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The HfP chat thread – Monday 21st June

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Comments (470)

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

  • Mark says:
    21 Jun21 June 07:38

    Let’s all be honest, if the government really are guided by the science and data anyone who’s been double jabbed should be allowed to get on with their lives.

    • Yuff says:
      21 Jun21 June 07:42

      When will people realise the science and data is being spun to suit an agenda.
      The facts are 6 people died of covid yesterday, 75m doses of vaccine have been given to protect people, how many peoples mental health is affected by the ongoing BS of restrictions everywhere.
      I’ll hazard a guess it’s more than 6 people
      What more data do you need🤷🏻‍♂️

      • The Original Nick says:
        21 Jun21 June 07:45

        I totally agree with you Yuff!

      • Callum says:
        21 Jun21 June 07:54

        You mean exactly like you do day-in day-out?

        Given fully vaccinated people are still contracting and spreading the virus, and cases are irrefutably rising significantly, your decision to use one isolated statistic to suit your agenda is no different to the hysterics some people have towards the virus (me presumably being in that category in your mind!).

        I’m not claiming it’s going to get anywhere near as bad as it was, but people like yourself were also ranting about how everything should be normal again because there are “only a handful of deaths” last year and look what happened…

        • Mark says:
          21 Jun21 June 08:02

          They aren’t dying though are they Callum?
          6 deaths yesterday!
          Why? Beacuse the vaccines are doing the thing they were designed to do.
          People die of the flu every day, are you worried about dying from that?
          If you’re not then YES you are being hysterical, statistically you now have a similar chance of dying from flu as covid.

          • Super Secret Stuff says:
            21 Jun21 June 08:47

            In England, deaths from Flu in 2019 were 1,160, so approx 3.2 per day. Covid is double that and frequently completely mucks up your internal organs, permanently. Plus giving Covid the room to mutate so it can circumvent the vaccines or get more transmissible is a really bad idea. As already seen.

            If we push it out later before we do re-open the last few bits of society we significantly reduce all of these risks. Plus it is not fair on younger people who are only just able to get a vaccine and have sacrificed the most, both short and long term from this pandemic.

            What is hard to understand? Or are you just pushing your own agenda? I think the later

          • Callum says:
            21 Jun21 June 09:15

            At the moment, no. Please tell me you’re not one of those moaning about the government being “reactionary” while simultaneously saying the rules should be based on what’s happening today with no regard for tomorrow?

            I’m aware they’re doing the thing they’re designed to do. Do you think that counteracts anything I’ve said?

            No I’m not worried about dying from flu, given its not rampaging through society at breakneck speed. If I was likely to contact it every time I left the house then I suppose I would start worrying about longer term effects. And again, you may do NOW – just like you did just before the last wave – but what about next month if all restrictions are dropped right now?

            The obsession with death is also pretty bizarre. You do know there’s a middle ground between perfect health and death – a lot of it being unpleasant? One anecdote I can give being it’s currently spreading amongst fully vaccinated staff at the A&E I work in, while we are also having our highest ever attendance levels. Can you foresee a slight issue if that continues in line with the rising case levels outside the hospital?

          • The Savage Squirrel says:
            21 Jun21 June 13:27

            Well, observing from within another area of healthcare that constantly works in very close proximity to patients and to other staff yet doesn’t seem to have the same issues, and having experienced the running of hospital environments, a lot of hospital cross-infection compliance and social distancing is bad; in fact shockingly bad; to our eyes. If it’s currently spreading throughout the A&E team then the first measure to consider might be a long hard look at your workplace practices.

        • Freddy says:
          21 Jun21 June 08:02

          If fully vaccinated people are spreading the virus, why are people at no real risk of covid being coerced into getting the jab? Please make up your mind.

          If vaccination is the only way out of this doom and gloom why is there talk of further lockdowns. Questions will need to be asked why the whole of society have taken a jab with no meaningful benefit and who is overwhelming the hospital’s!

          • numpty says:
            21 Jun21 June 08:27

            Nobody is being ‘coerced’. Due to delta variant 18 – 30s are, now, at higher risk of illness from it. What talk of further lockdowns? Lifting of restrictions was delayed 4 weeks, and already talking about lifting it sooner (to be honest most of the remaining ‘restrictions’ have little effect on your daily life). No meaningful benefit of jab? its designed to stop you getting ill, dying, getting long covid.

