Brexit, for once some facts.

[oyster]

Large study shows just how effective the vaccines are at developing antibodies against Covid. After the first jab 96% of Britons had them, and after the second that figure went up to over 99%. The average age of the participants was 65 and all were tested for the antibodies prior to be given the jab, anyone who already had the antibodies was not included in the trial. More details here.
96% of Britons develop antibodies after one Covid jab, study finds | Coronavirus | The Guardian

Let us hope that antibody response, as measured, is a good measure of effectiveness - short and long-term.

Also, I'd like to know how antibody responses relate to side effects, if at all.

Overall there appears to be some truth in the claim that many who had AZ had worse side effects from first vaccine than second. Whereas for Pfizer it has often been the other way round.

We had AZ. I had very minor effects - no worse than could happen just because you don't feel 100% one day. Partner felt very poorly for a couple of weeks or so after the first. Did I almost immediately produce antibodies so fight it off quickly? Or was it her immune system being very effecient that made her feel so bad? Or neither!

 

[Nev]

I was just reading an article about new technology and its application into outdoor sports. If anyone is interested here is the link.
Hybrid highs: the fun of combining two outdoors sports into one | Adventure travel | The Guardian

 

[Nev]

Overall there appears to be some truth in the claim that many who had AZ had worse side effects from first vaccine than second. Whereas for Pfizer it has often been the other way round.

I have several family members who work in the NHS or used to work there and still have contacts with people working there and they all told me exactly the same thing. My guess would be that the Government already know this but have kept it quiet, if people thought there was less chance of side effects with Pfizer than with AZ they would be putting pressure on NHS staff to be given the Pfizer rather than the AZ.

 

[oyster]

I was just reading an article about new technology and its application into outdoor sports. If anyone is interested here is the link.
Hybrid highs: the fun of combining two outdoors sports into one | Adventure travel | The Guardian

Interesting, indeed, but wouldn't it in some ways be better to be reverting to hemp ropes (etc.) in order to avoid plastic pollution in all its forms?

 

[oyster]

I have several family members who work in the NHS or used to work there and still have contacts with people working there and they all told me exactly the same thing. My guess would be that the Government already know this but have kept it quiet, if people thought there was less chance of side effects with Pfizer than with AZ they would be putting pressure on NHS staff to be given the Pfizer rather than the AZ.

It has been widely reported - certainly on the health forums I inhabit at times. Starting from very early in the year (if not last year - even before approval).

I have seen lots of people say they want one rather than the other - on specious grounds. Some sort of vague "I've heard that ..."

 

[Danidl]

Get a CRT TV no one will nick it. Save a bundle on insurance.

Yes there are huge advantages of the 14 inch Black and white 405line jobbies. ,.. pity that the range of stations is so limited. At the moment there is only one reliable station ..its called menu.

 

[oyster]

Yes there are huge advantages of the 14 inch Black and white 405line jobbies. ,.. pity that the range of stations is so limited. At the moment there is only one reliable station ..its called menu.

Can you buy any sort of converter that would take, say, Freeview signals and output VHF 405 or UHF 625? (With or without Ceefax, colour and stereo.) I'm thinking about people who might wish to play about with old equipment rather than seriously watch programs.

 

[Danidl]

Can you buy any sort of converter that would take, say, Freeview signals and output VHF 405 or UHF 625? (With or without Ceefax, colour and stereo.) I'm thinking about people who might wish to play about with old equipment rather than seriously watch programs.

Actually the answer is YES. I have a number of Satellite boxes and the older terrestrial digital boxes in my attic, which do have Scart sockets and UHF modulators. Last week I was playing around with one ,and feeding Scart into a combo TV monitor. The majority of course will not do BBC HD , which uses the T2 standard. However I just checked and the box I have in the kitchen is a modern Manhattan Plaza, purchased about 2 years ago, has both a T2 Freeview Tuner , and a Scart and old Yellow plug video as well as HDMI.

 

[oyster]

Say what you mean...

Nurse who cared for Boris Johnson resigns over ‘lack of respect’ for NHS workers
Jenny McGee, who kept vigil by PM’s bedside when he was sick with Covid, derides government’s handling of pandemic
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/18/nurse-who-cared-for-boris-johnson-resigns-over-lack-of-respect-for-nhs-workers

 

[Jesus H Christ]

I can’t believe the idiots in charge are considering the Tier lockdown system again. We know from bitter experience what happens. Tier 1 areas become Tier 2 areas, and Tier 2 areas become Tier 3. The process continues until everywhere is Tier 3 and then we lockdown too late again.

