Covid - news and views

Today's story so far -

Had an email from my brother in France. He mentioned that he and his wife have been offered a vaccine now. 24th.March. Both over 70 and definitely fall into the vulnerable category. Things are going slowly over there.

Yes, my daughter in Spain, only 47, but said things are progressing very slowly in Spain with some areas now ceased vaccinating because they have no vaccine available and not expecting any until March.

Shelved any thoughts we had about travelling overthere, certainly for this year. We have been extremely lucky in the UK, BJ not exactly covered himself in glory on a number of issues but he looks to have gotten the vaccine roll out spot on, amazing what can be achieved when you get rid of the civil servants/politicians and put people in charge who have worked at the coal face.  

That's still a month off, but Germany is not much better either; a friend of ours has lived in Munich for quite some time.  At 74 he has no idea when he'll be getting his vaccination.

Considering the majority of germans are refusing to have the AZ vaccine, I can't see it getting any better until they can convince them it is safe. They only have themselves to blame same as France.

An indication of how uncertain things are. Took my wife for an MRI scan to hospital in Bangor yesterday. Today I read they have an outbreak with 59 patients having caught the disease there. You can do all the right things but get caught out unexpectedly. Caution is very much the key word.

Yes TG, we've read all about that too, not going down the political path, but their leaders didn't exactly help the situation with their scare-mongering.  Sour grapes involved too, after all the arguments last month about their supply.  The mayor of Berlin has now said that anybody can have the vaccine, whatever their age, as he isn't prepared to have the vaccines lying around unused.  Quite right too, and studies have shown it is actually effective in the over 65s.  And in any case, surely it's better than nothing?  We've both had the AZ vaccine, wouldn't dream of refusing it.

Yes I saw that Fish. Tends to make one extremely wary of going to hospitals. Also tends to make the figures  skewed.

Hope you both stay Covid free.

Mum has got her second jab date now, couple of weeks away. Fingers crossed we get the same. Should all be done by beginning of May. After that, we shall just stay careful, avoid busy places, enjoy the outdoors and a change of scenery. 

The French excuse for not using the Oxford/AZ vaccine for the over 65's was somewhat blown out the water by several recent studies, especially the one from Scotland which indicates that it is highly effective in the over eighties. It might be a bit early for the data on the under eighties but there is no reason to believe that it won't be equally effective.

Apparently the European Medical Agency, based in Amsterdam but formally in the UK, decided that it was acceptable to have a nearly two week break over Christmas/New Year when they should have been approving vaccines!!!!

David