Crowds banned from all sporting events in Wales for foreseeable future

[Tuerto]

That was it - they were supposed to be 'official' but were easy to copy. The lads had a carrier bag full on the trip I can remember (although I can't remember where we were going). Another thing I remember is that plenty of the host clubs during that period couldn't have cared less about the vouchers anyway and let City fans in without them, so they were basically a farce. Some of the CCSC officials at the time were really arsey about those vouchers as I recall, but those of us who travelled unofficially always got into the ground eventually, even if it meant going in the home end, owning up and being taken around the pitch to the away end (I remember doing that a couple of times).

Yeah, Smaller clubs didn't give a shit, they didn't want to lose the revenue and the police didn't want City fans hanging about the Town centre for a couple of hours getting pissed. And we were all fenced in back then, although that didn't seem to stop the trouble

[Tuerto]

Maybe, but I remember it being sung a lot around that time as efforts were made to bring the away support under some sort of control (usually without much success).

At the same time as 'If you like a lot of fighting at your football join our club' Pinched from the advert below

[Tuerto]

At the same time as 'If you like a lot of fighting at your football join our club' Pinched from the advert below

,

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Simple question - where is the evidence that outdoor sporting events that are properly run, such as our home games, have increased transmission of Covid ? I would be very surprised if there is any. Knee jerk, panic reaction by the bunch of idiots in charge. I can see Dripford now, standing at the lectern, coat hanger stuck in his suit as usual, trying to justify this and feeling very important no doubt. They have already stated that the vaccine programme is the way out of this but are now totally ignoring that pushing 90% of the population are double jabbed and over 50% already boosted and this should rise to at least 70% by the end if the month.

I suppose that the risk of spreading the virus extends either side of actually being in the stadium. Sharing cars, travelling by public transport, drinking in pubs, eating in cafes, queueing for buses/trains/entry to the stadium and in the loos and at the food and drinks areas at the ground.

[life on mars]

What happened to the old mantra that outside events were safer than crowded indoor places like pubs , shops ,trains, seems old Drakey felt he had to do something to appear presidential and sport and nightclubs were an easy target , especially as there's no big wugger games around .

[delmbox]

I could be wrong about this, but I think it dates back to the days when City fans were required to produce vouchers for entry to away games. I can't even remember how that system was supposed to work exactly - I think the vouchers were only supposed to be distributed to fans on the day by club and Supporters' Club officials or something like that. However, plenty of rogues found ways around the system, mainly by printing shitloads of their own.

I can remember a few of the lads on my old bus getting into trouble over the vouchers at somewhere like Crewe or Bury or somewhere similar. They'd somehow got hold of a couple of vouchers for that game in advance and had printed a couple of hundred copies, which they were handing out to anyone who wanted them outside the ground in defiance of the club and CCSC.

I honestly can't remember the exact details of the voucher nonsense or even when they attempted to implement it (mid-Eighties I think?), but I can remember loads of City fans were pissed off about it and I'm pretty sure that period was when the 'you'll never ban a City fan' chant was born.

Riiight, this is what I was after, I thought there might be something. Thank you

[dml1954]

What do you mean by 'properly run'?
It's already been shown that being double jabbed isn't effective enough against omicron spreading. Do you think that having mass gatherings at sporting events will help slow down the growth of omicron or not?

Your second question is illogical. Allowing outdoor sporting events to resume was not a ploy to try to get the covid rate down, it was a response to falling Covid rates but also the fact that all the evidence indicated that risks at outdoor events were greatly reduced. This has not changed. The point is that there is little, if any, evidence that holding outdoor sporting events adds to Covid rates or risks. Therefore stopping outdoor events whilst allowing pubs, restaurants, theatres, cinemas etc etc to remain open is stupid in the extreme. In any event, current hospitalisation rates, deaths, intensive care bed occupation rates are actually falling, so all this is pure guesswork by Drakeford and his cronies. With regard to ‘properly run’, you know exactly what I mean and it would be simple to add the need have had a booster dose to get access to stadiums.

[delmbox]

I'm gutted about the new restrictions but a lot of you referring to "outdoor events" seem to be pretending that you just click your fingers and are transported to your seat. The concourse is an absolute Covid factory, let alone the queues to get out and the toilets

[dml1954]

I suppose that the risk of spreading the virus extends either side of actually being in the stadium. Sharing cars, travelling by public transport, drinking in pubs, eating in cafes, queueing for buses/trains/entry to the stadium and in the loos and at the food and drinks areas at the ground.

