Should football be cancelled?

[Ferrite]

Given how it seems the government’s testing system is in a complete mess with serious shortages/backlogs, should we still be playing football with all the testing it requires? Wouldn’t it be better to use those tests for teachers, school kids, doctors, nurses, etc. so that important things can keep running? Is it morally right for a game to use up all those tests? Or do the benefits of keeping sport running outweigh the downside? I’m not sure what the answer is.

[Northumbiron]

The government has thrown a blanket over the NE. Here in Northumberland we have been included in the local lockdown despite having had only 40 new cases to Newcastle’s 150 (N/land is huge. Ncle is tiny by comparison).

Yet 35 miles down the road from us Carlisle United will allow 1000 fans in tomorrow. I could get a test just a few miles away in Hexham without too much bother, yet elsewhere people are being directed 100 miles away!

The whole system is a complete mess and each “additional measure” makes it messier still.

A second national lockdown? It’s not going to happen is it? So expect more muddling through, with the public and professionals alike becoming more and more frustrated.

[Ferrite]

I was supposed to be seeing family from the north-east this weekend, that’s had to be shelved sadly. Now I see the government are floating the idea of a full national lockdown in October for a couple of weeks. Not great news.

Does it feel right to keep trying to play sport and diverting valuable resources in these circumstances?

[Awaywego]

The clubs arnt getting free tests Ferrite so there is no moral implication,Ian Holloway stated that they were paying more than £100 a test and cant expect clubs without any fans to carry on forever,so its down to the gov really it depends how they see it, they know nearly everybody will rollover and follow what they say, think of the money they could save on policing alone. agree completely with NI.

[billpuntonsghost]

I don’t think it should be cancelled.Seeing these multi- millionaires showing off their fancy hairstyles when hairdressers were shut was great to see.Now seeing them celebrate goals and winning trophies with mass cuddling and hugging afterwards is a joy to watch- it reminds us all when we were able to do that . A single mother with five kids will be able to explain to them while watching football,”unfortunately it is one rule for them and another for us”.

[bartonscorpion]

The thing is no one knows what the hell to do, the Government are changing things by the day, they in my opinion have made a hell of a mess with the situation, and the sad thing is that any other party would be just as bad. The virus has in fact ruined every one’s life, it has ruined every countries financial status, we do not have control of things, America, France, Germany, Brazil, and every country you can name is being out witted by this terrible virus. Our only chance is if a vacsene can be found, but that is unlikely this year, and sadly probably not next year, they cannot find a cure for a common cold, never mind against a virus that is completely out of control, and destroys different parts of the body.
Regarding football, well I would suggest as I did four months ago, restrict fans to 25% of the grounds capacity, have ticket only entry, and clearly mark seat that cannot be used, what is the worst situation, fans sitting six feet away from anyone, or crowds walking downthe high Streets of any city or town, mostly not wearing face masks, at the end of the day idiots will do as they please whatever laws that are broght in.

In my opinion, if football was suspended all season, most clubs will go out of business, that is for sure!!!!

[Awaywego]

I know no country is out of the woods yet but Sweden and Belarus dont seem to be outwitted with their soft touch approach to covid.

[Anonymous]

If Sweden haven’t been outwitted, why have they done worse than Norway, Denmark and Finland? Also, 50% of Swedes locked themselves down voluntarily and the old and vulnerable voluntarily self-isolated, so it doesn’t exactly fit with your mantra anyway.

It should be noted that Belarus had a mass campaign of testing and again the public self-isolated, generally on their own accord. Also, the number of care homes for this virus to run amok in is low in Belarus.

If you’re going to praise these nations responses then you should look into whether they were that different. The fact that Sweden has done worse than neighbours in terms of death puts a huge question mark over them outwitting it. These nations also have differing social circumstances to ours, such as the care homes, family living and willingness to voluntarily take measures of caution.

They certainly didn’t defeat the virus by carrying on as normal, going to the pub and cramming themselves into the theatre shouting “screw you coronavirus” like you make out. If we were to adopt Sweden’s tactic we’d have to be more vigilant ourselves and given the reaction of those who see any kind of curbing of behaviour as totalitarian, do you think this would have been likely?

