Off Topic Coronavirus

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Some new rules up here.....

Covid in Scotland: Tightening of lockdown rules announced

Covid restrictions around takeaway and click and collect services in Scotland are to tighten.

Only shops selling essential items - such as clothing, footwear, baby equipment, homeware and books - will be allowed to offer click and collect.

Collections must also be outdoors, with appointments staggered to avoid queuing.

And takeaways can no longer allow customers indoors, and must instead operate from a hatch or doorway.

The changes are among six new rules that will come into force on Saturday.

They also include a ban on drinking alcohol outdoors in level four areas - which includes mainland Scotland and some islands - meaning takeaway pints cannot be consumed on the street or in places such as parks.

And statutory guidance will also be published for employers to support people working from home.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that it essentially meant that if people were working from home during the lockdown last year, they must do so again this time.

Rules around work carried out in private properties will also be tightened - with only work for "maintenance, upkeep and functioning" to be allowed, rather than for example painting and decorating.

Finally, the first minister said the wording of the stay at home law will be altered to "close an apparent loophole" by preventing people from leaving home for an essential purpose and then remaining outdoors for non-essential reasons.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-55646778
Cheers for the heads up Steels. Just waiting in Johnson to follow now
 
Yes, I saw it on the news tonight. I wish I had got the fella's name. I will have a look.
To help you out Ellers, this is the published data..

From BMJ Dec 29 2020
There isn’t much data for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, as trials did not compare different dose spacing or compare one with two doses. The trials of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine did include different spacing between doses, finding that a longer gap (two to three months) led to a greater immune response, but the overall participant numbers were small. In the UK study 59% (1407 of 2377) of the participants who had two standard doses received the second dose between nine and 12 weeks after the first. In the Brazil study only 18.6% (384 of 2063) received a second dose between nine and 12 weeks after the first.3 The combined trial results, published in the Lancet, found that vaccine efficacy 14 days after a second dose was higher in the group that had more than six weeks between the two doses (65.4%) than in the group that had less than six weeks between doses (53.4%).


Not much change but the scientific data slightly supports a longer delay for the Oxford/AZ, and certainly does not go against it.



The Pfizer vaccine there is no data either way.

Which is why the government was advised to keep the dosing of the Pfizer vaccine to what " it said on the bottle"...and gave it greater leeway with Oxford Vaccine.

Response at this time from the manufacturers at this time.

What do the manufacturers say?
In a joint statement Pfizer and BioNTech said, “The safety and efficacy of the vaccine has not been evaluated on different dosing schedules as the majority of trial participants received the second dose within the window specified in the study design . . . There is no data to demonstrate that protection after the first dose is sustained after 21 days.”

The European Medicines Agency has said that the gap between the first and second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should not exceed 42 days.

That is the limit of my knowledge on the subject..
 
This is quite interesting as Mrs Ellers had watched The Chase and left the TV on. I came in and heard the sad news of 1500 deaths and the good news was 200K vaccines today and the Oxford story. Now I know I turned it over to BBC and saw a story on the Navy... The good news is I can find out from the Iplayer/catch up and will pass on.
 
To help you out Ellers, this is the published data..

From BMJ Dec 29 2020
There isn’t much data for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, as trials did not compare different dose spacing or compare one with two doses. The trials of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine did include different spacing between doses, finding that a longer gap (two to three months) led to a greater immune response, but the overall participant numbers were small. In the UK study 59% (1407 of 2377) of the participants who had two standard doses received the second dose between nine and 12 weeks after the first. In the Brazil study only 18.6% (384 of 2063) received a second dose between nine and 12 weeks after the first.3 The combined trial results, published in the Lancet, found that vaccine efficacy 14 days after a second dose was higher in the group that had more than six weeks between the two doses (65.4%) than in the group that had less than six weeks between doses (53.4%).


Not much change but the scientific data slightly supports a longer delay for the Oxford/AZ, and certainly does not go against it.



