The big Brexit thread - news, updates and discussion

[andysays]

Quite interesting, on the doomedness of ‘vaccine nationalism’.

Sharing Covid vaccines is in UK's best interests, say scientists

Delivering doses to other countries will reduce chance of virus coming back in new forms, say experts

www.theguardian.com

Don’t think it’s that much of a brexit thing in particular, will be playing out all over in different ways.

Interestingly, that article says

Sharing UK Covid vaccines with countries in Europe and beyond is in the UK’s best interests, scientists have said

This current dispute has absolutely nothing to do with rich nations sharing vaccine or vaccine making capacity with poorer nations, which would be a great example of putting internationalism above "vaccine nationalism" in a way which might well be of some benefit to the rich donor nations as well as the poorer recipient nations.

I think it would be great if both Britain and the EU made some active commitment to export vaccines beyond Europe to countries and regions struggling to produce their own, perhaps even including those where they have effectively outsourced dealing with people wanting to migrate to Britain and/or the EU, but I don't expect that to happen any time soon.

 

[bimble]

That is happening, albeit not anywhere near the scale it needs to. Program called Covax.

 

[andysays]

That is happening, albeit not anywhere near the scale it needs to. Program called Covax.

Happy to be corrected.

 

[steeplejack]

That is happening, albeit not anywhere near the scale it needs to. Program called Covax.

Covax will vaccinate 20% of the population in Bosnia-Herzegovina, eventually (my wife is Bosnian).

Much more needs to be done for countries beyond the EU / UK as we won't ever truly be reasonably safe from this bloody thing until the vast majority of the world's population have been vaccinated.

 

[bimble]

It’s going to be India I think producing & supplying the lions share of the eventual global rollout. I imagine it will take several years after we over here are all inoculated.

COVAX to deliver two billion COVID-19 vaccine doses by end of 2021

COVAX has announced the aligning of an advanced purchase agreement for up to 40 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, meaning it is now on track to deliver 2 billion doses by the end of the year.

www.healtheuropa.eu

Very non brexit stuff though all this.

 

[ska invita]

The review into employment rights and the WTD isn't happening.

its always happening

 

[Pickman's model]

Interestingly, that article says


This current dispute has absolutely nothing to do with rich nations sharing vaccine or vaccine making capacity with poorer nations, which would be a great example of putting internationalism above "vaccine nationalism" in a way which might well be of some benefit to the rich donor nations as well as the poorer recipient nations.

I think it would be great if both Britain and the EU made some active commitment to export vaccines beyond Europe to countries and regions struggling to produce their own, perhaps even including those where they have effectively outsourced dealing with people wanting to migrate to Britain and/or the EU, but I don't expect that to happen any time soon.

As the former colonial power of much of the world surely the UK has a greater moral responsibility to assist with vaccinations in those former possessions

 

[Supine]

AZ is also being produced at a few other sites including india and australia for regional supply chains.

 

[not-bono-ever]

As an aside, I have been stiffed by a Spanish company for a decent slab of money owed late late in 2020. They have told me to fuck off as they cannot be taken to court using the EU member give me my fucking money infrastructure as we fell out of it at the end of the year. They’ve done it to a handful of others around the same time. It’s the little things that irk you about this fuck up and the compliant deliverance of a cabal of cunts into power .

 

[kebabking]

As the former colonial power of much of the world surely the UK has a greater moral responsibility to assist with vaccinations in those former possessions

Nah, the septics can fuck off.

 

[two sheds]

As an aside, I have been stiffed by a Spanish company for a decent slab of money owed late late in 2020. They have told me to fuck off as they cannot be taken to court using the EU member give me my fucking money infrastructure as we fell out of it at the end of the year. They’ve done it to a handful of others around the same time. It’s the little things that irk you about this fuck up and the compliant deliverance of a cabal of cunts into power .

They don't have any operations in the UK?

 

[The39thStep]

The AZ site in Belgium was raided by officials from Belgium's medicines regulator at the request of European Commission.

An EU official said: "We discussed this matter with our Belgian colleagues, We want to see whether what we're being told is correct or not. So I would like to thank the Belgian authorities for undertaking these efforts".

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

As an aside, I have been stiffed by a Spanish company for a decent slab of money owed late late in 2020. They have told me to fuck off as they cannot be taken to court using the EU member give me my fucking money infrastructure as we fell out of it at the end of the year. They’ve done it to a handful of others around the same time. It’s the little things that irk you about this fuck up and the compliant deliverance of a cabal of cunts into power .

I know some chaps in the Fuengirola area who will be happy to assist, for a cut.

 

[moochedit]

The main difference would be that the EU wouldn't be able to threaten to block exports to the UK in retaliation. Not that they really have any basis on which to do so now.

Block exports from the EU, which is unable to produce the vaccine, to the UK, where the vaccine is being produced?

As i understand it, the AZ vaccine is being made at factories in the UK so EU can't block that one. The Pziser (not sure about spelling but can't be arsed to check) vaccine is made in Belgium so EU could stop uk getting that one.

