Coronavirus (2021) thread

[Bluesince1979]

She’ll have no say on the headline at all. She is doing what anyone even remotely decent in their job would do - trying to ensure that lessons are learned and focused on preparation and prevention learnings as much as cure.

A fair comment

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Just hope Dennis can get to Tenerife!!
What a pathetic piece that was last night - even by BBC piss poor standards.

 

[blueinsa]

I agree they the prices of the tests are excessive. If you have to isolate because of the domestic Covid rules then compensate peole for loss of earnings. If the isolation is due to luxuries like international flights then I’m not so sure.

I think supermarket staff and shop workers have a right to a let of protection from shoppers wearing masks, if that filled the scientific advice. I accept I’m taking a level of risk when going to the match and the pub.

A few safety measures are welcome if they keep us out of lockdown and helped to sustain jobs and businesses, IMHO. We can continue to get on with most of the things that add quality to our lives.

Just on International travel/tourism. I don’t see it as a luxury whatsoever. Millions of livelihoods depend on it, countries depend on it and many travel for work. It can’t just be switched off without it having a huge detrimental affect but I will agree, it has to be managed and all I would say is keep the costs of tests or quarantine down to a level that covers the costs and doesn’t make a few people insanely rich and ensure those who you want to isolate for the greater good are not put out of pocket because the chances are, many will simply ignore it.

 

[paulchapo]

Just hope Dennis can get to Tenerife!!
What a pathetic piece that was last night - even by BBC piss poor standards.

I'm flying there Thursday morning fingers crossed no more spanners are thrown into the works before then.

 

[meltonblue]

I’m not sure it is a particularly scary comment tbh, it’s just something that’s always been true and the question will always be how much do you put in to planning and preparation.

I’d find it a lot more scary if we had gone through a pandemic which caused thousands of people to lose their lives and huge societal impacts on everyone and the discussion wasn’t being had about how to plan as well as possible for a potential future one.

 

[grunge]

I kind of see your point, but in fairness doctors and nurses have worked very hard over the last 20 months or so, and they are dedicated individuals that want to help people.

I find it quite depressing when people slag them off as being lazy, when the real ire should be directed at the 'reforms' this government imposed on the NHS that resulted in the loss of 50,000 doctors and nurses, 17,000 hospital beds, and regional centres that co-ordinated everything.

Doctors haven't opted out of home visits, it's the government telling them they can if they want to.

How far does our healthcare have to descend to under the 'teflon tory' propaganda before people wake up and understand what's happening to the NHS?

There is a big difference between hospital staff and GP’s.

Hospitals have in general been great. GP's have in general been a bit shit. While I've not had any issues getting a phone consultation literally no one I know has managed to get a face to face appointment. A close family friend Died a year ago today because he couldn't get a GP to see him. Long story short, He had Cancer, had had Chemo and was having issues. He died of Sepsis. The GP Kept fobbing him off saying its just the chemo site pain and Giving Morphine prescription. The second even the Paramedic saw him after they got to the point of having to phone an ambulance they knew it was an infection. If the GP had done a face to face or even a video chat they would have spotted it and been able to treat it 4/5 days earlier and odds are he'd have survived.

Edit: I think GP's should default to a mix of Phone consultation and Face to Face from now on. I like the phone consutations as I find them convenient for a lot of issues. But there are some that Face to face is far better.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

I'm flying there Thursday morning fingers crossed no more spanners are thrown into the works before then.

Fingers crossed - at least you weren't first up on the National and International News.
Have a good one.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I kind of see your point, but in fairness doctors and nurses have worked very hard over the last 20 months or so, and they are dedicated individuals that want to help people.

I find it quite depressing when people slag them off as being lazy, when the real ire should be directed at the 'reforms' this government imposed on the NHS that resulted in the loss of 50,000 doctors and nurses, 17,000 hospital beds, and regional centres that co-ordinated everything.

Doctors haven't opted out of home visits, it's the government telling them they can if they want to.

How far does our healthcare have to descend to under the 'teflon tory' propaganda before people wake up and understand what's happening to the NHS?

I rang my GP surgery at 8pm this morning. Took 20 mins to get through.

Telephone consultation at 10:30am, ”passed“ triage and have a face to face appointment at 2pm.