After all, with thanks to things like eat out to help out and pubs reopening we are seeing cases rise yet again. For some reason a softer touch has caused it to rise, despite you saying the opposite. Of course we are seeing fewer deaths, because the virus hasn’t re-entered care homes or other vulnerable places. Of course we have to adapt to the virus, and the economy can’t stay closed down forever, but let’s not pretend these things are without risk. Certainly without the apparatus to mitigate it (e.g. test and trace), which we do not have in any kind of workable manner.

The only way to return to normality is if this government get their act together and put in place means of mitigation by which we can have some normality returning and an economy churning along without worry of the virus becoming out of control once again. We’ve had months to put this in place, but the government have prioritised handing out contracts to their incompetent mates and have screwed up, meaning we aren’t much further on than we were in March. The economy should be a priority, but only when safe for everyone in this country, including the old and vulnerable. We haven’t done this.

[waltersleftfoot]

Well said BR could not agree more

[Heath]

“the Government are changing things by the day, they in my opinion have made a hell of a mess with the situation, and the sad thing is that any other party would be just as bad”.

You are right about the mess. One thing I know for certain if any other party were trying to deal with it. There would NOT be millions (possibly billions) of taxpayers money spent on Covid banked and never to return in off shore tax haven bank accounts!!

[Awaywego]

So I take it from what you’ve said BRI that people left to the own devices have fared better, I thought that was what I was saying, but thanks for agreeing anyway. The one thing Sweden did do was to try and protect the care homes but fared miserably like most other nations,I have said in previous posts about us putting our vulnerable in care homes instead of looking after them ourselves like you say others who don’t have as many care homes fared better, many thousands need not have died if people had taken their relatives out and looked after them through covid, but even under covid we were still to busy for that,we are all prepared to pass the buck in the main.

[Northumbiron]

Anonymous wrote:

After all, with thanks to things like eat out to help out and pubs reopening we are seeing cases rise yet again. For some reason a softer touch has caused it to rise, despite you saying the opposite.

This ^^^^

Eat out to help out has been a massive contributory factor in the second wave. As for the pubs. Some have sorted things out perfectly. Others don’t give a toss, neither do much of the public it would seem.

[Awaywego]

Bang on NI eat out was like opening the first sweet shop in town after all that cabin fever.

[Anonymous]

Awaywego wrote:

So I take it from what you’ve said BRI that people left to the own devices have fared better, I thought that was what I was saying, but thanks for agreeing anyway. The one thing Sweden did do was to try and protect the care homes but fared miserably like most other nations,I have said in previous posts about us putting our vulnerable in care homes instead of looking after them ourselves like you say others who don’t have as many care homes fared better, many thousands need not have died if people had taken their relatives out and looked after them through covid, but even under covid we were still to busy for that,we are all prepared to pass the buck in the main.

No, I said that those ‘left to their own devices’ have done worse than those who haven’t when compared to similar nations. I have not said that having people act as normal has led to better results. I’ve said that responsible behaviour has, and those saying we need to be left to our own devices haven’t pushed for this.

[Awaywego]

The media and scientists are starting to big Sweden up now on their strategy, they seem to think Sweden are getting a good herd immunity,Will be interesting to see which strategy was best when it all pans out.

[billpuntonsghost]

Millions of people will be discussing what was the best strategy in the dole queues

[Anonymous]

Awaywego wrote:

The media and scientists are starting to big Sweden up now on their strategy, they seem to think Sweden are getting a good herd immunity,Will be interesting to see which strategy was best when it all pans out.

Not those in a related field, but some elsewhere have said so. And this doesn’t answer why more have died, so how they could have bettered it is beyond me. Also, none of this explains away the fact that many Swedes took voluntary action, which is what the critics don’t support.

[Awaywego]

And you don’t think the Great British public would have done the same?. You keep harping on about the deaths there’s more to it than that, do you think the Swedes are scared shirtless like our population and the problems that causes. All our health screening programs up the swanny nine months into the year and no annual bowel screening for the over 60s.They give us them every year because it’s that important to catch bowel cancer early. And like BPG points out the Swedish economy has kept the most robust in Europe.

[Northumbiron]

Awaywego wrote:

nine months into the year and no annual bowel screening for the over 60s.

Mrs NI got hers today, so not strictly true!

