Here's an unwelcome side effect of our present measures here in the UK not being effective enough:


21 June: End of England's Covid lockdown could be delayed by one month
wrote:

The government is considering delaying the lifting of England's remaining Covid restrictions by up to four weeks...

... It comes amid growing concern over rapidly increasing cases and the higher transmissibility of the Delta variant...

... Pushing the date back would allow the vaccination programme to take greater effect, as the rollout moves through to younger age groups...

... "It's not just about the number of hospitalisations, but also the risk to the health of large numbers of younger people, who can suffer long-term symptoms."...

We are very much into a "3rd wave" and the infection numbers appear to be doubling each week. In one hotspot not too many miles from myself, the infection numbers have gone up by x2.5 over the last week!


Stay safe folks!
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Even though there are reports that this year's death numbers from COVID-19 have already surpassed last year's, that's not quite true as China's numbers arn't included in those numbers just for starters, but it will happen in the next few of days. :-O

Anyhow by the end of the last reporting period the world's total case tally had passed 176.7 million while deaths surpassed 3,819,100 (there were just over 1.92 million deaths recorded last year).

The only change at the top end of the death list was Chile replacing Czechia in 21st place so let's now move onto the changes on the case list.

It seems of late that most of the changes are going on down at the lower end of this list starting with Fiji who suddenly leapt into the top 200, then became the 196th member of the 1K+ club and then promptly jumped into 195th place while Mauritius hopped from 193rd to 191st, Liberia performed a long jump from 186th up to 181st as Burundi moved from 171st to become the 170th member of the 5K+ club, Timor-Leste became the 161st member of the 8K+ club along with moving up to 160th and Vietnam became the 158th member of both the 9K+ as well as the 10K+ clubs (they've also completed their voyage through the void to finally catch up with the next pack of runners.

Taiwan again took a long distance flight from 154th to land in 148th along with becoming the 152nd member of the 12K+ club and is now enjoying last drinks at the bar there, the Seychelles moved up 1 spot to 146th and is also enjoying last drinks at the 12K+ club (but Taiwan could rob them of becoming the 146th member of the 13K+ club) while I can't as yet give P.N.G 137th as yet until Guadeloupe gets their next dose of numbers in, but I can now confirm Suriname claim on 136th, Réunion toppled the up and coming French Guiana from 126th and Trinidad/Tobago replaced the up and coming Rwanda in 124th, but all 4 are closing in on Australia who is slowly closing in on that cheeky little Malta (though I expect that 3 of those 4 will pass us before we pass Malta).

The D.R.C. moved up 1 place as well as becoming the 119th member of the 35K+ club, Cambodia jumped up 2 spots to 116th while Singapore was replaced by Namibia in 107th, Mongolia also decided to take a flight from 106th to 101st as Cameroon became the 100th member of the 80K+ club, Afghanistan was the 99th to join the 90K+ club as well as knocking China out of 98th and Zambia 94th to 92nd place.

Algeria moved up 1 spot to 88th, Myanmar (86th) looks to be picking up the pace again after being passed by South Korea (or more people are less worried about being arrested by the military junta than they are of dying anyway) as Cuba has finally caught up with North Macedonia claiming 83rd (though they have some well spaced out entrants to get through still), Thailand finally moved up to 79th and is preparing to enter the 200K+ club as well as making an assault on the next pack while Sri Lanka is taking its 1st bites of that pack taking 76th, Bahrain jumped up 2 spots to 69th and Guatemala took over 67th place.

Costa Rica as well as Uruguay moved past Azerbaijan into 57th & 58th places respectively, Tunisia took 54th from Croatia while Paraguay jumped over both Panama and Slovakia into 51st, Bolivia jumped over Slovakia and Kazakhstan into 49th becoming the 49th member of the 400K+ club (Kazakhstan then joined that club) as Nepal became the 40th member of the 600K+ club, Malaysia took 38th off of Austria and Switzerland became 37th country to enter the 700K+ clubhouse.

Rounding out the changes are Peru becoming the 17th country to enter the 2M+ clubhouse while Spain passed Germany before Colombia zipped past both into 10th place.

