Coronavirus (2021) thread

[Churchlawtonblue]

So Pfizer and AZ have both stated there is no disruption to their agreed supply to the UK. Which we have to take as good news. Perhaps the NHS memo was a red herring and incorrect? if that is the case it may explain Hancock's apparent inability to answer it fully. Fingers crossed that is the case.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Speculation: According to the Graun AZ has said it's meeting it's 2m dose a week commitment. "Global AZ issue" was cited by govt. Conclusion: AZ was planning to spring more supplies from India, but that's proved not possible, perhaps because the Indian govt has stopped it.

As I say, speculation.

Called it:

A spokesperson for the Serum Institute of India told the BBC:

Five million doses had been delivered a few weeks ago to the UK and we will try to supply more later, based on the current situation and the requirement for the government immunisation programme in India.

I confidently predict that the Indian govt preventing export will not be received in the same way as the EU threatening the same.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

So Pfizer and AZ have both stated there is no disruption to their agreed supply to the UK. Which we have to take as good news. Perhaps the NHS memo was a red herring and incorrect? if that is the case it may explain Hancock's apparent inability to answer it fully. Fingers crossed that is the case.

UK supply chain unaffected for AZ, but the intent to import extra from India has been stopped. So the acceleration no longer possible.

 

[BobKowalski]

Speculation: According to the Graun AZ has said it's meeting it's 2m dose a week commitment. "Global AZ issue" was cited by govt. Conclusion: AZ was planning to spring more supplies from India, but that's proved not possible, perhaps because the Indian govt has stopped it.

As I say, speculation.

Sounds plausible. I also thought the Indian vax production was geared for poorer countries, but I could be wrong.

There always was going to be delays and hiccups in what is a mammoth undertaking, so shouldn’t be too surprised if things get delayed a bit.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I also thought the Indian vax production was geared for poorer countries, but I could be wrong.

Me too, but it was recently reported the MHRA were inspecting the Serum institute to allow UK approval. And this week's acceleration is down to Indian supplies.

Looks like the Indians may have taken umbrage.

 

[Rammy Blue]

Me too, but it was recently reported the MHRA were inspecting the Serum institute to allow UK approval. And this week's acceleration is down to Indian supplies.

Looks like the Indians may have taken umbrage.

I still won’t be surprised to find that we miraculously find an increase in supply from an avenue over the next few weeks, allowing the government to receive some additional plaudits.

 

[True_Blue69]

It's probably because a handful of British people having to go to hospital in Spain or Greece or wherever is an acceptable result of opening up travel, whereas shedloads of people needing to be hospitalised abroad wouldn't be acceptable.

Will the negative test before travelling not do that?

What about gigs and festivals in this country?

Seems pointless to me.

 

[somapop]

Just had a text from my boys school to advise of a large outbreak there:

Spoiler: School advising huge outbreak

...of Headlice

 

[west didsblue]

An interesting thread on why the AZ use has been suspended in parts of eu and elsewhere, at least temporarily. It is almost exactly what @roubaixtuesday has been commenting on regarding the situation, and there being a genuine reason to investigate medically as opposed to any politicking taking place.

There is literally no conceivable political reason that makes any sense at all to anyone but the most rabid Eurosceptic why any government would pause the rollout of AZ for non-scientific reasons. It would achieve nothing but shitting on an Anglo-Swedish company and killing their own citizens for point scoring. There had to be a scientific reason, and although it seems to be a huge overreaction because of the consequent risk (or should I say certainty) of additional unnecessary loss of life, this explanation is far more plausible than any others I've seen. If we weren't in the middle of a pandemic it would make sense to pause it to investigate concerns and that would probably go unnoticed, but the decision makers don't seem to have taken the risk of pausing into proper account.

 

[True_Blue69]

There are rarely absolutes in medicine, but it absolutely does reduce the risk of you catching it - by 60% with one shot according to those figures.

Evidence is growing that transmission is reduced significantly too - though it's very difficult to estimate exactly by how much. It's likely that the viral load of vaccinated people is lower so they're less infectious even if they have it.

And of course hospitalisation and death is reduced too.

So vaccine passports (without commenting on whether they're a good idea or not overall) for travel should:
- reduce the risk of transmission to others
- reduce the risk of healthcare burden in the country you're travelling to.

If that evidence comes to fruition then I see the benefit, otherwise it’s pointless. A negative test should be all that’s needed.