Why don’t they just keep things on hold a bit longer? I’m not at all desperate to hug a grandma in a pi$$ sodden pub beer garden. What’s wrong with people?

 

[flecc]

I can’t believe the idiots in charge are considering the Tier lockdown system again. We know from bitter experience what happens. Tier 1 areas become Tier 2 areas, and Tier 2 areas become Tier 3. The process continues until everywhere is Tier 3 and then we lockdown too late again.

Why don’t they just keep things on hold a bit longer? I’m not at all desperate to hug a grandma in a pi$$ sodden pub beer garden. What’s wrong with people?

And don't forget tier 4 that so many of us reached.

As I've said many times before, the whole way they've handled it has been far too complex. It just confused people, leaving them not really knowing what they were supposed to do.

They should have kept it simple, just the advice on avoiding travel, social separation and masks and scared people with only the daily and weekly infections and deaths totals. None of all the welter of charts and conflicting figures that watered down the message and confused further.
.

 

[oyster]

Government appears in a mess over the Australia deal. Can't read myself but the FT has the story:

https://www.ft.com/content/8c5f7a0c-6be8-42be-b2de-fe721dc08701

 

[Woosh]

They should have kept it simple,

they can do that if they make the covid pass compulsory.
No covid pass, no shopping for beer.

 

[flecc]

they can do that if they make the covid pass compulsory.
No covid pass, no shopping for beer.

I was posting about what has been happening from the outset.

Your proposal is for the future with most vaccinated and I dont agree with it since it makes the same mistake all over again. Getting the public's back up instead of seeking their co-operation. All it would do is provoke even more to be determined to refuse vaccination and they'd still get their beer online, or through proxies just like the kids have done for years.
.

 

[oyster]

they can do that if they make the covid pass compulsory.
No covid pass, no shopping for beer.

Missing the obvious answer to those not getting vaccinated - to this and everything else. Free Beer!

If you have been fully vaccinated. (Obviously doesn't work very well for those who don't consume alcohol.)

 

[flecc]

Government appears in a mess over the Australia deal. Can't read myself but the FT has the story:

https://www.ft.com/content/8c5f7a0c-6be8-42be-b2de-fe721dc08701

Also can't read it but listened to the detail on radio. It's what I and others have been telling them for four years, global trading will leave us worse off since we can't compete.

Australia can produce beef and ship it to us far cheaper than we can for ourselves here. Open the doors with trade agreements and our farmers will go broke. We've been here before in the past, with Argentian beef and corned beef and New Zealand lamb.

We can produce our own expensive high quality meats but our public shop on price as the discounters prove.
.

 

[flecc]

Missing the obvious answer to those not getting vaccinated - to this and everything else. Free Beer!

If you have been fully vaccinated. (Obviously doesn't work very well for those who don't consume alcohol.)

Actually it does work well for those like me who don't drink alcohol.

I'd just collect my free beer and give it to those who had been denied it by the wicked, bullying government!
.

 

[oyster]

How many years since a previous government can you blame all the ills of the world on them?

Justin Madders (Lab) asks Johnson if he has a plan to fix social care.

“Yes,” says Johnson. He says Labour failed to address this when they were in power. “This government is going to tackle it,” he says. He says if Labour want to support it, with their customary resolve, and without their “wibble-wobbling”, then he is all ears.

If more than a decade, why stop there? Why not Major, Thatcher, Heath, etc.?

 

[flecc]

Government policy on travel to Amber list countries according to Boris Johnson:

"You must not travel to them unless in the most extreme circumstances such as a relative seriously ill".

Conversation one with an amber list relative:

"Hallo, how are you, I hope you are keeping well? I was thinking of visiting you".

"We're all well thanks, doesn't seem to be any Covid around here".

"Ah, in that case I can't visit, it's banned".

Conversation two with an amber list relative:

"Hallo, how are you, I hope you are keeping well? I was thinking of visiting you".

"Not well I'm afraid, with lots of Covid around here two of us have caught it and we're very ill and may not make it".

"Very sorry to hear that, in that case I'll book a flight and be with you shortly".
.

 

[Jesus H Christ]

It’s starting to look a lot like Corbyn with this government.

I remember how Corbyn was slated for daring to mention the re-nationalisation of our beloved railway system. Now Johnson is doing it, re-nationalisation is being reported as an epiphany moment. A great right to correct an act of extreme vandalism.

It was the effing Tories who privatised the railway in the first place! An act of extreme vandalism intended to line the pockets of people like the mighty bearded one. What short memories we have.