More Covid Restrictions Announced.

[TheQ]

I know it's only a guide line.  Living in North Norfolk, we are way behind as for some reason the oldest aged population district in the UK, was left till last week before Vaccinations started.

[Meantime]

5 minutes ago, snunn said:

Just read a report that it’s looking like April 2nd before restrictions are fully lifted , that would mean we could have 1 full day on the boat , shame it’s 400 Miles each way !

The report I saw said that April 2nd was when the restrictions would start to be lifted, not fully lifted. With the recent death tolls even the Tory back bench MPs have lost the stomach for pushing for an early lifting of restrictions until the time is right. April 2nd is said to be the date being thought about for the gradual lifting of restrictions, apart from schools which could go back earlier than that.

[marshman]

I think the Omni "queue" calculator is very misleading - according to that I am due a vaccine around next week sometime.

I know though, that they have not even vaccinated all care workers around here yet. I have had a letter saying I am going to get a letter but I am not optimistic - I reckon on getting mine around mid February sometime at the earliest - although I may yet be surprised!

They seem now to talk about getting all the 70+done - I think they are going to combine the 75+ with the 70+ so they can give a good impression but as ever, they seem to be treating Norfolk, and Suffolk I expect, as a bit of a backwater! After all its mostly full of old people!!

[JennyMorgan]

Two of my daughters, both NHS, had their first jabs over the weekend. Both felt rough yesterday but that, apparently, is the jab doing its job! Both were fine this morning.

[DAVIDH]

The Omni Calculator is providing its estimates on 2 million jabs a week, That equates to 285,700 per day. Sadly, for the last three days, the UK has been vaccinating well under that. Something to do with supplies from the manufacturers. 
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9163257/No10-told-ensure-Covid-vaccine-uptake-stays-high-seven-days-week.html

[marshman]

Reading between the lines in the news in places today, there seems to be a subtle shift in direction. They now appear to be considering concentrating on differing groups who may transmit the the disease, like key workers, (not the NHS etc who should mostly have been vaccinated,) but nursery school teachers, police officers, bus drivers and even those who regularly have to travel on public transport, and many people who would under the "old" rules not be due it for some time. No official policy change but it now seems to be subtlety shifting away from preventing those being infected who may be in danger of hospitalisation and an earlier death, towards groups who "may" transmit it and who have been pleading "special cases"!

Oh well - perhaps another U turn in policy and with Monday showing a sharp reduction in numbers being jabbed too - perhaps I am right in being a little sceptical of the Omni calculator!!

[Meantime]

I think it's common knowledge that the figures are slow over the weekend for all the data and then catch up during the week, so let's not be too quick to knock the roll out just yet.

Secondly it's worth reflecting how well we are doing with the roll out compared to the rest of Europe, in fact the world. 

Yes I want my jab yesterday, but would rather be waiting my turn in the UK, than elsewhere at the moment. There will always be oddity's, some areas slower than others, some people you wouldn't expect getting it before others, all for a myriad of reasons, but on the whole lets look at how well we are doing at the moment.

4.26 million vaccinated already. That's got to be good news.

[addicted]

My family who all tested positive last week,  as of this morning are all  seemingly on the mend and  feeling much improved. the worst affected was  my granddaughter's boyfriend who had a certain amount of breathing difficulties which improved greatly yesterday, they are out of isolation tomorrow. My daughter is still suffering with loss of smell and taste and my granddaughter says she has a permanent  taste reminiscent of rusty nuts and bolts! From my prospective  - they're safe and that's what matters to me.

Carole

 

 

[DAVIDH]

Oh I wasn't knocking the efforts going in to the vaccine programme. I think the results to date are heartwarming. I was just casting doubt on the accuracy of the Omni Calculator, as it doesn't take into account the day to day problems which will arise with delivery.

[MauriceMynah]

10 minutes ago, addicted said:

says she has a permanent  taste reminiscent of rusty nuts and bolts!

Ahh, she obviously uses the same Recipes I do. Did she ever meet my mother?

Seriously though. good to hear of their recovery.

[Chelsea14Ian]

Oddly I heard yesterday that someone  went to the nightingale at Xcel on Sunday for a jab.Which they got, and it was empty. Also Guys hospital are doing jabs.

[Chelsea14Ian]

Just had a text,inviting me for the vaccine  at Guys or St Tomas Hospitals. I will phone tomorrow and see when I can book a slot.

[Meantime]

Thought this was worth a post given recent discussions about immunity and vaccines etc.

 

[Chelsea14Ian]

Think this is  where it may go wrong. If people think once there vaccinated they dont need to take precautions.Would suggest we stick to the rules until the medics tell us otherwise. 

[marshman]

Still not done all the Care Home staff around here!!!!

