I am just reading that UK government are discussing a £500 payment to Covid Positive tested people „ because they have higher expenses during isolation“.
Not sure of that will help to bring numbers down or increase the obeyance to public health measures....
Don’t believe all you read :v
This £500 payment has been available for quite awhile - but only to the people that really need it...the government have already said it isn’t for everyone as some people get paid whilst isolating...
Yes, and it seems that the UK government is discussing broadening this £500 to more people.
Background is apparently, that less then 20% Brits with Covid sympthoms are getting tested and from all positiv tested cases, less then 20% are self-isolating - so many positive people still go to work X-(
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
On a positive note, after trying for more then a week online, I could schedule vaccination appointments for both of my 86 year-old parents in Stuttgart for 3rd. Feb - followed up by a booster shot on 4th March.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Don't know if there is.a shortage... They're still using the Pfizer one mostly I think because a) They paid for it and b) It won't last so long, having to be kept frozen. They've got to use it up. Not heard of anyone locally having the Oxford one yet.
It may be the Oxford one is being used around areas of the country where they can't keep it frozen so easily.
Biontec is in Germany and has developed the vaccine - Pfizer is in charge for production and the distribution.
The Pfizer doses for the UK came from factories in Europe.
If there are shortages for Astra Zeneca, it should be equally affect UK and other countries.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,747Chief of Staff
Yes, and it seems that the UK government is discussing broadening this £500 to more people.
No it isn’t.
It’s just more people are aware of it now and so can apply for it...doesn’t mean they’ll get it.
For someone who complains about the ‘popular press’ you seem to read and believe an awful lot of it :v ) :007)
Background is apparently, that less then 20% Brits with Covid sympthoms are getting tested and from all positiv tested cases, less then 20% are self-isolating - so many positive people still go to work X-(
That wouldn’t surprise me at all - some work places will not pay the people for being off...a friend of mine had his pay cut to £19 a day whilst isolating...luckily my place of employment pays your full wage whilst isolating...we had three more cases last week...
so not so much „a popular press“ I would say
But it seems that this has been denied in the meantime
You have ‘good’ media in Germany?
The Guardian is a left-of-centre newspaper...and using the word ‘ponder’ (ponder is the word used in the hyperlink) isn’t quite the same as saying it’s being ‘discussed’...it’s technicalities with language :007)
It’s gained some press coverage of late because not many people previously knew about it...just like claiming money from the government for working from home to cover increased utilities cost.
The headline says “Minster consider“ where I can‘t find not much difference to „being discussed“ but I know how much you love nitpicking about words 8-) just to prove your hopeless points.
If you want, I can lecture you about semantics of german language in local press articles...
I see the Guardian being one of the few pretty reliable sources from the UK and obviously so do the „good news media“ over here.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
The headline says “Minster consider“ where I can‘t find not much difference to „being discussed“ but I know how much you love nitpicking about words 8-) just to prove your hopeless points.
Well look who's sore at not getting the first phone call from the President!
Actually, I'm just larking around. There is something demeaning about Johnson making so much of this and having a photographer in attendance at the time to record it, like baby's first steps.
Johnson recently appointed a new photographer for such moments I'm mean how the hell does it work? Does he have the poor man hiding in the broom cupboard to be wheeled out whenever it suits? I notice on last night's paper reviews the Telegraph had it as their main front page picture, today replaced by Kenneth Branagh as 'the new Prime Minister' referring to his role in an upcoming drama about Covid - perhaps they had second thoughts about how desperate it all looked.
The Guardian is alright but oddly it's The Times that really trashes the current Con Govt, as does the Daily Mail - both Tory papers. Thing is, they don't make a narrative out of it - it's always 'you must vote Tory' every five years, it almost makes you wonder if they don't want the Tories in because they get more news stories out of it!
Private Eye is the best news outlet to find out what is going on in this country. I don't know if they sell it anywhere in Germany, Higgins. It's a fortnightly satirical magazine though the satire is mainly taking a jocular tone to the corruption and putting in some cartoons and a few pages of open satire later on, because otherwise the tone would get too bitter.
The headline says “Minster consider“ where I can‘t find not much difference to „being discussed“ but I know how much you love nitpicking about words 8-) just to prove your hopeless points.
If you want, I can lecture you about semantics of german language in local press articles...
I see the Guardian being one of the few pretty reliable sources from the UK and obviously so do the „good news media“ over here.
What “hopeless point”? )
I can ‘consider’ making a cup of tea, doesn’t mean I’m going to ‘discuss’ it at a ministerial level 8-)
I don’t know why you get so upset ?:) I’ve been nothing but civil.
