COVID 19 GLOBAL

[Washedup]

CDC vaccine advisers vote to recommend Pfizer/biotech covid-19 vaccine in the U.S.

[Stillearly]

25 minutes ago, Washedup said:

CDC vaccine advisers vote to recommend Pfizer/biotech covid-19 vaccine in the U.S.

First country to develop a vaccine apparently ..... 555 😉 

[Nightcrawler]

On 12/11/2020 at 6:26 PM, Lemondropkid said:

Hope you made it out as I doubt the pubs in London will be open much longer sadly.

How was it out there?

Sorry for a late response. 

Friday ended up being cancelled. Instead we met up today. 

Wetherspoons were well organised. We got a table and ordered food. Allowed 6 drinks per person and took full advantage of that.  Great afternoon evening, all worked out OK. In fact we spent 6 hours in there anno. Problem. With continuing to order drinks and no one wanting to kick us out. The girls serving the tables were lovely and polite. 

All in all a nice afternoon/evening and not a great deal of difference from normal. Whether it will stay the same is anyone's guess. 

Even managed to buy my Grandson a few things in the High Street. 

Back home now

[Lemondropkid]

4 minutes ago, Nightcrawler said:

Sorry for a late response. 

Friday ended up being cancelled. Instead we met up today. 

Wetherspoons were well organised. We got a table and ordered food. Allowed 6 drinks per person and took full advantage of that.  Great afternoon evening, all worked out OK. In fact we spent 6 hours in there anno. Problem. With continuing to order drinks and no one wanting to kick us out. The girls serving the tables were lovely and polite. 

All in all a nice afternoon/evening and not a great deal of difference from normal. Whether it will stay the same is anyone's guess. 

Even managed to buy my Grandson a few things in the High Street. 

Back home now

Allowed 6 drinks- you must be a Wetherspoons V.I.P/High Roller 😉

It's a great morale boost to meet up with friends and feel "normal" again amongst all this nonsense👍

[fygjam]

Interesting...

Swab from Milan boy, 4, tests positive to coronavirus weeks before Wuhan outbreak

Researchers say a swab from a four-year-old boy taken months before Italy’s first confirmed COVID-19 cases tested positive for the coronavirus.

https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/global/swab-from-milan-boy-4-tests-positive-to-covid-weeks-before-wuhan-outbreak/news-story/93445d56f87996fa33fbae233ad7712e

 

[Nightcrawler]

13 hours ago, Lemondropkid said:

Allowed 6 drinks- you must be a Wetherspoons V.I.P/High Roller 😉

It's a great morale boost to meet up with friends and feel "normal" again amongst all this nonsense👍

Ha ha. Well I must admit that they did roll out the Red carpet for me 😁

But seriously, the staff were brilliant working under difficult circumstances and we sometimes had to wait a while for rounds of drinks, it got quite busy.  There was someone at the door at all times making sure people signed in and given instructions on how many drinks and food etc. But in a relaxed way. 

Yeah, was great to meet up with pals. The trains getting there were fairly empty and the tram coming back was the same. We picked a good Window from 2pm to 8pm. 

I was pleased to see, that most people out on the street.,public transport, shops and in pub etc were wearing masks and behaving sensibly whilst enjoying their day out. No need to hide behind the sofa, just being socially responsible is what is required. 

[coxyhog]

[fygjam]

For the Yankee-doodles

Find out how many people are ahead of you in the Covid-19 vaccination line

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/12/03/opinion/covid-19-vaccine-timeline.html

 

[fygjam]

The interim results of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine Phase 3 trial were published in The Lancet the other day. The efficacy, either 60% or 70% or 90%, depending on dosing were previously published by press release.

The other takeaway, at least for me. UK participants took weekly nasal and oral swabs and asymptomatic infections were detected in the vaccinated arm of the trial. In other words, the vaccine protected against the Covid-19 disease but not infection and thus it may be possible for a vaccinated person to pass on the infection.

You can work it out for yourselves what this may mean for international travel particularly if the other vaccines currently up for approval have similar results.

On a lighter note. There is a whole raft of comparisons between the vaccinated and placebo arms of the trial for side effects. There was one gunshot wound in the vaccinated group compared to zero wounds in the placebo group, two road accident injuries in the placebo group compared to zero in the vaccinated group and one homicide in the placebo group compared to zero homicides in the vaccinated group.

 

[Washedup]

'Pretty high' chance of oxford vaccine being rolled out before end of year, says lead scientist...

[Kathmandu]

4 hours ago, Washedup said:

'Pretty high' chance of oxford vaccine being rolled out before end of year, says lead scientist...

Does this mean that I can crawl out from behind my couch as some in this thread have insisted it's where I've lived for 9 months? 🤣

[Nightcrawler]

A bit of a dilemma today. My 5 Yr old grandson's school has been closed due to a Covid outbreak, but details unknown. 

