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 :)

The only thing that's kept me going is booking next year's holiday! Planning it etc and thinking about it and the one that was cancelled from this year.

@Deliaskis

I'm also quite relieved to read the holiday yearning on here. We normally love our holidays, as family time away from home, plus I usually travel a lot for work. I miss it! I miss the variety. I miss my life of staying and working all over Europe. I miss restaurants. I miss exploring and discovering, the sights and sounds and flavours of other places.

And mostly on here (not this thread!), people are called selfish or stupid or vacuous... or worse, for missing these things that are the fabric of life for many people, because 'we're in the middle of a global pandemic'.

I found my people, it's ok to miss this stuff, in fact it's normal. And finally we can have hope that it might soon be back within reach, a little at a time....

You put that much better than me @Deliaskis !

@TheRubyRedshoes

It will be so odd going into shops without a mask and hand gel. Being able to smile at people properly!. I feel naked now if I don't have a mask on me and hand gel even if I'm not getting out of the car..

It will be so odd, its fascinating how brain washed I've become in a short time!

I think we'll probably flip back pretty easily.

Me too ToBee I predict a bounce and positivity and a moving on when we can

Just listening to Prof Judith Breuer talking about vaccine approval and how hard they are working to speed it up whilst maintaining same rigorous protocol, working on weekends etc. So grateful to all the teams and relieved re their brilliant expertise

van tam yesterday said that there would be a matter of 3 weeks between different priority groups. I’d assumed he meant going down each age band, but maybe it’s over 80s/care homes / health workers, then over 50s, then under 50s. ? Sounded like he’d had a lot of representations (teachers?) and felt it was a non issue ?

That would fit with the timeframe wouldn’t it- so most vulnerable during December, over 50s Jan, then can start on under 50s?

Covid: Jab for people who cannot be vaccinated trialled www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55022288

Has this one been shared already?

apple.news/AHGmZ3oxZTkiWsZ3LfHUSNQ

It seems like alongside the vaccines, we're getting better and better at treating this.

I feel lighter now than I've done in ages. I can cope with restrictions now if there's an end in sight..... even if that's a few months ahead still.

@tootyfruitypickle

van tam yesterday said that there would be a matter of 3 weeks between different priority groups. I’d assumed he meant going down each age band, but maybe it’s over 80s/care homes / health workers, then over 50s, then under 50s. ? Sounded like he’d had a lot of representations (teachers?) and felt it was a non issue ?

In our local plan they will be done band by band but due to the different methods of delivery there'll be a fair bit of overlap eg NHS workers will just get done through their employing Trust or primary care setting (like for flu), or there will be an arrangement for them to go to their nearest Trust if neither of the former apply. At the same time mobile teams will be going in to care homes and doing the residents and staff, and then there'll be the main hubs and pop ups which will start working through everyone else. So they should whip through everyone pretty quickly, particularly in the older age categories. Our plan allows for under 50s being vaccinated from end of January to mid April, so I'm imagining that will be the same in other areas.

Heard a lovely radio interview this morning in times radio from a fire chief about how fire fighters are ready and able to help out with the vaccine roll out. More the logistics using their vehicles and buildings and the fire men and women. And how they are looking forward to playing their part. No moaning no whingeing, a real can do positive approach. Made me appreciate again what great people we have here in the U.K. See also the young army officers involved in all the testing and just getting in with it and the amazing nurses, hcp’s that volunteered to return to the nhs back in April.

@rubbishatballet that’s really reassuring to hear!
Out of complete self interest, and of course it doesn’t really matter, is your plan for under 50s a free for all or does it start with the 40s and move down ......(knocking on 50 here!!)

The army personnel here doing the mass testing in Liverpool have been brilliant. Get them to take over vaccine rollout and it will get done!

All your posts are making me feel optimistic. Definitely feels like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. All I want for xmas is a vaccination programme!!!!

I am simultaneously having a conversation with a friend of mine who trains ICU in ventilation who’s saying that the current situation will last for at least a year. Bizarre!

She generally knows her stuff but there are now numerous articles to the contrary, and not just via things like the Daily Mail!

I’ve learnt through all of this that some people always see the negative and some people look for the positive. I have a close friend of mine tell me that we will never get a vaccine quite matter of fact, a few weeks ago. I now avoid any mention of Covid with her!

Further conversation had her telling me that it’ll take a year due to the logistics and various other hurdles. I actually think that, for once, it’ll go comparatively smoothly as so much is dependent on it!

@furloughandfallow

Covid: Jab for people who cannot be vaccinated trialled www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55022288

Engineered mAbs may be very useful for some people. A bit more info here:

mfn.se/cis/a/astrazeneca/astrazeneca-covid-19-long-acting-antibody-laab-combination-azd7442-rapidly-advances-into-phase-iii-clinical-trials-928b4af4

I'm trying to find a bit more background on this - here's a paper on some of the early research at Vanderbilt U. behind this.

www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2548-6

Exactly. They will throw every resource they can at it!

Something went weird between what I meant to quote and what I actually posted there.
Oh well, the links are what matters wherever they ended up!

@ScouseQueen

The army personnel here doing the mass testing in Liverpool have been brilliant. Get them to take over vaccine rollout and it will get done!

Oh gosh I second that!! The mass testing is so easy and straightforward. Literally an hour maximum from turning up at the centre to getting your results.

That sounds very efficient - a welcome contrast!!

Can you spare a few of them to send to Hull?!

Definitely @ChristmasinJune! I got mine 45 minutes after leaving the centre. Lovely polite helpful guys. It's exactly the standard track and trace should have been.

@TheCountessofFitzdotterelCount you may get them! It's supposed to be being rolled out to other major towns and cities. 🤞 you are high up on the list.

I am not actually in Hull myself, I’m elsewhere in Yorkshire, but they are clearly having a tough time.

@sashagabadon

Heard a lovely radio interview this morning in times radio from a fire chief about how fire fighters are ready and able to help out with the vaccine roll out. More the logistics using their vehicles and buildings and the fire men and women. And how they are looking forward to playing their part. No moaning no whingeing, a real can do positive approach. Made me appreciate again what great people we have here in the U.K. See also the young army officers involved in all the testing and just getting in with it and the amazing nurses, hcp’s that volunteered to return to the nhs back in April.

It's not just HCP's either. I registered my interest last night to train up to learn how to vaccinate people after seeing the link on here. They're looking for LOADS of people from different backgrounds to train up. I was a teacher and am currently on maternity break on an OT degree so I'm hoping I could do a couple of days a week starting next year vaccinating people if I get accepted. I'd honestly imagine the recruitment drive is going to be massive. Here's the list of people they're particularly interested in hearing from for training how to give the vaccine