Covid-19 delta variant

Fri 6 Aug 2021, 09:03

FYI for those that had appointments for those young people that needed to book, the Kassam is out of commission on some days in the next 8 weeks.

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/19495745.covid-vaccinations-cancelled-kassam-stadium-oxford-united-games/

Sun 1 Aug 2021, 15:11 (last edited on Sun 1 Aug 2021, 15:17)

Hannan Beith - your correct double jabbing does not make you 100% safe, as per my thread below.  I have tried to be vigilant, still using masks in shops, but my work colleagues, were the ones that I caught it from. Two had been double jabbed (55 years), one of them had a dry cough for approximately 2 weeks prior to when I caught it, another associate had been jabbed once and had been to Wembley twice, in very short succession for the Euro's, lives in London, and then commuted to our office in Oxfordshire, for two days, and finally I work with two other people, 22 and 20 years old respectively, who feel no need at all to get the vaccinations even though for the last month, a walk in centre was in the town where they live.  My own son, 21 has now been double vaccinated and even that didn't make a difference in their attitude.  Not one of my colleagues, on hearing that I had caught covid, and I was self isolating for 10 days, bothered to isolate themselves.  Which says a lot really.  We do have to live with covid, it's here to stay, but who's to say that I won't catch it again at work. 

Sun 1 Aug 2021, 15:09

I don't think festival goers (vs setup crews, medics, stall holders, artists all of whom make a living from doing this work) are allowed on the site until Thursday. The only ones who don't make money are the oxfam stewards who basically get free entry in exchange for a certain number of hours stewarding.

I am there with the morris dancers and to be honest I'm more worried about the compulsory entry testing for performers picking up a positive result as a result of the fact I work in the co-op where we've had people staying at the caravan sites in for weeks, than from the festival crews. My family has booked tickets for an event in Sussex on Sunday and a positive entry test for wilderness would mean we definitely couldn't go. (Again I don't see anyone shit stirring about the risk of infection from the people staying at the camp sites)

Sun 1 Aug 2021, 14:11

Ruby, For information, I don't work for Cornbury (or Wilderness or Live Nation or MAMA or anything associated with the festival). No idea why you think I do. All the information was available online

I bought a local ticket, but sold it on quite a few weeks ago -- but only because I did not like the programme of events. I have sometimes attended in past years.

Sun 1 Aug 2021, 13:59

Could the person who keeps creating fake accounts to post on this thread please stop it. Thank you. 

Sun 1 Aug 2021, 13:56

I agree with Harriet that there is a danger of this turning into an anti-Wilderness thread, which makes me uncomfortable.

In the last few weeks I have known of two businesses and a pub which have had to close - nothing to do with Wilderness.  "For a lot of people, it is also their livelihood."  Exactly.

Wilderness or not the potential economic damage to a Town with few shops is massive.  10 days without income.  That's just the businesses, what about the staff as well?

I have no answers, I shall leave that to the experts.  We just have to remain vigilant.

I do find it strange that people seem to regard the double jab as providing protection, when the Scientists tell us that it doesn't.

Personally I find the cavalcade of HGVs over 4 plus weeks, starting at 6.30 am and sometimes for 13 hours, more wearisome.  We used to get compensation, years ago, but not for several years now.  I suppose the MAMA people would rather spend the money on champagne and caviar.

Sun 1 Aug 2021, 13:52

There was no evidence reported there. Probably is not evidence. Also lots of the festival folk will be traveling on the same said trains. You work for Cornbury  you say the workers are tested every 3 days what about campers staying from Wednesday to Monday are they getting tested. 

Sun 1 Aug 2021, 12:58

Ruby, evidence reported here: https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2021/07/130-people-at-verknipt-festival-had-coronavirus-before-they-arrived-ggd/

In the UK  we need a 2 week window before vaccination certificates work. Those employed on site have to renew their tests every 36 hours.

And actually the 2 festivals are very different. Wilderness has oodles of space, and the music is only one part…

Long post - click to read full text

Sun 1 Aug 2021, 12:38

Covid irrespective of the varient is here to stay. We need to learn to live with it. I have had both jabs, don't take unnecessary risks and wear a mask and sanitise. Most colleagues, family and neighbours do the same.

Sun 1 Aug 2021, 12:19 (last edited on Sun 1 Aug 2021, 12:24)

Christine So if a person with a negative test result turns up on Wednesday leaves sites goes shopping somewhere where a person who is positive catches it goes back to the festival. This could well be in the 40 hour time scale your talking about so the festival in Holland has some baring on Wilderness Festival. Also where is there any evidence they had it prior to that festival going ahead.

