Coronavirus: General discussion (see opening post for rules)

[LeMarchand]

Finally managed to get Covid and Flu boosters yesterday. The former was at a local community hospital, very well organised and the lady administering the jabs was great at it. The latter was a walk-in at Boots. I was expecting a queue as finding somewhere near us hasn't been easy, but it was walk in, fill out paperwork and done. Just as well I went in as it was their last day.

 

Not noticed any side effects yet.

[elsiegee40]

UK Covid modelling data to stop being published

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64093155

Coronavirus modelling data will stop being published in early January, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says.

 

Statistics covering the growth rate of the virus are currently released fortnightly, but the agency says this is no longer necessary.

 

Chief data scientist Dr Nick Watkins said this is due to the UK living with Covid-19 because of vaccines and therapeutics.

 

Covid will continue to be monitored in other ways, the agency added.

 

The reproductive rate - known as the R rate - refers to the number of people an infected person will pass the virus onto.

 

At the height of the pandemic both the R rate and growth rate for England were published weekly.

 

Since April this year it has been published fortnightly.

 

Dr Watkins said it served as a useful and simple indicator to inform public health action and government decisions.

 

"Vaccines and therapeutics have allowed us to move to a phase where we are living with Covid-19," Dr Watkins said.

 

"We continue to monitor Covid-19 activity in a similar way to how we monitor a number of other common illnesses and diseases.

 

"All data publications are kept under constant review and this modelling data can be reintroduced promptly if needed, for example, if a new variant of concern was to be identified."

 

All remaining Covid restrictions, including the legal requirement to self-isolate at home with symptoms, were removed earlier this year.

 

However, health officials have urged those with signs of respiratory illness should avoid mixing during the festive season, particularly with vulnerable people.

[Dos_Box]

UK Covid modelling data to stop being published

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64093155

 

What a coincidence, so is China - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/25/china-stops-publishing-daily-covid-figures-amid-reports-of-explosion-in-cases

[mavhc]

"Number of people who died with only covid" is the new conspiracy number, there's no context given, what's the number of people who only die of any 1 thing? If you don't have all the other numbers to place it in context, then you're a conspiracy nutter. The fact that those numbers weren't given is the problem.

 

If the hospitals weren't full of people with covid, then people with cancer could get treated. Pick one. You can't argue that lockdown causes cancer deaths.

 

https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/studies-covid-19-vaccination-doesnt-increase-risk-death-misleading-video-europe-excess-death-john-campbell/

[mikeprice]

https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/studies-covid-19-vaccination-doesnt-increase-risk-death-misleading-video-europe-excess-death-john-campbell/

 

Yup - on 'another forum' I replied to loads of things quoting "statistics" showing supposed deaths caused by the vaccine

 

all you had to do was read the very articles they quoted to realise that every single death within a few weeks of having the vaccine were included in the data and then used to extrapolate into 'proof'

 

even deaths in car crashes were included

 

and, of course, a lot of the people who had the vaccine were old and sick at the time

 

 

people REALLY do not understand numbers and data

[elsiegee40]

people REALLY do not understand numbers and data

Sadly some people are more than capable of understanding the numbers but choose not to

[elsiegee40]

People urged to book booster appointments before vaccine programme scaled down

 

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-people-urged-to-book-booster-appointments-before-vaccine-programme-scaled-down-12802437

 

[Ditto]

Gov data site seems to recently had a subtle rename. I find https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/ now works. The site is currently running a survey, so if that's your thing, do fill it in. With the Healthcare tab being the only one that gives a reasonable picture of England, it's mostly the only one I visit. Being a data person, I tend to review briefly each week. I looked again today with a closer eye - vested interest, I have the bloody disease currently

 

I'm hearing lots of local cases, but with our works get together recently at a local venue of almost all staff, with a key presenter not feeling too well a day before, I think we had a mini-super spreader event all of our own!

 

The picture now, based on hospital admissions - nothing dramatic, but seems to have recently been mini spikes and troughs about once a month since September last year, with the latest smallish peak perhaps not troughing and could be heading up again. We of course have to remember these are people admitted to hospital for any reason, but get tested anyway, so Covid is not necessarily the reason for hospitalisation e.g. Flu or other disease upswings could have a significant impact.

[BOOT]

Definite massive rise in infections where I live. Very little common sense around.

[Andrew_C]

AND the Gov look to be pulling the plug on the ONS research...

[mikes]

Definite massive rise in infections where I live. Very little common sense around.

