I thought vaccines were our way out??

[user2021]

Why are we introducing travel restrictions now? And why are we being told things won't be back to normal by the summer/not to book any holidays abroad?

I thought the vaccines were our way out of this mess?

What needs to happen to get us back to normal? I thought once hospitalisation numbers are greatly reduce and the NHS can cope then that's that?!! We were never perusing a zero transmission policy, we were pursuing a don't-overwhelm-the-NHS-policy, or am I missing something?

Is this true? That AX only has 10-22% effect on the new variants? Is that just from catching it or from hospitalisation as well?

Nope, not true. And you can tell because of the word unfortunately that the poster used. All scare mongering bollocks posters have to use the words “unfortunately”, “sorry” “I’m afraid”, or “people have to accept”. It’s the law

I think the real question is why weren't travel restrictions and enforced quarantine brought in a year ago.

Plus the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine only offers between 10-22% protection from the South African variant, and that's the vaccine the UK has the most of unfortunately.

WILL people stop spewing shite.

The vast majority of posters on this board haven't got the first clue how to interpret actual data and studies and just take media headlines as their "facts".

@Followthelarch

Yes, you're totally missing dangerous variants from overseas for which the current vaccines may be less effective for but I think you know that really don't you

Oh you mean that thing that when viruses mutate when they're trying survive? What all virus do? Each virus can have a 100 different variants and the goverment knew this from the word go. They said vaccines were our way out normality and now the goal posts have changed. They'll be variant after variant after variant. Let's just live like this indefinitely just incase theres new strains from abroad yep that sounds like a plan

@alwaysplayingplaydoh

Plus the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine only offers between 10-22% protection from the South African variant, and that's the vaccine the UK has the most of unfortunately.

WILL people stop spewing shite.

The vast majority of posters on this board haven't got the first clue how to interpret actual data and studies and just take media headlines as their "facts".

I’ve just read the research and, to be honest, I would be really unhappy about having the AZ vaccine as a CV person. Nobody went to hospital in that trial but they were all young! So really it only tells us that it is much less effective against the SA virus. Whereas the Pfiser one is much better. I will certainly be doing my best to go to a vaccination centre that I know have been using the Pfiser and, if they offer me AZ, I will seriously consider not having it and trying again somewhere else.

I have lived in pure fear for the year. Being told that I have a reasonable chance of dying if I catch it yet being forced to send my children to Covid infested schools. My mental health won’t take much more. It won’t take being given the AZ vaccine and then being told it’s basically useless.

@RedToothBrush

Oh goodness its like the repeated daily thread.

No the goalposts haven't moved.

Yes new variants are an issue and have forced a change in strategy (this has been the case since mid December but most people appear to have been half asleep and not noticed the significance of the new variants). This is not goal post changing. This is a response to our initial strategy being fatally flawed requiring us to readjust our course to get to the goal posts of reality that covid produces.

We have to restrict the possibility of new variants arising whilst we build a comprehensive long term vaccination strategy and infrastructure and complete our first course of vaccinations to build some level of community resistance to covid and reduce pressure on the health care system.

Nothing new. Same goals. Just different strategy to get to the end.

It's the same answer that people reply to as well.

Mutant strains, variants bla bla.

The government knew as soon as this virus started there would be variants, all viruses mutate but that didn't stop them from saying the vaccine was our way out. Why say it? Why give people false hope?
Now it's oh look new strains are coming which we didn't know were possible so let's stick to the rules and keep up this shit for multiple variants for god knows long, sit tight though well still okay you 80% of your wages to stop you grumbling

People have had enough that's why its repeated daily.

14:16DuchessofHastings1

The government are not your parents and you're not a teenager.

Stop stamping your foot about the goal posts being changed. Sometimes things happen that require an adjustment in the response. Stop the virus spreading here and you're protecting the virus being able to offer us a way out.

vaccine

@myfriendsgivebadadvice

14:16DuchessofHastings1

The government are not your parents and you're not a teenager.

Stop stamping your foot about the goal posts being changed. Sometimes things happen that require an adjustment in the response. Stop the virus spreading here and you're protecting the virus being able to offer us a way out.

I don't see Duchess stamping her foot, just posting observations.

Ah and there we go. Someone prepared to refuse a perfectly good vaccine due to what shit people are spouting on here. Job done. Well done!

