Coronavirus outbreak

[midlife]

Our Hospital are stopping distributing the Innova LFT's from our own stores and making us go to outside NHS sources. They have told us that they will still continue to be free likewise PCR.

 

[mjr]

I heard £4 a pack of 7 LFTs.

All I found so far is this: "The Government will therefore continue to provide the public with access to free lateral flow tests in the coming months. People may wish to use regular rapid testing to help manage periods of risk such as after close contact with others in a higher risk environment, or before spending prolonged time with a more vulnerable person. At a later stage, as the Government’s response to the virus changes, universal free provision of LFDs will end, and individuals and businesses using the tests will bear the cost."

COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan 2021 - GOV.UK – https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...covid-19-response-autumn-and-winter-plan-2021

Bonkers.

 

[mjr]

France TV think they have case numbers in decline and can look at more relaxations of rules. I wonder how this ties up with the UV/summer/autumn theory?

Interesting to see how different it is to the UK (from coronavirus.data.gov.uk):

 

[Ajax Bay]

@gzoom said (on the anti-vaxxer thread) dragging it across here.
"Had my first booster/third dosage today. Am not entirely sure how/why any one still wouldn't want the vaccine.
"Having spent the best part of Jan-March this year watching pretty helplessness people I the pleasure to look after pass away from COVID, the vaccines have made a massive difference to outcomes.
"A few weekends ago I gave Tocilizumab to three people whom had been vaccinated but still got COVID, followed by conversations with ITU and their respective families. Amazingly all of them pulled through without the need for ITU (unlike in Jan-March).
"Its looking like the virus is almost certainly going to stay, but if the vaccine becomes rolled into one with the Flu jab than life can carry on as normal to a large degree.
"I've some how have made this long without even needing a PCR COVID test despite almost 100% certain exposure to the virus in reasonable concentrations during the last 18 months. I *might* an asymptomatic carrier, or just not be affected badly, but I've seen enough of what this virus can do to the unvaccinated, and I'll happily have as many booster jabs from any company at any interval for the foresable future."

 

[KnittyNorah]

@gzoom said (on the anti-vaxxer thread) dragging it across here.
"Had my first booster/third dosage today. Am not entirely sure how/why any one still wouldn't want the vaccine.
"Having spent the best part of Jan-March this year watching pretty helplessness people I the pleasure to look after pass away from COVID, the vaccines have made a massive difference to outcomes.
"A few weekends ago I gave Tocilizumab to three people whom had been vaccinated but still got COVID, followed by conversations with ITU and their respective families. Amazingly all of them pulled through without the need for ITU (unlike in Jan-March).
"Its looking like the virus is almost certainly going to stay, but if the vaccine becomes rolled into one with the Flu jab than life can carry on as normal to a large degree.
"I've some how have made this long without even needing a PCR COVID test despite almost 100% certain exposure to the virus in reasonable concentrations during the last 18 months. I *might* an asymptomatic carrier, or just not be affected badly, but I've seen enough of what this virus can do to the unvaccinated, and I'll happily have as many booster jabs from any company at any interval for the foresable future."

Yep - agree entirely with his post. I'm going to get my flu jab this week at a local pharmacy and am waiting eagerly for my C-19 booster call-up - won't be until next month at the earliest according to the timings I've read.

 

[Johnno260]

I can’t see why the vaccines can’t be celebrated for the marvel of modern medicine they are, the time and effort put into them to bring them to the public in the timeframes involved is a testament to modern medicine.

I just assume the anti vax are anti science in general.

 

[Deleted User]

I just assume the anti vax are anti science in general.

They're Morons, that's what they are.

 

[icowden]

Agreed. I have to say that this one baffles me:-

https://nursingnotes.co.uk/news/unvaccinated-frontline-nhs-staff-to-be-redeployed/

“There are however, serious concerns around mandating vaccines. Like the wider population, health and care staff are a diverse group and there are both physical and societal barriers for some on the take up for the vaccine.

“The RCN do not support staff being made or coerced into having the vaccine.

“Staff vaccination should not be used as part of staff contracts, it should not be a condition of employment or part of employment contracts, linked to terms and conditions of employment or to pay.

“The RCN do not believe that this approach is effective in improving uptake of vaccination in staff.”

If you are a Registered Nurse, and don't believe that vaccinations work, how are you able to be a Registered Nurse? Either you believe in medicine and want to treat people (including yourself), or you don't.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Anti vax protesters up here at a Bathgate vaccination centre . Massive queues now on the M8 , I’m guessing it might be too do with the 12-15 yr olds now being eligible ?
Either way still fuds .

 

[KnittyNorah]

Agreed. I have to say that this one baffles me:-
https://nursingnotes.co.uk/news/unvaccinated-frontline-nhs-staff-to-be-redeployed/
If you are a Registered Nurse, and don't believe that vaccinations work, how are you able to be a Registered Nurse? Either you believe in medicine and want to treat people (including yourself), or you don't.