The word ‘suppose’ is very important here. That is exactly what Drakeford and his advisers are doing. There is no direct evidence.

[splott parker]

I'm gutted about the new restrictions but a lot of you referring to "outdoor events" seem to be pretending that you just click your fingers and are transported to your seat. The concourse is an absolute Covid factory, let alone the queues to get out and the toilets

Pubs packed before and after the game as well.......packed public transport, ironically, wouldn’t have been a problem on Boxing Day, none running.

[dml1954]

I'm gutted about the new restrictions but a lot of you referring to "outdoor events" seem to be pretending that you just click your fingers and are transported to your seat. The concourse is an absolute Covid factory, let alone the queues to get out and the toilets

Masks are supposed to be worn in all those areas already. Who’s fault is it if some people don't bother ? This can be more strictly enforced if necessary. Why should people who follow the ground and government regulations be penalised over the actions of those that cant be bothered. Anyone found not complying should be ejected from the stadium. Where is the evidence anyway that mass spreading of Covid is occurring at football stadiums.

[delmbox]

Masks are supposed to be worn in all those areas already. Who’s fault is it if some people don't bother ? This can be more strictly enforced if necessary. Why should people who follow the ground and government regulations be penalised over the actions of those that cant be bothered. Anyone found not complying should be ejected from the stadium. Where is the evidence anyway that mass spreading of Covid is occurring at football stadiums.

If you're expecting the stewards on minimum wage to start chucking out groups of pissed up maskless Cardiff City fans then you're off your head

[The Bloop]

Your second question is illogical. Allowing outdoor sporting events to resume was not a ploy to try to get the covid rate down, it was a response to falling Covid rates but also the fact that all the evidence indicated that risks at outdoor events were greatly reduced. This has not changed. The point is that there is little, if any, evidence that holding outdoor sporting events adds to Covid rates or risks. Therefore stopping outdoor events whilst allowing pubs, restaurants, theatres, cinemas etc etc to remain open is stupid in the extreme. In any event, current hospitalisation rates, deaths, intensive care bed occupation rates are actually falling, so all this is pure guesswork by Drakeford and his cronies. With regard to ‘properly run’, you know exactly what I mean and it would be simple to add the need have had a booster dose to get access to stadiums.

Has there been an announcement on hospitality in Wales next wee? I must have missed that. I thought there was a meeting today and an announcement to follow.
As for evidence of outdoor events adding to the spread just look at what scientists thought about Cheltenham last year and Liverpools Champions league game. There isn't that much evidence subsequently as fans weren't allowed in. Do you think they should be to help build up a basket of evidence?

[19bluebirds27]

We had a decent overall record during the lockdown seasons.
Perhaps us supporters being locked out of the CCS maybe a blessing considering how bad things have been so far this season.

[Robin Friday's Ghost]

Has there been an announcement on hospitality in Wales next wee? I must have missed that. I thought there was a meeting today and an announcement to follow.
As for evidence of outdoor events adding to the spread just look at what scientists thought about Cheltenham last year and Liverpools Champions league game. There isn't that much evidence subsequently as fans weren't allowed in. Do you think they should be to help build up a basket of evidence?

You mean should we "follow the data" or work on guesswork and assumptions?

[Splott-light...]

Has there been an announcement on hospitality in Wales next wee?

..takes the pi55

[Michael Morris]

..takes the pi55

Next announcement is on Wednesday afternoon. I hope our itchy fingered 'leaders' make a more sensible judgement and allow life to carry on with common sense and not knee jerk closures.

This articles from the 'i' is quite positive

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/ne...s-week-1364554

New restrictions in England could be avoided if hospital admissions in London do not soar this week

There are signs that Omicron cases in the capital and across the UK could be plateauing – but remain at a high level

Fresh restrictions in England after Christmas could be avoided if hospital admissions in London stay below 400 a day by the end of this week, i understands.

Ministers and scientific advisers are watching closely the number of Covid patients admitted to hospitals in the capital, as it is the leading edge of the Omicron wave and will provide some of the first real-world data on whether the variant is more severe in the UK.

