Coronavirus (2021) thread

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Further on the England hospital data. Here are the regional changes yesterday. Starting to show signs of concern in the North West for the first time since they began to fall in October.

IN those 24 hours to yesterday regionally

LONDON Patients UP by 153 to 5524 and Ventilators UP by 41 to 640 - this is over 200 extra added here alone in Christmas week. Many of them sadly deaths to come in the next few days.

MIDLANDS Patients UP 182 to 3876 and Ventilators UP 21 to 306. Also going up rapidly Second only to the south.

YORKSHIRE Patients UP 45 to 2514 and Ventilators UP 10 to 166. They are the last region outside the south to show any increase and the new strain has been lowest here for weeks. The number of cases here daily and now the hospital data - whilst still lower than everywhere else - is starting to show signs that they too are on the up and may just be a week or two behind the rest.


Finally - the NORTH WEST - where we have been doing pretty well in the hospital situation - with capacity well below the first wave and nearly 1000 down on where we were in October when we briefly surpassed that - and ventilators way down too on both of those - have been starting to show signs of an escalation.

Patients UP 162 - most in a day in ages - to 2512 - highest in NW in weeks.

Ventilators UP 17 to 188 - also the biggest daily rise here in weeks. So starting to look like a concern.

The worst impact of Christmas/New Year is likely yet to come. So these figures are not good news.
 
There is a major problem in the supply chain.
We only have 500,000 doses of AZ.
Whitty has warned the program is going to be severely slowed by lack of vaccine.
 
Gabriel said:
So, if I interpret you correctly, then that is the reverse of what is happening now (i.e. dividing the doses over more people). Given that they've divided doses now, then if the same problem arises in 12 weeks, they'll presumably be consistent and defer the second dose.
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If then the first dose runs out for the first people they will then need a further two shots so effectively getting three and so on.
 
We first heard stories of the problem with limited vaccine numbers despite claims that we had millions coming soon. Then the news of the Oxford approval was delayed despite all health services being told 2 weeks before Christmas to be ready for administering it from the actual day they now are doing. Suggesting they had to know it was coming then but delayed because of the (then being kept secret) concern over vaccine supply and the possible need to spread out the doses. Then they announce the spread out dose solution as good news not bad. Then start cancelling all the second appointments already booked. Leaving those patients confused and disappointed and worried.

You could not blame anyone for reading conspiracy theories into that.

None of them may be true and it all is really a good strategy and clever plan not a reaction to yet another mess up.

But the truth is it has like almost everything not been messaged well at all and has maximised the problems not the potential good news by seeming to not tell everything and be honest up front.

This is happening far too often in this pandemic and really has to change as you need the people with you and trusting you not doing what they choose because they have lost faith in the all for one and one for all philosophy that should get a UNITED kingdom through this crisis as it did in the war.

A DISunited kingdom in a pandemic is in big trouble.
 
Keith Moncrieff said:
nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk

Steward Volunteer (COVID-19 vaccinations)

Considering becoming a Steward Volunteer for NHS Volunteer Responders? Find out more about the responsibilities of the role and how to sign up.
nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk
Gonna sign up
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My neighbour who just had her jab said there were lots of people in high viz jackets moving people around and that was just at our normal gp practice , going to need so many , good on you for volunteering
 
What happened in that Belgian care home is terrifying evidence of what this new strain can do and appears to be doing in the UK. Not even sure that was the new strain as the old one is bad enough, The new one just much faster at spreading to almost everyone in contact.

It was taken into the home by 'Santa' - who proved a super spreader.

As a result 85 residents and 40 staff all caught it and 28 have died.

One person with this new strain without themselves being that ill or even knowing they have got it (many with the new strain are under 30 and likely have few symptoms not common in Winter) can accidentally destroy countless lives.

This is why the landscape has changed and nothing less than full lockdown pretty much immediately should have been introduced.

We all know it will happen. But equally doing it even a week later than it should have been is going to cost us dear. Not just in terms of deaths. As we have just seen how much worse one week has made things.

The worst thing you can do if you are walking towards an uncovered mine shaft is slow down and wait until you fall in after it has become deeper than ever. As your chances of surviving let alone of getting out of there are going to be much harder and take much longer.
 
denislawsbackheel said:
There is a major problem in the supply chain.
We only have 500,000 doses of AZ.
Whitty has warned the program is going to be severely slowed by lack of vaccine.
Click to expand...

nope, million available Monday. It’s been increased

the should be up to 2 million a week not long after

thats just the oxford vaccine

it’d be nice to get everyone vaccinated over a weekend but it’s not going to happen.

We are going to be going faster than pretty much every major economy
 
Del_Bosque said:
nope, million available Monday. It’s been increased

the should be up to 2 million a week not long after

thats just the oxford vaccine

it’d be nice to get everyone vaccinated over a weekend but it’s not going to happen.

We are going to be going faster than pretty much every major economy
Click to expand...
I do hope that is true. And will be delighted if it is. But we will see.

In the real world my most vulnerable friend has still no sign of that vaccination promised pre Christmas as for next Tuesday happening at all. Outside an ap telling her now she should be protected by late March.

She will be far from the only person who has been locked down since March still not sure when they will be helped.
 
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Healdplace said:
What happened in that Belgian care home is terrifying evidence of what this new strain can do and appears to be doing in the UK. Not even sure that was the new strain as the old one is bad enough, The new one just much faster at spreading to almost everyone in contact.

