Petition - Allow Football Fans To Attend Matches At All Levels

[Melbourne Cobbler]

As stated earlier, expert professional opinion will dictate policy not a petition, and people will just have to comply? If it’s deemed safe then fine, if it’s not then it’s not. However, if anyone thinks the general expert consensus will be driven by a petition or that they are likely to change current policy anytime soon then they are misguided? As frustrating as it is society cannot afford to have hospitals and medical services over run, either in human or financial terms? Being in one of the worlds strictest lockdowns for a few months has given a slightly different perspective on what transmission can lead to. We went from a peak of 750 new cases a day to a daily average of 9.7 as of today. Every cluster now comes under intense media focus. Just one case in a butchers shop has led to 31 connected cases in a matter of a week or so. The idea that any large gatherings inside or out will enable the authorities to control this is unlikely to get either an endorsement or a safe result for any length of time without a reversal? Probably not what people want to hear, but it’s just an observation taking into account what has happened here. Spectators at sporting events will almost certainly not be endorsed and even if it is, there will undoubtedly be the aforementioned  reversal as the UK authorities continue to struggle to deal with rising numbers? Personally I think spectators will remain off the agenda, and frankly it is unlikely that competitive games will continue much longer unless the rate of infection can be reversed fairly quickly? Just my opinion on what’s likely to happen, and not necessarily my opinion on what should happen, I’ll leave that to the better qualified and informed.

[guest2934]

The attitudes around this virus are highlighted in this short thread. Some are completely paranoid, others obviously not so troubled.

Therein lies the problem, as much as you want others to follow sensible precautions, not all will. If you are uncomfortable about coming into contact with others in a public arena now, you probably wont change your mind in just a few months.

Anyone waiting for a silver bullet vaccine fix forget it, you'll have a very long wait, there wont be one whatever you doctors think. This is never going away so the ability to manage and rapid test is the future. 

Statistically you still have more chance of getting struck by lightning than dying from covid so let others go to football if they wish, you can stay at home safe in the knowledge that by staying in you avoided almost certain death.

[guest3359]

As stated earlier, expert professional opinion will dictate policy not a petition, and people will just have to comply? If it’s deemed safe then fine, if it’s not then it’s not. However, if anyone thinks the general expert consensus will be driven by a petition or that they are likely to change current policy anytime soon then they are misguided? As frustrating as it is society cannot afford to have hospitals and medical services over run, either in human or financial terms? Being in one of the worlds strictest lockdowns for a few months has given a slightly different perspective on what transmission can lead to. We went from a peak of 750 new cases a day to a daily average of 9.7 as of today. Every cluster now comes under intense media focus. Just one case in a butchers shop has led to 31 connected cases in a matter of a week or so. The idea that any large gatherings inside or out will enable the authorities to control this is unlikely to get either an endorsement or a safe result for any length of time without a reversal? Probably not what people want to hear, but it’s just an observation taking into account what has happened here. Spectators at sporting events will almost certainly not be endorsed and even if it is, there will undoubtedly be the aforementioned  reversal as the UK authorities continue to struggle to deal with rising numbers? Personally I think spectators will remain off the agenda, and frankly it is unlikely that competitive games will continue much longer unless the rate of infection can be reversed fairly quickly? Just my opinion on what’s likely to happen, and not necessarily my opinion on what should happen, I’ll leave that to the better qualified and informed.

Largely agree with the sentiment but I think petitions such as this will influence government decisions. It might not change the overall stance but will be a factor in reviews.
The reason I signed is I cant understand why sports stadiums cant open but cinemas, music venues etc can. I've read the arguments (such as pubs and on the concourses etc) but thats why we continue the trials. If the stadiums or local areas are overrun then stop, as I said before, there is CCTV so if people don't comply they can be banned from future games or fined.

[Manwork04]

Largely agree with the sentiment but I think petitions such as this will influence government decisions. It might not change the overall stance but will be a factor in reviews.
The reason I signed is I cant understand why sports stadiums cant open but cinemas, music venues etc can. I've read the arguments (such as pubs and on the concourses etc) but thats why we continue the trials. If the stadiums or local areas are overrun then stop, as I said before, there is CCTV so if people don't comply they can be banned from future games or fined.

Signing that petition will have the same effect as pi55ing in the sea.......NOTHING
stadiums won’t open this season, there were nearly 15000 new cases yesterday get used to the new normal.

[rebelspawn]

The attitudes around this virus are highlighted in this short thread. Some are completely paranoid, others obviously not so troubled.

Therein lies the problem, as much as you want others to follow sensible precautions, not all will. If you are uncomfortable about coming into contact with others in a public arena now, you probably wont change your mind in just a few months.

