NPR

whatever m8

Guy Smiley wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:00 pm

Ymx wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 10:26 pm Sounds like NZ has changed/dropped many restrictions, despite being in the height of infections.

Reported case numbers have been dropping for a week. Why do you always get essential facts wrong?

We've got a massive majority vaccinated. We've run a successful booster program. We've had something like 1 1/2 million catch the virus out of 5 million or so total.

Now is the right time to loosen up, we're as well prepared as we can be.

I got it from Jacindas press conference. Where she showed that Auckland had just peaked and the rest of the country is expected to following suit but is not yet there. And they are expecting it to drop from here

This chart seems to show it hitting peak.



I don’t disagree with it being loosened up. It’s encouraging.

What exactly did I say wrong?

You are such an angry man.

Bro... the chart you've posted shows the case numbers dropping.

I'm not angry. I'm critical. The accuracy of your posts invites it.

Fair enough.

I’d argue that chart shows you are still rattling around at peak.

But I would say the predictions are likely right it’s about to start dropping.

Either way, it’s good to see the situation recovering, and NZ having stormed the worst of it.

Madness. My boy is off school with Covid but tested negative this morning 6 days after first symptoms so should be allowed back tomorrow if another negative.

However, school just called to say that they checked with NHS Scotland and that only applies if the symptoms are cough, fever or loss of smell/taste, so the traditional symptoms. Of course this new variant seems to have different symptoms, runny nose, sore throat, which he had. So the new symptoms don't count which means we have to take it from day of first test which was 2 days later (as we didn't know the symptoms he had were Covid at the time), so another 2 days off school.

So we now have forget about actual symptoms and just look out for old symptoms. It's great stuff.

Slick wrote: Wed Mar 23, 2022 10:42 am Madness. My boy is off school with Covid but tested negative this morning 6 days after first symptoms so should be allowed back tomorrow if another negative.

However, school just called to say that they checked with NHS Scotland and that only applies if the symptoms are cough, fever or loss of smell/taste, so the traditional symptoms. Of course this new variant seems to have different symptoms, runny nose, sore throat, which he had. So the new symptoms don't count which means we have to take it from day of first test which was 2 days later (as we didn't know the symptoms he had were Covid at the time), so another 2 days off school.

So we now have forget about actual symptoms and just look out for old symptoms. It's great stuff.

Well that's clearly absurd.

I'd just call back and say you've just remembered that he was coughing a little when he had the original symptoms. We'll see you tomorrow.

In a fitting tribute to England's performance on Saturday, which I watched in a pub with a cabal of spiteful infants, I am feeling like total shit and just got informed my pcr test was positive.

Wish me luck.

JM2K6 wrote: Wed Mar 23, 2022 11:06 am In a fitting tribute to England's performance on Saturday, which I watched in a pub with a cabal of spiteful infants, I am feeling like total shit and just got informed my pcr test was positive.

Wish me luck.

You’ve done well to avoid it up til now. Mind you it helps not having children.

Hope you get through it quickly, and see you on the other side.

JM2K6 wrote: Wed Mar 23, 2022 11:06 am In a fitting tribute to England's performance on Saturday, which I watched in a pub with a cabal of spiteful infants, I am feeling like total shit and just got informed my pcr test was positive.

Wish me luck.

All the best, mate.

EnergiseR2 wrote: Wed Mar 23, 2022 4:11 pm I'm brand new now. Big walk in the hills this morning and no dodginess. Going to go for a jog later and test the after effects but looking good. Going to stay off for the rest of the week though as it seems right and proper to milk it

Good luck to you too. Don't lower your guard for a second or you could be a goner. Over confidence and excessive milking are classic symptoms.