The Pfizer vaccine there is no data either way.

Which is why the government was advised to keep the dosing of the Pfizer vaccine to what " it said on the bottle"...and gave it greater leeway with Oxford Vaccine.

Response at this time from the manufacturers at this time.

What do the manufacturers say?
In a joint statement Pfizer and BioNTech said, “The safety and efficacy of the vaccine has not been evaluated on different dosing schedules as the majority of trial participants received the second dose within the window specified in the study design . . . There is no data to demonstrate that protection after the first dose is sustained after 21 days.”

The European Medicines Agency has said that the gap between the first and second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should not exceed 42 days.

That is the limit of my knowledge on the subject..
Beth that is from Dec 29th. The fella said 'new or today's' data. I will find it just hang on.
 
So this is probably it Ellers... Guardian tomorrow

Second shots of coronavirus vaccine could be delayed even further amid growing evidence that spacing out the doses improves their effectiveness.

The NHS vaccination programme aims to immunise about 14 million people at greatest risk of Covid by mid-February, with second doses to be given up to 12 weeks later.

But Public Health England’s head of immunisation, Mary Ramsay, told MPs on Wednesday that if infection data showed vulnerable groups, such as the over-80s, were well protected by their first shot, then second doses could be delayed to get a first jab to younger people as well.

Vaccine supply is holding back jabs programme, says Matt Hancock
The NHS originally planned to offer second shots of the Pfizer vaccine three weeks after the first, in line with the procedure in the trials, but the soaring infection rate forced a rethink in late December with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommending first shots for as many people as possible in the highest-risk groups.

“Like we changed the schedule very quickly before Christmas, this is a very fast-moving field, and if more data emerges it may well be that the balance of those first doses, getting more first doses to people is a priority,” Ramsay told the Commons science committee. “If we’re seeing very high levels of protection, for example in the vulnerable groups, it may be more important to get more younger people vaccinated.”

Ramsay said Public Health England would review infection data weekly and that it may be possible to be “a little bit more relaxed” about the timing of second doses, depending on vaccine supply and the scientific evidence. Asked if second shots might be given beyond the current 12-week limit, she said: “That’s unlikely, but it’s always possible.”

Quick Guide
Who in the UK will get the new Covid-19 vaccine first?
Show
Evidence now suggests that spacing out doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine may be more effective at protecting people. Clinical trials revealed the efficacy of the vaccine was substantially higher, at 90%, in a subgroup of people who received half a dose followed by a full dose, rather than two full doses, which had an efficacy of 62%.

But Prof Wei Shen Lim, the chair of the Covid-19 immunisation group of the JCVI, told MPs further analysis by AstraZeneca showed the improved protection came from spacing out the doses.

“People who had the half dose then full dose were those who were vaccinated at a longer time interval, roughly six to 12 weeks, and what they’ve seen in their data is that people who have the second dose later probably have a three times higher antibody level than those who were vaccinated earlier. So if anything, it suggests that increasing the dose interval is beneficial,” he said.

Sir Mene Pangalos, the executive vice-president of biopharmaceuticals research and development at AstraZeneca, told the committee the first vaccine shot was more protective over time.

“What we’re seeing with our data so far is that as you go to the eight- to 12-week interval, you actually increase vaccine efficacy. People are protected enough with the first dose, to around 70%, but we see that within that eight- to 12-week interval is actually the sweet spot,” he said.

Lim said the JCVI had yet to decide how vaccine shots might be prioritised during the second phase of the rollout, once healthcare workers, those with underlying conditions, and the over-50s had received their shots.

He said essential workers may be prioritised. Modelling suggests one life is saved for every 25 to 40 people vaccinated in care homes, and for every 250 people vaccinated over the age of 80, he added, while “thousands” of train operators would need to be immunised to save one life.

AstraZeneca is “imminently” scaling up to release 2m doses of its vaccine a week in the UK, and may be able to go above that from April, the firm’s chief executive said.