Been out today and sat in a pub beer garden this afto with live music and all. Tables socially distanced but obviously more than one household at each table!

The great Northeastern public sticking two fingers up at Boris and Co.

[mistertonmick]

I thought the bowel screening was every 2 years.

[TwoWrights]

Northumbiron wrote:

Awaywego wrote:

nine months into the year and no annual bowel screening for the over 60s.

Mrs NI got hers today, so not strictly true!

Been out today and sat in a pub beer garden this afto with live music and all. Tables socially distanced but obviously more than one household at each table!

The great Northeastern public sticking two fingers up at Boris and Co.

Tell Mrs NI to post her sample to 10 Downing Street! Hull City Council stopped 600 Hull City fans from attending today on a Covid rate of 14 per 100,000 (latest figure says it’s 6 per 100,000) yet Middlesbrough had fans inside the Riverside with an area Covid rate of 40.6 per 100,000 and a manager having tested positive. Tomorrow will see an open market held on the car park at the KCOM stadium, which will probably many more attending but no test and trace there though, barmy. Many have stuck two fingers up to Boris and Co. since drivable eye tests came in.

[Anonymous]

Awaywego wrote:

And you don’t think the Great British public would have done the same?. You keep harping on about the deaths there’s more to it than that, do you think the Swedes are scared shirtless like our population and the problems that causes. All our health screening programs up the swanny nine months into the year and no annual bowel screening for the over 60s.They give us them every year because it’s that important to catch bowel cancer early. And like BPG points out the Swedish economy has kept the most robust in Europe.

Some would, but those whining about not carrying on as normal probably wouldn’t be the ones being sensible.

Wow. You treat ‘harping on about deaths’ as a bad thing; this disease is killing more in America per week than a singular 9/11 event. These deaths can be reduced if we take mitigatory action.

Protecting human life should be the utmost priority of any strategy we do take, yet you treat it as secondary to something like being able to keep Greggs afloat. Of course the economy is vital, and should be seen as important, but human life should be too; we need to find a suitable circumstance in which we can allow both to function as well as possible without any drawback which can be mitigated against. This means enforcing things like mask wearing, social distance and a workable test and trace scenario, Unfortunately, those who’ve moaned about taking action have shown very little care about pushing forward any mitigatory measure. We might be a little bit more able to keep jobs and the economy flowing if we accepted that we need to behave differently for the foreseeable, which means socially distancing, minimising contact indoors and wearing masks, instead of treating it as some ridiculous attempt to enforce some global tyranny through control of population for whatever reason. The fact that people have whined about such makes me think we wouldn’t have acted like the Swedish public if rules were less strict.

I’d say the Swedes who self-isolated were as ‘scared shitless’ as any Brit who did the same, voluntarily or otherwise.

[Awaywego]

Mrs NI has been lucky to get one if you call getting that belated birthday present lucky,bowelcanceruk has said it is paused in wales,scotland,and n ireland and effectively in england. At least the new test is just one spoonful on one day and not over three days as previous, Mick you are right the test is every two years, At least everybody will be right in saying we talk a load of shite,when i go on mastermind my specialist subject will be the Bristol stool chart and faeces.( no abuse no ha ha ).

[Iron-awe]

Good choice Awaywego, play to your strengths.

[Awaywego]

Nice one Ironawe, knew it would tempt you.

[meth]

If football was cancelled and the same rules used last season applied… Grimsby would be relegated.

Food for thought ..

[Awaywego]

Football definitely cancelled for scunny fans this weekend, the council won’t even let us ask to be a pilot event, about par for the course.

[Iron-awe]

Awaywego wrote:

Football definitely cancelled for scunny fans this weekend, the council won’t even let us ask to be a pilot event, about par for the course.

If the rate keeps going up then the outcome will be the same, some might not agree about what’s going on with the restrictions but the government and local authorities won’t be changing their minds anytime soon, better get used to it.

[Awaywego]

Afraid so Ironawe,to be honest last thing on mi mind at the moment off on hols next week just hope they still let us fly, but heh hoh life’s a bitch.

[Awaywego]

Afraid so Ironawe,to be honest last thing on mi mind at the moment off on hols next week just hope they still let us fly, but heh ho life’s a bitch.

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