[ZimbiIV]

Well, we were jabbed on Saturday and the nurse was at pains to tell us, the rules still apply and it would be a pity to get anything before the 3 weeks are up before the 90% protection is affective.

We are actually more careful now than before she said that, which is hard to do, considering have safe we tried to be.

Catching it now would be a kick in the teeth.

I would hate to pass it on even if/when we have some kind of protection so will continue to carry on with the recommended protective actions.

Remember, if you do not protect yourselves, you can infect your loved ones and do you care enough about them to risk that?.

paul

[Chelsea14Ian]

Just booked my two jabs at Guys Hospital.I gave up phoning after over fifty attempts.I did so on line.Very easy even for someone like me thats not always good doing stuff on line.First jab next Wednesday, second jab Wednesday April 14.Both done between 10.00-1400.Should be less on the train.easy for me from home to London Bridge. 

[BroadAmbition]

I see on the news this morning that the covid restrictions may now stay in place until the summer. 

 The Summer! 

If I knew any rude words, now would be a good time to use the odd one (Must ask MrsG - She knows plenty)

FFS. Tis getting somewhat trying now. 

We are not booking anything in advance that requires any sort of payment and haven't done so since March last year. (Apart from my Spitfire flight in September)  I have booked oursens onboard 'B.A' first one is March, then another in April.  Looks like they are both now going to Hull in a handcart again 

MrsG did state she is looking forward to a sunshine holiday abroad.  I had to gently explain to her that a foreign holiday is a long way off.  The rest of the world is a long way behind the UK in their vaccination rates and even when we here at home are eventually all vaccinated up, the rest of the world ain't gonna be, so travelling to a country still rife with the virus even when one is vaccinated would not be a good idea

Griff

[Chelsea14Ian]

To be honest  I can't  see much changing by Easter.Its almost the end of January. Easter is just over two months  away.Infection and death  rates are still high,all be it starting to fall.By June the weather  should  be better and a large  amount  of the population would  have be vaccinated. So things may well open up.Like everyone I would  love to see things  opening up sooner.

[Vaughan]

I am afraid I still can't see what the "end game" is.

The vaccination will prevent the "at risk" categories from falling seriously ill or dying prematurely, of existing illnesses.

But if you are immunised, you can still spread the disease, just by touching a supermarket trolley.  We are not going to kill the virus, any more than we have ever killed the flu, or the common cold.  And we all know how many people die "of" the flu every year.  The vast majority of the population simply get a bout of winter flu and get over it.  We have been doing this since living memory. Will this virus be any different, now that there is a vaccine?

Meantime, hundreds of businesses will never open again and hundreds of thousands are due to be redundant. There will have to come a time - and very soon - when the elderly are protected by the jab and the country can get on with normal life and an economic recovery. 

If this lockdown continues into the summer then pubs, theatres, concerts and much else of our culture, will just be part of a by-gone age.

 

[Meantime]

I think Vaughan has it about right. Many younger people who get the virus are asymptomatic and never even know they've had the virus. They only present a danger to the older and vulnerable groups but not generally to themself. Once those most at risk from the virus have been vaccinated then the only way has to be to let it spread amongst the young, fit and healthy and hope for herd immunity. However the big worry here is the group of roughly 1 million vulnerable who for whatever reason will not be able to have the vaccine. How do we protect them?

I keep hoping that like Spanish Flu it will eventually die out.

[Guest]

36 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

MrsG did state she is looking forward to a sunshine holiday abroad.

"If and when" foreign holidays resume in the distant future it may well be worth applying for a GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) it offers health cover in the way the old EHIC card did/does (which is still valid until expiry) They only countries they do not cover you in are Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland.

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/

[DAVIDH]

I keep seeing and hearing on the TV that you can still spread the virus once you have had the vaccines (and built up your immunity). Just to clarify, this is not yet known. Still awaiting enough "field" trials to test the theory. This is from the government's website here:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-guide-for-older-adults/covid-19-vaccination-guide-for-older-adults

Let's hope the trials give a positive result, as it really will make a difference to the future. Probably should add - until we know, be cautious! 
 

[Smoggy]

If you have the virus but are not ill from it you will spread it far less than someone that is reproducing vastly higher numbers of the virus and coughing all over the place so the R number will fall just from that surely.

Dislaimer: Greasemonkey not a virologist.....

[ExSurveyor]

 

2 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

I see on the news this morning that the covid restrictions may now stay in place until the summer. 

It is the usual media speculation based on a guess by the tea boy, they don't know, we don't know, I doubt even the Government will know until the data comes through nearer Easter.

Classic ploy, idle speculation based on no evidence, hype up, move to next subject. No one remembers the unfounded speculation come Easter.

It is the same with " Bbq summer" and " Worst winter ever"  speculation, no one ever remembers what they predicted.