Tiers, Lockdowns & Vaccinations

[Ootohere]

@moley

Boris in his own words. & the sidekicks words.

 

@33 minutes the question about Matt Hancock MP filmed saying what he said is ignored by Boris.

http://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-matt-hancock-says-south-african-variant-could-reduce-vaccine-efficacy-by-half-12195907

 

 

The Sun has said.

'Live Boris briefing, Covid strain is 30% MORE deadly than original virus.'

 

 

 

Edited 23 January, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[PetrolDave]

13 minutes ago, P6bJOHN said:

The surgery where I live is excellent, ring in, explain why you need the surgery. The Doctor, Nurse Practitioner, or Pharmacist rings back later that day. I have also had hospital Oncology reviews done over the phone at a timed/date appointment system, and a FaceTime/Zoom etc. is also available if required (not had this though), and I've had a face to face review at hospital. 

So that's two of us in different towns and counties at different ends of the country. moley and I must be the lucky exceptions.........

Add me to the list that has had good service from both my local GP (rings back the same day after I send an eConsult) and my local hospital (video consultations with consultant). Even after being discharged from ICU after recovering from Covid I get weekly phone calls from a "virtual ward" and have a phone number I can call 24/7 if needed.

 

Seems some parts of the NHS have had the resources/skills to embrace remote working, but it's not universal.

[Ootohere]

That is NHS England,  then there is NHS which ever country of the UK you are in, then different Health Board Areas in those Countries.

 

Biggest thing that can stop someone registering at a Surgery in Scotland is when Surgeries are closed to new patients.

Happened in my area in the last 2 years.    You called Aberdeen to see about getting registered in Angus.  Not even the same Health Board Areas.

Edited 23 January, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[moley]

7 minutes ago, e-Roottoot said:

@moley

Boris in his own words. & the sidekicks words. 

 

The Sun has said. Still can't see where Boris or his 'sidekicks' said it?

'Live Boris briefing, Covid strain is 30% MORE deadly than original virus.'

 

[Ootohere]

He does not and they do not.  That is the point. 

 

Matt Hancock MP saying about the 50% less efficacy of the vaccine is more interesting, but then as he says he would not say that in public.  Doh.....

[moley]

Just now, e-Roottoot said:

He does not and they do not.  That is the point. 

 

Matt Hancock MP saying about the 50% less efficacy of the vaccine is more interesting, but then as he says he would not say that in public.  Doh.....

I think the problem is if they say nothing about any new developments the media are all over it like a rash, if they mention some new data / information the media are all over it like a rash. It's a no win situation.

[@Lee]

Happy for those who've had no problems but it appears you're in less densely populated areas (one between towns and one in N Devon so Barnstaple sort of way)
My dad's in Birmingham so maybe there's more staff off shielding or whatever. He was on hold for almost an hour he told me. 
Probably worth adding he has no laptop, tablet, PC and only a not so smartphone.

Edited 23 January, 2021 by Lee01

[Ootohere]

The UK Government really needs to actually know who is in the country and if they are registered with the NHS, the HMRC, the Borders Agency, the electoral roll etc etc.

They clearly have no real idea on statistics while they do not know who is where.

 

It does keep coming back to ID cards or ID of some kind and the need to carry it and show it if requested being law in the 4 countries of the UK and the off the mainland islands that are part of the British Isles.

 

Then just because the UK has left the EU there needs to be an end to Commercial Drivers just entering the UK without having had a Negative Covid Test in the 72 hours before arriving, and then getting a test as they actually get to the British Isles.

 

 

This is just a fiasco.

http://www.itv.com/news/2021-01-23/crowds-at-heathrow-airport-for-second-day-spark-concern-over-social-distancing

 

 

 

 

Edited 23 January, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[@Lee]

6 minutes ago, e-Roottoot said:

The UK Government really needs to actually know who is in the country

I hope they're checking here. I saw a similar scene at T5 earlier.

