Coronavirus: General discussion (see opening post for rules)

[mikeprice]

I think it varies a lot from region to region

 

some work better than others

 

some make more sense than others

 

amazingly our region seems to be pretty well sorted - no idea why

[the_quick]

I had my first dose yesterday. So far, apart from sore arm, no side affects.

 

Maybe it will stay that way...

[paulkerton]

I had my first dose yesterday. So far, apart from sore arm, no side affects.

 

Maybe it will stay that way...

I got to the 24 hour point feeling fine, then I ended up having to go to bed for a few hours to get rid of what I can only describe as a miserable funk cascading over me.

I was better after a nap, but i was feeling a little bit off for 48 hours and a sore arm for 5 days.

Paracetamol helped. Big time.

[paulkerton]

Mme LeMarchand and I have been getting those for the last week - but 12 weeks for use isn't until the end of the month and the system only shows bookings for the next few days.

That's strange - the national system should let you book a 2nd appointment within a few days of you having your first jab. I booked a completely different place for exactly 12 weeks after my first jab.

[LeMarchand]

That's strange - the national system should let you book a 2nd appointment within a few days of you having your first jab. I booked a completely different place for exactly 12 weeks after my first jab.

 

It might, but the link from our GP doesn't.

[StevieM]

It might, but the link from our GP doesn't.

Try this one instead, @LeMarchand. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

[LeMarchand]

Try this one instead, @LeMarchand. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

 

Thanks, but it says

 

You need to:

 

• have 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at 2 appointments
  
• book both appointments at the same time
  
• get the 2nd dose 11 to 12 weeks after getting your 1st dose
  

 

So I think i've missed the boat. TBH, it seems easy enough just to wait to book Jab 2 - it's just annoying getting nagged about it!

[paulkerton]

Thanks, but it says

So I think i've missed the boat.

You don't have to book both at the same time, even if it says that. What should happen is your local GP/Group should upload your first jab into the national system, and then when you log in it will say (paraphrasing) "Oh no, you missed your 2nd jab - book it again!" and then it'll give you dates that are exactly 12 weeks after your first, in the distant future...

Yeah, the system isn't all that smart

[LeMarchand]

Yeah, the system isn't all that smart

 

Sounds about right.

[sonofsanta]

Under 40s to be offered alternative to AZ vaccine | BBC News

 

Now I wish I had asked to have the Pfizer when I got mine done a couple of weeks back...! (36, bumped up the list because I live with someone who was shielding)

[mavhc]

10% of humans in a school got infected. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-56988415 wonder what they were doing wrt extra anti covid methods that failed

[Ditto]

10% of humans in a school got infected. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-56988415 wonder what they were doing wrt extra anti covid methods that failed

The article states "Latest figures show Erewash, where the school is located, has the third highest infection rate in England at 65 per 100,000, a near five-fold increase on the previous week".

 

So there's a likelihood that some of the spread to school children happened locally outside school. Any steps taken would need to address the local circumstances as much as any at the school. It would be interesting to know the numbers for staff testing positive and their demographic spread, as well as a analysis comparing those who have had a vaccine and those that have not.

[Seb1780]

The article states "Latest figures show Erewash, where the school is located, has the third highest infection rate in England at 65 per 100,000, a near five-fold increase on the previous week".

 

So there's a likelihood that some of the spread to school children happened locally outside school. Any steps taken would need to address the local circumstances as much as any at the school. It would be interesting to know the numbers for staff testing positive and their demographic spread, as well as a analysis comparing those who have had a vaccine and those that have not.

 

Local population is around 115,000 so 65/100,000 is about 80 cases - it seems likely that the school is causing the increase, not the other way round.

[Ditto]

Local population is around 115,000 so 65/100,000 is about 80 cases - it seems likely that the school is causing the increase, not the other way round.

It's possible but I'm not wholly convinced, but without more info, I think are stuck with speculation. What I would observe through the schools I'm involved with, is that they have very strong covid-safe instructions and they follow them strictly. From seeing local business operate, general public gatherings locally, adherence to guidelines is much more variable. The very fact the cases were picked up at school shows that testing regime is working to a degree and people being asked to isolate to prevent further spread.

