Current Affairs

[Chalgrave4]

I guess I was lucky, 6 Months and 2 days after my second jab got the automated offer of the booster. Looking at the list of available places I was able to pick our local pharmacy less than 5 mins walk away and got the jab the following day.

[Gill W]

Any deaths are regrettable but that is fewer than flu in a normal year. Should we shut down the country to avoid that too?

Blue ticks only confirm the account is genuine, not the veracity of the opinions expressed. Piers Corbyn has a Twitter account. He is a passionate anti vaxer and Covid denier. He also has a science degree from Imperial College, one of the world's top universities for science, and an MSc. An impressive CV. Should we believe him?

I had a quick Google and what I found was that Flu deaths in England for the 5 yrs prior to 2020 were anywhere between approx 4000 to 22000.

The figure of 10000 I mentioned was for just 10 weeks. So far, Covid is not seasonal. We’ve had peaks in spring 2020 and summer 2021. Even if we’d managed to maintain the plateau of 35000 new cases a day, that appears to have generated about 1000 deaths a week. So that’d be 52000 deaths a year if that plateau lasted a year , in a population that is vaccinated to a greater extent against Covid than we are against flu. This is not a prediction- just an illustration of how the numbers can stack up. But it suggests to me that Covid is more deadly than flu.

I didn’t mention shutting down the country though

To be honest, I know very little about Piers Morgan and his beliefs. From what you have said, I don’t agree with what he says, but at least we can be sure it’s him saying it. I prefer to seek out virologists, epidemiologists. Doctors, statisticians and actuaries - all of which I have access to on one platform

If you are going to post wild statements like that don't be surprised if you get a reaction.

I reacted to you. You were basically laughing in my face about something that I had posted. I will call out that sort of behaviour. If it’s kept civil, I’ll have no need to call it out.

So, you interpret that as wearing masks is forbidden.

You wanted to be pointed in the direction of where it said that masks weren’t required, in relation to school settings, so I pointed you in that direction.

I made no comment on interpretation.

I guess I was lucky, 6 Months and 2 days after my second jab got the automated offer of the booster. Looking at the list of available places I was able to pick our local pharmacy less than 5 mins walk away and got the jab the following day.

My six month anniversary is tomorrow. I eagerly await my offer

[Mervyn and Trish]

Just for info I said Piers Corbyn. Not Piers Morgan. The dangers of misreading the data eh?

[towny44]

Just for info I said Piers Corbyn. Not Piers Morgan. The dangers of misreading the data eh?

She also said she seeks out experts in their field, failing to realise that each experts opinion on most matters is influenced by their political leanings, and I'm fairly certain Twitters algorithm will have sussed out that Gill hates Boris and his govt.and ensure she sees like minded views.

[Jan Rosser]

I had my booster jab over two weeks ago and will have my flu jab on Saturday morning but I am still being quite cautious - infections are high in Wales despite still wearing face masks in shops and entering restaurants/cafes/bars etc. I attend yoga and dance classes indoors but we are still subject to social distance rules and I am happy to comply. I can’t see me needing a covid pass for music and sport venues - compulsory here in Wales. I have found it strange visiting my son as rules are different in England - all a bit confusing

[Manoverboard]

You lucky barstewards. We would do anything to get our boosters before we sail off on 5th November but our six months expires on the 28th October. Our surgery invited the Mrs for a combined flu and Covid booster three weeks ago but when we turned up early on a Saturday morning they suddenly asker her if it had been at least six months.

Try going via the NHS Booking system but choose a date after the 28th ?

NHS Booking Service

ps ... Our NHS e-mails arrived exactly 6 months after our 2nd jab so you may be able to slot it in !

Good luck

[Stephen]

Someone we know had a flu and Covid booster at the same time and ended up in hospital after having a nasty reaction.

[oldbluefox]

Have had a rough night after my Covid booster. I've still got a headache but not feeling so bad now. Meanwhile my better half is fine.

[Stephen]

Don’t forget to milk it a bit longer Foxy. I can give you a lend of my bedside bell if you like

[Gill W]

Just for info I said Piers Corbyn. Not Piers Morgan. The dangers of misreading the data eh?

I hold my hands up. I saw the word Piers, and the only Piers remotely on my radar is Morgan. I thought you’d done him a great disservice, as I went to look at his comments and he’s very disparaging about anti vaxxers. As for the Corbyn variety, won’t bother to look at what he says, as I don’t think he will add any value to my life

You see, if I get it wrong, I’m happy to hold my hands up

She also said she seeks out experts in their field, failing to realise that each experts opinion on most matters is influenced by their political leanings, and I'm fairly certain Twitters algorithm will have sussed out that Gill hates Boris and his govt.and ensure she sees like minded views.

Please, don’t start that thing again where you assume that you know what I do or don’t realise. I’ve told you several times before that Twitters search function allows you to look for information- believe it or not, people don’t just consume what they are fed by the algorithm. But I’m still not going to seek out Piers Corbyn.

[Quizzical Bob]

Try going via the NHS Booking system but choose a date after the 28th ?

NHS Booking Service

ps ... Our NHS e-mails arrived exactly 6 months after our 2nd jab so you may be able to slot it in !

Good luck

Don't think I haven't tried. The NHS system won't even let you get as far as booking a date until your six months and a week are up. This ridiculous system means that there will be an inbuilt delay to the booster programme of around seven months from the original two-jab programme. It would be the simplest thing in the world to shave a month off that. More if the six month rule were to be relaxed. From What I can determine this is only a recent stipulation.