Grandpa wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 12:16 am

EnergiseR2 wrote: Wed Mar 23, 2022 4:11 pm I'm brand new now. Big walk in the hills this morning and no dodginess. Going to go for a jog later and test the after effects but looking good. Going to stay off for the rest of the week though as it seems right and proper to milk it

Good luck to you too. Don't lower your guard for a second or you could be a goner. Over confidence and excessive milking are classic symptoms.

dpedin wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 9:03 am UK Covid case numbers still rising - Monday stats for last three weeks are:

7th March - 107k
14th March - 177k
21st March - 203k

ONS survey from 18th reckon 1:14 in Scotland, 1:20 in England, 1:25 in Wales and 1:14 in NI are currently infected. Many will be reinfections, indeed many folk who had omicron BA.1 are now being infected with BA.2.

Hospitalisations up from 11,500 to 15,500 over same period. Remember these lag behind case numbers. ICU numbers only up marginally but again these lag behind. NHS now really stretched and seeing a big increase in reduction in planned/elective business now which is only adding to the already huge backlogs and waiting times. As before we are seeing significant staff absence due to omicron, schools sending kids home etc.

Deaths slowly rising - 7 day average up from 103 to 115 (to March 18th) but again these lag behind case numbers.

Looks like Omicron BA.2 really taking a hold. Not sure covid has gone away or has become milder but vaccination seems to be doing a lot of the heavy lifting thankfully. Still a bit worried about emerging info on Deltacron, not sure if this presents a real risk or not. Freedom Day 2 not going well really is it?

Oh ... and let's not forget long covid and rising case numbers of post infection cardiac, PE, strokes, diabetes, etc.

Wear a mask, keep distance if possible, open the windows, ventilate spaces, etc. Keep safe.

And then the sun will send in a giant solar flare and wipe out all electronics, send us to the dark age, and mutate covid in to a zombie disease.

Jesus Christ man, with your scaremongering predictions, I’m picking you work for SAGE.

Omicron BA.2 is still hitting Scotland hard. Cases, hospitalisations and deaths all up again compared to last week. Thankfully ICU numbers remain stable. NHS taking a huge hit - combination of numbers in hospital plus staff off with covid is a real problem. Scotland now has higher number of covid positive patients than at any time during the whole pandemic, thankfully patients are not as acutely ill but because of infection control etc they are still having a real impact on usual NHS business.

Back to work for me on Monday after 2 weeks off. I think I may just do mornings for a couple of weeksto ease myself back gently.
Still a bit fatigued and snotty

Just amazed that Ms GL and I haven’t caught it yet unless it’s been totally symptom free. Matter of time surely, we’re fairly careful but aren’t locking ourselves away. Am I right in thinking that well-controlled asthma isn’t a major problem where Covid is concerned? A simple Yes will suffice.

EnergiseR2 wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 4:38 pm For me there is a very typical post viral fatigue. You know that feeling around lunch when the eyes get heavy and the snooze calls. Have put myself on the fosfor tonic

Yup, I’m getting to about 2 in the afternoon and crashing with a bit of shivering thrown in.

Sore neck as well

GogLais wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 8:01 pm Just amazed that Ms GL and I haven’t caught it yet unless it’s been totally symptom free. Matter of time surely, we’re fairly careful but aren’t locking ourselves away. Am I right in thinking that well-controlled asthma isn’t a major problem where Covid is concerned? A simple Yes will suffice.

Yes.

PS - If you mean well controlled by taking a preventative (steroid) inhaler then there is a suggestion that this helps prevent more serious illness and hospitalisation from covid.

Just feel below par. Been working fine but shattered - I suspect without multiple alarms I'd still be asleep now. Basically a nasty cold with the addition of the shits. Fun fun fun

Slick wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 8:24 pm

EnergiseR2 wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 4:38 pm For me there is a very typical post viral fatigue. You know that feeling around lunch when the eyes get heavy and the snooze calls. Have put myself on the fosfor tonic

Yup, I’m getting to about 2 in the afternoon and crashing with a bit of shivering thrown in.

Sore neck as well

I've had that since I was a kid... a 20 minute nap restores me to full health each day though...

Slick wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:37 am

Grandpa wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:33 am I think I must be paranoid. Was the only one wearing a mask in Tesco last night. I felt a bit like someone about to rob the place.

My brother and his wife had Covid a few weeks back. Both boostered... both said it was like bad flu. Stuck in bed for a few days... testing negative at that point. Only tested positive after the worst had passed... and they were up and about again. Seems to be common that delayed positive test?

Yeah, I felt pretty dreadful on Thursday and Friday before actually testing positive on Saturday

So far as I understand it, this starting to happen on a wider scale is good news. Symptoms are generally your immune system fighting the virus. At the start of this a lot of the spread was pre-symptomatic. But if we're becoming symptomatic before we become infectious, it suggests our immune responses are now primed for this virus and recognise it, kicking in to fight it at an earlier stage of infection.

dpedin wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 10:25 am

GogLais wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 8:01 pm Just amazed that Ms GL and I haven’t caught it yet unless it’s been totally symptom free. Matter of time surely, we’re fairly careful but aren’t locking ourselves away. Am I right in thinking that well-controlled asthma isn’t a major problem where Covid is concerned? A simple Yes will suffice.

Yes.

PS - If you mean well controlled by taking a preventative (steroid) inhaler then there is a suggestion that this helps prevent more serious illness and hospitalisation from covid.

Thanks. Yes preventative steroid inhaler, I can’t remember when I last had to use something for relief. Asthma from age about 50, I wonder whether it was plaster dust on building sites that brought it on but I haven’t found anything that suggests that happens.

GogLais wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 5:46 pm

dpedin wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 10:25 am

GogLais wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 8:01 pm Just amazed that Ms GL and I haven’t caught it yet unless it’s been totally symptom free. Matter of time surely, we’re fairly careful but aren’t locking ourselves away. Am I right in thinking that well-controlled asthma isn’t a major problem where Covid is concerned? A simple Yes will suffice.

Yes.

PS - If you mean well controlled by taking a preventative (steroid) inhaler then there is a suggestion that this helps prevent more serious illness and hospitalisation from covid.

Thanks. Yes preventative steroid inhaler, I can’t remember when I last had to use something for relief. Asthma from age about 50, I wonder whether it was plaster dust on building sites that brought it on but I haven’t found anything that suggests that happens.

Who knows! However I have learnt over the years of things that irritated my lungs and made me feel like my asthma would kick in - pollen, red wine, smoking environment, certain nuts, dust, etc and I steer clear of them as much as I can. I would have thought plaster dust, being very fine and containing a number of dodgy components would get deeper into your lungs and be a major irritant and the body reaction may well trigger an asthma attack?

Inhale some magnolia to finish the job..

Back in work yesterday and managed to do a full day.
Which wearing full PPE for large parts of the day was quite challenging.
Seems to be all calm atm and most ICUs have everything under control.
Staff being off seems to be a major issue

dpedin wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 10:28 am

GogLais wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 5:46 pm

dpedin wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 10:25 am

Yes.

PS - If you mean well controlled by taking a preventative (steroid) inhaler then there is a suggestion that this helps prevent more serious illness and hospitalisation from covid.

Thanks. Yes preventative steroid inhaler, I can’t remember when I last had to use something for relief. Asthma from age about 50, I wonder whether it was plaster dust on building sites that brought it on but I haven’t found anything that suggests that happens.

Who knows! However I have learnt over the years of things that irritated my lungs and made me feel like my asthma would kick in - pollen, red wine, smoking environment, certain nuts, dust, etc and I steer clear of them as much as I can. I would have thought plaster dust, being very fine and containing a number of dodgy components would get deeper into your lungs and be a major irritant and the body reaction may well trigger an asthma attack?

I feel a fraud sometimes as my asthma is very well-controlled - I don’t think I’m supposed to say mild. Nothing seems to trigger it but I’ll start coughing if I forget to use my preventative. I just wondered whether plaster might have brought it on in the first place.

TB63 wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 10:32 am Inhale some magnolia to finish the job..