Tom Keith-Roach, the president of AstraZeneca UK, said 1.1m doses of the company’s Covid-19 jab developed with Oxford University had been released to the UK to date, but the aim was to reach 2m doses per week on or before the middle of February.

Nadhim Zahawi, the minister in charge of the vaccine rollout, said the immunisation programme would be slower than some countries because we have chosen to vaccinate all those at highest risk of dying, such as people in care homes who are harder to reach. “Some of the countries have chosen to say, you know what, we will vaccinate anyone over the age of 60, as Israel’s done. That’s much easier to do.”

He said there were “absolutely no plans” to issue vaccine passports that could allow people who had been immunised to travel or enjoy more freedom from the restrictions.

First, he said, the vaccines protect against people getting ill but nobody knows whether they prevent transmission. “Second, it will be discriminatory because they’ll be those who, for a number of reasons may not be able to be vaccinated or choose not to,” he told the committee.

He agreed with Pangalos, who asked for vaccine production workers to be given priority immunisation because of the urgency of their work.
 
So this is probably it Ellers... Guardian tomorrow

Second shots of coronavirus vaccine could be delayed even further amid growing evidence that spacing out the doses improves their effectiveness.

The NHS vaccination programme aims to immunise about 14 million people at greatest risk of Covid by mid-February, with second doses to be given up to 12 weeks later.

But Public Health England’s head of immunisation, Mary Ramsay, told MPs on Wednesday that if infection data showed vulnerable groups, such as the over-80s, were well protected by their first shot, then second doses could be delayed to get a first jab to younger people as well.

Vaccine supply is holding back jabs programme, says Matt Hancock
The NHS originally planned to offer second shots of the Pfizer vaccine three weeks after the first, in line with the procedure in the trials, but the soaring infection rate forced a rethink in late December with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommending first shots for as many people as possible in the highest-risk groups.

“Like we changed the schedule very quickly before Christmas, this is a very fast-moving field, and if more data emerges it may well be that the balance of those first doses, getting more first doses to people is a priority,” Ramsay told the Commons science committee. “If we’re seeing very high levels of protection, for example in the vulnerable groups, it may be more important to get more younger people vaccinated.”

Ramsay said Public Health England would review infection data weekly and that it may be possible to be “a little bit more relaxed” about the timing of second doses, depending on vaccine supply and the scientific evidence. Asked if second shots might be given beyond the current 12-week limit, she said: “That’s unlikely, but it’s always possible.”

Quick Guide
Who in the UK will get the new Covid-19 vaccine first?
Show
Evidence now suggests that spacing out doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine may be more effective at protecting people. Clinical trials revealed the efficacy of the vaccine was substantially higher, at 90%, in a subgroup of people who received half a dose followed by a full dose, rather than two full doses, which had an efficacy of 62%.

But Prof Wei Shen Lim, the chair of the Covid-19 immunisation group of the JCVI, told MPs further analysis by AstraZeneca showed the improved protection came from spacing out the doses.

“People who had the half dose then full dose were those who were vaccinated at a longer time interval, roughly six to 12 weeks, and what they’ve seen in their data is that people who have the second dose later probably have a three times higher antibody level than those who were vaccinated earlier. So if anything, it suggests that increasing the dose interval is beneficial,” he said.

Sir Mene Pangalos, the executive vice-president of biopharmaceuticals research and development at AstraZeneca, told the committee the first vaccine shot was more protective over time.

“What we’re seeing with our data so far is that as you go to the eight- to 12-week interval, you actually increase vaccine efficacy. People are protected enough with the first dose, to around 70%, but we see that within that eight- to 12-week interval is actually the sweet spot,” he said.

Lim said the JCVI had yet to decide how vaccine shots might be prioritised during the second phase of the rollout, once healthcare workers, those with underlying conditions, and the over-50s had received their shots.