 

[@Lee]

Quote

Speaking alongside the PM, the government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said there was "a lot of uncertainty around these numbers" but that early evidence suggested the variant could be about 30% more deadly

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55779171

 

Edited 23 January, 2021 by Lee01

[@Lee]

Quote

Many a colleague and healthcare worker who have contacted me regarding the delay of second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine feel totally let down by an unscientific and immoral decision. There is also a concern that many frontline vaccinators, who came forward on the basis that they would be protected by a second dose, now feel that they can’t continue in this role.

https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/views/kailash-chand/the-government-should-still-do-the-right-thing-on-second-dose-timings/

 

Quote

Senior doctors are calling on England's chief medical officer to cut the gap between the first and second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

Prof Chris Whitty said extending the maximum wait from three to 12 weeks was a "public health decision" to get the first jab to more people across the UK.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55777084

 

Quote

Speaking at a Downing Street briefing on Friday, Professor Whitty said that the gap between vaccines was “a public health decision” that would allow “many more people to be vaccinated much more quickly”.

The Department of Health and Social Care have said that the decision to extend the wait between vaccines “followed a thorough review of the data and was in line with the recommendations of the UK’s four Chief Medical Officers”.

https://inews.co.uk/news/health/covid-19-gap-vaccines-pfizer-british-medical-association-chris-whitty-842075

It'd be interesting to know what the truth is about this - is it really a public health decision or is it a political decision?

Edited 23 January, 2021 by Lee01

[Ootohere]

Posting online that you did the North Coast 500 while there is Lockdown is not 'simply clever'. 

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/6572972/coronavirus-scotland-driver-lockdown-north-coast-500

 

[Westbury63]

30 minutes ago, e-Roottoot said:

Posting online that you did the North Coast 500 while there is Lockdown is not 'simply clever'. 

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/6572972/coronavirus-scotland-driver-lockdown-north-coast-500

 

 

Adam Jarguz should be given at least 50 hours community service, littler picking or similar, and have his car confiscated.

[Ootohere]

His employers might be less than pleased at him. 

All the nosy people like my googling him, reading his CV on Linkedin etc. 

[@Lee]

16 hours ago, Lee01 said:

You ever tried calling a GP in the middle of a pandemic? My dad has. Not all that easy.

@BJM @mandp Could either of you explain why my dad's experience of trying to contact his GP is unhelpful please. Thanks  

[moley]

1 hour ago, Lee01 said:

Speaking alongside the PM, the government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said there was "a lot of uncertainty around these numbers" <He said that, but he didn't say this> but that early evidence suggested the variant could be about 30% more deadly

 

[@Lee]

I've just watched the video and what Johnson said was "it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant, the new variant that was first identified in London and the South East, may be associated with a higher degree of mortality".
Although Johnson himself didn't say 30% he did say 'a higher degree of mortality'. I suppose for newspapers it's easier to write 30% on the front page rather than, for example
 

Quote

It also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant, the new variant that was first identified in London and the South East, may be associated with a higher degree of mortality" says Boris Johnson

 

Edited 23 January, 2021 by Lee01

[@Lee]

19 minutes ago, moley said:

 

Are you talking about the Guardian front page you posted just to be clear? Is it from one of those early 'tomorrow's papers' things on the BBC that are from before going to print? We may be at cross purposes. 
This is from the online edition
 

Quote

The government’s chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, shared early evidence about the UK variant, which first emerged in south-east England in September and has become prevalent across the UK. It was a key factor in the cancellation of most Christmas socialising, and has led to travel bans around the world.
Explaining the scale of the difference, he said for every 1,000 60-year-olds infected with the new strain, perhaps 13 or 14 might be expected to die, compared with 10 in 1,000 for the original strain.
The variant is also believed to be 30%-70% more transmissible. “There is no preferential age, it can affect anybody at any age, similarly to the original variant, the original virus,” Vallance said.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/22/new-uk-covid-variant-may-be-more-deadly-says-boris-johnson

Edited 23 January, 2021 by Lee01

[mandp]

23 minutes ago, Lee01 said:

@BJM @mandp Could either of you explain why my dad's experience of trying to contact his GP is unhelpful please. Thanks  

I am very sorry that your Dad has experienced problems...of course I am.

The `unhelpful` comment from me is just that you seem to be fixated on the `negative` in most of the things you say.

I just find that unhelpful.

[@Lee]

1 minute ago, mandp said:

I am very sorry that your Dad has experienced problems...of course I am.

The `unhelpful` comment from me is just that you seem to be fixated on the `negative` in most of the things you say.

