General Covid 19 news

[Ian]

(Almost) unbelievable.

[Hugo]

What is the truth then?

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-health-chiefs-respond-19687742

[SteveH]

The deputy chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI)  https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation#publications-and-statements  has said that people could end up needing an annual coronavirus shot to keep up with variations in the virus.

Speaking to Sky’s Sophie Ridge On Sunday, Professor Anthony Harnden said: “I think the new variants abroad are a real worry.”
He continued: “But I think we have to get used to this.

“We are living in a world where coronavirus is so prevalent and rapidly mutating there are going to be new variants that pop up in all sorts of different countries.”

Prof Harnden added: “We may well be in a situation where we have to have an annual coronavirus vaccine much like we do with the flu vaccine, but the public should be reassured that these technologies are relatively easy to edit and tweak, so once we find strains that are predominant, the vaccines can be altered.”

Prof Harnden said: “At the moment it is really good news that these vaccines we are delivering at the moment do seem to be effective against the major circulating strains and the variant strains in the UK at the moment.”

[SteveH]

A heroic effort by Conwy nurses meant over 900 elderly people were vaccinated at the weekend.
After a shortage of the Oxford vaccine last week, jabs at the area’s vaccination centres, including Conwy’s St Mary’s Church Hall, had to be cancelled.

This meant the jabs had to be given at Llandudno’s Venue Cymru – now named Ysbyty Enfys - on Saturday as the Pfizer vaccine has to be specially stored.
The mass vaccination was not staffed by the usual weekday Ysbyty Enfys staff but nurses from GP surgeries across Conwy, many working their day off.

The 16-strong team administered 901 jabs in one day with the help of admin staff, marshals and the RAF.
Nurse Sarah Hughes is an advanced clinical practitioner leading immunisation at Conwy’s Llys Meddyg Surgery on Castle Street and also at Gyffin Surgery.
“It basically gave us a moral boost,” said Sarah.

“The atmosphere was fantastic. All of us were buzzing. We've had a tough year of working in ways we are not used to, as everyone in the NHS has! This is our time to do our big bit in this pandemic. We haven't been there with the poorly patients in ITU. We've just been trying our best to keep people at home, but it’s not always possible.

“But we can play our big part now in getting everyone vaccinated, and hopefully this is the very start of getting some normality resumed, at some point.
“The RAF were also there helping coordinate, and it all ran really smoothly.”

“We were able to do some of the 75-79s age group too, which is our next cohort as we had enough vaccines. We offered them in descending order of age."

Sarah added: “Everyone was really appreciative and relieved they were having their vaccinations. For a lot of people, it was their first outing since March.”

Ref https://conwy.nub.news/n/39this-is-our-time-to-do-our-big-bit-in-this-pandemic39---conwy-nurses-vaccinate-901-elderly-on-their-day-off?fbclid=IwAR0TUUzJXtxOXSbN8ItUvHYaD0gjGJqs7pgbepOO4l4bq-f7w_OeVWPBJwE



ALSO
RECAP: Updates from health minister as Welsh lockdown review date approaches

https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19036420.recap-updates-health-minister-welsh-lockdown-review-date-approaches/

[SteveH]

People required to quarantine in hotels after arriving in the UK
"The Times reports that those having to quarantine would have to cover the price of their stay in hotels for 10 days, potentially setting them back more than £1,000.
The paper reports that the system could take up to three weeks to implement."

Putting the above in context..........From The Portugal News... https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2021-01-25/ambulances-queue-at-hospitals/57901
 Ambulances waiting to deliver COVID-19 patients were at the start of the weekend queuing outside hospital emergency departments in Lisbon. Authorities yesterday reported 275 deaths, a new record, while around 11,000 new cases were registered. Portugal has the past week had the highest seven-day average rate in the world of new cases per 100,000 population and the highest rate of new deaths.


 

[mull]

Why dont they get on with it and implement this right away.

In 3 weeks time those coming into the country will have spread it all over the place.