He said essential workers may be prioritised. Modelling suggests one life is saved for every 25 to 40 people vaccinated in care homes, and for every 250 people vaccinated over the age of 80, he added, while “thousands” of train operators would need to be immunised to save one life.

AstraZeneca is “imminently” scaling up to release 2m doses of its vaccine a week in the UK, and may be able to go above that from April, the firm’s chief executive said.

Tom Keith-Roach, the president of AstraZeneca UK, said 1.1m doses of the company’s Covid-19 jab developed with Oxford University had been released to the UK to date, but the aim was to reach 2m doses per week on or before the middle of February.

Nadhim Zahawi, the minister in charge of the vaccine rollout, said the immunisation programme would be slower than some countries because we have chosen to vaccinate all those at highest risk of dying, such as people in care homes who are harder to reach. “Some of the countries have chosen to say, you know what, we will vaccinate anyone over the age of 60, as Israel’s done. That’s much easier to do.”

He said there were “absolutely no plans” to issue vaccine passports that could allow people who had been immunised to travel or enjoy more freedom from the restrictions.

First, he said, the vaccines protect against people getting ill but nobody knows whether they prevent transmission. “Second, it will be discriminatory because they’ll be those who, for a number of reasons may not be able to be vaccinated or choose not to,” he told the committee.

He agreed with Pangalos, who asked for vaccine production workers to be given priority immunisation because of the urgency of their work.
It's all Covid to me, but the fella was definitely from Oxford Zeneca and said new data showed that that the 8-12 week gap made it stronger.
I have now gone through BBC news and it wasn't on there and now i'm listening to ITV (that muppet Peston is on as I type)
Right my Inspector Ellers training has helped me out. I posted as soon as I heard the story so that was 6.24 which means it was ITV NEWS MERIDIAN at 6pm :1980_boogie_down: Now I just have to find it.
 
So this is probably it Ellers... Guardian tomorrow

Second shots of coronavirus vaccine could be delayed even further amid growing evidence that spacing out the doses improves their effectiveness.

The NHS vaccination programme aims to immunise about 14 million people at greatest risk of Covid by mid-February, with second doses to be given up to 12 weeks later.

But Public Health England’s head of immunisation, Mary Ramsay, told MPs on Wednesday that if infection data showed vulnerable groups, such as the over-80s, were well protected by their first shot, then second doses could be delayed to get a first jab to younger people as well.

Vaccine supply is holding back jabs programme, says Matt Hancock
The NHS originally planned to offer second shots of the Pfizer vaccine three weeks after the first, in line with the procedure in the trials, but the soaring infection rate forced a rethink in late December with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommending first shots for as many people as possible in the highest-risk groups.

“Like we changed the schedule very quickly before Christmas, this is a very fast-moving field, and if more data emerges it may well be that the balance of those first doses, getting more first doses to people is a priority,” Ramsay told the Commons science committee. “If we’re seeing very high levels of protection, for example in the vulnerable groups, it may be more important to get more younger people vaccinated.”

Ramsay said Public Health England would review infection data weekly and that it may be possible to be “a little bit more relaxed” about the timing of second doses, depending on vaccine supply and the scientific evidence. Asked if second shots might be given beyond the current 12-week limit, she said: “That’s unlikely, but it’s always possible.”

Quick Guide
Who in the UK will get the new Covid-19 vaccine first?
Show
Evidence now suggests that spacing out doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine may be more effective at protecting people. Clinical trials revealed the efficacy of the vaccine was substantially higher, at 90%, in a subgroup of people who received half a dose followed by a full dose, rather than two full doses, which had an efficacy of 62%.

But Prof Wei Shen Lim, the chair of the Covid-19 immunisation group of the JCVI, told MPs further analysis by AstraZeneca showed the improved protection came from spacing out the doses.

“People who had the half dose then full dose were those who were vaccinated at a longer time interval, roughly six to 12 weeks, and what they’ve seen in their data is that people who have the second dose later probably have a three times higher antibody level than those who were vaccinated earlier. So if anything, it suggests that increasing the dose interval is beneficial,” he said.

