Coronavirus

[Anastasius]

Re testing - I have in the past had tubes stuck up my nose, but in a carefully controlled environment with an expert consultant. I would hate to have a quick and dirty procedure done by someone with less experience in a less conducive environment.

Your experience with testing does seem very poor.

Re some of your previous posts - which pub is owned by whom, and which of the Hopeless people were you referring to? BJ, MH or AN Other.

Hopeless Hancock. Alex Bourne - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...regulator.html. (apologies the quote is from the Daily Moan)

[Bryn]

Hopeless Hancock. Alex Bourne - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...regulator.html. (apologies the quote is from the Daily Moan)

Unfortunately, the source is so unreliable, having a long history of totally fabricated stories, that I think it best dismissed unless and until this tale is confirmed by a reliable investigation by others.

[french frank]

Unfortunately, the source is so unreliable, having a long history of totally fabricated stories, that I think it best dismissed unless and until this tale is confirmed by a reliable investigation by others.

The Guardian and The Independent also have the story. It is the same one, isn't it? Mr Hancock denies any involvement with the decision.

[Dave2002]

I don't know any of the current cabinet personally, but despite dificulties I find MH one of the most believable, and he has appeared (to me at any rate) to have stuck the course, and therefore [my opinion only] rather less hopeless than some of the others. Who knows - there might be real geniuses behind the scenes - there will be some - or at least some/many rather clever scientists and many other hard workers who will get little recognition or credit - yet some of the bumbling front liners and ditherers will want to come in and take the accolades in the future - if indeed they are not already doing so.

[DracoM]

IMO, we will be in and out in terms of lockdowns, closures, annual jabs for at least 3-5 yrs.
All this ersatz, blitz-soundalike tub-thumping / euphoria whipped up by aspects of the media and urged by various wings of Tory party is self-deceiving cloud-cuckoo land guff. And ominously self-defeating.

[Dave2002]

More on antibodies - https://theconversation.com/why-do-a...accines-148047

This article is interesting as it gives a more detailed explanation than many on how antibodies work. I'm assuming that the explanations are plausible.

[Serial_Apologist]

I don't know any of the current cabinet personally, but despite dificulties I find MH one of the most believable, and he has appeared (to me at any rate) to have stuck the course, and therefore [my opinion only] rather less hopeless than some of the others. Who knows - there might be real geniuses behind the scenes - there will be some - or at least some/many rather clever scientists and many other hard workers who will get little recognition or credit - yet some of the bumbling front liners and ditherers will want to come in and take the accolades in the future - if indeed they are not already doing so.

I'm concerned about the comparison being made between Gavin Williamson and Frank Spencer being an insult to others with learning difficulties!

[Dave2002]

Pfizer is going to start a new set of trials - https://time.com/5942219/pfizer-thir...id-19-vaccine/ to see if a third jab helps. The company is also developing new vaccines targetted on some of the new variant strains.

[Anastasius]

Who writes BoJo's scripts? Certainly not a psychologist. Certainly not a Behavioural Scientist. The words ? So, so wrong "There is no going back". Rubbish. Stupid thing to say. There was nothing to tell people to stop behaving as if there is no such thing as Covid. Didn't i read somewhere that the R0number is starting to rise in five areas already. Too many thick, stupid people who don't bother to question what they hear or read on Facebook and Twitter.

Lockdown 4 in July.

[oddoneout]

Who writes BoJo's scripts? Certainly not a psychologist. Certainly not a Behavioural Scientist. The words ? So, so wrong "There is no going back". Rubbish. Stupid thing to say. There was nothing to tell people to stop behaving as if there is no such thing as Covid. Didn't i read somewhere that the R0number is starting to rise in five areas already. Too many thick, stupid people who don't bother to question what they hear or read on Facebook and Twitter.

Lockdown 4 in July.

Ingerland thinks June 21st is the start of life as normal, thanks to the crass messaging. I am resigned to the distinct possibility that the 'last in line' date for my workplace to open won't in fact happen, more than a little inconvenient when the job doesn't lend itself to WFH.

[Dave2002]

Ingerland thinks June 21st is the start of life as normal, thanks to the crass messaging. I am resigned to the distinct possibility that the 'last in line' date for my workplace to open won't in fact happen, more than a little inconvenient when the job doesn't lend itself to WFH.

I'm not sure if the last two posts have been unduly pessimistic, but I agree that there is no certainty. My view is that we might just be able to enjoy a summer - if we dare risk it - but that this thing could well flare up again next autumn after all the socialising over the mid year months. Sadly we are part of the "experiment", rather than dispassionate external observers.

[Frances_iom]

... Sadly we are part of the "experiment", rather than dispassionate external observers.

As I suspect we will see on Weds at the Budget we cannot as a country afford the lockdown - the key decision is when the hospitalisation/death numbers become acceptable - the number of covid cases will be allowed to increase as long as the former remain acceptable - the catch is the non-vaccinated over 50s will be key due to their numbers in working population as work seems now to be main infection cause even tho they have a lower chance of bad covid - especially when the non-vaccinated BAME numbers truly dominate at which point I suspect the majority will say damn they had their chance now they risk it - too bad for them.

[muzzer]

As a currently non vaxxed (not too far) over 50 with no faith in the government and tbh not much more in the NHS in this pocket of London I will keep you up to date with the impact of all this malarkey on my general well-being in the coming months, which are going to be key to my long term state of mind, I think. We all need a good summer of company and activity. That for me will never be Cheltenham races or Bournemouth beach but it does have to be pubs outdoors and ventilated restos indoors.

[Dave2002]

In the US the J&J single shot vaccine has now been approved - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/h...d8d20e9b57a66b

This seems to be good news. I don't know how that particular vaccine differs from the others, other than it's currently intended as a single shot jab. Again, I don't know whether the UK is getting that one - I'm starting to lose track. Even if this doesn't help the UK directly, reducing problems in other countries must surely be a good thing.

[Dave2002]

As I suspect we will see on Weds at the Budget we cannot as a country afford the lockdown - the key decision is when the hospitalisation/death numbers become acceptable - the number of covid cases will be allowed to increase as long as the former remain acceptable - the catch is the non-vaccinated over 50s will be key due to their numbers in working population as work seems now to be main infection cause even tho they have a lower chance of bad covid - especially when the non-vaccinated BAME numbers truly dominate at which point I suspect the majority will say damn they had their chance now they risk it - too bad for them.

The issue about priority schemes still remains, and I know some in the 30-50 age range who think that there should now be serious consideration to vaccinating teachers and police and other people who may have to meet a lot of people in their jobs, as well perhaps as some of the BAME society. I'm thinking of people who are currently working - but working from home - and feel that they themselves could cope with a further delay before they get their own chance to have a vaccine.

I think there is way to go before the hospitalisation/death numbers become acceptable - we're still way off that. Our society is going to have to restructure and adapt - which I believe is possible. Trying to reset everything to "as before" is first of all impossible, and secondly misguided. It's not as if everything was working well or in a desirable way before all this, so there might be an opportunity to do some reshaping. Oh - I forgot - the politicians think they are running things ....