It was taken into the home by 'Santa' - who proved a super spreader.

As a result 85 residents and 40 staff all caught it and 28 have died.

One person with this new strain without themselves being that ill or even knowing they have got it (many with the new strain are under 30 and likely have few symptoms not common in Winter) can accidentally destroy countless lives.

This is why the landscape has changed and nothing less than full lockdown pretty much immediately should have been introduced.

We all know it will happen. But equally doing it even a week later than it should have been is going to cost us dear. Not just in terms of deaths. As we have just seen how much worse one week has made things.

The worst thing you can do if you are walking towards an uncovered mine shaft is slow down and wait until you fall in after it has become deeper than ever. As your chances of surviving let alone of getting out of there are going to be much harder and take much longer.
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If it wasn’t such a ridiculous notion you’d actually think we delay making some of these decisions on purpose.

Did we not learn anything from the first wave?

I think we will be in full national lockdown, with schools and universities shut, by the 18th.
 
Healdplace said:
We first heard stories of the problem with limited vaccine numbers despite claims that we had millions coming soon. Then the news of the Oxford approval was delayed despite all health services being told 2 weeks before Christmas to be ready for administering it from the actual day they now are doing. Suggesting they had to know it was coming then but delayed because of the (then being kept secret) concern over vaccine supply and the possible need to spread out the doses. Then they announce the spread out dose solution as good news not bad. Then start cancelling all the second appointments already booked. Leaving those patients confused and disappointed and worried.

You could not blame anyone for reading conspiracy theories into that.

None of them may be true and it all is really a good strategy and clever plan not a reaction to yet another mess up.

But the truth is it has like almost everything not been messaged well at all and has maximised the problems not the potential good news by seeming to not tell everything and be honest up front.

This is happening far too often in this pandemic and really has to change as you need the people with you and trusting you not doing what they choose because they have lost faith in the all for one and one for all philosophy that should get a UNITED kingdom through this crisis as it did in the war.

A DISunited kingdom in a pandemic is in big trouble.
Click to expand...
You might be buying into a bit of a myth there? Humanity has rarely if ever been politically unified.

100 years ago we had the Spanish 'flu and the background to that was war in the trenches, the Suffragettes, the Bolshevik revolution, monarchs, religion etc.
 
Healdplace said:
I do hope that is true. And will be delighted if it is. But we will see.

In the real world my most vulnerable friend has still no sign of that vaccination promised pre Christmas as for next Tuesday happening at all. Outside an ap telling her now she should be protected by late March.

She will be far from the only person who has been locked down since March still not sure when they will be helped.
Click to expand...
I would echoe that my dad 87 with issues has got his on the 9th but mum 85 not on list yet she was told 86+ in first wave at her practice notice predictions today of a global shortage in first quarter
news.sky.com

COVID-19: Chief medical officer Chris Whitty warns coronavirus vaccine shortages will last months

The UK's chief medical officers have backed a change in guidance which says booster jabs should be given up to 12 weeks later.
news.sky.com news.sky.com
 
Over 100 fined by GM police for breaking Covid rules last night.

Including breaking up many parties. A rave in Wigan and a mass brawl in Manchester city centre involving a party of 30 people.

A pub in Marple Bridge was also fined for being open illegally.
 
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One thing about the Oxford vaccine that is puzzling me is why the government didn't place an order with Astra Zeneca to produce say 20 million doses before final approval. It probably was apparent quite a while ago that the vaccine was effective and more or less certain to be approved. At a cost of less than £3 a shot it would have been small change in the overall scheme of things even in the unlikely event that it didn't gain approval.
 
Only care home residents and NHS staff were planned before Christmas originally I believe.

My great Aunt based in Wythenshawe has had her first dose already she is neither, think things must have moved around slightly due to Pfizer vaccine transport limitations.

Hopefully your friend gets hers ASAP
 
Healdplace said:
I do hope that is true. And will be delighted if it is. But we will see.

In the real world my most vulnerable friend has still no sign of that vaccination promised pre Christmas as for next Tuesday happening at all. Outside an ap telling her now she should be protected by late March.

She will be far from the only person who has been locked down since March still not sure when they will be helped.
Click to expand...
1m have been vaccinated and I reckon it's a realistic to expect 1 m more by this time next week.
 
Invisible Man's Bandage said:
One thing about the Oxford vaccine that is puzzling me is why the government didn't place an order with Astra Zeneca to produce say 20 million doses before final approval. It probably was apparent quite a while ago that the vaccine was effective and more or less certain to be approved. At a cost of less than £3 a shot it would have been small change in the overall scheme of things even in the unlikely event that it didn't gain approval.
Click to expand...
Good point. Astrazeneca's Indian partners have 50m doses waiting to go I believe.

It may not be an issue in the UK if they have the manufacturing capacity??
 
Del_Bosque said:
Only care home residents and NHS staff were planned before Christmas originally I believe.

My great Aunt based in Wythenshawe has had her first dose already she is neither, think things must have moved around slightly due to Pfizer vaccine transport limitations.

Hopefully your friend gets hers ASAP
Click to expand...
I am keeping on top of the situation as she tends to trust the health service. I keep pointing out that IF there are any supply issues then only those who push will likely get help.

She worked in hospital for the NHS much of her life. She knows how it works. But that was 25 years ago with no pandemic changing priorities day to day as events move swiftly.
 
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