Coronavirus: Impact on Theme Parks

[Nicky Borrill]

Honestly, if you're still unvaccinated at this point, thats on you.

Exactly!

I apologise in advance about this rant. And I promise you, unless the situation is that dire it calls for further drastic measures I am dead against covid passes, especially for general freedoms within your own country... However...

IF the time comes when we have to start looking at the loss of more freedoms, I want them to start with the unvaccinated. At the beginning, we were all in this together. We hid away, protected the vulnerable, made sacrifices, some of us did the best we could to get extra support and rations to those most at risk...

Then along came the vaccines, the big majority of us had the vaccine, not for ourselves, but for the greater good of society... I had personally already shrugged off covid, with next to no symptoms, last holiday season, so had no need to 'be afraid' whatsoever. Yet I still did the dutiful thing and got vaccinated... However some have 'chosen' not to vaccinate. Which is fine by me, it's their body, their choice. They don't have to put something into their body that they don't want to.

But IMO, that's when the biggest chunk of people took the decision to stop seeing this as a group effort, that's when 'THEY' chose not to make a sacrifice for the greater good.

So I see absolutely no reason now, why everybody else should be asked to make a sacrifice for them. Last time I saw government figures, the rate of deaths amongst the unvaccinated were 32 times** higher than amongst the vaccinated!!! read that again... 32 times higher!!!! And early signs with Omicron are, that despite much lower protection from catching it, the protection from serious illness is still very strong with a vaccine, and stronger still with a booster. So if the NHS gets put under any extra strain, then it's the unvaccinated that are causing it. So in my opinion, it should be the unvaccinated that face the restrictions.

I hate my tone here, I genuinely do, it's very 'us and them.' But that was always bound to happen when so many people made that 'choice' over the last 12 months.

I'd be genuinely interested to hear other people's thoughts on this, if restrictions are necessary, to the point of losing your freedoms again, should they be limited to the unvaccinated??? And if you don't mind saying, are you vaccinated or unvaccinated?

** "The ASMRs for total deaths and deaths involving COVID-19 are significantly higher among people who are unvaccinated than people who had received either one or two doses. The ASMR for deaths involving COVID-19 for unvaccinated people is 32 times greater than that of people who had received two doses at least 21 days ago." - https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...thsoccurringbetween2januaryand24september2021

 

[Hixee]

Whilst Nadhim Zahwani MP was publicly denying that the government would ever implement covid passes, the government issued 8 separate contracts to develop them.

Issued in secret to their friends, partners and business associates too, I bet.

Sajid Javid says there's no way mandatory vaccination will be a thing across the UK, but judging by the governments track record, they will be sheepishly u-turning on that in the near future.

God I wish it was sheepish. It'll be just another bold faced lie.

 

[Tonkso]

That's pretty much my view to be honest. We were all in this together, then some chose to not get vaccinated. What that means is those of us who did did it bit for society and to protect others, those who didn't did not return the favour as it were. Most of us have done all that was asked of us, and now any further restrictions should hit those who have not first.

It isn't that I support vaccine passports per say, but now that I've experienced what it is to live with them, and how much safer I felt, well... Sorry, but get vaccinated or stop whining is my message to these people. Unless you genuinely cannot have a vaccine (in which case there are measures in place to not exclude you) then it's your decision to put everyone else at risk.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

I'm no conspiracy theorist, nor anti-vax, but vaccine passports are particularly worrying to me.

Whilst Nadhim Zahwani MP was publicly denying that the government would ever implement covid passes, the government issued 8 separate contracts to develop them.

There has still been categorically no evidence from any country using them that they are effective. Functionality of the covid pass already shows use of completely unrelated data including lifestyle/social data, ethnic origin, criminal convictions, genetic details etc. Literally nothing related to vaccination status. Why?

Sajid Javid says there's no way mandatory vaccination will be a thing across the UK, but judging by the governments track record, they will be sheepishly u-turning on that in the near future.

Austria announced a lockdown for all unvaccinated people on the 15th Nov... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59283128

Then 9 days later their cases started coming back down...


