Coronavirus

[french frank]

Waiting room....??
Up here most doctors and dentists don't let anyone into their waiting rooms these days. Some communication is by tapping on windows and maybe passing in notes.
One waits in one's car, and people come out and get you or maybe treat you in the car park, if necessary.

This was why our practice patients were moved to the bigger practice which had a waiting room like a miniature ballroom compared with ours. As I said, were not allowed to leave the supervised waiting room before our 15 minutes had elapsed. I was in our own practice this morning, having been told not to arrive more than a couple of minutes before my appointment, and there were just two people (including me) in the waiting room - the maximum they were allowing. I'd say there might have been 15 people in the larger practice, with seating spaced out, otherwise it might have taken about 50.

Should add, in the case of our practice several of the doctors have moved down to the premises of a recently closed practice so there are fewer patients at each site. But my dentist certainly allows patients into the waiting room, usually two, perhaps three, at a time. You ring the bell outside and they let you in when your appointment is due. No tapping on windows!

[Anastasius]

And in other news, I read that Mark Drakeford, the Wales First Minister has come in for some fierce criticism. Why ? As their next batch of vaccine has been delayed, rather than get people vaccinated ASAP with their remaining vaccine stock, he's ordered it to be spread out over a much longer period because he didn't want those giving the vaccine to be twiddling their thumbs when they run out of the current batch. Beggars belief. Where do they get these people from ?

[Old Grumpy]

And in other news, I read that Mark Drakeford, the Wales First Minister has come in for some fierce criticism...

...Where do they get these people from ?

Er, Wales, presumably!

[oddoneout]

This is a positive article but the picture bothers me somewhat. It could be the camera angle but it does look like - well, a scrum.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/19/britain-vaccination-universal-healthcare-covid-nhs

And as for this - ignore the article it's the photo. https://www.theguardian.com/politics...ield-whitehall Covid safe working? Really?

[Anastasius]

For those who've had the jab, did they stress that you needed to wait before going out pub-crawling? That you could still get infected albeit in a very minor way ...enough that you'd not be a Covid incubator...but enough that you could possibly pass it on.

[Serial_Apologist]

For those who've had the jab, did they stress that you needed to wait before going out pub-crawling? That you could still get infected albeit in a very minor way ...enough that you'd not be a Covid incubator...but enough that you could possibly pass it on.

It says the latter in the pamphlet you get given. Not sure about the first - might just check. I don't pub crawl anyway.

[french frank]

For those who've had the jab, did they stress that you needed to wait before going out pub-crawling? That you could still get infected albeit in a very minor way ...enough that you'd not be a Covid incubator...but enough that you could possibly pass it on.

No, but since they're only on the over 70s at the moment, they perhaps didn't think it necessary? We're all still cowering at home.

[Dave2002]

No, but since they're only on the over 70s at the moment, they perhaps didn't think it necessary? We're all still cowering at home.

However one could still have a few beers or get through a few bottles of wine at home .....
Actually many over 70s may be more likely to go for G&Ts (not my tipple ...). Is there no advice on alcohol consumption?

[french frank]

However one could still have a few beers or get through a few bottles of wine at home .....
Actually many over 70s may be more likely to go for G&Ts (not my tipple ...). Is there no advice on alcohol consumption?

I wasn't even given this leaflet people are talking about. But I thought Anastasius was talking about pub-crawling still being potential spreading behaviour, rather than about alcohol consuming as a no-no?

[Dave2002]

I wasn't even given this leaflet people are talking about. But I thought Anastasius was talking about pub-crawling still being potential spreading behaviour, rather than about alcohol consuming as a no-no?

I think many are concerned about the social mixing, but some advice about alcohol might still not come amiss, even if it simply states "drink as much of whatever you like ...."

[Anastasius]

I wasn't even given this leaflet people are talking about. But I thought Anastasius was talking about pub-crawling still being potential spreading behaviour, rather than about alcohol consuming as a no-no?