 

[TopCat]

As an aside, I have been stiffed by a Spanish company for a decent slab of money owed late late in 2020. They have told me to fuck off as they cannot be taken to court using the EU member give me my fucking money infrastructure as we fell out of it at the end of the year. They’ve done it to a handful of others around the same time. It’s the little things that irk you about this fuck up and the compliant deliverance of a cabal of cunts into power .

Get a Spanish debt collector onto it. They advertise. No collect no fee etc.

 

[SpookyFrank]

As i understand it, the AZ vaccine is being made at factories in the UK so EU can't block that one. The Pziser (not sure about spelling but can't be arsed to check) vaccine is made in Belgium so EU could stop uk getting that one.

Pfizer is a US company though, so blocking exports of their vaccine to the UK would drag the septics into it. It won't happen. This is a dispute between the EU and a private company, they have no grounds to retaliate against the British public.

 

[Pickman's model]

Pfizer is a US company though, so blocking exports of their vaccine to the UK would drag the septics into it. It won't happen. This is a dispute between the EU and a private company, they have no grounds to retaliate against the British public.

The b.p. just collateral damage

 

[SpookyFrank]

The b.p. just collateral damage

Not really collateral damage if it's exactly who they're aiming at.

 

[Raheem]

Pfizer is a US company though, so blocking exports of their vaccine to the UK would drag the septics into it. It won't happen. This is a dispute between the EU and a private company, they have no grounds to retaliate against the British public.

Think they wouldn't see it as retaliating, but taking steps to secure supplies of vaccine for EU citizens. Still no way it will happen.

 

[not-bono-ever]

They don't have any operations in the UK?

Nopes. Once upon a time you could still open a claim with 25 euro and send them an official demand via the EU portal and it usually kicked them into action. Now I have to spend possibly more on a brief to set up a cross border action - more than the money owed - they know this and are are giving 2 fingers to the UK. Obviously they are twats in the first place but they know that the sums are not cost effective to chase. Not just me either

 

[not-bono-ever]

Get a Spanish debt collector onto it. They advertise. No collect no fee etc.

That is an option but it’s a route I try to keep out of. You got any heavies numbers in Barcelona?

 

[not-bono-ever]

I should employ a cobrador for the lolz. Check them out if you are not familiar. A very Spanish take on debts

 

[SpookyFrank]

I should employ a cobrador for the lolz. Check them out if you are not familiar. A very Spanish take on debts

Are they those lads who just follow your creditors around all day?

 

[not-bono-ever]

thats the puppies- all dressed in black with frock tail coats and top hats IIRC

eta

 

[SpookyFrank]

Block exports from the EU, which is unable to produce the vaccine, to the UK, where the vaccine is being produced?

The Pfizer vaccine for UK use is made in Belgium.

 

[kebabking]

The Pfizer vaccine for UK use is made in Belgium.

I wonder if, given the aggro that is the logistics of the Pfizer vacc, the NHS would be that devastated if it got chinned off..

It's a big slice - 40 million doses, but if AZ can make up the shortfall (and AZ are contracted for 100m doses, and the total vaccine order for the UK is 350 million+), for a pop of 67m then - timings allowing - it may not be a total catastrophe....

 

[mojo pixy]

A lot of people have had the Pfizer as their first dose. Is there any information about finishing off the Pfizer with a different one? It doesn't sound like a great idea.

 

[Raheem]

A lot of people have had the Pfizer as their first dose. Is there any information about finishing off the Pfizer with a different one? It doesn't sound like a great idea.

I think you're not allowed to do it unless the particular combination has been through trials. Some such trials are currently underway, I believe.

 

[mojo pixy]

I think you're not allowed to do it unless the particular combination has been through trials. Some such trials are currently underway, I believe.

Well, I suppose that's a good idea under the circumstances. Though that particular trial may have cause to be err expanded considerably in a few weeks...
Fucking hell.

 

[Pingety Pong]

Pfizer is a US company though, so blocking exports of their vaccine to the UK would drag the septics into it. It won't happen. This is a dispute between the EU and a private company, they have no grounds to retaliate against the British public.

Sorry but I find it really offensive to make out that this is an attempt to "retaliate against the British public" which sounds like straight out of the Daily Mail or even worse. Like Raheem said, they are trying to secure ways to supply vaccines to people in Europe which is perfectly understandable surely? Maybe try to see it from the other side for one minute - I live in England, I am volunteering at the local vaccination centre, I am ridiculously happy for every single person here who gets his or her jab. But my mother who is in her mid-80s and extremely vulnerable lives in Germany and her appointment for her first Pfizer jab is at the end of March. She mostly blames the over-cautious German health administration who took too long to authorise the vaccine. But she is also a bit angry (and I think understandably so) that my British MiL who is 70 and in good health has already had her first jab while she will have to wait for another two months. For a vaccine that was developed in Germany by German scientist. And that has absolutely nothing to do whatsoever to do with retaliation, but is much more about fairness.