Coronavirus: General discussion (see opening post for rules)

[Ditto]

To follow up on the earlier post about data sources, this one is a good graphically chart to show booster vaccines per 100 people. All UK countries very much in the top globally.

[Andrew_C]

Perhaps if we were behaving like the Spanish around me* we would be in a much better place. Masks everywhere, even quite young kids. No one bleating about ' their rights' outside shops and bars.

 

*23 and sunny, just off to the beach with a book. Sorry, drizzly and cold England.

[JordanT91]

I had my booster back at the start of October. How long until it loses effectiveness I wonder?

[Rob_D]

Masks everywhere, even quite young kids. No one bleating about ' their rights' outside shops and bars.

To be fair, I've never heard anyone "bleating about their right" IRL. Just on-line.

[LeMarchand]

To be fair, I've never heard anyone "bleating about their right" IRL. Just on-line.

 

I personally haven't, but Bonus Daughter #2 had some chap tell her all about the whole thing being faked and how he wouldn't wear a mask whilst in the queue to get into the local Tesco during an earlier lockdown. A couple of days after sometime she had dated a couple of times died from Covid. She was much more restrained than I would have been!

[ICTDirect_Dave]

To be fair, I've never heard anyone "bleating about their right" IRL. Just on-line.

Oh there's plenty of it in the playground on the school run!

I've had quite a few eye opening conversations where I've had to swiftly put down some of these opinions from other parents.

[Andrew_C]

There were some mad old Heil readers at Bournemouth Airport blaming the EU for the travel restrictions, and having to wear a mask on the plane.

[stevejp]

NHS has rented an empty retail unit next to age concern.

 

There’s got to be a joke in there somewhere, but I haven’t got time to be a frog just before Christmas…

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Moderna this time. Time to wait and see what I pull in the side-effect lottery...

I drew uncontrollable shivers, hot flushes, much muscle ache and a night without sleep!

 

Nothing at all wrong at first. Then as soon as it passed 12 hours since my jab it was like getting hit by a brick!

On the mend this morning, but today's edition of Dave-at-Work will be brought to you by copious amounts of coffee and paracetamol!

[StevieM]

I'm booked in for my booster tomorrow afternoon, but I've not been well so was advised by the GP surgery to rearrange.

[paulkerton]

Well, Monday was pretty horrible when it come to side effects from Sunday's jab. Feeling LOADS better today. If that was a 24 hour example of a mild case I'll take the booster over the real thing, thanks!

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Well, Monday was pretty horrible when it come to side effects from Sunday's jab. Feeling LOADS better today. If that was a 24 hour example of a mild case I'll take the booster over the real thing, thanks!

 

Agreed!

[HarryMonkey]

I must have been one of the lucky ones as I had the AZ back in the spring, never felt the needle go in, had no side effects whatsoever, same for dose 2. Booster left me with a slight ache in my arm but no more than with any other jab but again, no side effects.

[mikeprice]

I do seem to have been lucky with the side effects - pretty much clear in spit of having 3 Pfizer (so far!!!)

 

my wife was not so lucky - she had a sore arm and an idiot husband who kept forgetting and hugging her where it hurt!!!!!

 

other than that we have been OK

 

luck of the draw I suppose

[Garacesh]

I must have been one of the lucky ones as I had the AZ back in the spring, never felt the needle go in, had no side effects whatsoever, same for dose 2. Booster left me with a slight ache in my arm but no more than with any other jab but again, no side effects.

 

AZ dose 1 put me on my backside for 2 days! Headaches, hot sweats, muscle aches everywhere, the works.

Dose 2 was fine though.

 

Got my booster tomorrow. Y'all ain't filling me with confidence about how I'll react

[elsiegee40]

AZ dose 1 put me on my backside for 2 days! Headaches, hot sweats, muscle aches everywhere, the works.

Dose 2 was fine though.

 

Got my booster tomorrow. Y'all ain't filling me with confidence about how I'll react

 

I had 3 days of feeling like I had bad flu after AZ dose 2. Moderna booster left me with a slightly achey arm for 24 hours.

 

Mr gee40 had no problems with AZ 1 or 2 and spent 24 hours after his Moderna booster shivering and unable to get warm.

[paulkerton]

Moderna booster left me with a slightly achey arm for 24 hours.

