New vaccine

[AnnieC]

28 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

We're fortunate enough to have an excellent GP practice, and I wouldn't fault one single aspect of the care we've been lucky enough to receive from them over the last 35 years.

 

They have this linked from their website - doubtless other practices have the same.  Might be worth a look if you're wondering where you stand.

 

Unsurprisingly my surgery, which has proved simply awful in the last couple of years and from which I planned to depart until the pandemic struck, has nothing on their website, or any useful links like yours, apart from a list of instructions as to what we must not do. 

 

You are extremely lucky to have such excellent care.

[tring]

58 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

We're fortunate enough to have an excellent GP practice, and I wouldn't fault one single aspect of the care we've been lucky enough to receive from them over the last 35 years.

 

They have this linked from their website - doubtless other practices have the same.  Might be worth a look if you're wondering where you stand.

 

 

We do not have that from our surgery, in fact information in the local paper has dried to zilch after wide scale publicity a week or two after vaccines started in December.  I suspect it is more to do with publicity controls well above the level of our GP hub.  Our surgery has been and is spot on with everything we have ever come across before, including flu vaccines which are done late Sept and October every year, according to which clinic you choose to book into.

 

I am not just concerned about our personal area, but also others in the same position.  In fact one reason our area will be way behind is that the area is well known for having a high proportion of elderly residents - some very elderly.  I saw an article this morning which was printed in The Independent on January 12th, saying that GP's nationally were not happy with the mass vaccination hubs as vaccine was being directed to those, whilst many GP's are getting supplies on a stop/start basis and cannot keep up at the pace they would like to do so.  In fact claims where that if given a sufficient supply they could get everyone in the priority risk groups done within about 5 weeks.

 

Our GP hub has been supplied with the Pfizer vaccine, which must make their work much more difficult to manage, though given their normal organisation skills, I suspect they would by now have a well tried method to reduce wastage and yet still supply the vulnerable, though admittedly I have no actual knowledge of what is happening.

 

Our local hospital has just had a mention on the briefing as being the base where the first evacuees from Wuhan were taken when brought back a year ago.  For that staff had to vacate their conveniently placed accommodation block, next to the hospital to allow the evacuees to move in.  One year later they are now in very dire straights and according to a consultant I spoke to last night, no one knows if it will continue to get worse as it is still doing at present.   

Edited January 26, 2021 by tring

[Aulanis]

We have the same table on our GP website  last update was 20 Jan

It also has the following

" Please be aware that we are only able to invite and vaccinate groups 3 and onward once we have been given permission to do so by NHS England. We realise that this may mean that some couples may each have to attend twice, but we are under strict direction that we cannot make any exceptions." 

 

The last bit  is contrary to the earlier post where a practice has said they will do couples who are not in the same group.

 

This suggests to me that they  (our GP) have the vaccine and the capacity to to proceed to the next group but are not allowed!

 

Edited January 26, 2021 by Aulanis

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, AnnieC said:

Unsurprisingly my surgery, which has proved simply awful in the last couple of years and from which I planned to depart until the pandemic struck, has nothing on their website, or any useful links like yours, apart from a list of instructions as to what we must not do. 

 

You are extremely lucky to have such excellent care.

My mothers GP surgery is also very poor and has been for years. When this is all over, my sister and I are going to try to persuade her to change. Luckily, the (different) surgeries that we use and that my sister and family use are both excellent. None of the three of them has the tracker on their website to show vaccination progress, but I believe that our county is ahead of the national average. 

[lincslady]

1 hour ago, AnnieC said:

 

 

1 hour ago, AnnieC said:

Unsurprisingly my surgery, which has proved simply awful in the last couple of years and from which I planned to depart until the pandemic struck, has nothing on their website, or any useful links like yours, apart from a list of instructions as to what we must not do. 

 

You are extremely lucky to have such excellent care.

 

I should say here that my GP, in spite of my recent worries, has always been fine regarding looking after us when needed; it was simply that I am aware that they have had staffing problems and seemed to be uncontactable recently.  I hope no one thinks I have been rubbishing the NHS or GPs generally.

 

Hate looking at the news this evening; a lot of doom and gloom, obviously which is all true, but it doesn't help to keep  one's spirits up at all ,and is obviously partly intended to frighten the few who don't believe what is going on and/or take no notice of the way we should all behave.  

 

I hope  that as the numbers now catching it are going down we will see improved hospital results in the next two or three weeks.  We are prepared for lockdown to go on for quite some time, sadly, and I think it needs to.

[pete14]

39 minutes ago, lincslady said:

 

 

Hate looking at the news this evening; a lot of doom and gloom, obviously which is all true, but it doesn't help to keep  one's spirits up at all ,and is obviously partly intended to frighten the few who don't believe what is going on and/or take no notice of the way we should all behave.  

 

I hope  that as the numbers now catching it are going down we will see improved hospital results in the next two or three weeks.  We are prepared for lockdown to go on for quite some time, sadly, and I think it needs to.

