Coronavirus in the UK - news, lockdown and discussion

[sheothebudworths]

When exponentially rising numbers are what you're worried about, I'm not sure how numbers from more than two weeks ago can present excellent news.

And covid deaths still using the 'within 28 days of testing' measure, which has been gone over many times before (here) as a poor one.

 

[LDC]

All my youngish colleagues (20s) are desperate to get vaccinated.

Yeah, what's stopping them Sue, loads of people that age have had a jab?

 

[Sue]

Can they not get appointments now?

Our GP hubs have plenty of appointments & vaccines available, but the uptake by those 18-29 has petered out at 60%, so they are throwing their doors open for 'walk-in' sessions, no appointment required, in the hope to increase take-up.

Yeah, some have been done, others are waiting for their appointments to arrive. There's been much talk about how to get earlier appointments etc.

 

[sheothebudworths]

Yeah, some have been done, others are waiting for their appointments to arrive. There's been much talk about how to get earlier appointments etc.

They don't have to wait for appointments - should be able to book online!

Book, change, or cancel a COVID-19 vaccination appointment online

Book, change or cancel a COVID-19 vaccination appointment online.

www.nhs.uk

 

[glitch hiker]

So, great

 

[Sue]

Yeah, what's stopping them Sue, loads of people that age have had a jab?

Sorry, they are. Just lots of trying to get done earlier and discussions about where has walk-in appointments etc. A lot of people are staying with family elsewhere too which in some cases is complicating things due to GPs being elsewhere and all that

 

[elbows]

Lambda is of concern due to its properties rather than how much of its been detected in the UK so far. The number for the UK is 8, not 6, and that number has not increased since last weeks initial report of those numbers.

(numbers from Variants: distribution of case data, 9 July 2021 )

 

[cupid_stunt]

Yeah, some have been done, others are waiting for their appointments to arrive. There's been much talk about how to get earlier appointments etc.

Waiting for appointments to arrive?

Around here the GP's have come together to provide a central number to call, to book at any GP hub across the coastal strip of West Sussex, and no need to actually be registered with any local GP, and certainly no need to wait for contact.

Or, they can book online with the NHS direct, but the nearest NHS sites are Brighton & Chichester (over 20 mile round trips), so can be a pain, but with 3 GP hubs in Worthing, no one is more than a fairly short walk or bus trip to one.

 

[existentialist]

Lambda is of concern due to its properties rather than how much of its been detected in the UK so far. The number for the UK is 8, not 6, and that number has not increased since last weeks initial report of those numbers.

(numbers from Variants: distribution of case data, 9 July 2021 )

It'd be nice to think that the Government might learn from the mistakes around the delta variant, and do something different this time. Of course, they bloody won't...

 

[Sue]

Waiting for appointments to arrive?

Around here the GP's have come together to provide a central number to call, to book at any GP hub across the coastal strip of West Sussex, and no need to actually be registered with any local GP, and certainly no need to wait for contact.

Or, they can book online direct with the NHS, but the nearest NHS sites are Brighton & Chichester (over 20 mile round trips), so can be a pain, but with 3 GP hubs in Worthing, no one is more than a fairly short walk or bus trip to one.

I don't really know the ins and outs tbh. I'm aware there are lots of discussions and people swopping info but I haven't been following it very closely tbh as I had my second one ages ago.

 

[elbows]

Also note that Lambda has its own risk assessment now:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1000662/8_July_2021_Risk_assessment_for_SARS-CoV-2_variant_LAMBDA_01.00-1.pdf

In terms of when and where Lambda has been found in this country, its not a variant that has been detected to be building up any steam here at this point.

As of the 5 July 2021, there have been 8 cases of Lambda in the UK between 23 February and 18 June 2021. Six cases were in London, one in the South West, and one in the West Midlands. Six cases have a history of travel overseas; 2 cases have not provided information.

Thats from one of the variant surveillance reports. https://assets.publishing.service.g...Variants_of_Concern_Variant_Data_Update_8.pdf

 

[Espresso]

Sorry, they are. Just lots of trying to get done earlier and discussions about where has walk-in appointments etc. A lot of people are staying with family elsewhere too which in some cases is complicating things due to GPs being elsewhere and all that

Where I live - in the North West - there are vans going to different places every day, like squares, outside the football ground, in big car parks and offering jabs to anyone who just pitches up. Grab a Jab, I think it's called. It's an NHS thing. Might be worth them checking that out wherever they live.

 

[Loose meat]

When exponentially rising numbers are what you're worried about, I'm not sure how numbers from more than two weeks ago can present excellent news.

it's called a baseline.

