Good news part 7

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

For all your vaccine news, treatment development stories and other positive things to make you feel there is hope for the future!
Good news only please!

Useful websites we are referring to a lot:

Government daily statistics

Worldometer for international case number comparisons

Covid Messenger for local authority figures, thanks to LittleOwl for all her hard work!

OurWorldInData international vaccination figures

Omnicalculator vaccine queue calculator NB Please don’t take this too seriously- it depends what vaccine delivery speed and uptake you estimate so it’s not written in stone.

@TJ17 - thanks for posting that Telegraph article, it sounds very promising.

More from the Telegraph, and I posted a link before, but hadn't realised this was so soon to being completed. This basically assures our future vaccine requirements, and if and when we need new variant vaccines.

How will the UK stay ahead of the new variants?
On Jan 16, The Telegraph exclusively revealed that Britain would have the capacity to vaccinate the entire nation against new coronavirus strains within four months, once a new “super-factory” opens this year.
The factory, which is worth £158m, will produce 70m doses of an emergency vaccine in the UK, Dr Matthew Duchars, chief executive of the Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (VMIC), shared.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Dr Duchars revealed: “New Covid variants are absolutely part of the thinking. We probably will need to make seasonal vaccine variants because there may well be mutations in the virus, as well as vaccines for other diseases. You never know what’s coming next.”

Glad to see that Telegraph piece - that final paragraph is classic!

@FourTeaFallOut

The bma are getting rapped over the knuckles there.

The BMA are a union, first and foremost looking after doctors interests. Fair enough. They are not public health experts though, and need to be really careful how they might create problems within public perception, as generally people don't understand their role.

@Inastatus I'm afraid I can't take the credit I just quoted it 😊

It was @Level75

@TJ17 - I’m always doing that! Need to read more carefully.
@Level75 - thanks for posting the article. It cheered me up today.

Haha no worries @Inastatus I've done it many a time too!

I just read that there is a big vaccine plant in Germany for Biontec Pfizer due to be finished by February. So European supply issues should be easing into Spring.

BigWoollyJumpers - marvellous news about ongoing vaccine provision. And I agree with you about the BMA.

I was quite upset at the BBC saying the BMA had sent a 'private letter' to Professor Chris Whitty about the second dose delay which they (BBC) had seen. I know this must be totally normal in journalism, but it just didn't sit right! (Chris Whitty is my hero!) So glad to see there is more defence of the policy, and there is "wiggle room" to bring the second dose forward if that proves the right thing to do on a public health basis.

Good to see supply issues should ease in Europe too.

Inastatus - that's a fabulous picture isn't it - I have it on a large tea mug which comes out every morning for my "cuppa"!

@Level75

Telegraph article today says we should know really soon if the 12 week vaccine gap is OK, but that the initial data looks very promising (in that it's absolutely fine).

"Would be better if they understood it better before making public announcements" Bog off.

Happy birthday to Fuzzy🥳

@thatgingergirl 😀 it’s soo cute!

Media quoting that Boris has suggested there might be some very gentle easing of restrictions in late feb. I doubt schools but hopefully being able to meet more than one person outside and/or outdoor sport might happen. Subject to continuing declining numbers of course. Late feb is a month away still.

Meh sorry I know it’s good. I don’t want small morsels to keep us going I want them to resolve the school issue.

The BMA are a union, first and foremost looking after doctors interests. Fair enough. They are not public health experts though, and need to be really careful how they might create problems within public perception, as generally people don't understand their role.

Good point I wasn’t aware of that.

The telegraph are reporting this morning that Boris is considering easing some restrictions mid February!

Happy Birthday Fuzzy. Have a fabulous day!

I'm having a fine birthday, thank you all!

Happy Birthday Fuzzy!!!

@BigWoollyJumpers

More from the Telegraph, and I posted a link before, but hadn't realised this was so soon to being completed. This basically assures our future vaccine requirements, and if and when we need new variant vaccines.

How will the UK stay ahead of the new variants?
On Jan 16, The Telegraph exclusively revealed that Britain would have the capacity to vaccinate the entire nation against new coronavirus strains within four months, once a new “super-factory” opens this year.
The factory, which is worth £158m, will produce 70m doses of an emergency vaccine in the UK, Dr Matthew Duchars, chief executive of the Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (VMIC), shared.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Dr Duchars revealed: “New Covid variants are absolutely part of the thinking. We probably will need to make seasonal vaccine variants because there may well be mutations in the virus, as well as vaccines for other diseases. You never know what’s coming next.”

This is fantastic, thank you for posting. What an insurance policy for the future.

This thread is full of gems!

Vaccine scientists are my superheroes. And (feeling patriotic) the UK seems especially good at this stuff and also sufficiently altruistic not to keep it all to ourselves. Huzzah!

@MarshaBradyo

Meh sorry I know it’s good. I don’t want small morsels to keep us going I want them to resolve the school issue.

Me too! Personally I put DD going back to school over being able to see other people outdoors

@FuzzyPuffling

Vaccine scientists are my superheroes. And (feeling patriotic) the UK seems especially good at this stuff and also sufficiently altruistic not to keep it all to ourselves. Huzzah!

Well my youngest is inspired. Only the other day he was telling me that when he grows up he wants to be a scientist and make vaccines and I beamed with joy and then he said, "They must make a fortune now everyone needs to get a jab". I mean I guess it's good a seven year old thinks about the practicalities but it took the gloss off.

My four year old DGS wants to be "a firefighter, a policeman or a scientist". He's obviously got a yen for the good guys!

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Retains Neutralizing Activity Against Emerging Variants First Identified in the U.K. and the Republic of South Africa

investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/moderna-covid-19-vaccine-retains-neutralizing-activity-against/

So it looks like it’s just as effective against the uk strain, and less so against the SA version but does still offer some protection. And they have already started trials on a tweaked vaccine!