Meanwhile here down under it looks like we might hold onto 123rd place on the case until the end of the week and we're now down to 106th on the death list, but we likely lose that before the week is out. The Victorian out break is still growing slowly (approx. 93 now, but they stopped reporting the actual numbers involved), but thankfully all those cases have come from those already in isolation, though another 2 Victorian couples and a single male have been caught in Queensland without travel permits to enter the state so they're all laid up there for 2 weeks of quarantine now (at their expense and with some hefty fines pending). Anyhow, other than the 1st couple that turned up positive in Queensland from Victoria or the family that went on tour around southern N.S.W. there have so far been no locally reported infections happening in either Queensland or New South Wales because of these fools.

Well that's it for this mega update and I need a beer.

I think you tally would have more meaning if it were listed as a percentage of the country's total population.

---

Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries, this page has cases and deaths per million of population listed as well as country populations if you want to work out percentage numbers for yourself Bob, but no matter how you cut it or dice it if all things were equal then that page would look more like this one, https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/. ;-)

Sadly things like attitudes, greed, politics, poverty, war and how well some countries' governments are/were willing to look after their populations' well being while some others didn't/havn't bothered with them have greatly screwed what should be equal. :-(

That doesn't work either. The Worldometer site allows you to sort by 'per capita' but if you do that most of the top twenty countries are places with very small populations. Like Monaco and Andora, with only a few of countries with populations over 10 million in the top twenty, but for cases the U.S. is in 14th place. India with its huge population, and probably inaccurate numbers, is at about 100th place in both lists.

What is probably more important for those that travel or want to restrict visitor for high rick countries is the "Trends" listings, but again these have to be taken with a bucket of salt handy as some countries numbers are not believable. And the numbers from countries you can trust are probably not gathered with the same standards.
i.e. some countries report all deaths where Covid appears on the death certificate and other only say it is a Covid death when it is the number one cause. This also occurs in the U.S. as not all states agree to the same standard.

No surprises here in the UK that we are suffering the consequences of:

• a more virulent COVID variant;
  
• not enough people usefully wearing masks;
  
• and not enough people yet vaccinated:
  

Covid: Lockdown easing in England delayed to 19 July
wrote:

... Mr Johnson said going ahead with stage four on 21 June would mean "a real possibility" of the virus outrunning the vaccines, leading to thousands more deaths which could otherwise have been avoided.

The delay would give the NHS "a few more crucial weeks" to get people vaccinated...

... "Our task is to make sure the vaccine can get ahead in the race between the vaccine and the virus... it isn't over yet."...

... Attendees will have to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test. Capacity limits will continue at other venues and nightclubs will stay closed.

Advice to work from home where possible will remain in place...

Stay safe folks!
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

One may add to your list, to paraphrase someone being ejected from a shop last week
"Why bother wearing a mask, social distancing blah blah blah, lockdown ends next week and a few days won't matter"
Which I translate as. "The rules don't apply to me"

---

Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Every Mask Wearer has their EYES EXPOSED.

Like Two Little BULLsEYEs. One on each side of Your Nose

So What GOoD is a Mask?

Yep

---

May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

Problem solved Dull. ;-)

Every Mask Wearer has their EYES EXPOSED.

Like Two Little BULLsEYEs. One on each side of Your Nose

So What GOoD is a Mask?

Yep

Your mask helps protect those around you!!

Masks are a simple barrier to help prevent your respiratory droplets from reaching others.
Studies show that masks reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth. You should wear a mask, even if you do not feel sick.

Don't be afraid of scientific truths: Guidance for Wearing Masks

Provide info on size of CV 'droplet' and info on Size of mask pathways. Gots to have a 'Size' aka Length and Width between 'fibers'. Gotta breathe Right? And dA 'Size' allows 'Proper' Airflow so People don't 'Pass Out'. Also wat is 'Average' 'Gap' Size when Mask 'Seal' is Against Face. Depends a lot on 'bumps'; hair, and other skin/bone irregularities.

After You Provide these 'Measurements', then Tell Me there is NO WAY a CV droplet can 'Get Through'.

Is a CV 'Droplet' always One Alone Droplet or do they come in DROVEs of.......many?

C'mon. Get SCIENTIFIC and MATHEMATICAL and Give Us dA FACTs.

Yep

---

May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

... Tell Me there is NO WAY a CV droplet can 'Get Through'. [a face mask] ...

The big help there is that the COVID coronavirus has to hitch a lift on water droplets...

• When we breathe,
  
• more so when we speak,
  
• even more so when we sing and shout,
  
• drastically so when we sneeze:
  

We spread water droplets and spit droplets out on our breath.


Everyone does so. Even if you cannot see the droplets and spit, if you are human and breathing, then you spread water droplets and spit.

