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

Yes, I agree with you @Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum it's all starting to happen now, and the numbers of people being vaccinated will probably increase quite rapidly over the next few days/weeks. I feel very happy with the progress, although MIL (86) is still awaiting her jab, but as 2 fifths of the over 80s have been jabbed now, I don't think she'll have to wait much longer.

I'm not expecting to get jabbed until March at the earliest, but will just be extra careful until then. I'm out of work now so feel pretty isolated, but the plus side is that is that I'm pretty safe at home, especially since we're buying groceries online so have minimal contact with anyone these days. Roll on spring!

quite simply the government cant do right for doing wrong, we all know best dont we, we should all be in charge shouldnt we ,,,,,,, yeh right ........

Elderly people are not required to stay in but some of us have done so voluntarily to protect the access of others to health care. I will be off on holiday at the first opportunity since I'm sick of seeing the same 4 walls to keep safe people who would kill me given half a chance.

@20mum you are letting the anxiety overwhelm you. I shall be putting on my best mask and heading off to be vaccinated as soon as they get to my age group. The vaccinators will be vaccinated themselves, I shall keep as much distance as possible between myself and other people in the queue - and might take a stick to make sure they stay away.

They are giving priority to vulnerable people because the vaccine is more likely to mutate in them and become a variant which the vaccine is ineffective against. It’s not concern for the elderly that’s driving it but hard science.

@Amammi

They are giving priority to vulnerable people because the vaccine is more likely to mutate in them and become a variant which the vaccine is ineffective against. It’s not concern for the elderly that’s driving it but hard science.

I think the evidence is that it mutates in the immunosuppressed more than the elderly, particularly the very elderly and frail as they tend to die quite quickly will recover. Therefore, with that rationale the immunosuppressed should get the vaccine as a priority but at the moment several million people are in front. It may be less effective in people who are immunosuppressed but it would give them a chance of defeating the virus more quickly.

I heard a very sad programme on LBC last night phone in where a disabled woman who is dependent on income from a rented flat said the tenants had cashed in a benefit from Rishi and not paid her any rent. She was not allowed to evict them under the Covid rules and is left housebound and without any income. She sounded suicidal. So awful.

Sorry it wasn't LBC, but Capitol Radio.

as to who should get the vaccine first, i think we probably all have different opinions, i , personally, feel that front line workers, hospital staff and police, should get the vaccines first, the residents of care homes are cocooned and sheltered in the homes. in my town there has been hardly any cases due to no visitors and staff being tested, so surely, the ones in more danger should get the vaccine first, in one particular police area police were spat at , three cases of covid and one policewoman died from it, just my opinion

@earnshaw47

as to who should get the vaccine first, i think we probably all have different opinions, i , personally, feel that front line workers, hospital staff and police, should get the vaccines first, the residents of care homes are cocooned and sheltered in the homes. in my town there has been hardly any cases due to no visitors and staff being tested, so surely, the ones in more danger should get the vaccine first, in one particular police area police were spat at , three cases of covid and one policewoman died from it, just my opinion

But the ones in more danger are the elderly. Hence them having the highest number of deaths.

If we could protect all elderly and vulnerable people like your home town then you have a point. However that would be impossible because alot of over 60s still work and a lot of the vulnerable are young.

Once the first priority list of 9 groups is done we potentially have stopped 94% of deaths. If we do others first we stop 6%.

The plan now seems to be to start jabbing keyworkers like teachers and police pretty soon. However they have to be around the 9 priority groups not instead of them.

If I was younger and working every day without the protection of a vaccine, this article would make me extremely resentful

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55654127

Coach and tour operators have seen an unexpected growth in bookings in the last fortnight.

Industry figures call it growing "vaccine confidence" about 2021

Dawn and Ray - 75 and 78 years old - are from Hampshire and are due to have their first jab soon. They have just booked five UK holidays.

i was referring to residents of nursing homes being shielded not all older people, my husband and i are in our 70s , my husband is clinically vulnerable and are still waiting for vaccine

@earnshaw47

i was referring to residents of nursing homes being shielded not all older people, my husband and i are in our 70s , my husband is clinically vulnerable and are still waiting for vaccine

Hospitals and nursing homes have the highest percentage of deaths though.

