Colin Barron
pfm Member
Is it just a coincidence that there are byelections in the not too distant future?
Coronavirus - the new strain XVII
- Thread starter gavreid
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paulfromcamden
Baffled
SA variant has arrived in London.
From the BBC Breaking:
Surge testing is being rolled out in parts of Wandsworth and Lambeth in South London, after cases of the South Africa variant were found.
All identified cases are isolating or have completed their isolation, and their contacts have been traced and asked to isolate.
Everyone aged 11 and over who lives or works in, or travels through the two London boroughs is being "strongly encouraged" to take a Covid-19 PCR test, whether they are showing symptoms or not.
People with symptoms should book a free test online or by phone so they can get tested at a testing site or have a testing kit sent to them at home.
Those without symptoms should visit their local authority website for more information.
NHS Test and Trace said it was the largest surge testing operation to date.
I went to work in Lambeth this morning *sigh* PCR test booked for 9am tomorrow morning.
From the BBC Breaking:
Surge testing is being rolled out in parts of Wandsworth and Lambeth in South London, after cases of the South Africa variant were found.
All identified cases are isolating or have completed their isolation, and their contacts have been traced and asked to isolate.
Everyone aged 11 and over who lives or works in, or travels through the two London boroughs is being "strongly encouraged" to take a Covid-19 PCR test, whether they are showing symptoms or not.
People with symptoms should book a free test online or by phone so they can get tested at a testing site or have a testing kit sent to them at home.
Those without symptoms should visit their local authority website for more information.
NHS Test and Trace said it was the largest surge testing operation to date.
I went to work in Lambeth this morning *sigh* PCR test booked for 9am tomorrow morning.
mandryka
pfm Member
The interesting development there is that they’re asking anyone who’s had contact with the boroughs to take a test. When the SA variant was in Merton in January they just offered tests to people living in a small radius of where they’d found it. Imagine testing everyone who has passed through Wandsworth or Lambeth! Clapham Junction is in Wandsworth! Waterloo is in Lambeth!
It’s also interesting to see that they just say that the people and their contacts have been isolated - I always thought that with these dangerous variants they did backward contact tracing - i.e.contact the contacts of the contacts etc until they arrive at the source.
I have no idea how effective this surge testing is, by the way. I must say, if NHS Test and Trace can contain a virus in places like Wandsworth and Lambeth, then hats off to them - you know, huge areas, densely populated, busy . . . I am sceptical that it can be done, but remain positive. This is potentially a major event.
paulfromcamden
Baffled
...transport hubs. Yes, quite.
The report says some cases have finished their period of isolation so I guess they've been tracking this for a short while. Is it cynical of me to wonder whether the government has sat on this for a few days so as not to jeopardise reopening the shops and pubs?
mandryka
pfm Member
I wonder if they’ll use Oyster card and contactless data to ideantify people who have been in Lambeth and Wandsworth, and get in touch with them to ask them to test. Is that legal? It turns out that they are doing backwards contact tracing, which is impressive. But it doesn’t look as though they’re knocking on people’s doors offering tests, probably because there are too many doors.
Ponty
pfm Member
Looks like a good time had by all. Presumably the pinch point is going to be the loos (especially after a few drinks). I caught C19 at Cheltenham last year, an outside event, but am convinced the loos were the virus spreader hotspots.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56727568
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56727568
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
usage dropped off in the last few years as people switch to phone and bankcard contactless.
gavreid
Pretty Words...
Professor Adam Finn of the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation doing the rounds this morning attempting to repair the damage caused by Johnson's mixed messaging:
"The vaccines are only one part of the solution to the problem. People do need to continue to be careful and to avoid infecting each other. I certainly for one am going to continue to take a lot of care to avoid exposing myself to other people, and to avoid exposing other people to me, over the coming weeks and months.
I’m going to wear a mask outside. I’m going to continue to use hand hygiene and I’m going to avoid close social contact. I think we all need to continue to do that otherwise there is a real risk that there will be another surge in cases and we’ll start seeing hospitalisations and deaths again."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/l...08ebe74739f2d4#block-607547328f08ebe74739f2d4
"The vaccines are only one part of the solution to the problem. People do need to continue to be careful and to avoid infecting each other. I certainly for one am going to continue to take a lot of care to avoid exposing myself to other people, and to avoid exposing other people to me, over the coming weeks and months.
