Astrazeneca/Oxford vaccine approved

[Hoonercat]

A lady I know well here in Bulgaria is currently coming to the end of her second bout of Covid. Just to be clear, she hasn't been tested this time round and at first insisted it couldn't be Covid because she has the antibodies (tested about 8 or 9 months ago I believe). She became ill a few days after attending a small function and has since been contacted with news that eight people at the function have tested positive. She says the symptons are the same as the first time (for which she was tested) but much more severe.
A couple of months after contracting Covid early last year she fostered an orphan found in a Roma quarter who tested positive for Covid. Obviously she had to spend 2 weeks in isolation with the child but didn't develop any symptons which she put down to having the antibodies. She hasn't had a vaccine as she isn't in a high risk group and assumed having the antibodies would protect her. The girl she fostered hasn't shown any symptons BTW.
It's possible that she just has a bad bout of flu I suppose, but given that she became ill a few days after attending an indoor function where most of the attendees have since tested positive, and that she recognises the symptons from the first time, and that the foster child has shown no signs of illness and should have the antibodies, I'd think it unlikely not to be Covid. She won't take a test for risk of spreading it further.

[Horse]

The chap I'm aware of who has had it three times (tested) suffered worst in the most recent.

[irie]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/germany-co ... ean-union/

But Germany has still only given the greenlight to people over the age 80, and those with serious pre-existing conditions, to book appointments, leaving many younger people who would like to get a shot unable to take advantage of the excess capacity.

"Excess capacity" should be put into arms, not stashed in refrigerators. The disease suppression advantage of a wider single dose vs a more limited double dose strategy has been clearly and irrefutably demonstrated.

Looking like where France is now with ~42,000 infections is where Germany will be within 2 weeks.

Unbelievable

[irie]

And this should accelerate infections in Germany 'quite a lot'.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-europe-56513366

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has cancelled plans for a strict lockdown over Easter, just a day after the measures were announced.

The proposed lockdown was agreed with regional leaders in talks overnight on Monday, with restrictions set to be tightened between 1-5 April.

But the plan was reversed following a crisis meeting on Wednesday.

It had been widely criticised by business leaders and scientists.

The lockdown would have been Germany's strictest yet, with most shops closed and gatherings limited.

For five days over Easter from 1 April, Germans would have been asked to stay at home and reduce social contact.

[Horse]

And this should accelerate infections in Germany 'quite a lot'.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-europe-56513366

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has cancelled plans for a strict lockdown over Easter, just a day after the measures were announced.

For five days over Easter from 1 April, Germans would have been asked to stay at home and reduce social contact.

According to the BBC:

Germany usually shuts up shop for three days of public holiday over Easter.

[Noggin]

And this should accelerate infections in Germany 'quite a lot'.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-europe-56513366

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has cancelled plans for a strict lockdown over Easter, just a day after the measures were announced.

The proposed lockdown was agreed with regional leaders in talks overnight on Monday, with restrictions set to be tightened between 1-5 April.

But the plan was reversed following a crisis meeting on Wednesday.

It had been widely criticised by business leaders and scientists.

The lockdown would have been Germany's strictest yet, with most shops closed and gatherings limited.

For five days over Easter from 1 April, Germans would have been asked to stay at home and reduce social contact.

It's why France is where they are now - February holidays, no restrictions, people travelling all over France to holiday places and visiting friends and family. Not sure why they didn't realise this would happen - except that I've come to the conclusion that they are aiming for herd immunity

And this should accelerate infections in Germany 'quite a lot'.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-europe-56513366

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has cancelled plans for a strict lockdown over Easter, just a day after the measures were announced.

For five days over Easter from 1 April, Germans would have been asked to stay at home and reduce social contact.

According to the BBC:

Germany usually shuts up shop for three days of public holiday over Easter.

They do shut up shop - well the businesses do. So that people can socialise with friends and family for easter. No lockdown means that they'll do all the socialising whilst the shop is shut!