Mine has just started flowering. Looking good.

GogLais wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:33 am

dpedin wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 10:28 am

GogLais wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 5:46 pm

Thanks. Yes preventative steroid inhaler, I can’t remember when I last had to use something for relief. Asthma from age about 50, I wonder whether it was plaster dust on building sites that brought it on but I haven’t found anything that suggests that happens.

Who knows! However I have learnt over the years of things that irritated my lungs and made me feel like my asthma would kick in - pollen, red wine, smoking environment, certain nuts, dust, etc and I steer clear of them as much as I can. I would have thought plaster dust, being very fine and containing a number of dodgy components would get deeper into your lungs and be a major irritant and the body reaction may well trigger an asthma attack?

I feel a fraud sometimes as my asthma is very well-controlled - I don’t think I’m supposed to say mild. Nothing seems to trigger it but I’ll start coughing if I forget to use my preventative. I just wondered whether plaster might have brought it on in the first place.

Considering the numerous insulation and other materials now being looked at or banned could've been caused by damage from dust containing fibrous materials.

GogLais wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:33 am

dpedin wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 10:28 am

GogLais wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 5:46 pm

Thanks. Yes preventative steroid inhaler, I can’t remember when I last had to use something for relief. Asthma from age about 50, I wonder whether it was plaster dust on building sites that brought it on but I haven’t found anything that suggests that happens.

Who knows! However I have learnt over the years of things that irritated my lungs and made me feel like my asthma would kick in - pollen, red wine, smoking environment, certain nuts, dust, etc and I steer clear of them as much as I can. I would have thought plaster dust, being very fine and containing a number of dodgy components would get deeper into your lungs and be a major irritant and the body reaction may well trigger an asthma attack?

I feel a fraud sometimes as my asthma is very well-controlled - I don’t think I’m supposed to say mild. Nothing seems to trigger it but I’ll start coughing if I forget to use my preventative. I just wondered whether plaster might have brought it on in the first place.

Mine is well controlled too, over time I have learned to avoid triggers. I use my preventative inhaler daily but exercise is the best medicine for me - walking, golfing, cycling and going to the gym all help my asthma immeasurably. Last year I set myself a target of walking an average of over 10,000 steps a day, ended up doing c11,000 which was over 4 million steps in the year. Last time I had my peak flow taken it was within or slightly above normal range for my age. Doc wasn't convinced I had asthma.

So it’s booster number 2 coming up shortly. Anyone had it yet? Which brand did you get?

They've started the second booster programme in Scotland.

Doing it by age again - over 65s first I think

Biffer wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 8:51 pm They've started the second booster programme in Scotland.

Doing it by age again - over 65s first I think

What’s your opinion on another booster - not a challenge in any way, genuine question. My first reaction is that having had all 3 plus Covid at least once that feels enough. From a position of zero knowledge of course

Well my boy and my mum both have turned up positive. My missus and I are so far still showing negative (doing a lateral flow tonight). Avoided it so far, but it looks likely that's it now.

Slick wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 9:17 pm

Biffer wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 8:51 pm They've started the second booster programme in Scotland.

Doing it by age again - over 65s first I think

What’s your opinion on another booster - not a challenge in any way, genuine question. My first reaction is that having had all 3 plus Covid at least once that feels enough. From a position of zero knowledge of course

The same was going through my head.

Also, my daughter is 9, and had covid twice, so unsure on this too.

Slick wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 9:17 pm

Biffer wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 8:51 pm They've started the second booster programme in Scotland.

Doing it by age again - over 65s first I think

What’s your opinion on another booster - not a challenge in any way, genuine question. My first reaction is that having had all 3 plus Covid at least once that feels enough. From a position of zero knowledge of course

I think the ongoing advice from Health authorities is that if you've had Covid within x weeks, you don't need the booster; & the rational is that having the actual virus activates your immune system, & that's sufficient to keep that, learned, response to keep the virus in check.

