How can I find my old pictures?

[soapdragon]

My parents - just in the south Oxfordshire area  - had theirs last week too but had to travel in a taxi to get to the 'vaccine hub' as the local surgery wasn't administering it. It's great that it's being rolled out so quickly but I do worry having seen many pictures of lots of elderly people waiting in long queues in the extreme cold. If only the Oxford vaccine could be sent out to GPs.

[Daphne]

Yes, my 82 year old Aunt had her jab this morning, in Cornwall, so she is over the moon.  My Mum is done and had no ill effects, and my MIL is being done this week.

I'm sorry to hear that Soapdragon, it can't have been pleasant, hopefully some better venues will be found quickly, I know a hospital in Sussex made staff wait out in the freezing cold this week, I just hope elderly patients didn't have to as well.  Just as a point of reassurance, the experience can also be a good one. My Mum drove herself to a local hotel to have her jab and she was full of praise for the organisation.  You waited in your car, having been directed to a particular car parking space, then when the team were ready for you (she said her appointment was just 2 mins late), you got out of your car, marshalls directed you into the hotel and to a huge partioned room for the jab (with 2 people assigned to you) and to wait 15 mins afterwards in case of ill effects.  She said the signage and the staff administering the vaccination and helping out were all excellent.  I know the UK has got an awful lot of things wrong with its Covid response, but the speed of the vaccination programme seems to be fantastic.  

[Beantree]

Well there are clearly two sides of the coin when it come to vaccination programmes. I'd put Israel and UK on one side and France on the other. Seems to have stopped here because, contrary to what we were told only a few days ago, we haven't got sufficient stock. Supposed to be 600 vaccination centres and there are just 17, but they only have sufficient vaccine to give 50 doses a day each. I've given up hope of getting ours this year already.

Another 'on the bright side' is surviving our trip yesterday to pick up our new boy (photos to come). I chose the word surviving because we had to take a big risk on the way back. Sunday afternoon everything is shut and we must get home before 6.00pm curfew. The brake alarm light came on intermittently 50 miles into our outward journey and by the time we got to our meeting point the brakes were feeling spongy. Checked the reservoir and no brake fluid ! We decided to stay off the motorway and head back on the 'B' roads. The brakes were getting worse and with 100 miles to go packed up completely. Fortunately we have a diesel car, so with extreme care using only the engine for braking we managed to get home. Don't know what the fault is but I bet it's expensive?

[Daphne]

OMG, that sounds terrible Beantree.  I so hope he's worth it!

[soapdragon]

Hope it wasn't expensive, Beantree.........sometimes it's just a cable or tiddly little bit that let's the whole system down (she types, hopefully 😎).

There are warnings in the press today that those who have had the vaccine must not be complacent and must still obey all the rules as it's not known if those vaccinated could still pass Covid on!!! Is it just me or is it rather worrying that there seems to be a huge gap in the knowledge of how this is all working (or not working!)? Equally, I haven't heard a definitive pronouncement on how long the immunity lasts once the two jabs have been administered. Maybe it's just me being Aspie but it worries me that there is all this vaccinating etc going on in the short term but very little (or no) info on the longer term effects on us all as a society.

[Beantree]

Immunity lasts 8 months they say here, so you need to have the first injection of your second vaccine 7 months after the first is active and that will be completed 4 weeks later if you get the second injection at 3 weeks. But they are messing about with the timing of the second injection so it's getting rather confusing? One thing is clear though; you won't know if you have immunity as it isn't 100% effective. You will have reduced the odds of getting Covid substantially, but will still need the do all the mask, distance and hand washing stuff.

Now they are talking here of improving the security, particularly from the English and South African variants, by using FFP2 masks only. Only talk at this stage thankfully, because the clip they showed on the TV priced them at 3€ each!

First stage with the car is to bleed the system as it may be just full of air from letting the reservoir get too low? We're trying to avoid giving the garage a 'blank cheque'. You have to pay at the Renault dealer for a diagnostic visit as well. Fortunately we have a second vehicle which is in good shape (apart from a slow leak on one tire). Still have to fix the heating; always plenty to do here.

Sure he's worth it Daphne. He escaped earlier and we just picked him up and put him back in. So friendly, the benefit of being hand reared, which is rare in itself.

[Patricia W]

My OH, aged 75, has been called to have his tomorrow afternoon!  We’re not far from Soapdragon, and it’s only a 20 minute walk into town.  I’m in the next level down to him so hoping I’ll get mine in a month or so.  Apparently when you go, you are given a card with a date 12 weeks later.    

