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

[hayfield]

I think as a country we have been very reassured about the way the pandemic is playing out over the past few weeks. Clearly the rollout of the vaccinations is going very well

 

At the start of the month the 7 day average death rate was 200. now the past week its in the 60's, again at the start of the month the 7 day hospital admissions was 777, now its just over half of that.  We have seen infections Plato and rise slightly, but with the schools well and truly back thankfully no real explosion of infections, I expect the next pressure point will be the relaxations next week

 

Good news on the vaccine front, with Moderna due in the next few weeks from the USA, Novavax  now with the regulators and due to roll out of its Tyne and Wear factory in the second half of this year and finally Valneva vaccine from West Lothians due later in the year. 

 

Looks like hopefully we will have surpluses to supply others with in the not too distant future

 

Then there are rumours that we will be supplying Southern Ireland with some vaccine doses, to protect the gains Northern Ireland have made with the virus. 

[Barry Ten]

My wife's had both shots of the Pfizer vaccine with no major side-effects. My sister and I got our first shots of AZ this week and we both felt as if we'd been hit by trucks. I have the flu jab each year and haven't ever felt more than very mildly flu-ey but this was enough to put me out of action for a good 24 hours. Feeling better today, but still a little achey. Never mind, though, it proves it's doing something.

[caradoc]

16 hours ago, tender said:

I wonder what determines which vaccine you get, I had my Pfizer at the local Vaccination Centre (converted from a Rainbow Hospital) my wife had the AZ at the GP surgery.

 

My wife and I, living near Glasgow, had the Oxford jab on Wednesday; My Mum, living in Oxford, had (of course) the Pfizer jab ! (And she had both doses in January). 

 

[Hibelroad]

I was listening to “how to vaccinate the world “ (R4) the other day and they said that feeling ill after a vaccination indicates a strong immune response so is actually a good thing. Mrs got her AZ last week and it knocked her flat for 48 hours but she’s recovered now. On the other hand I had Pfizer in January due to being in group 4 and  had no side effects, but maybe that’s a sign of the weak immune system. 

[62613]

18 hours ago, Gopher said:

I think because the AZ jab is apparently more effective with a 12 week gap between the two doses.   

My surgery is quoting 11 weeks between 1st and 2nd jabs, at the moment, with no differentiation between manufacturer. My wife (77) will have hers this Thursday, which seems to be in line with the quote above.

 

[Oldddudders]

17 minutes ago, Hibelroad said:

I was listening to “how to vaccinate the world “ (R4) the other day and they said that feeling ill after a vaccination indicates a strong immune response so is actually a good thing. Mrs got her AZ last week and it knocked her flat for 48 hours but she’s recovered now. On the other hand I had Pfizer in January due to being in group 4 and  had no side effects, but maybe that’s a sign of the weak immune system. 

I read somewhere that the AZ hits you harder first time, Pfizer the second. But we are all different!

[Fenman]

2 hours ago, hayfield said:

...

Then there are rumours that we will be supplying Southern Ireland with some vaccine doses, to protect the gains Northern Ireland have made with the virus. 

“Southern Ireland”? Really?!

 

It’s been an independent state called the Republic of Ireland for +/- a century. I can’t imagine what motivates you to use colonial terminology for one of our closest neighbours. 
 

Is Scotland next, to be called “North Britain”?

 

Paul

[Pete the Elaner]

1 hour ago, Barry Ten said:

My wife's had both shots of the Pfizer vaccine with no major side-effects. My sister and I got our first shots of AZ this week and we both felt as if we'd been hit by trucks. I have the flu jab each year and haven't ever felt more than very mildly flu-ey but this was enough to put me out of action for a good 24 hours. Feeling better today, but still a little achey. Never mind, though, it proves it's doing something.

 

I had the virus exactly a year ago & felt rough for about 10 days, so I would settle for 2 days of feeling low.

[Hobby]

1 hour ago, Fenman said:

“Southern Ireland”? Really?!

 

Please let's not get so wound up, the Wiki entry for the Republic says the following:

 

"As well as "Ireland", "Éire" or "the Republic of Ireland", the state* is also referred to as "the Republic", "Southern Ireland" or "the South". In an Irish republican context it is often referred to as "the Free State" or "the 26 Counties"."

 

 [* the Rep of Ireland]

 

So it is an accepted term... (Oh, and yes, Scotland is Northern Britain, covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain)

 

Now please let's get back on topic.

[eastwestdivide]

2 hours ago, Hibelroad said:

Mrs got her AZ last week and it knocked her flat for 48 hours but she’s recovered now

Same experience here with the AZ - really lethargic (but not especially sleepy) for ~48 hours, then fine. Bit sore at the injection site but that’s entirely normal for any jab. 

[62613]

2 hours ago, Fenman said:

Is Scotland next, to be called “North Britain”?

Paul

At the Act of Union, in 1707, that's what the Scots wanted their part of it to be called

[Oldddudders]

5 minutes ago, 62613 said:

At the Act of Union, in 1707, that's what the Scots wanted their part of it to be called

And the ECML in steam days certainly had a train called The North Briton. 

[Gilbert]

28 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

And the ECML in steam days certainly had a train called The North Briton. 

Disgusting - someone has mentioned trains....

[hayfield]

2 hours ago, Fenman said:

“Southern Ireland”? Really?!

 

It’s been an independent state called the Republic of Ireland for +/- a century. I can’t imagine what motivates you to use colonial terminology for one of our closest neighbours. 
 

Is Scotland next, to be called “North Britain”?

