We're expecting to give out something like 400,000 doses in Canada this month, assuming Moderna is approved.
Coronavirus
- Thread starter Black Wizard
- Start date
Dr. Eddies Wingman
Brighter than thousand_suns
Days after the British started vaccinations, they find that a more contagious variant of the virus has spread. Let's just hope the vaccine is equally effective against that ...
Indeed. It's really hard to tell if the new variant is more infectious, it could just be coincidence that it's the dominant strain in areas where cases are on the rise, but apparently the Government's scientific advisors have notified the WHO that it probably is more infectious. Not sure why....I did read one report that suggested more virus was produced or shed with this variant. Christmas has been scrapped in the South East and the bubbles thing has been limited to Christmas Day only across the rest of England. Wales is going into lockdown.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
I understood the Netherlands are among the slowest to start with vaccinating. On the other hand, I'm not expecting this kind of fuck-ups like in the UK or other countries where things went way too hasty.
Sounds like standard admin problems rather than an out and out 'fuck-up'. Sky always verges on populist, notice they say GPs are being 'forced' to hand over medical data.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
Exactly. It should also be mentioned that the UK has approved the vaccine under EU rules and very stringent and thorough checks.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Whatever source quoted, having doctors to write names of people who were vaccinated with pen on paper is not something you want.
Or what we want, at least. Standard admin problems?
Nope, this was just not prepared well. Testing a vaccine is not enough, there's much more to it. Starting soon, perhaps we could call that populist.
And I'm afraid relaxing Covid restrictions around/on Christmas could be pretty dangerous.
Or what we want, at least. Standard admin problems?
Nope, this was just not prepared well. Testing a vaccine is not enough, there's much more to it. Starting soon, perhaps we could call that populist.
And I'm afraid relaxing Covid restrictions around/on Christmas could be pretty dangerous.
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28 day lockdown in Ontario starts Boxing Day. Yay.
Black Abyss Babe
I live for my dreams and a pocket full of gold
We are entering Tier 4 on Boxing Day - which is not technically lockdown but has all the main features of one ... 
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
We are entering Tier 4 on Boxing Day - which is not technically lockdown but has all the main features of one ...
It is exactly the same as lockdown #2, isn’t it?
Welcome to the club.
Black Abyss Babe
I live for my dreams and a pocket full of gold
I haven't compared the two in detail but all the essential features are present and correct, ie anything they think we can live without has to close for the duration. What really pissed me off though, was that we only got 2 days notice of the change of plan and hence I discovered that all the "non-essential" shopping I had been putting off until after Christmas suddenly all had to be done on Christmas Eve afternoon - oh joy! Surprisingly though, there weren't that many people out so in the event it wasn't too bad.
Black Abyss Babe
I live for my dreams and a pocket full of gold
Southampton centre on Christmas Eve afternoon, about 4.30:
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
I feel really sorry for all those businesses that have been forced to shut at that ridiculously short notice. Thankfully, we had bought all the Christmas presents well in advance (we decided to apply the mantra “Never trust a Tory” the moment Boris Johnson had promised a window of 5 days so people could have a normal Christmas).
We also managed to have dinner at our favourite local independent pub to celebrate the end of term the last day they were open and the poor landlady was trying to see a silver lining on the whole situation as she was going to be able to have Christmas off for the first time in a long time.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
Shocking picture!
On a related note, I have very fond memories of the time I spent living in Southampton: the gigs at the Brook, walks in the Common followed by lunch or dinner at the Cowherds, pints at the Guide Dog, the Solent Sky museum, the remains of the old city, not forgetting the plaque at the library honouring the kindness of the people of Southampton who took care of the Basque children refugees who ended up in Britain fleeing fascism in Spain.
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Black Abyss Babe
I live for my dreams and a pocket full of gold
Quite, and I feel really bad for people who really can't trade at all without being allowed to open (like hairdressers and some of the hospitality and entertainment venues etc). But on the other hand a lot of people have got more creative since the first lockdown, having obviously forseen that we likely hadn't seen the end of it, and had a serious think about how they could keep trading if they were forced to shut again. In Alresford, where I work, while the first time around everyone just shut up shop completely, during the last lockdown they kept changing up their window displays and had signs up saying if you see anything you like to give them a call. So people are finding ways to keep going up to a point but Boris and his idiot friend Hancock are going to need to have a better idea soon - they can't keep going on like this indefinitely, just shutting bits of the country down every time something they weren't expecting crops up
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Reading this again and I am beginning to think differently already. Vaccination should begin earlier than planned, e.g. next Monday. Intensive Cares are getting full and healthcare personal suffers from Covid. We can need all hands so any day sooner, the better.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
The sooner we get those more at risk vaccinated, the better, that’s for sure.
bearfan
Ancient Mariner
Sooner we get everyone vaccinated, the better.
Happy New Tier! I was a bit surprised we got Tier 4 because case numbers aren't massively high here, but they are rising fast. I really think they need to consider more options with schools. All the cases I personally know of have started with kids bringing it home, or someone who works in a school bringing it home and spreading it to their family.
They're very very hesitant to keep schools closed and I don't think it's genuinely anything to do with protecting vulnerable children or denting those awesome career prospects of people from seriously disadvantaged backgrounds like they say...more like providing childcare so companies don't lose staff hours and an obsession with whipping everyone from an early age into being behind a desk 9-5. But given that schools have been complaining about overcrowding for years, I don't see how there can be any proper social distancing. Splitting schools so one or two year groups every day are at home might be a better way of doing it, just to reduce bodies crammed into corridors coughing and breathing germs everywhere.
It's still very early days working out if/how much the new variant is driving the rapid rise in cases, but I've read a couple of reports now that suggest covid-compliant workplace rules are no longer effective, even when done properly. A workplace in Cumbria - I think it was an office environment but not seen confirmation of that - recently had 50% of staff go down with Covid, even though they'd had very rigid rules in place. A lot of things can feed into that, like staff giving each other lifts or socialising outside of work, and windows being firmly shut in winter, but it suggests that aerosol transmission might be more of an issue with the new variant, as the viral load appears to be higher.
They're very very hesitant to keep schools closed and I don't think it's genuinely anything to do with protecting vulnerable children or denting those awesome career prospects of people from seriously disadvantaged backgrounds like they say...more like providing childcare so companies don't lose staff hours and an obsession with whipping everyone from an early age into being behind a desk 9-5. But given that schools have been complaining about overcrowding for years, I don't see how there can be any proper social distancing. Splitting schools so one or two year groups every day are at home might be a better way of doing it, just to reduce bodies crammed into corridors coughing and breathing germs everywhere.
It's still very early days working out if/how much the new variant is driving the rapid rise in cases, but I've read a couple of reports now that suggest covid-compliant workplace rules are no longer effective, even when done properly. A workplace in Cumbria - I think it was an office environment but not seen confirmation of that - recently had 50% of staff go down with Covid, even though they'd had very rigid rules in place. A lot of things can feed into that, like staff giving each other lifts or socialising outside of work, and windows being firmly shut in winter, but it suggests that aerosol transmission might be more of an issue with the new variant, as the viral load appears to be higher.