I’m just angry now

[BathFullOfEels]

They knew a vaccine would be the only way of getting us out of this mess. The country has already been locked down twice. Why, why, why didn’t they use this time to set up the logistics of distributing and administering these vaccines?

Why, why, why are the government allowed to decide who to prioritise to receive these vaccines when they were always going to distribute in a way that benefits them. Surely any government with an ounce of realism would be self aware enough to realise that they would make this vaccine distribution a political decision and instead allow the decision to be made by an independent third party who can distribute it in a way that would allow the country to get back to work. Instead it’s likely that months and months down the line we’ll all be forced to go back to work despite still be unprotected.

I have visions of pensioners being able to swan off on holiday over the summer while the workers of the country will still be unable to.

It’s an absolute fucking farce. Watching that press conference last night just finally made it snap for me - they genuinely don’t know what they’re doing at all

Older people still need to isolate because protection is not immediate. About 2 weeks after having the jab they should be safer when they catch covid - but we dont yet know if they can still spread covid so need to protect others by giving them space, wearing a mask, hand sanitising.

Those who have had to shield for months both need and deserve a break.

I’ve had my vaccination, I’m 48. I’m a working parent, I need a break.

Are you suggesting I can have my break once I’m two or three weeks past my vaccination?

Because obviously I can’t, for the reasons given. There’s no way in gods Earth I’m keeping myself and my kids restricted if the elderly are not. Ridiculous suggestion.

We are all still in national lockdown @CountessFrog so no-one is going to start living restriction free.

I feel for the CEV, who are asked to live in isolation (the elderly are not) and who have been doing so since March (with a pause Aug-Nov) and are priority 4, so still several weeks away from even a first step to the comparative freedom of lockdown rules rather than shielding ones.

Yes I’m aware of that. I was replying to the poster above.

I teach and I am CV. I'm 47y. It's unlikely I will get the vaccination before the end of the summer term unless things ramp up. The original vaccine calculator suggested Easter but this seems to have been pushed back.

I had covid in October and was ill. I ended up needing hospital treatment and 3.5 months in I'm still struggling. It has also left me with another health complication, which I didn't have before, which also makes me more vulnerable if I catch it again. The hospital consultant and gp can make no assurances that I can't catch it again, especially due to my work place, and tell me that now I'm 3 months in I should definitely be very careful. I am currently working with the doctors to determine whether I may actually now my cev due to the mix of health issues, but for not I'm classed as cv.

Fortunately my role in school means that I can work from home currently which my head teacher supports. I'm actually incredibly busy working from home, and doing longer hours than if I was teaching normally. So we can justify it.

However the government and the DfE states that I could be expected to be in work with no social distancing, no masks, no protection. Even though that's most likely how I managed to get it last time.

I do, however, understand why the vaccine priority is as it is, but it does mean there are a lot of vulnerable people out there expected to be out at work daily, in less safe environments, for a long time yet.

Vaccine calculator told me September time, once you’ve had the jab life will remain as it is now. Heavily restricted! Although I see one of the main airlines advertising “get your jab and go on holiday “ was quite surprised!

I’m in the 7th band. Covid calculator told me December of this year

@tinselearedcow and @caspersmagicaljourney Thanks at least for making the effort. What part of the word 'equal' is difficult to understand? Can you imagine the mods leaving up a racist thread," just to let people argue it out?"

@Suzi888

Vaccine calculator told me September time, once you’ve had the jab life will remain as it is now. Heavily restricted! Although I see one of the main airlines advertising “get your jab and go on holiday “ was quite surprised!

Have you tried today and changing the daily vaccine rate to 200000. I think you will find everyone now has a better result.

My healthy 25 year old son comes out at August

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I’m in the 7th band. Covid calculator told me December of this year

Do it again but change the daily rate to 200000. This is the speed we are now vaccinating and that will get quicker soon as well.

You should be pleasantly surprised at the difference.