 

[paulchapo]

Fingers crossed - at least you weren't first up on the National and International News.
Have a good one.

I rarely watch the news as it's not good for anyone's mental health. I get my information on the pandemic from some knowledgeable posters here and at this late stage I'm sure Ryanair will be in touch if anything changes or one of my friends who avidly watches it all.

It's all a gamble these days but if you don't book early for Christmas and things don't go tits up you won't get in anywhere.

 

[andyhinch]

There is a big difference between hospital staff and GP’s.

Hospitals have in general been great. GP's have in general been a bit shit. While I've not had any issues getting a phone consultation literally no one I know has managed to get a face to face appointment. A close family friend Died a year ago today because he couldn't get a GP to see him. Long story short, He had Cancer, had had Chemo and was having issues. He died of Sepsis. The GP Kept fobbing him off saying its just the chemo site pain and Giving Morphine prescription. The second even the Paramedic saw him after they got to the point of having to phone an ambulance they knew it was an infection. If the GP had done a face to face or even a video chat they would have spotted it and been able to treat it 4/5 days earlier and odds are he'd have survived.

Edit: I think GP's should default to a mix of Phone consultation and Face to Face from now on. I like the phone consutations as I find them convenient for a lot of issues. But there are some that Face to face is far better.

I’ve had 5 in the last 12 months but do get the feeling I’ve been lucky

 

[grunge]

I’ve had 5 in the last 12 months but do get the feeling I’ve been lucky

Its good to hear that at least some are still doing Face to Faces.

I do think a hybrid approach is a good way forward from now on. im guessing they can get through more patients via phone for more routine stuff.

My parents have managed to have a fair few hospital appointments between them this year but never managed to get a GP face to face.

 

[Healdplace]

I see GPs have opted out of making home visits to vaccinate those stuck at home.
GPs really have covered themselves in glory during this pandemic (NOT).

I agree. But it may not be their fault as noted. I needed to see my doctor andwas told to book a phone call back from them to be 'reviewed'. I did and was given a date for the phone call 12 days later!

I did not bother on the assumption I would either be better or in hospital by the time they could find 30 seconds in their obviously busy time to call. And I accept there were others to prioritise so decided to wait and see.

They are only seeing people in person if they would otherwise be going to A & E I was advised.

This was a few months ago and up to the pandemic they have been very good. And I have had no problem going there to have two flu jabs and one of the three vaccines there (they were not allowed to do the other two by regulations).

I gather they have amalgamated lots of surgeries into one super practice spread over a wide area and they are delegating different things.

It is regulations not the staff I suspect behind the mess.

 

[andyhinch]

I agree. I needed to see my doctor andwas told to book a phone call back from them to be 'reviewed'. I did and was given a date for the phone call 12 days later!

I did not bother on the assumption I would either be better or in hospital by the time they could find 30 seconds in their obviously busy time to call. And I accept there were others to prioritise so decided to wait and see.

They are only seeing people in person if they would otherwise be going to A & E I was advised.

This was a few months ago and up to the pandemic they have been very good. And I have had no problem going there to have two flu jabs and one of the three vaccines there (they were not allowed to do the other two by regulations).

I gather they have amalgamated lots of surgeries into one super practice spread over a wide area and they are delegating different things.

It is regulations not the staff I suspect behind the mess.

I get a phone appointment the same day and a face to face within 5 but I that’s not the case across the board.

 

[Healdplace]

I get a phone appointment the same day and a face to face within 5 but I that’s not the case across the board.

I did too at the same practice last year before the merger.

What I did this time was telling. I ordered my monthly prescription and included a note saying I was'self medicating after being unable to talk to a doctor' so not ordering one of my usual drugs as Google said it might be causing my symptoms. I had to follow that as I could not get to speak to a doctor.

They called me the next day.

Like I say I do not think it is doctors as much as red tape and huge pressure given all the extra vaccinations they are doing not just for Covid but flu. But I do not think the loss of a small local practive to become a part of a conglomerate has helped.

 

[BlueAnorak]

the WHO have said there have been no deaths from omnicron variant globally

it’s in many of the papers but you never know which link to post on BM so plumped for local paper .