I’m going to wear a mask outside. I’m going to continue to use hand hygiene and I’m going to avoid close social contact. I think we all need to continue to do that otherwise there is a real risk that there will be another surge in cases and we’ll start seeing hospitalisations and deaths again."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/l...08ebe74739f2d4#block-607547328f08ebe74739f2d4
mandryka
pfm Member
That’s why I said contactless. If you register your contactless bank card with London Transport, your journeys show up online on your account, so for these cases they’ll know who’s got on and got off at a Wandsworth or Lambeth station. I registered years ago to ask for a refund.
Looks like VE Day again
Ponty
pfm Member
You can certainly see how a new strain, such as the SA variant, could spread like wildfire. 44 plus 30 suspected cases. Likely to be the tip of the iceberg.
lordsummit
Moderator
Isn’t that a lesson for life?!
paulfromcamden
Baffled
Back from PCR test. Got there 15 mins early and was only punter at the centre. Seemed well organised - though I made a polite complaint about the member of staff with his mask below his mouth (doh!)
gavreid
Pretty Words...
Just like the P1, Brazilian variant seems to be rife in British Columbia now - from Tourisits visiting Whistler.
gavreid
Pretty Words...
Wandsworth and Lambeth must have been deserted yesterday!
paulfromcamden
Baffled
I wasn't very clear - I went for a test in Lewisham as it was the nearest to my home. I'm hoping the centres in Lambeth and Wandsworth are a bit busier this morning!
gavreid
Pretty Words...
I understood. I was meaning the test centres across South London should be quite busy today. Tfl reported a surge in passengers yesterday, up to a third of pre-pandemic passenger numbers - just as indication of the level of movement going on.
https://www.cityam.com/tfl-passenger-numbers-jump-as-retail-and-hospitality-reopen/
gavreid
Pretty Words...
Tories accused of corruption and NHS privatisation by former chief scientist, Sir David King
“I am extremely worried about the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, about the processes by which public money has been distributed to private sector companies without due process,” he told the Guardian in an interview. “It really smells of corruption.”
King contrasted the success of the vaccination programme, carried out by the NHS, with the failure of the government’s test-and-trace operation, which has been contracted out to private companies.
“The operation to roll out vaccination has been extremely successful, it was driven through entirely by our truly national health service and GP service – just amazing,” he said. “Yet we have persisted with this money for test and trace, given without competition, without due process … I am really worried about democratic processes being ignored.”
https://www.theguardian.com/politic...d-nhs-privatisation-by-former-chief-scientist
“I am extremely worried about the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, about the processes by which public money has been distributed to private sector companies without due process,” he told the Guardian in an interview. “It really smells of corruption.”
King contrasted the success of the vaccination programme, carried out by the NHS, with the failure of the government’s test-and-trace operation, which has been contracted out to private companies.
“The operation to roll out vaccination has been extremely successful, it was driven through entirely by our truly national health service and GP service – just amazing,” he said. “Yet we have persisted with this money for test and trace, given without competition, without due process … I am really worried about democratic processes being ignored.”
https://www.theguardian.com/politic...d-nhs-privatisation-by-former-chief-scientist
https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19...-not-vaccinations-says-boris-johnson-12274266
I don’t understand why Boris is so keen to play down the vaccines. It’s not the best message to send to people reluctant to have one and contradicts many of the studies which have shown vaccines have a significant impact on reducing hospitalisations, serious disease and deaths.
I don’t understand why Boris is so keen to play down the vaccines. It’s not the best message to send to people reluctant to have one and contradicts many of the studies which have shown vaccines have a significant impact on reducing hospitalisations, serious disease and deaths.
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
because the vaccines might be making people behave with over confidence.
Because the number having had two doses and gained higher levels of protection is still relatively small. Yes we will get there
Because we don't know for certain (we have hints), that the vaccine lowers transmission. We are still learning
Because we don't know (again we have some info) how long immunity might last after vaccination.
Because new variants might need us to instigate further lockdowns if vaccines are not sufficient.
right I have the PM off, and I'm off down the pub
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