The end REALLY is in sight ???

I don't think we should be at all despondent about the vaccines we have today. They are still very effective indeed at dealing with the variants we have right now and despite all the hoo-ha about the South African variant, the existing vaccines won't just suddenly stop working for that mutation.

Things are going to get better over time, with new treatments and new vaccines. The more the merrier

As I had my first vaccine just yesterday I am over the moon and will not allow any despondency to enter my head. ? Onwards and upwards to an end result which will give all of us much peace of mind and steps towards returning to a more normal type lifestyle.

That certainly is good news

I had my first vaccine yesterday as well Kalu and am still on a high!

I agree Alegrias1. I am desperate to get the current vaccine. And I will be very pleased to get the universal vaccine too.

It’s such a good feeling Grannybags After over a year now of barely going out I am so looking forward to seeing family, especially GDs again.

We have a young Romanian woman as a cleaning lady. She's quite religious, close to RC. She told me that she and her friends here have religious discussions and believe it's near the time for the Messiah to return.

We have some fantastic people in this country and most of them are scientists so yes it's good news.

And what did you tell your cleaning lady, Fennel?!

I admit I was gobsmacked but as you can imagine there's a communication problem . She has an app on her phone which translates romanian to english and vice versa but not suitable for a complicated religious discussion!
All I said was that we didn't take that view.
She later told us that in her country the Mafia have taken over the provision of the vaccine and most people can't afford it..

We lead in covid genomics, we are surging ahead of the lumbering EU with our fantastic vaccination rollout and now this latest wonderful news !

Great Britain indeed ?? !

Excellent news and we’ve passed the 15 million target for vaccinations today, all joyous stuff to end the weekend. Thank you GagaJo

The UK was a world leader in genomics even when it was in the UK. Unfortunately, research has been hit by a drop in EU funding and difficulties in recruiting EU post-docs (coupled with new immigration restrictions generally), but it's still good. Covid has actually brought more funding into the area.

Why did you have to turn it into a jingoistic battle cry?

Fennel

We have a young Romanian woman as a cleaning lady. She's quite religious, close to RC. She told me that she and her friends here have religious discussions and believe it's near the time for the Messiah to return.

Some info on conspiracy theories in Romania:

blogs.lse.ac.uk/medialse/2020/05/06/the-other-pandemic-how-global-leaders-have-failed-to-counter-the-spread-of-fake-news-and-conspiracy-theories-about-covid-19/

One of my next door neighbours is Hungarian. In the limited brief conversations I've had with her over the past year, she's regurgitated the same nonsense about Bill Gates, George Soros, dangerous vaccines and the vaccine "mafia". Her English is very broken, so she relies on information from Hungarian social media sources.

I booked both my doses yesterday, so things are definitely going in the right direction.

I see the ‘can’t be seen to praise the UK’ poster(s) are alive and well. I think it’s marvellous that we’re leading the world and if someone objects to being called out then maybe don’t call out others. Do as you would be done by and all that.

tickingbird

I see the ‘can’t be seen to praise the UK’ poster(s) are alive and well. I think it’s marvellous that we’re leading the world and if someone objects to being called out then maybe don’t call out others. Do as you would be done by and all that.

Where did you see them?

The UK has been a world leader in biotech for decades. That doesn't make me proud of flag-waving jingoism.

I had my first jab yesterday. I'm just so grateful and give thanks to the scientists, NHS, doctors, nurses and volunteers - all working so hard to protect us.

I think it’s dreadful how any display of pride in our country’s achievement is sneeringly dismissed by some sectors as flag-waving jingoism.

What is the matter with them ?

This thread makes very uncomfortable reading. The news about a universal vaccine is wonderful, but I agree with growstuff that its suddenly turned into "how great are we, look we're world leading". Read beyond the headline and you find something else.

From the original article:

UK company Scancell, which specialises in developing cancer vaccines, and several other firms from Europe and the US are already working on variant proof jabs and hope to prove shortly they can produce an effective immune response.

A number of other biotechs are working on similar jabs, including myNEO in Belgium, and Osivax in France.

By all means praise the scientists looking into this universal vaccine, but don't get into the whole world beating thing. Science is international, even if the writers at Yahoo aren't.

“Jingoism”?? It just makes a change to read something good about the UK as, on here especially, it’s constant bashing by those incapable of objectivity. The constant sneering and put downs and all because of loathing the present government and losing the referendum and various attempts to overturn the result.

It would be refreshing to read something positive for a change. If Labour were in government (heaven forbid) then the usual critics on here would be putting a completely different spin on matters.

Oh for goodness sake! Can't we just accept the good news without political bashing / crowing?

I agree GagaJo. It would give the scientists a good laugh - they all work together nationally and internationally to overcome all sorts of diseases including Covid. Their joy as ours should be is in coming up with a winner for all.

GagaJo What’s the vaccination situation in Switzerland? I have friends in France and Italy who seem to believe the Oxford AZ is not suitable for the over 60s, because that’s what they’ve been told. Now even younger people don’t feel they are going to be protected with that vaccine! I’ve had the AZ and am very pleased and grateful!

Where I am, everyone wants to get the vaccine and no one has a preference for which one, OTHER than one covidiot who is a denier about the virus, the vaccine and probably still thinks 5G is involved. But he isn't Swiss.

I am gagging for my vaccine, but roll out here is slow so I might not get it until I move back to the UK in June.

JenniferEccles

I think it’s dreadful how any display of pride in our country’s achievement is sneeringly dismissed by some sectors as flag-waving jingoism.

What is the matter with them ?

I don't know. What do you think is the matter with me? From my point of view, I'm perfectly fine. I just don't like flag-waving jingoism. Science is a global, collaborative endeavour.