So he is supposed to isolate for 10 days. This is going to be a nightmare for him and my daughter. He will miss the school Xmas Dinner and the run up to Xmas with his friends plus his favourite teacher is leaving and he won't be able say goodbye. But what does my daughter do now? She has to go shopping and keep him entertained etc and the 10 days will take them right up to Xmas day. 

If he is in quarantine and he can't be left left on his own, obviously, then that means that his mother cannot leave the house. 

I understand the reasons behind the school closing but the logistics of quarantine are going to prove difficult.  I can do shopping if it comes to it, but then I will have to leave the bags outside their door. It's really depressing. I am not blaming anyone but I can imagine that it's gonna be a nightmare for a lot of young kids and their parents, especially if they are from a single parent family. 

The little fella understands to a degree, but is already asking why he can't see me before Xmas and why he can't go out. 

Well, I have suggested that she takes him out into the park or countryside in the open where it is safe. At least he will get some exercise and a break from being indoors. 

I understand that one London Borough has closed all schools from today. Whether right or wrong, that is also going to be a real headache for parents, especially those who are working full time. 

[code_slayer_bkk]

^^^^  I feel sorry for the little guy and your daughter ...

But, me being me .. and since NO details have been provided or details UNKNOWN ... I would just go about my life and my daughter as usual ... no details .. for sure no cooperation !

All of this shit makes me angry .. WTF .. just following arbitrary "whims" .. no way !

Edited December 14, 2020 by code_slayer_bkk

[Washedup]

Bloody nightmare, so London confirmed going into tier 3. 

Edited December 14, 2020 by Washedup
Spelling

[coxyhog]

2 hours ago, Washedup said:

Bloody nightmare, so London confirmed going into tier 3. 

So is Three Rivers.The idiocy of it is perfectly illustrated in where we live.Part of our village is Three Rivers(Tier 3 from Wed) and the rest is Dacorum which remains in Tier 2.

So the pubs in our high street stay open subject to selling scotch eggs & ones less than a mile away have to close.

[Bazle]

43 minutes ago, coxyhog said:

So is Three Rivers.The idiocy of it is perfectly illustrated in where we live.Part of our village is Three Rivers(Tier 3 from Wed) and the rest is Dacorum which remains in Tier 2.

So the pubs in our high street stay open subject to selling scotch eggs & ones less than a mile away have to close.

Why is it "idiocy"?

If there were to be no boundaries, the whole country would have to be in the same tier. If we are to have tiers, there have to be boundaries, and inevitably situations like yours will happen.

[coxyhog]

35 minutes ago, Bazle said:

Why is it "idiocy"?

If there were to be no boundaries, the whole country would have to be in the same tier. If we are to have tiers, there have to be boundaries, and inevitably situations like yours will happen.

Very true mate

 

[coxyhog]

[Horizondave]

Interesting read in Manila Bulletin, not probably new but something positive as an initiative.

https://mb.com.ph/2020/12/11/covid-19-immunity-passport-proposals-get-dot-support/

 

Also a further press release:

14 December 2020

PRESS RELEASE

PH Immigration backs use of COVID-19 passport

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) welcomed proposals to introduce a COVID-19 passport for international travelers, saying it will speed up immigration processing at the airports and facilitate the revival of tourism and travel industry in the country.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente expressed the Bureau’s support for initiatives to create a global COVID-19 passport that, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT), would usher in the entry of more tourists as it would streamline entry procedures.

Morente said current procedures requiring arriving international travelers to be tested at the airport could pose problems to the BI in the near future as the country reopens its borders to more foreigners, especially tourists.

“The anticipated influx of more international travelers could result in longer queues and overcrowding in our immigration counters as all of these passengers should be tested at the airport before they are allowed to enter the country,” the BI chief said.

He observed that with the use of a COVID-19 passport support evidencing that a traveller was vaccinated and is free of the virus, the conduct of immigration formalities for arriving passengers would be faster and easier and people congestion at the airports would be lessened, if not avoided.

Morente also echoed the statement of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat that the COVID-19 passport would facilitate international travel with stringent health and safety measures in place as it will assure countries that visting tourists are vaccinated and COVID-free.

Earlier, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) disclosed it plans to launch a so-called IATA travel pass, which was described as a global and standardized solution to validate and authenticate country regulations on COVID-19 passenger travel requirements.

The IATA explained that the project aims to create a digital system that will enable passengers to verify that their test or vaccination meets existing COVID-19 travel regulations.

“The importance of this proposed COVID-19 passport cannot be underestimated when our country fully reopens its borders to all international travelers,” Morente said.

He added that he foresees travelers to again begin arriving in the country in droves by the second half of next year when the COVID-19 vaccine is seen to be available in the country.

"We are hopeful that trust and confidence in international travel will be, little by little, renewed," he stated.