If you and your “good news media” thinks the Guardian is one of the few pretty reliable sources of UK news, then perhaps your media isn’t that good
Oooff! Guardian is alright, but even that supported Brexit didn't it? Or was it the Iraq War? Trying to remember. Tbf much of the press is generally right wing.
The Guardian said I'm a fascist!
Well, they didn't mention me spesifically. But they wrote that if you didn't want Bond to be non-white you are fascist. Now I'm not sure what I think on the issue. What does that say about my political views?
I should ask them. "Dear Guardian. I used to a fascist (thanks for informing me), but now I'm not sure Bond has to be white. Can you please tell me where I am ideologically now?"
The Guardian said I'm a fascist!
Well, they didn't mention me spesifically. But they wrote that if you didn't want Bond to be non-white you are fascist. Now I'm not sure what I think on the issue. What does that say about my political views?
I should ask them. "Dear Guardian. I used to a fascist (thanks for informing me), but now I'm not sure Bond has to be white. Can you please tell me where I am ideologically now?"
We have a similar system here at AJB... you post a couple of times in the Political thread and HiggyBum tells you what you are
All said in fun...although I’m probably going to get another PM from him telling me exactly what I am in great detail ;%
The news about AstraZenica's production problems is a downer. Commentators in Norway say this will probably make the vaccinations of the population take one or two months longer, and I assume this is the case in many European countries. Britain made a deal with the company earlier than EU and as a result get the all the vaccines in time.
The news about AstraZenica's production problems is a downer. Commentators in Norway say this will probably make the vaccinations of the population take one or two months longer, and I assume this is the case in many European countries. Britain made a deal with the company earlier than EU and as a result get the all the vaccines in time.
The EU stuffed up and are now trying to blame everyone else.
Italy, Germany, France and The Netherlands had agreed a deal with AZ back in June, around the same time as the UK, but the EU said they wanted to do the negotiating and put the whole process back about 2 months for more or less the same deal. The two months has cost them dear.
Is that the whole story?
I get the impression the company aren't able to produced as many vaccines in the EU as promised in the contract and now the discussion is if the company is contractually obliged to supply the agreed upon number of vaccines in time regardless of where they are produced. The actual wording in the contract is still secret.
Corona isn't a competition, but an Australian study makes an interesting comparison between countries that may offer some insights. The Lowy Institute has compared the number of dead, infected, tested etc. and ranked the results by country.
Then they have ranked 98 countries. China isn't among the ranked countries since reliable numbers are unavailable.
Here are some results that may be of interest to us:
1. NZ
2. Vietnam
3. Taiwan
17. Finland
18. Norway
37. Sweden
43. Ireland
55. Germany
61. Canada
66. UK
79. Phillipines
94. USA
How rich the countries are seems to be less important than one would think. Vietnam, Thailand and Sri Lanka are ranked higher than most rich countries. Authoritarian countries often did well early in the pandemic (possibly because drastic measures can be taken without asking to many), but after some time democratic countries often do better.
Having a small population is an advantage, especially if it's under ten million. Iceland tested everyone months ago.
Is that the whole story?
I get the impression the company aren't able to produced as many vaccines in the EU as promised in the contract and now the discussion is if the company is contractually obliged to supply the agreed upon number of vaccines in time regardless of where they are produced or not. The actual wording in the contract is still secret.
I am pretty sure that this is not the whole story.
AZ refuses to disclose the contract, the EU would do it with their permission.
Pretty sure there is much more behind all this - the next days/weeks will be interesting.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
There is a wide discussion going on here and all parts of Europe because the EU did not order enough vaccine early enough.
EU critics say that the EU where stingy and are now paying dearly on all other fronts.
EU says that the approvals took time and the questions of liabilities slowed orders down.
I don‘t know what is closer to reality - all I know that this is a long „game“ and we‘ll see in the end which strategy was correct.
Just a what-if: What if the current vaccinations are less/not efficient against the current mutations or if a new mutation shows up that defeats all contemporary vaccines?
In hindsight it‘s easy to criticize decisionmakers - but I wouldn‘t ‘t want to be a politician in the current crisis and carry all the uncertainties and responsibilities.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Whatever the truth it looks like the UK has made a better deal on vaccines than the EU, something they wouldn't have been able to do without Brexit. I don't know, but I suspect the EU could have been better. We still don't know if the reason is bad luck or bad management. To the EU's credit they rolled out the vaccines for all member states at the same time. We could easily have seen for example Germany getting vaccines well ahead of poorer countries like Greece.
