The Corona Pandemic

Part of the issue in the UK was the early messaging that basically said that Covid was nothing to worry about. Mild symptoms etc etc.

So we now have a raft of people that consider themselves too healthy to be adversely affected by it.

Then there are those that follow the insufficient testing route. They’re an interesting breed, happy to ignore 6 months + of real world data unless they subscribe to the idea that we’ll all be dead in 18 months. Some are even happy to look at Ivermectin.

One thing that many have in common is the feeling that they are all on some crusade to save humanity.

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An excellent piece by an NHS doctor on that very subject:

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yes I’ve seen that article, really telling. Also one of my neighbours was in that category until she caught it. Front of the queue afterwards.

Worth noting that none of these people think wider than their own health. They totally ignore that they may pass it on.

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Neoliberalism in action. Think only of yourself; fuck everyone else.

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Updated covid advice for the UK

BBC:

People in England are being advised to take a rapid lateral flow test before going to high-risk settings, according to new government advice.

The updated guidance on Covid testing suggests people may want to test themselves before going to crowded and enclosed spaces or visiting people at higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19.

Previous guidance urged people to take rapid tests twice a week or before visiting the medically vulnerable.

Although the latest advice does not mention specific examples, it comes in the run-up to Christmas when people may be picking up presents from busy shopping areas.

Lateral flow tests are available free online or can be collected from pharmacies.

From tomorrow, we will apply Home-Office again (if possible) and otherwise 3G rules at work and on public transport. That means everyone needs proof of whether they have recovered, vaccinated or tested. So everyone, who is not vaccinated, has to test themselves daily now. I’m really curious how it works and whether more people can get vaccinated as a result.

Do I need to mention the protests? :neutral_face:

Anyway, we will do a lot of tests from now on.

Home office means working from home in this context

Coincidentally, just over a week after my 2nd dose this Spring, the cell service at the lake was radically improved.

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Welp, I get turned away as they were not authorized to offer the specific combination I registered for. They fucking are, and they let me register for it during which time I disclosed my exact situation, but the pharmacist says its (J&J boosters for people who didnt get J&J originally) not on their list.

Thanks for wasting my time, fuckos.

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Maybe ya gotta get truly medieval. Announce the following: No Vaccine Card, No Hospital Oxygen. I’m kidding, of course. Caffeine just kicking in.

Could you not switch to get the alternative mRNA at the time or are you determined to get Janssen?

Incidentally, I’m also hoping I can get AZ (Moderna originally) rather than Pfizer.

Yeah, they were willing to give me either of the mRNAs, just not the one I registered for. Like a belligerent childish arsehole I snatched my vaccine card back and walked out. But am now making an appointment to go back tonight for the Moderna one :joy:

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Haha. It’s a good second choice tbf.

I see Triggle is now making the same observations I’ve been making.

That’s exactly the kind of clear, bold, unambiguous messaging that’s needed right now.

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I know! As I’ve said before though, I think the “you may wish to think about doing this, maybe” approach has been deliberate for a whole now.

I have been watching with a mixture of sadness and contempt as a ratlicking contact of mine has seen her family plunged into chaos. It is actually quite astonishing to see the degree to which these people have brainwashed themselves. The woman is utterly convinced they cannot have the vaccine. Husband on unpaid leave as of yesterday, so no family income beyond whatever social support. " We know too many people who have either died or suffered grave adverse effects after taking the jab so it’s not an option for us." There have been ~6000 serious side effect incidents from the damn near 60M doses administered in Canada…and yet they know ‘too many’.

It would appear no one in her online circle at least wants to say ‘wtf are you doing, look at how many people around you have been vaccinated. You are creating a family crisis for no reason’. The woman has posted a very desperate explanation of their now-financial predicament, and there are 100+ comments. Did not read any except the immediately visible. All very supportive of the choice, and expressing outrage at the perfidy of the government. Invocation of rights, suggestions of legal action, etc

Was talking to a friend of mine yesterday about her thanksgiving plans going up in smoke. She was supposed to go home to see her parents, but both have come down with covid (they are vaxxed but older and not yet boosted). Yet the parents are still demanding the kids all come home to stay with them. No one is, obviously, but the parents are furious and all hell is breaking loose.

It’s an example of the reality that simple labels such as “anti-vax” based on purely on whether an individual has had the vaccine themselves is not a particularly helpful way of understanding the various ways society has failed this test.

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I seriously do not like Triggle. I am seriously suspect of goings on behind the scenes with him. That said the philosophy in his article above is fascinating but not one that is shared by a member of SAGE, Rebecca Allen I think it was but do not hold me to that. Her point was that that philosophy assumes infection of that number of people is considered inevitable. In reality it isn’t and there’s a school of thought that the longer you can keep numbers in check the more prepared the population is via vaccines, boosters etc. By delaying you are effectively ensuring that less people get the virus and hence overall deaths and hospitalisations are lower. The study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is interesting though but a bit weak when quoting Romania as evidence of a successful model because they have a lower vaccination level.

I would also add that the UK’s numbers have been climbing slowly steadily since August and I think it’s far too early to be claiming any level of victory especially when us or the EU nations haven’t peaked yet. The state of the EU is a concern though. Those infections rates are steep, scary steep.

So I remain concerned for everyone. The UK is basically losing a thousand people a week to Covid and has been near that level since August. I still dont think that is great when simple things like mask wearing can help enormously. We need to see what the case will be in Europe.

PS. With a memory like yours for dredging up old posts you are definitely nothing like Daddy Pig :wink: