Oops, our bad, children probably are driving the pandemic

[Mince]

Perhaps places such as Taiwan and Australia (where Melbourne was under lockdown for 112 days) listened better and had a better plan. They also probably would not have tolerated a Cheltenham festival. I don't know and I dare say it's all more complicated than I am making it out to be. But the truth is that much could have been done that was not. Now we'll never know.

NHS data analysts Edge Health have calculated the impact of the Cheltenham festival, along with the two big football matches played in Manchester and Liverpool that same week, and found that together they caused over 100 deaths, 500 hospitalisations and 17,000 infections.

[Roger Kettle]

The Cheltenham Festival and the football matches you mention should never have gone ahead. However, like all the information we get today, the figures that the NHS data analysts have "calculated" should not be taken as concrete. There was no lockdown at the time. What if the hundreds of thousands of spectators involved had spread around the country, going about their normal business? Would the infections and deaths have been higher/lower/the same? Who knows? It's a bit bold to state categorically that these events cost over a hundred lives and 17,000 infections.
Incidentally, my wife and I had our first jabs yesterday. I certainly didn't feel great today but my wife had nausea, headaches, exhaustion and kept going back to bed. (This is unheard of from my good lady who regards any form of feeling unwell as an insult). I trust it will be worthwhile in the end!

[Diane CBPFC]

Hope you and your wife are feeling better now Roger?

Things improved here on the vaccine front, those 75+ have been able to get them for several weeks and will be getting the second dose as recommended by the manufacturer. (We had been told that seniors would need to wait until September!)

People in my age group (50-64) can book this week and next week for the Astra-Zenica or chose to wait for a more effective brand in May with the general population. Either way our group and the general population group will have to wait 4 months for the second shot.

I'm going to book the early one as 60% protection is better than nothing. 

[Roger Kettle]

Yes, feeling fine now, Diane. My wife's more severe symptoms lasted just over a day.
The 60% protection you mention for the Astra-Zenica vaccine seems a bit low to me. I'm pretty sure that, over here, they talk about at least 80%. Anyway, good luck!

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

The 60% protection you mention for the Astra-Zenica vaccine seems a bit low to me. I'm pretty sure that, over here, they talk about at least 80%. Anyway, good luck!

Most figures quoted seem to place Astra-Zenica as slightly more effective than Pfizer, although both are highly effective even with the single dose at the moment, with one recent report from AZ hailing their vaccine overall as being 100% effective at avoiding death, or even hospitalisation from Covid. That's more than good enough for me! I think you've made the right choice, Diane.

https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2021/covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca-confirms-protection-against-severe-disease-hospitalisation-and-death-in-the-primary-analysis-of-phase-iii-trials.html

I had my first dose yesterday, so now I'm virtually indestructible (well, in a couple of weeks anyway) and have ordered my Spandex 'Pfizer-Man' (for Pfizer it was) costume to be ready for the second dose. Minor headache, and fatigue for a while yesterday afternoon (I've had worse of both through normal living), and my arm aches a little today, but no worse than I routinely get from the flu vaccine. An excellent trade off for my new superpowers in my view!

[Diane CBPFC]

Thanks for that, even at 60% it is still worth doing but I will hope it is higher as you both state.

[Max]

I had the Astra Zeneca injection on Feb 6th, so I should have a decent degree of protection by now.
I believe it gives 60 % but much less against mutant strains.
The good thing is that even if you do get Covid there's far less chance of it killing you.
Wondering though if you can mix and match the vaccines and have another type on the second injection.

Keep well everyone.


Max

[Diane CBPFC]

I would like to know that too Max.

This new Johnson & Johnson with the dead virus and only needing one shot sounds the best for distribution; I imagine it will be part of our flu shots a year from now.