Current Affairs

[Onelife]

Hi Barney…I’ve managed to book an over 65’s flu vaccine for the 27th at a chemists some 20 mile away…my doctor’s surgery is one of the largest in the county and yet they are struggling to get vaccine for either the under or over 65’s

I had my booster today... 68

[Mervyn and Trish]

We had flu jabs at our surgery in October. Covid boosters, also at our surgery, a week today.

[Kendhni]

I had my booster today... 68

Probably about the right time. The advice we got was not to get it too early. Getting it in Nov means that it will get you over the entire winter. Getting it too early means that its efficacy will be at a low during an anticipated peak next April.

[Kendhni]

Or, are we in a wave that started in the summer, and we are undulating along the top of it with peaks and troughs

For a while the government models seem to have been saying that they expected a peak in mid November and then cases to drop off until next March. Given what is happening in mainland Europe it will be interesting to see if we can maintain that model.

[Kendhni]

Looks like Greta Thunberg was right, two weeks of watering down and nothing more than blah blah blah.

Sad to see so many social media users and politicians, that should know better, trolling her and making infantile derogatory comments that, quite honestly, make them sound like dirty perverted misogynistic old men that are totally clueless to the valid concerns she, and the next generation, are raising.

[towny44]

We had flu jabs at our surgery in October. Covid boosters, also at our surgery, a week today.

I think it's the North Sourh divide at work Merv, we northerners obviously get the priority we deserve.

[towny44]

Looks like Greta Thunberg was right, two weeks of watering down and nothing more than blah blah blah.

Sad to see so many social media users and politicians, that should know better, trolling her and making infantile derogatory comments that, quite honestly, make them sound like dirty perverted misogynistic old men that are totally clueless to the valid concerns she, and the next generation, are raising.

She is no different to the younger generation of any period, they become fervent supporters of lots of good causes. However it is strange that over time the fervour diminishes, and even the ones who find themselves in positions where they could exert an influence to further the cause of their youth most seldom do anything.
I hope that maybe this generation will be different, but somehow 77 yrs of studying the human psyche makes me doubt that things will change.

[Kendhni]

That is a good point, I had the oomph knocked out of me by rude ignorant politicians and public alike. However my real reason for giving up (most) of my environmental campaign work was simply because I realised it was not going to affect me, and the overwhelming majority of those who did have some sort of vested interests didn't actually care (beyond paying lip service based on doing the minimum as long as it did not inconvenience them).

However the next generation WILL be affected by this and they know it. So I am not sure that this one is going to go away.

I am still looking for that article from a decade or so ago that talked about an expected rebellion by the next generation ... expected to come some time this decade. Given the spiralling debt and environmental mess that our generation has created the next generation may not be able to afford to fund both their own lives and the debt/pensions of those that created the mess. One possibility suggested by the article was that defined benefit pensions and annuities could become worth a fraction of expectations. I am thinking that cryptocurrencies will play their part as billions of income gets masked from governments around the world, causing spiralling tax rises to offset more and more tax avoidance.

[Manoverboard]

We had flu jabs at our surgery in October ... .

We two were supposed to too but they were delayed until last Monday due, it was said, to a shortage of supplies.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Breaking news from the BBC. The Queen will not attend Remembrance Service as she has sprained her back.

[Manoverboard]

I heard she did that while stacking logs in the stables ... could be fake news of course

[david63]

could be fake news of course

Not this time - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59280608

[Manoverboard]

could be fake news of course

Not this time - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59280608

There's no mention of stacking logs in that report ... just saying

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm sure log stacking would have been Philip's job before his sad death. But of course she has no-one else to do it now.

At her age a bad back could be painful but nothing serious, but maybe a sign of much worse. I hope the former. A diagnosis could of course be the purpose of her tests a while back.

However at the moment we only have the BBC's report to go on. We'll have to wait for Sharon and Tracey on Facebook and Twitter for the full details.

[towny44]

Sadly, after some earlier critical comments, I have decided not to make any further announcements on any Royal illness or hospital visits,

[Onelife]

I'm sure log stacking would have been Philip's job before his sad death. But of course she has no-one else to do it now.

At her age a bad back could be painful but nothing serious, but maybe a sign of much worse. I hope the former. A diagnosis could of course be the purpose of her tests a while back.

However at the moment we only have the BBC's report to go on. We'll have to wait for Sharon and Tracey on Facebook and Twitter for the full details.

My money is on your diagnosis Sir Merv.

[Gill W]

Sadly, after some earlier critical comments, I have decided not to make any further announcements on any Royal illness or hospital visits,

I don’t think people were critical of you Towny. They were critical of me for speaking on the same subject, but you escaped their ire.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm sure log stacking would have been Philip's job before his sad death. But of course she has no-one else to do it now.

At her age a bad back could be painful but nothing serious, but maybe a sign of much worse. I hope the former. A diagnosis could of course be the purpose of her tests a while back.

However at the moment we only have the BBC's report to go on. We'll have to wait for Sharon and Tracey on Facebook and Twitter for the full details.

My money is on your diagnosis Sir Merv.

You do realise I'm not actually a doctor

[oldbluefox]

Charles looked very upset this morning whether it was anything to do with the Queen or Philip not being there we may never know.

[Manoverboard]

You do realise I'm not actually a doctor

Well yes but you do give the impression that you think you know everything about everything

[Mervyn and Trish]

Sadly, after some earlier critical comments, I have decided not to make any further announcements on any Royal illness or hospital visits,

I don’t think people were critical of you Towny. They were critical of me for speaking on the same subject, but you escaped their ire.

I don't believe I for one was initially critical of you. I simply drew attention to more positive reports as is permitted by free speech in civilised society. It was you who started analysing time lines and posting in CAPITAL letters, perceived in social media as shouting, then accused me of going into "shrill angry mode" and yourself then went into victim mode. I'm afraid if you can't take criticism you shouldn't dish it out.

[Mervyn and Trish]

You do realise I'm not actually a doctor

Well yes but you do give the impression that you think you know everything about everything

Not true. I know nothing about mediaeval gynaecology.

[CaroleF]

For the first time in my life I had an episode of sciatica about 6 weeks ago. If the Queen has anything like that no way could she stand for over 30 mins on the Balcony overlooking Whitehall. I hadn't realised how painful sciatica could be. It was sorted out with a mixture of analgesics and Biofreeze Roll On - which I can't recommend strongly enough. I would think standing on that balcony in the November weather at 95 years of age with the eyes of the world upon you is bad enough but any sort of back problem would definitely rule it out. I wish Her Majesty a speedy recovery.

Carole

[Mervyn and Trish]

Well said Carole. I also imagine that her dignity would not accept the aids we might use such as a frame or wheelchair. And of course protocol precludes anyone assisting by taking her arm.

I worry a little that the great Sir Terry Wogan missed Children in Need because he "had a bad back", which turned out to be discreet code for much worse.

However in news just in the BBC say her back injury is unrelated to the earlier hospital visit.

[Stephen]

Anyone having onion rings for tea tonight…..man

Channel Tunnel: Cocaine haul found in shipment of onion rings https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-59280849