Good News Thread - part 2

[KitKatastrophe]

Thank you to those who have contributed to the good news thread over the past few weeks. We are at 40 pages so here is a new one to continue sharing good news stories :)

@Chickenandrice

Yes this also concerns me too as the vaccine is reportedly going to reduce severe symptoms but not reduce infections. So the 40s are all going to cat h it

If this is the case, I think it might well not be the case with vaccines developed further down the line; that they will prevent infection and transmission.

For a long time now Prof Sarah Gilbert of the Oxford Vaccine has said she thinks there will be many vaccines deployed. There are several types being developed.

I guess there isn’t too much point speculating and worrying at this stage. I guess whatever happens the introduction of vaccines will reduce pressure on nhs which will benefit everyone anyway.

GPs in my region of Scotland have been officially emailed this morning to ask them to prepare for mass roll out of covid vaccine for December

Coronavirus patients have cellular immunity for at least six months after infection even when antibodies are undetectable, new research shows, boosting hopes of long-term protection from the virus.

In a world first study described as "reassuring" by experts, scientists from Public Health England (PHE) and the University of Birmingham found that memory T-cells were present in everyone they tested.

The study comes just a week after research from Imperial College suggested immunity may wane after just a few months.

But researchers found that the immune cells persisted even when antibodies had fallen to such low levels that they could no longer be detected.

It suggests that more people may have had Covid than previously thought but have lost their antibody response, meaning it would not show up in surveillance testing. It also gives greater hope that vaccines will generate long-term immunity

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/11/02/coronavirus-t-cell-immunity-lasts-least-six-months-even-antibodies/?li_source=LI&li_medium=li-recommendation-widget

continues..

The research has not yet been peer-reviewed and was published on Monday on the pre-print website bioRxix. However, British experts said the findings were reassuring.

Professor Charles Bangham, chair of immunology at Imperial College London, said: "This excellent study provides strong evidence that T-cell immunity to Sars-CoV-2 may last longer than antibody immunity.

"The data are consistent with previous observations on T-cell immunity to Sars – with Sars, some patients had T-cells more than 10 years after infection, though we don't yet know whether this will be the case with Covid-19.

"These results provide reassurance that, although the titre of antibody to SARS-CoV-2 can fall below detectable levels within a few months of infection, a degree of immunity to the virus may be maintained."

@chri55ie

Daily Telegraph reporting Kate Bingham Head of UK Vaccine task force has said privately that all UK adults over 50 will be vaccinated by Easter.,,,. Report is behind a pay wall but will try and link below

Fingers crossed

Thanks @Orangeblossom7777, sounds hopeful

Ooh, so finally there is an advantage to being in my 50s! I have told MIL (86) that various sources indicate there will be a roll out of the vaccine to NHS and care home staff by end of December, with vulnerable and/or elderly receiving vaccine in January. I wanted to give her hope that by the spring things will be much brighter for her. I'm trying to keep her spirits up, as she is fearful of the virus and misses seeing her friends (she had a better social life than me, before Covid).

I’ll be 49
Maybe I could have a vaccination for my 50th birthday!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54781496

Another article on the T cells

blametheparents posted:

I’ll be 49
Maybe I could have a vaccination for my 50th birthday!

Don't be such a pushy child! The Covid vaccine is only for oldies like me! I'm SPECIAL!!!

Rapid testing being trialled in Liverpool

news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-liverpool-to-become-first-city-to-offer-regular-tests-to-all-as-part-of-new-trial-12122219

Placeholder

Brilliant news about Liverpool 👍

Yay! I'm in Liverpool and I'm very happy with this news..... although in the short term it could potentially cause chaos with many more people needing to isolate. It'll be worth it if we really manage to get on top of our cases.

My local Costa has said they will be staying open for takeaways. That’s worthy of the good news thread right?

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

My local Costa has said they will be staying open for takeaways. That’s worthy of the good news thread right?

Haha yes this is good news to me too! Me and my best friend always go Christmas shopping and for a Christmassy Costa and cake which we obvs can't do this year so we are settling for a takeaway Costa and a walk ha!

Some good news posted yesterday about the T cells and rapid testing, thanks

I remember when our local costa drive through reopened during lockdown I spent about 40 mins getting my newborn and toddler into the car to go and get a latte, this is excellent news to me 😂

Another new potential treatment? https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/read-this/very-encouraging-potential-coronavirus-treatment-has-been-found-3023550?fbclid=IwAR0Se2DhcstoTVwtynshivvDb-lYMowLgo98eoQlZuEiUvO7DdmdALJr8

Here we go people, it's happening...!

This from Pulse, which is a reputable medical trade magazine.

"Exclusive A new DES is set to be announced imminently for practices and PCNs to start administering a Covid vaccine from the beginning of December, Pulse understands.

Practices and PCNs will be asked to prepare to give the vaccine to over 85s and front line workers from the start of December, numerous sources have confirmed to Pulse.

There are currently two vaccines that are being prepared, with one requiring two shots and needing to be kept at minus 70 degrees.

Alongside GPs and PCNs, there will be teams delivering it to care homes, and at-scale delivery centres.

Pulse understands there will be sufficient resources allocated to practices.

A number of sources have confirmed to Pulse that an announcement around the DES is imminent, potentially by next week.

It is expected that the vaccines will be delivered in a number of ways, with teams going to care homes and delivery centres, such as those reported by the Economist and the Sun.

Pulse reported last month that the NHS was looking to start the rollout of the vaccine from December, with sources close to the issue putting the chances at ’50/50′.

It has now been confirmed to Pulse by numerous sources that GPs and the whole of the NHS are going to be put on standby to start vaccinating over-85s and frontline workers from early December.

It remains unclear exactly which vaccines will be administered, but Pfizer’s vaccine in development has to be kept at minus 70 degrees, while the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine was shown to be more effective when administered in two doses.

There is also no indication as to the efficacy of any vaccine, and the chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance has been keen to play down the chances of an effective vaccine."

Wow

Great news about vaccines. Thanks for sharing. Ever had the feeling that things are going to move at breakneck speed through November.

Thanks for the positivity ladies x

From the Telegraph daily update:

Lower R-rate raises hopes lockdown could be avoided. With just over 24 hours until England's new lockdown is due to come into force, the R-rate has fallen to 1 - leading to hopes that a national shutdown could be avoided. New data from a King's College app, which has been tracking symptoms and test results since the first wave, showed a slight fall in new cases - meaning the pandemic is no longer increasing in some of the worst areas. The new results are more evidence that the tier system is working (this is how the rules differ to lockdown) and will put greater pressure on Boris Johnson to pause the national lockdown set for 00.01 on Thursday

I think it's unlikely to make a difference to lockdown, but maybe less likely to be an extension.