Coronavirus outbreak

[Flick of the Elbow]

Supermarket shortages now being reported in Scotland, all thanks to the ludricous ‘freedom’ policy being followed by England

 

[Mo1959]

Supermarket shortages now being reported in Scotland, all thanks to the ludricous ‘freedom’ policy being followed by England

Our supermarket has been low on lots of things with bare shelves for nearly two weeks now. Seems to be mostly shortage of delivery drivers at fault I think.

 

[KnittyNorah]

When a woman not wearing a mask yesterday came and sat directly opposite me, facing me less than a metre away, on an seat that had until Monday been taped off as 'not available for use,' and on an otherwise-entirely empty bus, I immediately got up, moved away and sat down elsewhere. She challenged me as being 'frit' and I replied that far from being 'frit' I was merely expressing my preference for not sitting adjacent to total strangers who displayed bad manners and inappropriate proximity. The driver gave me a wink and a thumbs up, and when the rude specimen had got off, said that he would've loved to have said what I'd said but they weren't allowed to. He does have a thoroughly perspex-partitioned 'cubicle' and he said most people are still using contactless payment methods and masking.

 

[lane]

Well done. Don't think I would have been quite so polite.

 

[KnittyNorah]

Well done. Don't think I would have been quite so polite.

I'm fairly sure an impolite reaction was the reaction she wanted, expected and was prepared for. I wasn't going to let her have the satisfaction of what she wanted; instead I think/hope I annoyed her because she didn't entirely understand what I had said, so she didn't know how to react!

 

[Johnno260]

I'm fairly sure an impolite reaction was the reaction she wanted, expected and was prepared for. I wasn't going to let her have the satisfaction of what she wanted; instead I think/hope I annoyed her because she didn't entirely understand what I had said, so she didn't know how to react!

I find the ones like that are looking for a reaction, being polite about it throws them off their game.

 

[KnittyNorah]

I find the ones like that are looking for a reaction, being polite about it throws them off their game.

Yes - and what these morons forget is that we maskers have the advantage in detecting and judging the expression on their naked face. She probably just took note of my grey hair and walking stick - my face was completely hidden by mask and sunglasses - and thought I'd be an easy target. She neither looked nor sounded as if she was the sharpest knife in the cutlery drawer, tbf - and the expression on her face at my response was evidence of her puzzlement.

 

[fossyant]

Aldi and Iceland have been stocked fine, and most customers still wearing masks.

Spotted one of the customers was bob the builder's wife (neighbour) and she wasn't wearing a mask (no surprise) and she was on her own and parked in the parent and child spot - one of these 'I do what I like' - both are a PITA on our street. she's obviously immune with 7 kids in the house (two have left).

 

[icowden]

Spotted one of the customers was bob the builder's wife (neighbour) and she wasn't wearing a mask (no surprise) and she was on her own and parked in the parent and child spot - one of these 'I do what I like' - both are a PITA on our street. she's obviously immune with 7 kids in the house (two have left).

Not wearing a mask does rather single you out as being a certain type of person IMHO. It's not a good look.

 

[fossyant]

Not wearing a mask does rather single you out as being a certain type of person IMHO. It's not a good look.

I was quite surprised how many are still wearing them. Ideal in crowded areas.

Most shop staff are wearing them, and they are the ones who need looking after.

 

[icowden]

A first dose of any vaccine will not give you 76% effectiveness against infection: more like 32%. But the second dose (14 days after) lifts that to 80+% right enough.

Well Astrazeneca beg to differ.

https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-c...the-primary-analysis-of-phase-iii-trials.html

The primary analysis of the Phase III clinical trials from the UK, Brazil and South Africa, published as a preprint in The Lancet confirmed COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is safe and effective at preventing COVID-19, with no severe cases and no hospitalisations, more than 22 days after the first dose.

Results demonstrated vaccine efficacy of 76% (CI: 59% to 86%) after a first dose, with protection maintained to the second dose. With an inter-dose interval of 12 weeks or more, vaccine efficacy increased to 82% (CI: 63%, 92%).

 

[oldwheels]

Aldi and Iceland have been stocked fine, and most customers still wearing masks.

Spotted one of the customers was bob the builder's wife (neighbour) and she wasn't wearing a mask (no surprise) and she was on her own and parked in the parent and child spot - one of these 'I do what I like' - both are a PITA on our street. she's obviously immune with 7 kids in the house (two have left).

I am told that some park in these spots to have more so that room that their precious car is less likely to be hit by somebody opening a car door carelessly. That has certainly happened to me and the perpetrator denied it.
I have a blue badge so I have more space anyway tho' I don't really need the space, just the proximity to the supermarket doorway.

 

[mjr]

Well Astrazeneca beg to differ.

https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-c...the-primary-analysis-of-phase-iii-trials.html

Hi @icowden - I can't see the vaccine effectiveness in that analysis. Only the efficacy, which is usually higher. Can you tell me what link I'm failing to click or whatever, please?

Difference between efficacy and effectiveness explained at https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/what-difference-between-efficacy-and-effectiveness

 

[mjr]

To wear a mask for long periods (or the same mask previously worn on the same day, maybe several times per day) has the obvious negative of you forming a bacteria trap right in front of your breathing-in organs. The moisture from your expelled breath will be absorbed by the fabric or the filling of the mask and this now being moist, will act as a trap for someone else's expelled bacteria, particularly from those going bare-faced.

Is that an "obvious negative" or something that sounds scary but isn't? After all, there are over a hundred types of bacteria inside a typical adult mouth already.

It sounds rather similar to the "Mask wearing causes bacterial pneumonia" myth from earlier in the pandemic, debunked at https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/...e-masks-cause-bacterial-pneumonia/4574295001/ among others.

And if someone is wearing masks for long periods each day, they maybe should look for other ways to reduce the risks, assuming that they are wearing them from need. Most people should probably still aim to avoid crowded, indoor, unventilated spaces as much as they can. So that leaves people like shop and factory workers who probably need whatever help they can get to increase ventilation or reduce crowding, as well as us shoppers and visitors to cover our mouths and noses while in their workspaces.

It's obvious that there are those who agree wholeheartedly with wearing and those equally adamant they shouldn't wear. It's foolish of those in authority to say 'you don't have to wear masks, but it's better if you do' because that won't be listened to by the anti-maskers. So the only way it will work is if it becomes mandatory and punishable by fines for those who refuse.

I agree: totally foolish; and moreover, neglecting their duty to people who have to work in places like shops and factories.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Well Astrazeneca beg to differ.
https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-c...the-primary-analysis-of-phase-iii-trials.html

Think you need to do a bit better than a Feb 2021 Astra Zeneca press release based on the Phase 3 RCT trials Jul-Oct 2020 which offered estimates of efficacy, not effectiveness. And that was against the original 2020 'variant'. I'm afraid the vaccine has less effectiveness (still good) versus 'Alpha' and still less against Delta.
Here's a table of the SPI-M central scenario assumptions, which will be as accurate as they could make them and reflect central estimate reality. Personally I prefer the Warwick modelling and their figures: 34% and 82% against symptomatic infection. This is one reason why emphasis was placed on getting second jabs done: it offered a better dividend: 48% more (82-34) as opposed to a first dose benefit (to the population) of 34%.

https://assets.publishing.service.g...3510/S1287_SPI-M-O_Summary_Roadmap_step_4.pdf