Thanks for the encouraging wishes

[oldbluefox]

Don’t forget to milk it a bit longer Foxy. I can give you a lend of my bedside bell if you like

Shush! She'll hear you!!!

[towny44]

Try going via the NHS Booking system but choose a date after the 28th ?

NHS Booking Service

ps ... Our NHS e-mails arrived exactly 6 months after our 2nd jab so you may be able to slot it in !

Good luck

Don't think I haven't tried. The NHS system won't even let you get as far as booking a date until your six months and a week are up. This ridiculous system means that there will be an inbuilt delay to the booster programme of around seven months from the original two-jab programme. It would be the simplest thing in the world to shave a month off that. More if the six month rule were to be relaxed. From What I can determine this is only a recent stipulation.

Thanks for the encouraging wishes

I was very lucky then, I booked our booster jabs on line on 20th, which was 6 months and 6 days from the 14th April when we had our 2nd, and a friend of ours booked hers on the 18th for tomorrow, which will be just on 6 months from her 2nd jab.
It must work differently in the wild west of yorkshire.

[Kendhni]

Don't think I haven't tried. The NHS system won't even let you get as far as booking a date until your six months and a week are up. This ridiculous system means that there will be an inbuilt delay to the booster programme of around seven months from the original two-jab programme. It would be the simplest thing in the world to shave a month off that. More if the six month rule were to be relaxed. From What I can determine this is only a recent stipulation.

Thanks for the encouraging wishes

There was a headline earlier today that the government was looking to change the 6 months delay to try to get a faster uptake of the booster.

[Gill W]

There was a headline earlier today that the government was looking to change the 6 months delay to try to get a faster uptake of the booster.

That would be useful. My 6 month anniversary is today, but my husband's isn't until 1st November.

There's no indication that the GP is going to do boosters, so we'll have to go to the vaccine hub. We don't want to do the journey twice, so I'll have to wait until after 1st November to book mine at the same time as him. We are keen to get it done, so anything to make the wait shorter would be a help

[towny44]

There was a headline earlier today that the government was looking to change the 6 months delay to try to get a faster uptake of the booster.

That would be useful. My 6 month anniversary is today, but my husband's isn't until 1st November.

There's no indication that the GP is going to do boosters, so we'll have to go to the vaccine hub. We don't want to do the journey twice, so I'll have to wait until after 1st November to book mine at the same time as him. We are keen to get it done, so anything to make the wait shorter would be a help

Gill, it's worth having a look on your account, which will show you where you could go, we had quite a few within spitting distance, if you have a Boots anywhere near it may be listed.

[oldbluefox]

Worth exploring which chemists are administering the booster jabs. There is a local chemist doing Covid and flu vaccinations and I would say they were better organised than our local NHS centre.

[Gill W]

We usually go to Boots for our flu jabs. I had my flu jab a couple of weeks ago, and my husband is having his flu jab there on 2nd Nov, as they had run out of over 65s vaccines. I would love to have our Covid boosters there, but as far as I can see they are not doing them. Next week, when I should be eligible to access the Booking site I’ll check the locations available. If it’s in a convenient place, I’ll book ASAP, and not wait for my husband ! If not, I’ll wait for him, and we can have an outing together

[oldbluefox]

I had my flu jab at a local independent chemist and the organisation was second to none. We went to our local NHS centre for the Covid jab, had an appointment but when we got there the queue was stretching down the street. I'd only put on a light fleece thinking I wouldn't be in there long. There was a cold wind so by the time I reached the doors I was b****y be frozen. The next booster will be at the chemists.

[Stephen]

Agree with you the Foxy. It was joke at our local council offices, with horrendous queues.
In the end I went to our surgery pharmacy a couple of days later that had a walk-in in service, straight in first thing in the morning and out again ten minutes later. Job done

[Kendhni]

I am sure it was explained to you at the time but take extra precautions this year because the flu jab may not be as effective as in previous years. Due to COVID the amount of data they have had in relation as to which strains of flu are likely to be prevalent this winter has been limited, therefore there is a bit more guesswork involved (some are supposed to be the same concoction as we got last year). Social distancing has also meant we have not been exposed to as many bugs as usual therefore we may also have reduced resistance to some.

[oldbluefox]

And the wearing of masks has reduced the incidence of catching flu.

[Manoverboard]

Mo mention of Boots on our listings ....

Our nearest Booster ' facility ' was 19.7 miles away in Somerset but the hub is located in the Hayes Motor Museum complex so maybe we can make a day of it

[towny44]

Mo mention of Boots on our listings ....

Our nearest Booster ' facility ' was 19.7 miles away in Somerset but the hub is located in the Hayes Motor Museum complex so maybe we can make a day of it

Has Dorset not even joined the 20th century yet, never mind the 21st?

[screwy]

I am sure it was explained to you at the time but take extra precautions this year because the flu jab may not be as effective as in previous years. Due to COVID the amount of data they have had in relation as to which strains of flu are likely to be prevalent this winter has been limited, therefore there is a bit more guesswork involved (some are supposed to be the same concoction as we got last year). Social distancing has also meant we have not been exposed to as many bugs as usual therefore we may also have reduced resistance to some.

When I had my Flu jab the Nurse said it had 4 strains in it to cover which maybe the prevalent one.?