Covid the *** and the final stage.

[Chippy_Tea]

Our lass told me she was listening to the radio earlier and someone mentioned it was likely parts of the country would be back in lockdown before Christmas, this was in our local paper tonight -


The number of cases of Covid-19 in Cumbria rose sharply again this week.

There were 1903 new cases of Covid-19 recorded over the last seven days, which is an increase of 315 or 20 per cent compared to the previous week.

For the fifth week in a row, Allerdale recorded the greatest number of new cases (478).

Allerdale overtook Barrow in having the highest rate of new cases (489 cases per 100k population).

New cases increased from the previous week in all Cumbrian districts except Copeland. Furthermore, case rates were above the national average in all districts except South Lakeland.

The 12-18 age group accounted for by far the greatest number and rate of new cases in Cumbria.

The number of new patients admitted to hospital with a Covid-19 Positive status increased by two compared to the previous week.

Data up to Wednesday September 8 shows 87 per cent of Cumbrian’s aged 15 and over have now received their first dose and 81 per cent their second.

Colin Cox, Cumbria’s director of Public Health, said: “Unfortunately, case rates continue to rise at a steady pace across Cumbria and as we’ve seen previously, this inevitably results in serious consequences including hospitalisations.

“Case rates are rising in almost all age groups but particularly so amongst those aged 12-18.

“As many will know by now, although the chances of someone in this age group falling ill or being hospitalised is low, it’s not impossible and the virus may then spread to more vulnerable family members.

“It’s clear the vaccine is having an impact however and keeping deaths and hospitalisations down.

“Therefore, I urge those who haven’t already to get vaccinated as soon as possible. If you’re over the age of 16, visit the NHS website to find out to book your vaccine or find your nearest walk-in vaccination centre.

“Furthermore, as children returned to school this week, it’s increasingly important that students are tested regularly where possible if we’re to avoid further sharp case rises in the coming weeks and months.”

https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/19570322.cases-covid-19-cumbria-continue-sharply-rise/

 

[Shirley Bassett]

Gunge,

Strangely enough, and by mutual consent, Scotland is not bothered about you either.

I read the comment by Foxbat that you are a wind up merchant.

 

[Gunge]

Gunge,

Strangely enough, and by mutual consent, Scotland is not bothered about you either.

I read the comment by Foxbat that you are a wind up merchant.

Whatever....

 

[Oneflewover]

Gunge,

Strangely enough, and by mutual consent, Scotland is not bothered about you either.

I read the comment by Foxbat that you are a wind up merchant.

He's a lovely fella really. I remember him opening his heart up on here a couple of times. Also contributed some cracking brewing advice. The winding up? Yeah, whatever, best ignored i reckon

 

[Chippy_Tea]

He's a lovely fella really. I remember him opening his heart up on here a couple of times. Also contributed some cracking brewing advice. The winding up? Yeah, whatever, best ignored i reckon

I couldn't agree more.

Someone mentioned Gunge getting banned in a thread yesterday (i think) to put the record straight he was not banned from the forums just the Snug the mods agreed his input in the forums was quality but his anti global warming stuff in the Snug got out of hand, we offered Gunge the opportunity to post here again and he knows where the line is drawn he is entitled to have his say on global warming if he wants we don't put restrictions on individual members posts as long as they are within the rules and don't take over the whole forum.

 

[Gunge]

Eyup Chippy.... I've not been back on here for long but maybe you can detect that I am a reformed ( if not deformed ) character? Ain't worth it, either on here or 'real life'. Bored of the climate change stuff - I know it's a fraud, if others disagree so what. Covid - there is no final stage, that is becoming more obvious with every day that passes. Have a great evening all. Me? On nights from 10pm... sob! (but I'll be swimming in homebrew tomorrow)!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Covid - there is no final stage, that is becoming more obvious with every day that passes. Have a great evening all. Me? On nights from 10pm... sob! (but I'll be swimming in homebrew tomorrow)!

I think you are right, i posted this new thread in January when as you can see from the first post (first quote below) things seemed to be going the right direction SWMBO had her first *** and being a key worker was getting a regular check i was hoping mine would be soon after its now 8 months later and things are looking bad again (second quote below) the only blessing is the vaccine seems to be doing its job and stopping new cases ending in hospital in the numbers they were when it all started the worry now is how long does the vaccine keep you protected and how will this thing mutate in the future.

