Coronavirus (2021) thread

[roubaixtuesday]

One thing I don't understand is why we don't have a modified booster yet? The boosters being given are just a repeat of the vaccines given earlier in the year but they have always been less effective vs Delta

As I understand it:

1. A booster of the original is highly effective vs Delta, so why bother?
2. It's not yet clear if the drop in efficacy vs delta is due to lack of specificity vs delta, or that delta is just more transmissible. ie a delta specific vaccine may only offer marginal advantage as the delta advantage is from transmission, not immune escape.
3. A delta specific vaccine might be less effective against other variants whereas the original remains effective against all current variants.
4. Massive supply of the original is available.

Given the prevalence of the use of the AZ vaccine here, is this possibly why our cases are higher than anywhere else?

Certainly one possible factor.

We also have lower vaccination levels than many western European countries, particularly in children who have far more contacts than adults.

I've heard several experts commenting that the UK has far more of a return to pre- pandemic levels indoor mixing than most European countries, and this behavioural difference is the most obvious issue. But I'm not sure where the data for that comes from.

Most European countries have more mask wearing and more vaccine passport restrictions than us.

Anyone who says they know the exact reasons for differences between countries, or even within countries where there are also vast differences, is kidding themselves IMO.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

See the scientists want us to ban anything fun again because they can't bear their loss of control and prominence.

 

[BlueHammer85]

See the scientists want us to ban anything fun again because they can't bear their loss of control and prominence.

more likely the hospitals are under severe pressure and hospitals beds/ICU are rapidly filling up.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

See the scientists want us to ban anything fun again because they can't bear their loss of control and prominence.

Ignoring problems and pretending they have gone away doesn't solve them, alas.

 

[Bluewonder]

more likely the hospitals are under severe pressure and hospitals beds/ICU are rapidly filling up.

That's a problem for the hospitals to fix then isn't it.

 

[babyape]

That's a problem for the hospitals to fix then isn't it.

Or we can wear masks and try to reduce case numbers now. Baffles me why we don't. Went to spain last month, everyone wears masks. Just been to portugal, everyone wears masks. Mate lives in France, everyone wears masks. UK, barely anyone does anymore. Just look at the number of cases a day for each country. They're on hundreds, or low thousands.. we're on 50,000...

 

[BlueHammer85]

That's a problem for the hospitals to fix then isn't it.

id say it’s more of a problem for the general public that need hospital treatment. Especially for Covid.

 

[blueparrot]

That's a problem for the hospitals to fix then isn't it.

As if by magic ?

 

[RobMCFC]

It's obvious that people should be wearing masks for indoor activities and on public transport etc. I have just returned from Spain again where compliance is very high and people get on with it. The case numbers in most of Europe v UK is the most obvious indicator of what happens when you drop all restrictions.

Whilst the cultures are different, I don't believe that Spanish or French people are fundamentally different to us Brits - the main difference is that in those countries, they have leaders who make proactive decisions. You might not agree with their politics or decisions, but at least they are prepared to try something and the mandating of masks effectively forces most people to use them.

Compare this to our government who are not prepared to enforce anything until it is too late. They only change things when there is no decision to make and things have spiraled so far out of control that there is only one course of action possible. Exhibit A was last Winter, and I think we'll see exhibit B coming up very shortly.

Don't get me wrong, the vaccines are working and it's good that hospital numbers and number of deaths is remaining relatively low, but not taking simple precautions will cost more lives than necessary.

 

[M18CTID]

Some of the UK have been in plan B all summer. I'ts no hardship and never understood why the whole UK didn't follow the plan B plan anyway. Wearing masks isn't difficult, but it will be harder to make people go back to it,while those of us that have just carried on as far as I can tell don't have any issue with it.

I've continued to wear mine on public transport and in shops with the exception of one occasion when I forgot to bring one out with me. As you say, it's no great hardship but I increasingly feel like the odd one out when wearing one because so few people have them on these days!