I’ve seen some comments about death rates and the last wave and wondering why hospitals would be more full right now. The answer is that medics are better now at saving lives, but that means very sick people still need their bed. The more successful treatments are making hospitals more crowded.

As for swanning off, I think people will probably still need negative tests as vaccines are not about you not catching a disease but reducing symptoms. That’s why you can still transmit the disease after vaccination.

I should be vaccinated in February but until then I’ll be staying away from everyone because hospital places are so very limited.

It’s been truly lovely reading the comments about how I should isolate myself (forever?) not sure where you think I should live - am I allowed to stay in my home with my adult children or are you thinking of some kind of warehouse for me and other cev people? And if so, who will look after my disabled child? It’s not JUST old people who will be vaccinated by mid February, it’s people like me too who normally run half marathons and hold down jobs and give our children lifts and all that kind of thing, and who thought we made enough of a contribution to the world to be worth something. But even it was JUST old people, are they not worth something? Is any group worthy of the adjective JUST??? As soon as we start talking about THEM our humanity is reduced.

There is no mention of how to get it at home, if extremely vulnerable. Travelling around to and from the place giving vaccine is a death sentence. One in 16 (and rising) in various parts of London now has the infection. Protection does not begin until up to 21 days after the vaccine. It does not work retrospectively, on whatever was picked up going to and from the place giving vaccinations.

Travel anywhere, even to the nearest g.p. or pharmacist, let alone a mega-centre, would be a Dignitas alternative. A 90 year old or a cancer patient cannot risk opening the front door. (Other than to offer an arm on the doorstep for a jab) It wouldn't be impossible to get the patient to prepare by having a chair inside, near the door, so they can sit for the compulsory 15 minute observation, and for the visiting vaccinator to have a shooting stick type of perch, so they can sit outside, during that time, working online, and occasionally calling out or peeping round the door, to ascertain no adverse side effects)

We can all pretend, too, never to have heard of the South Africa variant, assumed to be even more easily transmitted and probably with different, possibly worse, effects, as well as not necessarily touched by any of the current vaccines, all designed to work on the first type. Maybe it will, or maybe the composition of the vaccines can be tweaked to be effective for it. It takes time.

I note, with cynical sorrow, that the wording for fiddling the figures is already in place: "We will offer the vaccine" is a preparation for victim blaming. The vulnerable, living alone, protecting themselves by never leaving their homes for any reason, will be blamed for choosing not to play Russian Roulette, with very poor odds. The infection rate shot from one in 20 to one in 16 in a couple of days. When the peasants are instructed to "act as if everyone is infected", it is all too close to the truth.

But, implicit but not spelled out, is a clear message "everyone is possibly infected, masks and hand washing having either been ignored or making no difference, especially with the new variant. Therefore, if you are exceptionally vulnerable to infection, just put on a mask and wander around among them, as the price of getting a jab. If you dare not, you will be branded as having refused our offer. No alternative, and no option even for those in the allegedly top priority groups to pay for a private person to do a home (doorstep) visit. Walk straight through the minefield or no jab for you."

There are options coming up. I have already heard of at least one drive they vaccination centre.

Also the African variant is not more transmitable but is possibly more dangerous. The research is on going there. It is currently believed that the vaccine will still have an affect on the African variant.

@20mum I think you're being unnecessarily alarmist. I assume the very elderly would get their vaccinations through their GPs - this is one of the reasons why vaccination rates have been a bit slow starting up.

I do get what you're saying about the risk of going to get vaccinated, but frankly what do you expect the government to do ? This is a numbers game - quicker we vaccinate, quicker hospitalisations and deaths go down. If you think the way to go is door to door service with a fifteen minute wait for each person then we'll still be stuck in this situation in 2023.

My parents had their 1st vaccinations today.

@vodkaredbullgirl

My parents had their 1st vaccinations today.

