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Adults who use 'inexperience' as the reason for the language they use are not even beginning to understand the issue with the language. What the OP means is that they regret the language used because of the backlash, not because they understand why using it was inappropriate. So nothing learned whatsoever.

They have to offer a refund on faulty goods. Can't see why that wouldn't extend to foodstuff. https://www.money.co.uk/guides/your-refund-rights-explained.htm#when-should-you-rely-on-the-manufacturer-s-warranty

Let's not beat around the bush here. A complaint about a noisy child (warranted or not) was embellished by both the nationality of the parents AND that they were tenants. If the parents had been English freeholders, would that have even been mentioned? Everyone can draw their own conclusions there.

Yes, I agree on how misleading terminology has caused confusion. Medical practitioners spend every day explaining what is often complex science, in simpler terms to help patients understand what is happening to them. Government however, has no such skill. Plus, their considerations go beyond solely what is happening epidemiologically, and they often assume the public are too stupid to understand complex science. That is a whole other thread though :D But to answer your question specifically. You can see from the FOI replies that you link to, that there is a big drop off in positives at the 40-45 cycle point. So the logic there is, that is the number of cycles needed to catch everyone with any trace of SARS cov 2. It is a matter of being thorough, and taking no risks, over any notion of flawed science. And that is not to undermine the other valid point you make about people's livelihoods and wellbeing. Those things are serious issues too. That unfortunately has no answer in a pandemic. There is more government could do to take care of people through that, but again, subject for a different thread.

Robbie, here are some points for you to consider..... First of all, people who are so ill they die are not returning 'false positive' test results. There are several ways to test patients for the virus, and trust me when I say that a person who is in an ICU is not returning a 'false positive'. Why? Because by that point, the viral load is so high that it is undeniable as covid, or any other virus or bacteria in play. One of the most offensive ideas out there has been doubt cast on the numbers of hospital deaths. So let's not repeat that here. Now, have another think about what you are arguing. 'False positives' do not increase spread of the virus or the numbers of people ending up in hospital. If you believe in the existence of prevalent 'false positives', then that should also tell you that this virus is in fact, more deadly than you think, making the argument for more testing and isolating, not less. On PCR tests, the number of cycles isn't the reason for false positives. To be clear, there is no such thing as a false positive (and I will come back to that). Once the machine finds a trace of SARS cov 2, it stops and beeps. That means most positive results are identified before they get anywhere near 40 cycles. So this comes down to a question of viral load. If your positive test results from a trace detection, then how contagious are you in reality? In other words, every positive result finds a trace of SARS cov 2 RNA (ie no such thing as a false positive), but that trace can be detected in the first cycle as easily as it can be in the 40th. So at present, the policy is to er on the side of caution, when it comes to any person showing traces of the virus. And the number of cycles just makes sure that every person carrying any trace of the virus can be found. New surges have come after releasing lockdown restrictions. The virus has already mutated in a more infectious form. That could only happen while the virus is still spreading. What if it mutates into a form that starts making younger people seriously ill (as seems to be the case with the new variant in Brazil)? I would worry less about false positives but the surge that is now testing the NHS to its limits. Any idea that life can return to normal, if only we don't count low RNA counts, is naive. That ship sailed some time ago. Look to Taiwan if you want to see what needed to happen to avoid a lockdown. We never did any of it.

Trump may be out of office but the legacy remains. There is a lot of work for America to do if those divisions are ever going to narrow. I watched the inauguration after show with some discomfort if I am honest. Celebrity after celebrity, most of them wealthy beyond their wildest dreams and thought, just what is going to change here? The problem is the notion of elitism and Biden is never going to reach those millions who bought into Trump in that way. The radical thing to do would have been an after show led by ordinary people, something that at least tried to represent ordinary America. And that really is the question isn't it? Trump may have been part of that elite, and indeed the swamp itself, but he at least raised the question of draining it. Public consciousness has changed. Virtual signalling from wealthy elites isn't going to work anymore.

alice Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Once you use the word snowflake you lose > credibility and sympathy. Agreed. This is a tricky situation and I think you need to be careful here. Some children are difficult to get into the right routine and there can often be very good reasons for that, such as undiagnosed ADHD or other conditions that do not become apparent until a bit older. The Parents may also be dealing with stress of their own. I doubt any magistrate would evict a tenant because their toddler doesn't go to bed at 7, so unless you are expecting the landlord to issue a threat of eviction, not sure what the point of going to their landlord would be. I personally wouldn't do it over a toddler. Conversions are also notorious for poor sound barriers between dwellings, as you rightly acknowledge. In normal times, the parents could seek professional help in getting their toddler into a routine if possible etc, but we are not in normal times, we are in the middle of a pandemic. You are also assuming they haven't already tried many things, and it sounds to me as though they were being honest with you over being difficult.

Seabag Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Singapore > > Yet nobody here seems keen to follow No hope of emulating any of those countries when so many people can be bothered to wear a mask even for the short amount of time they spent in a shop or on a bus.

