UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

[Hogweed]

Re: UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

I am somewhat concerned that my last post was edited with the reason "not on FT thanks". The information removed was I believe accurate, not offensive and highly relevant - the UK has four more of these events to come in the next month. The sentence removed could easily have been published in a UK newspaper. For the record I was only making an observation - I have actually attended many festivals including that event in the past - and enjoyed myself I might add. But we really can't sweep what might be a highly significant fact under the carpet.

Why was it censored?

 

[Road_Hog]

Re: UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

I am somewhat concerned that my last post was edited with the reason "not on FT thanks". The information removed was I believe accurate, not offensive and highly relevant - the UK has four more of these events to come in the next month. The sentence removed could easily have been published in a UK newspaper. For the record I was only making an observation - I have actually attended many festivals including that event in the past - and enjoyed myself I might add. But we really can't sweep what might be a highly significant fact under the carpet.

Why was it censored?

I must concur with you. I replied to your post, thanking you for you jocular manner and also noting that we had a local event (dance/rave - 55,000 people) just down the road this weekend and that this may have also created more cases of swine flu and that this post was deleted.

Censorship is not good and it concerns me that FT is doing the same as some of our governments do. If it was untrue or libelous I could understand it, but it wasn't.

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

Mass gatherings are not desirable in an infectious disease situation.

Neither is a bash of festival attendees.

If persons are uncomfortable with our no bashing policies they are invited to participate elsewhere.

 

[Hogweed]

Re: UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

Mass gatherings are not desirable in an infectious disease situation.

Neither is a bash of festival attendees.

If persons are uncomfortable with our no bashing policies they are invited to participate elsewhere.

My comment was not in the slightest intended to "bash" festival attendees. However FT appears to be happy to "bash" me by implication with that response.

However I'll take it as a genuine misunderstanding of my attempt at a humorous comparison of the official hygiene policy and the stark reality.

 

[ming]

Re: UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

Does anybody else think, like me, that we are just playing silly bu**ers with this? That we/they/whoever should have got organized a lot faster and have either banned all huge public gatherings, or else stated "ok its your risk, come if you like but you'll all be quarantined here for ten days"....
But to keep all these festivals going and then say they will eject obvious sufferers & distribute hand gel etc is just silly ?

 

[Hogweed]

Re: UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

Does anybody else think, like me, that we are just playing silly bu**ers with this? That we/they/whoever should have got organized a lot faster and have either banned all huge public gatherings, or else stated "ok its your risk, come if you like but you'll all be quarantined here for ten days"....
But to keep all these festivals going and then say they will eject obvious sufferers & distribute hand gel etc is just silly ?

Well the very large events coming up are

Month of August - Edinburgh Festivals (International, Fringe, Jazz, Books, TV etc. etc...)

22-23rd August V Festivals Chelmsford
22-23rd August V Festivals Staffordshire

28-30th August Reading Festival
28-30th August Leeds Festival

+ Lots of smaller festivals throughout.


Now the Edinburgh Festival Fringe alone is the word's biggest arts festival.even without adding in the others.
From Wikipedia

"By way of scale, Fringe 2008 sold 1,535,519 tickets for 31,320 performances of 2,088 shows in 247 venues, over 23 days,[1] for an average of over 66,000 admissions and 1,000 performances per day. There were an estimated 18,792 performers, from 46 countries."

Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world come to Edinburgh in August and most of the performances take place indoors.

In the midst of all this the Scottish schools will go back followed a few weeks later by those in the rest of the UK.

Story in this week's NME (UK music magazine and story only seems to be in print edition) says that scheduled festivals will definitely not be cancelled as the government has effectively said that all events should go ahead as planned. I just hope they actually have some solid evidence that going ahead with all these events is a good idea. Although I can just imagine the outcry if they were banned now. And I can also imagine Gordon Brown (UK PM) would rather chuck himself off a high building than shut down the Edinburgh Festival in particular.

 

[ming]

Re: UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

My son lives in Edinburgh and there's no way I'm going to visit him during the festival. He's on his own !

 

[Hogweed]

Re: UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

My son lives in Edinburgh and there's no way I'm going to visit him during the festival. He's on his own !

You'll be delighted to note that Lothian and Borders Police have made arrangements to handle a major swine flu outbreak at the festival. No they are not going to shut it down - they're just going to borrow more officers from neighbouring forces.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8159282.stm
<blockquote>
Police in swine flu festival plan

Lothian and Borders Police has made contingency plans in case there is a swine flu outbreak among staff during the Edinburgh Festival.

Assistant Chief Constable Mike McCormick said he had spoken with neighbouring forces about "borrowing" officers if his staff got the virus.

He told BBC Scotland news website he would use non-operational officers at the festival if there was an outbreak.

He said there would be an increased police presence during August.

Plain-clothed

ACC McCormick said: "We have considered the implications for us if there was a large swine flu outbreak amongst our staff during a big event such as the festival.

"We would have to borrow staff from other areas such as Fife Constabulary and Central Scotland Police as well as use our non-operational officers who, for example, work in training.

"There is also every indication the city will be busier than ever before at this year's festival. The weak pound is making us more attractive to tourists and our hotels have even more bookings.

"Therefore we have an increased police presence this year for the festival.

"We have tried to think of everything we can that could go wrong to put plans in place but everyone needs to be vigilant, if they see anyone acting oddly or suspiciously we want to know."

He also added that they are making sure there is no debris that people can use as missiles from tram work areas in the city.

He will also have "spotters", which are plain-clothed police officers, in crowds at the festival, who will report back to the control room.
</blockquote>

 

[ming]

Re: UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

He will also have "spotters", which are plain-clothed police officers, in crowds at the festival, who will report back to the control room.
***************
Run in and arrest anybody who sneezes probly !

 

[Hogweed]

Re: UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

Run in and arrest anybody who sneezes probly !

In the spirit of "Not the 9 O'Clock News"

"Sneezing in an offensive manner"
"In possession of an illegal body temperature"
"Coughing without due care and attention"


I also liked the request for members of the public to report anyone acting oddly. Made me wonder if he had ever actually been to the Edinburgh Festival!

 

[ming]

Re: UK - Swine flu cases where you live - Swine flu rates across England and Wales

you'd have to try REALLY hard to look odd , aye !