[irie]

Seems to me that the die is already cast, and the lifting of proposed restrictions over Easter in Germany and the laxity of restrictions in France will only accelerate rising infection rates in both countries. Not to mention the very low vaccination rates when even the ECDC says that only just over half of all available vaccine doses have been put into arms.

[Hoonercat]

Come on chaps, it's been 2 days since Canada suspended the use of the AZ vaccine in under 55s and not a single mention. Would it help if I mentioned that lots of them speak French?

“There is substantial uncertainty about the benefit of providing AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines to adults under 55 given the potential risks,” said Dr Shelley Deeks, vice-chair of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.

Deeks said the updated recommendations came amid new data from Europe that suggests the risk of blood clots is now potentially as high as one in 100,000, much higher than the one in one million risk believed before.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... e-under-55

[Mussels]

Canada relies on the EU and the US to manufacture its vaccines, despite putting in big orders it is not receiving many. I'm not surprised they are restricting the low stock to the elderly.

[Supermofo]

Come on chaps, it's been 2 days since Canada suspended the use of the AZ vaccine in under 55s and not a single mention. Would it help if I mentioned that lots of them speak French?

“There is substantial uncertainty about the benefit of providing AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines to adults under 55 given the potential risks,” said Dr Shelley Deeks, vice-chair of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.

Deeks said the updated recommendations came amid new data from Europe that suggests the risk of blood clots is now potentially as high as one in 100,000, much higher than the one in one million risk believed before.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... e-under-55

I've been reading about that last couple of days. What's most interesting is Germany's high rate of rare clots Vs the UK's low rate. When you look at the German data it is a worry, but then it's totally out of step with the UK findings. Personally I've no idea what to make of it.

Not that it makes much odd I was AZ'd up on the 3rd March so a bit late to worry now

[irie]

Come on chaps, it's been 2 days since Canada suspended the use of the AZ vaccine in under 55s and not a single mention. Would it help if I mentioned that lots of them speak French?

“There is substantial uncertainty about the benefit of providing AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines to adults under 55 given the potential risks,” said Dr Shelley Deeks, vice-chair of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.

Deeks said the updated recommendations came amid new data from Europe that suggests the risk of blood clots is now potentially as high as one in 100,000, much higher than the one in one million risk believed before.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... e-under-55

I've been reading about that last couple of days. What's most interesting is Germany's high rate of rare clots Vs the UK's low rate. When you look at the German data it is a worry, but then it's totally out of step with the UK findings. Personally I've no idea what to make of it.

Not that it makes much odd I was AZ'd up on the 3rd March so a bit late to worry now

Evidently Hoonercat missed this 'blood clotting' post earlier in this thread ...

http://revtothelimit.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=65789#p65789

As for safety being "a bit moot", what most people are unaware of is the general incidence of 'clotting problems' in populations. For example:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanr ... od,%C2%B74)%20per%20100%20000.

Over the 3-year period of 2013–15, the average number of deaths from venous thromboembolism in England was 12,640 per annum. Using the raw NHS Outcomes Framework data and population statistics for England in 2018, we calculate a crude annual venous thromboembolism mortality rate of 21·7 (95% CI 21·0–22·4) per 100 000.

Plenty more on the Internet if you care to search for it, such as https://thrombosisuk.org/thrombosis-statistics.php

Edit: even if these estimates are orders of magnitude too high, they still put the risk of VTE into perspective.

I suspect that the real issue is that many (most?) countries simply do not know the 'normal' incidence of blood clotting problems in their own populations.

Edit: ... in their own populations.

[Mr Moofo]

Merkel is once again taking the opportunity to bad mouth Astra Zeneca - whilst trying to cozy up to Russia. Again. It worked with the gas pipeline and now Covid ... odd from the leader of the biggest economy in Europe.