Another big question is whether the world's wealthiest countries are going to get sufficiently behind Covax to support poorer countries in vaccinating their most vulnerable citizens. In the many years it will take to get even 70% of all people in the world vaccinated, the virus will have plenty of opportunity to mutate.
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
Whatever the truth it looks like the UK has made a better deal on vaccines than the EU, something they wouldn't have been able to do without Brexit. I don't know, but I suspect the EU could have been better. We still don't know if the reason is bad luck or bad management. To the EU's credit they rolled out the vaccines for all member states at the same time. We could easily have seen for example Germany getting vaccines well ahead of poorer countries like Greece.
I know that I am affirming all clichees as the EU fanboy - but I don‘t know if that‘s the case.
Consensus in the EU was to have a regular approval process to invest in population confidence opposed to emergency approvals.
Nobody really knew, which vaccine will work in the end and how efficient it will be - so it was a big gamble. I know that the EU where engaged ( with orders and money) in at least 8 different vaccines and it would‘nt have made sense ording 900 million doses x8
I don‘t know if the UK have ordered with other makers on a larger scale ( they did with Biontec and AZ obviously).
I see that people in the UK are lining up on the street to get their shots, this process is much better and safer organized here - but also this takes much time obviously.
In the end, it‘s imo disgusting and arrogant ( also from the EU) from the rich West hoarding all those supplies and nobody really cares about countries that are not so well off.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Another big question is whether the world's wealthiest countries are going to get sufficiently behind Covax to support poorer countries in vaccinating their most vulnerable citizens. In the many years it will take to get even 70% of all people in the world vaccinated, the virus will have plenty of opportunity to mutate.
Yes, and let‘s not forget: Most of the vaccinations prevent the Virus entering your body cells when you get infected.
And that means that you technically still can get infected and spread the virus on others.
So the idea, that if you are being vaccinated - you can get rid of your mask and social distancing and go on a trip is just naive
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Comments
Don’t believe all you read :v
This £500 payment has been available for quite awhile - but only to the people that really need it...the government have already said it isn’t for everyone as some people get paid whilst isolating...
Background is apparently, that less then 20% Brits with Covid sympthoms are getting tested and from all positiv tested cases, less then 20% are self-isolating - so many positive people still go to work X-(
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Let‘s remember, that the UK where the first country to receive Biontec (European made) vaccine in december....
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
It may be the Oxford one is being used around areas of the country where they can't keep it frozen so easily.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Biontec is in Germany and has developed the vaccine - Pfizer is in charge for production and the distribution.
The Pfizer doses for the UK came from factories in Europe.
If there are shortages for Astra Zeneca, it should be equally affect UK and other countries.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
No it isn’t.
It’s just more people are aware of it now and so can apply for it...doesn’t mean they’ll get it.
For someone who complains about the ‘popular press’ you seem to read and believe an awful lot of it :v
That wouldn’t surprise me at all - some work places will not pay the people for being off...a friend of mine had his pay cut to £19 a day whilst isolating...luckily my place of employment pays your full wage whilst isolating...we had three more cases last week...
it was actually reported in some of the „good“ media here in Germany - otherwise I would have ignored it {[]
Edit:
It seems that the Guardian first reported it here,
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/21/ministers-ponder-paying-500-to-all-with-covid-in-england
so not so much „a popular press“ I would say
But it seems that this has been denied in the meantime
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
You have ‘good’ media in Germany?
The Guardian is a left-of-centre newspaper...and using the word ‘ponder’ (ponder is the word used in the hyperlink) isn’t quite the same as saying it’s being ‘discussed’...it’s technicalities with language :007)
It’s gained some press coverage of late because not many people previously knew about it...just like claiming money from the government for working from home to cover increased utilities cost.
If you want, I can lecture you about semantics of german language in local press articles...
I see the Guardian being one of the few pretty reliable sources from the UK and obviously so do the „good news media“ over here.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Well look who's sore at not getting the first phone call from the President!
Actually, I'm just larking around. There is something demeaning about Johnson making so much of this and having a photographer in attendance at the time to record it, like baby's first steps.
Johnson recently appointed a new photographer for such moments I'm mean how the hell does it work? Does he have the poor man hiding in the broom cupboard to be wheeled out whenever it suits? I notice on last night's paper reviews the Telegraph had it as their main front page picture, today replaced by Kenneth Branagh as 'the new Prime Minister' referring to his role in an upcoming drama about Covid - perhaps they had second thoughts about how desperate it all looked.
The Guardian is alright but oddly it's The Times that really trashes the current Con Govt, as does the Daily Mail - both Tory papers. Thing is, they don't make a narrative out of it - it's always 'you must vote Tory' every five years, it almost makes you wonder if they don't want the Tories in because they get more news stories out of it!