 

 

Edited December 14, 2020 by Horizondave

[Esco]

10 hours ago, Horizondave said:

Interesting read in Manila Bulletin, not probably new but something positive as an initiative.

https://mb.com.ph/2020/12/11/covid-19-immunity-passport-proposals-get-dot-support/

 

Also a further press release:

14 December 2020

PRESS RELEASE

PH Immigration backs use of COVID-19 passport

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) welcomed proposals to introduce a COVID-19 passport for international travelers, saying it will speed up immigration processing at the airports and facilitate the revival of tourism and travel industry in the country.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente expressed the Bureau’s support for initiatives to create a global COVID-19 passport that, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT), would usher in the entry of more tourists as it would streamline entry procedures.

Morente said current procedures requiring arriving international travelers to be tested at the airport could pose problems to the BI in the near future as the country reopens its borders to more foreigners, especially tourists.

“The anticipated influx of more international travelers could result in longer queues and overcrowding in our immigration counters as all of these passengers should be tested at the airport before they are allowed to enter the country,” the BI chief said.

He observed that with the use of a COVID-19 passport support evidencing that a traveller was vaccinated and is free of the virus, the conduct of immigration formalities for arriving passengers would be faster and easier and people congestion at the airports would be lessened, if not avoided.

Morente also echoed the statement of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat that the COVID-19 passport would facilitate international travel with stringent health and safety measures in place as it will assure countries that visting tourists are vaccinated and COVID-free.

Earlier, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) disclosed it plans to launch a so-called IATA travel pass, which was described as a global and standardized solution to validate and authenticate country regulations on COVID-19 passenger travel requirements.

The IATA explained that the project aims to create a digital system that will enable passengers to verify that their test or vaccination meets existing COVID-19 travel regulations.

“The importance of this proposed COVID-19 passport cannot be underestimated when our country fully reopens its borders to all international travelers,” Morente said.

He added that he foresees travelers to again begin arriving in the country in droves by the second half of next year when the COVID-19 vaccine is seen to be available in the country.

"We are hopeful that trust and confidence in international travel will be, little by little, renewed," he stated.

 

 

How effective will your vaccine be though??

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/14/london-on-toughest-restrictions-sees-new-virus-variant

[Nightcrawler]

5 hours ago, Esco said:

How effective will your vaccine be though??

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/14/london-on-toughest-restrictions-sees-new-virus-variant

We won't know that for a while. The UK government are saying that the new strain is no more of a killer, nor is it likely to be resistant to the vaccine. I think the next 3 months is going to be crucial in the defence ot the virus

But what seems to be happening as with many viruses, is that when they are under attack, they also have a defence mechanism and mutate accordingly. Suggested in the report. We, as citizens can only hope that they are right and that the vaccine will still be affective 

 

[Murchie]

5 hours ago, Esco said:

How effective will your vaccine be though??

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/14/london-on-toughest-restrictions-sees-new-virus-variant

I just feel that these vaccines are being rushed. You simply don't do in 10 months what normally takes 10+ years.

[Horizondave]

6 hours ago, Esco said:

How effective will your vaccine be though??

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/14/london-on-toughest-restrictions-sees-new-virus-variant

From reading a bit about viruses and listening to the experts in the field it appears that all viruses mutate, it is nothing new.   The flu virus etc mutates each year or so and the vaccines don't need to change considerably to combat the change.

This is just a new virus but listening to the guys in the know yesterday it appears that they are not too concerned and expected the mutation, of course the new vaccines are going to be tested thoroughly over the next few months and they will show their worth in time.

If the guys who know all about viruses don't seem to be too concerned I won't get too wound up by listening to those who see this as the start of the new 'Walking Dead' season.

[Esco]

10 minutes ago, Horizondave said:

From reading a bit about viruses and listening to the experts in the field it appears that all viruses mutate, it is nothing new.   The flu virus etc mutates each year or so and the vaccines don't need to change considerably to combat the change.

This is just a new virus but listening to the guys in the know yesterday it appears that they are not too concerned and expected the mutation, of course the new vaccines are going to be tested thoroughly over the next few months and they will show their worth in time.

If the guys who know all about viruses don't seem to be too concerned I won't get too wound up by listening to those who see this as the start of the new 'Walking Dead' season.

Have to disagree with you there to a certain extent. 

Yes strains mutate all the time but vaccines need to change considerably to combat those mutations. 

Each year the vaccine for influenza is based on the expected strains being apparent that particular year,  predicted by those "experts", but often times they're completely wrong and your flu jab does fcuk all for that years strain(s). 

I think its safe to say their guess is only slightly better than ours mate. 

[Esco]

1 hour ago, Nightcrawler said:

We won't know that for a while. The UK government are saying that the new strain is no more of a killer, nor is it likely to be resistant to the vaccine. 

They've been saying quite a lot lately though, haven't they 😉