That it's not quite as simple as it might appear. Of course there are weirdos in nursing, just as there are in any profession, but I'm not talking about those.

There may well be 'reasons' - not reasons you or I might consider valid, but valid reasons nonetheless - for some healthcare staff to refuse to accept vaccines with certain specific components. This is often, although not always, faith based.
Leaders of the major faith 'systems' have made pronouncements and decisions on most current vaccines and medications, stating their acceptability (or otherwise) and giving their reasons for doing so.
AFAIK, current C-19 vaccinations available in this country are all acceptable wrt foetal cell lines, porcine and bovine products, which are the major stumbling blocks in acceptability to the RC, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu populations. HOWEVER not all factions of all faiths are 'covered' by what the 'normal' top man (and it is always a man, still!) says, and in addition I can see where strict vegetarians and, especially, vegans, might have uncertainty about the vaccine's acceptability for themselves.
Further to that, there will be health professionals who for various legitimate reasons cannot physically have the jab.

So, someone can be a perfectly competent and caring nurse (or physio, phlebotomist, radiographer etc etc) but be opposed to the use of a vaccination developed with the use of eg foetal cell lines on themselves. I'm sure it's not an easy decision to make (to refuse it on the grounds of faith/principle etc) as it will inevitably affect one's entire career - but it shouldn't be an easy decision to make, and it needs to have consequences.

Many years ago I was in a similar, though not entirely comparable, position, in that I needed to show a positive rubella titre before I could start work on a research project. I'd not had German Measles as a child but it had always been assumed that I'd had a subclinical case. Testing showed no antibody titre. FOUR (or was it five?) vaccinations for rubella later, I still showed no titre and my research position was rescinded through no fault of anyone. I took a different path and it actually turned out more interesting ...
ETA the concern was not about me catching rubella, but about my ability to pass rubella on to the often- or possibly-pregnant women I'd be working with, and thus badly damage an unborn baby.

 

[icowden]

That it's not quite as simple as it might appear. Of course there are weirdos in nursing, just as there are in any profession, but I'm not talking about those.
Further to that, there will be health professionals who for various legitimate reasons cannot physically have the jab.

I get that there are some people who for health reasons cannot have the immunisation. Most faiths have "exceptions" for medical emergencies (even Islam). I don't agree that faith should come before science. If you work in a scientific profession treating patients, then whichever cloud dwelling super being you like to believe in takes second place.

 

[KnittyNorah]

I get that there are some people who for health reasons cannot have the immunisation. Most faiths have "exceptions" for medical emergencies (even Islam). I don't agree that faith should come before science. If you work in a scientific profession treating patients, then whichever cloud dwelling super being you like to believe in takes second place.

It's not just emergencies there are exceptions for - for example, many porcine 'products' are considered perfectly acceptable and 'halal' in Islam, when the product in question has been 'broken down' into what might be termed its constituent parts eg porcine peptides. A pharmacist has every right to refuse to dispense the morning-after pill, if their conscience forbids it - but must, without derogatory or other comment, refer the patient directly to another pharmacist who does not have such 'scruples'. A person can have deeply held beliefs about the use of certain foetal cell lines and withdraw consent for products developed with the use of them, to be used in their own body, while accepting that others may - and do - believe differently. People have every right to these beliefs; it does not make them a 'lesser' nurse or pharmacist or whatever but it does - quite rightly IMO - restrict which jobs they are eligible for within their profession, and remove a little of their 'freedom' to practise.

If the jobs restriction is through no decision or 'fault' of their own - as it was in my case with the absent response to rubella vaccination - then it is the right thing to do to help the person find, if possible, an appropriate job which offers similar (or in my case, actually better!) opportunities.
If the jobs restriction is because of their own decision or beliefs, then they must accept that they will be redeployed almost 'at will', probably to a job they would never normally have considered. Certainly many, if not most, opportunities for further advancement, job changes, promotion etc will be unavailable to them, as I believe there will be increasing, rather than decreasing, expectation for evidence of vaccination in all walks of life and especially in the caring professions.

I'm not worried about it - I think it will only affect a very small number of people, who, if they are still working in a hospital or other clinical patient-facing location, will be followed like a hawk by whatever testing regime is operational and most of whom will end up getting the jab eventually or otherwise demonstrating antibodies on testing.

 

[midlife]

Our ITU is full again and spilling over into the recovery area......

 

[Mo1959]

Our ITU is full again and spilling over into the recovery area......

……….yet we keep getting told 80% of the population are vaccinated and shouldn’t end up in hospital?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

……….yet we keep getting told 80% of the population are vaccinated and shouldn’t end up in hospital?

Infection rates are very high - not far off their all time peak according to the ONS survey

Vaccines are IIRC about 90% effective.

So a lot of people are still being hospitalised - those not vaccinated and the unlucky 10% who are still susceptible despite being vaccinated.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...uscovid19infectionsurveypilot/17september2021