UK is a joke!

[SteveH]

I am assuming this article is an advert, but may be of interest........

A cleaning spray that kills Covid-19 on surfaces for up to six weeks has launched in the UK.

The spray has been shown to kill almost 100 per cent of the virus on surfaces within 10 minutes of contact, and has already been used at a number of locations in the UK, including two major airports.

The antimicrobial spray creates a nano coating on any surface it is applied to and will kill 99.9 per cent of any Covid-19 microbes, along with other harmful pathogens such as mould or fungi, that come into contact after just one application.

Unlike traditional disinfectants, the Zonitise surface antimicrobial spray does not need to be continually applied to a surface regularly to achieve a high level of protection.

cont   https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19041591.cleaning-spray-kills-99-9-per-cent-covid-sale-uk/

[SteveH]

Coronavirus LIVE: Health experts give covid update ahead of government lockdown review

Some of the statements.............

13:32
All arrivals who cannot be refused entry will have to quarantine in hotels
They will be met at the airport and transported to quarantine

13:31
Mr Johnson turns to borders
"It is illegal to leave home to travel abroad for leisure purposes" - People in England will be asked why they are trying to travel

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-live-health-experts-give-19708270

[Hugo]

The Wales covid vaccine calculator which tells you how soon you're likely to get the jab
It estimates where you are in the queue.      If it's correct and there are no more hiccups then I should get it before the end of February with the second jab at the end of May,         

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wales-covid-vaccine-calculator-tells-19710163

[Hugo]

Credit when credit is due     
How 'Herculean effort' saw Gwynedd GPs vaccinate 1,200 people in just one weekend
Three practices on the Llŷn Peninsula carried out the remarkable feat, with just two days to prepare

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/how-herculean-effort-saw-gwynedd-19714758

[SteveH]

A nasal spray reported to stop coronavirus infections for up to two days could be available in UK shops by the summer.

Researchers from the University of Birmingham say the spray can also prevent the virus from spreading from person to person.

Created by Dr Richard Moakes and his team at the University of Birmingham, the spray could help bring the UK out of lockdown restrictions, according to its creators.

Prevents further infection
The spray has been in development since April 2020, and its creators are currently in discussions with shops and pharmaceutical companies about how to mass produce it.

The formula helps to prevent further infection by capturing Covid in the nose and trapping it in a coating which it cannot escape from. This means the virus would be inactive and harmless, if breathed in by another person.

https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19045656.nasal-spray-said-stop-covid-released-summer/
cont   

[Bellringer]

I had my first “jab” yesterday at Ysbyty Enfys, Llandudno. My experience was good, everyone was so helpful and cheerful, and all went very smoothly. My appointment was at 2.45 and I was leaving the venue at 3.20. The 35 minutes visit included 15 minutes “rest” time after the vaccine was administered.
 
Today I am perfectly OK apart from a little stiffness in my my upper left arm. Thank you to everyone at the Venue.

[SteveH]

    Good to hear, thank you.

[SteveH]

A new coronavirus vaccine has been shown to be 89.3% effective in large-scale UK trials.

The Novavax jab is the first to show in trials that it is effective against the new virus variant found in the UK, the BBC's medical editor Fergus Walsh said.

The PM welcomed the "good news" and said the UK's medicines regulator would now assess the vaccine.

The UK has secured 60 million doses of the jab, which will be made in Stockton-on-Tees in north-east England.

The doses are expected to be delivered in the second half of this year, if approved for use by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the government said.

The UK has so far approved three coronavirus vaccines for emergency use - one from Oxford University and AstraZeneca, another by Pfizer and BioNTech, and a third from drug firm Moderna.

cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55850352

[DVT]

Wales does seem to be lagging behind.

A friend of mine living just north of Lancaster, and who is a few months younger than me (we're 71), had call from his surgery on Thursday and has made appointment for next Saturday.  Today he received NHS letter telling him to make an appointment if not already done so.
 
I hope there's enough left for us and the Europeans dont pinch it all !