Coronavirus - how is it/has it affected you?

[GreiginFife]

The decisions made by the Govt expedited the spread of the Delta variant but like you say, it was going to get here anyway as will any future variant, there is nothing you can do to stop them bar completely closing borders and even then it would be difficult as some travel is still needed.

Important thing in this is that we don't actually know where the variants began, we only know where they were first discovered. There is nothing to say that it didn't start here anyway. There's just too many unknowns to say what measures would work and which wouldn't IMO.

 

[Beedee]

Apparently the lambda variant is now in the UK though I’m not quite sure where my brother got this information.

From www.gov.uk
"A further variant, Lambda (C.37) has been designated as a Variant Under Investigation (VUI) on 23 June due to international expansion and several notable mutations including L452Q and F490S. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified Lambda as a Variant of Interest on 14 June."

 

[ColchesterFC]

Worst part of it is that I got a negative PCR test yesterday, flew out this morning and am now feeling terrible with cold/flu symptoms. Started with a slightly scratchy throat at lunchtime and progressed from there. Been alternately dosing myself up on paracetamol and ibuprofen all day and two litres of orange juice to try and knock it on the head. If I'm no better in the morning will be forced to have an interesting conversation with my agency.

Still feeling rough this morning so gave the field office a miss and went out and bought a rapid antigen test which has come back negative. Can't risk going in to the field office and passing this on to anyone else as we will have survey vessels standing by while others get tested, costing the client/contractor thousands per day. Have spoken to my agency who are now booking me in for a PCR test to confirm the rapid test result. I guess I'll be stuck looking at the four walls of my hotel room for a few days while waiting for the result and for symptoms to go. At least I'll be getting paid to surf the internet and watch TV.

 

[Beezerk]

Still feeling rough this morning so gave the field office a miss and went out and bought a rapid antigen test which has come back negative. Can't risk going in to the field office and passing this on to anyone else as we will have survey vessels standing by while others get tested, costing the client/contractor thousands per day. Have spoken to my agency who are now booking me in for a PCR test to confirm the rapid test result. I guess I'll be stuck looking at the four walls of my hotel room for a few days while waiting for the result and for symptoms to go. At least I'll be getting paid to surf the internet and watch TV.

Best of luck with it ?
Mate of mine, a sports coach, has been working from home for the last 18 months. He's a massive football fan, been in the fan zones for every England game. His missus and two kids tested positive the other day, he's tested negative.
Oh and he had a ticket for the final on Sunday ?

 

[SaintHacker]

Interesting interview on the radio yesterday with the two ladies who headed the AZ vaccine production. When asked abouy variants she likened it to baking a cake, with the base vaccine being the sponge of the cake, when a new variant emerges she said they just have to redo the icing a bit, thougjt it was a good analogy for those of us not of a scientific background. They are bringing out a book about their work over the pandemic which I shall look forward to reading.

 

[Ethan]

Interesting interview on the radio yesterday with the two ladies who headed the AZ vaccine production. When asked abouy variants she likened it to baking a cake, with the base vaccine being the sponge of the cake, when a new variant emerges she said they just have to redo the icing a bit, thougjt it was a good analogy for those of us not of a scientific background. They are bringing out a book about their work over the pandemic which I shall look forward to reading.

Altering the genetic sequence is relatively straightforward for the AZ and mRNA vaccines, and FDA and EMA have both indicated that, like flu vaccines, full trial programmes will not be required for approval. There is a debate going on about the value of boosters with the same sequence as the current vaccines, but boosters with updated sequences which will extend and broaden the immunity seem like a good idea.

 

[ColchesterFC]

Altering the genetic sequence is relatively straightforward for the AZ and mRNA vaccines, and FDA and EMA have both indicated that, like flu vaccines, full trial programmes will not be required for approval. There is a debate going on about the value of boosters with the same sequence as the current vaccines, but boosters with updated sequences which will extend and broaden the immunity seem like a good idea.

Or a booster from a different vaccine to the one you were originally given?

 

[Ethan]

Or a booster from a different vaccine to the one you were originally given?

Yes, possibly, depends a bit what you had previously. More benefit for AZ recipients to get Pfizer booster than the converse. Role of new vaccines such as Novavax as yet unclear.

