[Cyclist]

.

[Boiler]

Elsewhere I read that the sole death (so far) from the Omicron Variant was of an unvaccinated pensioner who'd been taken in by online conspiracy theories.

[Nigredo]

Just found out my two brothers are on a piss up in Central Leeds so I’m not looking forward to having to ban them for Christmas this year

[Boiler]

A four minute listen from the BBC World Service:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bbh33h

Omicron replicates seventy times faster than earlier variants in the cells of the wind pipe, which may explain the high transmission rates currently being seen. However, it is much slower at replicating in the cells of the lung, which offer hope that infections could be mild for most people, says Hong Kong University virologist Malik Peiris.

[Youngian]

Hartlepool and South Holland don’t have much in common geographically or socio-economically. Older than average populations, perhaps? Haven’t seen much evidence that antivax sentiment is high among pensioners whether they’re Brexiters or not. But still more likely to die from Covid.

Brexit-voting areas of UK have highest COVID-19 death rate, study finds

Research by Ludovic Phalippou of Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford and Betty H.T. Wu of the University of Glasgow has claimed to have found a direct correlation between Brexit-voting districts of the UK and those that have the highest rate of fatalities from COVID-19.

It reveals that the boroughs of Boston, Great Yarmouth, South Holland, and Hartlepool, for example, have the fourth highest fatalities from the virus in the UK and the biggest share of the vote for Brexit, with all four districts voting more than 75% for leave in 2016. By contrast, the 20 boroughs with the lowest death rates all voted heavily for Remain. https://www.euronews.com/2021/12/14/bre ... tudy-finds

[Malcolm Armsteen]

We need to stop using weasel words.
The worst affected boroughs are also among the least educated.

Ignorance is not bliss, it is death.

[Boiler]

Has anybody looked at the incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes in these areas? Going over the stats shows that being diabetic is the most common co-morbidity in deaths from Covid and the last time I checked, fat people voted Remain too.

Admittedly an eight year old article, but.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-l ... e-22175671

In my corner of South Holland 85.8% of the population has had two doses, with 54% having had a booster.

On vaccination, this caught my eye:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59686996

The English Football League says a quarter of players at its member clubs "do not intend to get a vaccine" against Covid-19.

And as of last month 31% of players had not received a first dose.

[Youngian]

We need to stop using weasel words.
The worst affected boroughs are also among the least educated.

Ignorance is not bliss, it is death.

I've seen no evidence the age group with the lowest educational attainment (over 60s) are more likely to take advice from Piers Corbyn than Chris Whitty. Unsurprising, when death is the gamble for thinking you’re cleverer than the experts.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

The fatal flaw is in not having the mental resource to fully comprehend the risks.

[Youngian]

Has anybody looked at the incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes in these areas? Going over the stats shows that being diabetic is the most common co-morbidity in deaths from Covid and the last time I checked, fat people voted Remain too.

LSE study reported that correlation.

The weight of Brexit: Leave vote is higher in areas of higher obesity https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2016/06/ ... r-obesity/

[Bones McCoy]

We need to stop using weasel words.
The worst affected boroughs are also among the least educated.

Ignorance is not bliss, it is death.

I've seen no evidence the age group with the lowest educational attainment (over 60s) are more likely to take advice from Piers Corbyn than Chris Whitty. Unsurprising, when death is the gamble for thinking you’re cleverer than the experts.

I don't think you'll find the vaccine avoiders by looking at raw demographics like age, education etc.
I think group dynamics are more likely to be in play:
* The usual conspiracy whackjob suspects.
* Families with a dominant "them docters don't no nuffink" matriarch/patriarch.
* Odd religious sects.
* Folk with "conspiracy adjacent" passtimes.

My eldest son spends a lot of time at a Gym with all these "Joe Rogan Podcast" types.
Despite a great education and a professional job, he spouts a load of contra-science bullshit.

He avoided vaccination until he found it would impact his travel status, and now he's can't get enough of the vaccs and boosters.

[The All New KevS]

And here we go.

[Boiler]

Press conference just before the final of "Strictly Come Dancing", anyone? I'm offering 8/11 on...

[Cyclist]

The measures that should have been implemented a couple of weeks ago will slam into place just before Christmas, and the rug will be well and truly pulled from under Johnson's feet.

Either that, or another half-arsed bunch of recommendations which a *lot* of people will just ignore and a full-on lockdown in January.

Either way, Johnson is toast.

[Nigredo]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 2.html?amp

Looks like the pork haystack may be cancelling Christmas again.

[The All New KevS]

Looks like the National Association of Twats are having their annual march in London today.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

But actual Londoners:

[The All New KevS]

Some nobber put a picture of a huge march, taking place in London, they claimed, overlooking the Scottish flag flying proudly on one side of the street, and the Glasgow Subway station on the other....

[Boiler]

[The All New KevS]

Watching the Ruptly feed of the protests. They're gathering outside the gates of Downing Street. Expect a bit of a ruckus shortly.

As for press conference/PM broadcast, ideally it needs to be AFTER Strictly at 9pm, especially if the two chaps win it. That should cause Mailite meltdown.