Time for a beer

SWMBO is a front line worker (carer) she has had the first *** and is now tested twice a week she also has the lateral flow test with the results showing 30 minutes after the test whenever she goes to work on the other days, there are no cases of Covid where she works and there hasn't been for quite a while.

I am hoping as a front line worker my turn will come soon my age will also help, its not often i am glad i am an old fart.

The number of cases of Covid-19 in Cumbria rose sharply again this week.

There were 1903 new cases of Covid-19 recorded over the last seven days, which is an increase of 315 or 20 per cent compared to the previous week.

For the fifth week in a row, Allerdale recorded the greatest number of new cases (478).

Allerdale overtook Barrow in having the highest rate of new cases (489 cases per 100k population).

 

[Gunge]

Just drove thru' town after dropping the missus off at the hairdressers. Hordes of shoppers ( for a change ), folk milling around outside pubs, all touchy-feely and slobbering all over one another. Not a mask to be seen on anyone. But a 'passport' is required for certain venues and events. Truly a laughable farce. You're all being played. I'd rather take my chances with C19 than be party to the madness that's going down these days.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have notice 50% of people are still wearing masks in places they no longer need to Supermarket, filling station, shops etc, i wish they had not removed the requirement to wear them in these places at least until new cases were on the decline unlike they are now.

 

[DavidDetroit]

Obviously, appealing to the idea of helping others, empathy, trust, common sense, better odds, statistics, etc. doesn't work with a portion of the population. Basically, the reason why there's no general agreement runs deeper. One point of resistance (that I've mentioned before) is rejecting being told what to do whether it would result in a positive outcome or not. Technical term is "tantrum."
Current GOP politicians here are just set on objecting to everything from the left, gain that RW base approval and hope to win an election--not that they personally disagree with what's currently being proposed in the form of mandates to control the virus.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

According to 5 live there will be an announcement later saying over 50's are to be offered a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine as a booster you will be able to get the *** 6 months after the second double ***.

 

[CD]

According to 5 live there will be an announcement later saying over 50's are to be offered a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine as a booster you will be able to get the *** 6 months after the second double ***.

That would mean I was due for a booster on July 5th.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Ministers are to outline their plans for attempting to control the pandemic through the winter. (BBC News)
It is expected that all over-50s will be offered a third booster ***, after advice from the JCVI.
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the booster would be a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months after a second dose.
The vaccines minister said the country was in a "very strong place" to begin a booster campaign this month.
Nadhim Zahawi told BBC Breakfast interim proposals published by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in June - which suggested jabs should go to the over-70s and those most at risk first, before expanding to all adults aged over 50 - had allowed the NHS to prepare.
But the government has been waiting for final recommendations from the JVCI on who should receive the extra doses before announcing more details.
It is likely the booster programme will be similar to interim proposals published by the committee.
Mr Zahawi said the government had accepted the final advice of the JCVI and the prime minister and health secretary would set out more detail later.
A Covid booster would be "co-administered" with a flu *** wherever possible, he said.
"This is probably the last piece of jigsaw to allow us to transition this virus from pandemic to endemic and I hope by next year we'll be in a position to deal with this virus with an annual inoculation programme as we do with flu," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
On Monday, the government confirmed all children aged 12 to 15 in England would be offered one dose of the Pfizer ***, with invitations going out from next week.
It follows advice from the UK's chief medical officers, who say the *** will help reduce disruption to education.
A rollout is yet to be confirmed in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

• Will I need a booster?
• Will children's Covid jabs be compulsory?

The news on booster jabs comes as the government prepares to set out its plan for managing Covid through the autumn and winter.
In a statement before the announcement, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said while the pandemic "is far from over", the "phenomenal vaccine programme, new treatments and testing" mean the UK is "able to live with the virus without significant restrictions on our freedoms".
The PM, who will chair a cabinet meeting later ahead of a coronavirus press conference at 15:30 BST, said he would lay out a strategy for the months ahead "when the virus has a natural advantage, to protect the gains we have made".
Mr Zahawi told BBC Breakfast that when the pandemic first hit the only effective tool available was lockdown but "the vaccines have changed all that" and they are now the "main tool within our arsenal".
However, asked whether the country could still see lockdowns again in the future, the vaccines minister said it would be "foolhardy" to rule anything out.
He also said the option of making proof of vaccination mandatory to access venues like nightclubs "remains in reserve" but the booster campaign would hopefully put "downward pressure" on infection rates.
Mr Johnson's Covid winter plan for England is expected to focus on contingency measures that would be brought in if the NHS was at risk of becoming overwhelmed due to the virus.
The government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) had devised a series of options to limit the spread of Covid without the use of lockdowns, including bringing back mandatory face coverings and working from home if there was a winter surge in infections, according to the Times.