Anyone waiting for a silver bullet vaccine fix forget it, you'll have a very long wait, there wont be one whatever you doctors think. This is never going away so the ability to manage and rapid test is the future. 

Statistically you still have more chance of getting struck by lightning than dying from covid so let others go to football if they wish, you can stay at home safe in the knowledge that by staying in you avoided almost certain death.

I can't let that one slide. Cite your source, or show your workings please

[everbrite]

Signing that petition will have the same effect as pi55ing in the sea.......NOTHING
stadiums won’t open this season, there were nearly 15000 new cases yesterday get used to the new normal.

You tell ‘em Manny 

[BackOfTheNet]

The attitudes around this virus are highlighted in this short thread. Some are completely paranoid, others obviously not so troubled.

Therein lies the problem, as much as you want others to follow sensible precautions, not all will. If you are uncomfortable about coming into contact with others in a public arena now, you probably wont change your mind in just a few months.

Anyone waiting for a silver bullet vaccine fix forget it, you'll have a very long wait, there wont be one whatever you doctors think. This is never going away so the ability to manage and rapid test is the future. 

Statistically you still have more chance of getting struck by lightning than dying from covid so let others go to football if they wish, you can stay at home safe in the knowledge that by staying in you avoided almost certain death.

I think there's a world of difference between paranoia and due care. If I caught it, chances are I'd be fine; I'm in my forties, I've got mild asthma but other than that I've got no underlying health conditions that I'm aware of. Then again, nor has one of my colleagues and she ended up in hospital, unable to breathe unassisted and with all manner of drugs being pumped into from a drip, and she's only in her thirties! Fortunately she was discharged yesterday but it goes to show, it affects people in different ways and there are no guarantees.

That's an aside though, because the main reason I don't want to go to a match yet is that my parents and in-laws are in their seventies and eighties and much more likely to suffer more serious consequences if they get it. They want to see their grand kids and found it very difficult not seeing them during full lockdown.

If we all go along to the football and a few of us pick it up - which statistically you HAVE to be more likely to do if you are in the company of 1000+ other people, outdoors or not - that's a few more people who can pass it on to others. If I catch it and, like 8 out of 10 others suffer no symptoms, I could quite easily pass it on to my parents while taking the kids to see them. Equally, if my dad pops to the corner shop to buy some milk and passes someone in the doorway who was at the game then he could just as easily pick it up from him. Granted, that bloke might have caught it from anywhere but ultimately it's about limiting risk; both me and some hypothetical bloke in a doorway are less likely to have caught covid in the first place if we haven't been in a large group of other people, many of whom are in the demographic where they won't be seriously affected by it and probably won't even know they have it!

It's not just about looking out for my dad either, because I could have it and not know, sneeze, touch a handrail as I leave the ground and then some other poor sod following me down the stairs runs his hand along the same rail and goes to see his elderly parents or grandparents - there's a degree of social responsibility, and we all have to play our part in that.

[west stand oap]

According to a leaked email NHS have been told to prepare for roll out of covid 19 vaccine next month and 5 mass vaccination centres to be in place by xmas.
My view is that if restricted numbers can be allowed in theatres, cinemas, tv studio audiences etc in confined spaces it makes no sense not to allow them for outside sporting events. You would think that outside events would be allowed before enclosed events.
What has happened to the great british bulldog spirit? Allow restricted numbers to attend and leave it to individual choice if fans wish to attend.

[BackOfTheNet]

What has happened to the great british bulldog spirit? Allow restricted numbers to attend and leave it to individual choice if fans wish to attend.

That's fine if the attendees then go home and don't go anywhere else for a couple of weeks, less fine if they then go to the shops and breathe all over some poor old bugger who has no one to do their shopping for them; you can decide to take a risk for yourself, taking a risk on someone else's part is irresponsible.

[west stand oap]

How is it any different to people attending inside events, going to the supermarket, restaurant or pub?. They are not expected to go home and self isolate for 2 weeks.

[guest3338]

How is it any different to people attending inside events, going to the supermarket, restaurant or pub?. They are not expected to go home and self isolate for 2 weeks.

Because we go to a supermarket largely out of necessity unless you get some weird kick out of looking at cans of beans.
Going to a football match should be considered a luxury in these times.
It's about social responsibility, it's about putting the onus on the individual, hoping that he/she is mature enough to understand and implement it.
If we as a nation are found not to be as responsible as a nation like Germany, and the evidence that our closest Anglo saxon cousins are miles ahead of us on this is already out there, we shall very soon have that individual responsibility taken away from us and have it replaced with another full lockdown.