          • Super Secret Stuff says:
            21 Jun21 June 08:48

            They can contract and spread the virus but it is significantly less likely and also less likely (in theory) to cause long covid

          • TGLoyalty says:
            21 Jun21 June 09:15

            What data do you have suggesting young people are actually at higher risk of end up in hospital with the delta variant?

            Link would be good.

        • numpty says:
          21 Jun21 June 08:21

          +1, in general on COVID I agree with your comments. Fully vaccinated people can contract and spread the virus – and yet the UK gov is now talking about fully vaccinated people not having to isolate if they come into contact with someone else who has covid. The CDC doesn’t require fully vaccinated to quarantine. There remains politics at play, perhaps in part due to the seeming resistance to vaccination passports.

        • Anna says:
          21 Jun21 June 09:13

          Where’s your evidence that vaccinated people are spreading the virus, Callum? Also, is there anyone in hospital with Covid who is under 50, vaccinated, and with no health conditions which would make them vulnerable?

        • David says:
          21 Jun21 June 15:02

          +1 Callum.

        • Lady London says:
          21 Jun21 June 21:41

          +1 Callum

      • Mark says:
        21 Jun21 June 07:54

        I totally agree.

      • C says:
        21 Jun21 June 08:13

        Yuff +1

    • Andrew says:
      21 Jun21 June 07:42

      And once the vast majority of people have had access to both jabs they probably will do that.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      21 Jun21 June 07:52

      So many people have been double jabbed that everyone should be able to get on with their lives.

      • ChasP says:
        21 Jun21 June 08:16

        Apparently “its not British ” to discriminate against those that haven’t had a jab !

        • TGLoyalty says:
          21 Jun21 June 08:34

          Nothing to do with being British.

          If the vast majority of vulnerable have protects themselves and many of the rest have had a jab then hospital admissions will be well down and that’s the one and only reason we have lived with this state of lockdown/restriction for a 16 months.

        • numpty says:
          21 Jun21 June 09:02

          Correct. The EU is getting on with vaccination passports. Did the UK not trial some sort of ID card years ago and it was rejected as a breach of civil rights? I’ve had this chat with relatives abroad and they just dont get what our problem is (vacc passports, ID Cards).

          • Anna says:
            21 Jun21 June 09:15

            Ironically, none of the people on here shouting that they are being discriminated against because they haven’t been vaccinated and demanding that no-one has any freedom until they so, completely ignore the fact that most other countries are offering greater freedoms to vaccinated (and therefore likely to be older) people.

          • Tim says:
            21 Jun21 June 09:24

            Vaccination passports for travel outside the U.K.: yes. An ID card that you have to have in your back pocket whenever you leave your home, or a vaccination passport for that same reason: no. And if you can’t appreciate why, than you’re not politically savvy enough or in tune with the majority of the British population.

          • marcw says:
            21 Jun21 June 09:32

            It’s not a vaccination passport. It’s a document that states whether you’ve been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from the disease (the key part is that all EU countries agreed on the parameters used).

          • TGLoyalty says:
            21 Jun21 June 09:42

            The green pass is vaccine OR negative test and valid for EU citizens only. Basically trying to give people back their right to free movement across EU countries.

            The U.K. is no longer part of that club so the equivalent would be doing something similar for the CTA.

          • ChrisC says:
            21 Jun21 June 10:00

            Yes we did and it was disbanded for political reasons. It was perfectly compatible with human rights legislation.

            Strangely we are issuing various groups of people with what are essentially ID cards – asylum seekers and EU residents with the right to remain here – and that’s perfectly OK.

          • numpty says:
            21 Jun21 June 13:56

            @Tim, thanks for comments, but perhaps you can avoid making personal comments about my political savvy. Indeed i didnt even give an opinion on ID Cards did? I made a comment about other people, in other countries, react on the lack of UK ID cards. I guess you dont get the subtlety.

      • AJA says:
        21 Jun21 June 08:35

        Just under 60% of adults have had both vaccinations while over 81% have had one. But the number of infections from Delta variant are rising. Which is why the 3rd step of BoJo’s lockdown
        easing plan has been delayed one month. Deaths seem not to be rising. This is good news but hospital admissions are rising and based on the statistics it looks like the 19 July date will not be extended.

        https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

        But those double vaccination figures were not that high when the delay was announced. They have ramped up considerably in the last 10 days.
        Sadly the one time the government does appear to be listening to the statistics everyone moans. I suspect that most moaning are not fans of BoJo. He can’t do right for doing wrong. But we still have 40% of the adult population that are not as fully protected as they could be.

        It is obvious that holidays are the least of the government’s concerns. I suspect they are aiming to get the numbers of double vaccinations up to over 85% by the end of July which is when school holidays begin hence the July announcements slowly drip feeding into the media.

        • TGLoyalty says:
          21 Jun21 June 08:43

          The 60% of the population fully jabbed is exactly the population that ended up in hospital in huge numbers with very severe Covid and lots of those over 75 died.

          Hospital admissions are rising but at 1/3 the gradient when compared to a similar number of cases last October. The majority of people going to hospital have less severe Covid and are staying in for far shorter periods.

          People will continue to get very ill and die just like they do of flu and other infectious and non infectious diseases.

      • BJ says:
        21 Jun21 June 08:59

        Agreed, plus this is necessary so that we can understand better how the vaccines program has worked and how best it can be evolved to provide the best possible practicable public health
        protection.

    • Ali says:
      21 Jun21 June 08:39

      Shouldn’t you lot all be at today’s SAGE meeting, not messing about on the Internet?

      • TGLoyalty says:
        21 Jun21 June 08:56

        You’re right stay silent and that was we can look forward to freedom day 2050.

        • TGLoyalty says:
          21 Jun21 June 08:56

          *Way not was.

          • Freddy says:
            21 Jun21 June 09:11

            Come on folks. July 19th we’ve been told is terminus day. So let’s squash that sombero, it’ll be over in 3 weeks, or by Christmas. Vaccination is the only way to protect the vulnerable. Once the over 60’s, 50’s, 30’s, everyone is vaccinated there will be freedom. Vaccination doesn’t prevent spread so we must continue to lockdown but please take have a jab to protect the vulnerable. The vaccination is risk free but for the blood clots that can kill. Please protect the NHS and save lives

          • Stu N says:
            21 Jun21 June 09:47

            Let’s do some simple maths.

            Say the R number for Covid-19 is approx 3, so everyone that catches it will on average spread it to 3 others. To have a stable or shrinking pandemic, R needs to come down below 1, which is a fall of 2/3 or a factor of 0.7. You can achieve this by lockdowns, restrictions on social mixing, natural immunity, vaccines or some combination of the these measures.

            Say we are fully reliant on vaccines and this is 90% effective at stopping transmission, you need 0.7 reduction / 0.9 effectiveness = 81% of population vaccinated. The higher the transmissibility or the lower the effectiveness, the more of the population you need to be inoculated or you need a combination of measures.

            This 4 week delay is simply to enable effects of vaccine to replace effects of limits on social interaction. It probably wouldn’t have been needed had we not seeded ourselves with the Delta variant…

            There are other huge benefits to vaccination – less virus kicking around means less chance for new mutations and so less of those will be concerning. More protection for the immunosuppressed who won’t benefit from vaccination. Etc Etc.

        • Ali says:
          21 Jun21 June 09:59

          I’m not sure anyone from government reads these pages and uses them to inform policy. So speaking out on here won’t be doing much to release you from restrictions. I hope, therefore, that you’ve broken your silence on channels that might make a difference.

      • Sprout says:
        21 Jun21 June 09:34

        +1.
        Getting very tedious scrolling past the same comments day after day.
        @ Rob – any chance you could set up a separate thread for this subject?

        • Definitas says:
          21 Jun21 June 09:40

          +1

        • blenz101 says:
          21 Jun21 June 10:01

          It’s a travel focused website. There is a growing contingent who are withdrawing their consent to what are evidently unnecessary restrictions the government is imposing on our lives. For me personally I object to institutionalised quarantine at an exorbitant cost from countries which pose no risk other than a political one.

          The government spent months drawing up a “traffic light system” to grade countries red, amber or green by risk level and U-turned on it in less than a month.

