New Fred. It nearly ended in tiers.

[Cismyfatarse]

Sorry. Lost track of what was proposed. Hope this will do.

That's exactly how DH got his colonoscopy appointment. Got a call on the Friday (and a delivery of moviprep) giving appointment for the procedure on the following Thursday with covid test on the Monday after which we all had to isolate.

He should contact his work as isolating for the week might be treated differently than sick leave.

DH couldn't work the day after either as you need 24 hours after the sedation before you are allowed to drive.

Hope all goes well but I wouldn't panic about the quickness of the appointment etc. That seems to be standard in that area at the moment.

Hopefully will be ok @Groovee. At least he's being seen.

Foolish and unlikely foreign holiday booked for early July here.

I have to admit, I wasn't keen on myself or the dc having a vaccine - we've had covid, we aren't at risk, BUT the information has changed since then, if I'm still a risk to others if unvaccinated then obviously that changes things.

I can understand ttc people being extra wary though, there are clearly some good reasons for not having the vaccine just yet.

Im all for personal choice liberal freedom but it's only supposed to be freedom over yourself, not the freedom to hurt others.

I can understand some people being reluctant to have the vaccine, and normally I'd be fine with that, but as it's likely to impact on my DCs right to a face to face education and my civil liberties, I'm less sanguine. Thankfully take up rate seems to be quite high.

I've booked a back up Scottish option to our shared family Majorca holiday. Gone ultra safe with separate cottages in case distancing still in place. All cancellable until a fortnight before. Looks lovely actually, beside a harbour with boats to unpronounceable islands and half an hour's drive from Oban. Also booked a few cancellable cottages for Easter ( highly unlikely to happen) and May half term - although might be allowed to go to England then so shall replan if that's the case. All through booking.com with no upfront payments. I don't want to mess holiday cottage owners around, but I think demand will be quite high when tourist accommodation is allowed to reopen.

Sorry when I say a few cottages I mean one for each date - booking multiple would be a bit selfish.

Hmm good idea rookie maybe I need to give thought to an Easter cottage! Interesting re booking.com

@Groovee do you know the name of Mr Groovees consultant? If you do I would ask to be put through to their secretary. Consultsnt secretaries are usually very helpful and knowledgable and of course they have direct access to the top dog. They may be able to at least pass your questions on and come back with an answer??
Its very unfair to spring this on anyone without a rationale.

@anon444877 remember they reckon immunity unlikely to last long term. Depends when you had Covid whether you can be confident of still having immunity come the summer

I had thought that in 6 months, we'll have better info on which vaccine works best for which cohort etc. If we all really need it etc.

But I agree if the vaccine is the price of us all getting some semblance of a life back, there's no question.

My parents say they know elderly neighbours etc who've refused round them - I don't think you can legally compel anyone to have hospital treatment though, not without the sky falling in on the civil liberties front.

Ps any bets for being allowed south of the imaginary border at Easter?

20 percent chance? I'd better do somewhere in Scotland...

I don't think you can legally compel anyone to have hospital treatment though, not without the sky falling in on the civil liberties front.

Not sure the sky is very high on that front anyway!

Can you imagine, a little over a year ago, if someone had said:

• It will be illegal for you to go out except for limited, government approved reasons
• it will be illegal for you to meet with your family and friends
• you won't be able to get married or hold a christening service and funerals will be heavily restricted
• you won't be allowed to go to church/synagogue/mosque
• your children won't be allowed to go to school
• a large proportion of the population won't be allowed to go to work
• the government will decide what it is essential for you to buy and shops which don't sell these items will be closed
• you won't be able to leave the country

We'd have thought this was utterly impossible.

When you think about it purely on the grounds of civil liberties we are more restricted even than during the war. Yes, they needed permits to travel but there were essential freedoms preserved.

It really is quite shocking what we can't do.

I wonder if, when this comes to an end, we will turn on our jailers as the population turned on Churchill after the war. Will we too want a fresh start with new people in charge?

I'm really struggling today. Have had my mum on the phone very worried about dad's mental decline. He probably has dementia but no bugger will actually SEE him to assess and nobody's interested as he's not attacking my mum or setting the house on fire. Today things are a lot worse, he doesn't recognise her, is scared, irrational and refusing even to get out of bed and have a cup of tea. She is waiting for a call back from the local mental health team but I have told her that if she doesn't hear back within the hour she's to call an ambulance. We would never have got to this stage had the entire NHS not shut down and turned into the National Covid Service.

So irrespective of the "rules" around Covid, i'll be crossing the country for an illegal trip to my parents because quite frankly they need me.

Sorry to hear that @RaspberryCoulis, I wouldn't even question your trip to support your mum. I hope she feels better after seeing you

@RaspberryCoulis that’s awful. To be honest,I think your trip would be within the rules.

@Cismyfatarse yes, I do. This is all just appalling now.

@RaspberryCoulis

I'm really struggling today. Have had my mum on the phone very worried about dad's mental decline. He probably has dementia but no bugger will actually SEE him to assess and nobody's interested as he's not attacking my mum or setting the house on fire. Today things are a lot worse, he doesn't recognise her, is scared, irrational and refusing even to get out of bed and have a cup of tea. She is waiting for a call back from the local mental health team but I have told her that if she doesn't hear back within the hour she's to call an ambulance. We would never have got to this stage had the entire NHS not shut down and turned into the National Covid Service.

So irrespective of the "rules" around Covid, i'll be crossing the country for an illegal trip to my parents because quite frankly they need me.

Travel to provide care, assistance, support or respite is an exemption so I'd just make sure you have your explanation worded as such and go.

@Cismyfatarse

When you think about it purely on the grounds of civil liberties we are more restricted even than during the war. Yes, they needed permits to travel but there were essential freedoms preserved.

It really is quite shocking what we can't do.

I wonder if, when this comes to an end, we will turn on our jailers as the population turned on Churchill after the war. Will we too want a fresh start with new people in charge?

I hope so, all round the UK.

@RaspberryCoulis, oh that's such a shame, i hope you all get the care you need and don't think twice about going.

Sorry after respite its "for a vulnerable person" for clarity

I'm sure that's under a care exemption raspberry, how awful x

Friends in England who received the jab have got a vaccination card as it says which one they have received and the date.

There has been more into allergies with the Pfizer its only if allergic to the ingredients. Breastfeeding has also had more research conducted and is now approved. When it first came in it wasn't recommended as it hadn't been trialled. But the highest rated pharmaceutical expert in the UK who examines drugs and breastfeeding has conducted a review into the components and confirmed safe.

I think people keep hold of headlines rather than the information - some aspects are due to not being allowed in trial conditions due to the ethics of all drug trials which is very different to saying that it's dangerous or causes an effect.

It's very difficult for my Mum, she's totally on her own. I'm 90 minutes away, and I'm the closest relative. My sibling lives in Birmingham. Dad's side of the family don't live in Scotland either. So she's been totally abandoned to get on with it on her own. All the support groups and coffee mornings which usually run which would help have been stopped too.

@RaspberryCoulis I'm sorry to hear that. I totally agree with you about the shutdown of the health service. I also think a lot of old people will have mentally declined quicker as a result of the lack of social activity.

Both my parents and my CEV teenager getting vaccinated next week 🎉

Raspberry go and see your mum and dad. Care of vulnerable person. Your mum is also vulnerable.

It's awful that they feel abandoned. I'd chase the GP for a referral too. No reason why people can't do video appointments.