Hence why we have a COVID pandemic!


Which is where face masks for covering you mouth and your nose are very effective and good.

Most of the spit and water droplets get caught in the face mask. Simple. Proven. Demonstrated and well tested.

Face masks, when worn over your mouth AND over your nose, work very well.

Face masks also can save yourself from the infected spit from others around you.


Obvious really.

Just like when workmen wear face masks (or should do!) when cutting building materials or working in dusty workplaces.

Just like when coal miners wear their masks for work.

Same thing. Just that the dust particles are instead: Infected water droplets and infected spit.


What is better? A face full of unprotected infection? Or a clean face behind a pretty mask?

Face masks have even become a trendy fashion item now!


Stay safe folks!
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

We really do need more people properly wearing their mask and getting vaccinated ASAP:


Covid: Epidemic growing across England...
wrote:

The Covid-19 epidemic in England is growing, ... with much of it being driven by younger people who are not yet vaccinated...

... Everyone over the age of 18 in England will be able to book their Covid-19 vaccine from Friday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced...

... "We can take quite a lot of comfort from the fact that when we look in the details, it does appear that there is very, very good protection in the older ages, where there is virtually everyone double vaccinated.

"The government has clearly announced that they want to vaccinate all adults in the period between now and 19 July...

Here's hoping we can get that done!

Or do we suffer the lockdowns lingering on longer yet?


Stay safe folks!
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Controversial for the abstract selfish arguments for personal 'Freedoms'.

Whereas, this just has to be a very good move for everyone else's freedom not to be put unnecessarily at risk of death:


Everyone working in care homes to be fully vaccinated under new law to protect residents
wrote:

People working in CQC-registered care homes will need to be fully COVID-19 vaccinated with both doses.

At long last and a very good move to save lives from the selfish and ignorant.

Stay safe folks!
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Stay safe folks!
Martin

It is an UNDENIABLE FACT and TRUTH; Some People DIE from VACCINATIONs

Do these Folks have a CHOICE, whether to STAY SAFE or NOT.

Is Dying from a VAX Staying SAFE?

Or is VAX All People a PRICE Some Have to Pay with Their Deaths - So YOU CAN LIVE?

Yep

---

May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

It is an UNDENIABLE FACT and TRUTH; Some People DIE from after VACCINATIONs

True, but even among the ~5,000 deaths after vaccination it is still not clear if the vaccine was the cause in every case. And that's out of 310 million vaccinations.
That's a lot smaller percentage (0.0016% max possible) than the 616,417 deaths from Covid-19 out of a population of 333 million (0.185%), so far.

So. As these People Look Down from Heaven or Up from Hell, they are BEYOND HAPPY they are Stayin' SAFE - since DEATH is ULTIMATE SAFETY FOLKS! Also Happy 'cause they were able to get dA VAX; DIE; and Prevent their 'Possible' transferring CV to Another.

STONE COLD fact and truth: If they Did Not VAX Almost All would still be alive.

Comforting Numbers ; Percentages; Brings No One Back to Life.

Yep

---

May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

It is an UNDENIABLE FACT and TRUTH; Some People DIE from after VACCINATIONs

True, but even among the ~5,000 deaths after vaccination it is still not clear if the vaccine was the cause in every case. And that's out of 310 million vaccinations.
That's a lot smaller percentage (0.0016% max possible) than the 616,417 deaths from Covid-19 out of a population of 333 million (0.185%), so far.

Bunk. 100% of people will die after Vaccination, unless you know about some perpetual lifeform (won't be a human - they all die)

Valid questions are from the Vaccine or from the thing the vaccine is attempting to mollify?

Even though there are reports that this year's death numbers from COVID-19 have already surpassed last year's, that's not quite true as China's numbers arn't included in those numbers just for starters, but it will happen in the next few of days. :-O

It happened today, but 1 must wonder where some get their figures from as they got in far too early for that milestone while a lot are just reporting the U.S. having just passed 600,000 deaths yet that number was passed over a month ago as that horrific tally is now up to 616,440. :-(

Anyhow by the end of the last reporting period the world's case tally had passed 178.1million while deaths now exceed 3,857,500. :-(

There were 2 changes at the top end of the death list with Bolivia displacing Egypt from 33rd place and Russia passed both Italy as well as the U.K. to reclaim 6th spot back while down the other end Botswana has pushed Australia down to 107th.

