Off Topic Coronavirus

Agree I was expecting a blip, but it is barely there, just a slowing in the fall in all parameters. It is a good result.
Surprising what a good lockdown can do.

Does anyone think that the governments response has been better and more considered since Cummings was got rid of.

 

More encouraging news.
COVID-19: Weekly deaths from coronavirus fall below 1,000 for first time since October
The ONS figures also show that deaths among people aged 80 and over have now fallen by 90% since the second-wave peak.
https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19...w-1-000-for-first-time-since-october-12260760

 

I see Canada is the latest country to suspend using the Astrazeneca vaccine in people aged under 55.

First Norway, now Canada.

Where is the outrage and the accusations of Canada playing politics?

 

It's based on data coming out of Europe

 

AZ vaccine is still on hold in Denmark and Norway, and a few other Countries are only giving it to the elderly. A Berlin hospital has stopped vaccinating women under 55 with AZ, and it is reported Germany will recommend similar on a national basis after 31 were reported by Der Spiegel to have suffered blood clots in Germany after taking this vaccine, 29 of them women aged between between 20 and 63. 9 of them died. 19 of them had the same low blood platelet values, which Norwegian experts linked to the vaccine from the same antibody responses in different patients. An EMA side effect group are meeting tomorrow on this, where they hope for more data from other Countries.The numbers of these very serious cases still seem very low statistically.

 

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I’m outraged! How can they suspended the AZ vaccine when the EU won’t export it there.
It’s outrageous!

 

On a serious note my friend in France reckons Emperor Macron maybe announcing a full lockdown in the next couple of days. They have some serious stuff going on out there.

 

Why would Canada trust the data from them forrens wot just want to punish us for Brexit over a country as trustworthy and universally respected as us?

 

In the trial we call "Wales", there was not a single case of blood clots in their people given the AZ vaccine..

 

Yes, them damn Norwegians. How dare they continue to raise doubts about AZ.

Canada takes it's own decisions.

 

Have you had your jab yet Fingy?

 

Still not had it yet Stan.

I am in cohort 5 so expecting to be called very soon as they are just completing cohort 4.

Over here, they are administering the second jab within 4 weeks of the First. They say there are 200K jabs coming this week and another 250K per week coming after that so I am expecting to be done very soon. They now have over 800k jabs done of which 225k are second jabs.

They said that vulnerable people with underlying illnesses will be getting the AZ jab so that looks like the one I will be offered.

 

The EU have exported 3-4m AZ vaccines to Canada already and are exporting another 10m Pfizer vaccines in the next few weeks.

Have many have the UK exported, not just to Canada but to anybody?

 

Seriously Finglas you need to take off your EU tinted glasses. Your sounding like their propaganda adviser of late. It’s not a bloody completion. We may not have exported much but at least we haven’t threatened nations with export bans. you have a short memory. Wasn’t it the EU who wanted to trigger article 16 without even consulting the Irish?
You also forget without the U.K. money and scientist there wouldn’t be AZ. Vaccine which you seem to be knocking of late. I don’t know why as it’s been labelled ‘the workhorse’. Bloody brilliant if you ask me.

 

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Coronavirus: UK ‘set to offer 3.7 million vaccines to Ireland’ amid EU exports row
Joe Sommerlad 2 days ago

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© Provided by The Independent
The UK is planning to offer 3.7 million Covid-19 vaccines to the Republic of Ireland in a move that could exacerbate its rift with the EU, it has been reported.

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab, chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove, and Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis are said to have met privately to discuss the plan, which they see as integral to ensuring lockdown restrictions can be lifted in neighbouring Northern Ireland with the reduced risk of border crossings triggering a third wave of infections, according to The Sunday Times.

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  The Independent

Transmission rates remain significantly higher in the Republic of Ireland at present, with 610 new cases recorded on Saturday compared with 138 in Northern Ireland.

But delivering jabs to Dublin would mark the first time the UK has shipped supplies to an EU nation and serve as “a poke in the eye to Brussels”, according to one cabinet minister quoted by the newspaper.

The EU’s response to the vaccine rollout has been far less smooth than that of Britain, and has seen the bloc threaten to suspend the export of vaccines or key ingredients as it seeks to catch up and safeguard its member states.

Read more:

• Follow Covid news live: Latest lockdown updates
• Von der Leyen says AstraZeneca must ‘catch up’ on vaccines to EU
• Lockdown roadmap dates: Which rules change on 29 March?
• Extreme lockdown laws extended for a further six months despite major Tory revolt
• Pfizer Covid vaccine produces ‘robust’ antibody response after first dose, new study shows

“Everyone can see the logic of it. It’s good politics while at the same time solving a genuine public health concern in Northern Ireland,” a cabinet source told the newspaper.

“It is a balancing act, making sure that we have enough vaccines to give the UK’s adult population the second dose. Easter will be when we might be able to start offering vaccines to Ireland.”

Asked about the potential delivery of vaccines to Ireland by Sky News anchor Sophy Ridge on Sunday morning, culture secretary Oliver Dowden said that the UK does not yet have a surplus so it is premature to consider next moves.

