Coronavirus - Part Two.

[RollingJ 2,002]

6 minutes ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Interesting - especially as the Government has already bought over 300 million doses of other vaccines, to give 2 doses to each adult in the UK (population c68 million). 

 

Stories in the news today are saying that we are at risk of falling behind our planned rollout as a result of the EU threat to withhold supplies.

 

Makes you wonder, dunnit!

Reliable sources would be good for the bolded bit.

[whiteowl 54]

3 minutes ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Interesting - especially as the Government has already bought over 300 million doses of other vaccines, to give 2 doses to each adult in the UK (population c68 million). 

 

Stories in the news today are saying that we are at risk of falling behind our planned rollout as a result of the EU threat to withhold supplies.

 

Makes you wonder, dunnit!

Well, according to the BBC it's actually India that's behind our risk of falling behind the planned rollout. Remember the EU haven't actually withheld anything yet, they're just threats at this moment due to a lack of reciprocity from the UK, Canada and the USA.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56438629

[Magilla 510]

13 minutes ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Stories in the news today are saying that we are at risk of falling behind our planned rollout as a result of the EU threat to withhold supplies.

How does a "threat", that hasn't actually happened, issued *after* the vaccine shortage was identified by The Department of Health, make the faltering UK vaccine rollout the EU's fault?

 

Quote

Makes you wonder, dunnit!

How you could fall for it? Absolutely!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56438629

 

 

Edited March 18, 2021 by Magilla

[L00b 441]

53 minutes ago, Magilla said:

How does a "threat", that hasn't actually happened, issued *after* the vaccine shortage was identified by The Department of Health, make the faltering UK vaccine rollout the EU's fault?

It shores up the "EU is the enemy" narrative that is politically expedient for the government, and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future. Simple (and wrong) answers to complex problems, as usual, and gullibles lap it up, as usual.

 

The vaccine rollout (real/expected) shortages are attributable to AZ and Pfizer over-promising back in the day (and on which basis the rollout programmes were devised), and under-delivering since (hence rollout stalling), with the under-performance compounding over time through chronic problems in some production units (Belgium earlier, India currently).

 

The vaccine rollout is worse/slower still across the EU, because AZ and Pfizer (not "the UK" nor "the US") have not respected their respective cross-delivering obligations to the EU, whilst the EU has been respecting its own vaccine-sending undertakings to 2nd and 3rd world countries. Note I'm not abstracting or dismissing poor healthcare management either. But the shortfall in doses is well into the millions, so it cannot be statistically trivial.

 

Hence the EU is now threatening to withhold EU-made doses, unless the UK (AZ) and US (Pfizer) start respecting their contractual obligations.

 

This also explains partly why the UK vaccine rollout has been so successful relative to EU members and others: on a comparative-contractual basis, not only has it received more than its fair share (since AZ never sent any UK-made vaccine to the EU, when it should have), it has also gone for volume (single jab for all) rather than safety (dual jab at recommended interval). It's a gamble, no worse nor better than another in the circumstances (Covid infection rates since last year). I certainly hope it pays off for you all. Again, I'm not abstracting the herculean efforts of the NHS in that success. But it needed the volume of doses, to deliver like it has.

 

It's not "the EU vs the UK". It's "the EU vs AZ and Pfizer". And, within that, it's individual EU states (because the enforcement would be local, e.g. it would Belgian customs , not "the EU", stopping AZ doses from leaving for the UK or the US).

Edited March 18, 2021 by L00b

[*_ash_* 88]

11 hours ago, Longcol said:

Unopened vials of the AstraZeneca vaccine have a shelf life of about 6 months as long as kept in a fridge.

good to know

[tinfoilhat 11]

12 hours ago, Longcol said:

Unopened vials of the AstraZeneca vaccine have a shelf life of about 6 months as long as kept in a fridge.

What kind of fridge? I'm reading various (some a bit sketchy to be fair) reports of all sorts of vaccines being chucked away (globally). I've had it my self but I couldn't tell you if the nurse plucked the vile from a fridge or not. Can you put it back once you've taken it out a while?

[Bargepole23 337]

3 hours ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Interesting - especially as the Government has already bought over 300 million doses of other vaccines, to give 2 doses to each adult in the UK (population c68 million). 

 

Stories in the news today are saying that we are at risk of falling behind our planned rollout as a result of the EU threat to withhold supplies.

 

Makes you wonder, dunnit!

The stories in the news today were stating that any shortfall is due to a delay in supplies from the Indian manufacturer.

 

You have conflated two stories for some reason?

[hauxwell 243]

4 hours ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Interesting - especially as the Government has already bought over 300 million doses of other vaccines, to give 2 doses to each adult in the UK (population c68 million). 

 

Stories in the news today are saying that we are at risk of falling behind our planned rollout as a result of the EU threat to withhold supplies.

 

Makes you wonder, dunnit!

The last I heard scientists aren’t sure how long the vaccines will last once you have had your two jabs, it could be only months or years,  we may need further vaccinations. Therefore has Government ordered more in case they have to give out booster shots after everyone has received their two vaccinations?

 

Edited March 18, 2021 by hauxwell

[butlers 259]

"I've had it my self but I couldn't tell you if the nurse plucked the vile from a fridge or not"

 

 

made me smile ,anyhow

Vial

 

[Thirsty Relic 210]

39 minutes ago, hauxwell said:

The last I heard scientists aren’t sure how long the vaccines will last once you have had your two jabs, it could be only months or years,  we may need further vaccinations. Therefore has Government ordered more in case they have to give out booster shots after everyone has received their two vaccinations?

 

While I agree that sounds possible, and that may well have been behind the Government thinking, it is clearly illogical.  Virusses mutate, so early vaccines are likely to be less effective as time goes on.  While they have been telling us that the current vaccines work against all known variants, they have been working with vaccine producers towards a third jab we'll all be asked to have in the Autumn that deals with these variants.  I posted information on that on 26th Feb, post #4397, but here is the link again:

https://www.euroweeklynews.com/2021/02/03/oxford-will-make-new-covid-variant-jab-by-autumn/

Assuming that Covid is not "beaten", I'm afraid periodic  jabs of new vaccines for the forseeable future will be on the agenda for those at most risk.

 

 

 

[enntee 10]

1 hour ago, hauxwell said:

The last I heard scientists aren’t sure how long the vaccines will last once you have had your two jabs, it could be only months or years,  we may need further vaccinations. Therefore has Government ordered more in case they have to give out booster shots after everyone has received their two vaccinations?

 

By November, the UK had pre-ordered 357 million doses.

Of these, 150 million were Pfizer/AZ/Moderna which are the ones up and running at the moment.

With a population of 67 million, we have more than enough.

 

I would expect annual boosters (from these providers) to be varied slightly from the initial jabs.

Edited March 18, 2021 by enntee

[katekate 15]

Not sure if this is in the correct section so apologies in advance if it's not.  My husband received a letter from the NHS saying that as he is the partner of a clinically vulnerable person he should book the covid vaccine which he did and he has now had the vaccine.  I rang my gp and queried this and I have been told that I am not classed as vulnerable.  A friend aged 33 has also had her vaccine on the basis that she is the carer of her daughter who has slight adhd.  Has anyone else come across similar situations.  It just seems a bit odd in the way the vaccines are being offered.

Edited March 18, 2021 by katekate