The question of severity is the missing piece of the Omicron jigsaw, and Boris Johnson has been unable to make a decision about further restrictions in England without it.


The latest figure for London admissions, from last Sunday 19 December is 245, and while the daily figure is rising, it has not increased as rapidly as Covid cases in London in the past two weeks.

While the figure of 400 is not a hard and fast threshold, it will provide a good guide of whether the huge scale of Omicron cases, above 80,000 in England for the past week, will translate into hospital admissions and put severe pressure on the NHS throughout January.

If London admissions remain below 400, it could mean no legally enforced restrictions are needed after Christmas, although there could be tougher guidance announced by the Prime Minister on 27 December.

Hospital admissions in London are not the only metric being used to assess the severity of Omicron, but is a key measure.

Separately, the UK Health Security Agency will produce early data on severity, analysing vaccination status and age of people admitted to hospital with the Omicron variant, which is also expected before Christmas Eve.

However the situation is still fluid, and ministers stress that all options remain in reserve if hospitals come under serious pressure over the New Year.

New figures published by the government’s coronavirus dashboard shows how London continues to be the epicentre of the Omicron wave.

In the seven-day period up to 16 December, there were 131,061 cases in the capital, with 1455.8 cases per 100,000 people.

But some boroughs are continuing to show the highest case rates of the pandemic for younger age groups, with one in 16 people aged 25 to 29 testing positive in the week to 16 December, or 6393.5 cases per 100,000.

While hospital admissions lag cases by two to three weeks, cases in the capital started to rise rapidly at the start of December, meaning that uptick would be felt in covid wards by now.

There are currently 1,904 people with covid in London hospitals, compared to 3,367 this time a year ago.

Latest figures for the UK – including in London, which in the past week has seen the highest case rates of anywhere in the UK since the pandemic began – show signs that the Omicron wave could be plateauing.

Analysis by the UK Health Security Agency showed that, following a rapid rise in the past fortnight, the increase in cases and suspected cases of Omicron is slowing in the capital.

And across the UK daily reported cases were around 90,000 for the sixth day running – suggesting that, while infections are at a new higher level, they are not rising beyond that.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Fresh restrictions in England after Christmas could be avoided if hospital admissions in London stay below 400 a day by the end of this week, i understands.

Ali G is in da house.

[the other bob wilson]

Glad to see Drakeford has at least seen sense as far as junior and lower level sport is concerned.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...s-ban-22510903

[dml1954]

Next announcement is on Wednesday afternoon. I hope our itchy fingered 'leaders' make a more sensible judgement and allow life to carry on with common sense and not knee jerk closures.

This articles from the 'i' is quite positive

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/ne...s-week-1364554

New restrictions in England could be avoided if hospital admissions in London do not soar this week

There are signs that Omicron cases in the capital and across the UK could be plateauing – but remain at a high level

Fresh restrictions in England after Christmas could be avoided if hospital admissions in London stay below 400 a day by the end of this week, i understands.

Ministers and scientific advisers are watching closely the number of Covid patients admitted to hospitals in the capital, as it is the leading edge of the Omicron wave and will provide some of the first real-world data on whether the variant is more severe in the UK.

The question of severity is the missing piece of the Omicron jigsaw, and Boris Johnson has been unable to make a decision about further restrictions in England without it.


The latest figure for London admissions, from last Sunday 19 December is 245, and while the daily figure is rising, it has not increased as rapidly as Covid cases in London in the past two weeks.

While the figure of 400 is not a hard and fast threshold, it will provide a good guide of whether the huge scale of Omicron cases, above 80,000 in England for the past week, will translate into hospital admissions and put severe pressure on the NHS throughout January.

If London admissions remain below 400, it could mean no legally enforced restrictions are needed after Christmas, although there could be tougher guidance announced by the Prime Minister on 27 December.

Hospital admissions in London are not the only metric being used to assess the severity of Omicron, but is a key measure.

Separately, the UK Health Security Agency will produce early data on severity, analysing vaccination status and age of people admitted to hospital with the Omicron variant, which is also expected before Christmas Eve.

However the situation is still fluid, and ministers stress that all options remain in reserve if hospitals come under serious pressure over the New Year.

New figures published by the government’s coronavirus dashboard shows how London continues to be the epicentre of the Omicron wave.

