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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jan 28, 2021 22:39:06 GMT
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Post by The Brigadier on Jan 29, 2021 14:09:02 GMT
A tip of the hat to nucleusofswarm, tuigirl and number13 for various links shared and comments made last night with reference to Germany's decision over the AstraZeneca vaccine. While it helped to ease some of my own fears over the Financial Times report concerning the lack statistical information for the over 65's (if you can't put some faith in The Lancet...), the resulting media coverage last night with it's emphasis on the political narrative rather than scientific fact unfortunately did exactly what I feared it would. I spent a good deal of yesterday evening putting out small fires in the nursing home I work in, as those residents over the age of 65 who had gained a measure of confidence having the first jab had the rug pulled out from underneath them in mere minutes with what they saw in the news. I may have had to break the house rules a bit to do so but I'm hopeful that the information you all shared went part of the way toward easing their own worries and I am enormously grateful for that. It certainly helped reassure my own mother (an anxious person at the best of times) during a mobile phone call in the early hours of this morning.. So my thanks once again..it helped. While that voice whispering doubt in my own ear will no doubt continue for a while, as advised I will seek out a professional opinion on the matter and hold on to the hope that in the weeks ahead the Scientists or the medical experts or the forum's own voice of calm reason will be able to point me in the direction of the facts and reassurance needed over the efficacy of the vaccine for that age group.
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Post by tuigirl on Jan 29, 2021 19:20:21 GMT
A tip of the hat to nucleusofswarm , tuigirl and number13 for various links shared and comments made last night with reference to Germany's decision over the AstraZeneca vaccine. While it helped to ease some of my own fears over the Financial Times report concerning the lack statistical information for the over 65's (if you can't put some faith in The Lancet...), the resulting media coverage last night with it's emphasis on the political narrative rather than scientific fact unfortunately did exactly what I feared it would. I spent a good deal of yesterday evening putting out small fires in the nursing home I work in, as those residents over the age of 65 who had gained a measure of confidence having the first jab had the rug pulled out from underneath them in mere minutes with what they saw in the news. I may have had to break the house rules a bit to do so but I'm hopeful that the information you all shared went part of the way toward easing their own worries and I am enormously grateful for that. It certainly helped reassure my own mother (an anxious person at the best of times) during a mobile phone call in the early hours of this morning.. So my thanks once again..it helped. While that voice whispering doubt in my own ear will no doubt continue for a while, as advised I will seek out a professional opinion on the matter and hold on to the hope that in the weeks ahead the Scientists or the medical experts or the forum's own voice of calm reason will be able to point me in the direction of the facts and reassurance needed over the efficacy of the vaccine for that age group. The situation is already bad enough as it is and the science is difficult and since it is a new virus, we just do not know an awful lot.
It makes me furious that matters are made worse by people who only think about themselves (and the election later this year!!!), and not of the population they are supposedly in charge to protect.
I am now second guessing everything as soon as one of these characters open their mouths.
I feel really sorry for all the weak and vulnerable people, and all the anxiety this situation creates.
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jan 30, 2021 1:45:19 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2021 11:23:22 GMT
Taking my parents to get their vaccine jab in half an hour. As their carer and shield, this will hopefully make me less anxious of passing it on to them if I am unfortunate myself. As my Brother is an NHS key worker and got his jab 10 days ago, that leaves me as their contact at risk, so am hopeful it goes well.
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Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on Feb 3, 2021 22:43:40 GMT
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Post by Ela on Feb 4, 2021 5:38:16 GMT
I'm apparently eligible to get a vaccine, but an appointment cannot be found for love or money.
I'm getting really frustrated scrolling past posts by my friends who are boasting about having gotten their first vaccine dose (and some their second dose). It's so disorganized here.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2021 6:00:45 GMT
All the best to our Meddling Monk, Rufus Hound, who has had a positive COVID test. He seems to have mild to no symptoms, unlike new TV companion John Bishop who had a very bad bout and is still very much in recovery mode.
