When will this shit end?

[steviewevie]

Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid vaccine research ‘was 97% publicly funded’

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/apr/15/oxfordastrazeneca-covid-vaccine-research-was-97-publicly-funded

[st dan]

This is absolutely tragic, and so upsetting. 1300 babies have died from Covid in Brazil. 

[zahidf]

14 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

Not Fake Sage.

Well, there is loads of uncertainty with this virus, whether it's aerosol transmission, asymptomatic transmission, forecasts of waves...it's all unknown...and we can all look back and say oh look the nerdy twat got it wrong...and I guess people will forever more...

Nah, he isnt in Fake SAGE, though it is worrying he does advise the government. 

 

This guy is much better. More calming, not saying stuff to get headlines and worrying people unecessarily. 

London regional director of Public Health England Professor Kevin Fenton has been on the media round this morning in the UK, talking about coronavirus variants and the need for surge testing.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “As we begin the process of unlocking and re-entering society and mixing, even small numbers of variants, when they occur, can have the potential to spread relatively quickly.

“And that is why we have such a proactive programme of screening for and testing for the new variants, and, where we have found, we surge. We need to get ahead of the infection and not keep following behind it.

“We’re finding cases because we’re doing more genetic sequencing of PCR positive tests of coronavirus which we’re seeing across the city. And that is identifying a low prevalence, a low number of cases, but we are finding cases of the South African variant. And in addition, we’re surging to identify additional cases belonging to the south London cluster, which we’re investigating in Lambeth, Wandsworth and Southwark. So we’re doing this very proactively.”

He said the low level of coronavirus infection in the UK capital means those involved in asymptomatic surge testing are able to “move about” afterwards.

Asked why this group are not being told to stay at home until they receive their results, PA report Fenton answered: “In part, because the level of infection that we are now having across the city [London] is actually quite low.

“The probability of you not having an infection is much higher, and, of course, we want to test individuals who may be asymptomatic, can be carrying the infection, so the risk of onward transmission is also much lower as well.

“So, the combination of factors, the timing of where we are in the phase of the epidemic, and the level of infections that we have, really means that we can allow people to continue to move about. But what’s really important is that we do do as much testing for asymptomatic infections as we can.”

[steviewevie]

5 minutes ago, st dan said:

This is absolutely tragic, and so upsetting. 1300 babies have died from Covid in Brazil. 

kin'ell...is that just because there's so much of it about and lack of testing and health care resources...or is this because of P1 variant?

[zahidf]

From Dr Tang’s new study just published in the BMJ:

The transmission of SARS-CoV-2 after touching surfaces is now considered to be relatively minimal.

 

https://www.bmj.com/content/373/bmj.n913

[northernringo]

Well this is crap, Northern Ireland's expected roadmap dates (to be announced later today).

England and Wales can go to the gym, eat/drink outdoors already yet we have to wait another month. What a joke.

I assume it has something to do with ROI's slow rollout in comparison.

[st dan]

5 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

kin'ell...is that just because there's so much of it about and lack of testing and health care resources...or is this because of P1 variant?

Yeah think it’s the toxic mixture of the variant being so prevalent, poor and stretched health care resources, lack of testing and no real restrictions in place to try to slow it down. It’s a real disaster, and so many people are needlessly losing their lives over there because of it. It’s just terrible to see. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by st dan

[zahidf]

Just now, northernringo said:

Well this is crap, Northern Ireland's expected roadmap dates (to be announced later today).

England and Wales can go to the gym, eat/drink outdoors already yet we have to wait another month. What a joke.

I assume it has something to do with ROI's slow rollout in comparison.

that does seem overly cautious

[steviewevie]

8 minutes ago, zahidf said:

Nah, he isnt in Fake SAGE, though it is worrying he does advise the government. 

 

This guy is much better. More calming, not saying stuff to get headlines and worrying people unecessarily. 

London regional director of Public Health England Professor Kevin Fenton has been on the media round this morning in the UK, talking about coronavirus variants and the need for surge testing.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “As we begin the process of unlocking and re-entering society and mixing, even small numbers of variants, when they occur, can have the potential to spread relatively quickly.

“And that is why we have such a proactive programme of screening for and testing for the new variants, and, where we have found, we surge. We need to get ahead of the infection and not keep following behind it.

“We’re finding cases because we’re doing more genetic sequencing of PCR positive tests of coronavirus which we’re seeing across the city. And that is identifying a low prevalence, a low number of cases, but we are finding cases of the South African variant. And in addition, we’re surging to identify additional cases belonging to the south London cluster, which we’re investigating in Lambeth, Wandsworth and Southwark. So we’re doing this very proactively.”

He said the low level of coronavirus infection in the UK capital means those involved in asymptomatic surge testing are able to “move about” afterwards.

Asked why this group are not being told to stay at home until they receive their results, PA report Fenton answered: “In part, because the level of infection that we are now having across the city [London] is actually quite low.

“The probability of you not having an infection is much higher, and, of course, we want to test individuals who may be asymptomatic, can be carrying the infection, so the risk of onward transmission is also much lower as well.