          A ‘comment is free’ section on a travel website is a completely legitimate place to discuss this. It is THE biggest story in travel now. The industry is literally taking the movement to court over it. It is worth of comment.

          I don’t agree with Callum etc. but I am happy to listen to his view point and concerns. I would rather learn the counter argument that someone calling for all debate to be shut down.

          If you are visiting the chat section of a travel blog on a daily basis and want it a Covid free zone perhaps find a dedicated forum the Falklands or South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands where you can exchange views freely in a world where Covid is not having an impact on travel.

          • Rob says:
            21 Jun21 June 10:16

            I’m guessing a Falklands forum would be full of people asking how they can go there for a Green List holiday …

          • ChrisC says:
            21 Jun21 June 11:30

            I’m all for debate but this is the same ‘debate’ from the same people almost on a daily basis with no new information being provided.

        • Ali says:
          21 Jun21 June 10:01

          You don’t enjoy armchair epidemiology mixed with entitled ranting? What is wrong with you?

          • TGLoyalty says:
            21 Jun21 June 10:12

            What’s actually more tedious is people like you adding nothing to the discussion.

            Even if you don’t like the view it’s worth a discussion. Now you know there’s nothing worth reading on page 2 just Move on to page 3 …

          • HAK says:
            21 Jun21 June 10:25

            Touché!

          • ChrisC says:
            21 Jun21 June 11:31

            TGI – do you inclide yorself in that group of people adding nothing.

            becaue you are one of those posting the same thing endlessly and that adds nothing to the debeate

          • TGLoyalty says:
            21 Jun21 June 11:56

            You’re right no counter argument using data and I haven’t provided a single link or source 👍🏽

          • Doug M says:
            21 Jun21 June 12:00

            Ali. I’m starting to like your posts a lot.

          • David says:
            21 Jun21 June 15:10

            Well said Ali. It’s depressing they seem to have so much time to role out this drivel, but no doubt they get som validation from the same people reinforcing their same views day after day.
            A separate thread would be much appreciated.

        • ChrisC says:
          21 Jun21 June 10:08

          Plus 2!

        • Navara says:
          21 Jun21 June 10:25

          If it was on a dedicated page Rob’s page view revenue would decrease.

        • Will_ says:
          21 Jun21 June 10:31

          +1

          It

    • Steve S says:
      21 Jun21 June 11:52

      Its starting to be relaxed…
      https://news.sky.com/story/covid-news-live-coronavirus-rules-eased-despite-freedom-day-delay-until-19-july-12337263

      • Freddy says:
        21 Jun21 June 16:21

        Only to be reintroduced. Temporary freedom Day?

        “The Prime Minister also said that July 19 was “looking good” for the final stage of reopening, but warned of a “rough winter” to come, as fears grow that restrictions could be reimposed later in the year.”

  • SteveJ says:
    21 Jun21 June 07:44

    Shop Small.

    Made two transactions at two separate participating outlets on Saturday, meither are in pending state. For one the £5 credit has shown immediately, but not the other.

    Should I be contacting Amex already, or can it take a few days?

    • Number9 says:
      21 Jun21 June 07:46

      It can take a few days, I had a £5 credit today for an online purchase. I was surprised thought it was in store only.

    • Andrew says:
      21 Jun21 June 07:47

      Amex generally won’t discuss issues with Shop Small credits anymore, so if the credit doesn’t show up, you’re not getting it. But it can’t take a few days so may well credit through by mid-week.

      • Jpa says:
        21 Jun21 June 08:34

        I managed to get manual credits for the last two shops smalls without much issue. Usually you will have to wait a few weeks to chase it up though.

        • Rui N. says:
          21 Jun21 June 08:55

          Yeah, I also got 2 credits that hadn’t posted. This was done easily via chat – in my case it was because the restaurant had an online ordering system that Amex didn’t recognise as shop small, but after checking that the retailer was on the map they gave me the 2×£5 without questioning.

    • SteveJ says:
      21 Jun21 June 08:05

      Thanks both. Was planning to head back to that same store with some other Amexs over the next few days, hence the eagerness to know whether it’ll track!