But that's the function that the boosters fill; to keep peoples immune systems primed & ready pounce on virus, if they get infected; & the advantage that the boosters have over an actual infection, is that they are specifically tuned for the variants in the wild, & Covid in general.

Think of it as weight training. You can just pump iron, or you can target specific muscle groups, & aim for a specific event, rather than just being generally fitter, & stronger.

fishfoodie wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:13 pm

Slick wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 9:17 pm

Biffer wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 8:51 pm They've started the second booster programme in Scotland.

Doing it by age again - over 65s first I think

What’s your opinion on another booster - not a challenge in any way, genuine question. My first reaction is that having had all 3 plus Covid at least once that feels enough. From a position of zero knowledge of course

I think the ongoing advice from Health authorities is that if you've had Covid within x weeks, you don't need the booster; & the rational is that having the actual virus activates your immune system, & that's sufficient to keep that, learned, response to keep the virus in check.

But that's the function that the boosters fill; to keep peoples immune systems primed & ready pounce on virus, if they get infected; & the advantage that the boosters have over an actual infection, is that they are specifically tuned for the variants in the wild, & Covid in general.

Think of it as weight training. You can just pump iron, or you can target specific muscle groups, & aim for a specific event, rather than just being generally fitter, & stronger.

The analogy to weight training is very good imo. It’s about keeping your system in shape to deal with the virus. Over the next few years we’ll start to get a multivalent vaccine which will be more effective against infection, hopefully as early as later this year or early next year.

There’s clear evidence of waning again after the booster, so I’ll get another one when I get the opportunity - I get the flu vaccine yearly so i don’t really see a difference.

One of the things for me about all of this is that people are actually thinking about risk in a way they never did before. Did anyone consider the risk of flu, individually, before? How much did people weigh the risk of vaccination against other diseases, really - people may have worried about the vaccinations but they didn’t consider the risks of the diseases on the whole. It applies to so many other behaviours as well. With vax, I’m at about a 1 in 100,000 chance of dying of covid. Compare that to my risk of cancer in the next five years at 1 in 80. Which should I be more worried about?

Biffer wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 6:25 am

fishfoodie wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:13 pm

Slick wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 9:17 pm

What’s your opinion on another booster - not a challenge in any way, genuine question. My first reaction is that having had all 3 plus Covid at least once that feels enough. From a position of zero knowledge of course

I think the ongoing advice from Health authorities is that if you've had Covid within x weeks, you don't need the booster; & the rational is that having the actual virus activates your immune system, & that's sufficient to keep that, learned, response to keep the virus in check.

But that's the function that the boosters fill; to keep peoples immune systems primed & ready pounce on virus, if they get infected; & the advantage that the boosters have over an actual infection, is that they are specifically tuned for the variants in the wild, & Covid in general.

Think of it as weight training. You can just pump iron, or you can target specific muscle groups, & aim for a specific event, rather than just being generally fitter, & stronger.

The analogy to weight training is very good imo. It’s about keeping your system in shape to deal with the virus. Over the next few years we’ll start to get a multivalent vaccine which will be more effective against infection, hopefully as early as later this year or early next year.

There’s clear evidence of waning again after the booster, so I’ll get another one when I get the opportunity - I get the flu vaccine yearly so i don’t really see a difference.

One of the things for me about all of this is that people are actually thinking about risk in a way they never did before. Did anyone consider the risk of flu, individually, before? How much did people weigh the risk of vaccination against other diseases, really - people may have worried about the vaccinations but they didn’t consider the risks of the diseases on the whole. It applies to so many other behaviours as well. With vax, I’m at about a 1 in 100,000 chance of dying of covid. Compare that to my risk of cancer in the next five years at 1 in 80. Which should I be more worried about?

