Coronavirus in the UK - news, lockdown and discussion

[quimcunx]

Looks like they are nervous about the new variant

Covid and flu winter jabs to be brought forward in England

Vaccines for the most vulnerable will start being given in September instead of October in England.

www.bbc.co.uk

Not so nervous as to lower the age limit.

 

[elbows]

Not so nervous as to lower the age limit.

Theres a little bit of political pressure to do that:

UK MPs press for wider Covid vaccine access amid concern over new variant

Government faces calls to consider extending booster programme this autumn to include 50-64 age group

www.theguardian.com

 

[wtfftw]

And they narrowed the vulnerable groups.

 

[steveo87]

Home - People's Lockdown Inquiry

What price lockdown?

peopleslockdowninquiry.co.uk

Laurence Fox

Claire Fox (new relation)

and

Niel Oliver.


Somewhere Nick Griffin is annoyed he wasn't invited.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

Home - People's Lockdown Inquiry

What price lockdown?

peopleslockdowninquiry.co.uk

Laurence Fox

Baroness Claire Fox of Buckley (new relation)

and

Niel Oliver.


Somewhere Nick Griffin is annoyed he wasn't invited.

added context for you: RCP spiked and Brexit affiliated libertarian
2020 peerage from bozo alonside evgeny lebdev...

 

[steveo87]

added context for you: RCP spiked and Brexit affiliated libertarian
2020 peerage from bozo alonside evgeny lebdev...

Yeah I couldn't think of anything witty.

 

[gentlegreen]

And they narrowed the vulnerable groups.

It says "Any diabetes, including diet-controlled diabetes,".
That's technically me according to my GPs who refuse to ever call you "cured" once they have one bad reading on record - even if you've lost 20kg ...
EDIT:- scrub that as I have gravitated to an un-spiky diet so in the absence of a stress test, it might be assumed I'm still insulin-resistant...

 

[Boudicca]

I will be 65 in December - I wonder if I can get the vaccine then as a birthday treat?

 

[StoneRoad]

My local GP / medical practice have called us [4 adults all over 65] in for flu jabs ...
The appointments are in a couple of weeks [which will be the usual bulk jags system they've got a lot of practice at in the past few years].
No sign of my covid jag, though.

 

[two sheds]

I thought they were combining them?

 

[StoneRoad]

I thought they were combining them?

So did I, but I don't know if it's two jags or one.
To do the latter, I think they would have to run tests again.

 

[elbows]

They arent combining flu and covid into one jab, the talk from government, health authorities and media was just about offering both at the same time.

Whether GPs are actually going to offer both jabs at the same time seems to come down to area. For example my dad in the neighbouring town and county seems to have secured both at a forthcoming single GP appointment, whilst my mum is only getting the flu jab from her GP and will probably have to rely on the national covid vaccine booking system (which hopefully activates tomorrow) to get the covid one.

 

[two sheds]

informative as ever, ta

 

[elbows]

Sounds like its actually 1 more week till the vaccine booking site is widely available, with the initial rollout that begins on Monday focussing on care home and housebound people to start with, according to:

Covid vaccines at care homes as BA.2.86 variant spreading

Jabs are being given faster than planned in England, with adults aged 65+ among those eligible.

www.bbc.co.uk

eg:

The NHS will contact those who are eligible. People in England will be able to book their jabs through the NHS website, the NHS app or by calling 119 from 18 September.

 

[_Russ_]

Has the Autumn 2023 Jab been revised? or is it same as last year?

 

[elbows]

Has the Autumn 2023 Jab been revised? or is it same as last year?

Theres a new one that they planned to use if approved & available, but the previous one is probably still being used too.

I went into more detail earlier: #47,605

 

[davesgcr]

Got a text from GP this week and trotted along for both Pfzier and Flu Jab today (65 and would not describe myself as a vulnerable person - but I have to say the local area was out standing in the vaccination programme since 2020)

Anyway - none of this mass programme -all done neatly in the GP's office , and further offered the pneumonia jab on an other visit if needed) - one in each arm and a bit sore and so on , but took it gently all day. Read and napped this pm.

We will see. Never actually got it before knowingly.

 

[Boudicca]

I will be 65 in December - I wonder if I can get the vaccine then as a birthday treat?

Just logged in and have an appointment for tomorrow.

