COVID Vaccine !

[SpokeyDokey]

They need to be stretching but achievable.

We've had nine months of Johnson over-promising and under-delivering. Why should we believe him now?

Sturgeon has actually not performed much better, but crucially she's been honest that things will be difficult.

"They need to be stretching but achievable."

We'll have to agree to differ on that - ime while the 'stretch' should not be ludicrous, and hence demotivational, it really doesn't matter if the 'stretch' is not achieved. It merely serves as a 'pull' to get to the position that you wanted to achieve in the first instance.

"We've had nine months of Johnson over-promising and under-delivering. Why should we believe him now?"

My understanding from the announcements/news briefs is that the rollout plan and targeting was put together and agreed by all the principal agencies involved in the undertaking. Whilst that doesn't bolster an anti-Tory/Johnson rhetoric it does give me considerable confidence that this element of the UK's Covid response is off to a great start.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I hope you are right, but the numbers so far leave room for doubt. I think it was a mistake to say on Monday evening that vaccination would allow for things to start relaxing from mid February. People will have latched to that, and if by then relaxation is not actually possible we will have another wave of restrictions being ignored.

Maybe JB was trying to inject some hope into a difficult situation which does have some validity and, to be fair, he did say it was subject to the data available at the time

 

[Pale Rider]

Johnson's target is to offer the top 4 cohorts a vaccination slot by Feb 15th - you can debate all you like but there's only one way to find out and that is to wait and see.

My money's on Boris.

I will volunteer to be the bellwether, being at what could be called the 'lower end' of cohort four.

No sign of a jab yet, but my expectation is I will be among the last of that group.

 

[PK99]

As there should be, it being the media's role to hold the government to task, no matter who is currently forming it.

That is PART of the media's role.

Another part is to analyse and explain issues to the general public.

There is a balance to be found between those roles.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

My money's on Boris.

A gambling strategy which would have bankrupted you already had you asked it to previous COVID announcements.

FWIW I don't think there's any public domain info which allows a rational judgment either way. Believing Johnson certainly isn't rational. Watch, wait and hope.

 

[srw]

the 'stretch' should not be ludicrous, and hence demotivational

This stretch is utterly ludicrous. It is ridiculous. It is a figment of the imagination of a few advisors in Whitehall who have never had to deal with the messy reality of actually getting drugs into people's arms.

did say it was subject to the data available at the time

The data available at the time - i.e. now - tells us that things will be considerably worse by mid February. That's true even if the absurd vaccination targets are met because of the rate of infection, the spreadability of the disease, the fact that the NHS is overwhelmed, and the delays from infection to symptoms to death or recovery and from vaccination to protection.

And this is only dose one. There's a second dose required before anyone is even remotely permanently protected.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Maybe JB was trying to inject some hope into a difficult situation which does have some validity and, to be fair, he did say it was subject to the data available at the time

There's little or no chance of a relaxation that soon. Even if vaccination targets are met.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

This stretch is utterly ludicrous. It is ridiculous. It is a figment of the imagination of a few advisors in Whitehall who have never had to deal with the messy reality of actually getting drugs into people's arms.

The data available at the time - i.e. now - tells us that things will be considerably worse by mid February. That's true even if the absurd vaccination targets are met because of the rate of infection, the spreadability of the disease, the fact that the NHS is overwhelmed, and the delays from infection to symptoms to death or recovery and from vaccination to protection.

And this is only dose one. There's a second dose required before anyone is even remotely permanently protected.

We'll agree to differ then.

You have clearly made up your mind that the initiative is going to fail and I see no further point in responding to you.

 

[winjim]

Johnson's target is to offer the top 4 cohorts a vaccination slot by Feb 15th - you can debate all you like but there's only one way to find out and that is to wait and see.

My money's on Boris.

Our trust has said they're due to begin vaccinating staff beginning mid Jan, following JCVI priority. 15 Feb seems optimistic for me to get mine, trial participation notwithstanding, but we'll see.

 

[mjr]

We'll agree to differ then.

You have clearly made up your mind that the initiative is going to fail and I see no further point in responding to you.

To be fair, @srw does seem to be drawing reasonable extrapolations from the available information. If Team Boris do manage to pull a rabbit out of their bums (rather than a scapegoat), then I expect @srw will change assessment.

 

[Pale Rider]

That is PART of the media's role.

Another part is to analyse and explain issues to the general public.

There is a balance to be found between those roles.

That's true, but it ought to go without saying the basic story is fairly told first.

Call me old-fashioned, but too much of the broadcast media's time is now spent interviewing their own reporters.

It never used to happen, it being the reporter's role to do the leg work to find and interview people appropriate to the story.

Not sit on their arse in the studio and make pronouncements in response to leading questions from a colleague.

 

[winjim]

While we're on the subject, has anyone yet defined what a 'frontline' healthcare worker is?

 

[Julia9054]

While we're on the subject, has anyone yet defined what a 'frontline' healthcare worker is?

A press officer for a London based NHS trust almost certainly working mostly from home has had his vaccination ahead of my son providing close personal care to the elderly, frail and disabled in their own homes.

 

[mjr]

While we're on the subject, has anyone yet defined what a 'frontline' healthcare worker is?

No idea who else has, but I'll try: it is those who treated patients before there was enough PPE.

 

[accountantpete]

Our trust has said they're due to begin vaccinating staff beginning mid Jan, following JCVI priority. 15 Feb seems optimistic for me to get mine, trial participation notwithstanding, but we'll see.

There are a number of housebound over 80's in our area who couldn't make it for the central centre for the Pfizer jab and they have been advised of a similar date (mid Jan) for the Oxford jab. Presumably the District Nurse will be involved - it really is an all round effort.