New Omicron Covid-19 variant has caused no deaths yet, says WHO

However the WHO has warned that it could take weeks to find out more about the variant including how infectious it is

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

To be fair we haven't had a long enough time period to see that yet, but it looks good.

 

[BlueAnorak]

I know I'm being pedantic but:

Omnicron is a Normal-type Nexomon who is the legendary King of Monsters and the father of all Nexomon.

Omicron is the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet and the name of the latest Covid variant.

No need to thank me;-)

Be as pedantic as you like.
I regularly use Omnicron in my work as it is a system name and spell checking changes things on the fly.
It does appear to be a bit of a monster though doesn't it.
We should really call it Xi but that would have offended China

 

[BlueAnorak]

I agree. But it may not be their fault as noted. I needed to see my doctor andwas told to book a phone call back from them to be 'reviewed'. I did and was given a date for the phone call 12 days later!

I did not bother on the assumption I would either be better or in hospital by the time they could find 30 seconds in their obviously busy time to call. And I accept there were others to prioritise so decided to wait and see.

They are only seeing people in person if they would otherwise be going to A & E I was advised.

This was a few months ago and up to the pandemic they have been very good. And I have had no problem going there to have two flu jabs and one of the three vaccines there (they were not allowed to do the other two by regulations).

I gather they have amalgamated lots of surgeries into one super practice spread over a wide area and they are delegating different things.

It is regulations not the staff I suspect behind the mess.

Very true.
The thing I really can't get over is when my father needs an appointment he needs a face-to-face appointment as he is very hard of hearing. What do they not understand about that?

 

[Healdplace]

To be fair we haven't had a long enough time period to see that yet, but it looks good.

By the looks of it the most cases are coming in younger people - exacty as they are in Delta in the UK.

That is a key part of why hospitilisations and deaths are falling here despite huge case numbers for months. Alongside the high vaccination rate V South Africa.

So we may well have to wait and see what happens as and when Omicron impacts the more vulnerable. How much will greater vaccination protect them or will it be breached to a degree that leadsto more serious illness.

It is tempting to think this is going to be good news and the signs are hopeful. But it is too early to be sure on that. If it does what it is doing in South Africa in the entirely different situation in the UK we can start to think good things. But we are not there yet. Though UK cases are not as yet accelerating through the roof. Omicron cases found are still only around 300 v tens of thousands of Delta I gather. If it has been here weeks it is not yet that dominant.

 

[BlueAnorak]

By the looks of it the most cases are coming in younger people - exacty as they are in Delta in the UK.

That is a key part of why hospitilisations and deaths are falling here despite huge case numbers for months. Alongside the high vaccination rate V South Africa.

So we may well have to wait and see what happens as and when Omicron impacts the more vulnerable. How much will greater vaccination protect them or will it be breached to a degree that leadsto more serious illness.

It is tempting to think this is going to be good news and the signs are hopeful. But it is too early to be sure on that. If it does what it is doing in South Africa in the entirely different situation in the UK we can start to think good things. But we are not there yet. Though UK cases are not as yet accelerating through the roof. Omicron cases found are still only around 300 v tens of thousands of Delta I gather. If it has been here weeks it is not yet that dominant.

Quite.
Omicron would have to be 2.5 times less virulent to have the same impact on the NHS as Delta judging by the rate of infectiousness that appears to be present.
Also we haven't got a clue yet as to the effect of vacine and previous infection immunity escape. Also how infection rates in winter in the UK will change as opposed to summer in SA. For Flu the effect of seasonal change in the UK is massive.

 

[Octavian]

Just on International travel/tourism. I don’t see it as a luxury whatsoever. Millions of livelihoods depend on it, countries depend on it and many travel for work. It can’t just be switched off without it having a huge detrimental affect but I will agree, it has to be managed and all I would say is keep the costs of tests or quarantine down to a level that covers the costs and doesn’t make a few people insanely rich and ensure those who you want to isolate for the greater good are not put out of pocket because the chances are, many will simply ignore it.

Very good point. It isn’t just about the middle classes fooking off on their jollies, it’s entire societies around the world who’s people rely on tourism for their livelihoods. There’s always a **** or two somewhere trying to make a wad off any situation.