Coronavirus: The Thread
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glorious Devon
Posts: 711
As you are well aware, every year it hangs by a thread. Stories of queuing ambulances, patients being treated in corridors etc etc. Much of this is a result of poor management and the fact it’s also a massive behemoth. The government could see that Covid would be the straw that would finally break the camels back. Overnight, the NHS became the National Covid Service and most other illnesses were effectively swept out of the way, with the consequence of many delayed and missed diagnoses. That should never have happened. Cancer, heart disease and strokes kill far more people than Covid and don’t stop affecting them because of a pandemic.
Clearly, the government decided that Covid trumps every other illness and that it’s far more politically expedient to be seen to be pro actively ‘fighting’ the virus whilst shelving urgent operations and suchlike. As I said before, if the money that has been peed up the wall on furlough had been judiciously spent appropriately on the NHS, we could have continued as near normal without sacrificing jobs and the economy.
Clearly, the government decided that Covid trumps every other illness and that it’s far more politically expedient to be seen to be pro actively ‘fighting’ the virus whilst shelving urgent operations and suchlike. As I said before, if the money that has been peed up the wall on furlough had been judiciously spent appropriately on the NHS, we could have continued as near normal without sacrificing jobs and the economy.
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
Age: 61
Posts: 983
Agreed, if you are trying to reduce NHS costs due to Covid 19, seasonal flue etc it doesn't need to be manditory, it should just be bleeding obvious. I will probably continue wearing a mask is shops and public transport during the flue season and other nasy 'bugs', not just to reduce my risk but to reduce the risk of spreading to others. Why would anyone think that this minor adjustment, readily accepted in other cultures and countries is a threat to them? We're British and should be able to do this even better than them, if that helps you.
The beneficiaries? All of us...manufacturers and vendors creat jobs and much needed revenue to the treasury. It doesn't always have to be off shored, I thought we took back control to ensure we prosper.
The beneficiaries? All of us...manufacturers and vendors creat jobs and much needed revenue to the treasury. It doesn't always have to be off shored, I thought we took back control to ensure we prosper.
This is obviously your first experience of this,I did China / HK in the SARS epidemic and said last year on here “think 18 months towards any thought of normality” from my own living there and experience of doing it. It is one of the reasons you see many Far East students still wearing masks in the UK as a result. UK is now bored of this and just wants it over now. Incidentally of to Majorca this weekend from Munich for a break. Mrs Mac is coming via Munich but will have to isolate on return in UK. I have a trip to Dubai up on return and will then go back to UK for yet another quarantine. I think the UK is some what behind the curve now in Europe despite the much lauded vaccine role out. Win war and lose peace maybe.
Cheers
Mr Mac
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Under a gooseberry bush
Posts: 65
People got sick from Covid and without treatment they were at risk of dying in the short term This treatment was provided at the expense of other services, both by diversion of resources and to reduce the risk of infection. Unless I misunderstand one of your earlier posts, you also do not seem to be in favour of lockdown. I am not clear what your solution would have been had you been running affairs.
Instead, the whole working economy has been squeezed dry.
The initial ‘clearing the decks’ in hospitals and sending potentially infected people into the care system was the initial disaster - but easy to be wise after the event on that one. Although, it later emerged that many of those infected, contracted Covid within a clinical setting.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Bolton ENGLAND
Age: 77
Posts: 988
I am often reminded that PPRuNe is primarily a pilot's forum. Certainly aviation professionals tend to make up the vast majority of posters here. Which makes your remarks completely at odds with the hugely regulated industry in which we work. You don't decide which precautions you take when flying an aeroplane, you don't decide which precautions you take when carrying out major structural repairs or replacing vital components in a multi million pound airliner. You don't have that choice. The professional people who build, operate and regulate those machines do so from a position of knowledge, experience and skill.
Why is it so difficult to accept that wearing a mask, taking a vaccine, social distancing and washing your hands is based on professional advice from people who understand viruses and how they spread?
Choice is not what you think it is.