[BackOfTheNet]

Because we go to a supermarket largely out of necessity unless you get some weird kick out of looking at cans of beans.
Going to a football match should be considered a luxury in these times.
It's about social responsibility, it's about putting the onus on the individual, hoping that he/she is mature enough to understand and implement it.
If we as a nation are found not to be as responsible as a nation like Germany, and the evidence that our closest Anglo saxon cousins are miles ahead of us on this is already out there, we shall very soon have that individual responsibility taken away from us and have it replaced with another full lockdown.

Precisely this.

[guest2934]

I think there's a world of difference between paranoia and due care....

I absolutely agree with all of that, we all have a duty of care, although not everybody does care, this is the problem. Throw a party and everyone's guard is down. We have to be realistic its not going away soon and we simply cant keep the cork in the bottle for much longer.

Confidence is the key issue. If everyone could freely go and attend matches from this weekend would you go? I can genuinely see some people never being comfortable around crowds or large gatherings again.

Rebel wanted stats! 1 million covid deaths from 7,800,000,000 = 0.0128% The chances of getting struck by lightning in your lifetime roughly 1 in 7000 so marginally more at 0.0143% Or how about a whopping 0.4% chance of scooping 6 numbers on the lottery, about the same as Racic scoring a hat trick this season. Its worth noting however 136% of stats are made up.

The conclusion, don't stand under a tree in a storm with a scratchcard surrounded by unwashed pooh fans without masks.

[west stand oap]

Going to the cinema, theatre, pub or restaurant is not a necessity so why are you not insisting people self isolate after going. As I said this is no different to attending an outside event, let people have the choice of whether to attend or not. Some of you clearly do not want to go so stay at home, others may want to go and if they do attend they are no more risk to others than the people who attend the indoor functions who are not required to self isolate afterwards.

[BackOfTheNet]

Going to the cinema, theatre, pub or restaurant is not a necessity so why are you not insisting people self isolate after going. As I said this is no different to attending an outside event, let people have the choice of whether to attend or not. Some of you clearly do not want to go so stay at home, others may want to go and if they do attend they are no more risk to others than the people who attend the indoor functions who are not required to self isolate afterwards.

I wasn't genuinely suggesting everyone should be made to self-isolate for two weeks after going, I just pointed out that if you weren't going to do that then there's an increased risk. Personally, I don't think theatres or cinemas are a good idea at the moment either. I have been out for a meal a few times since things reopened, but I've chosen small venues that are using social distancing so there was no more than a dozen or so other people in the venue. Yes, it's a risk, but it's a lesser risk than mingling with ~1000 people, even if it is outdoors.

[guest3063]

It must be a British thing then (not to have crowds). The international between Portugal and Spain had a socially distanced crowd in attendance, and Portugal is still on the UK quarantine list as infections are still high 

[guest3338]

It must be a British thing then (not to have crowds). The international between Portugal and Spain had a socially distanced crowd in attendance, and Portugal is still on the UK quarantine list as infections are still high 

Portugal's death rate is significantly lower than ours though.

[everbrite]

Rebel wanted stats! 1 million covid deaths from 7,800,000,000 = 0.0128% The chances of getting struck by lightning in your lifetime roughly 1 in 7000 so marginally more at 0.0143% Or how about a whopping 0.4% chance of scooping 6 numbers on the lottery, about the same as Racic scoring a hat trick this season. Its worth noting however 136% of stats are made up.

The conclusion, don't stand under a tree in a storm with a scratchcard surrounded by unwashed pooh fans without masks.

Have a feeling that Rebel might disprove your facts on short time,
.

[guest3338]

I absolutely agree with all of that, we all have a duty of care, although not everybody does care, this is the problem. Throw a party and everyone's guard is down. We have to be realistic its not going away soon and we simply cant keep the cork in the bottle for much longer.

Confidence is the key issue. If everyone could freely go and attend matches from this weekend would you go? I can genuinely see some people never being comfortable around crowds or large gatherings again.

Rebel wanted stats! 1 million covid deaths from 7,800,000,000 = 0.0128% The chances of getting struck by lightning in your lifetime roughly 1 in 7000 so marginally more at 0.0143% Or how about a whopping 0.4% chance of scooping 6 numbers on the lottery, about the same as Racic scoring a hat trick this season. Its worth noting however 136% of stats are made up.

The conclusion, don't stand under a tree in a storm with a scratchcard surrounded by unwashed pooh fans without masks.

Wrong my friend. 1mill against a global population of 8 billion but only a fraction of those 8billion have upto now contracted Covid. If lightening never happened across 95% of the worlds inhabitants your analogy might have greater credence.
I agree that 136% of stats are made up though.

[guest3063]

Portugal's death rate is significantly lower than ours though.

But they're on the UK quarantine list, yes?