 

[sheothebudworths]

Sorry, they are. Just lots of trying to get done earlier and discussions about where has walk-in appointments etc. A lot of people are staying with family elsewhere too which in some cases is complicating things due to GPs being elsewhere and all that

I was going to say, I think it's really understandable that younger people might generally have (yet again) found the messaging confusing over how and where to book.
They generally have less experience of being proactive in arranging health stuff for themselves and even for us, it has changed from invite to being free to book, then all the complications over moving second bookings and having to cancel the original one IF there was a second one even booked to begin with.
Also all the stories of mass walk-ins - I can completely see how it is confusing for them not to either just wait or to expect to be asked.

I think - but can't quite recall, that so long as they are already with a GP, booking online MAY give them an option to input a current postcode for availability if the most obvious one (which will be local to their registered GP) doesn't work for them...

 

[elbows]

Yeah, the 'risk-reward balance' question has clearly become more complex, what with AZ already ruled out, and now the rare cases of the inflammation of the heart associated with both the Pfzier and Moderna vaccines.

Ah ye I see thats in the news at the moment, Its been seen for quite a long time and has been reported on in places like the USA and Israel. But the way this news gradually emerges means some might not have heard about that yet. Young men appear to be most at risk of this side effect.

Heart inflammation link to Pfizer and Moderna jabs

But European regulators say the benefits of Covid vaccines continue to far outweigh the risks.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[cupid_stunt]

When the roll-out started, and GPs were tied-up with doing the time consuming jabs, care homes/housebound/etc., people around here were happy enough to travel the 20+ mile round trips to the NHS sites, but once the GPs got past that point, fuck me did competition come into play, with them making it so much easier & convenient to use their services, hardly surprising when they are getting over £12.50 per jab.

Last time I looked, some weeks ago, my GP hub, 3 or 4 surgeries working together, had done over 40k jabs, netting them well over £500k.

 

[sheothebudworths]

Sue - just in case it's helpful for them - I found this guidance, which is specifically for students, but reading through it, I can't see how it wouldn't widely apply to anyone registered with a GP outside the area they currently live in (and they certainly weren't asking for student status on booking) -

How will students be invited for the COVID-19 vaccination?
The COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to everyone aged 18 or over at local sites run by GPs or community pharmacies, at larger vaccination centres and in some hospitals. Local areas may also work with partners to set up “pop up” temporary clinics at locations convenient for students to access, for example, on university campuses. Students registered with a GP can book their appointment at a larger vaccination centre, a community pharmacy run site or at some GP run sites through the National Booking Service website or by phoning 119. Those who are registered with a GP will also receive an invitation to be vaccinated from their GP practice. While registration with a GP is encouraged to access the vaccine, individuals can request to book COVID-19 vaccination appointments as an unregistered patient through a local GP practice. GP practices should support unregistered patients and those without an NHS number to access the vaccine; they can record these vaccinations and be paid for them. Some students may have already received their vaccinations if they are at higher risk of COVID-19, are on a placement as a frontline health or care worker, are an unpaid carer, or are a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed.

What do students do if they are registered with a GP in their hometown, but not where they study, or vice versa?
If a student aged 18 or over is registered with a GP practice, they can book both appointments online through the National Booking Service at a location that is convenient to them, or book a first dose through their GP and a second dose in a different location through the National Booking Service. How can students access their second dose if they are in a different location to where they had their first dose? We have published FAQs on Second Doses in general here. In general, patients should return to the place they had their first dose to have their second dose. However, it is appropriate for students to receive their second dose in a different location to their first dose due to their circumstances. The National Booking Service has an option to book or re-arrange the second vaccination appointment at a different location to the first appointment. If a student had a first dose in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, but is in England at the time of their second dose, they should either 1) book a second dose through the National Booking Service (if they are registered with a GP in England and therefore have an English NHS number); 2) register with a GP in England and book an appointment that way; or 3) approach a local GP and ask to be vaccinated as an unregistered patient. 2 We are working with the NHS in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to ensure that records of vaccinations in those nations flow into a patient’s English NHS record.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2021/06/C1317-COVID-19-vaccination-FAQs-students-in-Higher-Education-Institutions-.pdf

 

[Sue]

Thanks sheothebudworths, I'll pass it along

 

[sheothebudworths]

Thanks sheothebudworths, I'll pass it along

I can totally see why they imagine their options are either to wait for an invite OR to keep their eyes open for some local free for all/hours of queuing event, to share between each other.
It's another failure eh - the straightforward options should be much more widely publicised, and done so continually, as each new age cohort became eligible.
Even more so when gov is dropping everything else, too.

