Covid - coming out of Lockdown 3 - no politics, less opinion and more facts and information.

[hayfield]

10 weeks wait for the second dose, I read that the French had extended the time to 6 weeks. However increasing the time between the 2 jabs increases its efficacy, in 2 or 3 weeks time you will be protected against major complications. 

[Oldddudders]

24 minutes ago, hayfield said:

10 weeks wait for the second dose, I read that the French had extended the time to 6 weeks. However increasing the time between the 2 jabs increases its efficacy, in 2 or 3 weeks time you will be protected against major complications. 

Yes, which is a good start. And as we are in partial lockdown for at least that long, I'm not missing much keeping out of the way for a good couple of weeks while immunity builds. 

[APOLLO]

3 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Promptly at 14.30 I was welcomed by Dr Leroi, my dishy 30-something pharmacist, who sat me down and went through a list of questions, marking answers on a sheet I was required to countersign. She then administered the AZ dose, painlessly of course, and I sat for the mandatory 15 mins to ensure no ill-effects. During this time she spent ages entering data for my jab into an online system that obviously records every French Covid jab by date, time, type, batch, name of patient, name of provider, and countless other data, upon which France thrives. I was given an A4 certificate - and a date for my second dose, about 10 weeks. The next patient behind me was a lady at least 10 years older (I'm 72) walking very slowly with two sticks, and apologising to me for her limited mobility. 

 

That's this week's excitement over!

 

Good job she didn't take your pulse as you would have been whisked off to Hospital !!!!!

 

Best wishes

 

Brit15

[bradfordbuffer]

4 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Promptly at 14.30 I was welcomed by Dr Leroi, my dishy 30-something pharmacist, who sat me down and went through a list of questions, marking answers on a sheet I was required to countersign. She then administered the AZ dose, painlessly of course, and I sat for the mandatory 15 mins to ensure no ill-effects. During this time she spent ages entering data for my jab into an online system that obviously records every French Covid jab by date, time, type, batch, name of patient, name of provider, and countless other data, upon which France thrives. I was given an A4 certificate - and a date for my second dose, about 10 weeks. The next patient behind me was a lady at least 10 years older (I'm 72) walking very slowly with two sticks, and apologising to me for her limited mobility. 

 

That's this week's excitement over!

Your 72 and jab lady 30 somthing dirty boy...leave her fir the 50 somthings

[APOLLO]

So the pubs opened today for outdoor service.

 

I took my evening stroll past my two locals, to sus out the score. One has a marquee on the car park, lots of tables. As I neared I heard music (not live). The many tables full and standing, A large marquee was quite full also no social distancing at all to be seen. Mostly young / middle aged folks (though not too rowdy YET). The car park here  is usually full, but now as it's closed cars are parked on the main road, an S bend with double white lines - the plod will be there soon no doubt. - That's one off my list. 

 

The other, closer to home is more of a small hotel / restaurant, Quite better organised, a dozen outside bench tables, all with reserved signs, most had two or so people there. Waitress service with masks / face shields. Paper menu's on tables, a lot better.

 

I'll wait till two weeks after my second jab (May 12th) before venturing to the safer and quieter of the two, IF it's a sunny day (like today) and IF I can book a table.

 

Lets keep our fingers crossed and see what happens - next slide please !!

 

Brit15

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, APOLLO said:

took my evening stroll past my two locals, to sus out the score. One has a marquee on the car park, lots of tables. As I neared I heard music (not live). The many tables full and standing, A large marquee was quite full also no social distancing at all to be seen. Mostly young / middle aged folks (though not too rowdy YET). The car park here  is usually full, but now as it's closed cars are parked on the main road, an S bend with double white lines - the plod will be there soon no doubt. - That's one off my list. 

 

Is there track and trace implemented there with the reopening?  Maybe at the moment numbers are still  a little high to be useful, but if they continue to drop it should be used if it already isn't.

 

  Here every venue, shop etc has a poster with a QR code on it that you scan with your mobile, It sends your mobile number to the government/bill Gates/Chinese database. (If you don't have a mobile you write your contact number down on a list at the door) 

 

If  covid escapes quarantine and goes to the same pub at the same time as you you get a text which tells you to either isolate or monitor for symptoms depending on the type of venue, length of exposure etc. Thai restaurants and gyms seem to get a lot of mentions whenever a case breaks out, seems everyone but me uses them!

 

Its what NSW has been relying on to stop any spread since we left lockdown last May or whenever it was and seems to work pretty well, though as anything with this pandemic  it depends entirely on how the general population embraces it. Here its been pretty universal for some reason, our conspiracy nut quotient/ my rights are more important/I'm a muppet who doesn't understand basic  rules  crowd is fairly small here apparently.