• Pfizer and AZ approved as Covid booster vaccines
• Covid *** rollout to start in schools in England
• No plans for October lockdown, says government

At a Downing Street briefing on Monday, Prof Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, said "anybody who believes that the big risk of Covid is all in the past... has not understood where we're going to head as we go into autumn and winter".
He said there would continue to be "pressure on the NHS" and "disruption to education".

 

[Chippy_Tea]

That would mean I was due for a booster on July 5th.

I had the AZ i will be interested to see why they cannot give the same again and it has to be the Pfizer vaccine.

 

[obscure]

I had the AZ i will be interested to see why they cannot give the same again and it has to be the Pfizer vaccine.

I suspect thos is at least i. Part due to some of the studies showing that ‘mix and matching’ vaccines can lead to a better immune response.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02158-6
Is quit’s a good Q&A on the booster and the below article refers to the preliminary results of a study in Spain, in this case people being giving a different vaccine for their second ***.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01359-3
It also seems to be considered a good idea for other vaccines to mix and match and given that I think the Pfizer one is meant to be more expensive I doubt they would be using it for the booster if their weren’t genuine potential benefits of doing so.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Covid booster jabs will begin to be offered across the UK from next week.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he had accepted advice from the JCVI that around 30m people should be offered a third dose - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have followed suit.
The booster should be given at least six months after a second dose - with the Pfizer *** recommended.
Those eligible include over-50s, younger adults with health conditions and frontline health and care workers.
Mr Javid made the announcement in the Commons as part of an autumn and winter plan for managing Covid in England.
Scotland will begin offering booster jabs for the broader group from Monday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.
She said the programme "was intended to prolong the protection" of vaccines and will run alongside the flu vaccination programme.

The recommendation from the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) comes amid concern about waning immunity.
There are some signs protection offered by the vaccine may start dropping off several months after the second dose - with the most vulnerable groups most at risk of this.
In his statement, Mr Javid told MPs: "There is evidence that the protection offered by Covid-19 vaccines reduces over time, particularly older people who are at greater risk, so booster doses are an important way of keeping the virus under control for the long term."
The JCVI said it was still unclear exactly how much protection does slip, but it wanted to take a precautionary approach and ensure the most vulnerable people maintain high levels of protection.
The advice is separate to the recent recommendation of third doses for people with severely weakened immune systems - something that is already being rolled out.
Those eligible for a booster *** include:

• Those living in residential care homes for older adults
• All adults aged 50 years or over
• Frontline health and social care workers
• All those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19
• Adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals

Full article - Covid booster vaccine rollout to begin next week

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

The figures aren’t looking good as we approach Winter. Infection rates in the UK have risen by 2% over the past 14 days but deaths are up 23% in the same period.
“Source: Centre for Science and Engineering (CSSE) at St John’s Hopkins University” Obtained from New York Times.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I will get the booster and keep taking the Vitamin D.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

his input in the forums was quality but his anti global warming stuff in the Snug got out of hand

Without wanting to extend the meta-discussion any further, the trouble when one behaves like an arse only some of the time is that other people end up blocking you and the person who's been an arse loses the benefit of any constructive discussion. Being a wind-up merchant costs you in the end.

It also seems to be considered a good idea for other vaccines to mix and match and given that I think the Pfizer one is meant to be more expensive I doubt they would be using it for the booster if their weren’t genuine potential benefits of doing so.

I've not seen it mentioned in any of the UK stuff, but I assume the reason for going with Pfizer/Biontech is that they are further down the line than Oxford/AZ towards a "general" approval similar to flu vaccines, where they don't need to do a full trial for each new vaccine designed for different variants - they have had a version based on B.1.351 "South Africa"/"Beta" in testing for a while now.

And has been mentioned, there does seem to be some advantage in getting a mix of vaccines - it's the norm in parts of Canada I think.

OTOH, the evidence for boosters is rather mixed - people tend to focus too much on declining antibodies and not enough on memory cells. It looks like boosters are worth it for people who are immuno-compromised, but it's pretty debatable for ordinary people who've been double-jabbed.

 

[Chippy_Tea]