It was announced today that the UK's final reopening step in removing the last remaining restrictions, scheduled for June 21st, will most likely be delayed for "up to" (read: at least) another four weeks. The latest excuse is that the supposedly much worse Indian Delta variant of the virus is spreading like wildfire in the UK. Yes, "cases" (i.e. positive tests) are up per the official numbers, but I think we have all seen this movie before, and it's never ended well:
Come on, Boris, stop being such a wee-willy wanker and grow a pair already! What happened to that fun-loving libertarian you once were just 15 months ago? And ask yourself, if the Delta variant is so much more contagious, why isn't it spreading like wildfire in the many other countries in which it has been detected for as long as the UK, including, but not limited to, the USA? Don't think too hard, though--you don't wanna fry the few brain cells you still have left, buddy.
(OK, granted there is Nepal, but they are an outlier.)
Look, practically all of the vulnerable members of society are either 1) fully vaccinated or 2) chose not to get the vaccine. In fact, the UK has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, as does the USA (who the UK just caught up to recently). Fully 80% of British adults (70% in Scotland) have measurable levels of antibodies, from vaccination, previous infections, or both. If that is not herd immunity, I really don't know what is. Besides, we know the virus is sharply seasonal, and it is now out of season. So the odds of the NHS being overwhelmed this summer are practically zero. Hospitalizations are still largely flat despite the rise in "cases", and though up slightly in some places they are are still nowhere near the first or second wave levels. And deaths are still not budging. Thus, COVID-19 has been reduced to a mere nuisance, and mass testing has created a "casedemic".
Even if there were no vaccines, or for those for whom the vaccine may be a dud, we nonetheless have treatments that work (Ivermectin, Budesonide, etc.). If only the government would allow them, of course.
(Shhhh! Don't be too loud about Niacin and NAC! Now THAT would be the ultimate game-changer! And Vitamin C, D, zinc, and an ionophore like Quercetin.)
We know now that lockdowns and NPIs are worse than useless, and at best you will only push the virus into the fall and winter where when know it is far worse. Thus, a "safe spread summer" is just what the doctor ordered, even if the vaccines were somehow useless against the new variants (which is not true). And masks? Well, maybe chain-link fences are the best defense against mosquitoes, right? Riiiiight.
Meanwhile, the USA is largely full steam ahead with reopening and unmasking, many states already did months ago, and we are doing fine over here. Cases, deaths, and hospitalizations are still falling. Perhaps us "septic tanks" (Yanks) really do have the right idea now after all? I think we all know the answer.
So how about it, Boris? Time to send the SAGE bedwetters packing and open up 100% yesterday!
UPDATE: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced officially that he will be delaying the final reopening step by "four crucial weeks" until July 19th, while leaving open the possibility of delaying it even longer still in the event of a "far more dangerous variant". He dangles the carrot of it possibly being shortened to only a two week delay until July 5th (riiiiight!), and also gives the consolation of the 30 person cap on weddings being lifted on June 21st. But I really wouldn't bet on a full lifting of restrictions anytime soon in Britain, unless of course there are massive and relentless protests along with some very conspicuous civil disobedience there no later than the next week or two. But of course, under the current regime, that would technically be illegal (wink wink).
Oh, and by the way, if you really read between the lines you will see that COVID is actually becoming......milder. That is, it is becoming more cold-like in terms of symptoms and significantly less likely to result in hospitalization or death compared to older strains. And yes, that is the supposedly much worse Delta variant we are talking about, that is now dominant in the UK and will likely eventually become dominant worldwide. As for being somewhat more contagious, that is most likely true, but remember it only needs to be very slightly more contagious to edge out the competition and become dominant, and estimates of it being 60% more contagious than the Alpha strain are most likely grossly exaggerated. In a nutshell, the pandemic is over, attenuation of the virus is occurring along with herd immunity, and endemic COVID is now essentially becoming the new common cold in more and more places, following in the footsteps of the four other endemic common-cold coronaviruses (at least one of which, OC43, most likely started out as a pandemic as well). The fact that this overall good news is being ignored by the mainstream media and government really speaks volumes as to their real agenda of fearmongering, power, and control. Meanwhile, the USA is already several steps ahead of the UK on the road to true normalcy, and in practice is mostly already there now.
Indeed, it seems that the Delta variant's symptoms for most people are practically identical to hay fever and the common cold, with perhaps a mild hangover thrown in for good measure. That is, headache, sore throat, runny nose, and/or generally feeling a little bit "off" are reportedly far more common than the classic fever, cough, loss of smell/taste, or shortness of breath that are common with previous strains of the virus.
UPDATE 2: On June 26th, the March For Freedom had an excellent turnout. And with Matt Hancock resigning in disgrace for his scandalous hypocrisy in flouting his own rules, thus following in the footsteps of the disgraced Neil "Professor Pantsdown" Ferguson, the regime does not seem to be winning anymore.
UPDATE 3: Looks like Delta is already dominant in much of the USA as of July 1, yet overall cases are still not exploding, deaths continue to fall, and hospitalizations remain quite low. Soon it will be dominant worldwide (if it isn't already), but since the best evidence suggests that it is LESS deadly/nasty than previous strains, that is again actually a blessing in disguise on balance. Behold, the soon-to-be new common cold. And you know that Delta is already old news now, as the fearmongers are already talking about the Peruvian Lambda variant now.
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