Sun 1 Aug 2021, 10:40

I don't what happened the Verknipt Festival in the Netherlands is much of a guide for what might happen at Wilderness, despite the link posted by Hannen.

It's now estimated that a third of the people who tested positive for Covid after Verknipt were positive before entering the festival. COVID passes were being issued immediately upon receiving the second shot of the vaccine and the 2 week waiting period was not taken into account.

Also, test results up to 40 hours old were considered good enough for entry into Verknipt. According to Lennart van Trigt of the Utrecht health board, “In 40 hours, people can do a lot of things like visiting friends and going to bars and clubs.” 

I think we need to look at what happens at other UK festivals rather than overseas.

Sat 31 Jul 2021, 20:19

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/15/music-festival-in-holland-leads-to-over-1000-covid-infections.html?fbclid=IwAR1qFhGDpVOVtaS70v2b2-x_-unYdEBPUlg9i_VkvYFX2-I1E22_p_qewJY

Sat 31 Jul 2021, 20:06

People have widely different views over the balance between risks and personal freedoms, and I'm not sure the government would be able to maintain what are highly intrusive restrictions on what are, after all, perfectly normal social activities. For a lot of people, it is also their livelihood. The schools have broken up for the summer holidays and more activities are outdoors. As many have said, if not now, then when. The prospect of an indefinite set of intrusive restrictions is not something that many, quite possibly a majority is willing to accept.

For younger people especially, social activities are especially important for the rest of their lives. That includes all sorts of cultural, social, sporting and group activities that would be considered the norm.

What I have seen is that the wearing of masks is still almost universal among adults in supermarkets, and that most people are taking precautions where it is practical in the circumstances.

There have been a number of much larger gatherings than Wilderness in the UK. There was the British Grand Prix a couple of weeks ago, with 350,000 total attendance with 140,000 on the busiest day. The Latitude festival, which is very similar to Wilderness, has just finished, and that has a maximum capacity of 35,000.

I realise these events can be inconvenient (and I sense that is an issue even without COVID), but Wilderness and the like are part of rural economies. Events such as this are important in the finances that keep those country estates viable and in repair. There are numerous businesses that rely on it. Stall holders, stage builders, food vendors and dozens of others. They aren't all billionaires.

Sat 31 Jul 2021, 18:15

Yes Heather, there have been, but only in the last few weeks. Therefore my point still stands, most young people will not be fully vaccinated yet given you need to wait 8 weeks between doses. I am sorry that the person you work with is an anti-vaxxer but to say, "its the 18-25 year olds that need to take responsibility", is blaming the young. 

Sat 31 Jul 2021, 18:10

Surely we should all be taking responsibility what ever our age. Do we really have to be told by someone else to be respectful and think of others?

Sat 31 Jul 2021, 11:03

Emily Algar, there have been walk in clinics all over Oxfordshire, the person I work with has no inclination to get it done at all, and there is even a walk in in the town where he lives most days of the week. I am not blaming the young necessarily, but that has been my experience todate.

Sat 31 Jul 2021, 10:34 (last edited on Sat 31 Jul 2021, 10:37)

I think this is really people who don't want the festival rather than anything else. I don't see anyone complaining about the football club showing the rugby, whereas by rights if this was actually fear of contracting Covid you'd all be up in arms about their lack of testing before allowing people in, especially after what happened following the Euro final.

BTW I'm not saying the football club should be testing people/shouldn't be showing the rugby, because I'm sure they're following guidelines. I'm pointing out the discrepancy in reactions. 

Sat 31 Jul 2021, 10:06

Let's blame the young people, they are always a good and easy scapegoat, when the government is actually the one to blame for how they've handled the entirety of the pandemic.

I am sure there are some young people who are being irresponsible just like there are some older people who are being irresponsible. What people (and the media) seem to overlook, is that a good majority of young people have not yet been able to have their first dose of the vaccine and if they have, they are very far off from being fully vaccinated. Even some people in the 30-40 age bracket will not have had their second vaccine yet. How is it young people's fault that the government chose to forego all restrictions when not everyone had been vaccinated? 

Sat 31 Jul 2021, 09:27

Pre pandemic, people used to think it was acceptable to get on the packed early morning trains to London with a heavy cold, coughing and sneezing over everyone! I hope people have learned something from this pandemic!