 

Hopefully the warmer weather there will have an effect on the virus spread. Here the UK variant never got off the ground over summer despite it breaching quarantine in various states at least half a dozen times. At one point in your summer last year the daily UK new infection count dropped to the low hundreds. This year with the vaccination programme and the fact that many people have already caught it by now hopefully the results will be equally good and track and trace can kick in and mop it up.  (As long as everyone then doesn't dash off overseas for a holiday!)

Edited April 12, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[Reorte]

6 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

... and I sat for the mandatory 15 mins to ensure no ill-effects.

When I had my first jab last week there was no waiting afterwards, it was in, basic questions (e.g. any past vaccine allergies) jab, straight out the other door.

[AY Mod]

14 minutes ago, Reorte said:

When I had my first jab last week there was no waiting afterwards

 

He just heard "man date 15 minutes" and thought "that'll do for me". 

[Hobby]

11 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

Is there track and trace implemented there with the reopening?  Maybe at the moment numbers are still  a little high to be useful, but if they continue to drop it should be used if it already isn't.

 

  Here every venue, shop etc has a poster with a QR code on it that you scan with your mobile, It sends your mobile number to the government/bill Gates/Chinese database. (If you don't have a mobile you write your contact number down on a list at the door) 

 

Speaking for my local (some of you will know it, The Station Inn in Kiddy) yes they have the track and trace and they are doing "reserved tables" as per Apollo's second pub. But that sort of T&T is only as good as the number of people who have mobiles with the app on it. Like Apollo I'm leaving it until next week... Weathers supposed to get warmer as well!

[hayfield]

8 minutes ago, Hobby said:

 

Speaking for my local (some of you will know it, The Station Inn in Kiddy) yes they have the track and trace and they are doing "reserved tables" as per Apollo's second pub. But that sort of T&T is only as good as the number of people who have mobiles with the app on it. Like Apollo I'm leaving it until next week... Weathers supposed to get warmer as well!

 

Saw this yesterday on the BBC news website

 

NHS Covid-19 app update blocked for breaking Apple and Google's rules

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56713017

 

Not too certain how this impacts with track & trace

[-missy-]

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56729897

 

Missy.

[woodenhead]

1 hour ago, hayfield said:

 

Saw this yesterday on the BBC news website

 

NHS Covid-19 app update blocked for breaking Apple and Google's rules

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56713017

 

Not too certain how this impacts with track & trace

It shouldn't as that part of the app is still functioning, this was to allow people to voluntarily share their locations with a central database that would allow the NHS to see whether there were specific locations that were causing hot spots i.e. a particular pub, club or restaurant.  With the app currently it tells you if you have been close to other people who have since reported being infected, it doesn't know where though.  Because it is sharing location information it goes against the global agreement set up by Google and Apple to shield privacy whilst protecting people, the NHS thought they could get around this by making it voluntary but Google / Apple are concerned if they allow it once then other countries will force through similar or more aggressive changes.  I believe there is some other mechanism they can currently use to get this information but it is dependent on locations informing the NHS and it was hard to get them doing it.

 

In Scotland, they created a second app to allow people to log their locations so it would not impact on the test and trace app.

Edited April 13, 2021 by woodenhead

[Oldddudders]

Is location data covered in the Data Protection legislation? Not an issue for many of us, but I can see legit reasons for people not wanting to be traced. I don't care if you find out I am in the Dog & Duck, but I haven't got a vengeful ex chasing me. Sympathies all round on this one. 

[Neil]

An interesting piece in the Observer this weekend caught my eye, it asks the question 'Is vaccination enough? What we can learn from other countries.' It looks at the top three countries in terms of percentage of population vaccinated, Israel (1st) UK (2nd) and Chile (3rd). It compares the success at getting on top of Covid by Israel with the soaring levels of infections and new restrictions happening in Chile.  Israel has in effect a vaccine passport scheme with green passes given to those who have had two does of the vaccine or who have recovered from Covid and are therefore at low risk of catching and spreading. Chile has been more reliant on just the vaccination programme and has had to cope with the Brazilian strains of the virus too. The worry is that here in the UK we may also be in danger of putting too much reliance on vaccination, particularly when we look at resistance to vaccine passports, a feeble track and trace scheme, questions over quarantine for new arrivals and some unable to afford to isolate when they should.