[Seb1780]

It's possible but I'm not wholly convinced, but without more info, I think are stuck with speculation. What I would observe through the schools I'm involved with, is that they have very strong covid-safe instructions and they follow them strictly. From seeing local business operate, general public gatherings locally, adherence to guidelines is much more variable. The very fact the cases were picked up at school shows that testing regime is working to a degree and people being asked to isolate to prevent further spread.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that the school was the *source* of the outbreak, just that the reported increase in cases locally is in line with the number of cases at the school. This could down to good testing at the school and little to none in the local community.

[mavhc]

The question is does following the instructions actually work? Unless you have extractor fans to refresh the air in each classroom every hour, I doubt it

[Rob_D]

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that the school was the *source* of the outbreak, just that the reported increase in cases locally is in line with the number of cases at the school. This could down to good testing at the school and little to none in the local community.

Seams a reasonable bet given I don't know anyone who's taken an LF test other than school workers/students, despite them being free to everyone.

[Ditto]

The question is does following the instructions actually work? Unless you have extractor fans to refresh the air in each classroom every hour, I doubt it

I think it has an impact but not 100% success. My local primary has had windows and doors open throughout in spite of the heating bill, but I would agree more focus on air circulation solutions would help, both in schools and other venues - including hospitals! I was in one a while ago and every windows I came across was shut which I found deeply frustrating.

[korifugi]

10% of humans in a school got infected. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-56988415 wonder what they were doing wrt extra anti covid methods that failed

 

Ha! I used to work there... (quite a long time ago now).

 

Some* of the parents in that area would quite happily ignore covid restrictions if it meant they could go about as normal.

 

 

 

 

 

*not all - but it only takes a minority to mess it up for the rest

[6Foot2]

Link: Covid: St Albans cathedral's new carving features facemask [bBC News]

 

 

The restoration of a rare medieval shrine means a cathedral now features a figure wearing a face-mask.

 

The shrine of St Amphibalus, at St Albans Cathedral in Hertfordshire will be on display when it reopens for visitors on 17 May.

 

The figure "reminds us the history of St Albans stretches forwards as well as backwards", a cathedral spokesman said.

 

The work, which took more than a year to complete, was funded by a grant and more than a thousand other donors.

 

It was due to be unveiled in June last year, but work was delayed due to the pandemic...

[Rob_D]

As cool as it is, I can't help but wonder how well stuff like this will age.

[6Foot2]

As cool as it is, I can't help but wonder how well stuff like this will age.

 

Carved figures inside churches etc. date from (at least) the early to mid 1200s [Ely Cathedral] and these have the chance to last just as long.

 

As to how they age as attitudes change, who knows?...

 

[mavhc]

Reminding people of past pandemics might make them take future ones more seriously. Everyone forgot about 1918, and anti-vaxxers have forgotten about how your children dying of now preventable diseases was standard procedure not many years ago.

[6Foot2]

 

Winners receive their medals via a covid-secure drone at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup in Baku on Sunday.

[mavhc]

Good news, we're half way towards vaccinating adults. Bad news, going to take another 3 months at this rate.

 

Meanwhile Phizer's phase 3 trial for 12-15 year olds on March 31st:

 

The trial enrolled 2,260 adolescents 12 to 15 years of age in the United States. In the trial, 18 cases of COVID-19 were observed in the placebo group (n=1,129) versus none in the vaccinated group (n=1,131). Vaccination with BNT162b2 elicited SARS-CoV-2–neutralizing antibody geometric mean titers (GMTs) of 1,239.5, demonstrating strong immunogenicity in a subset of adolescents one month after the second dose. This compares well (was non-inferior) to GMTs elicited by participants aged 16 to 25 years old (705.1 GMTs) in an earlier analysis. Further, BNT162b2 administration was well tolerated, with side effects generally consistent with those observed in participants 16 to 25 years of age.

 

And they started trials for 0.5-11 year olds then.

 

It's authorised for 16-18 year olds, we're just not giving it to them unless they're at risk.