Coronavirus

[Benzin]

The leaks are just deliberate so they can gauge the public response online and adjust to allow themselves to become more popular.

Given the issues currently surrounding Matt Hancock, expect the announcement to be everything reopening on the weekend to bury that news as well.

 

[Rob]

So the PM has now pledged that all adults will receive their first vaccine dose by 31st July... just... wow.

It's easy to be sceptical, and there's every chance the target won't be met. Of all the myriad of balls-ups this government has had surrounding the pandemic though, the vaccine rollout isn't one of them, so if they're confident to announce this target, then chances are it'll be met.

Impressive.

Completely agree with this, our vaccine rollout to date has been nothing short of phenomenal. My dad had his vaccine a couple of weeks ago and my mum has hers today, which is wonderful.

It will be interesting to see how the rollout continues once we need to be giving up to 500,000 second doses a day as well as first doses. You would think that has to cause some sort of slow down, but this will have been accounted for I am sure.

 

[Craig]

The schools returning was all but announced from the government in a release last night, confirming that the first step of releasing lockdown (i.e. schools going back) would go ahead as planned on 8th March. Nadim Zawahi has also been on the media rounds this morning and confirmed this as well. I'm in two minds on the big bang approach. There's already such a huge percentage of school kids in which is rising as time goes on anyway, I doubt everyone going back would make a massive difference anyway at this point.

Have to say I'm a bit gutted at having to wait until the end of March to socialise outside again, especially after SAGE member John Edmunds was saying it's pretty safe. I do worry people will just ignore the rules (as let's face it they have done anyway), and just socialise in a more at risk indoors setting out of view instead making the situation worse than if we were legally able to be outdoors.

It would appear anything else past the 29th March is the press filling in the blanks at the moment based on the wildly differing dates between different outlets. Word is that the dates for the next steps are "earliest possible" dates and aren't set in stone.

It'll be interesting to see some of the other stuff coming out today as well. New Public Health England data on the impact of vaccines is being release, as well as data and suggestions from SAGE being released which will show the options for lifting lockdown they suggested versus what the government have ultimately gone with. It'll be interesting to see case numbers at 4pm as well, considering yesterday saw the first sub 10k day in a while too.

In terms of the vaccine, we're now heading into what's likely to be a bit of a drop in first doses administered as first dose recipients will be getting their second doses within the 11-12 week period. Hopefully as more supply comes on by mid march, we'll be back to increasing numbers. Considering there was the announcement of end of July for everyone to be have received their first dose over the weekend, I'd assume that they're relatively confident on supply so I wouldn't panic too much over the possibility of a few weeks of decreased numbers incoming.

 

[GaryH]

So could we looking at Alton re opening in April/may perhaps?

 

[Craig]

So could we looking at Alton re opening in April/may perhaps?

If the ol' leaks are to be believed, end of April/early May would appear to be the most realistic scenario. I would imagine there's a lot of crossed fingers that it'll be earlier for outdoor attractions though.

 

[Islander]

I think it’s pretty much a given Merlin will be pushing to open ASAP, and will be arguing that they can open outdoor areas and rides ASAP, whilst keeping indoor attractions closed until further restrictions are eased


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Craig]

I think it’s pretty much a given Merlin will be pushing to open ASAP, and will be arguing that they can open outdoor areas and rides ASAP, whilst keeping indoor attractions closed until further restrictions are eased


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yup it seems like a no brainer to me to get anything outdoors open as quickly as possible. Everyone is absolutely itching for something to do. The more you can encourage that something to be outside rather than in shops, supermarkets and the like then all the better for reducing infections more quickly.

 

[Rob]

It'll be interesting to see some of the other stuff coming out today as well. New Public Health England data on the impact of vaccines is being release

Figures from England are expected later, but data from Public Health Scotland has shown that in the fourth week after the first dose, hospitalisations were reduced by 85% and 94% for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs respectively. Source: BBC News

Very good news indeed!

 

[Craig]

Figures from England are expected later, but data from Public Health Scotland has shown that in the fourth week after the first dose, hospitalisations were reduced by 85% and 94% for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs respectively. Source: BBC News

Very good news indeed!

Yup it's all looking pretty good isn't it?

One thing I'm finding really sad now is that Europe is now facing an uphill battle recommending the AstraZeneca vaccine to its citzens following the absolutely idiotic panning of it just a few weeks ago. The German government's spokesman posted the following this morning to kick off a publicity campaign to encourage take up:

It's basically explaining that the vaccine is well above the threshold of 50% efficacy, and that side effects are mild and show the vaccine is working. We all saw this coming unfortunately, I just hope they manage to turn it around. It's not in our interests for take up to be low anywhere in the world, even more so with our closest neighbours.

 

[Rob]

A perfect example of why you should not mix politics and public health, which is clearly what happened here.

 

[Alsty]

Boris Johnson has unveiled his timeline for easing restrictions:

Step One
8 March - schools reopening, outdoor after-school sports and activities allowed. Recreation outdoors allowed between two people, e.g. sitting in the park with a coffee or picnic.

29 March
Outdoor gatherings to be permitted up to the rule of six. Outdoor sports facilities such as tennis and basketball courts to reopen.

Step Two
12 April - reopening of:

• non-essential shops, as well as public buildings such as libraries and museums
• outdoor settings like alcoholic takeaways, beer gardens, zoos and theme parks
• indoor leisure such as gyms and swimming pools
• self-contained holiday accommodation

... but still no indoor mixing of households.