“So, the combination of factors, the timing of where we are in the phase of the epidemic, and the level of infections that we have, really means that we can allow people to continue to move about. But what’s really important is that we do do as much testing for asymptomatic infections as we can.”

not that different to Edmunds....he said that that hopefully surge testing will keep these outbreaks of some variants under control, if they don't then may need local restrictions. We are testing the testing....

[Ozanne]

5 minutes ago, northernringo said:

Well this is crap, Northern Ireland's expected roadmap dates (to be announced later today).

England and Wales can go to the gym, eat/drink outdoors already yet we have to wait another month. What a joke.

I assume it has something to do with ROI's slow rollout in comparison.

That’s very slow, I feel for you guys over there as your figures are low pretty low aren’t they? 

[northernringo]

8 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

That’s very slow, I feel for you guys over there as your figures are low pretty low aren’t they? 

Yeah, I think we are the highest in the UK but it is pretty tight, 7 day rate is around 40 at the minute.

I think everyone over here will be pretty angry with the delay in reopening - we've all seen the photos of friends meeting up for drinks, etc in the UK so obviously want the same thing here. It is all a bit deflating.

[Ozanne]

1 minute ago, northernringo said:

Yeah, I think we are the highest in the UK but it is pretty tight, 7 day rate is around 40 at the minute.

I think everyone over here will be pretty angry with the delay in reopening - we've all seen the photos of friends meeting up for drinks, etc in the UK so obviously want the same thing here. It is all a bit deflating.

Why has there been such a delay in announcing a roadmap? Issues with the power sharing government or anything else?

 

[Ozanne]

 

[northernringo]

24 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

Why has there been such a delay in announcing a roadmap? Issues with the power sharing government or anything else?

 

I'm not really sure - they did initially announce a roadmap a while ago (around the same time as the rest of the UK) but they didn't provide dates with it so it was pointless.

The problem is, if they don't open bars, etc for outside drinking then vaccinated people will just start meeting indoors in households instead which is much worse.

[DeanoL]

1 hour ago, zahidf said:

Tbh, if you aren't sure about it, you shouldn't be on national TV. When I talk about doom mongering nerds, he's the main culprit.

If that was the rule we wouldn't have had Brexit or a lot of other stuff either.

The reality is we've spent the past 10 years spinning up headlines about anything we possibly can, and dealing in extremes and absolutes, that people have lost the ability to parse phrases like "might" or "may" correctly. And 24-hour live news across multiple different channels means the news is not just "these are the facts" anymore, but a load of different opinions and discussion.

It's both the media and the public to blame, to be honest. Maybe we'll learn some lessons from it but I doubt it.

I find it hard to blame the scientists for going on these shows and assuming the viewer has the most basic level of comprehension.

[zahidf]

 

[efcfanwirral]

4 minutes ago, zahidf said:

So the study is just on over 50s, most of whom will already have had two doses of the same vaccine by the time the study is completed. So to do mixing they'll need their booster in the winter anyway. Am I missing something there?is this purely theoretical? 

Edited April 15, 2021 by efcfanwirral

[steviewevie]

6 minutes ago, zahidf said:

 

may

[zahidf]

5 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

So the study is just on over 50s, most of whom will already have had two doses of the same vaccine by the time the study is completed. So to do mixing they'll need their booster in the winter anyway. Am I missing something there?is this purely theoretical? 

I suspect the study may be sooner than some second doses are due for the 50-60 cohort. Will certainly be before the 30-50 co cohort. 

Germany and Denmark are doing with their rollout now without a test!

[SwedgeAntilles]

I have to say I find the idea that Johnson would be toast should there be another summer wave, given that he's already survived:

• fucking up the brexit negotiations
• completely mishandling the pandemic from the start
• the complete fuck up of Christmas/NY
• repeatedly lying to parliament
• the Acuri scandal
• and many, many more hits,

quite cute.

 

 

 

[stuartbert two hats]

7 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

may

 

9 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

So the study is just on over 50s, most of whom will already have had two doses of the same vaccine by the time the study is completed. So to do mixing they'll need their booster in the winter anyway. Am I missing something there?is this purely theoretical? 

Clicking through to the article also reveals lovely words like "if" and "suspect".  It's purely theoretical.  That doesn't mean it's not interesting, but we shouldn't be looking to change policy just yet.

[eFestivals]

Who thinks lockdown has been a walk in the park?

[stuartbert two hats]

3 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Who thinks lockdown has been a walk in the park?

Nobody?

EDIT: I think maybe some people think it's been a walk in the park for other people. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by stuartbert two hats

[Havors]

3 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Who thinks lockdown has been a walk in the park?

I think that totally depends on circumstance. What type of job do you have? Do you live alone? Did you miss your cancer treatments and operations? etc.. For some its been a walk in the park, for a lot its been a nightmare. 

[gooner1990]

6 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Who thinks lockdown has been a walk in the park?

Not for me, been my worst nightmare come true.