Breaking News Boris press conference tonight 14/05/21

[Whichjab]

So, is Monday under threat? Change to school masks or hugs?

[Furries]

@Thewiseoneincognito - sorry, but you’re wrong. The reason you get that response is because it’s The Good News Thread - the clue is in the name!

Everyone on there is perfectly well aware of the situation and the realities. All very well aware of the multitude of other threads on the topic - some doom-mongering, some posting what amounts to a load of crap, some scaremongering etc.

The whole point of that thread is eking out the little bits of positivity, which can often get lost in all the other threads and so might help someone having a bit of a wobble on any given day. We’re all perfectly capable of not going through life with our heads buried in the sand!

If I’m on the Good News Thread, that’s what I want/need to find at that given moment. If I want to read more views on when/how bad the next wave is going to be, then there are bloody multiple other threads where I can go to find that!

[Furries]

@MercyBooth

*But NONE of that prevents them having a FREE vaccine. The uptake is incredibly low in areas where the Indian variant of growing exponentially.

What's the excuse for that*

Maybe they took this Governments advice not to prioritize phones over food. So therefore cant book online.

You reap what you sow *@AlmostSummer21*

You can book by phone!

[KurtWilde]

@Furries you do realise some people in this type of area don't even have a landline let alone mobile phone or internet? I've worked with many such people who actually DO prioritise food and warmth over phones and internet. What you take for granted is a luxury for them.

I know my area will spike next with the Indian variant, it couldn't not. We've had high numbers all along and uptake of the vaccine is so bad they were offering it to under 50s within the first few weeks of the rollout because they had so much spare vaccine.

[MercyBooth]

@Unsure33 Im not sure thats ethical. Or conducive with patient confidentiality.

[MercyBooth]

@Unsure33 Would you have been happy with them doing the same thing with HIV/AIDS patients..................oh wait they did.

[Furries]

@KurtWilde - I get that, I really do, but there has to be other ways round it? Low uptake is low in certain areas for so many reasons, not just lack of internet.

I’d hope that community leaders/local councillors etc could pull together to make bookings on behalf of those who don’t have Internet/phone access. I’d hope that pop-up centres where you don’t need to book will help hard hit areas. But if desire to be vaccinated is low, these measures won’t make any difference. Really hope your area isn’t hit too hard.

Where I live a large proportion of the population are elderly - so internet booking was an issue for different reasons. Luckily, many will have relatives who could access the Internet on their behalf, plus our parish councillor is great and would help anyone out who didn’t have any family to assist them.

[KurtWilde]

Furries oh no of course it's not just lack of phones/internet. It does play a part for the more underprivileged members of the community though. For others it's due to religious reasoning and unfortunately leaders don't seem eager to encourage uptake.

We've been in perpetual lockdown here since last March, with just 3 weeks of 'freedom' last summer. I really hope we're not hit too hard with the Indian variant just as the promise of some normalcy is returning for local independent businesses etc.

[unwuthering]

@Watapalava

So when the government say they are effective that is what they mean

That was whole point of vaccination

To reduce nhs pressure

I thought that lockdowns etc were to reduce nhs pressure.

I thought the whole point of vaccination was to create herd immunity and eventually starve out covid transmission to negligible levels, whilst also minimising risk of serious illness c/- covid or death.

[TruelyWonder]

Lockdown drives the cases down. Then the vaccine is used to keep the virus atacceptable levels.

Therefore they both keep pressure off the NHS. One in the short term and one in the long term.

[pam290358]

@redglobox. ‘The vulnerable are no longer at risk’. I am clinically vulnerable, contracted Covid in February, now fully vaccinated - last vaccine 3 weeks ago. Have just tested positive on a PCR test and starting to feel really unwell. So the above statement isn’t really true.

[jasjas1973]

@Delatron

And since you don’t appear to understand even *@PrincessNutNuts* post is not saying the vaccines aren’t effective just that maybe we haven’t vaccinated enough people. They are completely different things!

If thats the case, then maybe opening up before we have reached 80% of population would be the wise course of action?

[lightand]

@nordica

It's not as easy as that for immigrants in this hostile environment. A friend who is an EU immigrant with settled status and been here 10+ years has just been asked for lots of proof she is a resident after having treatment at her local hospital because the NHS Trust doesn't consider settled status enough.

