Britain officially no longer in a pandemic

But sad to see the number of AZ related blood clots has more than doubled in the last two weeks in the UK with deaths now at 32. The BBC doesn't report this but GMB did.

lemongrove

Rationality isn’t the word I would have used!
Am guessing that if Labour were in power there would be gushing comments on how wonderful it is that the UK has done so well
If, scientifically speaking the UK is no longer in a pandemic, then that’s the simple truth, we have stepped back from the brink.Wonderful news. The rest of Europe and the US will catch up at a later date, and then at a much slower pace, the rest of the world.

Your rationality is spoiling the only pleasure the Boris Bashers get! They would have been so much happier if Jeremy Corbin had been in charge. Or perhaps Starmer, who promised full support to the government, then spent his time criticising and warding off the back stabbers in his own party?.

As for comparisons with countries oceans away from others with more land and lower population! Ironically the moaners were so much more invested in gloating about how badly we were doing, are the same people who often think we should open our borders to all comers with no questions asked.

France is really struggling now and India. Might be a bit too soon to offer them the temporary hospital tents and equipment that didn’t get used. Those hoping for increased outbreaks to further their political agenda would then have something more to bleat about.

Keep it up though. The negativity and innate sense of superiority is what cost them the last election!

Covid is a worldwide pandemic and until there is a successful worldwide vaccination programme we are all still at risk. Yes it is good news, but personally I think it is a bit too early to be putting out the bunting. As someone else said, NZ & Australia have contained the virus by keeping their borders closed and having lockdowns for a single case! Our government is not known for being so cautious.

Cabbie21

Until it is under control in other countries, any travel keeps us all at risk. I am not trying to be gloomy be suggesting there will be another wave once people start flying around the world again, just realistic. Although the current vaccines are a brilliant achievement, they will need to keep up the good work to adjust them for new variants, and keep a regular programme going to keep us safe.
Meanwhile I am enjoying the sunshine, have had my hair cut, been to the opticians and bought new underwear since having my second jab.

I know businesses have been diversifying but hadn't realised opticicians were selling lingerie!
Maybe so you don't make a spectacle of yourself... groan!

We need to be cautious about celebrating this. We have no idea whats going to happen in the Winter, or if too many people refuse to be vaccinated at all. Its great news but if it means everyone just returns to "normal" as we were in 2019 it could be just a blip and we end up almost as bad again.

Not sure a country can choose to opt out of a worldwide pandemic...

yggdrasil

We are in a pandemic that will last at least another couple of years. What happens in the UK is good news, but should not be exaggerated. The Telegraph is not a scientific journal, nor a trustworthy source these days.

I totally agree with you Yggdrasil.
Although we are very lucky and have done so well with the vaccines in this country and I applaud our scientists for that , this pandemic is not over until it is over for the whole planet .
I also agree with you about the telegraph. This used to be my newspaper of choice but their reporting of the pandemic has been atrocious. They have either been releasing scaremongering headlines late at night or unfounded good news stories without scientific backing. They are behaving more like a tabloid and are definitely not my chosen newspaper now.

Had my second vaccination this morning - just hoping I don't get two horrible days of after effects again. However will still carry on being extra careful and not celebrating too soon. My friends in Canada tell me the situation is quite bad and they are in lockdown again. My worry is the number of flights I notice coming overhead and the countries these people are coming from - are all incoming travellers going into 10 day quarantine?

Yesterday we had our second Pfizer vaccine here in France - we again had an interview with a doctor before receiving the vaccination. He asked about any reaction we might have had from the first dose. He then told us that we would have 95% protection after 10 days. He said the vaccine was effective against the variants such as the English and SA but as yet they were unsure about the Indian and the Brazilian varieties.
This morning were talking about still being cautious about travelling and DH said we still needed to be careful about being able to pass any virus on to others - has anything changed with that - can you pass it on if you have been vaccinated?

Pandemic: a disease prevalent over a whole country or the world. Britain might be in a good place today, just as we were during last summer, but remember that dreadful post Christmas spike in January? Yes, we have a selection of vaccines, thanks to worldwide scientific co-operation, but if we import one of the new variants, currently evolving in India and Brazil and elsewhere, and if the evil little beast turns out to be able to by-pass our vaccine immunity, what then? As Lyse Doucet of the BBC has said, 'No-one is safe until we are all safe.'

But Thank you Esspee-it is something to be pleased about.

The difficult bit for us is learning now how to live and accept what's left in the UK.

Pandemic” means it’s in every country across the world all the time, “endemic” means it’s really around and it’s there but it’s always going to have the potential to come back.’

Those of you thinking that the vaccines will end the pandemic, might want to hold off partying for a bit longer...

Do you realise that in people with compromised immune systems the vaccine is less than 40% effective?

In some conditions such as blood cancers, it’s been suggested by blood cancer charities that support research in this area, that it’s only 13% effective.

This means that for a greater number of people with compromised immune systems their bodies DO NOT produce Covid antibodies after having the vaccine. And therefore are completely unprotected from catching Covid and it’s devastating consequences..

I’m still very cautious because DH has a blood cancer and until his bloods are tested, we’ve no idea if the Pfizer vaccine has worked for him.

Endemic now

Don't hold your breath. Pandemic means worldwide....while its out there we are all at risk. Jab or not, especially with variants

Yesterday 40 more people died of Covid, in one day, which is more than have died in New Zealand during the entire pandemic. What is happening in India is terrible so I won’t be celebrating just yet.

Not heard this on the news....

Well said!

Fantastic news, but let’s not spoil it by forgetting caution.

Having just seen footage of what’s happening in India I’m in no mood to celebrate how well the U.K. are doing infection wise.

Globally the pandemic is far from over, the UK seems to be bringing cases under control, within the UK I’m sure we will be much safer.
Overseas travel this summer I’m sure will be closely restricted.

Again well said Pippa and at the same time thanks Esspee in you effort to give us some good news to cheer us up. I don’t want to be too optimistic as last summer things seemed to be going back to normal only to be bitterly disappointed later. Let’s hope that this year’s vaccinations will make a big difference.

It is the World Health Organisation that will declare the pandemic over, not individual scientists. There have also been reports this week about the project numbers this summer if we open up to quickly or get caught out by another variant like the Indian one. It is way to early to celebrate.

Sorry I only typed 1 ‘s’ in your name too Esspee!

Your post has cheered me Espee thanks as I’ve not listened to any news today.
I’ll be having a second CV19 vaccine in a couple of weeks and that will cheer me more (well it will 3 weeks after, when it takes effect).
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