Neither. I was feebly trying to find out if they stressed that it took some time before the effects of the vaccine happened in the body. It would seem from various sources that a large number of people think that it is instant and so they won't catch it.

[oddoneout]

Neither. I was feebly trying to find out if they stressed that it took some time before the effects of the vaccine happened in the body. It would seem from various sources that a large number of people think that it is instant and so they won't catch it.

As there doesn't seem to have been any concerted effort to get that message across, handing out leaflets (not always the best way to communicate in any case) won't have any effect. All the buzz around the vaccine has been about solving 'the problem' and 'getting back to normal'. Post vaccine restraint would have been a hard sell, and I think that horse has well and truly bolted.
Is this https://assets.publishing.service.go...English_v2.pdf the leaflet that's handed out?
If so it won't do anything to address the potential risk highlighted here https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-after-vaccine

[Dave2002]

Is this https://assets.publishing.service.go...English_v2.pdf the leaflet that's handed out?
If so it won't do anything to address the potential risk highlighted here https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-after-vaccine

The English language is wonderfully nuanced, and not even fully understood by many people living in the UK.

This sentence "It may take a week or two for your body to build up some protection from the first dose of vaccine." suggests a reticence on the part of the authors to spell out the issues - a typically British mode of expression. The words "may" and "some", plus the not so specific phrase "week or two" in the sentence are clues as to the apparent uncertainty on the part of the writer. Such writing may often be a result of writers not wishing to be held responsible for outcomes arising by those reading the instructions. It might have been assumed that such vagueness would be understood and moderated by any UK resident, but there are many reasons why that might not happen.

A much more direct sentence could have been written "As protection builds up slowly do not mix with others for others for 14 days after the injection, as you put yourself and them at risk."

Sometimes one has to balance nuanced language against a more direct approach which may not be strictly correct, but is more effective. British people are not used to being given commands.

Also English can be misinterpreted by non native speakers - as in the sentence "Please do X", versus "Do X". The presence of the word "please" can be assumed by some to mean that the command is optional, whereas it is simply a courtesy word used for politeness. Speakers in other languages are often used to being much more direct.

[Cockney Sparrow]

As there doesn't seem to have been any concerted effort to get that message across, handing out leaflets (not always the best way to communicate in any case) won't have any effect. All the buzz around the vaccine has been about solving 'the problem' and 'getting back to normal'. Post vaccine restraint would have been a hard sell, and I think that horse has well and truly bolted.
Is this https://assets.publishing.service.go...English_v2.pdf the leaflet that's handed out?
If so it won't do anything to address the potential risk highlighted here https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-after-vaccine

Exactly - that leaflet actually says :
"Can I go back to normal activities after having my vaccine?"
".......you should be able to resume activities that are normal for you as long as you feel well. If your arm is particularly sore, you may find heavy lifting diffcult. If you feel unwell or very tired you should rest and avoid operating machinery or driving".

I'm sure they really mean (and probably say it, on studied attention) that you can go home and resume what you were doing but one is not being released to go about and transmit the virus willy nilly. But the presentation doesn't stress that at all.

It does say:
It may take a week or two for your body to build up some protection from the first dose of vaccine. Like all medicines, no vaccine is completely effective, so you should continue to take recommended precautions to avoid infection.......

A week or two?? Incredibly woolly when they are trying to avert ICU admissions. In the article cited in #4650 above** - so detailed and extensive I need to find the time to read it properly, one sentence stood out on a quick read:

"Altmann explains that he wouldn't advise anyone to consider themself safe 14 days after their first dose of the vaccine".

**Again: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/2...e-vaccine-dose

[DracoM]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jan/20/neil-greenberg-hospitals-must-give-staff-better-psychological-ppe-covid

Deeply thoughtful interview ref Covid like a war situation. Brilliant [IMO] piece of background journalism.