Why is it so difficult to accept that wearing a mask, taking a vaccine, social distancing and washing your hands is based on professional advice from people who understand viruses and how they spread?
Choice is not what you think it is.
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Edinburgh
Age: 37
Posts: 629
With regards to vaccinations and the order we did them in. While you can't argue it's gone well around the UK and we have now made it down the list we created in good Time, would not have been better to vaccinate a. It differently?
For example, was there any reason why we chose to go and protect those who were already ring fenced inside care homes or shielding at home? Why not target those who could not work from home first? That would have stopped spread among those who had no choice but to be out and about, facing the public for work. While everyone else was limiting thier trips to Tesco and zoom calling thier friends in the next town, there were still millions of workers out and about potentially spreading Covid around themselves, families and the public.
Maybe I'm not seeing something here but surely making sure those people were vaccinated, thus cutting lines of transmission as much as possible, would have led to a shorter lockdown as once front line staff (not just healthcare and not based on age or medical status) were done, then move on to the care homes, shielders, high risk and so on in that order?
For example, was there any reason why we chose to go and protect those who were already ring fenced inside care homes or shielding at home? Why not target those who could not work from home first? That would have stopped spread among those who had no choice but to be out and about, facing the public for work. While everyone else was limiting thier trips to Tesco and zoom calling thier friends in the next town, there were still millions of workers out and about potentially spreading Covid around themselves, families and the public.
Maybe I'm not seeing something here but surely making sure those people were vaccinated, thus cutting lines of transmission as much as possible, would have led to a shorter lockdown as once front line staff (not just healthcare and not based on age or medical status) were done, then move on to the care homes, shielders, high risk and so on in that order?
Thought police antagonist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
Posts: 1,192
One day, hopefully, in an A & E Dept.
"Don't worry sir, the life changing and threatening injuries that brought you here today are entirely fake "
Covid-19: Four get hospital ban over hoax-claim broadcasts - BBC News
"Don't worry sir, the life changing and threatening injuries that brought you here today are entirely fake "
Covid-19: Four get hospital ban over hoax-claim broadcasts - BBC News
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 2,471
I would have favoured a focusing on shielding the vulnerable/elderly. I believe we could have provided much better care and saved more lives by targeting those that really needed protection rather than a general blanket lockdown. The ‘at risk’ cohort not in care homes - those with underlying health conditions - could have self isolated and legislation passed to ensure that those of a working age received protection from employers who might insist on their attendance. Furlough could be justified in those cases.
Instead, the whole working economy has been squeezed dry.
The initial ‘clearing the decks’ in hospitals and sending potentially infected people into the care system was the initial disaster - but easy to be wise after the event on that one. Although, it later emerged that many of those infected, contracted Covid within a clinical setting.
Instead, the whole working economy has been squeezed dry.
The initial ‘clearing the decks’ in hospitals and sending potentially infected people into the care system was the initial disaster - but easy to be wise after the event on that one. Although, it later emerged that many of those infected, contracted Covid within a clinical setting.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: There and here
Posts: 2,535
Not that I want to defend people's right to express their opinion about covid and it being a hoax, but to deny these people possible treatment is getting into dangerous territory from a civil liberty perspective. We give treatment to killers, criminals, wastrels, cheats, illegal immigrants and so on, so why would these citizens be treated differently ? The NHS is there to provide a safety net for the country's population, not to be political or woke, or discriminatory. Sadly, it would seem that over the last handfull of years it has become similar to many of the other public services, who have become an entity unto themselves, forgetting what their purpose is and how they're funded.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glorious Devon
Posts: 711
I would have favoured a focusing on shielding the vulnerable/elderly. I believe we could have provided much better care and saved more lives by targeting those that really needed protection rather than a general blanket lockdown. The ‘at risk’ cohort not in care homes - those with underlying health conditions - could have self isolated and legislation passed to ensure that those of a working age received protection from employers who might insist on their attendance. Furlough could be justified in those cases.
Instead, the whole working economy has been squeezed dry.
The initial ‘clearing the decks’ in hospitals and sending potentially infected people into the care system was the initial disaster - but easy to be wise after the event on that one. Although, it later emerged that many of those infected, contracted Covid within a clinical setting.
