COVID-19 — Coronavirus

[Marvin]

what’s your source?
I doubt very much that standard testing protocols would be abandoned like this.

They are about to start phase I trials. There's a Chinese company in phase II.

There's facility to grant an Emergency use authorisation for drugs including vaccines. Remember relenza and tamiflu for the swineflu?

 

[denislawsbackheel]

'tis true https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...-oxford-university-human-trials-a9467061.html

It's not a 'brand new' vaccine, just re-engineering of a current one that has been deemed safe.

And just as I thought the linked article quotes experts saying it’s 18 months away.

not to mention the problem of making it. We have no facility in the UK for large scale vaccine production. We will just have to hope that where they are made, France, Switzerland, USA, etc will let us access some. They may of course not release it until all their own needs are met.

 

[Manc in London]

For the future I predict we'll ease the lockdown similar to our European counterparts to allow shops and primary schools to return mid-May but with certain provisions - you go out, you need the app. You go to a supermarket, you'll wear a mask. No gatherings of more than 50 people. As soon as the virus figures jump and NHS goes back to being under pressure, we'll have a second round of lockdown. August/September maybe? Autumn and Winter could be the very worst part of all this for people to deal with it but the poor weather might force people to stay in but it also might cause issues for people who are still not in work with mounting heating bills etc. Flights will be grounded for holidaymakers. After Easter next year, the virus will hopefully has either died down or vaccines will start to be rolled out.
r.

Restrict gatherings to 50 people but schools will be re-opened? For example, at break time at my daughters school, that will mean 400 in kids in a playground. I know you are making a prediction rather than making a suggestion but that doesn't make sense.

Regardless of what we are advised, my daughter will not be going back to school unless significant measures are taken to safeguard her, and her fellow pupils. We are lucky in that the missus and I can both work at home, so we can keep her away from school, if we feel that is best for our health.

 

[Manc in London]

I said priorities. Do you think allotments are hot beds of law breakers? I go to mine every day and see respectable people engaging safely in a healthy pastime.

That said, I confess to the heinous offence of taking butties and a flask of coffee with me.

The focus of the allotment officers is allotments. What other current priorities are there in relation to allotments? You do not know if locals have complained to police. If that is the case, the police may have asked the councils to do this. I tend to take the view that if a decision has been made to do something, unless I am fully informed about the issues, I am not in a position to comment on whether or not it is the wrong thing to do.

 

[grunge]

It's not abandoning anything.

This is what they did with swine flu. If you just adapt an approved vaccine slightly you don't need to go through every stage of testing.

Hence the Swine flu vaccine was being mass produced 5 months after the pandemic started.

Are there any Coronovirus vaccines to piggyback from though?

there are plenty of flu vaccines to piggy back on.

 

[SWP's back]

Are there any Coronovirus vaccines to piggyback from though?

there are plenty of flu vaccines to piggy back on.

The SARS vaccine.

 

[paulchapo]

Considering nearly everything is closed here why are people still flying in? More to the point, why are they being allowed to? It is making a mockery of people staying at home and trying to do the right thing if thousands of unchecked people are being added to the mix.

 

[twosips]

We’ve suspected this was the case for weeks now. I know we’re more likely to hear of the bad news rather than the good, but is there any task we’ve managed to carry out in this crisis that can be deemed or regarded as efficient? We look totally inept in every department.

What possible explanation is there for this? It's either ineptitude, they don't care or they're still following herd immunity on the down low. None of them are particularly encouraging.

 

[ganganvince]

Considering nearly everything is closed here why are people still flying in? More to the point, why are they being allowed to? It is making a mockery of people staying at home and trying to do the right thing if thousands of unchecked people are being added to the mix.

I think a lot of it is ( but not all) is UK citizens who ignored advice and went abroad coming home and ex pats who feel safer in UK than were they had settled.

 

[ayrshire_blue]

Prof Ferguson saying this morning that he thinks peak for infections was a couple week ago. Also what’s been said in here that some form of social distancing will be needed indefinitely until a vaccine is found.

I seen that. He's from the imperial college who were one of the first in this country to report that the only way out of this is a vaccine and an on/off lockdown/distancing would be needed until that was available. People didn't want to believe it at the time, including me, but it seems the common thought now.

Given that, amongst all the experts and their opinions and research whenever I hear news from him I tend to switch on and listen to what he's saying.

My question would be what counts as significant social distancing? Kids not spending time with their grandparents until a vaccine? No football matches or large events until a vaccine? Something in between? Be interested to hear exactly what he means by that.