@Delatron

Ah and there we go. Someone prepared to refuse a perfectly good vaccine due to what shit people are spouting on here. Job done. Well done!

But Crack is saying she has read research? I presume that doesn't include MN 😂

@Chloemol

So far there hasn't been any new strain or variant to seriously worry us, has there?

Are you for real?

I am amazed at the number of people who just don’t get it. The virus HAS mutated, we have the Kent variant with it would appear vaccine maybe affective against, but not necessarily against the SAvarient. Just yesterday bits berm discovered there is another variant which appears to be a cross between the two,

Why would we allow other variants from other countries in until we are sure the vaccines are effective, there is talk the Astra one is not necessarily effective against the SAvarient,

Right so it's not back to normality having the vaccine, now its we have to updated vaccine from various strains to get back to normality?

They could be multiple strains so we just keep shutting society off and living like out of fear of new variants?
Nearly 60,000 people have died from the flu each year in the past 5 years, which could have been prevented from lockdowns, but we never have and no one battered an eye lid.

Yep but let's all live in fear, our children's education and futures robbed, mental health and suicide rates keep up, businesses crashing just for variant after variant over a virus with a 99% full recovery rate. Sounds like a sensible plan.

Nearly 60,000 people have died from the flu each year in the past 5 years

That's not accurate.

www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transparencyandgovernance/freedomofinformationfoi/deathsfrominfluenzaandpneumonia20152020

@Followthelarch

Yes they have

A handful

Is over a million 'a handful'

I do agree that there is so much misinformation on MN and too many people who don't read further than a daily fail headline and then post on here as though they are talking facts.

But I think that we should be able to question the government's approach, question the restrictions and question what the government and media are telling us without being called conspiracy theorists and spoken to like shit 🤷‍♀️

Personally I disagree with the level of restrictions. And I don't trust the government at all. I think that once the top 4 groups have been vaccinated and time given for those vaccines to take effect then schools, retail, hospitality and leisure should open up. And social mixing should be allowed with a restriction on number of households. Then once the top 9 groups have been vaccinated then pretty much all restrictions should be removed bar maybe face masks, maximum capacity for big events and some restrictions on travel. Mild, precautionary measures until we know how things are looking next winter.

I will wait and see what the road map brings on the 22nd. But I fear it is going to set out an unnecessarily, painstakingly slow ease of restrictions. I can only hope that I'm wrong.

Okay, now WHO scientists are recommending Oxford vaccine in ALL adults, assuming we can trust the WHO.
That's Breaking News.

Otherwise, seems to me that if vaccines are our way out of all this, then having vaccinated the over 60s and those with poor health it should next be a) School kids and teachers, to allow schools to return b) Their parents c) Commuters heading into the city to work - not sure how you earmark them out.
This would be to stop a new variant from starting up and getting. a grip. Even if school kids mostly don't suffer or die from Covid, just spreading it amongst themselves could produce a new variant stronger than the previous one, rendering the vaccine less effective.

No vaccines have been tested on kids, much less been approved.

In fact, in a 2 week period we knew 6 men, all 50-55, no health issues. Every single one died of Covid. All fit healthy men

Well that's incredibly unlucky isn't it?

@Neverlookback32

Imagine if the government ignored the significance of these new overseas strains which may have the ability to evade our vaccines. Imagine all the "should have done more" comments like they get over tougher lockdown measures from the beginning. Cant please everyone but for me im glad they're being realistic about the situation. Coronavirus tend to mutate at a rapid rate. So basically just as we've learnt about the new SA variant a new one will be brewing in the background. As it stands right this moment our NHS is overrun with covid. There should be no talk of lifting any kind of restrictions until that changes for the better. Don't forget, no one has received a 2nd vaccine dose yet, thats going to take us well into spring before the second doses start to be rolled out.

Hang in there, dont think too far ahead but be realistic and stay positive that this will come to an end eventually xx

What absolute shite. Over 500,000 people have had their 2nd vaccines in the UK. Why spread such nonsense I don't get it.

@TrustTheGeneGenie

In fact, in a 2 week period we knew 6 men, all 50-55, no health issues. Every single one died of Covid. All fit healthy men

Well that's incredibly unlucky isn't it?

Yes, it is but that's what random looks like

And in a period of over a year, I don't know anyone, of any age, who has died from it.

Therefore no-one dies from Covid-19.

Just as likely if you're trying to extrapolate to data from anecdote.