Coronavirus in the UK - news, lockdown and discussion

[crossthebreeze]

I haven't seen the gazebo / transit (minibus) that comprised our local "testing centre" for some (three ?) weeks.

If it's asymptomatic testing, there's now several strands - community testing set up by nhs and army to target outbreaks in specific areas for specific periods, but now also "keyworker" testing organised by local councils is being rolled out, workplaces of more than 50 employees can apply for tests, care homes of any size also get them, then school and college students and staff and their households and support bubbles can order or pick up some for home. So hopefully it was the former and it disappearing means numbers have gone down in your area? Your council website should have info about the other testing strands.

 

[cupid_stunt]

workplaces of more than 50 employees can apply for tests

It's no longer restricted to more than 50 employees, all workplaces can apply, as of this week.

 

[StoneRoad]

If it's asymptomatic testing, there's now several strands - community testing set up by nhs and army to target outbreaks in specific areas for specific periods, but now also "keyworker" testing organised by local councils is being rolled out, workplaces of more than 50 employees can apply for tests, care homes of any size also get them, then school and college students and staff and their households and support bubbles can order or pick up some for home. So hopefully it was the former and it disappearing means numbers have gone down in your area? Your council website should have info about the other testing strands.

It arrived when we were having a surge of infections late October / November 2020.
Currently, we are back to "0-2 cases" after a short "blip" a couple of weeks ago.
Hopefully. it will stay that way, despite the schools going back ...

 

[cupid_stunt]

Today, good to see the 7-day average for deaths finally drop below 200.

Vaccinations - 1st dose 22,592,528 & 2nd dose 1,181,431.

New cases - 5,766, down -24.5% in the last week, and down 625 on last Tuesday's 6.391, bringing the 7-day average down to 5,800.

New deaths - 231, down -33.2% in the last week, and down 112 on last Tuesday's 343, bringing the 7-day average down to 190.

Today, decreases in new cases are slowing down again, but decreases in deaths are still looking good.

Vaccinations - 1st dose 22,809,829 & 2nd dose 1,254,353.

New cases - 5,926, down -20.1% in the last week, and down 625 on last Wednesday's 6,385, bringing the 7-day average down to 5,733.

New deaths - 190, down -35.4% in the last week, and down 125 on last Wednesday's 315, bringing the 7-day average down to 172.

 

[crossthebreeze]

It arrived when we were having a surge of infections late October / November 2020.
Currently, we are back to "0-2 cases" after a short "blip" a couple of weeks ago.
Hopefully. it will stay that way, despite the schools going back ...

Fantastic news!

 

[souljacker]

Today, decreases in new cases are slowing down again, but decreases in deaths are still looking good.

Possibly not surprising when you look at the amount of tests being done (presumably on school kids and families/carers etc). Almost 1.5 million tests yesterday according to the graph.

 

[mr steev]

If it's asymptomatic testing, there's now several strands - community testing set up by nhs and army to target outbreaks in specific areas for specific periods, but now also "keyworker" testing organised by local councils is being rolled out, workplaces of more than 50 employees can apply for tests, care homes of any size also get them, then school and college students and staff and their households and support bubbles can order or pick up some for home. So hopefully it was the former and it disappearing means numbers have gone down in your area? Your council website should have info about the other testing strands.

I think it depends on your area. Round here there are lots of walk in testing centers for people without symptoms, with no appointment needed, a few drive throughs, which you need to make an appointment, but don't need to be refered. Then a few that are for people with symptoms. There's nothing different for key workers (all my NHS friends have home tests). My daughter got tested at school on Monday. Apparently they've turned the gym into a massive testing center for all staff and pupils and there has been no mention of home tests so presumably they are doing them all on site

 

[brogdale]

My old Mum had her Pfizer 2 today and rung me to ask if there's a time period before she reaches 'full immunity' or whether she can just go down the shops tomorrow>
Anyone know?

 

[belboid]

12 days (assuming you believe the neoliberal consolidator state, of course )

 

[Supine]

My old Mum had her Pfizer 2 today and rung me to ask if there's a time period before she reaches 'full immunity' or whether she can just go down the shops tomorrow>
Anyone know?

A few weeks still. And remind her vaccines are effective but 'full immunity' is not 100% so she still needs to follow the rules.

 

[2hats]

My old Mum had her Pfizer 2 today and rung me to ask if there's a time period before she reaches 'full immunity' or whether she can just go down the shops tomorrow>
Anyone know?

Yes there is a time period. Said time period will vary widely from person to person (prior medical history, immune system function, age, etc). But 'full' immunity for a given person could be relatively low immunity. You wouldn't know without either a full serological investigation or exposing yourself in a DIY challenge study (not to be recommended). Either way I would give my immune system at least 3 weeks to respond (assuming it responds at all).

 

[two sheds]

And still worth wearing a mask and taking normal precautions (hand-washing when back for example) I'd have thought?

 

[2hats]

All NPIs should be maintained for the time being.

 

[Smangus]

Just got an invite for a vaccination, I'm 52 and in sunny SE London if anyone is interested as to where they are up to.

 

[LeytonCatLady]

Just got an invite for a vaccination, I'm 52 and in sunny SE London if anyone is interested as to where they are up to.

My 55-year-old housemate just had his first jab last week (we're in Tottenham), so they seem to be working their way through the population quite fast.