 

[Beedee]

Yes, possibly, depends a bit what you had previously. More benefit for AZ recipients to get Pfizer booster than the converse. Role of new vaccines such as Novavax as yet unclear.

I've a feeling the boosters will be AZ. We ordered shedloads and can't give it to the under 40s, so if we're mostly boosting the over 50's it'll fit nicely.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Why doesn’t he take work outside his sector ? Millions have moved away from their line of work to get jobs in many other areas so that they don’t have to rely on benefits or any other form of government handouts

If your son is unwilling to venture outside his sector as you say then I’m not sure what else is expected. Im guessing he is a grown man but coming on here every day to complain and moan about his circumstances will start to get a bit tiring for everyone - especially when it seems that you want it all to fall into his lap

Look - he and others want to work in their sector as it is their life…their passion. They have jobs but no work - but it will return. They are going to have to take a risk with the delta variant - and most will. But we should not have reached this point where the economy and the nation’s finances demand everything is opened up when a variant is rampant and many are not properly protected from it. And we need not have abandoned all measures that reduce transmission in indoor settings.

If it were not for the delta variant then this issue and risk would most probably not be with us - but it is and we know where responsibility lies yet denial is rife and those impacted are told to get over it or go somewhere else. Yup that’s the compassion and understanding I might expect from some.

He will take a risk; he is desperate to work; we require many like him to take a risk with their health so that we can start to do the things we want to do, the things that economic recovery requires of us.

So please - just accept that there are many 100s of thousands of young people out there who are going to be exposing themselves to a health risk we do not yet understand, and because of that many others will be worried for them.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

And yet only 10 days ago, you said "I would stick with 19th and lift restrictions and requirements. The chaos around schools, events and hospitality is unsustainable and so we might as well just get on with living with the virus. And that is a change from my previous risk-averse thinking. I think the impact of the current risk arising from virus is not worth the mitigations - they are a cost too far for the many individuals and business that have been seriously impacted by the lockdowns and restrictions. "

Now that it's happened just as you described, you are still unhappy. It's starting to look like you are just a serial moaner that will never be happy, either that or you're just at the wind-up. The industry is being opened up just like you (originally) wanted and "your lad" has the option of taking the work that he has been so desperate for or he doesn't. If he doesn't it may appear that he wasn't that desperate after all.

I will repeat. We are pleased that the sector can reopen from the 19th and that work is available - but that does not mean we should not be worried for our sons health given the health risk he is exposed to. A risk that could and should have been avoided.

 

[Ethan]

I've a feeling the boosters will be AZ. We ordered shedloads and can't give it to the under 40s, so if we're mostly boosting the over 50's it'll fit nicely.

We have ordered shedloads of Novavax too, 100m, I think, although it is not yet approved. The Novavax has the advantage that it is a slightly different type of vaccine again, so may offer some of this 'mixing is good' benefit to prior recipients of both AZ and Pfizer.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I will repeat. We are pleased that the sector can reopen from the 19th and that work is available - but that does not mean we should not be worried for our sons health given the health risk he is exposed to. A risk that could and should have been avoided.

Take a step back - yes you are worried for your son , but you don’t need to say it every single day and flood the same thread with the same thing every single day , yes we know that you don’t like the way everything is handled but it’s being repeatative now and a lot of “woe is me”

We would all love to have life normal and to have no risk in life but there is always risk , even if your son gets Covid the risk is very very small , but even then they are now doing walk in vaccines for all ages

Either way your posts just read as wanting everything to be perfect - they aren’t , you can’t keep going on about your son being on UC when it’s his choice to not look for work elsewhere and to wait for things to be normal

We are all worried for people during any time , there are a lot of vunerable people out there , if you are that worried you need to say it every day then speak to him or speak to someone to relax your worries

 

[GreiginFife]

I will repeat. We are pleased that the sector can reopen from the 19th and that work is available - but that does not mean we should not be worried for our sons health given the health risk he is exposed to. A risk that could and should have been avoided.

It can be avoided, but delaying the opening.