Instead, the whole working economy has been squeezed dry.
The initial ‘clearing the decks’ in hospitals and sending potentially infected people into the care system was the initial disaster - but easy to be wise after the event on that one. Although, it later emerged that many of those infected, contracted Covid within a clinical setting.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glorious Devon
Posts: 711
Also, do not confuse advice and opinion.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Peripatetic
Posts: 12,828
Reads as if it has been rendered obsolete by new variants before it even gets to market…..
They are working on a updated version effective against new variants - for which the UK has an order of 50M doses.
https://www.politico.eu/article/cure...venting-covid/
CureVac’s vaccine only 47 percent effective at preventing COVID
German company CureVac's coronavirus vaccine is far less effective than other jabs already in use, the firm said Wednesday.
The company announced a 47 percent efficacy rate against all COVID-19 cases and said it "did not meet prespecified statistical success criteria" based on the second analysis of a large-scale efficacy trial.
The study involved 40,000 people in 10 countries in Europe and Latin America with at least 13 coronavirus variants circulating, the company said. The "original strain" was "almost completely absent" from the trial……
The vaccine's disappointing results will be a blow to the EU's vaccine portfolio, as the bloc secured most of the initial supply of the German mRNA vaccine — up to 405 million doses — and it was the first vaccine to receive the backing of the European Commission.
However, the EU has large quantities of another mRNA vaccine, from BioNTech/Pfizer, and is using three other vaccines: Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
https://www.curevac.com/en/2021/02/0...ov-2-variants/
They are working on a updated version effective against new variants - for which the UK has an order of 50M doses.
https://www.politico.eu/article/cure...venting-covid/
CureVac’s vaccine only 47 percent effective at preventing COVID
German company CureVac's coronavirus vaccine is far less effective than other jabs already in use, the firm said Wednesday.
The company announced a 47 percent efficacy rate against all COVID-19 cases and said it "did not meet prespecified statistical success criteria" based on the second analysis of a large-scale efficacy trial.
The study involved 40,000 people in 10 countries in Europe and Latin America with at least 13 coronavirus variants circulating, the company said. The "original strain" was "almost completely absent" from the trial……
The vaccine's disappointing results will be a blow to the EU's vaccine portfolio, as the bloc secured most of the initial supply of the German mRNA vaccine — up to 405 million doses — and it was the first vaccine to receive the backing of the European Commission.
However, the EU has large quantities of another mRNA vaccine, from BioNTech/Pfizer, and is using three other vaccines: Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
https://www.curevac.com/en/2021/02/0...ov-2-variants/

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Enjoy the experimental gene therapy! Cya!
Posts: 0
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Peripatetic
Posts: 12,828
REACT study update in Politico.
DELTA DATA
New data out this morning shows that coronavirus cases in England are on the rise largely due to increasing prevalence among unvaccinated younger people and those yet to have their second jab.
The data from Imperial College’s REACT study shows that between May 20 and June 7 there was exponential growth fueled by the Delta variant, with a doubling time of 11 days and an “R” reproduction number of 1.44.
But there is some very good news out today as well: There are signs in the data that the growth in cases could be slowing, there are increasing signs that a double dose offers strong protection against serious illness, and estimates for the number of deaths likely this year have fallen.
All in all, the data so far puts England on course to lift more restrictions on July 19.
The REACT data shows that case rises are largely happening among younger people. Prevalence was highest in the 5 to 12 and 18 to 24-year-old age groups. Prevalence in those aged 5-49 was 2.5 times higher than those aged 50 and above…..
What ministers are looking at
The daily case data, while still on the rise, could be starting to trail off, some in government are hoping. If you look at the government’s COVID dashboard, rather than case numbers continuing to exponentially rise, there is some suggestion in the graph that they might be plateauing……
DELTA DATA
New data out this morning shows that coronavirus cases in England are on the rise largely due to increasing prevalence among unvaccinated younger people and those yet to have their second jab.