This! I am 62 and asthmatic and have had a flu jag every year since I was 50, having a covid and flu jag every year will not be the slightest inconvenience to me and well worth it if it stops me contracting covid or more likely stops it hospitalising me or getting long covid. I honestly can't understand folks reluctance to get the vaccine, boosters or annual top ups if that is what the medics and scientists recommend. We voluntarily put so much crap into our bodies already which we don't need, much of which is proven to be harmful to our health - smoking, alcohol, sugar, opioid painkillers, etc - I can't for the life of me understand why there is a resistance to having a vaccine which has been given to millions of people and the adverse effects have been found to be minimal.

I was thinking about all the vaccines and how little I knew about them that I let docs and nurses inject into my kids when they were babies and young kids and I uttered not one word of concern. See list attached.

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topi ... hedule.asp

dpedin wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 8:42 am

Biffer wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 6:25 am

fishfoodie wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:13 pm

I think the ongoing advice from Health authorities is that if you've had Covid within x weeks, you don't need the booster; & the rational is that having the actual virus activates your immune system, & that's sufficient to keep that, learned, response to keep the virus in check.

But that's the function that the boosters fill; to keep peoples immune systems primed & ready pounce on virus, if they get infected; & the advantage that the boosters have over an actual infection, is that they are specifically tuned for the variants in the wild, & Covid in general.

Think of it as weight training. You can just pump iron, or you can target specific muscle groups, & aim for a specific event, rather than just being generally fitter, & stronger.

The analogy to weight training is very good imo. It’s about keeping your system in shape to deal with the virus. Over the next few years we’ll start to get a multivalent vaccine which will be more effective against infection, hopefully as early as later this year or early next year.

There’s clear evidence of waning again after the booster, so I’ll get another one when I get the opportunity - I get the flu vaccine yearly so i don’t really see a difference.

One of the things for me about all of this is that people are actually thinking about risk in a way they never did before. Did anyone consider the risk of flu, individually, before? How much did people weigh the risk of vaccination against other diseases, really - people may have worried about the vaccinations but they didn’t consider the risks of the diseases on the whole. It applies to so many other behaviours as well. With vax, I’m at about a 1 in 100,000 chance of dying of covid. Compare that to my risk of cancer in the next five years at 1 in 80. Which should I be more worried about?

This! I am 62 and asthmatic and have had a flu jag every year since I was 50, having a covid and flu jag every year will not be the slightest inconvenience to me and well worth it if it stops me contracting covid or more likely stops it hospitalising me or getting long covid. I honestly can't understand folks reluctance to get the vaccine, boosters or annual top ups if that is what the medics and scientists recommend. We voluntarily put so much crap into our bodies already which we don't need, much of which is proven to be harmful to our health - smoking, alcohol, sugar, opioid painkillers, etc - I can't for the life of me understand why there is a resistance to having a vaccine which has been given to millions of people and the adverse effects have been found to be minimal.

I was thinking about all the vaccines and how little I knew about them that I let docs and nurses inject into my kids when they were babies and young kids and I uttered not one word of concern. See list attached.

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topi ... hedule.asp

Not only that, but lockdown took an enormous toll on the economy, children's education and mental health.

If a vaccination or booster can mean that we can avoid all that, then it would be irresponsible not to take it, even if there are slight risks attached.

I have family members who insist that it's a hoax, just mild 'flu, cooked up by Fauci and Gates in order to unseat Donald Trump, but it seems that nobody has told the Chinese that as they prepare to lose 3 or 4% of their GDP as they go into lockdown in Shanghai.

dpedin wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 8:42 am

Biffer wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 6:25 am

fishfoodie wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:13 pm

I think the ongoing advice from Health authorities is that if you've had Covid within x weeks, you don't need the booster; & the rational is that having the actual virus activates your immune system, & that's sufficient to keep that, learned, response to keep the virus in check.

But that's the function that the boosters fill; to keep peoples immune systems primed & ready pounce on virus, if they get infected; & the advantage that the boosters have over an actual infection, is that they are specifically tuned for the variants in the wild, & Covid in general.

Think of it as weight training. You can just pump iron, or you can target specific muscle groups, & aim for a specific event, rather than just being generally fitter, & stronger.

