brings the average well down - but worryingly this is probably where the biggest collapse of the lockdown is. If London and South East return to 1 then the overall average will be very clearly >1.
The South West is starting to feel quite scary. We've been relatively untouched so far (despite my neighbour dying from the virus so I know it's been around) and I think it's made everyone complacent. Weston Hospital, which has been a terrible hospital from the moment it opened*, has been
closed since May 25th due to an outbreak of coronavirus so fortunately schools have
delayed going back as a result but besides that I'm not seeing any evidence that people are recognising the increased risk. People have been
flocking to the beach and even
pooing in people's gardens due to a lack of open facilities and an inability to consider anyone but themselves. The government is saying we should all get back to normal so that's what they're doing. It's going to end very badly.
* I keep bumping into my old doctor while walking the dog and the other day we were having a little chat about various pandemic-related things and I ended up asking him why Weston has been so bad. It has the reputation of being a hospital where going in is the end for you. It's a hospital of last resort and you'd really rather go to Bristol if you possibly can. It seems that the hospital has always played second fiddle to Bristol, getting the less capable doctors and having an old guard that does what old guards do. I can understand why, you're an up and coming new doctor with the choice of Weston (sh.tty seaside town that's mostly nursing homes) or Bristol (vibrant hub of the south west) you'd choose Bristol every time, but it does mean we end up with an A&E that's been closed at night
since last year and struggles to get
qualified staff. It is not a hospital remotely prepared for dealing with a pandemic, as its closure attests.