Good news Part 9

[BBCONEANDTWO]

Previous thread here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4151264-Good-News-Part-8?pg=37

Useful links:

coronavirus.data.gov.uk

www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

www.covidmessenger.com Thanks to LittleOwl for all her hard work!

ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

www.omnicalculator.com/health/vaccine-queue-uk

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.

We can drown out the negativity if we try hard enough. That mental health thread is taking a nice turn now. People are starting to post with messages of hope. This is what we need right now - not doom and gloom. Some compassion for these strangers on the other end who are posting in desperation with a message of ‘hang in there’

If anyone is feeling glum, I've just read the 'Matt Hancock is gorgeous' thread and it's had me howling.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4160040-Matt-Hancock-is-gorgeous

Funniest thing on MN in ages.

Oh idea. Put that on the other thread. Ot may help. I can't don't know how.

I’ve just been reading a bit more about T cells and this SA variant study.

Will try and summarise what I’ve learned...!

• Antibodies protect against initial infection.
• T cells are another line of defence, which are not talked about as much, which come into play AFTER an infection has occurred.
• They will not stop an infection happening, but their job is to recognise a virus and then attack. To protect against serious disease, if infection occurs.
• They also help instruct the body to make antibodies as they “remember” the virus.
• They think the Oxford vaccine isn’t as good at generating antibodies against the SA variant.
• BUT.... IT DOES appear that the T cell response generated by the vaccine will be highly effective against the SA Variant.
• This explains why mild disease (eg, cold symptoms) can still occur, but they are hopeful it will not turn into serious disease.

This really cheered me up and wanted to share ☺️

Now why couldn't the media add such a good summary to their reporting

📣📣📣📣

(That's a megaphone btw)

Just to add to what @TeaInTheGarden says, I'm pretty sure the focus is never given to T cells not because they aren't useful but because they are much harder than antibodies to measure in the lab so once again the scientists won't say anything if they can't say it with total certainty but a lack of data doesn't mean that it's a fail.

Checking in for some positivity after a gloomy day yesterday.

Good news for me is my 3 ECV relatives have appointments this week. I just want them to hurry up and get to my DM now as she works in early years, and her only priority is her age.

@clarexbp

If anyone is feeling glum, I've just read the 'Matt Hancock is gorgeous' thread and it's had me howling.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4160040-Matt-Hancock-is-gorgeous

Funniest thing on MN in ages.

I love the MH appreciation threads. They’re a welcome light relief to all the doom!

My positivity for the day is that MN seems to be going back to why I joined. 'is my wardrobe haunted?' 'is Matt Hancock sexy?' this is why I signed up!

@TeaInTheGarden thanks for that clear and concise post, my brain tries hard to get it’s head round all the science stuff but just ends up resembling scrambled eggs!

I remember at the beginning of all this shitshow reading all about T cells and that’s why some people have natural immunity to flu/colds/Covid.

Happy good news Tuesday everyone, I’m wearing my positive hat all day today and am avoiding all mood hoovering threads on MN!

Fab summary @TeaInTheGarden

Did anyone else catch the update on T&T in yesterday's briefing.

4.5 million tests a week, and 97% back within a day, and 95% of contacts reached within a day 😮

Unless I heard wrong, this is mind blowing, and putting aside the historical issues we had with setting up testing, and the whole Dido Harding business, this is now a remarkably good result.

Why don't these bits of good news get reported?

@BigWoollyJumpers

Did anyone else catch the update on T&T in yesterday's briefing.

4.5 million tests a week, and 97% back within a day, and 95% of contacts reached within a day 😮

Unless I heard wrong, this is mind blowing, and putting aside the historical issues we had with setting up testing, and the whole Dido Harding business, this is now a remarkably good result.

Why don't these bits of good news get reported?

It is a huge achievement. It's lovely to see things being got right. Credit where credit is due.

I feel like on a daily basis at the moment there are articles about additional drugs being trialled which are showing they make a big difference in serious illness with Covid. I think a lot of these things need bigger trials but honestly next winter, the winter after..... the landscape will feel very different. It's definitely not just a case of there are only the vaccines to help us. We will have so many more options. I keep thinking about how you can say how awful Covid has been but there is undeniably a positive in that a massive amount of time, energy and money has been thrown at it and like with anything in science, that has a ripple effect on how we deal with other things. I think one of the latest medications being looked at addresses cytokine storm (I'm not a scientist. Hopefully I have that right!) If we can understand that issue better/tackle it, that medication is relevant to future pandemics too. It will contribute to less suffering further down the line in lots of different ways.

I first became aware of T cells when I got a negative covid antibody test in summer. It didn’t make sense to me, as my husband had antibodies. We got tested as back in March he had been a bit under the weather and lost taste and smell, so we realised he might have had it, and at the same time as his strange illness, I had had a cough and cold. It was just as schools closed so when covid was everywhere.
I was really annoyed to have tested negative (lol) when he tested positive, and read loads of stuff about it. That’s when I discovered T cells and decided (half heartedly) that I had definitely had covid, and I definitely had these T cells and that’s why I didn’t have antibodies 😆

They are definitely the underdogs in all of this and I agree with @starfish88 it’s probably because they can’t be tested for as easily?

www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/lockdown-date-travel-again-2021-holidays-b1796901.html

It's more speculation and guesswork really but for those of us who live abroad, have family abroad or are just desparate for a holiday this year it is wonderful positivity!

@clarexbp - there were some funny posts on that thread but I also thought there were some really cruel ones commenting on people’s looks and how they think they’d be in bed etc. I nearly posted something but chickened out!

Recently there was a piece about Chris Whitty going around on FB which ended with ‘He’s not your Tinder match, he’s just trying to keep us all safe #bekind’.

Covid tracker now says, at the current rate, 70% of people should have received both doses of vaccine by 14 July.

I’ve had my second dream of standing in a queue waiting for vaccine, one more and it should (hopefully) become true.

@starfish88 I’ve skimmed it and didn’t see any mention of vaccine passports which made me happy!

From what I've heard they would be too difficult to coordinate as it would be difficult to tell what was an official document for every country in the world and what was just an official looking piece of paper. Also would open up the door to forgeries. I think they will still go on levels of covid vs vaccination per country

@BigWoollyJumpers I too was impressed with the T&T stats, and at the same time was completely infuriated that no news channel or paper is interested in reporting it because it just doesn’t fit the negative mindset they all seem intent on impressing upon us all. I just don’t understand why they all seem intent on doom and gloom all the time 😫

Apologies - not a rant aimed at you!

Im so pleased you’ve said that. I spent a couple of days feeling thoroughly depressed at the thought of watching the vaccinated go off on holiday. As healthy thirty somethings DH and I are at back of queue for vaccines, which I can absolutely understand when these vaccines are there to save lives and re start the economy. The thought of them creating a 2 tier society was too much for me to cope with and I had a real slump over it (even though it was only an idea in my mind!!)
Families like us, and not to mention young people, students etc have sacrificed so much over the pandemic, it would then be horrendous to be left behind in that way. Particularly for children.even if children are exempt, parents of young kids would generally be at back of queue.

[quote louisejxxx]@BigWoollyJumpers I too was impressed with the T&T stats, and at the same time was completely infuriated that no news channel or paper is interested in reporting it because it just doesn’t fit the negative mindset they all seem intent on impressing upon us all. I just don’t understand why they all seem intent on doom and gloom all the time 😫

Apologies - not a rant aimed at you![/quote]
I just got pcalled out on the Stats page, by posting the same, and accused of "looking for good news" to suit an agenda .