Can I start the rumour - based on her “Ossie” birth, she probably a Russian stooge. Wonder if she had any Stasi links?

[Hoonercat]

Come on chaps, it's been 2 days since Canada suspended the use of the AZ vaccine in under 55s and not a single mention. Would it help if I mentioned that lots of them speak French?



https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... e-under-55

I've been reading about that last couple of days. What's most interesting is Germany's high rate of rare clots Vs the UK's low rate. When you look at the German data it is a worry, but then it's totally out of step with the UK findings. Personally I've no idea what to make of it.

Not that it makes much odd I was AZ'd up on the 3rd March so a bit late to worry now

Evidently Hoonercat missed this 'blood clotting' post earlier in this thread ...

http://revtothelimit.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=65789#p65789

As for safety being "a bit moot", what most people are unaware of is the general incidence of 'clotting problems' in populations. For example:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanr ... od,%C2%B74)%20per%20100%20000.

Over the 3-year period of 2013–15, the average number of deaths from venous thromboembolism in England was 12,640 per annum. Using the raw NHS Outcomes Framework data and population statistics for England in 2018, we calculate a crude annual venous thromboembolism mortality rate of 21·7 (95% CI 21·0–22·4) per 100 000.

Plenty more on the Internet if you care to search for it, such as https://thrombosisuk.org/thrombosis-statistics.php

Edit: even if these estimates are orders of magnitude too high, they still put the risk of VTE into perspective.

I suspect that the real issue is that many (most?) countries simply do not know the 'normal' incidence of blood clotting problems in their own populations.

Edit: ... in their own populations.

Evidently you use the word evidently rather loosely

[irie]

It's not that difficult mate - France is a different audience to the UK. The response needs to be adjusted to suit or the conspiracy theorists will milk this for all it's worth.

Too late, the milk is spilt.

[Précis]

According to Macron's speech this evening France has heroically resisted the virus but must now go into (at least) a one month lockdown, and must increase the vaccination effort.

[/Précis]

Too late.

[Noggin]

It's not that difficult mate - France is a different audience to the UK. The response needs to be adjusted to suit or the conspiracy theorists will milk this for all it's worth.

Too late, the milk is spilt.

[Précis]

According to Macron's speech this evening France has heroically resisted the virus but must now go into (at least) a one month lockdown, and must increase the vaccination effort.

[/Précis]

Too late.

But can you imagine the chaos/riots if he stopped the Feb holidays! (Which would have prevented the need to lockdown now)

[weeksy]

But can you imagine the chaos/riots if he stopped the Feb holidays! (Which would have prevented the need to lockdown now)

Nah, I doubt that. It may have helped a bit though, but only short term.

[Noggin]

But can you imagine the chaos/riots if he stopped the Feb holidays! (Which would have prevented the need to lockdown now)

Nah, I doubt that. It may have helped a bit though, but only short term.

The spike and increases have pretty much happened since the Feb holidays. It's spread over 4 weeks with people from all over France going all over France to their holiday home/favourite ski resort etc

If he'd stopped that and concentrated on vaccines - but mostly stopped the travelling - I really don't think this strict lockdown would have been needed.

I may well be wrong. But when you see a really quiet ski resort being jam packed with tourists who think that cos they are 'visitors' they don't need to follow the guidelines/protocols (masks, distance, hand gel) then there was bound to be a problem

[Bike Breaker]

To go back to the vaccines, there have been some reports of blood clots following the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines so I'm wondering why they haven't been banned or suspended, too.

[Mussels]

I see Pfizer have stepped in to critisise the EU's posturing as well now, they say they rely on a key ingedient from the UK so I guess the statement on here before that they can get them elsewhere isn't completely true.

[Yorick]

To go back to the vaccines, there have been some reports of blood clots following the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines so I'm wondering why they haven't been banned or suspended, too.

Some folk who had the vaccines have been caught speeding. Another won big on the lottery. Confusing times.