Covid-19 discussion thread

[Lencoboy]

Yes but these people will take the vaccine or a majority will. They can’t be blamed for lockdown delay surely it’s the governments fault for short supplies of the vaccine? Isn’t the delay due to AZ being suspended hence the delay in offering it to younger people?

Phil, the OAZ wasn't suspended in the UK, plus I don't think the govt were totally to blame for the shortages of both OAZ and Pfizer back in late March-early April, it was more a global 'supply-and-demand' issue.

There were a lot of people falling for the endless hype over certain side effects, plus a sizeable proportion of the population who simply couldn't be bothered to go and get jabbed when given the opportunity.

Many are now sadly paying the price for the latter.

[phil06]

I suspect you are right. Lucky that isn't it, so those who choose not to have the vaccine have others do the dirty work.

Its a shame you see it that way. The vaccine alone won’t end the pandemic I think have to follow the rules to help. I believe some countries have uptake issues but we in UK are fine.

[Carys]

Its a shame you see it that way.

Its the way many people, certainly on this thread see it.

I think have to follow the rules to help.

Like wearing masks ?

[Gary A]

But these people are going to take the vaccine just not been offered it yet so stop targeting a small minority who won’t have it. Upto 90% will take this vaccine so I fail to see the issue unless you support strapping people to a chair to vaccine 5% who refuse? Is that what you support?

With the evidence suggesting that by far the highest infection rates are amongst those age groups not yet vaccinated, that tells us that the vaccines aren’t merely lessening symptoms, they’re actually doing a fairly decent job of preventing infections also.

If nothing else, it shows us just how important vaccination is, and it should also show you why people really would prefer you to have a vaccine.

Also something I feel I have to point out is by not being vaccinated, even “5%” of the population, this gives the virus more places to run and grow. When it grows, it mutates, and the more it mutates, the higher the likelihood that it will mutate to a point of being able to overcome vaccination. It would be highly unlikely to ever render current vaccines completely useless, but if it reduces that effectiveness by 10 or 20%, all of a sudden a much higher proportion of the population are susceptible to the virus. This in turn gives it yet more chance of mutations and around that circle goes.

Of course, 90% of the population may achieve herd immunity, and we have to hope that it does, but remember the threshold for herd immunity rises depending on the transmissibility of the viral strain. 90% seems to have worked for places like Israel, but they are dealing with variants with far lower transmissibility than the so called Delta variant that we have here.

Again Phil, this is why people are passionate about you, or anyone for that matter, being vaccinated. This virus is showing that it is VERY adaptive, and if avoiding vaccination in turn makes you a place where it can adapt, people might just get a bit pissy about that. Can’t you understand?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Still no talk so far of any of the previous restrictions being reinstated though.

To be frank, I'm trying not to worry as much about day-to-day infection rates anymore as the gold standard now seems to be hospitalisations and deaths.

BTW, I still tested negative this morning, especially as I woke up with hayfever-type symptoms, some of which are now (dare I say it), confused with some Delta variant symptoms, and I thought, phew!

Good to hear your negative result, Lenco.

East Staffs have some distance from other spiking areas so I think it's us that may pass it on to them. Our vaccination rates are lagging and from my experience, and others I've spoken to, we can't get in. I had to cheat my way through the booking system following pulisa's advice.

Staffs Moorlands have a much higher rate of vaccination and maybe that has saved them? They haven't had any knock on effect to Staffs Uni hospital at all. We've had a rise of a few cases after a long period of falls. It's on about 7 people in there and only increased by a few. Now it is falling again.

Looking at the maps for hospitalisations it's all the North West that is contributing.

[Lencoboy]

Yes numbers are very high but the delta variant I mean the issue is it will be another one and another. The vaccine will always need tweaked. Once a vaccine is offered to all who want it that should give us an idea how things will be but it changes with new variants last summer we had 1 thousand cases but no delta..

Yes but hospitalisations and deaths still remained far higher right until the beginning of July IIRC. And with no jabs.

[spectrum123]

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/new...ts-for-travel/

France has also stated that it will work with the UK over the NHS passport system as well.

The US is currently working on its own passport.

[pulisa]

Good to hear that the double jabbed may soon be able to go to amber list countries without having to quarantine. Obviously depends on how things go but I really fancy a day trip to Lille on Eurostar.

[Lencoboy]

Good to hear your negative result, Lenco.

East Staffs have some distance from other spiking areas so I think it's us that may pass it on to them. Our vaccination rates are lagging and from my experience, and others I've spoken to, we can't get in. I had to cheat my way through the booking system following pulisa's advice.

Staffs Moorlands have a much higher rate of vaccination and maybe that has saved them? They haven't had any knock on effect to Staffs Uni hospital at all. We've had a rise of a few cases after a long period of falls. It's on about 7 people in there and only increased by a few. Now it is falling again.

Looking at the maps for hospitalisations it's all the North West that is contributing.

Thanks for your comments Terry.

Like I said I'm just trying to make the best of each day, taking each as it comes, and also trying not to get too bogged down with daily case stats which obviously do seem rather ominous right now.

But if things do start getting really dire once again and we end up having to have a fourth full-on national lockdown in due course (of which there's still no talk of ATM) then so be it.

Paradoxically, only today all of us clients at my day centre have been given letters stating that the go-ahead has now been given by public health officials at Staffs CC to start gradually phasing out our group 'bubbles' from this week onwards, though on-site indoor mask-wearing shall still remain until further notice.

[AzorAhai19]

Is anybody else more anxious due to this virus? I am 32 and only had my first jab, but I'm only 30% protected from the delta variant. On top of this I just feel anxious being around crowds. It is not an ideal situation. Then you hear the rare cases of people dying from the vaccine that adds to anxiety. It is horrible.