The data from Imperial College’s REACT study shows that between May 20 and June 7 there was exponential growth fueled by the Delta variant, with a doubling time of 11 days and an “R” reproduction number of 1.44.
But there is some very good news out today as well: There are signs in the data that the growth in cases could be slowing, there are increasing signs that a double dose offers strong protection against serious illness, and estimates for the number of deaths likely this year have fallen.
All in all, the data so far puts England on course to lift more restrictions on July 19.
The REACT data shows that case rises are largely happening among younger people. Prevalence was highest in the 5 to 12 and 18 to 24-year-old age groups. Prevalence in those aged 5-49 was 2.5 times higher than those aged 50 and above…..
What ministers are looking at
The daily case data, while still on the rise, could be starting to trail off, some in government are hoping. If you look at the government’s COVID dashboard, rather than case numbers continuing to exponentially rise, there is some suggestion in the graph that they might be plateauing……
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: There and here
Posts: 2,535
New data out this morning shows that coronavirus cases in England are on the rise largely due to increasing prevalence among unvaccinated younger people and those yet to have their second jab
Summer is here and the young are doing what all young people do, getting out there and mingling, but the special urge to do so seems to have won over any semblance of common sense and/or self-preservation. If our wonderful government decide that we need another lockdown, the younger members of society will be more affected in terms of their freedoms. Oh well, there's always the Playstation or Xbox....

Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Under a gooseberry bush
Posts: 65
As someone, whom, I imagine is neither elderly nor vulnerable it is very easy to say that. I also fall into neither category, however I can assure you that effective "house arrest" or "imprisonment" has done no good for elderly people, and probably has harmed them even if they avoided Covid-19 as a result. On a personal note my mother has been essentially imprisoned in her care home for most of the last 15 months, we have until the last 6 weeks or so been barred for face to face visits, having instead to visit in a secure pod, talking through an intercom, even though she was protected with double vaccination. For people in the last few years of life, and anyone over 90 is in that situation, incarceration in this way is inhuman. I can cope with it, my Mum, as she doesn't have any dementia could also, though it has been hard. For those with dementia or Alzheimer's that is not the case.
Both my wife and I lost our elderly mothers last year at the height of the first wave - not Covid related - one had mild dementia and multiple myeloma and one was was very frail and eventually died with a lower respiratory infection. We were very restricted from visiting - even when they were both dying. This angered us both as they were both so poorly, had we even been infected with Covid, the outcome would have been exactly the same.
My concern at the time - and still is - shielding/protecting should be with the consent of any individual - whatever age. Many elderly people didn’t want to be ‘protected’, they knew they had limited time and were prepared to take the risk. Whatever happened to the Mental Capacity Act, which states:
- assume a person has the capacity to make a decision themselves, unless it's proved otherwise
- wherever possible, help people to make their own decisions
- do not treat a person as lacking the capacity to make a decision just because they make an unwise decision
- if you make a decision for someone who does not have capacity, it must be in their best interests
- treatment and care provided to someone who lacks capacity should be the least restrictive of their basic rights and freedoms
Had our mothers actually been consulted, I know they both would have chosen time with their families rather than be sealed away in a sterile room.
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Wilts
Posts: 137
Not that I want to defend people's right to express their opinion about covid and it being a hoax, but to deny these people possible treatment is getting into dangerous territory from a civil liberty perspective. We give treatment to killers, criminals, wastrels, cheats, illegal immigrants and so on, so why would these citizens be treated differently ? The NHS is there to provide a safety net for the country's population, not to be political or woke, or discriminatory. Sadly, it would seem that over the last handfull of years it has become similar to many of the other public services, who have become an entity unto themselves, forgetting what their purpose is and how they're funded.
Make a headline that attracts attention even it is only partly true.😖
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: No longer in Jurassic Park eating Toblerone....
Posts: 2,677
KnC post 15881;at least read the clip you are posting.....
West Mercia Police said the men, whom it is not naming, would now only be able to attend hospitals for a medical reason, under the terms of their community protection notices.
Thought police antagonist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
Posts: 1,192