[hayfield]

13 minutes ago, Neil said:

An interesting piece in the Observer this weekend caught my eye, it asks the question 'Is vaccination enough? What we can learn from other countries.' It looks at the top three countries in terms of percentage of population vaccinated, Israel (1st) UK (2nd) and Chile (3rd). It compares the success at getting on top of Covid by Israel with the soaring levels of infections and new restrictions happening in Chile.  Israel has in effect a vaccine passport scheme with green passes given to those who have had two does of the vaccine or who have recovered from Covid and are therefore at low risk of catching and spreading. Chile has been more reliant on just the vaccination programme and has had to cope with the Brazilian strains of the virus too. The worry is that here in the UK we may also be in danger of putting too much reliance on vaccination, particularly when we look at resistance to vaccine passports, a feeble track and trace scheme, questions over quarantine for new arrivals and some unable to afford to isolate when they should.

 

Neil

 

The new arrivals rules changed over the weekend, the major weakness being truck drivers being exempt from the regulations, now they must have a negative test before leaving the port into the country. As for a feeble track and trace, the fault lies with those who are unwilling to cooperate with it, we are not in a police state and responsibility lies with each individual. Likewise those who either fail to take a test when showing symptoms and or failing to isolate when infected. There is simply no excuse for not complying with the regulations, there are many charities out there helping the less fortunate. They are as bad  and as lethal as drunk/drug drivers

[Oldddudders]

And now the US FDA has called for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine rollout to be paused. A number of women of child-bearing age have developed clots, one fatally. 

[John M Upton]

So us over 45's are now on the call up but the system doesn't work (Government website/IT project, colour me not surprised in the slightest!)

 

I can book my first jab but in order to get that first appointment, I have to book the second at the same time except you can't because the website won't let you and it then promptly cancels your first one!

 

Am I missing a trick here?

[Ohmisterporter]

My wife and I are going for second O-AZ jabs on Saturday. That will be an eleven week gap for me and ten week gap for wife, since our first jabs. 

Boris has been saying the improved infection and death rates are down to lockdown, not vaccination. I tend to think it is a combination of both. 

[Hobby]

6 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

I can book my first jab but in order to get that first appointment, I have to book the second at the same time except you can't because the website won't let you and it then promptly cancels your first one!

 

I think we had this discussion before on the old thread, I found I was able to just book one jab as did others but some had the same issues you are having. I can't remember what the solution was, though.

[APOLLO]

20 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

So us over 45's are now on the call up but the system doesn't work (Government website/IT project, colour me not surprised in the slightest!)

 

I can book my first jab but in order to get that first appointment, I have to book the second at the same time except you can't because the website won't let you and it then promptly cancels your first one!

 

Am I missing a trick here?

 

You have to be very quick. What is happening is that you book the first, then the second, fill in contact details and lastly confirm both bookings. While you are doing this your first booking, being unconfirmed is booked by someone else. You are then kicked out of both and have to start again. BE QUICK, don't waste time filling in contact details, hit the confirm button quickly, then you can save / print your bookings. happened to me twice, but managed it third time.

 

Brit15

[Reorte]

Are there multiple systems going on, or does it differ from place to place? I just had a missed call from the surgery, called back, told I'd be contacted to get a vaccination booking, and they offered me some times.  No having to faff around with a booking system that by the sounds of things can be a little flaky.

[Oldddudders]

1 minute ago, Reorte said:

Are there multiple systems going on, or does it differ from place to place? I just had a missed call from the surgery, called back, told I'd be contacted to get a vaccination booking, and they offered me some times.  No having to faff around with a booking system that by the sounds of things can be a little flaky.

I think Sherry found that using an online system she was offered jabs half-way to Timbuktu, while a call from the surgery got her one at the local centre. 

[rocor]

I booked my first and Second jabs online at the same time. Maybe priority for allowing this is age related, as I am someone that is aged over 65, and I did not book my first jab until late March due to a coc error on my part. I obtained an appointment with the needle within three days of booking, and at the same time could book jab-2 for early June. 

[LBRJ]

I booked both my jabs online at the same time.

It took me no more than five minutes and all worked as well as one would wish for.

I had the first one the next day and the second one is booked for late June.

[APOLLO]

26 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

I think Sherry found that using an online system she was offered jabs half-way to Timbuktu, while a call from the surgery got her one at the local centre. 

  

Similar here in sunny Wigan, wait for the surgery call and appointments are local. The website gives a list of available locations usefully listed in distance order from your postcode. A bit of a lottery, I was lucky in that I got my 2 appointments just a mile away, when I booked my Mrs in there were none in Wigan, nearest was at the Bolton football stadium, only 5 miles away but convenient for the Mrs as she works near there. If on your first visit on the web none are convenient try again an hour or so later, more local ones (may) appear. Mine were booked like this.

 

Brit15