 

[Wilf]

Purely self interested post: I'm a bit confused as to why I'm not being invited for the Autumn jab. I've seen the lists of the 'vulnerable' and don't quite fit on it - I have cancer but am not needing treatment at the moment and have spondylitis, which can be an immune issue but probably isn't in my case. I also have fybromyalgia. A few things in play, but I don't definitively fit the criteria, which is fine and I'm not trying to shoehorn myself onto the list. However I did get a text a while back saying due to 'vulnerability', I could still have free tests and would get treatment if I ever got covid. Have I been missed off are is this due to the vulnerability criteria tightening? Should have added, I'm 62.

 

[cesare]

Purely self interested post: I'm a bit confused as to why I'm not being invited for the Autumn jab. I've seen the lists of the 'vulnerable' and don't quite fit on it - I have cancer but am not needing treatment at the moment and have spondylitis, which can be an immune issue but probably isn't in my case. I also have fybromyalgia. A few things in play, but I don't definitively fit the criteria, which is fine and I'm not trying to shoehorn myself onto the list. However I did get a text a while back saying due to 'vulnerability', I could still have free tests and would get treatment if I ever got covid. Have I been missed off are is this due to the vulnerability criteria tightening? Should have added, I'm 62.

I'm the same age as you Wilf and this has been the first year I've not been offered a free flu jab. Well they did but then retracted it. My medical conditions haven't gone away.

 

[Wilf]

I'm the same age as you Wilf and this has been the first year I've not been offered a free flu jab. Well they did but then retracted it. My medical conditions haven't gone away.

As well as being rubbish for you, that kind of mess is the sort of thing that starts to erode the success of vaccination programmes per se.

 

[cesare]

As well as being rubbish for you, that kind of mess is the sort of thing that starts to erode the success of vaccination programmes per se.

I wonder if it's my fault tbh, I lost confidence in my GP practice over the pandemic and haven't gone back. Perhaps I should nudge them a bit. I wonder if this is a post-pandemic trend re GPs and people's interaction.

 

[Wilf]

I wonder if it's my fault tbh, I lost confidence in my GP practice over the pandemic and haven't gone back. Perhaps I should nudge them a bit. I wonder if this is a post-pandemic trend re GPs and people's interaction.

Yeah, everything seems to be in an uncertain place with different practices moving back to in-practice appointments at different rates (whilst also leaving remote interactions partially in place). There would probably be a nice little research project there to see what patients understand/assume about what they can expect from GP services (in some shape or form, I suspect that research is actually taking place).

 

[cesare]

Yeah, everything seems to be in an uncertain place with different practices moving back to in-practice appointments at different rates (whilst also leaving remote interactions partially in place). There would probably be a nice little research project there to see what patients understand/assume about what they can expect from GP services (in some shape or form, I suspect that research is actually taking place).

Also, the extent to which people have found alternative ways to source medications and/or paid privately to see a GP and the extent to which that feeds back into the central system (I'm not really sure how it works).

 

[StoneRoad]

After having a serious fight with all three of the i) GP system, the ii) on-line and iii) phone booking systems I eventually found a gap in their defences ...

Booked for Wednesday, late morning, with about 10 miles to the place.

[Only took over an hour to sort out !]

 

[CH1]

I see the USA are reinstating free Covid tests for all COVID.gov - Free at-home COVID-19 tests

 

[Elohim]

Wonder if another lockdown is warranted.

 

[existentialist]

Wonder if another lockdown is warranted.

Thing is, in the absence of much in the way of testing or any track and trace, we'll probably never know until it's too late. Again.

 

[CH1]

Definitely more masks about. Though in my brief visit to the Rejoin march yesterday there was a counter demo of people protesting about ULEZ, 15 minute city, LTN and of course Covid measures.
Re testing - I posted above that the USA are reintroducing free tests. Here is what HMG are doing:

Most people in England can no longer get free COVID-19 tests​

You may still be able to get free tests if:

• you're eligible for COVID-19 treatments (these are different to vaccinations)
• your GP or healthcare professional has recently asked you to get a test
• you care for patients, or care residents, at high risk from COVID-19, and you have COVID-19 symptoms

 

[teuchter]

Wonder if another lockdown is warranted.

Why would another lockdown be warranted if we have the ability to vaccinate against the new variants?