Are we pinning our hope too much on the vaccine?

Olive53. Many people are suffering from long covid but I have never heard of long flu.

When people talk about ‘fewer people now dying from covid’ I can’t help but think of the saying’one death is a tragedy but a million deaths is a statistic’. When they say ‘only 10 people died today, hurrah’ it’s become as if their lives no longer matter.

We always have to remember that each death is a tragedy to that person's family.
I think there has been one death in Wales today so there is one bereaved family.

Well said, Germanshepherdsmum.?
I feel fortunate to be retired and therefore I don’t have to work to survive/travel to work/deal with customers/work in an office or workshop/handle cash, etc. Even so, I won’t be going into crowded areas, cinemas, concerts, or throwing away my masks. I’m still aware that, as a 66 year old, I could be at risk of catching COVID even though I’ve been double vaccinated. It’s not worth the risk. Then again, there are those who say that masks don’t work, but that’s another argument. The Chinese and Japanese seemed to think they were a good idea, even before the pandemic.…

I agree with Varian.

Continue to wear masks.
Consideration for others too.

Its the norm in Asian countries.
It should be the same here.

Every death is a tragedy, but we all have to die some times and do people get so angst ridden when someone dies of flu? And I think more are dying of flu than COVID.

In the pandemic with the huge deaths, yes, I understand, and I would reverse MayBee70* 's and say a million deaths above normal is a tragedy, but someone dying from a common disease is a statistic.

Six deaths were reported with Covid in Scotland today, including the first person aged between 15 and 19, which is very sad.

160 people die in Scotland every day, but nobody stands up on TV daily to tell us about them and we're not made to feel responsible.

I thought that the booster in September would be tweaked to account for Delta, but apparently not which surprised me.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Maybe70
when they say only only 10 people did today, hurrah, it’s become as if their lives no longer matter
I don’t believe for one moment that you’ve read that.
Lots of people are relieved that it wasn’t more, but nobody but nobody says hurrah!!!!

Then let’s all do everything possible to keep those numbers down. Hand face space ventilate.

I think the Government is taking a huge gamble. I’m not too worried for myself, but I am worried for others. It’s the unvaccinated, immune compromised, and potentially those whose immunity has diminished because they had the vaccination in the first months that are the most vulnerable. In the over 60s that is probably 1.5 -2 m people.

I want the government to tell us what they anticipate the death rate being in this third wave for each scenario of population infection rates, then we will know what is likely to happen instead of resorting to speculation ourselves (and it may encourage some of the remaining unvaccinated to get vaccinated, because there’s a very high chance they will become infected if the rate goes up to say 100,000 a day, or is unchecked so we no longer know what the daily infection rate is).

We are now in the new experiment of herd immunity where daily cases are likely to reach 100000 a day and in fact May be 50% more than that. This means of course that the U.K. will be awash with the virus which hopefully will not affect those vaccinated to any great degree, but does mean that the unvaccinated, immune compromised etc will be forced to go into lockdown once again.

I am concerned.

*M0nica

How does a vaccine differ from catching a disease and getting immunity that way? The end effect is the same.*

Vaccines are dead and won't cause illness. They are a much safer way of acquiring immunity.

Alegrias1

Six deaths were reported with Covid in Scotland today, including the first person aged between 15 and 19, which is very sad.

160 people die in Scotland every day, but nobody stands up on TV daily to tell us about them and we're not made to feel responsible.

The total for the UK today is 37, which is a 61% increase from Tuesday last week. Hopefully, it's a blip.

growstuff

*M0nica

How does a vaccine differ from catching a disease and getting immunity that way? The end effect is the same.*

Vaccines are dead and won't cause illness. They are a much safer way of acquiring immunity.

They also don’t give you long covid - a real worry.

M0nica

Every death is a tragedy, but we all have to die some times and do people get so angst ridden when someone dies of flu? And I think more are dying of flu than COVID.

In the pandemic with the huge deaths, yes, I understand, and I would reverse MayBee70* 's and say a million deaths above normal is a tragedy, but someone dying from a common disease is a statistic.

Where did you read that more people are dying from flu than Covid because it's not true.

"In a bad flu year on average around 30,000 people in the UK die from flu and pneumonia, with a loss of around 250,000 life years. This is a sixth of the life years lost to COVID-19."

www.health.org.uk/publications/long-reads/one-year-on-three-myths-about-COVID-19-that-the-data-proved-wrong

I have decided to continue wearing a mask in crowded less ventilated places such as public transport and supermarkets! I love travelling but have no intention of going abroad this year although I have had 2 vaccinations and been very careful! I do not want to undo all I have managed in the past 16 months! I can be patient and hope that more people get vaccinated ASAP so life is easier ???

I am still going to wear a mask when shopping. Football and Wimbledon supporters are not distancing or wearing masks, lookout for another lockdown.

The most public spirited thing we can do is to continue to wear a mask, and keep our distance.

I’m quite heartened to read how many people are going to continue to wear their masks.

The most public spirited thing we can do is to continue to wear a mask, and keep our distance.

No it isn't. It is a personal choice based by each individual's assessment of the probability of them being a risk to other people or being at risk from other people. That risk will vary from place to place.

Living in a big crowded city neighbourhood, where the illness is prevalent and where you live in an extended family or look after grandchildren during the day etc etc and regularly travelling on public transport, is a very different risk profile, to living in a rural area with no public transport, mixing very little with others, including family, and travelling everywhere by car.

Personally, I am getting fed up by the holier than thou attitude of many of those who will remain masked. there is no moral high ground for you to occupy. There is only personal choice based on a reasoned assessment on our threat levels.

Nobody says you must not wear a mask, they don't say you have to visit anywhere you're not comfortable with, no one says you must have many people in your space. Do what you are comfortabl e with and get on with living as you like. It only means thing are not now compulsory. Do what your happy with providing you don't infringe on anyone else.

Exactly.

Sorry MOnica but personal choice isn't necessarily the most public spirited choice, so I disagree with you. Thank goodness some other people aren't fed up with a holier than thou attitude. Public health relies on collective responsibility. Others are just as fed up with an "I'm alright Jack/Jill attitude".