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Post by tuigirl on Feb 4, 2021 8:08:13 GMT
I'm apparently eligible to get a vaccine, but an appointment cannot be found for love or money. I'm getting really frustrated scrolling past posts by my friends who are boasting about having gotten their first vaccine dose (and some their second dose). It's so disorganized here. At least the US were abe to GET some vaccine.
You guys are making progress!
I am also extremely frustrated that my country cannot get the vaccinations started and our regional centres have been closed for weeks since there is no vaccine available. Since the EU managed a massive SNAFU in negotiations with companies.
My parents, who are elegible due to age and predisposing factors, do not even have any idea when it could be their turn. Even less information on younger people like me.
Meanwhile, a thousand people die every day in Germany alone.
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Post by Ela on Feb 4, 2021 18:41:45 GMT
I'm apparently eligible to get a vaccine, but an appointment cannot be found for love or money. I'm getting really frustrated scrolling past posts by my friends who are boasting about having gotten their first vaccine dose (and some their second dose). It's so disorganized here. At least the US were abe to GET some vaccine.
You guys are making progress! I am also extremely frustrated that my country cannot get the vaccinations started and our regional centres have been closed for weeks since there is no vaccine available. Since the EU managed a massive SNAFU in negotiations with companies.
My parents, who are elegible due to age and predisposing factors, do not even have any idea when it could be their turn. Even less information on younger people like me.
Meanwhile, a thousand people die every day in Germany alone.
Yeah, I get that. The vaccine roll-out is disorganized and ineffectual in many places. Not to mention the healthcare workers in this county who are refusing to be vaccinated.
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Post by number13 on Feb 12, 2021 22:46:09 GMT
Among the good news about the UK vaccine rollout, there's one important group that doesn't always get the credit it deserves: us, the people. We really, really want to be vaccinated, with a big +ve shift recently.
89% of Brits favour taking up their vaccine offer, according to this latest global survey. I'd think demand would be near 100% globally for people who medically can be vaccinated, but it isn't, so well done us. Also Brazil and Mexico stand out very positively, while it's people in some of the richest, supposedly best educated nations who are currently least keen to be vaccinated. Maybe how severe COVID has been in a nation partly explains it - but France?
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Post by tuigirl on Feb 13, 2021 10:14:50 GMT
Among the good news about the UK vaccine rollout, there's one important group that doesn't always get the credit it deserves: us, the people. We really, really want to be vaccinated, with a big +ve shift recently.
89% of Brits favour taking up their vaccine offer, according to this latest global survey. I'd think demand would be near 100% globally for people who medically can be vaccinated, but it isn't, so well done us. Also Brazil and Mexico stand out very positively, while it's people in some of the richest, supposedly best educated nations who are currently least keen to be vaccinated. Maybe how severe COVID has been in a nation partly explains it - but France?
At least the data from Germany has improved, our approval rate is now at 52% and not 43% anymore.
But the issue here is we simply had no vaccine available for a long time. The vaccination centre of my town here has opened THIS WEEK.
So yeah, on the plus side- things are improving. Only at a glacial pace.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2021 15:45:41 GMT
The sad thing about the whole vaccines issue, is how it has illustrated how Politicians all over will play football with the issue for their own gain. Both in the UK and EU, we have seen a case whereby if credit is to be gained at another's expense then so be it, but where credit may be owed, then they seek to diminish those said achievements. Macron calling the Oxford Vaccine "Quasi Ineffective", Sturgeon trying to claim that supplies were not forthcoming and that, as the Army were also funded by the Scottish Taxpayer, that they should not offer thanks for any offer of logistical support from Westminster to help with the backlog. Any success is ones own and any failure is due to others. The big success with the UK buying strategy was due to the venture capitalist Kate Bingham, who had long term experience working with Pharmaceuticals and who achieved with a small taskforce what Whitehall would not have managed (working unpaid herself, it must be noted). As was noted in the Spectator: "Though Bingham’s gambles were paying off, she started to become the subject of negative press, with a piece in the Sunday Times saying she had spent £670,000 on PR consultants. Some suspected the briefings were from government departments jealous of her profile. Aides deny it. But when she left the Vaccine Taskforce at the end of December without staying on as an adviser, some thought it a result of her treatment. She has now returned to her investment fund."