TheCat Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > So...hypothetically...if everyone over the age of 70 was banned from setting foot outside of their home, and the rest of the population went about their lives with absolutely no restrictions...I'd hazard a guess that the death rate would plummet. Surely one can argue that this is a change in restrictions which would be of benefit to public health? Now clearly thats not paritucularly practical or realistic, but its an example to make the point - I don't accept the premise that any change to 'lockdown' means we also must expect that it will have overall negative consequences. > Hence the desire for discussion. You make the same mistake as everyone else in neglecting the fact that many more people fill hospitals because they are too sick to recover without specialist help. Many of those people are in other ages groups. In fact, the bigger age group in hospital with covid at the moment are those in the 30s and 40's. And that is the problem with this debate. Covid is far more complex than people over 70 dying. Letting the virus spread freely, even excluding the over 70's, means tens of millions of people suddenly becoming infected. Even a tiny fraction of that needing hospital care would overwhelm the NHS.

TheCat, odd that you should use racism to counter a point made about Q Anon and Pandemic hoax theories. Racism exists. Q Anon and Hoax theories are fantasy. So not a good analogy.

Useful links Ianr. The expectation at present is that around 70 percent of those offered the vaccine will take it. Another 20 percent are expected to follow once they see the vaccine is safe over the longer term. So even is the end result is 80 percent vaccinated for example, that would be a good result, especially if the take up is near 100 percent in vulnerable groups. Beyond that, it is a question of lasting efficacy and whether or not the virus significantly mutates.

Social media ceased to be a go to place for sensible nuanced debate some time ago. JHB currently has the morning slot on Talk Radio, the radio equivalent of Fox News. It is all very well arguing for freedom of speech and wishing for sensible nuanced debate, but the truth is that mainstream media has fallen into the trap of reflecting the shock jock style of commercial tabloids and social media, as it fights ever more competition for viewers/ readers. Hysteria and outrage sells. Nuanced sensible debate doesn't because it can't cut through lowest common denominator tripe that plays on people's emotions over intellect. That shift is precisely what elevated people like Farage and other rabble rousers into the mainstream People who deliberately shift the lines between propaganda and truth. The cost is increasing numbers of people being sucked into cult like belief systems, like Q Anon, and Pandemic hoax theories. That is exactly why you end up with a President who convinces tens of millions of people (including some of his own senators) into believing an election was stolen. The consequences of that don't need spelling out. On covid, any alternate that lessens restrictions is going to mean more infection and ultimately more people in hospital. JHB has been one of those people willfully neglecting to point that out. So for me, the issue is not in calling for lesser restrictions (or different ones), but the failure to be honest about what that will mean in reality to public health. That is that part that is covid denial.

Fitzgeraldo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If I take my car to drive out of London (say to > Kent) for a walk, does this contravene the > regulations? Yes it does contravene the regulations, and yes, police may well use anpr to catch you. ?200 fine if caught, but it is not about the fine, it is about doing your part by sticking to the rules.

Hi Chocolate. The proof any of the vaccines work is in the three stages of trails these vaccines have gone through before gaining approval. That is not something decided by government, but by the science. And it is an independent body of vaccine experts who decide whether a vaccine is safe and effective enough to authorize, based on the results from those trials. By having the vaccine, your mother's chances of becoming seriously ill if she catches the virus are significantly reduced. Only if she has underlying conditions, particularly around the immune system, or previous allergic reactions to vaccines, is there a potential need for caution, but she and/or you can have a chat with your doctor for some reassurance if that helps. Any problems so far have been in a tiny number of people and well within the accepted levels of adverse reactions found with other widely used vaccines. So lots to be hopeful about here.

The Q Anon rabbit hole is a joy to behold. There is a branch that believe that Trump will command the army to stop the inauguration too and that everything so far is all just part of the plan. They are heavily into symbols just like every cult though. Everything is a sign of something.

But this is what Brexit was really about, tearing down employment protections, environmental protections and all the other things that impact on even more profit for business. They denied they would do any of that at the time of course, and those who warned they would were called project fear. People have always been free to opt out of the 48 week rule if they want to, so the only reason for taking this away, would be to remove the protection of employees who use it.

There are plans to do some works on Peckham Rye Park to ease drainage.

Parking enforcement and the fine system that comes with it is a scam. Someone can go from not paying a ?40 PCN to literally owing thousands and losing their vehicle to bailiffs. How can that be right when more serious infractions, like driving with no insurance, have fines capped?

Agree Keano. Last minute rule changes added fuel to Trump's already burning fire.

There are some things coming out from the FBI investigation that at the very least suggest premeditated plans from the more military minded Trump fanatics. But that does not get Trump off the hook. He has been ramping this up ever since that first mention of electoral fraud, which it has to be pointed out, began BEFORE the election day itself. Right from the off, Trump was attacking postal ballots as a legitimate form of voting. If enough Republicans vote to impeach in the Senate, it will be as much about reclaiming their party as it is from stopping Trump ever running again. The threats have already started against those brave enough to do it - from the very same Trump fanatics that are exonerating Trump from an culpability. What a mess of a party.

And shooting a commercial no less. BUT government have not closed down all but essential businesses this time, as they did in March.

lol, some good ripostes above. I noticed today that household goods made in Europe are not restocking in many stores and that has to be down to import problems or delays.

10 republicans voted for impeachment. There is a real chance now that the Senate will convict as well.

The AZ vaccine is also a two shot vaccine given 12 weeks apart. The size of the first dose came into question after a small number of people in the trial were given half doses and appeared to show higher efficacy. However more study is needed with a bigger sample to corroborate that and understand why.

To be fair, both groups are prioritised as part of the phase 1 rollout. In reality, who gets vaccinated first, will be down to local factors, availability of vaccine, location of population etc. Everyone over fifty and all front line workers should have been offered a vaccine by spring, with second shots being completely by early Summer.