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Coronavirus - the new strain XXII

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Last night and this mornings news has been led by the Governments response to the threat of Omicron with a new enthusiasm for booster vaccinations which to me seems odd given that, as far as I am aware, the scientists have not confirmed the efficacy of the current vaccines to the new variant. Is my interpretation of these events correct?
I think the thinking is that the vaccines’ efficacy will potentially reduce but not be eliminated entirely and therefore if Omicron turns out to be more transmissible as expected more people boosted and at maximum protection is a good thing.
 
Last night and this mornings news has been led by the Governments response to the threat of Omicron with a new enthusiasm for booster vaccinations which to me seems odd given that, as far as I am aware, the scientists have not confirmed the efficacy of the current vaccines to the new variant. Is my interpretation of these events correct?

It's all they have. Boosters offer the best chance, but it's not just about vaccines in isolation (as ever)
 
I think the thinking is that the vaccines’ efficacy will potentially reduce but not be eliminated entirely and therefore if Omicron turns out to be more transmissible as expected more people boosted and at maximum protection is a good thing.
Since the announcement of Omicron I have heard scientists speculate on this with hugely divergent opinions and then caveat it them with as yet we don’t really know. Until the Scientists confirm vaccine efficacy surely it would be better to have gone with the precautionary principle and brought back more behavioural measures….
 
Last night and this mornings news has been led by the Governments response to the threat of Omicron with a new enthusiasm for booster vaccinations which to me seems odd given that, as far as I am aware, the scientists have not confirmed the efficacy of the current vaccines to the new variant. Is my interpretation of these events correct?

if we have to boost then it has to be now. Waiting will be too late
 
Since the announcement of Omicron I have heard scientists speculate on this with hugely divergent opinions and then caveat it them with as yet we don’t really know. Until the Scientists confirm vaccine efficacy surely it would be better to have gone with the precautionary principle and brought back more behavioural measures….

But Bertie Booster wouldn't have another vaccine roll out to claim credit for. All those photo ops next to people being jabbed won't make themselves. Meanwhile, you can ignore the health experts about behavioural measures....party on, Bertie says it's safe.
 
Since the announcement of Omicron I have heard scientists speculate on this with hugely divergent opinions and then caveat it them with as yet we don’t really know. Until the Scientists confirm vaccine efficacy surely it would be better to have gone with the precautionary principle and brought back more behavioural measures….
Largely yes. However informed but divergent speculation amongst scientists is normal science, leading to firmer hypotheses, tests designed to check if the hypotheses work, and finally well-grounded consensus-based conclusions.

The problem here is that massive interest from the public (not necessary the public interest) has this process leaking into very visible forums, seen by people who naturally don't have the experience of how scientific uncertainty is debated, addressed and reduced. The public therefore too quickly acquires divergent opinions; and similarly none-too-scientific politicians always get pilloried from some quarter for whatever they do to try and steer a good path.
 
But it’s all the government’s fault, they make some of the public behave like this… apparently!
Good job ignoring me Tig. Surely it would be better to address my point directly instead of indulging in all this passive aggressive sniping.

But thanks for illustrating the point: this is what I’m talking about. There will always be selfish individuals, and people to report on their behaviour, and people who get angry and use the incident to shift blame, and really, who benefits from all this. I honestly think that keeping the benefits of masks in perspective would help everyone here, except possibly the government.
 
But Bertie Booster wouldn't have another vaccine roll out to claim credit for. All those photo ops next to people being jabbed won't make themselves. Meanwhile, you can ignore the health experts about behavioural measures....party on, Bertie says it's safe.
Yes indeed, it is the party season so increased opportunities for it to spread.
 
The Health Minister on radio 4 just now saying that he is ‘absolutely sure’ that the reported parties at number 10 last during lockdown last year would have followed the regulations (which banned any kind of gathering) just after he offered some mealy-mouthed guff about Omicron and the wisdom of gatherings this year was a perfect example of why you shouldn’t be taking any notice of anything he says.
 
Largely yes. However informed but divergent speculation amongst scientists is normal science, leading to firmer hypotheses, tests designed to check if the hypotheses work, and finally well-grounded consensus-based conclusions.

