Westminstenders: The New Era

[RedToothBrush]

Scotland.
The GFA.
Its not Brexit Honest.
Levelling Up Shitholes caused by Tory austerity.
Babymilk Shortages
Cronyism

But we did good with covid jabs.

@DoubleTweenQueen

We knew at the time herd immunity was initial intention. It's nothing new

As far as I can see - especially in relation to children and young adults.

I'm just glad that ds (20) has managed to get a vaccination this week when a vaccination hub close to him effectively operated a "walk-in" clinic for all 18+, which he found out about via a tweet from his MP It seems to have been an impromptu one, so I don't know if they had vaccine to use up, but after queuing for 1.5 hours he got the Moderna jag. He's delighted

Yay pretty, glad he got a vaccine. Pass on best wishes to LQ.

He's a very keen sportsman so even though he would probably have been ok if he'd got it, he didn't want the potential risk to lung function or Long Covid

While most people are ok, it is pretty shit if you are in the percentage that are not.

And having posted a photo of green tomatoes on the on the last thread, today we ate the first ripe tomato. Food miles: three feet.

My tomatoes aren't even flowering yet

@BlackeyedSusan - the thing is I don't think most people are OK. Those with only one dose has a relatively small (I think ) level of protection. About 30% - disastrous for the country as a whole.

That's good news, prettybird
Thanks for the info on your washing poles ;) They just reminded me so much of the drying green behind my flat in Edinburgh.

Here are some poppies...

As far as I was aware, most young people are ok after Covid, but a significant chunk have long term effects.

What's the 30%?

Is that no symptoms, mild symptoms, not in hospital? I haven't caught up with news yet. Just waiting out the isolation period for ds.

Love the poppies

@prettybird

I've enjoyed getting to "know" LQ outwith MN - and one day we'll actually meet up in real life

She's an interesting woman. We don't agree on all topics but I respect her opinions

No one can agree on ALL topics ALL of the time, but a hallmark of most Westminstender posters has been an ability to debate based on fact and informed opinion.

I had particularly liked how LQ
formatted her postings
to look rather
like a haiku

More pretty flowers

Those who have 1 dose only have 30% of the protection from that single dose of vaccine.

Beats are off with the indian variant - there is no reliable data from India. But it seems it infects children and young adults more readily than previous variants. On top of that - those that are infected get long Covid at the same rate as adults - so around 10%. If that involves permanent damage to the lungs - that's disastrous for long term health.
We also do not know long term effects of Covid - it as a virus has neurological implications - does that mean a rise in early onset neurological diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's?

Only 35% of population are fully vaccinated- and with AZ you have seemingly around 80% protection - if big numbers are infected - that 20% escape becomes important.

They real worry is it is seeded all through the country - and the gov are doing nothing...... they have learnt nothing.....

Sorry - I think that's 30% won't catch it

Considering over 18s only
72% have had the first jab and 43% have had both jabs.
I think this is remarkable.

It is - but may not be enough to protect a lot of people from the Indian variant. Which is a lot more infectious - and that what is concerning.

Nobody is saying the vaccination effort is amazing - but it maybe worth very little in the face of a highly infectious variant.

As a brexiteer yellowspanner - why are you not furious that they did not "control our boarders"

yellowspanner there's evidence that the Indian variant is hitting the younger age groups harder. So it's worth looking at the data and working out what % of the 18 - 40 group have been vaccinated. That will be nowhere near 72%.

Pointythings, I agree that the Indian variant hits the younger age group, probably because they are not vaccinated. I think they will vaccinate the young people soon. And I think the vaccinations are protecting the older people.

Mrslaughlan, I am delighted that our Home Secretary is developing a points based immigration system that will help secure our borders and enable people from many countries to come here. I don't think it was right for us to admit from the EU preferentially.

@yellowspanner

Mrslaughlan, I am delighted that our Home Secretary is developing a points based immigration system that will help secure our borders and enable people from many countries to come here. I don't think it was right for us to admit from the EU preferentially.

The UK always had the options to 1) enforce EU rules on free movement and 2) have its own criteria for non-EU immigration. Sovereignty, don't you know? The UK government chose not to do any of this.

Patel can't answer how she intends to deport illegal immigrants who either have no country to go to (i.e no means of getting there) or migrants who came to the UK via a safe country but that country will not except them back.

Its just PR that so many fall for.

As for a points based system, they had 4 years to develop that, why isn't it in place by now?

Yes yellowhammer - we all know how you feel about Priti's point based immigration system. But your either being obtuse or just don't have the intellectual capacity to realise that they could have shut it at least controlled the boarders to keep the Indian variant out......

@mrslaughan

Yes yellowhammer - we all know how you feel about Priti's point based immigration system. But your either being obtuse or just don't have the intellectual capacity to realise that they could have shut it at least controlled the boarders to keep the Indian variant out......

Thats a good point, the border control issue and the shockingly poor track n trace system, seems to be totally ignored by Johnson loving supporters.

I'm not particularly religious but it reminds me of the parable of the man who criticised his brother for the spec in his eye, whilst ignoring the log in his own.

But Johnson was keen on a trade deal with India, hence his tardiness putting India on the red list.