That the vaccine has come too late for over 100,000 in the UK alone is a tragedy but it is demeaning to play this for votes, when so much has been achieved. Yes mistakes were made, gambles were taken, but where was the blueprint of success? People want someone to blame and in the face of the whole global pandemic, political parties cannot resist chasing votes. I saw this cartoon this morning, retweeted by Simon Guerrier on twitter, of a cartoon from 1950, via a Colin Smith twitter.com/Colin_TBTAMC, that shows that our Political class have changed little over time:
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Post by Ela on Feb 14, 2021 0:28:05 GMT
My son-in-law managed to get me a vaccination appointment by continually trolling the vaccine appointment sites on one monitor while working at home from his other monitor (he has a work supplied computer for his paid job). He checked late Thursday night cause a snowstorm was predicted and he thought there would be cancellations and snagged me an appointment for early-ish the next morning - and drove me to it.
Apparently the state set up two mass vaccination sites, and my appointment was at one of them. Very well run operation, in contrast to the disorganized roll-out in most of the state.
So I've had the first vaccine, and I'm set for an appointment for the second vaccine, as they make both appointments at once.
He managed to find an appointment for my daughter (his spouse) at the same place for next week. She qualifies because she's clergy. He does not qualify for a vaccine yet.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2021 14:32:42 GMT
I'm not quite sure why I've jumped the queue - no underlying medical conditions, designated as key worker but I work from home - but nonetheless after the year from hell I'm very glad to get my blue envelope through inviting me for my vaccination next week.
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Post by muckypup on Feb 15, 2021 14:59:58 GMT
I'm not quite sure why I've jumped the queue - no underlying medical conditions, designated as key worker but I work from home - but nonetheless after the year from hell I'm very glad to get my blue envelope through inviting me for my vaccination next week. Hehe......you must be secretly over 70! but serious well done dude, you jump the queue with everyone’s blessing well mine anyway.....
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2021 23:38:30 GMT
Thanks Pup, you're a class act I hope you're well!
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Post by number13 on Feb 16, 2021 14:04:40 GMT
Following the extremely good vaccination results from Israel, more very encouraging 'real world' results, this time from England:
According to the Office for National Statistics (Feb 5th), 41% of over 80s in England show antibodies (the next highest group are the under 24s on 26% who of course have not yet been vaccinated, they got antibodies the other way.)
Doing quick maths on my fingers the vaccination programme started in the UK about 5 weeks before this survey date (Feb 5th) and if (guess) about half of the 90%+ of over 80s who have been vaccinated were vaccinated in the first 2-3 weeks, and it takes 2-3 weeks for immunity to build (perhaps at the slightly longer timescale for the most elderly) then around 40% of people with antibodies is approximately what we should be seeing after 5 weeks in this age group overall, because only 40% would have had time to develop the antibodies. So that's approximately all of those who might have developed antibodies, have got antibodies. (If I've got that right.)
Also 'In the other three UK nations, which have jabbed a smaller proportion of their older people, antibody detection remained highest in younger groups.' The rest of the UK has caught up quickly since then, but again it was a useful comparison at the time of the survey.
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Post by muckypup on Feb 18, 2021 13:57:57 GMT
hmmmmm receved an email this morning i have now been classed as extremely venerable and must shield, not such good news
but an hour later i had called offering me an vaccine appointment for tomorrow.......better news.....
my head is battered with all this covid stuff.........somedays i wonder if its worth carrying on.......
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Post by number13 on Feb 19, 2021 13:04:48 GMT
More very good 'real world' results if this Telegraph story is right. One dose of either the Pfizer or Oxford-AZ vaccine 'appears' to cut transmission of the virus by about 2/3 and results were similar in all age groups, 'the latest data from PHE will show' (PHE = Public Health England.)
The story is behind a 'paywall' but the front page is the top one on last night's BBC newspapers review page, and easily readable if you zoom in:
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