The problem here is that massive interest from the public (not necessary the public interest) has this process leaking into very visible forums, seen by people who naturally don't have the experience of how scientific uncertainty is debated, addressed and reduced. The public therefore too quickly acquires divergent opinions; and similarly none-too-scientific politicians always get pilloried from some quarter for whatever they do to try and steer a good path.
There’s also the problem that the scientists (and often just doctors) commenting most freely on this in the media are not experts in a relevant field. So we have a lack of information compounded by pseudo-experts speculating about it wildly. So it’s no wonder people are confused.
 
But Bertie Booster wouldn't have another vaccine roll out to claim credit for. All those photo ops next to people being jabbed won't make themselves. Meanwhile, you can ignore the health experts about behavioural measures....party on, Bertie says it's safe.
Bingo!
We can look forward to BBC News at Ten in the coming weeks giving us the record number of boosters administered by our 'world leading' roll out - that is until Europe catches up and then it will all go very quiet and suddenly headline numbers will turn into percentages in an attempt to camouflage the fact that the roll out is no longer 'world leading'.
Meanwhile all this distracts from the shameful amount of daily fatalities that relentlessly continue and appear to be just accepted as unavoidable.
 
I got the call from my GP to come in for flu jab and possible booster last Saturday. About a week early for the Booster and I didn't bother with the Flu jab. Booster was Pfizer and I've felt peaky since but on the up.

The odd thing was the few hundred folks in the Health centre both staff and general public ....many were unmasked!

Can they cease to exist soon please so the rest of us can get on with a bit of craic?
 
Largely yes. However informed but divergent speculation amongst scientists is normal science, leading to firmer hypotheses, tests designed to check if the hypotheses work, and finally well-grounded consensus-based conclusions.

The problem here is that massive interest from the public (not necessary the public interest) has this process leaking into very visible forums, seen by people who naturally don't have the experience of how scientific uncertainty is debated, addressed and reduced. The public therefore too quickly acquires divergent opinions; and similarly none-too-scientific politicians always get pilloried from some quarter for whatever they do to try and steer a good path.

I think this is a really fair post. @John Phillips you make a very sound observation IMV.

The fear narrative, generated by a media that has become too fast to report for its own good, is also an influencing factor. Patience has become thin on the ground, for a variety of reasons.
 
We have a right wing Government propped up (or otherwise) by some extreme right wing backbenchers (as we were reminded of yesterday). The Government isn't capable of choosing the right option in the interest of the best public health because their party does not believe in that approach. Unfortunately they don't care that we have the worst death rate by a country mile in Europe this past six months, they're opening up was irreversible and was supported by many who should have known better.
 
We have a right wing Government propped up (or otherwise) by some extreme right wing backbenchers (as we were reminded of yesterday). The Government isn't capable of choosing the right option in the interest of the best public health because their party does not believe in that approach. Unfortunately they don't care that we have the worst death rate by a country mile in Europe this past six months, they're opening up was irreversible and was supported by many who should have known better.
It’s still too soon to know if opening up when we did was the right way to go. The pertinent issues at the time, and still, we’re obscured by people given too much attention offering inappropriately confident predictions and prescriptions.
 
Better ask the relatives then if you can't decide - here's Frances Ryan with a few home thruths

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...nd-covid-measures-clinically-vulnerable-masks

What a silly article.

These old and clinically vulnerable people are able to make their own decisions about whether to socialise! Just like I can. If they’re not they can phone their GP and talk about it, I’m sure.




this past six months,

Ataboy. Nuance.


. Is my interpretation of these events correct?


No.
 
What a silly article.

These old and clinically vulnerable people are able to make their own decisions about whether to socialise! Just like I can. If they’re not they can phone their GP and talk about it, I’m sure.

Article 2 of the Human Rights Act protects your right to life. (This will be the principle that guides the public inquiry)

This means that nobody, including the Government, can try to end your life. It also means the Government should take appropriate measures to safeguard life by making laws to protect you and, in some circumstances, by taking steps to protect you if your life is at risk.

Public authorities should also consider your right to life when making decisions that might put you in danger or that affect your life expectancy.

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-rights-act/article-2-right-life
 
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