 

[cupid_stunt]

New cases 32,551, a drop in the 7-day average increase to +34.9%

Hospital admissions (4/7) - 456, 7-day average increase +51.5%

Another new high in new cases for this wave, coming in at 35,707, however the 7-day average increase has dropped again, to +30.7%, whereas earlier this week it was over 50%, so that's a positive.

Hospital admissions (5/7) - 509, 7-day average increase is up again at +55.9%

 

[elbows]

And

‘Dread and anxiety’ among NHS staff as Covid cases surge again

Mixture of resignation and anger on frontline, but bosses expect ‘slow burn’ rather than crippling pressure

www.theguardian.com

 

[Cat Fan]

I think I said I would post some vaccine charts but I'm not going to have time for that today, so I'll just highlight this story instead. I'm not really surprised since the initial uptake in younger people was not really a good indication of how that picture would end up looking as a whole.

Vaccine uptake in England almost halves ‘amid mixed messages’

Demand from under-30s slows, with Manchester and Sheffield health chiefs noting ‘false sense of security’

www.theguardian.com

Indie SAGE had that story in their video today which is what drew my attention to it.

They may be motivated to do it once they realise that if they don't, they won't be able to go on holiday internationally

 

[Cat Fan]

Can they not get appointments now?

Our GP hubs have plenty of appointments & vaccines available, but the uptake by those 18-29 has petered out at 60%, so they are throwing their doors open for 'walk-in' sessions, no appointment required, in the hope to increase take-up.

Probably desperate to get their second dose. I imagine none of them would have had it yet.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

first bit of my local council's weekly update e-mail

Cases staggeringly high in 20-29 year olds​

Weekly case rates up to 1 July show the highest infection rates amongst Wokingham borough residents are in people aged 20 to 24 (760 per 100,000 population) and 25 to 29 (373 per 100,000 people). Those infected will likely be people who aren’t fully vaccinated.

 

[wtfftw]

Sorry, they are. Just lots of trying to get done earlier and discussions about where has walk-in appointments etc. A lot of people are staying with family elsewhere too which in some cases is complicating things due to GPs being elsewhere and all that

Can they get to Millwall tomorrow (Saturday)? Pfizer vaccine clinic at Millwall Football Club

 

[Cat Fan]

When the roll-out started, and GPs were tied-up with doing the time consuming jabs, care homes/housebound/etc., people around here were happy enough to travel the 20+ mile round trips to the NHS sites, but once the GPs got past that point, fuck me did competition come into play, with them making it so much easier & convenient to use their services, hardly surprising when they are getting over £12.50 per jab.

Last time I looked, some weeks ago, my GP hub, 3 or 4 surgeries working together, had done over 40k jabs, netting them well over £500k.

My experience as a "young" (30s) person. My local (London) GP only has AZ and isn't vaccinating anyone under 40. I had to get on a train to London Bridge because there were no appointments nearby. Still waiting for my second one which is currently beginning of September.

It hasn't been that convenient where I live at all.

 

[Supine]

I’m thinking a 4

 

[bimble]

The framing of this.
It's not public health that's of concern to the government but public opinion.

"Two Whitehall sources told the Guardian that ministers had been spooked by internal polling. One said the data showed just 10% of the public support the policy of scrapping all restrictions at once, while another said substantially more people believed the government was moving too quickly than at the last reopening step on 17 May. These accounts were denied by No 10."

Boris Johnson may tone down ‘freedom’ rhetoric amid reopening jitters

PM expected to urge public to behave responsibly as polls show widespread concern over end of rules in England

www.theguardian.com

 

[existentialist]

The framing of this.
It's not public health that's of concern to the government but public opinion.

"Two Whitehall sources told the Guardian that ministers had been spooked by internal polling. One said the data showed just 10% of the public support the policy of scrapping all restrictions at once, while another said substantially more people believed the government was moving too quickly than at the last reopening step on 17 May. These accounts were denied by No 10."

Boris Johnson may tone down ‘freedom’ rhetoric amid reopening jitters

PM expected to urge public to behave responsibly as polls show widespread concern over end of rules in England

www.theguardian.com

From the same article...

Government sources conceded that while Johnson had warned the public at last Monday’s press conference not to be “demob happy”, his cautious message had “got slightly lost” as he announced the scrapping of all restrictions, including mandatory mask-wearing and social distancing.

"Got slightly lost"?? WTF? They were following your lead, Johnson, you cunt.

 

[andysays]

The framing of this.
It's not public health that's of concern to the government but public opinion.

Yeah, this is pretty much confirming what we already knew, isn't it?