“Clearly our first priority is ensuring that we deliver vaccines in the United Kingdom,” he said.

“We clearly don’t currently have a surplus of vaccines; should we get to the point where we have a surplus of vaccines, we’d make decisions on the allocation of that surplus.”

Irish prime minister Micheal Martin said on 9 March that there would be no question of the UK offering additional vaccines to his country until its own population had been inoculated.

“The British prime minister has made it clear to me that obviously his first priority is to vaccinate his people,” the taoiseach said.

“It would be helpful to Ireland if the situation arose, but right now he has to concentrate on vaccinating his own people. Until then he won’t be in a position to give vaccines to anybody and he has made that point to me, which I thought was fairly obvious at the outset.”

Currently, around 55 per cent of Britain’s adults have received their first jab so that prospect remains some way off.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, a scientific adviser to the government’s Sage team, has said the UK “must start sharing” its extra doses and warned against “vaccine nationalism”.

“The world won’t be safe while any single country is still fighting the virus. If left to spread, it risks mutating to an extent where our vaccines and treatments no longer work. This goes beyond ethics – it’s a scientific and economic imperative.”

While any future vaccine surplus had been earmarked for developing countries, the Cabinet Office is also reportedly planning to send some supplies on to continental Europe to ease the situation in countries like France and Germany where dissatisfaction with the state’s response to the pandemic has led to a rise in support for extremist groups.

“The fear is that [Emmanuel] Macron has made such a mess of things that it might mean we end up with [far-right leader] Marine Le Pen getting elected,” a Whitehall source told The Sunday Times. “No one wants that.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care told The Independent: “Our first priority is to protect the British public, and the vaccine rollout is continuing at pace. We remain on course to offer a first dose to all over 50s in the UK by 15 April and all UK adults by the end of July, as we continue to cautiously reopen society via our roadmap.

“We don’t currently have a surplus of vaccines, but we will consider how these are allocated as they become available.”

 

Seriously Ellers,

I hope the AZ jab you got wasn't manufactured in Belgium or Holland like the 10m that the EU sent to Britain.

The vaccine was developed at Oxford University. One of the leading scientists who developed it was Irish, Dr. Adrian Hill. The EU invested 330m euros to improve production facilities at AZ so their contract needs would be met and AZ nvested that money into their UK plants who sent zero vaccines back in return.

Yes, an inexperienced Ursula Von Der Leyen thought that would be a good idea and I have stated here, that was a stupid thing for her to do. They have changed procedures to ensure it won;t happen again and anything they do that affects this island will be run by the Irish government first.

Where have I knocked the AZ vaccine? The only thing I have said about it is, it wouldn't be my first choice but if offered it, I would take it. When an EU country suspends using the AZ vaccine, they very quickly get accused of playing politics but when a non EU country like Norway, Iceland, Thailand and Canada suspend using it, there are no accusations of politics being played. I hope you see what I mean when I say that.

The EU have exported 40m vaccines to 33 countries all around the world including the 10m to the UK. The evidence at the moment suggests the UK has exported ZERO to any country including Commonwealth countries like Canada and Australia. As Johnston said, "the vaccine rollout has been a success due to greed and capitalism". That's the reality despite him trying to retract his words.

 

Yes Kiwi, we are aware that we "may" be part of a vaccine offer from the UK. We asked in early March and were refused. Now, we are told the earliest possible date would be July. We are expecting 1m doses each month from April going forward. Ireland expect to have all adults vaccinated by July so the offer is extremely unlikely to be accepted. Of course, there are benefits to both the UK and Ireland to be fully vaccinated as in normal times, there is huge movement between both jurisdictions, especially with the open land border.

 

I gave you a like because some of what you said was valid. So are you now saying the Irish invented the AZ vaccine? TBH I guess there were many nationalities that were somehow involved but I believe I read the UK put the money in.
As for the EU... If you want to defend the indefensible then go ahead but most folk know the EU has made a complete balls up of this. For months many have been knocking the UK/Government ( rightly so in some cases) at every opportunity. However This thing is still going and we are now doing bloody well. While we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel many countries are heading for more lockdown. As for our vaccines... I am sure at some stage the U.K. will be offering vaccines to other countries. And I will bet you a beer that we end up helping out EU countries.

 

Ellers, at times you ask stupid questions. I am not defending anything.

No, I am not saying the Irish invented the AZ vaccine. I am saying, one of the leading scientists who helped develop the AZ vaccine was Irish. It is a British led developed vaccine, developed in a British University by a team of leading scientists who were working with a British-Swedish Pharmaceutical company. Britain invested £65m in the development. The EU invested 330m euros to ensure their contractual obligations were met. The vaccine is being manufactured in the UK and and also in the EU.

Yes, the UK roll out has been a success, I acknowledge that. I know a lot of countries on the Continent are starting further lock downs. However, the supply of vaccines is about to increase dramatically in the next 3 months so there is great hope in other countries too that they can also get some degree of normality back, maybe by late-Summer. I think the majority of the EU will be vaccinated by July. I also think relations between London and Brussels are so toxic that I can't see any potential offer of vaccines being accepted. Maybe I am wrong, but my own opinion is, it just won't happen.