We need to be given an end date

[Billie18]

Vaccinations being rolled out and there will be a date when the elderly and/or vulnerable will have been vaccinated. It should be possible to announce a date now when this will have happened. On this date all restrictions should be lifted. Why has no date been given?

Because they can't? Why do you think they can give an end date, based on what? What would be the point, if they only had to renege on it? Over promising has been one of this government's main failings during this pandemic, then refusing to back down.

Why on earth do you think it's possible?

Because it's not just the elderly and vulnerable who die or have their health permanently impaired by the virus?

Because the hospitals are so full that they might have to start rationing basics like oxygen?

I wish they'd give an end date on Boris Johnson though.

I know what you mean, if there was an end date it would be much easier to cope with.

I have seen that all over 50s are expected to be vaccinated by April/May

@CodenameVillanelle

Because they can't? Why do you think they can give an end date, based on what? What would be the point, if they only had to renege on it? Over promising has been one of this government's main failings during this pandemic, then refusing to back down.

Why would the date have to change. It would be based on a certain percentage of elderly and/or vulnerable people being vaccinated. We have the vaccines its just a case of ensuring the vaccine timetable is stuck to. In crisis times there can be no excuse for a failure to stick to the timetable. A date would likely ensure more compliance with rules and allow the public, educational providers and businesses to make future plans. It would negate some of the impact on mental impact resulting from isolation if the end was visible.

Because it's not linear or entirely predictable.
Vaccination rates will not be the same everywhere due to supply and logistics.
We aren't simply going to go back to normal any time soon. Even with vaccinations. Chris Whitty has said as much. There will still be a requirement for social distancing and mask wearing.

Because, the whole chain from the manufacturing process, distribution network and actually injecting people is not within the control of the Govt.

What happens if the Govt give a date and manufacturers are hit by outbreaks and loads of their staff are off sick and therefore cannot make the quantities of vaccine needed to continue vaccinating at the same rate? Ditto with the distribution network and all other aspects of the chain.

Anyone would be stupid to give a firm date unless everything is within their control.

The Govt do not want the economy to be fucked. It isn't in their interests for us all to be at home and for large swathes of us to be unproductive. They are getting the vaccine out to the population at great speed. The limiting factor at the moment is vaccine supplies.

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June 2066 or 6/66.

I agree OP. I think compliance would be higher if we had any assurance that this would be over at a certain point.

If vaccination of the vulnerable isn’t the end point then what is??

I have been shielding and WFH since March as have many others. They can’t give an end date because it depends on new strains, and more importantly how people keep exploiting and bending the rules, how quickly things start to slow down improve. Please just give it a rest.

“In crisis times there can be no excuse for a failure to stick to the timetable”

OP have you been living under a rock for the last 10 months! The government hasn’t done anything in a timely fashion. How on earth does anyone know when restrictions can be safely lifted. The vaccine is not a magic bullet and with people still interacting at a much higher rate than in March we’ll be under restrictions for a long time yet.

@Crowsaregreat

Because it's not just the elderly and vulnerable who die or have their health permanently impaired by the virus?

Because the hospitals are so full that they might have to start rationing basics like oxygen?

I wish they'd give an end date on Boris Johnson though.

The impact of prolonging restriction will damage more people than health problems associated with coronavirus for people in the non vulnerable group. Once the elderly and/or vulnerable are protected restrictions will be killing more people in the non vulnerable group than coronavirus. Keeping restrictions in place will be killing people.

Agree OP. I think many restrictions are here to stay in some form.

@Calmandmeasured1

Because, the whole chain from the manufacturing process, distribution network and actually injecting people is not within the control of the Govt.

What happens if the Govt give a date and manufacturers are hit by outbreaks and loads of their staff are off sick and therefore cannot make the quantities of vaccine needed to continue vaccinating at the same rate? Ditto with the distribution network and all other aspects of the chain.

Anyone would be stupid to give a firm date unless everything is within their control.

The Govt do not want the economy to be fucked. It isn't in their interests for us all to be at home and for large swathes of us to be unproductive. They are getting the vaccine out to the population at great speed. The limiting factor at the moment is vaccine supplies.

Can I ask a really stupid question about this?

Once a vaccine has been formulated and approved by one of the pharmaceutical companies (say the AstraZeneca), why can’t they share the information with other companies so that manufacture and supply can be really ramped up to the max? I know how simplistic that must sound but I’ve been pondering it. Is it because the creator of the vaccine has some kind of patent and wants all the profit?

Because it's not just the elderly and vulnerable who die or have their health permanently impaired by the virus?
But the thing is, it pretty much is just those groups dying. So once they are vaccinated o also do not understand why any restrictions would need to remain.
Yes there will always be some other people that die, but as Chris Whitty said, in society there is an accepted level of deaths, as there is from other illnesses.
I know we hate the flu comparison but once people are vaccinated why wouldn’t we just carry on as normal line we do with flu. It’s accepted people die from that and we don’t wear masks or restrict people’s lives.

How on earth can it be possible to do this?
It simply isn’t .

@Imiss2019

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I'm curious. Does that mean you can't believe the government will not give an end date? If so I agree with you. We need an end date!

It's not going to end with one round of vaccines this year. The virus has become pretty endemic and is mutating - as viruses do.
Hopefully we will end up managing it in a similar way to influenza. Vulnerable people will be vaccinated yearly with a vaccine that is targeted to the expected strains.
But, I may be proven wrong, I fully expect this to still be around and making an impact for a few more years. I think it will affect travelling to other countries, we might need to pay for extra test/certified vaccinations etc. It's not just going to go away this summer.

@Billie18

Why would the date have to change. It would be based on a certain percentage of elderly and/or vulnerable people being vaccinated. We have the vaccines its just a case of ensuring the vaccine timetable is stuck to.
We don't have all the vaccines. Why would you think that? The Govt may have ordered it but do you really think we have over 100m vaccines currently just waiting to be injected into people? We have some of the vaccine. It is being manufactured continually and each batch has to be thoroughly quality tested before it can be used in the population.

@MotheringShites

I agree OP. I think compliance would be higher if we had any assurance that this would be over at a certain point.

If vaccination of the vulnerable isn’t the end point then what is??

Except that then you will get people complaining that they won’t comply because they were given an end point and it wasn’t met.

@Franklyte

Agree OP. I think many restrictions are here to stay in some form.

Unless there is a collective push for an end date then we won't be given one.

@Billie18

We need an end date!
Stop using the royal 'we'. You only speak for yourself.

I'm not a fan of this government but do you think they have mystic powers that enable them to accurately see the future?

Things that could impact the timeline that cannot be accurately forecasted for:

• unexpected delays in supply of vaccination eg weather affecting transit
• mutations/new strains
• more or less compliance from the public resulting in more or less transmission
• more or less use of NHS resources allowing for faster or slower delivery of vaccinations to patients

On MN repeatedly there has been criticism of Boris for saying things like "this will be over by Xmas" and then not being able to deliver. He finally is marginally more truthful and admits he can't guarantee an end date and you're calling for one.

It just isn't possible, we've not done this before, we don't know what will happen, we just have to deal with it and hope for the best and quickest resolution possible.