 

I caught it on the 6th March, first time I've ever got it. My boss and mothers friend had it too, wonder if a new spike is going round. And to make things better I'm still testing positive a week later and the school are whining trying to get me to come back in even with a positive test saying after 5 days it's fine?

[elsiegee40]

I caught it on the 6th March, first time I've ever got it. My boss and mothers friend had it too, wonder if a new spike is going round. And to make things better I'm still testing positive a week later and the school are whining trying to get me to come back in even with a positive test saying after 5 days it's fine?

 

After 5 days you are supposed to be no longer infectious even if testing positive. It’s unlikely you would be able to be signed off for a longer period by your GP unless you still have physical symptoms that would prevent you from working.

[Ditto]

After 5 days you are supposed to be no longer infectious even if testing positive. It’s unlikely you would be able to be signed off for a longer period by your GP unless you still have physical symptoms that would prevent you from working.

Agreed, although studies show up to 5% can remain infectious after 10 days. Unfortunately, it all comes down to your employer, which in real world terms, means it comes down to one or more individual! About to post BTRD on that topic shortly!

[HarryMonkey]

My OH works on the wards in an NHS hospital and they have been told now that mask wearing is optional!

[jmak]

Whereas in our local hospitals, it's still face masks in all patients facing areas (wards and clinics etc). Tile in the hospital is test from 5 days and return after two negative tests or 10 days, whichever is first. My employer applied the same times. There are no government mandatory roles any more - it's down to the employer and individual.

 

Also have family member who had a risk incident raised against them for wearing a ppf3 mask (as in the did wear a mask) while taking part in an aerosol generating procedure before they had the training on how to wear said mask. The doctor who asked them to assist assumed they would have had the training as they were working in a bay of the ward where all the patients had COVID, but despite working there for 6 months on the three occasions where training was booked it was cancelled on the day.

[mikes]

I ended up going back to work rather than getting a sick note, the first 3 days were a struggle but today I felt better.

Unfortunately I have spread it to my boss the assistant head as we did some work together on my first day back, and some of the office staff weren't sounding too good today either.

On my first day back they said as they'd had covid in the past few months, they would be immune from catching it again, but I guess there are new strains?

[BOOT]

Anyone else still treating this pandemic with the seriousness it deserves... or is it just me left?

[elsiegee40]

Anyone else still treating this pandemic with the seriousness it deserves... or is it just me left?

Yes, I take it seriously. There’s also a risk that avian flu could start becoming an issue and, doing what I do, that’s a risk for me too.

 

I still wear a mask in risky situations - theatre, public transport, at the rescue (obvs!), etc but I am trying not to let it dominate my life. That and liberal application of hand gel have kept me covid free so far. I have had a couple of colds, but nothing worse.

 

I am concerned about BETT next week. BETT flu is the norm for those of us on stands. In 2019 I came away with a prolonged chest infection which wiped me out for over a month.

 

I won’t let fear of covid stop me doing things. I realise that there are vulnerable people who are not in the position to relax though.

[Andrew_C]

Probably just you - our leaders certainly aren't.

[Rob_D]

Anyone else still treating this pandemic with the seriousness it deserves... or is it just me left?

While the answer to your question is technically yes. Different people will have different ideas about how "serious" they think is now. Public perception seems very much that "the pandemic" ended about a year or so back.

 

At this point, is there an argument for it be categorised a globally endemic? (Can something even be globally endemic? Pendemic?)

[Ditto]

I still take precautions, but don't live like a hermit. It didn't stop me getting it a few weeks back (for the second time) and I've still got lingering symptoms. I'd be very interested to see Covid today, compared to Flu from a statistical and medical point of view. I'd be interested to see the what the risks are by age and other vulnerabilities. What I do know, because it's part of my wife's job, is heart related deaths and medical issues are up significantly. It doesn't get the headlines, but covid can and has caused damaged to organs and the impact does show up in the data, but it's long term impact and the real picture won't be clear for years.

[elsiegee40]

The NHS Covid 19 app will stop working on April 27th… according to the app itself

[Rob_D]

The NHS Covid 19 app will stop working on April 27th… according to the app itself

[ATTACH]68480[/ATTACH]

Is that the tracking one or the one you need for the covid pass? Or did they eventually get around to merging them?

[elsiegee40]

Is that the tracking one or the one you need for the covid pass? Or did they eventually get around to merging them?

 

The tracking one. The other one is the main NHS app

[Ditto]

So that's it now, WHO declare Covid global health emergency is over - except they don't quite when it come to the details.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65499929

 

The last line of the article is quite something - "In most cases, pandemics truly end when the next pandemic begins."

Marvellous! Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend everyone!