Step Three
17 May - abolish rule of six outdoors (up to 30 people)
Two households can mix indoors, with rule of six applied in hospitality such as pubs
Cinemas, hotels, performances and sporting events reopen with social distancing

Step Four
21 June - all legal limits on contact removed, with the remaining sectors of the economy reopened such as nightclubs.

There are to be separate reviews on things like wearing face coverings and international travel. There will be a minimum of five weeks between each step change.

 

[Rob]

Hopefully not false hope, but I am feeling quite optimistic after listening to the PM. Seems to be cuatious and considered plan that does get us back to normality and does not keep us in some 'new normal' that is not normal at all.

Hoping and praying that new vairants to not come and ruin it all.

 

[jon81uk]

I'd also rather they didn't try too hard to stick to the dates just to get things open. I'd rather have the freedom to see people outdoors or in small groups of six instead of being able to go to a nightclub or bars/pubs without seating and organisation. Better to slowly work to it and concentrate on outdoor activities and then we can meet indoors next winter.

 

[Danza91]

The roadmap isn't as slow as I feared it'd be, it's still a few weeks too slow for reopening the least risky activities like zoos, outdoor sports, as well as gyms, and 17th May is a long time off for indoor mixing. But, I had feared the lockdown fanatics would have had us locked away until July so it's better than expected.

A huge campaign should also be launched to get this country healthier. Two major things have been exposed from this pandemic, how underfunded and therefore unprepared the NHS was, and how unhealthy the UK is.

 

[Thameslink Rail]

The roadmap isn't as slow as I feared it'd be, it's still a few weeks too slow for reopening the least risky activities like zoos, outdoor sports, as well as gyms, and 17th May is a long time off for indoor mixing. But, I had feared the lockdown fanatics would have had us locked away until July so it's better than expected.

A huge campaign should also be launched to get this country healthier. Two major things have been exposed from this pandemic, how underfunded and therefore unprepared the NHS was, and how unhealthy the UK is.

I must agree with you on both your points, I think most people would blame the former on Conservative budget cuts since 2010 however the latter has been a problem plaguing the poorer areas of the UK for some time and it has only been getting worse as more fast food outlets have opened, fast food delivery has been more common and many sport offerings for young people have been reduced even before Covid, I expect to see people like Joe Wicks and Marcus Rashford continuing to campaign in these areas for some time.

 

[Matt N]

On an unrelated note, does anyone know what will happen for people who miss out on the first wave of COVID vaccination due to turning 18 shortly after it ends? Only asking, because my 18th birthday... falls on the day of the government’s target for having vaccinated all adults (31st July).

Do you think I might get offered a vaccine shortly after my 18th birthday, or will I have to wait until the “second wave” of vaccinations? Or might I never get one?

Only asking because I’m slightly worried that I might be prohibited from doing things because I haven’t had a vaccine, even though I was never offered one, if the government goes down the route of vaccine passports, even though I would happily accept a vaccine if offered one.

 

[D4n]

It would be appalling to implement "vaccine passports" before everybody has at least been offered the vaccine - this goes for people who subsequently turn 18 too.

This would effectively penalise the same group of people twice.

It wouldn't surprise me though.

 

[Matt N]

I’m assuming the vaccination infrastructure might well be kept in place even after all of the adults are vaccinated (for, say, any potential booster dose the government may have to give in the future, or to vaccinate anyone who rejects the vaccine initially, but later changes their mind)? If that was the case, I’m hoping I might get offered one shortly after turning 18, but I wouldn’t like to hope for too much.

I am slightly gutted that I miss the rollout by one day, though...

 

[Craig]

I would assume there'd be plenty of infrastructure in place come July to get you vaccinated pretty quickly anyway Matt. With vaccine passports (or whatever they want to call them to avoid it being seen as a U turn) I would also assume there'll be consideration put in for people in your scenario so try not to worry too much.

I wholly agree that everyone needs to have had ample opportunity to get a vaccine before bringing in any sort of vaccine passport, doing anything other than that risks creating a two tier system through no fault of the people not eligible. People are on very short fuses at the moment too, and I don't think it's sensationalist to suggest it's a recipe to create unrest either.

Edit: I'd also say to remember that the pledge to vaccinate all over 18's by the end of July is a target. It may not be met, but likewise it may be exceeded meaning it may be offered to under 18's much earlier anyway.

 

[Matt N]

I would assume there'd be plenty of infrastructure in place come July to get you vaccinated pretty quickly anyway Matt. With vaccine passports (or whatever they want to call them to avoid it being seen as a U turn) I would also assume there'll be consideration put in for people in your scenario so try not to worry too much.

I wholly agree that everyone needs to have had ample opportunity to get a vaccine before bringing in any sort of vaccine passport, doing anything other than that risks creating a two tier system through no fault of the people not eligible. People are on very short fuses at the moment too, and I don't think it's sensationalist to suggest it's a recipe to create unrest either.

Edit: I'd also say to remember that the pledge to vaccinate all over 18's by the end of July is a target. It may not be met, but likewise it may be exceeded meaning it may be offered to under 18's much earlier anyway.

I thought the government wasn’t offering the vaccine to under-18s full stop due to the trials not including children?