Coronavirus

[BigT]

He’s very unlikely to change the 12th April, everyone has geared up for that now.
On the third wave you could argue that we have already had it, the variant that seems to be most dominant in Europe now is the same one first discovered in Kent and has already ripped through the UK so we have good immunity to that version plus we are getting closer to the magic 70% which I’m told is the point herd immunity starts to kicks in.

 

[Matt.GC]

He would be insane to not push ahead with lifting as many restrictions as possible. Almost anyone who could die from Covid has had a jab, most of the UK population has had a jab and the country is flat broke. The state of the public finances cannot be underestimated here. Even if international travel or whatever is banned, we need to get back to business, paying taxes and stop spending money like we are.

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[delta79]

They are taking about LF testing. I have a strong feeling that the road map with run it course, however with LF testing being heavily involved in it.

We will end up with everything open, with enhanced cleaning and hygiene protocols and twice a week testing for 12 to 24 months at least.

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[Matt N]

They are taking about LF testing. I have a strong feeling that the road map with run it course, however with LF testing being heavily involved in it.

We will end up with everything open, with enhanced cleaning and hygiene protocols and twice a week testing for 12 to 24 months at least.

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I certainly think cleaning and hygiene protocols and testing, as well as self-isolation if you have symptoms, are a small price to pay to see more prohibitive measures such as social distancing removed or paired back, personally.

Even if some of these smaller measures stay in place, I think most of the more noticeable, large-scale, prohibitive measures (e.g. social distancing, mask wearing) should have been removed or majorly paired back by the summer, personally.

 

[BigT]

One annoying thing that keeps being asked by the journalists (they have been so poor throughout the pandemic) is what will normal look like in the summer?
Normal is normal, not a semi restricted version it that we may see in the summer, stop calling it the new normal, it will never be new, it will just be plain old normal and eventually we will return to it! Rant over.

 

[imanautie]

Given that those who refuse to take vaccines tend to cause more damage (there's a reason that long gone diseases have slowly reared back up) I honestly think that vaccinations should be mandatory unless you are medically exempt.

People believing nonsense about them causing autism or "big pharma" (especially in the UK when most vaccines are free) is far more destructive an idea than forcing people to have a vaccine passport to visit places.

Sure it's your human right to disagree with something, but that doesn't forgo a freedom of consequences for your actions.

The test I took last year was free. As long as some of those were kept open (or we actually did some testing at airports for once during this whole pandemic), that could solve some issues.

Implementing a passport before everyone is offered though is wrong. And should only come about after that point. Plus consideration towards the first jab being acceptable rather than the full dosage.

It's also pretty damn offensive to Autistics that people would rather risk death then be like us.

 

[Jonathan]

It's also pretty damn offensive to Autistics that people would rather risk death then be like us.

I'm sure I've mentioned this in the Pet Hates topic at least once.

 

[Dave]

He’s very unlikely to change the 12th April, everyone has geared up for that now.
On the third wave you could argue that we have already had it, the variant that seems to be most dominant in Europe now is the same one first discovered in Kent and has already ripped through the UK so we have good immunity to that version plus we are getting closer to the magic 70% which I’m told is the point herd immunity starts to kicks in.

Unfortunately herd immunity is more complicated than 70%. If a vaccine or previous infection gave 100% sterilising immunity then yes 70-75% population coverage would see herd immunity take hold. However neither is 100% with Covid so you need a higher proportion of people to be immune to reach herd immunity (something closer to 80-85% of the entire population (including children).

Also the government vaccine coverage figures only cover adults (so we have a 60% 1st dose coverage for adults over 18 but it’s closer to 50% of the entire population so herd immunity is some way off.

That said Israel started to see cases drop at around 60% vaccine coverage but that’s with Pfizer and the recommended dose interval but hope is not lost.

 

[Matt.GC]

It's also pretty damn offensive to Autistics that people would rather risk death then be like us.

Anti vax idiots are nuts. They use "potential autism" as an excuse to hide behind their rediculous views. A bit like how Trump supporters clung to election fraud, no one of sane mind believes it, it's just an excuse to push an agenda. I wouldn't take their voodoo science claims seriously. Anyone who doesn't allow their children to get the MMR vaccine is guilty of child abuse as far as I'm concerned.