I just find that unhelpful.

Well I'm trying to find some positives but it's proving rather difficult. I did post the other day that the daily death figure had gone down but even that's gone back up again. 
I understand if people disagree with me but, and this is my opinion and mine alone, the Government have ballsed things up from the get-go.

[moley]

14 minutes ago, Lee01 said:

I've just watched the video and what Johnson said was "it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant, the new variant that was first identified in London and the South East, may be associated with a higher degree of mortality".
Although Johnson himself didn't say 30% he did say 'a higher degree of mortality'. I suppose for newspapers it's easier to write 30% than the front page rather than, for example

It also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant, the new variant that was first identified in London and the South East, may be associated with a higher degree of mortality" says Boris Johnson

The Guardian could easily have changed it's headline from: 

New Covid variant may be 30% more lethal, warns PM 

to:

New Covid variant may be more lethal, warns PM

[moley]

15 minutes ago, Lee01 said:

Are you talking about the Guardian front page you posted just to be clear? We may be at cross purposes.

Not the Guardian, it was the quote you posted along with the link from the BBC. Not sure where the quote came from.

[@Lee]

11 minutes ago, moley said:

The Guardian could easily have changed it's headline from: 

New Covid variant may be 30% more lethal, warns PM 

to:

New Covid variant may be more lethal, warns PM

I agree with you. But that's the trouble with all newspapers and online - a hook to lure you in before getting to the actual 'who, what, where, when, why'. 
DW do lots of English language stuff. Less in your face with the headlines. https://www.dw.com/en/uk-covid-variant-could-be-slightly-deadlier-early-evidence-shows/a-56319288

Edited 23 January, 2021 by Lee01

[kentphil1]

6 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

Add me to the list that has had good service from both my local GP (rings back the same day after I send an eConsult) and my local hospital (video consultations with consultant). Even after being discharged from ICU after recovering from Covid I get weekly phone calls from a "virtual ward" and have a phone number I can call 24/7 if needed.

 

Seems some parts of the NHS have had the resources/skills to embrace remote working, but it's not universal.

 

Just to add a little balance to the figures, our local GP that had just over 6000 patients just over 16 months ago, has now become a merged practise of 5 other surgeries and now sevices 29000 patients.

 

To contact the sugery requires calling their new call centre which average waits are between 40-50 minutes with an average of 20-22 people in the queue (the phone system counts you down), to speak to a call receptionist to book a return call. That return call will normally be in 4 days time, but emergency calls take 1-2 days or it's 111.

 

With such a massive lead time on call backs, and no video calls at all, eConsults are answered last part of the day. It is not hard to see how the virus spread so quickly in Kent really.

 

Our old GP turnaround was much like yours, but not any more.  Even before COVID it was like this, so that has no impact on the lead time that is going on now.

 

I can only dream about your sort of service levels now, even though we are only just over a mile outside the M25.

 

I'd say cherish what you have, as progress is not always better.

Edited 23 January, 2021 by kentphil1

[PetrolDave]

11 hours ago, kentphil1 said:

 

Just to add a little balance to the figures, our local GP that had just over 6000 patients just over 16 months ago, has now become a merged practise of 5 other surgeries and now sevices 29000 patients.

 

To contact the sugery requires calling their new call centre which average waits are between 40-50 minutes with an average of 20-22 people in the queue (the phone system counts you down), to speak to a call receptionist to book a return call. That return call will normally be in 4 days time, but emergency calls take 1-2 days or it's 111.

 

With such a massive lead time on call backs, and no video calls at all, eConsults are answered last part of the day. It is not hard to see how the virus spread so quickly in Kent really.

 

Our old GP turnaround was much like yours, but not any more.  Even before COVID it was like this, so that has no impact on the lead time that is going on now.

 

I can only dream about your sort of service levels now, even though we are only just over a mile outside the M25.

 

I'd say cherish what you have, as progress is not always better.

Poor GP service was one of the reasons we chose to leave the Southampton rat race, they would only give appointments up to 2 weeks ahead and if you weren't in the phone queue at 8am Monday they had all gone - so the only way to get an appointment (even for a regular checkup) was to ring later in the day and say it was urgent. Which is precisely why it was verging on impossible to get a regular appointment...

 

Seems like they created the problem themselves...