I know the number of deaths passing 100,000 is absolutely awful and of course it is newsworthy, but news organisations etc seem to have ignored the fact that yesterday there were just over 20,000 new cases as shown by a positive test. A couple of weeks ago it was three times that number. Coupled with the increased number of vaccinations, surely this is a cause for optimism but considered less news worthy. 

[yorkshirephil]

2 minutes ago, pete14 said:

I know the number of deaths passing 100,000 is absolutely awful and of course it is newsworthy, but news organisations etc seem to have ignored the fact that yesterday there were just over 20,000 new cases as shown by a positive test. A couple of weeks ago it was three times that number. Coupled with the increased number of vaccinations, surely this is a cause for optimism but considered less news worthy. 

Typical media, sensationalism. New cases falling and testing rising, hospitalisations going down, even the deaths are slowing, vaccinations going well, no mention of that.

[ann141]

24 minutes ago, pete14 said:

I know the number of deaths passing 100,000 is absolutely awful and of course it is newsworthy, but news organisations etc seem to have ignored the fact that yesterday there were just over 20,000 new cases as shown by a positive test. A couple of weeks ago it was three times that number. Coupled with the increased number of vaccinations, surely this is a cause for optimism but considered less news worthy. 

Unfortunately good news doesn't sell newspapers!Bad news does..

[Harry Peterson]

9 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

Typical media, sensationalism. New cases falling and testing rising, hospitalisations going down, even the deaths are slowing, vaccinations going well, no mention of that.

Hardly media sensationalism when we have achieved one of the worst death rates per million in the entire world.  The figures are grim, and each death is a tragic loss.  There are some signs of hope for the future, but we can't forget the last year.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55814751

[Adawn47]

28 minutes ago, pete14 said:

I know the number of deaths passing 100,000 is absolutely awful and of course it is newsworthy, but news organisations etc seem to have ignored the fact that yesterday there were just over 20,000 new cases as shown by a positive test. A couple of weeks ago it was three times that number. Coupled with the increased number of vaccinations, surely this is a cause for optimism but considered less news worthy. 

Unfortunately, misery sells Pete.

Avril

[P&O SUE]

10 minutes ago, ann141 said:

Unfortunately good news doesn't sell newspapers!Bad news does..

True, however nowadays it’s ‘clicks’ they want, part of the reason the headlines are so sensational.

[Beckett]

6 hours ago, AnnieC said:

 

I think I've got your quote button, Jane - seem to have 2 quotes up and can't get rid of one of them. Anyway, just to say we're all on our way to Potters Bar if we don't get our jabs😄

 

I greatly enjoy your posts as well - good to hear from the sharp end, though rather you to me!

It's working again Annie. Sorry about the emojis! Anyway, just to say you'll all be welcome at Potters Bar. I might find it hard to explain why I want to sign up 30-odd new patients but where there's a will there's a way. I can't put you all up though - I've only got a one bedroom flat!!!!!!  Best wishes. Jane.x

[Dermotsgirl]

I’m watching the 10 o’clock news. The reporting of today’s grim milestone was very respectful, and to be honest, I was moved to tears by the quiet dignity of those bereaved relatives that were interviewed.

 

This is the equivalent of a huge football stadium of people who have lost their lives, and it can’t be brushed aside. As a society, we can’t just forget them, or the grieving families and friends. 
 

 

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, pete14 said:

I know the number of deaths passing 100,000 is absolutely awful and of course it is newsworthy, but news organisations etc seem to have ignored the fact that yesterday there were just over 20,000 new cases as shown by a positive test. A couple of weeks ago it was three times that number. Coupled with the increased number of vaccinations, surely this is a cause for optimism but considered less news worthy. 

Good news never sold papers or made worthwhile TV headlines.

[tring]

3 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

Typical media, sensationalism. New cases falling and testing rising, hospitalisations going down, even the deaths are slowing, vaccinations going well, no mention of that.

That rather depends where you are in the country.  That is the overall figure countrywide so, yes, some areas must be doing very well, but others are still getting worse, certainly from the hospitalisation and death figures, not that they are not really bad to begin with.  Vaccinations only going well in some parts of the country as well. 

 

That is from up to date figures, not ones a few days old.  A lot of variation and that is acknowledged.

Edited January 26, 2021 by tring

[Ardennais]

2 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Good news never sold papers or made worthwhile TV headlines.

That’s not strictly true. Think of Royal Weddings, great sporting achievements like Super Saturday at the 2012 Olympics. 

[batholiver]

7 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Good news never sold papers or made worthwhile TV headlines.

You didn't notice the TV news or all those jubilant headlines when the first vaccine success was announced? 

 

Any big news sells papers, but there's been precious little good news in this long saga of mistakes and late decisions since last February.

[Beckett]

9 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I’m watching the 10 o’clock news. The reporting of today’s grim milestone was very respectful, and to be honest, I was moved to tears by the quiet dignity of those bereaved relatives that were interviewed.

