Hope Gets Through It.

[royfromaus]

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-captain-sir-tom-moore-in-hospital-with-coronavirus-12204729

[sunny-dave]

Firstly (and unequivocally) I hope that Captain Tom Moore is soon out of hospital and on the way to recovery and vaccination.

I am, though, very disappointed by his family jetting off to the sun during some of the darkest days of the pandemic. Regardless of the precise legality of the trip, it is bound to have given a (possibly spurious) validation to so many other people indulging in the widespread cult of 'just how far can I bend these rules'.

As a public figure, and the family of such a figure, there is more to consider than simply whether the trip is legal (or indeed advisable for a 100 year old) - the effect on the behaviour and morale of others needs to be considered.

[Sunk]

Sadly, Captain Toms probably didn’t contract Covid in Barbados, but while he was in his local hospital for something else.
He swapped climates, came home, got Pneumonia and ended up in hospital. Then got Covid. Maybe a better survival strategy would have to stay in Barbados till the pandemic was over.

[Ellipsis]

Gness, your issue isn't so much with him as with the UK Government for allowing people some freedom in December. It's hardly surprising that he took BA and Barbados up on their offers to fund his trip. And I'm not sure of the timeline, but it would seem that his trip did not lead to his Covid.

But I fear his final service to the nation will be to demonstrate the reality and indignity of a Covid death.

[gness]

You really are missing the point, Sunk.
It's shades of grey like yours and 237's that are doing the damage.

Ellipsis. Whatever my thoughts on the UK government I expect people to think for themselves.
It isn't difficult by now to see what you should or shouldn't do, without having to be told by a government which has shown confusion from the start.

[Ellipsis]

He is in hospital with Covid and pneumonia. I would prefer to focus on that than the holiday he had last month, which is probably unrelated.

[Sunk]

gness

No shades of grey from me, and I am not missing the point. You are.
- He was entitled to go on holiday and broke no rules.
- He contracted Covid when he returned, in hospital.

We don’t know were he got pneumonia but it is more likely he got it in Bedfordshire in the middle of winter than on a tropical island.

Incessant Tut Tutting at anyone daring to try and live a normal life within the rules is what is killing the morale of the country.

[douglas9401]

Oh aye, he got sick from being a saint playing by the rules rather than splashing some of that cynically gotten cash.

Behave yourselves.

[anneasquith]

Sunk. ‘ daring to have a normal life’ . That’s the issue, I don’t for one second think we can live a normal life. I know I haven’t for nearly a year .

[Hopkirk]

If I was a hundred years old and someone offered me free tickets to go to Barbados, I'd be there like a shot (even if it killed me).

[Ken4155]

Wasn't the number one hit a charity collaboration with Tom, Michael Ball and an NHS choir?
The odds would appear to be against him, but, like many others, i wish him a speedy recovery.

[gness]

We’ll have to agree to disagree on what folk should do for the best.
For mine living in the UK I wish people would but sadly that’s not happening. I see that in the news and on AB.
That’s not to say we don’t have have the same selfish folk here. Mostly in Dublin.

[alavahalf]

Seen him recently and he looked okay to me ..
https://youtu.be/qMglBwfhsN4

[Peter Pedant]

girls ! boys !

stop sniping at each other - I hope the old boy gets better.

as for finger pointing - I hope the old fella gets better

[douglas9401]

Fair enough, Pedro, but let's hope the venerable walkin' dude hasn't breathed on anyone since he got home.

[Hopkirk]

Douglas, it sounds like he caught it in hospital.

[sanmac]

Take a look at the people gathering in New Orleans. Even though Mardi Gras has been "officially" cancelled, they'll be gathering in large numbers for about two weeks prior to the actual date of the celebration. It gets busier as the night wears on. I don't see too many masks being worn: https://www.earthcam.com/usa/louisiana/neworleans/bourbonstreet/?cam=catsmeow2

[Sunk]

Anneasquith,
I wrote...
// live a normal life within the rules //

That is to do what the guidance allows, not live like a hermit for 12 months.

[Sunk]

sanmac

Just watched and I saw 50% wearing masks.
Don’t know what the rule is in New Orleans, but wearing a mask outdoors is not compulsory in the UK, so hardly anyone does.

[douglas9401]

If you're gonna be a saint, be a saint, otherwise hand it all back and move on.

[ladybirder]

Sunk he wasn't in hospital until today. He had been nursed at home with pneumonia after he came back from his holiday. He has now got covid and pneumonia hence his difficulty breathing so off to hospital today.
He didn't catch it in hospital Hopkirk he only went in today.