Even if we managed to provide enough protection to shield nursing home. Once a resident needed any hospital treatment they would be exposed. Then possibly die or take it back to their nursing home.

As people in residential care are more likely to need medical attention than the general population. It is easy to see they also need the vaccination first.

I dont think people on here actually hate elderly people but I dont agree with giving them a lower priority. I think all NHS front line workers as well as care home staff should be the first priority followed by those people with ALL underlying health conditions - not just what the government refer to as ‘clinically extremely vulnerable, who are in a different category. Elderly folk should come next. These are the people who run the health services and the people who are most likely to overwhelm it should they catch the virus, so it makes more sense to vaccinate them first if the true priority is to stop the collapse of the health service.

@Thingybob

If I was younger and working every day without the protection of a vaccine, this article would make me extremely resentful

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55654127

Coach and tour operators have seen an unexpected growth in bookings in the last fortnight.

Industry figures call it growing "vaccine confidence" about 2021

Dawn and Ray - 75 and 78 years old - are from Hampshire and are due to have their first jab soon. They have just booked five UK holidays.

The article also says:

TUI, the UK's largest tour operator, says 50% of bookings on their website are currently by over-50s

So plenty of younger people (i.e 50% of bookings are from those under 50) are also booking holidays.

Article also says:

As TUI analysed its recent booking data, one trend they spotted is the emergence of large, multigenerational group bookings
It is family time we've all missed. We can't get away from our own families, but our broader families we can't see, and that's feeding into our choices" Mr Flintham explains

Just read the same article about the Hampshire couple about to receive their Covid vaccines. Five UK holidays booked for this year. FIVE !!! So much for being responsible until the vaccine is fully rolled out.

Nobody should be able to book holidays anywhere. There will always be stupid, selfish people. The government should be able to enforce the rules about social mixing and hotels/ restaurants. Surely that would include group holidays?

Retired parents/in laws all here all counting the days till vaccinated and able to book holidays. Have been abundantly clear what our thoughts are on this as we are very much not on the same page.

Booking holidays means nurses get paid and saves lives though. If the economy grinds to a halt we all starve.

@Xenia

Booking holidays means nurses get paid and saves lives though. If the economy grinds to a halt we all starve.

UK maybe. but international tourism simply exports almost two pounds for every pound it brings in. Not, then, an 'industry'. There needs to be more online experience, probably with virtual reality enhancement. Already, apparently people are seeking cctv sites showing tourist spots and wildlife and nature are the most sought after. Apparently also, using goggles and sensors for hands and feet, some experiences are pretty much better than the real thing, as people swim in coral reefs, clamber on stage with the lead singer at a big concert, stroll at leisure round an art gallery in the middle of the night.

This, and the provision of education online and on t.v., instead of turning up at physica lpremises just as if nothing has changed since medieval times, is so much more inclusive, and it's high time we abandoned fixed attitudes formed when quill pens were in use

UK holidays will only go ahead if the government deems it safe. If/when it does, surely people can go?

I think if we can be less not more virtual it is probably better for people's sense of well being. I have not had even a night away since summer 2019 so I hope our week away injuly can go ahead. The holiday company is a British company who use mostly British staff abroad including for the childcare so i am not so sure all the money in our case goes into the coffers of some other Eu state and pretty sure a lot of it stays in the UK.

Well speaking as a 68 year old who is still working, I'm pretty angry at those on this thread who seem to think we are disposable. As for those in care homes not being allowed visitors for another bloody year, how callous is that?
In any case, the whole point is that once the most vulnerable are vaccinated, it should be possible to loosen restrictions as it is still overwhelmingly the elderly who are most at risk.
I agree with teachers getting the vaccine in the second cohort (after front line staff) but, apart from that, I think the Govt have - rarely for them - got the order about right.

i think the police should be somewhere near the top. they have to deal with all the marching non vaccers and non mask wearers

So lockdown until May or June, possibly Tier 3 over the summer, a new variant comes along, so Tier 4, then another lockdown over the winter until a new vaccine is rolled out in January. 2022 repeat. 2023 repeat.

@Livinginthecity sorry but that is properly bonkers. Are you just plucking stuff out of your arse now?