 

Strange how it changes for so many people in so many different ways isn't it?

Jab 1 (AZ) left me with an aching arm for 4 days

Jab 2 (AZ) nothing

Jab 3 (Pfizer) 2 days into a aching arm, worse than jab 1!

[6Foot2]

Link: Public hit with COVID-19 Omicron variant scam messages [The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)]

 

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has received evidence of a scam that uses the rising Omicron variant to dupe recipients.

 

Members of the public received an email clad in NHS branding as well as texts calling on them to "apply now for Omicron PCR test to avoid restrictions."

 

The message claims that older PCR tests cannot detect the Omicron variant, that a new type of PCR test is required, and that supposedly, people should sign up to receive this new test. It then claims that individuals who refuse to be tested will be forced to isolate. It then links to a bogus website mock-up that looks like an official NHS platform. The website hosts a form that requests personal details that could potentially be used to access sensitive information, such as bank accounts.

 

CTSI Lead Officer, Katherine Hart, said: "It disgusts me that scammers are jumping on the public's fears about the Omicron variant in an attempt to steal their personal data. All of the claims in the email are false. The public is especially vulnerable at this time, and I call on everyone to share this message so that we can minimise the impact of this scam.

 

"This is by no means the first time fraudsters have used the pandemic for their gain - since March 2020, the unscrupulous have angled their scams on everything from bogus COVID-19 business support grants and vaccination bookings to fake vaccine passes.

 

"It is also crucial that the public reports this scam to the authorities. By doing so, the public aids consumer protectors in mapping out the problem and recognising the sheer scale of it."

 

CTSI Chief Executive, John Herriman, said: "I want to thank the trading standards professionals across the country who undertake work to protect the public from the social effects of COVID-19, including the prevalent scams that use the pandemic and the restrictions imposed as launchpads for their schemes. They take this on in addition to their already heavy workload, like halting the current avian flu outbreak and, as always, enforcing the hundreds of pieces of consumer protection legislation."

 

For consumer advice, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133

 

To report scams, contact Action Fraud, in Scotland, contact Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, or if in Northern Ireland, contact Consumerline on 0300 123 6262

 

The public is encouraged to join Friends Against Scams, an initiative aiming to protect and prevent people from becoming scam victims by empowering them to take a stand against scams.

[smurfomatic]

Had booster Sunday, felt awful yesterday, feeling much better today. Much more pleasant than the experience of having a mild case of Covid earlier in the year!

[Garacesh]

Link: Public hit with COVID-19 Omicron variant scam messages [The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)]

 

No big surprise there, then. We had the same sorts of things with Delta.

At least it's not headteachers sending an anti-vaxx scareware letter home

[mavhc]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/09/plan-b-measures-omicron-variant-growth-uk-analysis

 

People still want to go to parties? When we have 1.2 million known activate cases? The only countries with more total cases per capita are at least 4x smaller

 

"no one I've spoken to thinks the new measures will bring the R number to less than 1"

[Ditto]

Pfizer's anti-viral pill's latest results show encouraging results in reducing hospitalisations and death. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-says-covid-19-pill-near-90-effective-final-analysis-2021-12-14/. The challenge it would appear is to get the course of treatment started quickly once an infection is known about.

[Norphy]

My three doses were all Pfizer

 

Dose 1) Sore arm, felt like crap for a couple of days afterwards

Dose 2) Sore arm, had a bit of a headache the next day, but otherwise fine

Dose 3) Sore arm, otherwise fine.

[elsiegee40]

My 2 offspring plus the youngest’s other half have all booked their boosters for while they’re staying with us for Christmas. Appointments easily obtained for the 27th.

 

Daughter, who has been in isolation due to flat mate having omicron, ordered a box of LFTs on Sunday morning which turned up today much to her relief.

 

Theatre trip for Saturday has now been rearranged for the 3rd time. Originally booked for 2020, it’s now scheduled for next April.

 

We just have to hope we can all stay out of trouble now!

[HarryMonkey]

Just had an email from LCFC requiring me to pre-register to confirm that I've read the new entry regulations for future matches under Plan B and to make sure I bring along the correct documentation/Covid pass to the games.

 

No different to how they've been doing it all season then ... Proof of double jab required before you're allowed in the stadium.