Coronavirus

77% of all adults are fully vaccinated in the Netherlands.

The one and a half meter rule (social distancing) will disappear from 25 September. However, in a lot more places a "proof of corona access" (= proof of vaccination or proof of negative test or proof of recovery) needs to be shown: in catering, on the terrace and in the culture sector. In public transport the facemask obligation stays and the horeca (restaurants, cafes close at midnight).
 
Spaldy said:
The Scottish government are introducing vaccine passports from October.
Click to expand...

What's the difference between a vaccine passport and the card you receive after vaccination? I don't understand the need for something new to be introduced, I'm just gonna get my card laminated and keep it on me if I ever need to show I'm jabbed.
 
Boris is aware that a large proportion of his support is an unpleasant mish-mash of the many colours of the right wing, and that includes a sizable amount of the anti-lockdown, anti-vax set. He's a pound shop populist with no personal or political courage so he will bend to the will of the mob.

He's so obviously inadequate but i fear he will win the next two elections.
 
Boroking said:
Boris is aware that a large proportion of his support is an unpleasant mish-mash of the many colours of the right wing, and that includes a sizable amount of the anti-lockdown, anti-vax set. He's a pound shop populist with no personal or political courage so he will bend to the will of the mob.

He's so obviously inadequate but i fear he will win the next two elections.
Click to expand...

The mere thought of this fills me with dread.
 
I still suspect the party will descend even further into bickering and infighting, and he'll be ousted. That's what it's like at a local level just about everywhere.

He is courting the populist reactionary camp, but I think it's the really the self-interested backbenchers more than anything that he's appeasing. They don't care about principles of freedom, they just don't think anything should hamper the preferred lifestyle and wealth of them, their friends, their servants, or their servants' tennis partners. I bet they'd be fine if the increase in National Insurance was only for people on less than £50k per annum or if Covid rules didn't affect hospitality and entertainment chains, commercial property portfolios or large scale investments.
 
Ontario launched their vaccine passport system on Wednesday. Quebec has been running with one for a month now and their cases haven't appreciably spiked. They've come up some with the spread of Delta but not an unmanageable amount.

In Ottawa, 11 people were in hospital yesterday. 8 in the ICU. Only two of those were vaccinated. Cases seem manageable and overall in Ontario the fourth wave has plateaued for now.

And then there's Alberta.
 
I read a bit about Alberta recently. It sounds like there's a hardcore of anti-vaxx and 'doesn't affect me' there. I still don't understand how there's such a contrast between some areas and cases/deaths, though. What's the vaccination rate like in Ottawa and are many under 18s vaccinated? And are most jabbed with at least one Moderna dose? As I've suspected for quite a while, a recent study suggested that Moderna looks to be more effective than even Pfizer.

I live in an area with a population of about 280,000, and there were 75 covid patients in the main hospital serving the area and 12 people in ICU a few days ago, 11 ventilated. About 76% of over 16s are vaccinated in one town and 86 in the neighbouring local authority area. There are another two towns very close by with similar vaccination rates and another 43 covid patients in hospital within their hospitals.

Also my office has been sent home twice recently as staff came down with covid. It's always on the same section. Ventilation is appalling in their part of the office, though, and there's quite a few people who are very carefree and probably aren't vaccinated.
 
Brigantium said:
I read a bit about Alberta recently. It sounds like there's a hardcore of anti-vaxx and 'doesn't affect me' there. I still don't understand how there's such a contrast between some areas and cases/deaths, though. What's the vaccination rate like in Ottawa and are many under 18s vaccinated? And are most jabbed with at least one Moderna dose? As I've suspected for quite a while, a recent study suggested that Moderna looks to be more effective than even Pfizer.
Click to expand...
That, combined with a government that lifted all restrictions in July, and allowed full resumption of social norms. Ottawa is currently at 82% of people 12+ fully vaccinated, which has helped, but we also didn't list all restrictions. Pfizer is more common than Moderna here, but plenty of us are vaccinated with at least one shot of Moderna. I'm a mixer myself, Pfizer and Moderna.
 
That's an excellent vaccination rate. They're only starting on under 18s here really, apart from a few who had risk health conditions. It's a strangely manageable disease once you've got widespread vaccination and a few other precautions.
 
Forostar said:
Pfizer is still 2nd best, I assume.
Click to expand...
It will be. Some of the research suggested that in the longer term, Pfizer became a lot less effective, on a par with non-mRNA vaccines. Moderna has only been used a lot more recently here though, so it's not comparable. And this has all happened against a backdrop of Delta taking over.

A second generation vaccine is being trialled in the north west. It's been designed based around other components of the virus, rather than the spike protein, I've read, which might mean it's more resilient to keeping up with new mutations. I can't remember the name of it now.
 
Brigantium said:
A second generation vaccine is being trialled in the north west. It's been designed based around other components of the virus, rather than the spike protein, I've read, which might mean it's more resilient to keeping up with new mutations. I can't remember the name of it now.
Click to expand...

Beltas? :)
 
Interesting meeting at work today. Staff who think everyone should be forced back into the office because 'covid is over' vs clinically vulnerable staff.
 
Stairwell action with social distancing or other precautions I hope! :lol:

Absolutely, though, make it a choice as far as business will allow, or have hybrid working. It's not helping when tabloids, ministers and former ministers are shouting about how home workers have been lazy for the past year and a half and how everyone should be back behind desks 'where they belong'. That's some outdated social ideal, not even an economic policy to get everyone back in town centres spending money with greasy sandwich bars, large coffee shop chains and Wetherspoons pubs. Surely companies could save money on expensive large business premises, and consider moving to smaller and more fit for purpose premises too?

They keep talk about how everyone in offices will be able to 'touch base', improve staff morale, share expertise and innovate etc. Those making the comments have obviously never worked in the average call centre or 'stop talking and work' hotdesking office where everyone is expected to follow rigid processes, and suggesting new ideas is speaking out of turn.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top