The changes to the case list since my last update were Liberia nudging New Zealand out of 180th place, Eritrea passed Chad to become the 171st member of the 5K+ club and then went by San Marino, Burundi and Saint Lucia to take over 168th while Vietnam took flight over South Sudan and Lesotho claiming enough frequent flyer points to enter the 11K+ club then continued past Aruba, Djibouti and Hong Kong gaining enough points to become the 153rd member of the 12K+ club as Taiwan passed Belize to become the 147th member of the 13K+ club then passing Tajikistan (who hasn't put in any numbers for over 5 months while all its neighbours are having a bad time, more communist dictatorship censorship?) and Burkina Faso to move into 145th and the Seychelles also leapt Tajikistan, Burkina Faso, Togo and Andorra to land in 142nd spot.

Haiti jumped over Guadeloupe and P.N.G. into 137th spot, Suriname performed a long jump over Guyana, Eswatini and French Polynesia to claim 133rd as the D.R.C. replaced Sudan in 118th, Cambodia became the 116th member of the 40K+ club while Uganda and Botswana both shot past Singapore into 108th and 109th respectively, the Maldives dived past Luxembourg into 105th and Mongolia became the 101st member of the 80K+ club then promptly replaced Cameroon in 100th spot as they now chase down China.

Afghanistan jumped over Finland and Ghana into 96th place, Montenegro finally decided to become the 95th member of the 100K+ club while Thailand displaced Bosnia/Herzegovina from 78th, Sri Lanka swept Armenia out of 75th as Venezuela jumped over both Moldova and Slovenia to claim 70th, Egypt passed Ethiopia before Guatemala passed them both to take over 65th and the Dominican Republic took 61st spot from Palestine.

Paraguay became the 51st country to enter the 400K+ clubhouse as Bolivia removed Belarus from 48th place while the U.A.E. became the 41st member of the 600K+ club and Bangladesh replaced Israel in 31st.

Now I must ask, WTF is Sweden doing? Did they break their reporting system again or can't they find someone who can count? Or is there a cover up in progress? (I've been putting off this update waiting for their numbers to come in, but I couldn't wait any longer)

Meanwhile here down under the Victorian outbreak has passed 100, but they've given up supplying the actual number now, though greater Melbourne residents are now allowed to roam about their state while in Sydney a flight crew driver is under investigation after he contracted the virus infecting his wife and they both travelled around Sydney's inner southern and most of the eastern suburbs while infectious causing at least 2 other locally acquired cases so far. :-(

[edit] Just in is news that the couple that escaped Victoria's lockdown to illegally travel through N.S.W. to illegally enter Queensland have been both fined $4003 each by Queensland authorities (they then have the cost of quarantine on top of that). Both could still face fines from N.S.W. authorities as yet.

Well that does it for this update, be safe and keep your distance.

I find that I'm just astounded by the stupidity of Victorians and their lack of understanding what "lockdown" means.

Victoria Police say 25,000 fines for breaches of virus restrictions unpaid.

Three quarters of Victorians issued fines for breaching the state’s tough Covid-19 rules are still yet to pay, police have revealed.

New crime figures from the Crime Statistics Agency showed 37,939 fines were handed out over the past 12 months for breaches of the chief health officer’s directions up to the end of March this year.

But Victoria Police deputy commissioner Rick Nugent said only 25 per cent of the fines had been paid to date.

At a minimum amount of $1652, that equates to more than $41m in unpaid penalties.

Another 2000 fines were reviewed by police and withdrawn, while another 2000 people elected to have their matter heard and determined by a court.

“We understand about 25,000 have defaulted to Fines Victoria that have not been paid,” Mr Nugent said.

And then there's this Victorian covidiot that was also caught up with in Queensland where he should've known that he wasn't suppose to be there to start with.

Man injured while attempting to flee hotel quarantine by jumping from balcony in Cairns.

A Victorian man has suffered leg injuries while trying to escape hotel quarantine after he plunged from the balcony of a facility in Queensland.

The 29-year-old attempted to flee the site in Cairns about 11am on Friday, having only been shipped into the facility earlier in the morning, police told NCA NewsWire.

It was alleged the interstate traveller attempted to scale the outside of the undisclosed hotel before tumbling from the building.

The state’s chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, said the man was transported to the Cairns Hospital with minor leg injuries.

“Apparently a gentleman did try to climb out of the balcony that they were on and then fell,” she said.

“He was taken to the Cairns Base Hospital and I understand he does have some injuries.”

He'll certainly be a lot poorer from his actions as well.