 

This is the equivalent of a huge football stadium of people who have lost their lives, and it can’t be brushed aside. As a society, we can’t just forget them, or the grieving families and 

Well said and so true. J.x

[Dinglebert]

6 hours ago, Ardennais said:

That’s not strictly true. Think of Royal Weddings, great sporting achievements like Super Saturday at the 2012 Olympics. 

Yes but they are the exception which proves the rule.  If good news sold newspapers then they would lead with it one everyday as they are in the money making business.  However they don't.  Take the Daily Express pre Covid.  Its headlines on a normal day would be

 

member of royal family does something.  The something would depend on if they were a "good" member of royals or "bad" member.

 

A new thing causes Cancer or indeed cures it.

 

The weather is going to get really bad in the next couple of days.  Either floods, headwave, snow.  Didn't matter which one.

 

For a year they had the McCanns as a headline nearly every day.before that it was Diana conspiracies.

 

Someone did try a good news newspaper.  It didn't last.

 

I don't buy newspapers anymore, other than my local one and frankly thats rubbish as well.  Little news and 16 pages of generic quizes.

[lancashire_cruisers]

9 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I’m watching the 10 o’clock news. The reporting of today’s grim milestone was very respectful, and to be honest, I was moved to tears by the quiet dignity of those bereaved relatives that were interviewed.

 

This is the equivalent of a huge football stadium of people who have lost their lives, and it can’t be brushed aside. As a society, we can’t just forget them, or the grieving families and friends. 
 

 

Well said. Those we have lost and those who grieve for them are in my thoughts every day and drive me on to do the best I can to play my part in trying to bring this terrible situation to an end.

 

We should never forget them or try to brush them aside, each person was loved and a tragic unnecessary loss of life ❤️

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, lancashire_cruisers said:

We should never forget them or try to brush them aside, each person was loved and a tragic unnecessary loss of life

Whilst I agree with your sentiments,  for the sake of balance, all of those that have died, and will die, due to not getting the treatment they required, due to Covid restrictions, should also be remembered.

93% of those who died with (not from) Covid were over 65, so at present 7000 or so were under that age. I wonder how many of those dying from non Covid causes now and in the future will be in that younger age group?

[kalos]

As we approach this Sunday we will have come to the very sad milestone of when Covid hit our shores and Newcastle hospital took up the challenge of fighting this horrible disease that we knew very little about back then . The NHS staff should be thanked from the bottom of our hearts as they have never missed a beat looking after us and learning about covid as they went along with treating us.

Along with the NHS we have to remember the horrific death toll that has passed us by and the victims of it, as was said in a post above, we must remember them .If the deaths and the valiant effort  of our NHS are forgotten, then we have learnt nothing . I truly hope not ,Keep safe everyone .

 

 

[Esprit]

Well said Kalos

 

We had 4 family and friends die last year. Never known a year when I knew so many that died. One was my wife's aunt who reached 90 but died alone following a fall in her house and wasn't found until 48 hours later due to the lockdown last April. Not a single person was able to attend her funeral and this fact haunts me.

 

Not one of them died from Covid 19 either. 

[Dermotsgirl]

44 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Whilst I agree with your sentiments,  for the sake of balance, all of those that have died, and will die, due to not getting the treatment they required, due to Covid restrictions, should also be remembered.

93% of those who died with (not from) Covid were over 65, so at present 7000 or so were under that age. I wonder how many of those dying from non Covid causes now and in the future will be in that younger age group?

Unfortunately, without Covid restrictions,  these people would still have not got their treatment, as even more people would have caught Covid, and the resultant strain on the health service would have meant that there would have been even less capacity for other treatment.

 

Even after the pandemic ends, the effects of it will be felt down the years in so many ways. As I’ve said before, nothing is quite the same again after an event of this magnitude 

[arlowood]

15 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Unfortunately, without Covid restrictions,  these people would still have not got their treatment, as even more people would have caught Covid, and the resultant strain on the health service would have meant that there would have been even less capacity for other treatment.

 

Even after the pandemic ends, the effects of it will be felt down the years in so many ways. As I’ve said before, nothing is quite the same again after an event of this magnitude 

I would also pay tribute to the healthcare professionals who. at the very early stages of the pandemic, started trials to asses what treatments might be effective in alleviating the symptoms of Covid.

 

My brother (78) had a fall in early March and was operated on to repair a broken femur. After a few days he was discharged to a rehab centre that happened to be in a residential care home. 10 days later he was diagnosed with Covid. In the A&E admissions area my niece was effectively told that if his condition deteriorated than he would not be offered an ICU bed. I think at that time there may have been some arbitrary scoring system being used to triage patients and select those who would benefit from Intensive care.

In any event he was transferred to a ward and put on a CPAP machine. A day or so later he was asked if he wanted to be part of a trial for an intervention treatment. He agreed and after about a week he was taken off the CPAP and has now fully recovered. It wasn't until he was back home and talking to his GP that he found out that he had received dexamethazone as part of that trial.

When talking to him I suggested that he should start buying lottery tickets - he could so easily have been one of the untreated placebo patients on that trial and who knows how that would have turned out.