The analogy to weight training is very good imo. It’s about keeping your system in shape to deal with the virus. Over the next few years we’ll start to get a multivalent vaccine which will be more effective against infection, hopefully as early as later this year or early next year.

There’s clear evidence of waning again after the booster, so I’ll get another one when I get the opportunity - I get the flu vaccine yearly so i don’t really see a difference.

One of the things for me about all of this is that people are actually thinking about risk in a way they never did before. Did anyone consider the risk of flu, individually, before? How much did people weigh the risk of vaccination against other diseases, really - people may have worried about the vaccinations but they didn’t consider the risks of the diseases on the whole. It applies to so many other behaviours as well. With vax, I’m at about a 1 in 100,000 chance of dying of covid. Compare that to my risk of cancer in the next five years at 1 in 80. Which should I be more worried about?

This! I am 62 and asthmatic and have had a flu jag every year since I was 50, having a covid and flu jag every year will not be the slightest inconvenience to me and well worth it if it stops me contracting covid or more likely stops it hospitalising me or getting long covid. I honestly can't understand folks reluctance to get the vaccine, boosters or annual top ups if that is what the medics and scientists recommend. We voluntarily put so much crap into our bodies already which we don't need, much of which is proven to be harmful to our health - smoking, alcohol, sugar, opioid painkillers, etc - I can't for the life of me understand why there is a resistance to having a vaccine which has been given to millions of people and the adverse effects have been found to be minimal.

I was thinking about all the vaccines and how little I knew about them that I let docs and nurses inject into my kids when they were babies and young kids and I uttered not one word of concern. See list attached.

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topi ... hedule.asp

Yup, all good points, particularly re flu vaccine which I've got the last 3 or 4 years.

It's clear now that case numbers is a pretty irrelevant statistic given the mess of testing strategy in the UK and drastically underestimate the true numbers. The ONS survey data and ZOE survey data now appear far more reliable measures of levels of community transmission. However despite the issue with case numbers in national stats the numbers for March are still pretty awful. 7 day average of case numbers have gone from 36,000 to 82,000 - c125% increase. Hospitalisations and deaths data are both are showing significant increases. Hospitalisations have increased from 10,900 to 19,100 in 28 days of March - a 75% increase in the first 4 weeks in March. The 7 day rolling average for deaths has gone from 100 to 150 - a 50% increase and remember there is a lag in the numbers. Scotland have more people in hospital with covid than at any point during the pandemic, England will be there shortly. Thankfully, thanks to vaccinations ICU beds are not under the same pressures.

The impact of the above on the NHS is huge. Staff absences are almost at record levels and routine activity is being decimated. Infection control requirements means bed capacity is drastically reduced as a result - no nurses + need to segregate covid cases = far fewer beds. Primary care and social care are in staffing crisis. Not sure the 'let it rip' strategy is working but ignoring covid and pretending its gone seems to be keeping it out of the public consciousness?

Politicians tell us that covid is now 'endemic'. However endemic would suggest that we have a 'steady state' and controlled levels of infection and quite clearly the above data tells us that we are still in the pandemic stage - where there are surges and peaks of covid and community transmission spirals out of control as new variants hit. Endemicity is also confused with the virus becoming less deadly - this is nonsense. It is just as likely to become more deadly and/or more transmissible, we all thought Delta was very transmissible until Omicron came along. Smallpox, polio, lassa fever, malaria, measles and mumps are all endemic but under control due to vaccination plus PH responses when an outbreak occurs, they remain very dangerous. For covid we need vaccinations plus a proper PH strategy - masks, testing, etc - to bring covid under control otherwise we are just rolling the dice and hoping the next covid variant isn't more dangerous and more transmissible than omicron.

Can I just say, "Me Too" re the flu vaccine and my attitude towards boosters, I fully expect to have an annual Covid vaccination alongside the flu jag from now on.

What's the worst that can happen with boosters? I don't mean 5G tracking, I mean scientifically speaking.