Private Eye is the best news outlet to find out what is going on in this country. I don't know if they sell it anywhere in Germany, Higgins. It's a fortnightly satirical magazine though the satire is mainly taking a jocular tone to the corruption and putting in some cartoons and a few pages of open satire later on, because otherwise the tone would get too bitter.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
You must give me the name of your Otolaryngologist 8-)
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
What “hopeless point”?
I can ‘consider’ making a cup of tea, doesn’t mean I’m going to ‘discuss’ it at a ministerial level 8-)
I don’t know why you get so upset ?:) I’ve been nothing but civil.
If you and your “good news media” thinks the Guardian is one of the few pretty reliable sources of UK news, then perhaps your media isn’t that good
Oooff! Guardian is alright, but even that supported Brexit didn't it? Or was it the Iraq War? Trying to remember. Tbf much of the press is generally right wing.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Well, they didn't mention me spesifically. But they wrote that if you didn't want Bond to be non-white you are fascist. Now I'm not sure what I think on the issue. What does that say about my political views?
I should ask them. "Dear Guardian. I used to a fascist (thanks for informing me), but now I'm not sure Bond has to be white. Can you please tell me where I am ideologically now?"
We have a similar system here at AJB... you post a couple of times in the Political thread and HiggyBum tells you what you are
All said in fun...although I’m probably going to get another PM from him telling me exactly what I am in great detail
The EU stuffed up and are now trying to blame everyone else.
Italy, Germany, France and The Netherlands had agreed a deal with AZ back in June, around the same time as the UK, but the EU said they wanted to do the negotiating and put the whole process back about 2 months for more or less the same deal. The two months has cost them dear.
https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-vaccines-idUSL8N2DQ0A1
I get the impression the company aren't able to produced as many vaccines in the EU as promised in the contract and now the discussion is if the company is contractually obliged to supply the agreed upon number of vaccines in time regardless of where they are produced. The actual wording in the contract is still secret.
Then they have ranked 98 countries. China isn't among the ranked countries since reliable numbers are unavailable.
Here are some results that may be of interest to us:
1. NZ
2. Vietnam
3. Taiwan
17. Finland
18. Norway
37. Sweden
43. Ireland
55. Germany
61. Canada
66. UK
79. Phillipines
94. USA
How rich the countries are seems to be less important than one would think. Vietnam, Thailand and Sri Lanka are ranked higher than most rich countries. Authoritarian countries often did well early in the pandemic (possibly because drastic measures can be taken without asking to many), but after some time democratic countries often do better.
Having a small population is an advantage, especially if it's under ten million. Iceland tested everyone months ago.
I am pretty sure that this is not the whole story.
AZ refuses to disclose the contract, the EU would do it with their permission.
Pretty sure there is much more behind all this - the next days/weeks will be interesting.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Also heard Die Welt or its comments pages is slanging off the EU for its failure to arrange the vaccine for its people.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
EU critics say that the EU where stingy and are now paying dearly on all other fronts.
EU says that the approvals took time and the questions of liabilities slowed orders down.
I don‘t know what is closer to reality - all I know that this is a long „game“ and we‘ll see in the end which strategy was correct.
Just a what-if: What if the current vaccinations are less/not efficient against the current mutations or if a new mutation shows up that defeats all contemporary vaccines?
In hindsight it‘s easy to criticize decisionmakers - but I wouldn‘t ‘t want to be a politician in the current crisis and carry all the uncertainties and responsibilities.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I know that I am affirming all clichees as the EU fanboy - but I don‘t know if that‘s the case.
Consensus in the EU was to have a regular approval process to invest in population confidence opposed to emergency approvals.
Nobody really knew, which vaccine will work in the end and how efficient it will be - so it was a big gamble. I know that the EU where engaged ( with orders and money) in at least 8 different vaccines and it would‘nt have made sense ording 900 million doses x8
I don‘t know if the UK have ordered with other makers on a larger scale ( they did with Biontec and AZ obviously).
I see that people in the UK are lining up on the street to get their shots, this process is much better and safer organized here - but also this takes much time obviously.
In the end, it‘s imo disgusting and arrogant ( also from the EU) from the rich West hoarding all those supplies and nobody really cares about countries that are not so well off.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Yes, and let‘s not forget: Most of the vaccinations prevent the Virus entering your body cells when you get infected.
And that means that you technically still can get infected and spread the virus on others.
So the idea, that if you are being vaccinated - you can get rid of your mask and social distancing and go on a trip is just naive
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!