My MIL has her first vaccine tomorrow. She is 75y with no further health conditions.

@20mum I don't think you need to be so scared of getting the vaccination. If you are in group 4, the people giving them will have had it weeks before and probably the second jab and will probably be immune. You will be able to keep your distance from everyone else.

I initially thought the vaccine should go to working age people too, but it makes sense to vaccinate those most likely to be hospitalised to take the pressure off the NHS.

I was wondering how a vaccine would be distributed if we were in a pandemic with a much higher death rate across all ages, like Ebola for example. I've been watching too many dystopian series/films recently, so am thinking about the weirdest things 🤣. I think in that situation, it would be a survival of the fittest situation and that the rich and powerful would be the first to be vaccinated. I think the elderly would be at the back of the queue in that situation!

I don't even want to imagine what would be happening in that scenario expat!

@Twowilldo50

I’ve seen some comments about death rates and the last wave and wondering why hospitals would be more full right now. The answer is that medics are better now at saving lives, but that means very sick people still need their bed. The more successful treatments are making hospitals more crowded.

As for swanning off, I think people will probably still need negative tests as vaccines are not about you not catching a disease but reducing symptoms. That’s why you can still transmit the disease after vaccination.

I should be vaccinated in February but until then I’ll be staying away from everyone because hospital places are so very limited.

It’s been truly lovely reading the comments about how I should isolate myself (forever?) not sure where you think I should live - am I allowed to stay in my home with my adult children or are you thinking of some kind of warehouse for me and other cev people? And if so, who will look after my disabled child? It’s not JUST old people who will be vaccinated by mid February, it’s people like me too who normally run half marathons and hold down jobs and give our children lifts and all that kind of thing, and who thought we made enough of a contribution to the world to be worth something. But even it was JUST old people, are they not worth something? Is any group worthy of the adjective JUST??? As soon as we start talking about THEM our humanity is reduced.

Beautifully put Twowilldo. I'm also ECV, WFH,and have a young family, and don't think I'll be able to forget some people's attitudes after this.

@expatinspain

I initially thought the vaccine should go to working age people too, but it makes sense to vaccinate those most likely to be hospitalised to take the pressure off the NHS.

I was wondering how a vaccine would be distributed if we were in a pandemic with a much higher death rate across all ages, like Ebola for example. I've been watching too many dystopian series/films recently, so am thinking about the weirdest things 🤣. I think in that situation, it would be a survival of the fittest situation and that the rich and powerful would be the first to be vaccinated. I think the elderly would be at the back of the queue in that situation!

The Poland has apparently already vaccinated there politicians and some famous people first

So even with this pandemic it obviously depends where you live. Though most countries have a priority list similar to ours. Corruption will be rife in some places.

'I'm assuming people in first, second group. Not in a care home but vulnerable. London already has one in sixteen infected. Cross London to get vaccine? Even go to nearest g.p.? (London ones mostly don't do vaccine) Possibly most/many cannot walk far. Use a bus? Belligerent people have stabbed others in fury at being "looked at" for not wearing a mask.

Old and ill people, even if they can walk to a g.p., and even if the g.p does vaccines, probably in London will have no escape from the crush on the pavements, few using masks, or using as chin warmers, none at all keeping distance, which is impossible anyway in a crowded town.
Population density is wrecking the planet, but meanwhile, wrecking quality of life and even killing by crush.

I am in London and the GP practices in my borough have come together in groups of 4 or 5. They are vaccinating in different location church halls. All very short walks for their patients and nice big buildings to space out safely.

Now the oxford vaccine is getting delivered they have stepped up to deliver it into care homes. The Pfizer vaccine was too difficult to roll out to most care homes.

It is all jolly good news on the vaccine front people should be happy

You sound like you have never set foot in London but believe everything you see on TV or read in the gutter press.

Currently Yorkshire has a higher crime rate than London per person. I think London is about eighth on the UK crime chart.