We’re debating what he should wear.  Not a trivial matter as he doesn’t want to be taking layers and layers off, but if he’s standing in a queue outside he doesn’t want to freeze.   Decisions, decisions.... 

[soapdragon]

1 hour ago, Patricia W said:

My OH, aged 75, has been called to have his tomorrow afternoon!  We’re not far from Soapdragon, and it’s only a 20 minute walk into town.  I’m in the next level down to him so hoping I’ll get mine in a month or so.  Apparently when you go, you are given a card with a date 12 weeks later.    

We’re debating what he should wear.  Not a trivial matter as he doesn’t want to be taking layers and layers off, but if he’s standing in a queue outside he doesn’t want to freeze.   Decisions, decisions.... 

Oh that is good news, Tricia! Our village surgery has started vaccinating too but, as I am 'only' 56, I don't expect a call in the near future but I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

With regard to what to wear for OH......if it's a 20 min walk suggest not heels! Sorry, not being helpful there! T shirt and thick jumper topped off with a coat? Apparently, as it's all a bit 'production line' they prefer not sleeves that have to be rolled up....easy access is best! Having looked at the weather forecast (actually the 'wetter' forecast) full waterproofs probably wouldn't go amiss!

[Daphne]

Looking forward to seeing him!  He sounds like my old cockeral, so tame you could carry him about anywhere, its a lovely trait to have, you are lucky.  Has he met his ladies yet, or is he still in quarantine?  Ours escaped his quarantine and conquered his ladies immediately!

I think there is a lot to be untangled with the vaccine, OH was telling me earlier that Israel are saying that the efficacy rates from the Pfizer jab are not as good as the trials had indicated as they have already had people who have been vaccinated being infected.  I need to go and check the details, its a press report.

Maybe a gilet over a loose long sleeved top, one that can easily be rolled/pushed up, topped off with a coat (and brolly by the sounds of it)?

[mullethunter]

I heard a report today if someone in the UK testing positive after having the vaccine. But it was only 5 days after so she could have already got it before she was vaccinated, and I think hey say it’s likely to take up to 21 days for the vaccine to become effective anyway. I wonder if it’s also the case in Israel that people are contracting the virus within those 21 days?

[Daphne]

You could well be right, MT.  It seems as though the Govt perhaps has to reinforce the message that you can't just pick up normality because you have had the jab. 

In the last few days I know 3 people who have had the jab, but who aren't in any priority group.  One is NHS, but not in a patient contact role.  She is a beneficiary of 'left over' vaccine at the end of a week where staff can queue on a first come first served basis.  The other 2 are also beneficiaries of left over vaccines - my MIL's care home was sent too many doses and gave them out to family members also on a first come first served basis. I can see the point of this, to enable more relatives to visit residents.

Portugal has finally said we have the UK variant here, as numbers skyrocket (14,000 cases today, population 10.2m) and medical services are buckling as hospitals are overloaded.  Schools are still open, although I am sure they will be closed soon.  I feel quite scared, not personally as we are both well, and live somewhere pretty remote and quiet, but for the country, its so small and we have the lowest number of critical care beds in the EU apparently.  The other sobering thing is that I read of an overflow mortuary being set up in my Mother's closest town, although its to serve the county, not just her locality.  The hospital where my NHS friend works is in its toughest week, right now, it hopes the numbers will go down a bit next week.

[soapdragon]

Some bright spark somewhere predicted, just after Christmas, that the peak of the infections following the Christmas get togethers would be around 18th Jan. Let's hope that things start falling significantly over the coming days. 

OH said that he heard this morning that the lateral flow tests planned for secondary schools have now been scrapped. ES/YS school started these last Friday on the keyworker children and put a huge amount of work (which could have been spent planning teaching, GCSE assessment protocol etc) into setting this all up only for three days of testing. They now have masses of PE, tests etc. HUGE waste!

[Cat tails]

We are about to get a curfew and finally decided to limit the number of flights from UK (sorry!) and South Africa. 
Why does it all take such a long time for us over here to decide on these measures???