In the seven-day period up to 16 December, there were 131,061 cases in the capital, with 1455.8 cases per 100,000 people.

But some boroughs are continuing to show the highest case rates of the pandemic for younger age groups, with one in 16 people aged 25 to 29 testing positive in the week to 16 December, or 6393.5 cases per 100,000.

While hospital admissions lag cases by two to three weeks, cases in the capital started to rise rapidly at the start of December, meaning that uptick would be felt in covid wards by now.

There are currently 1,904 people with covid in London hospitals, compared to 3,367 this time a year ago.

Latest figures for the UK – including in London, which in the past week has seen the highest case rates of anywhere in the UK since the pandemic began – show signs that the Omicron wave could be plateauing.

Analysis by the UK Health Security Agency showed that, following a rapid rise in the past fortnight, the increase in cases and suspected cases of Omicron is slowing in the capital.

And across the UK daily reported cases were around 90,000 for the sixth day running – suggesting that, while infections are at a new higher level, they are not rising beyond that.

All of this information, together with the Imperial College early analysis of the Omicron variant released yesterday, make Drakefords decision on closing main sporting events on Monday look even more premature and stupid.

[xsnaggle]

Has there been an announcement on hospitality in Wales next wee? I must have missed that. I thought there was a meeting today and an announcement to follow.
As for evidence of outdoor events adding to the spread just look at what scientists thought about Cheltenham last year and Liverpools Champions league game. There isn't that much evidence subsequently as fans weren't allowed in. Do you think they should be to help build up a basket of evidence?

From 26 Dec all pubs will be back to social distancing, rule of 6, masks whilst standing (You apparently cannot get covid sitting down) table service only. Publicans have already been warned off for it. And I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for him to change these decisions if the huge spike in cases hospitalisations and deaths doesn't materialise, that would be admitting he was wrong, and he is incapable of being wrong.

[dml1954]

If you're expecting the stewards on minimum wage to start chucking out groups of pissed up maskless Cardiff City fans then you're off your head

What is the point of having a ground regulation, with a penalty of ejection from the ground for non compliance, if it isn't going to be enforced. If that was the way to get games back on again, then of course it can be done. The are security companies available with the type of staff who would be more than happy to deal with it. A better question might be why are the maskless City fans not complying in the first place. Think they are above the rules and don’t give a toss perhaps ?

[The Bloop]

From 26 Dec all pubs will be back to social distancing, rule of 6, masks whilst standing (You apparently cannot get covid sitting down) table service only. Publicans have already been warned off for it. And I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for him to change these decisions if the huge spike in cases hospitalisations and deaths doesn't materialise, that would be admitting he was wrong, and he is incapable of being wrong.

Why does it have to be about whether he was right or wrong? If your huge spike doesn't materialise isn't that a good thing?

[dml1954]

Has there been an announcement on hospitality in Wales next wee? I must have missed that. I thought there was a meeting today and an announcement to follow.
As for evidence of outdoor events adding to the spread just look at what scientists thought about Cheltenham last year and Liverpools Champions league game. There isn't that much evidence subsequently as fans weren't allowed in. Do you think they should be to help build up a basket of evidence?

At Cheltenham racing and Liverpools Champions League game nobody was vaccinated, nobody was wearing masks, there was no segregation and little if anything was known about the virus and how it spread. All subsequent evidence, as Drakeford admitted yesterday, is that the vast majority of virus spread is indoors and amongst families/friends and outdoor spread is greatly reduced. But then, you knew all that already didnt you.

[lisvaneblue]

All of this information, together with the Imperial College early analysis of the Omicron variant released yesterday, make Drakefords decision on closing main sporting events on Monday look even more premature and stupid.

Since the Brexit referendum I'm convinced that Drakeford believes he heads a 'benevolent autocracy' rather than a ' democracy'. At that time the population of Wales voted to leave by a reasonable majority Did he support our decision.?..no. He told us we were wrong.

I'm seeing that same autocratic attitude again with Covid rules and regulations. He says the Senedd follows the science, and in Wales there is a technical advisory group that gives such advice. Most of their findings are openly published but nothing has been since 10th December.
So a lot of decisions by him having a profound influence on our lives and the backup evidence, if there is any, is being kept from us.
Quite concerning.