Sir Mene Pangalos, the executive vice-president of biopharmaceuticals research and development at AstraZeneca, told the committee the first vaccine shot was more protective over time.

“What we’re seeing with our data so far is that as you go to the eight- to 12-week interval, you actually increase vaccine efficacy. People are protected enough with the first dose, to around 70%, but we see that within that eight- to 12-week interval is actually the sweet spot,” he said.

Lim said the JCVI had yet to decide how vaccine shots might be prioritised during the second phase of the rollout, once healthcare workers, those with underlying conditions, and the over-50s had received their shots.

He said essential workers may be prioritised. Modelling suggests one life is saved for every 25 to 40 people vaccinated in care homes, and for every 250 people vaccinated over the age of 80, he added, while “thousands” of train operators would need to be immunised to save one life.

AstraZeneca is “imminently” scaling up to release 2m doses of its vaccine a week in the UK, and may be able to go above that from April, the firm’s chief executive said.

Tom Keith-Roach, the president of AstraZeneca UK, said 1.1m doses of the company’s Covid-19 jab developed with Oxford University had been released to the UK to date, but the aim was to reach 2m doses per week on or before the middle of February.

Nadhim Zahawi, the minister in charge of the vaccine rollout, said the immunisation programme would be slower than some countries because we have chosen to vaccinate all those at highest risk of dying, such as people in care homes who are harder to reach. “Some of the countries have chosen to say, you know what, we will vaccinate anyone over the age of 60, as Israel’s done. That’s much easier to do.”

He said there were “absolutely no plans” to issue vaccine passports that could allow people who had been immunised to travel or enjoy more freedom from the restrictions.

First, he said, the vaccines protect against people getting ill but nobody knows whether they prevent transmission. “Second, it will be discriminatory because they’ll be those who, for a number of reasons may not be able to be vaccinated or choose not to,” he told the committee.

He agreed with Pangalos, who asked for vaccine production workers to be given priority immunisation because of the urgency of their work.

As each day goes by, it seems that the delay in getting a second jab is as safe as world leading experts think it can be and is being increasingly backed up by evidence and data.
Time for everyone to realise that it will be ok.
In the Oxford vaccine, which most people will get I presume, you get 89% protection from one jab after a couple of weeks which they reckon will last for a lot longer than when they plan to give the second jab which will then take it up to 95%-100%.
 
It's all Covid to me, but the fella was definitely from Oxford Zeneca and said new data showed that that the 8-12 week gap made it stronger.
I have now gone through BBC news and it wasn't on there and now i'm listening to ITV (that muppet Peston is on as I type)
Right my Inspector Ellers training has helped me out. I posted as soon as I heard the story so that was 6.24 which means it was ITV NEWS MERIDIAN at 6pm :1980_boogie_down: Now I just have to find it.
Don't worry ...it's in the report I posted from the Guardian.....

I don't want to subject you to watching Meridian news...
 
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Don't worry ...it's in the report I posted from the Guardian.....

I don't want to subject you to watching Meridian news...
I don't mind. If I have no luck there I will go on Twitter as these people normally say "i was on the news tonight".
 
Wishing a speedy recovery to Mrs Rangercol.
Are her nursery offering regular tests?

Appologies.
Yes, she has a code for a test, but you're only supposed to apply if you have covid symptoms or have been around someone who has tested positive.
As things stand, she doesn't have the three main covid symptoms.
It's hopefully a bad head cold.
Presumably we'll know in a day or two.
 
This is just happening now....... What a calamitous farce.
Agree the government f22ked up here. I said at the beginning of all this they should have closed down. I even here today they are letting in people from Brazil without checks and they have the new mutation. You would have thought after saying to us ‘stay home as if you have the virus’ then letting in people from an infected place is ridiculous? If this bites us in the arse, they won’t get my support. Just plain stupidity.