[Patricia W]

OH decided to drive the 10 mins into town for his jab, as it was pouring  with rain.  Very well organised. Straight in, coat off, sleeve rolled up and jabbed. Told not to drive for 15 mins.    He was back in 45 mins from leaving the house.  He had the Oxford one.  High temperature of 38.5 about 1am, brought down with paracetamol.  A bit fluey and achey first thing, but felt fine after taking the dog out this morning.   Now to wait for mine., 

[Alis girls]

My cousin a nurse had hers today. They were offered tea,coffee and a biscit afterwards. I was not happy. Didnt get offered anything. 🤣

[Cat tails]

The country has gone mad over here...

We have a curfew as of Saturday. Everyone needs to stay in from 9 pm to 4:30 am. 
I’m more than fine with that rule. It’s not like I regularly go out in those hours anyway. But loads of people are protesting. No... rioting! We have riots in loads of cities right now, with people plundering stores and setting stuff on fire. 

I’m soooo done with people! 🤬

[AndyRoo]

Well, I didn't think my vaccine would come so quickly, but it seems that being classed as a key worker has paid off! I'm having my first vaccine on Wednesday!!

[Beantree]

They covered the riots in Holland quite extensively this morning Cattails. I saw a big pile of bicycles burning in the street!!! They are complaining here as well; about the curfew 6.00pm to 6.00am, about the ski lifts being closed in a season with the best snow for years, about delays in the vaccine programme.

We've only just had the first person vaccinated in our town. Administered by our new Mayor, who is a retired Doctor. Which leads nicely into the topic on Jeremy Vine this morning. 'Does the EU vaccination shambles prove Brexit was right?' We have a very aged population locally, so we're well down the list anyway.

Isn't the Pfizer vaccine made in Belgium? In which case why can't the EU get hold of it? The Italians are threatening legal action.

My Aunt in the UK has had her first jab. She said it was given at a local industrial park, only took 15 minutes and had no side effects. Her follow-up is scheduled for 3 weeks she was told, because of her age group. She was given vaccination centres miles away initially though, so hopefully the second will be in the same place and on time.

Moderna has stated that their vaccine can cope effectively with the new strains, but haven't delivered it yet. The French vaccine, which is on the same basis as Pfizer, is a year behind and another French producer has abandoned their vaccine project completely.

[mullethunter]

6 hours ago, Beantree said:

Isn't the Pfizer vaccine made in Belgium? In which case why can't the EU get hold of it? The Italians are threatening legal action.

I see the EU are actually starting to sound like they’re going to do something about this now...

Cattails it looks like there are some fairly unpleasant people making their feelings known in your country right now - I hope you’re out of the way of all that.

[Cat tails]

9 minutes ago, mullethunter said:

Cattails it looks like there are some fairly unpleasant people making their feelings known in your country right now - I hope you’re out of the way of all that.

I live in a very proper little town so far! 😂

Although is just so wide spread now. Who knew there lived this many stupids in The Netherlands?? 🤷🏼‍♀️

[mullethunter]

Don’t go thinking you’re special CT - there are stupids everywhere 🙄

[Cat tails]

7 minutes ago, mullethunter said:

Don’t go thinking you’re special CT - there are stupids everywhere 🙄

[Beantree]

Our President is under pressure from all directions. The medics want a third lockdown because the English variant is accelerating here and smaller hospitals are full and are moving patients. He had said a decision will be made this week and one of the factors in the equation is the psychological state of the Country, no doubt influenced by the riots recently seen.

Sanofi is the French company that's a year late with their vaccine after trials showed the first one they produced was ineffective. They are now going to manufacture the Pfizer vaccine until the end of the year, producing 125 million doses for the EU states only. They are confident their second vaccine attempt will be successful. AstraZennica promised 90 million doses and have only delivered 31 million, so they are being investigated. So something is happening, but it's all very slow.

[AndyRoo]

Well, I had my first shot about 5 hours ago! Hoorah! I keep waiting for the side-effects to kick in, but so far I've been fine. Now it's just a 10 week wait until the next one. I even got a packet of free sweets from the nurse, bless them.

They were working flat out. Apparently they're doing about 300 a day at the moment... I don't envy them, but I do admire them! I think every single frontline worker should be given a medal once this is all over.

[Cat tails]

39 minutes ago, AndyRoo said:

Well, I had my first shot about 5 hours ago! Hoorah! I keep waiting for the side-effects to kick in, but so far I've been fine. Now it's just a 10 week wait until the next one. I even got a packet of free sweets from the nurse, bless them.

They were working flat out. Apparently they're doing about 300 a day at the moment... I don't envy them, but I do admire them! I think every single frontline worker should be given a medal once this is all over.

Woohoo Andy!