Coronavirus.

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Still looking a long way from a real justification to drop to Tier 2.

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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I am currently on the escaped part of the neighbouring island. With a population of five million, yesterday's total hospital Covid figures were 248 cases, with 35 of those in ICU (probably exceeded by Stoke alone?). There were seven deaths and 206 new cases nationwide here yesterday. Most of the new cases are in the cities and the counties along the British border. Northern Ireland, with 1.9 million people has exceeded the Republic's numbers for many weeks now.

The county that I am in, population 85,000, recorded fewer than five new cases yesterday, as did many others.

From Tuesday, I will be allowed to exit my current 5km radius and travel inside the county, which is pretty much all I would do anyway.

The UK looks even weirder from outside.
 

Jackel

Well-Known Forumite
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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
This annoys me somewhat.If the tories hadn't spent the last 10 years decimating the NHS, then we would have been able to cope with this virus easily.But instead we are having to endure a lock down again
I'm not sure that simply having the capacity to deal with a larger number of seriously ill, and dying, patients is really coping, in the real sense.

Having competent, effective and timely measures to control the rate of infection seems more important than allowing it to spread and being able to deal with the consequences.
 

Glam

Mad Cat Woman
This annoys me somewhat.If the tories hadn't spent the last 10 years decimating the NHS, then we would have been able to cope with this virus easily.But instead we are having to endure a lock down again
It isn't just General Hospitals having to cope with Covid patients either. There are cases on Mental Health wards too.
All the ppe in the world doesn't stop you being terrified of taking the disease home with you.
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
On a brighter note, the word on the street is that the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the UK regulator) will sign off the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine this week, with an immediate commencement of the vaccination programme.

The Moderna and Oxford-AstraZeneca ones shouldn't be too far behind either.
 

Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
The Oxford one is the key I believe, because it will be much easier to get that in the community compared the Pfizer one. It also should be able to be produced at scale pretty quickly.
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
The Oxford one is the key I believe, because it will be much easier to get that in the community compared the Pfizer one. It also should be able to be produced at scale pretty quickly.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is a good one to start with because one of the priorities is to get NHS staff vaccinated and hospitals have the right equipment to store that vaccine. You are right in that the Oxford-AstraZeneca one will be available in much greater quantities and is easy to store; therefore, I expect this will be the one that most of us get.

Given that all the vaccines, to date, are showing high efficacy rates, the priority is to get 'everyone' vaccinated with whichever vaccine is available. I have no doubt that we will be able to improve the vaccines in time which, given the high starting point, is going to produce something closing in on 100% in the future.
 

Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
I agree that NHS staff getting vaccinated should be a priority, I'm amazed they weren't first on the initial list.
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Can't get my head around 195 sadly died from Covid in Royal Stoke just in the one month in November , according to Sentinel, and another 12 lost their fight against it yesterday :(


After a fortnight of staying away from shops, needed food supplies so ventured to Tesco at 6.30am in the hope of not many people being in .....
Bad start...no disinfectant spray at the cleaning station to wipe trolley handles . Asked an assistant " Oh I don't know , I'll see if we've got any". I used hand sanitiser smeared all over the handle in the end instead. Assistant reappeared after I'd started shopping with a bottle with about an inch in.
Hardly any customers, but picker- packers made it a rather scary trip, no social distancing at all ! Gave up attempts to venture down the bread aisle as was no way past them and went to Aldi for those later.

No wonder it's spreading so bloody fast. Lots of people don't seem to be taking this seriously enough :mad:
 
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