Now imagine what it's like for someone whose paperwork may not be in order, or even if it is, they may not speak English very well or don't use the Internet. There has been a lot of misinformation about the vaccines and a lot of people just don't want any involvement with the authorities even if it's something as simple as a vaccine appointment.

The people in these communities are not anti-vaxers marching at some protest, their reasons for not being vaccinated yet are really complex.

This post explains a lot.

[RedcurrantPuff]

I thought that lockdowns etc were to reduce nhs pressure.

I thought the whole point of vaccination was to create herd immunity and eventually starve out covid transmission to negligible levels, whilst also minimising risk of serious illness c/- covid or death.

Lockdowns were but now vaccines are taking the place of lockdown. That’s the point. Lockdown should be a last resort. Too many people on MN think it should be the default position.

[bellamountain]

It's interesting how today's headlines seem to be all about Meghan and Harry again. I wonder if the Indian variant has come up to get areas with little to no vaccine uptake vaccinated fast. To take the army in and near enough order people to be vaccinated straight away makes me think it's all part of a plan, especially with all the pictures we've seen coming out of India. If previous initiatives weren't working, then the above might work?

[Belladonna12]

@bellamountain

It's interesting how today's headlines seem to be all about Meghan and Harry again. I wonder if the Indian variant has come up to get areas with little to no vaccine uptake vaccinated fast. To take the army in and near enough order people to be vaccinated straight away makes me think it's all part of a plan, especially with all the pictures we've seen coming out of India. If previous initiatives weren't working, then the above might work?

I think they are very worried about the Indian variant but it also a good way of persuading people to get vaccinated. It's also good reason to reduce the interval between the first and second dose . The three month interval was to make sure as many vulnerable people as possible were offered the first dose. If everyone in phase 1 has been offered it now and also people over 38 there is perhaps no reason to stick to the three months, especially as many of those people will be receiving AstraZeneca which isn't going to be used in younger people.

[Franklin12]

The people who are refusing the vaccine are just looking after number 1. Fed up of people saying it’s for religious reasons, mistrust etc. I am sure they will be running to the NHS when they feel unwell.

[PurpleDaisies]

I am sure they will be running to the NHS when they feel unwell.

As they should. Do you think the nhs should stop treating everyone who makes a poor health choice?

[Franklin12]

I really don’t believe the excuses around landlines, mobiles etc. So there is no one who can arrange for them? No family members, friends? No one to call the
helpline and book using this method. No church leaders to assist? No pop up pods?

Just no one at all so let’s just leave having a jab....

[KurtWilde]

@Franklin12 you'd be surprised. Try living where I live and it would be an eye opener that's for sure.

[KurtWilde]

@PurpleDaisies

I am sure they will be running to the NHS when they feel unwell.

As they should. Do you think the nhs should stop treating everyone who makes a poor health choice?

Indeed. That's what it's there for.

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

I wonder if the Indian variant has come up to get areas with little to no vaccine uptake vaccinated fast

You'll be called a conspiracy theorist for writing that; to others, who observe and question rather than just striking positions, it's something worth thinking about - especially in light of SAGE's views about people "not feeling sufficiently threatened"

None of which is to say that there isn't reason to be worried - only that worry can be manipulated, and frequently is

[Belladonna12]

@Franklin12

The people who are refusing the vaccine are just looking after number 1. Fed up of people saying it’s for religious reasons, mistrust etc. I am sure they will be running to the NHS when they feel unwell.

They aren't looking after number one though as most of those who have been offered it are vulnerable.

[picturesandpickles]

@Franklin12

I really don’t believe the excuses around landlines, mobiles etc. So there is no one who can arrange for them? No family members, friends? No one to call the
helpline and book using this method. No church leaders to assist? No pop up pods?

Just no one at all so let’s just leave having a jab....

Listen to people who know, don't just rely on your own blinkered perspective.

Many people are more isolated and cut off than you would care to admit.

[Furries]

@KurtWilde - it’s definitely been tough where you are, can’t imagine having so little time out of restrictions. Really hope that the situation there starts to ease as soon as possible.

[DelBocaVista]

We've been in perpetual lockdown here since last March, with just 3 weeks of 'freedom' last summer. I really hope we're not hit too hard with the Indian variant just as the promise of some normalcy is returning for local independent businesses etc.

I think we live in or near the same place Kurt.
It's been monumentally shit.