 

Paul

 

Sorry if it offends you but I was repeating what I thought I heard. And as I said I fully support us helping out where we can

 

"The Sunday Times reports this morning that the United Kingdom plans to supply Ireland with 3.7 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, enough to fully vaccinate 1.85 million people."

 

 

[Bernard Lamb]

1 hour ago, Oldddudders said:

And the ECML in steam days certainly had a train called The North Briton. 

There was even a North British Hotel at the northern end of the ECML.

Now it has a new name and the excellent traditional breakfast is no more.

I believe it was named after a railway company that used to operate in that part of the world.

Going by the news in the last couple of days "The Big Fish" has plans to rename the place as Alba.

Bernard

[hayfield]

3 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

And the ECML in steam days certainly had a train called The North Briton. 

 

Can I remember a railway company call The North British ?

 

The North British Railway was opened in 1846 as the line from Edinburgh to Berwick-upon-Tweed, and its workshops were initially situated in St. Margarets, Edinburgh.

[Barry Ten]

8 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

 

I had the virus exactly a year ago & felt rough for about 10 days, so I would settle for 2 days of feeling low.

 

Well, obviously. My mother was Covid positive when she died so it's not as if I'm unware of the facts.

[hayfield]

BBC news this morning was reporting that in the next few months 3 new vaccines will be available to us to use in the coming months, two of which are still in the regulation process, but good news to all as this may allow both our own vaccinations to end on time/early plus will advance the day we can start exporting finished products.

 

Will the John & Johnson one dose be a game changer? and perhaps the option of having a vaccine passport may change the mind of some of those who are reluctant to take the vaccine?

 

Good news about the international haulage trade reversing the requirement for testing those leaving to those arriving, which for many international drivers also will still be valid for leaving the country.

 

As for the interactive map showing infections, there are a few more yellow areas showing up now, mainly in Scotland but also in several rural areas in Wales and England. There seemed to be a bit of a blimp in infections the past week or so hopefully this again will be in the decline and testing in schools seems to be keeping a lid on infections.

 

Edit

 

Breaking news

 

London records zero Covid-19 deaths for first time in six months, this must be some of the best news for ages !!!

Edited March 29, 2021 by hayfield

[tender]

R number is on the up again, to be expected i suppose now that lockdown is being eased.

 

https://inews.co.uk/news/science/covid-19-r-rate-rises-above-1-for-first-time-in-two-months-across-uk-933448

[hayfield]

15 minutes ago, tender said:

R number is on the up again, to be expected i suppose now that lockdown is being eased.

 

https://inews.co.uk/news/science/covid-19-r-rate-rises-above-1-for-first-time-in-two-months-across-uk-933448

 

 

Could this be down to the number of infections being far smaller  than 2 months ago and a small increase will have a greater effect in low infection rates than high infection rated, he does say it will go up for a bit before coming down again, effect of more personal contacts expected in the weeks to come

 

For 2 or 3 weeks the east of England R number changed from 0.6-0.9 to 0.7- 1, yet infections are on the decrease

[Reorte]

23 minutes ago, tender said:

R number is on the up again, to be expected i suppose now that lockdown is being eased.

 

https://inews.co.uk/news/science/covid-19-r-rate-rises-above-1-for-first-time-in-two-months-across-uk-933448

Easing from today - that's not going to have a measureable effect on the R number yet! It's been clear that cases have just about levelled at the same number for the last few weeks (I've not seen any explanations offered, and too many reports seem to rely on older data for some reason - yes, they may be more absolutely accurate but it seems that the recent case numbers always track pretty well).

 

The cases plateau has been going on for long enough now that it would probably start showing up in the deaths figure by now, and there's no sign of that yet, which suggests the vaccination programme is having a real positive effect.

[Pete the Elaner]

2 minutes ago, hayfield said:

 

For 2 or 3 weeks the east of England R number changed from 0.6-0.9 to 0.7- 1, yet infections are on the decrease

 

If infections are on the decrease, how can the R number be above 1?

If you follow the link, it is someone's prediction that the R number may increase within the next couple of weeks.

 

So "R rate rises above 1" is therefore a false headline & another example of lousy, reckless journalism.

Infections are only half the picture. Vaccines seem to be turning many serious cases into minor ones, which is what they are supposed to be doing.

[Reorte]

36 minutes ago, hayfield said:

..and perhaps the option of having a vaccine passport may change the mind of some of those who are reluctant to take the vaccine?

 

Probably not. Certainly not in the case of those who think it's all some bonkers conspiracy, that'll just reinforce their view. AFAICT there's reasonably broad support for the idea for international travel, but considerably less for having to have one to be graciously allowed to do ordinary activities.

[hayfield]

2 minutes ago, Pete the Elaner said:

 

If infections are on the decrease, how can the R number be above 1?

If you follow the link, it is someone's prediction that the R number may increase within the next couple of weeks.

 

So "R rate rises above 1" is therefore a false headline & another example of lousy, reckless journalism.

Infections are only half the picture. Vaccines seem to be turning many serious cases into minor ones, which is what they are supposed to be doing.

 

I was replying to another thread so continued to use the high number

 

The R numbers quoted firstly are a range between 2 numbers and are for a stated period. For some time now whilst most areas are in decline other show increases

 

Certainly locally there has been a levelling off of infections and the odd increase, however over a longer period the infection is in remission

 

Is not the R number reviewed every few weeks rather than more frequently ?

[gordon s]

Waited months to hear restrictions being eased and this happens....

 

Beggars belief.....

 

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2021-03-29/vandalism-means-golf-club-cant-reopen