But with your plan of open up and learn to live with the virus, what could or shoud have been done?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If you recall the discussion re masks, and why they are no longer going to be legally required, I made the point that it was now having the "lawfully required " part removed to avoid the impractical and chaotic situation that would ensue when gigs etc, like the one you are describing here ,occur and some stirrer demands of the Police why they are not prosecuting those not wearing masks! In this case, hundreds!
YOU dismissed my point saying the gig organisers would/could make masks a condition of entry!
Now you see the reality.
The facts are that all who want to be protected by the first dose, can be,- and that is reasonably high protection-plus young people will likely not need hospital.
It has been decided , IMO, therefore that those lesser risks do not justify holding back the recovery of the economy any longer. Hence the present scenario.

Sounds like many in the sector have decided that making masks a precondition of entry just won’t work…as from the 19th there are no requirements set out to wear a mask indoors and the likelihood of conflict and aggravation at the door is too high. What is likely to be required for entry will be a negative LF test.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

It can be avoided, but delaying the opening.

But with your plan of open up and learn to live with the virus, what could or shoud have been done?

where we are today I honestly don’t know. Mandating masks to be worn indoors might have helped…getting those working in the sector vaccinated as soon as possible given the gap between doses that is required would help.

Most obvious would be delay opening until most under 30s are double-dosed and meanwhile give proper targetted financial support to the venues and those individuals impacted by this delay - support that has not so far been provided. But that won’t happen given Sunak is cutting furlough payments and pulling the £20/week UC uplift so we know where his focus now sits.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Take a step back - yes you are worried for your son , but you don’t need to say it every single day and flood the same thread with the same thing every single day , yes we know that you don’t like the way everything is handled but it’s being repeatative now and a lot of “woe is me”

We would all love to have life normal and to have no risk in life but there is always risk , even if your son gets Covid the risk is very very small , but even then they are now doing walk in vaccines for all ages

Either way your posts just read as wanting everything to be perfect - they aren’t , you can’t keep going on about your son being on UC when it’s his choice to not look for work elsewhere and to wait for things to be normal

We are all worried for people during any time , there are a lot of vunerable people out there , if you are that worried you need to say it every day then speak to him or speak to someone to relax your worries

I get it. I do. But my words of reassurance that it is how it is and that serious consequences are unlikely are not taken well by my wife. I can try and explain that the real risk is low, but to my wife such words are hollow given her concerns and worries. And that is in fact all I am expressing…worry.

 

[drdel]

I get it. I do. But my words of reassurance that it is how it is and that serious consequences are unlikely are not taken well by my wife. I can try and explain that the real risk is low, but to my wife such words are hollow given her concerns and worries. And that is in fact all I am expressing…worry.

You said earlier "... it his is his life and passion...".

The majority of the working population are not in their ideal jobs for all sorts of practical responsibilities.

If he is causing you and you wife stress I'm tempted to be rude and say that under the circumstances caused by a worldwide pandemic, he is being selfish and needs a lesson in real world responsible living. IMHO.

 

[larmen]

Wouldn’t a potential booster be a slightly altered vaccine rather than left overs? New icing, to pick up on the analogies posted earlier today?

 

[GreiginFife]

where we are today I honestly don’t know. Mandating masks to be worn indoors might have helped…getting those working in the sector vaccinated as soon as possible given the gap between doses that is required would help.

Most obvious would be delay opening until most under 30s are double-dosed and meanwhile give proper targetted financial support to the venues and those individuals impacted by this delay - support that has not so far been provided. But that won’t happen given Sunak is cutting furlough payments and pulling the £20/week UC uplift so we know where his focus now sits.

As I suspected, serial moaner. You were clear not but 10 days ago that you would lift restrictions and open up because it's been hard for your widdle boy. Now it's opening up you find a new moan but disguise it as "concern" it always seems to be "concern" and not an actual moan.

Life's been tough for many, I lost my job last year thanks to Covid and had to use my savings (as I was sensible enough to put money aside) as I didn't qualify for either support (as my contactor status precluded me) or UC (because I had savings, which I now don't). But I went and got another job. Was it what I wanted to be doing? No. Not by a stretch, but you know what? But it provided for my family and got me by until I could find work in my preferred industry.

There's absolutely no point in debating this further with you as it's never going to change your approach or your veiled political digs (but we can't mention that can we?). But rest assured many of us have been impacted severely by this pandemic but some of us choose to do something about it.