There are other less extreme examples of restrictions on the unvaccinated that look to have had a positive effect on case numbers across Europe, but this is by far the most supportive example right now.

Of course, there could be other factors at play, for example, the people of Austria may have started behaving differently in general, having grasped the severity of the situation once this restriction was announced... But it definitely looks to have had an effect one way or another.

 

[Sandman]

Austria announced a lockdown for all unvaccinated people on the 15th Nov... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59283128

Then 9 days later their cases started coming back down...
View attachment 15080

There are other less extreme examples of restrictions on unvaccinated that look to have had a positive effect on case numbers across Europe, but this is by far the most supportive example right now.

Of course, there could be other factors at play, for example, the people of Austria may have started behaving differently in general, having grasped the severity of the situation once this restriction was announced... But it definitely looks to have had an effect one way or another.

I do understand your point, however, I just can't get on board with that level of divisiveness in the UK. It's quite a totalitarian system over in Austria right now. I don't think we should be able to restrict people in their own country based on their vaccination status myself.

It would 100% never work here in the UK either. The GP in Austria may have a different attitude however I don't see any possible way that those unvaccinated would stand for their freedoms being taken whilst us vaccinated roamed freely. Then you have those who medically cannot be vaccinated.

It's completely f&cked. And studies have already shown that additional measures put unvaccinated people off actually getting the vaccine. If we punished people for not being vaccinated out of choice, then we are basically mandating it in a slippery way.

 

[Pokemaniac]

Whilst Nadhim Zahwani MP was publicly denying that the government would ever implement covid passes, the government issued 8 separate contracts to

I would guess it is also partially a matter of preparedness. If they once figure out that they actually need vaccine passes, it would look a bit stupid to conclude that press conference with "and now we will have to wait 6-8 weeks for a workgroup to prepare the specifications for a technical solution, and a couple months for it to be coded. We will do the bugtesting once it is released." In that case, it is better to have a solution ready and never use it, than having to start development from scratch when they realise they have immediate need for it.

 

[Heth]

I would be incensed if the vaccinated had to deal with restrictions because of the unvaccinated. Plain and simple.

For most, not getting vaccinated is a choice. Freedom to make a choice is different to freedom from the consequences of that choice. Why should the rest of us suffer?

 

[Sandman]

I would guess it is also partially a matter of preparedness. If they once figure out that they actually need vaccine passes, it would look a bit stupid to conclude that press conference with "and now we will have to wait 6-8 weeks for a workgroup to prepare the specifications for a technical solution, and a couple months for it to be coded. We will do the bugtesting once it is released." In that case, it is better to have a solution ready and never use it, than having to start development from scratch when they realise they have immediate need for it.

Oh Poke, if only you knew what you just said.
Tory government and preparedness don't belong in the same sentence

 

[Nicky Borrill]

I do understand your point, however, I just can't get on board with that level of divisiveness in the UK. It's quite a totalitarian system over in Austria right now. I don't think we should be able to restrict people in their own country based on their vaccination status myself.

It would 100% never work here in the UK either. The GP in Austria may have a different attitude however I don't see any possible way that those unvaccinated would stand for their freedoms being taken whilst us vaccinated roamed freely. Then you have those who medically cannot be vaccinated.

It's completely f&cked. And studies have already shown that additional measures put unvaccinated people off actually getting the vaccine. If we punished people for not being vaccinated out of choice, then we are basically mandating it in a slippery way.

I personally think it's already being piloted...

I don't expect a full lockdown for the unvaccinated, like in Austria. But I think it will be left to businesses to police (like so many other things during this whole pandemic, but I'll save that for another moan )

This 'passes for large events' thing, imo, is just a trial, and to get the public conditioned to it, before introducing it into more venues.

I predict that, by the end of January, you won't be able to watch a movie, go bowling, go for a meal, a pint, or even a coffee, without showing a pass.

Of course this is all just me speculating... I could be, and usually am , wrong. But that's as far as I expect it to go in the UK, not 'full lockdown' for the unvaccinated as such, not like Austria.

