Let us hope that Johnson has finally learned some lessons.

These are the key tests that Johnson will apply to 21 June

I wish my lot could move to New Zealand. An old school friend of my daughters moved there just before the pandemic and we’re so happy for him. Lovely lad: possibly an old flame but I’ve never asked. Once upon a time I would have been horrified at the thought of my family moving so far away but all I care about these days is that they’re safe. I’m sure it won’t be too long before you will be able to visit them. How exciting.

Baggs

GrannyGravy13

Apparently Peru have just readjusted their Covid death figures to 180,000, I wonder how many other Countries will reassess their data?

What was the number before the readjustment, please, GG13?

Just found a 66,000+ figure. So that's quite a big adjustment. I wonder how they were counting before?

GrannyGravy13

Apparently Peru have just readjusted their Covid death figures to 180,000, I wonder how many other Countries will reassess their data?

What was the number before the readjustment, please, GG13?

* Maybee* yes that is a problem, but as I think most of us in the UK, or at least on Gransnet anyway, understand that until we’re all vaccinated we’re not completely safe. At the very least, we can’t travel too much whilst the rest of the world remains mainly unvaccinated. As my daughter and family have just gone to New Zealand to work as doctors there, my husband and I are eager to be able to travel there at some point. We’re fully vaccinated, but the rest of the world isn’t, including NZ, and in any case they won’t open their borders until their population is fully vaccinated. We all have an interest in the whole world being made safe by vaccination, so I hope it happens quickly.

maddyone

I thought you meant vaccine complacency Maybee. The Australian poster has said that people are vary of the AZ vaccine although she has had it.

I think one of the problems in Vietnam is that, because they’ve done so well at containing the virus people weren’t being vaccinated. On top of that you get scare stories about the vaccines and people think it isn’t worth bothering. Thankfully Vietnam are making their own AZ vaccine and rolling it out. Let’s hope it works. It seems like one step forward two steps back again though.

Apparently Peru have just readjusted their Covid death figures to 180,000, I wonder how many other Countries will reassess their data?

Now they have renamed the variants I have the first lines of the poem I learned when my teachers thought learning a little Greek was a good idea, going round and round in my mind.

This is Greek, and how they spelt her
Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta,

I hope it goes soon!

The vaccine does seem to be going a lot slower in Australia.

I have been re-reading about the Delta variant (First found in India) and I think that, as the transmissibility is increased this may include outside transmissibility. What I can't find is how much difference this will make. As I see it Alpha (Kent) might land on you and the percentage of it getting into your system is "x". However, if Delta lands the chance of it getting into your system is >Alpha.

Happy to be enlightened as this is only me reading not something I know anything about.

I thought you meant vaccine complacency Maybee. The Australian poster has said that people are vary of the AZ vaccine although she has had it.

Lucca

Maybee. I’m not sure what you meant by Australia’s covid complacency ? They have taken swift action from the start ? Any time there are cases lockdown is in place straight away . Vaccination is happening . My son aged 42 has had his.

I meant covid vaccine complacency. People were wary of the AZ vaccine at first and didn’t feel affected by the virus because of how well the country had handled things. A doctor from Australia does a regular chat on DrJohns blog.

Maybe she meant that the Australians are not taking the vaccines very much, and a poster who lives in Australia has said the roll out of the vaccine isn’t well organised, on a number of threads Lucca.

Maybee. I’m not sure what you meant by Australia’s covid complacency ? They have taken swift action from the start ? Any time there are cases lockdown is in place straight away . Vaccination is happening . My son aged 42 has had his.

It seems inevitable now that 21 June is not going to happen.

Entirely predictable, given Johnson’s dithering over closing the border to India.

The fault lays entirely with that decision to delay the border closing.

Why isn’t Vietnam now on the red list of countries?

Sorry Maizie...I sort of flitted from answering the question about outside airborne infection to pondering out loud about how things would change moving forward. I need to dig out the chat with the pharmacist and listen to it again. There’s so much happening, covid wise that I’m struggling to keep up!

MayBee70

It was from the pharmacist lady from Canada who does a web chat with Dr John every few weeks. Things like central heating systems and air con are going to have to be changed. Toilets, a possible spread of covid that never seem to get a mention may have to be redesigned. Public toilets might need something that automatically closes them off before flushing might be a good idea given that people wouldn’t want to be opening and closing the lids.

But you said outdoor airborne infections, MayBee. What does she say about that? (you and Pippa now seem to be talking about indoor infections)

I think I have encountered public toilets that have lids that close before you flush them, but I can't remember where!

I seem to recall a case reported from China where infection was passed on to self isolating people via the toilet waste system.

But incidences of outdoor airborne infection would be very worrying.

Let’s just hope that Vietnam puts us to shame by being able to contain the new variant. At least the latest outbreak in Australia has jolted the people there out of their covid complacency.

It was from the pharmacist lady from Canada who does a web chat with Dr John every few weeks. Things like central heating systems and air con are going to have to be changed. Toilets, a possible spread of covid that never seem to get a mention may have to be redesigned. Public toilets might need something that automatically closes them off before flushing might be a good idea given that people wouldn’t want to be opening and closing the lids.

Having said that I think the design of buildings - particularly public buildings.

Having said that I think the design of buildings - particularly public buildings will become paramount.

MayBee70

There were reports of outside airborne transmission in Canada a few weeks ago.

I can only find reports of it being airborne which we sort of knew but this is further emphasising it. What it is suggesting is that we will need to rethink indoor spaces. I did start a thread asking what we all saw happening in the decade after Covid which didn't take off but I think it may have been too soon to ask. Having said that I think the design of buildings - particularly public buildings. As I read it those who know about these things see this influencing our lives for decades to come.

JaneJudge that must be frightening. Take care seems silly but please do look after yourself.

sorry for swearing
all my neighbours are coughing, I know the people two doors down do actually have covid though

he hasn't learnt anything. I live in between two boroughs who had increasing Indian variant rates and now we have a very high rate of it. Schools remained open here
He is fucking idiot in my opinion

Baggs

Good post Greeneyedgirl, but in fact pandemic was expected, had been for some years, but the NHS did not prepare adequately for it. Neither did government.

I'm not sure that it was the responsibility of the NHS, Baggs.

Wouldn't Public Health England and the Minister for Health have been responsible for ensuring that the recommendations for improvement in the report on operation Cygnus were funded and implemented?

I've found this, dated November 2020, but I'm not convinced that it is telling the truth...

www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-pandemic-preparedness/annex-a-about-exercise-cygnus

In view of this, from May 2020 I suspect I might be right...

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/07/revealed-the-secret-report-that-gave-ministers-warning-of-care-home-coronavirus-crisis

MayBee70

There were reports of outside airborne transmission in Canada a few weeks ago.

Have you any details, MayBee? That would be an awful blow if it were happening more than occasionally.