 

[elbows]

Is it me or we not really seeing that massive glut of vaccinations yet that was being touted for March?

UK has up to 10 million extra Covid jabs, as surge in supply means NHS can ramp up second doses

Wales's First Minister said a 'dip' in vaccination numbers has now come to an end with greater supplies available across Britain

inews.co.uk

 

[cupid_stunt]

UK has up to 10 million extra Covid jabs, as surge in supply means NHS can ramp up second doses

Wales's First Minister said a 'dip' in vaccination numbers has now come to an end with greater supplies available across Britain

inews.co.uk

This fits in with what my SiL has been told, which is their vaccination centre will be doubling the available shifts over the coming days. They recruited & trained a lot of jabbers that have mostly only been doing 2 or 3 shifts a week since that centre opened about 4 weeks ago.

 

[danny la rouge]

 

[cupid_stunt]

Today, decreases in new cases are slowing down again, but decreases in deaths are still looking good.

Vaccinations - 1st dose 22,809,829 & 2nd dose 1,254,353.

New cases - 5,926, down -20.1% in the last week, and down 625 on last Wednesday's 6,385, bringing the 7-day average down to 5,733.

New deaths - 190, down -35.4% in the last week, and down 125 on last Wednesday's 315, bringing the 7-day average down to 172.

Not great news today -

Vaccinations - 1st dose 23,053,716 & 2nd dose 1,351,515 - total jabs yesterday was only around 341k, just 244k extra first doses, but 97k 2nd doses is the highest daily figure so far. The promise is that we should start seeing big increases over the coming days, so fingers crossed.

New cases - 6,753, that's actually up 181 on last Thursday's 6,572, meaning new cases down only -13.8.1% in the last week. However the number of tests reported is a record high of 1,554,080, well up on the almost 993k last Thursday, so just 181 extra new cases sounds very positive TBH. It's just going to be a waiting game to see how it goes now the schools have returned, again fingers cross.

New deaths - 181, down -35.9% in the last week, and down 61 on last Thursday's 242, bringing the 7-day average down to 163.

 

[Teaboy]

Not great news today -

Vaccinations - 1st dose 23,053,716 & 2nd dose 1,351,515 - total jabs yesterday was only around 341k, just 244k extra first doses, but 97k 2nd doses is the highest daily figure so far. The promise is that we should start seeing big increases over the coming days, so fingers crossed.

New cases - 6,753, that's actually up 181 on last Thursday's 6,572, meaning new cases down only -13.8.1% in the last week. However the number of tests reported is a record high of 1,554,080, well up on the almost 993k last Thursday, so just 181 extra new cases sounds very positive TBH. It's just going to be a waiting game to see how it goes now the schools have returned, again fingers cross.

New deaths - 181, down -35.9% in the last week, and down 61 on last Thursday's 242, bringing the 7-day average down to 163.

Are the raid tests being performed in schools etc right now included in this or just PCR ones?

 

[maomao]

I have a box of home tests that I'm supposed to give myself weekly as I work in a school. Would it not have been cheaper just to vaccinate teachers?

 

[Teaboy]

I have a box of home tests that I'm supposed to give myself weekly as I work in a school. Would it not have been cheaper just to vaccinate teachers?

I think those tests were brought in mammoth amounts before their reliability was fully understood. Basically the government has shit loads of them lying around and they are looking for uses for them. The money has already been spent.

 

[planetgeli]

Are the raid tests being performed in schools etc right now included in this or just PCR ones?

They must be counting the lateral flow tests. No way that number would jump so quickly otherwise. I'd have thought.

 

[elbows]

Yes it includes lateral flow tests. See this post from me on Sunday and the one I posted after it: #35,122

 

[LDC]

I have a box of home tests that I'm supposed to give myself weekly as I work in a school. Would it not have been cheaper just to vaccinate teachers?

It's not an either/or though, even if vaccinated testing would still be worthwhile.

 

[maomao]

It's not an either/or though, even if vaccinated testing would still be worthwhile.

We were told not to use them within a certain amount of weeks (I forget) of vaccination so there is a bit either/or. Though if they'd bought them already...

 

[teuchter]

I think those tests were brought in mammoth amounts before their reliability was fully understood. Basically the government has shit loads of them lying around and they are looking for uses for them. The money has already been spent.

Seems like the sort of thing that could be offered to other countries?

 

[LDC]

We were told not to use them within a certain amount of weeks (I forget) of vaccination so there is a bit either/or. Though if they'd bought them already...

Funnily enough that came up today at work, whether being vaccinated might mess with lateral flow test results, but the answer was the opposite; test as normal.

 

[StoneRoad]

Are the raid tests being performed in schools etc right now included in this or just PCR ones?

The dashboard says that lateral flow tests are included.
By the recent - in last few days - rapid jump, I would say that's the result of testing ref schools.

 

[cupid_stunt]

As elbows said above, yes the lateral flow tests are now included in the total figure, hence that figure hitting over 1.5m yesterday, over double the capacity for daily PCR tests, and I can't see how we will be able to work out what percentage of new cases over the coming weeks is down to increased testing.

Some local private school here, for pupils up to 8 years old, re-opened on Monday, 2 kids tested positive that day, now it & the associated nursey has closed, because a total of 15 children and 13 staff have now tested positive, without the lateral flow tests that may have not shown up so quickly.

Local councils are on the case for contact tracing, so hopefully they can put a lid on that outbreak.