Coronavirus: social, economic and other changes as a result of the pandemic

[Cockney Sparrow]

Two first post pandemic choral (+orchestra, soloists) concerts at the Cathedral.
One choir gave a money back guarantee for purchasers who had health reasons to stay away (no proof required). Result - the Nave was full - desired outcome.
Other choir, usual T&C - no returns. The Nave wasn't full, although only a few rows at the back were empty.

Not sure about the T&Cs for Glyndebourne, ROH (Covent Garden) but I'll be looking next year when I'm booking again (I very much hope).

[Bryn]

I was boosted today. I asked the nurse administering the vaccine whether recent publicity around the death of a doctor now attributed to an unexpected reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine had impacted on take-up, at all. She said the was no evidence of any significant impact.

[teamsaint]

I was boosted today. I asked the nurse administering the vaccine whether recent publicity around the death of a doctor now attributed to an unexpected reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine had impacted on take-up, at all. She said the was no evidence of any significant impact.

There has clearly been a big drop off in booster take up.

The govt insistence on everybody getting the vaccines, followed by their withdrawal for many groups seems a bit odd.
But then the world went very odd.

[french frank]

I was boosted today. I asked the nurse administering the vaccine whether recent publicity around the death of a doctor now attributed to an unexpected reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine had impacted on take-up, at all. She said the was no evidence of any significant impact.

I get my booster in about 3 weeks time. Even if a serious risk were to affect only one a million, I presume someone will have to be that one. Having already been that one with a completely different medication, I assess my risk from the vaccine as being even smaller . I've had my turn!

[Dave2002]

I get my booster in about 3 weeks time. Even if a serious risk were to affect only one a million, I presume someone will have to be that one. Having already been that one with a completely different medication, I assess my risk from the vaccine as being even smaller . I've had my turn!

There was a death recently in Thailand of someone who had a newer variant - related to omicron - but the "usual" explanations were given - someone with other risk factors and underlying problems. The chances of a problem with the vaccines still seem very low - though some people are unlucky. Sorry to hear about your previous one in a million incident, though that doesn't mean you won't have another.

[french frank]

Sorry to hear about your previous one in a million incident, though that doesn't mean you won't have another.

I'll take the risk - one of many daily risks (falling scaffolding, tripping and banging head on pavement, being knocked down by an e-scooter).

[Retune]

There has clearly been a big drop off in booster take up.

The govt insistence on everybody getting the vaccines, followed by their withdrawal for many groups seems a bit odd.
But then the world went very odd.

It's a cost/benefit calculation that is reviewed periodically. The young and healthy probably get most of the benefit (protection from severe disease and death) from the first two shots and the initial booster, and that protection has so far been durable. Protection from mild disease is relatively short-lived and less effective than it was, as even the updated boosters are some distance away from the currently circulating variants, but that's not the main purpose of the vaccines. It's still judged worthwhile for older people and those who fall into specific risk groups to get seasonal boosters (eligibility for the current spring booster is narrower than it was for the autumn booster, but they might decide broader protection will be useful again next autumn, and perhaps update the vaccine).

Although it's now a bit below the public radar, there are still significant numbers of deaths due to Covid - it's certified as either the underlying or a contributory cause of death of around 80-100 people a day in the UK at the moment. But of course that's way down from the pre-vaccine peaks in spring 2020 and the following winter, when nearly 1500 people a day were dying. Vaccines work!

[teamsaint]

It's a cost/benefit calculation that is reviewed periodically. The young and healthy probably get most of the benefit (protection from severe disease and death) from the first two shots and the initial booster, and that protection has so far been durable. Protection from mild disease is relatively short-lived and less effective than it was, as even the updated boosters are some distance away from the currently circulating variants, but that's not the main purpose of the vaccines. It's still judged worthwhile for older people and those who fall into specific risk groups to get seasonal boosters (eligibility for the current spring booster is narrower than it was for the autumn booster, but they might decide broader protection will be useful again next autumn, and perhaps update the vaccine).

Although it's now a bit below the public radar, there are still significant numbers of deaths due to Covid - it's certified as either the underlying or a contributory cause of death of around 80-100 people a day in the UK at the moment. But of course that's way down from the pre-vaccine peaks in spring 2020 and the following winter, when nearly 1500 people a day were dying. Vaccines work!

Cost / benefit analysis and response to covid. Well there’s an interesting thought.

Did my own in spring 2020 with the aid of a BHF risk calculator.