Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[peteblue]

The problem, in my opinion , is that they didn't need to make this announcement yet mate. We know there is a link but we don't know what that link is yet. The vast majority of cases are in women and a lot of those are over 30. So why all under 30s, and why announce it now when the majority of under 30s won't be getting vaccinated for another couple of months at least. They've only been looking at these cases for about a month. Another couple of months would enable the scientists to drill down more accurately and hopefully come up with a specific grouping based on proper data, rather than pick out a whole demographic.

They have undermined the confidence in the vaccine now when previously it was high. Do you not think older people in their 30s and 40s will not start to question it, and what about all the under 30s health and care workers who have already had their first jab?

It's a mess and there was absolutely no need.

I didn’t have a problem with the timing of the announcement, it does of course show that the regulator is on the ball and keeping an eye on this, but it was a too sombre tone which the government will now have to work hard to ensure confidence remains high....

 

[Barnfred 55]

After that bombshell, a bit more good news. The number of infections yesterday is again below 2800, the 4th day on the trot, and it's now a whole week below 4000. The National rate per 100K is down to 39.

We should by now have been seeing the effects of kids going back to school a month ago, and rather than a big spike that certain people were projecting (mention no names) the infection rates have actually halved.

 

[peteblue]

After that bombshell, a bit more good news. The number of infections yesterday is again below 2800, the 4th day on the trot, and it's now a whole week below 4000. The National rate per 100K is down to 39.

We should by now have been seeing the effects of kids going back to school a month ago, and rather than a big spike that certain people were projecting (mention no names) the infection rates have actually halved.

Yep, I think the school return had everyone keeping an eye on the numbers, but as you say, nothing.....

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Won't they just.

Surely he must have known how this would be received. What I can't get my head around is why make this announcement now, when most 30yos won't be getting their vaccination for another couple of months.

Transparency? If people are dying as a result of the vaccine, even if in small numbers, then that needs investigating and the government needs to be transparent about it.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Of course there was a need. It's dishonest not to. So only 7 people we know about have died from this blood clot issue. That's 7 people that could well have survived Covid itself.

WTF are you on about. Where have I said we should be trying to hide the deaths.? I've done about half a dozen posts today agreeing there is a link between AZ and the blood clots and that they need investigating to find out exactly what that link is.

What I'm angry about is an announcement today that under 30s will not be given the AZ vaccine. Firstly, why all under 30s when the vast majority of cases have been women and many of those over 30. Secondly, why announce it now when most of our under 30s will not be getting vaccinated for at least 2 months. In that 2 months the scientists could very easily have identified the cause of the link and with that a specific group who are at higher risk. At the moment we don't know.

The whole episode has, IMO, undermined confidence in the vaccine which is 99.99% safe

 

[peteblue]

Transparency? If people are dying as a result of the vaccine, even if in small numbers, then that needs investigating and the government needs to be transparent about it.

This really. They all did the right thing, but Van Tam put everyone on edge with his opening comments....Scientists are wonderfully clever people but really must think about their audience before they speak....

 

[Barnfred 55]

To maintain confidence in the upper ages.
Allow the programme to carry on.

One cohort needs to be highlighted. Let it be the ones who are months away from vaccination

So all the under 30s health and care workers waiting on their second jabs. And all those in their 30s and early 40s, especially the women who seems to be the ones suffering most of the rare clotting cases. Basically most of those still to be vaccinated.

 

[Mrk]

Transparency? If people are dying as a result of the vaccine, even if in small numbers, then that needs investigating and the government needs to be transparent about it.

One million percent this. I don’t care how politically inconvenient it is or how damaging it could be to confidence in this vaccine - we need to be guided by the science every step of the way.

If Boris had control over this, that press conference would not have happened. He’d have made the political judgment that the risk is so small, it isn’t worth denting confidence in the vaccine. But, as we’ve seen here and in most other countries, politicians are a bit crap.

 

[Moomin]

It's hilarious how when they're delivering bad news they pack all the union flags safely away.

It's a Swedish company now.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Transparency? If people are dying as a result of the vaccine, even if in small numbers, then that needs investigating and the government needs to be transparent about it.

And I've said there is a link between rare blood clots and the AZ vaccine in about half a dozen posts today and yesterday Bruce. Even before this announcement was made.

But there is a difference between acknowledging a link and investigating it, and announcing that a whole demographic of the population will not be given the vaccine, when there is no evidence to validate that decision. For the umpteenth time, 90% of the cases were women, and many, if not most of those women were over the age of 30.

 

[Billy Dean]

So all the under 30s health and care workers waiting on their second jabs. And all those in their 30s and early 40s, especially the women who seems to be the ones suffering most of the rare clotting cases. Basically most of those still to be vaccinated.

I think they’re advising those who have had first jab to go ahead with second.

 

[Mutzo Nutzo]

I dont accept that.

This is now detached from any debate over distribution of vaccines and contracts thereof.

*shakes head

 

[Moomin]

You’d think they’d just admitted to accidentally injecting everybody with bleach by the way some people are reacting.

This is one of the unfortunate consequences of having independent regulatory authorities - they don’t do PR, they don’t do shiny press conferences, they don’t do patriotic chest-beating for the media. They’re scientists. The alternative is having Boris telling them not to do what they think is right because he doesn’t want people to lose confidence in the vaccine. Who actually wants that?!

We either want that independence or we don’t. I know I certainly do.

Best to be upfront and honest instead of brushing it under the carpet.

I listened to it on the Radio and had no issue with it.

I'm 42 next week and i will be quite happy to have the AZ vaccine when offered.

 

[Neiler]

Seems the clever play, they’ve obviously found some evidence they or don’t like or data has emerged internationally.

30 seems a bit random, given anyone else whose done this has a threshold of 55-60. I suppose the U.K. may have vaccinated down to about 40-50at this stage given the one dose strategy.

The U.K. has a big second dose debt to meet anyway, so just use the AZ stock for that.

In the meantime, use the Pfizer, for the younger cohort and in time the U.K. may have approved J&J and Novavax, for the younger cohort.

As I always say many twits and turns in this and more to come, you need to flexible and adaptable.

 

[LocalNative]

79 reports of blood clots out of 20 million doses given.
People need to remember that.

And 19 deaths....

If changing the vaccine saves these lives then I don't see what the problem is. Would rather they do this and acknowledge the issue rather than hide it away.