Sat 31 Jul 2021, 07:43 (last edited on Sat 31 Jul 2021, 07:46)

Well said Heather.  

Fri 30 Jul 2021, 21:49

The degree of Covid denial by rail passengers, far too many of them (of all ages) are refusing to wear masks, also highlights the issue with more general behaviour.

Fri 30 Jul 2021, 21:03

I have been double jabbed and caught covid two weeks ago, thought it was a summer cold, until my taste and smell went suddenly within 2 hours.  I wear masks in shops and sanitise.  I caught this at work, that I am pretty sure, as I have not been to pubs or social events, but several colleagues at work had gone to social clubs and Wembley to watch the Euro's.  I spent 10 days self isolating, my colleagues did not, which I don't think is fair, but I suspect that this is going on everywhere in the country.  Some people, think they can carry on just as they please.  Wilderness or not, it's peoples attitudes to covid and the 18-25 year olds that need to take responsibility.  I still work very closely with someone who is 22 and they still don't see or feel the urge to get vaccinated.  I rest my case.

Fri 30 Jul 2021, 19:14

The postcode checker for Charlbury says 17 Covid cases in the last 7 days. Higher now in other parts of West Oxfordshire. Last week we were the highest given our population numbers.

Not sure why Wilderness is considered a particular risk. Every guest over 11 must have proof of full vaccination – both doses received (with the second at least 14 days prior to the festival) or

Proof of a negative NHS Lateral Flow Test taken prior to travel on the day of arrival at the festival or Proof of natural immunity based upon a positive PCR test within 180 days of the festival (including 10 days self-isolation following the result).

Performers and helpers etc have to renew their tests after 36 hours.

It's mostly outside in any case, and everything is very scaled back this year. Mostly electronic music and DJs, not many live bands -- which is the reason why I decided to pass my own local ticket on to somebody who likes that type of music better than I do.

Fri 30 Jul 2021, 18:49

Nigel this is the government's decision, not wilderness. They've said festivals can go ahead under those entry conditions so wilderness (and all other festivals) is following government guidelines. Are we banning anyone who went to latitude from coming back to charlbury just in case they infect us?

Fri 30 Jul 2021, 16:29

So any one like to explain can a person with a  negative test results on the Thursday catch it and spread by the Sunday if so it’s a risk which no one should be allowed to take. 

Fri 30 Jul 2021, 14:55 (last edited on Fri 30 Jul 2021, 14:59)

It would have been about 24 a week or so ago. I would count that as high, and I don't think we ever reached that level during the previous two waves, although as only those hospitalised were being tested in the first wave who really knows?\

nb. It's now down to 305 per 100,000 as I write. That presumably means it's 9 people.

Thu 29 Jul 2021, 17:48 (last edited on Sat 31 Jul 2021, 09:35)

Given that Charlbury has a population of around 2,900 then the rate of 466.5 per 100,000 could mean there are 13.5 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the town. This might set things in proportion.  

Thu 29 Jul 2021, 12:23

Given the high rates of COVID-19 infections there have been in the Charlbury area recently, maybe we are a bigger danger to the festival goers than the other way around. What we need is big red signs on the walking routes from the festival site warning of a plague hot-spot and telling people to stay away. That might do it.

nb. to be fair, the current rate for Charlbury & North Leigh has dropped dramatically in the last few days and it's now 466.5 per 100,000 when it reached almost double that.

Thu 29 Jul 2021, 12:00

If I understand it right you either have to show that you have been double vaccinated (at least two weeks) before the start of Wilderness on entry next Thursday, or if you have not received your second vaccination yet, provide evidence of at least two negative lateral flow tests over the three and half days of the festival. Few local events are subject to such rigorous checks, or as thorough In trying to keep us all safe. 

Thu 29 Jul 2021, 11:54

I think you will find that they are acting entirely within the law as it stands.  Indeed, they do not have to insist on Covid tests.

(Not saying that this is the right thing for them to do, but it is the position we are in)

Thu 29 Jul 2021, 10:18

Covid-19 delta variant. Can any one explain how the negative test result for Wilderness festival work when they turn up on a Wednesday for a 4 day Festival and have the freedom to come and go as they please surely this must be wrong they could get infected Thursday spread it among they selfs and around Charlbury which is great as we have been so careful now to be honest Wilderness are being irresponsible with a negative test in my eyes.