This vaccination programme is different however. Most of the conspiracies against it are of course probably false, but there are serious questions to be asked about how this is being rolled out.

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[Matt N]

In a very interesting turn of events, even the UK medicines regulator is now considering restricting the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to older people; an age restriction of at least 30 is now being considered by the HMRA: https://www.channel4.com/news/uk-me...ssuing-new-advice-over-oxford-astrazeneca-jab

 

[imanautie]

In a very interesting turn of events, even the UK medicines regulator is now considering restricting the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to older people; an age restriction of at least 30 is now being considered by the HMRA: https://www.channel4.com/news/uk-me...ssuing-new-advice-over-oxford-astrazeneca-jab

I wonder where that would leave second doses for those under 30.

 

[Matt N]

I wonder where that would leave second doses for those under 30.

That’s a very good question, actually! I do wonder what the plan is for that group, if this does become the case...

Come to think of it, I’m not sure it’ll be an age limit, just that the government will offer younger age groups a different vaccine.

 

[imanautie]

That’s a very good question, actually! I do wonder what the plan is for that group, if this does become the case...

Come to think of it, I’m not sure it’ll be an age limit, just that the government will offer younger age groups a different vaccine.

Maybe but from what I saw they are supposed to make the second dose the same as the first.

 

[Dave]

I wonder where that would leave second doses for those under 30.

Those people have had a dose without harm so likely will just get another dose, if they were going to have a reaction it would already have happened.

 

[Rob]

Catching up a little with this thread. On the subjet of Covid passports/certificates, like others have said I have no issue with them being used once everyone has been offered the vaccine and therefore can show their vaccinated status. Those medically exempt should be given this status on the app or whatever it might be by their GP. Anti-vaxers can then just rot in hell as far as I am concerned.

Interesting that the MHRA may be looking at restricting use of the AZ vaccine for those under 30, not ideal when we have 100 million doses of this on order! I suppose with Moderna on the way soon and possibily a couple more from the summer there will be enough of other vaccines around for younger people when the time comes.

 

[Matt N]

Interesting that the MHRA may be looking at restricting use of the AZ vaccine for those under 30, not ideal when we have 100 million doses of this on order! I suppose with Moderna on the way soon and possibily a couple more from the summer there will be enough of other vaccines around for younger people when the time comes.

It’s been said that the government wants to give 18-29 year olds, and possibly other younger age groups, the Janssen single-dose vaccine. Their rationale for this is that it would provide the younger age groups with a sort of “jab and go” option, so that they can gain the status of being fully vaccinated more quickly and without needing a second dose.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

The only place I seen theses restrictions work better is at Butlins. In Oct 2019 with a 3 month old and 7 year old at a time to really get a seat and table for most of the evening you had to start queuing over a hour before they opened the doors.
When the colder months started to arrival in September 2020 they brought out a app to book shows and activities. The booking window opened within 2 weeks before your start date and we got to see a lot more stuff than we usually do. Hopefully they have to in place this October/Christmas.

 

[John]

Regardless of age restrictions, it was always likely that many people at the back of the vaccine queue would get something other than AZ or Pfizer - most of those supplies will be used for 2nd doses.

 

[Craig]

Regardless of age restrictions, it was always likely that many people at the back of the vaccine queue would get something other than AZ or Pfizer - most of those supplies will be used for 2nd doses.

Yup you've got to remember that there's just over 26 million people waiting for their second dose at the moment, and the vast majority of those will be AstraZeneca. Even if a cut off of under 30's came in for the AZ, that still leaves those in their 30s and 40s who would be able to have that vaccine which is around 17 million people. If you (rather crudely) consider 15 million of those 30-49 would have the AZ vaccine and add say 20 million of those waiting for second doses, that's still 55 million AZ doses required.

 

[Dave]

The bigger issue will be getting other vaccines online for the under 30’s. Moderna numbers are small and Pfizer supply is patchy. Not sure how close Novavax are to fill and finish either.