 

[Sandman]

I personally think it's already being piloted...

I don't expect a full lockdown for the unvaccinated, like in Austria. But I think it will be left to businesses to police (like so many other things during this whole pandemic, but I'll save that for another moan )

This 'passes for large events' thing, imo, is just a trial, and to get the public conditioned to it, before introducing it into more venues.

I predict that, by the end of January, you won't be able to watch a movie, go bowling, go for a meal, a pint, or even a coffee, without showing a pass.

Of course this is all just me speculating... I could be, and usually am , wrong. But that's as far as I expect it to go in the UK, not 'full lockdown' for the unvaccinated as such, not like Austria.

Yeah, I think this is probably the case. It's always a slippery slope with this kind of stuff.

Hope I get a DeLorean for Christmas, because I want to go back to the past forever!

 

[JoshC.]

Unsurprisingly, the Dutch lockdown means that Efteling (and of course, all parks) can't open until at least January 14th: https://www.efteling.com/en/park/temporary-closure

 

[Nitefly]

Unsurprisingly, the Dutch lockdown means that Efteling (and of course, all parks) can't open until at least January 14th: https://www.efteling.com/en/park/temporary-closure

@Howie ^^^ - not sure if this affects your plans.

 

[Howie]

@Howie ^^^ - not sure if this affects your plans.

Thanks for the heads up matey, but this trip was called off long ago. It was originally supposed to be an extension of one of Mrs Howie's work trips but the convention that she was due to attend in Amsterdam (kinda like the IAAPA of the recycled plastics world) was cancelled weeks ago, and therefore so was our Efteling jolly up.
Sad times, man, but at least we hadn't booked anything apart from our flights - a grand total of £19.98.

 

[Eyebrows]

kinda like the IAAPA of the recycled plastics world

sounds riveting

 

[Pokemaniac]

sounds riveting

Depending on how much like IAAPA it is, of course. If some of the booths have brought their own rollercoasters, it could be very fun indeed.

 

[Nitefly]

Depending on how much like IAAPA it is, of course. If some of the booths have brought their own rollercoasters, it could be very fun indeed.

Maybe a Breaking Bad themed log flume (into a pool of red water)?

An educational ride on the merits of plastic. Could even reuse the boats from Alton. RECYCLING! \o/

 

[Nicky Borrill]

So cases in Netherlands started coming down from their initial wave in early December... But that first wave consisted of mostly Delta cases... Now cases are rising significantly again, despite the strict lockdown, as Omicron takes hold.

My question is this, how do you get leaders and members of the public to start seeing this variant as a very different, and comparatively much safer, situation than we've faced in the past? Without completely throwing caution to the wind?

It's the next challenge the world faces. And it is a huge challenge. People have witnessed an insane amount of illness, suffering and death from previous variants, they're understandably very scared. But there is just no hiding from Omicron, it transmits far too easily, as the Netherlands example seems to show. And it appears to be doing less serious damage than a major flu outbreak. (Yes I'm aware that there were those who said the original variants were less harmful than flu, but they were categorically wrong. This variant however, appears to be just that, less harmful than some flu outbreaks.)

 

[Sandman]

At this stage, I'm convinced that media outlets don't want to take their foot off the pedal with regards to their scaremongering and hyperbole.
Had a quick flick through various news sites this morning and noticed the top headline was 'BREAKING NEWS: Man in Wales tests positive for bird flu'.
This ain't ending any time soon

 

[Hyde]

I'm married to a nurse. Get vaccinated. Get boosted. Keep your ass off of my wife's medical floor.

 

[Will]

Based on the German situation, I think Netherlands will return to semi-normality sooner rather than later.
I've not watched any news this week (and with good reason) so I don't actually know what the situation is over here - except that the testing for returning seems to have already calmed down significantly.

Aside from being tired and emotional all the time, lack of taste/smell and a bit of difficulty concentrating, I have to say I'd have no problem functioning as normal, but obviously I appreciate this not be the case for other people if I was to pass it on. For the average person though, especially the vaccinated, I really don't think you've got much to be scared of