  • Andy says:
    21 Jun21 June 07:51

    Interesting check in at the Holiday Inn Express London Excel last night. Check in agent explained that as part of an ‘IHG trial’, welcome points or a drink will no longer be offered. However this morning the points posted anyway. Interested to know how widespread this trial is? Hopefully will still get points for the stay! The bar was open normally in the hotel.

    • BP says:
      21 Jun21 June 09:27

      Was there anything given in place of the points/drink?

      • Andy says:
        21 Jun21 June 09:57

        There was the offer of a late check out on the last day of the stay. Not sure how long as I need to be out early so didn’t take it up.

    • Andrew says:
      21 Jun21 June 09:32

      Perhaps a misunderstanding?

      “Welcome points or a drink will no longer be offered.” Could also suggest that the choice has been withdrawn, and you’re just getting Welcome points.

      • Chrisasaurus says:
        21 Jun21 June 20:08

        Indeed – otherwise what the hell sort of trial is that!

    • MW says:
      21 Jun21 June 09:57

      I was staying in a HIE outside London on Sat night and was not offered either (my Platinum Elite status was acknowledged).

      When I asked for the drinks voucher, it was given to me. Points posted anyway. Another cost saving measure?

      • Peter K says:
        21 Jun21 June 10:17

        A friend of mine went to a HI earlier this month as a platinum. They were asked “would you like the points for being platinum?……(massive pause)….or the drink voucher?”

      • Mike says:
        21 Jun21 June 13:04

        MW – I hope they tugged their forelock, or at least stood up when they realized you were a “Platinum Elite” and that you have no complaints about them looking you in the eye

  • Craig says:
    21 Jun21 June 08:01

    Hit 55 nights for Spire renewal with IHG, no additional 25k points after the ones that were awarded for automatic extension a few weeks ago.

    • Andrew says:
      21 Jun21 June 08:08

      Thanks for the heads up, won’t bother chasing it then.

    • Anna says:
      21 Jun21 June 09:06

      I chased this up and got the extra points. I said that the “goodwill” gesture of awarding the earlier points was utterly meaningless if they were then going to take them away with the other hand, as it were, and they conceded that this was true.

      • Craig says:
        21 Jun21 June 09:07

        Interesting Anna thanks. I’ll give it a go and report back?

      • Reney says:
        21 Jun21 June 09:11

        I emailed them and no response, not sure if I used the right address.

        • Anna says:
          21 Jun21 June 09:17

          I used the Ambassador email address. Reponses are considerably slower than the 12 hours promised by the auto reply but do arrive eventually.

  • graham says:
    21 Jun21 June 08:31

    If I use my Amex Nectar card at sainsburys do i have to scan my loyalty card as well or is it automatically picked up ?

  • Blair says:
    21 Jun21 June 08:49

    Amex Melia offer. Offer details and smallprint terms say expires 31/08 but I’ve had an email today telling me I have 9 days left to use it. Same in the offers list in the app. Anyone else seeing this? I’m inclined to screenshot the offer terms and request it be reinstated if it disappears on 01 July

    • Andrew says:
      21 Jun21 June 09:37

      Always happens when they extend an offer from its original expiry date, the emails seem to still be timed to the original expiry date.

  • AndyS says:
    21 Jun21 June 08:53

    I’ve received a replacement curve card as current one expiring soon. It’s a completely new card number and says Commercial on the back. I’ve read stuff about the difference to merchants on the interchange rates but will it cause me any problems as I am mainly use it for personal sending?

    • Memesweeper says:
      21 Jun21 June 08:58

      Makes no difference for day-to-day spending. will make a difference at HMRC I think.

  • Mikeact says:
    21 Jun21 June 08:53

    AwardWallet.
    I guess there are a number of AwardWallet users on here. I’ve run into a ridiculous problem and are waiting for their response.
    Basically, I went to change my password, so far so good. Then went to login at which you’re then asked a security question, as a double check I presume.
    Problem is, the security question asked for my password on their files of another card product…a card which I had changed the password probably months or more ago and don’t actually use anymore.
    Obviously, I now cannot login at all.
    I await their response, hopefully

    • MW says:
      21 Jun21 June 10:00

      Did you have MFA enabled? (if not, you should once you get access to the account)

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