Yep!
Been out with the doggie today, got soaked in the sudden downpours ............ so had the dry out in the pub!
Yep!
It's an aspect I've banged on about on this forum before - my frustration with politicians when they refuse to take adequate steps to address Covid because they feel the NHS is "coping" (in their judgement). In many respects it was not "coping" before but the Covid overload has taken a massive toll. Yet all politicians can see is "not too many people waiting on trolleys" whilst ignoring those sitting at home when their condition could be treated, ignoring the staff who have been burnt out from the Covid overload, etc.Jdsk wrote: ↑1 Dec 2021, 1:17pmAnd today's NAO report: "NHS backlogs and waiting times in England":Jdsk wrote: ↑26 Nov 2021, 3:18pmI've found their press release:Jdsk wrote: ↑26 Nov 2021, 10:18am
And there's a new report from Macmillan on the effects on breast cancer, but I haven't yet found it or read it.
Guardian coverage:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... id-crisis/
https://medium.com/macmillan-press-rele ... cef3#_edn1
https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploa ... ngland.pdf
"This report looks in detail at backlogs and waiting times for elective and cancer care in the NHS in England. It explains how the current increased backlogs and waiting times have arisen, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic."
Screenshot 2021-12-01 at 13.16.18.png
Jonathan
Why wouldn't you want to wait near medical experts during the time when servere adverse reactions are most likely to show? It would help yourself and the NHS.
No, it's no longer advisory in England since yesterday. It's now law. They can't force you to wear one but officers can remove you from shops and bar you from entry. Even the exemption claim won't work if they have reason to think you're not, such as you saying "ha ha yes I'm exempt" sarcastically like I heard someone say before July, and you'd have to challenge them in court.Again it's advisory or they can request but they can't force anyone to wear a face covering!
No, it isn't.
Yes, but some people will never accept there are any levels of protection between 0 and 100%. Some of them are funded by Russians. Some are idiots. Some I don't know.Jdsk wrote: ↑1 Dec 2021, 5:54pmNo, it isn't.
Who is telling us that existing vaccines "don't work against this new strain"?
Nonpharmaceutical interventions including wearing masks reduce transmission. This isn't in conflict with or an alternative to immunisation. The beneficial effects are additive.
Firstly, the following is a report of a study on the effectiveness of masks published in the Lancet earlier this year. Please read it.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/land ... 4/fulltextSummary
Background
Face masks have become commonplace across the USA because of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic. Although evidence suggests that masks help to curb the spread of the disease, there is little empirical research at the population level. We investigate the association between self-reported mask-wearing, physical distancing, and SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the USA, along with the effect of statewide mandates on mask uptake.
Methods
Serial cross-sectional surveys were administered via a web platform to randomly surveyed US individuals aged 13 years and older, to query self-reports of face mask-wearing. Survey responses were combined with instantaneous reproductive number (Rt) estimates from two publicly available sources, the outcome of interest. Measures of physical distancing, community demographics, and other potential sources of confounding (from publicly available sources) were also assessed. We fitted multivariate logistic regression models to estimate the association between mask-wearing and community transmission control (Rt<1). Additionally, mask-wearing in 12 states was evaluated 2 weeks before and after statewide mandates.
Findings
378 207 individuals responded to the survey between June 3 and July 27, 2020, of which 4186 were excluded for missing data. We observed an increasing trend in reported mask usage across the USA, although uptake varied by geography. A logistic model controlling for physical distancing, population demographics, and other variables found that a 10% increase in self-reported mask-wearing was associated with an increased odds of transmission control (odds ratio 3·53, 95% CI 2·03–6·43). We found that communities with high reported mask-wearing and physical distancing had the highest predicted probability of transmission control. Segmented regression analysis of reported mask-wearing showed no statistically significant change in the slope after mandates were introduced; however, the upward trend in reported mask-wearing was preserved.
Interpretation
The widespread reported use of face masks combined with physical distancing increases the odds of SARS-CoV-2 transmission control. Self-reported mask-wearing increased separately from government mask mandates, suggesting that supplemental public health interventions are needed to maximise adoption and help to curb the ongoing epidemic.
My advice to you is either deregister your Facebook account and stop using it completely, or if you cannot do that then limit its use to the bare minimum to keep in touch with friends and family.Hellhound wrote: ↑1 Dec 2021, 5:43pm That is just one of many.People are losing any trust they had in what they're being told.
I'm actually really p***** off because after much thought and going against my better judgement I caved in and had the 'booster' last Friday.I now know I should have gone with my first instinct.
I waited outside for a few minutes. It was a nice day on both occasions and fresh air, with the face covering removed, seemed preferable to a sports hall. I didn't time myself while I waited, but I went when I was convinced I was feeling good. I tend to know if and when I am going to feel faint, and I didn't feel that way then. But the procedures inside the building didn't last long at all. I spent about two minutes waiting in total, the rest of the time being occupied by answering preliminary questions and having the jab.NATURAL ANKLING wrote: ↑1 Dec 2021, 10:25am Hi,What so now sitting down for 15 minutes before you walk out the door?
I suggested to the nurse given me my booster that nobody takes any notice of sitting down for 15 minutes!
She retorted oh yes they do!
Well in my experience people arrive after me and leave before me after just a few minutes when I'm sitting down after my jab.
she said car insurance companies say your insurance will be invalid if you do not wait for the 15 minutes?
It would be easy to enforce it so just give somebody a number ticket after they've had their jab and they're not allowed to leave until the number comes up which would be 15 minutes later.
Maybe in La La Land where pwa resides time travels more slowly
P.S I think I stayed for something like 14 minutes at the 25 seconds, I found it hard work but I managed it.
As yet there is no suggestion that Omicron is more dangerous than Delta. You might catch it more readily, but if you are not in a vulnerable group it will almost certainly just give you a mild illness for a few days.Tangled Metal wrote: ↑2 Dec 2021, 7:19am Oh I wish I was allowed to take the booster now. The city I work in and travel to by train has had an omicron case confirmed. I think the hospital will be full by Xmas. Seriously thinking of taking my 7 days holiday to finish early to hide away, not carry them over to 2022.
The problem is that a more transmissible variant will kill more people than a more deadly one.pwa wrote: ↑3 Dec 2021, 5:26amAs yet there is no suggestion that Omicron is more dangerous than Delta. You might catch it more readily, but if you are not in a vulnerable group it will almost certainly just give you a mild illness for a few days.Tangled Metal wrote: ↑2 Dec 2021, 7:19am Oh I wish I was allowed to take the booster now. The city I work in and travel to by train has had an omicron case confirmed. I think the hospital will be full by Xmas. Seriously thinking of taking my 7 days holiday to finish early to hide away, not carry them over to 2022.
I'd be wary of suggesting "almost certainly". I've read reports of a possible genetic reason why some without vulnerabilities fall seriously ill. It's still technically rare, but you've more chance of having that genetic pattern than winning the lottery.pwa wrote: ↑3 Dec 2021, 5:26amAs yet there is no suggestion that Omicron is more dangerous than Delta. You might catch it more readily, but if you are not in a vulnerable group it will almost certainly just give you a mild illness for a few days.Tangled Metal wrote: ↑2 Dec 2021, 7:19am Oh I wish I was allowed to take the booster now. The city I work in and travel to by train has had an omicron case confirmed. I think the hospital will be full by Xmas. Seriously thinking of taking my 7 days holiday to finish early to hide away, not carry them over to 2022.