Coronavirus

Is there no briefing today?

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Originally Posted by Andy Bee

That's what gets me, if people are practicing social distancing, wearing masks and all the other measures then how can it be more infectious? It's been suggested that this strain has a bigger viral load so less is needed to cause the same harm as the old one but that would then suggest that everyone's still coming into contact with it but previously it wasn't enough to cause illness.

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I think it's because the new variant is better at attacking cells in the body meaning that less of the virus is required to start successfully reproducing itself and causing infection.

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Originally Posted by Santa Cruz

Is there no briefing today?

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Nope. Online update available at 2pm.

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Originally Posted by Sir David Gray

Nope. Online update available at 2pm.

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Thanks. Weird timing to ditch briefings.

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Originally Posted by Santa Cruz

Yeah I get that, but it was highly infectious as it was. I'm just not understanding how it's being transmitted more easily if people are using all the mitigations that were stopping people getting infected with the original strain. If that makes sense?

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Originally Posted by Andy Bee

That's what gets me, if people are practicing social distancing, wearing masks and all the other measures then how can it be more infectious? It's been suggested that this strain has a bigger viral load so less is needed to cause the same harm as the old one but that would then suggest that everyone's still coming into contact with it but previously it wasn't enough to cause illness.

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There are obviously too many people who aren't following the guidelines properly - I suspect this is the main reason. Also, while social distancing measures make a huge difference, they're not 100% effective. I think if you're near someone for a certain length of time 10 mintues?), even if you're both masked the risk of infection is 'only' reduced by 95%. People who cross over the elastic on their mask to stop their glasses steaming up are basically sending their breath, unfiltered, out to eacch side.

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Originally Posted by Peevemor

There are obviousy too many people who aren't following the guidelines properly - I suspect this is the main reason. Also, while social distancing measures make a huge difference, they're not 100% effective. I think if you're near someone for a certain length of time 10 mintues?), even if you're both masked the risk of infection is 'only' reduced by 95%. People who cross over the elastic on their mask to stop their glasses steaming up are basically sending their breath, unfiltered, out to eacch side.

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Nearly every medic I see on the TV has the elastic crossed on their mask.

This article by the BMJ states kids are transmitting this variant more than the original, now putting their ability to transmit on a level playing field with adults. I thought the FM said they still weren't sure about kids transmitting the new variant more easily?


https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4944

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Originally Posted by Jonnyboy

Was due my second jag on 20th Jan but have just received the following text

Following a change in government policy 2nd doses of covid 19 vaccine will now be given 12 weeks after the first instead of 4 weeks. Please do not attend for your 2nd dose appointment. You do not need to take any further action. NHS Lothian will contact you with arrangements for your new appointment.

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It's being queried by Doctors in Scotland.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-55557208

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Originally Posted by Peevemor

There are obviously too many people who aren't following the guidelines properly - I suspect this is the main reason. Also, while social distancing measures make a huge difference, they're not 100% effective. I think if you're near someone for a certain length of time 10 mintues?), even if you're both masked the risk of infection is 'only' reduced by 95%. People who cross over the elastic on their mask to stop their glasses steaming up are basically sending their breath, unfiltered, out to eacch side.

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Folk breathe forwards so the side venting is only redirecting the breath that would have steamed up glasses. Big droplets are still going to get stopped by the mask.

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Originally Posted by Santa Cruz

Nearly every medic I see on the TV has the elastic crossed on their mask.

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If you put on a mask and blow/exhale you can feel the air coming out the sides of the mask much, much more with the elastic crossed than otherwise. This is what stops your specs misting up but if there's a draught it will obviously send your breath/bacteria further.

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This article by the BMJ states kids are transmitting this variant more than the original, now putting their ability to transmit on a level playing field with adults. I thought the FM said they still weren't sure about kids transmitting the new variant more easily?


https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4944

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I've no idea.

Bosses at my local Health Board (Forth Valley) not commenting on reports that Forth Valley Hospital is unable to take new admissions due to it "bursting at the seams" with Covid-19 patients.

However they have said the hospital is "very busy" and they do have extra capacity if required.

https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/heal...vid-19-3087004

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Originally Posted by Santa Cruz

Nobody is explaining exactly how it is being transmitted much easier. Has anyone read anything that suggests it's more infectious outdoors now or 2m isn't sufficient distancing?

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I get what you're asking, and I've not really had a satisfactory explanation anywhere I've discussed this either.

Ok, it's more infectious. But what does that actually mean? What do we need to do differently? Obey the current rules better? Increase the distance we keep? Do we need to be stricter with the type of mask?

The powers that be might not know - hence "stay at home" again. The advice re social distancing etc from before seemed a bit arbitrary and was rolled out quite quickly. I wonder what actual evidence there is behind 2m, rather than 0.5m or 5m?

Does anyone on here who has had the virus lately have any sort of hunch where they caught it from?

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Originally Posted by Sir David Gray

Bosses at my local Health Board (Forth Valley) not commenting on reports that Forth Valley Hospital is unable to take new admissions due to it "bursting at the seams" with Covid-19 patients.

However they have said the hospital is "very busy" and they do have extra capacity if required.

https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/heal...vid-19-3087004

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They were probably the first health authority in the UK to start rolling out the vaccine in decent numbers.

I'm a frontline health worker and am in regular (virtual) contact with people all over the UK. All sorts of bother down South where they seem to have made a slow start, whereas everyone I know in my line of work in Forth Valley has already been vaccinated, along with all of their colleagues.

They've done a great job there on that front.

I can't get through over the phone in Lothian - have tried 9 or 10 times now. Only one colleague of mine has managed to get though so far, and it sounds like they've effectively run out of this batch in Lothian now anyway.

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Originally Posted by Peevemor

If I understand correctly, the protein spikes (the pointy things we see sticking out on images of the virus) have mutated and are better at attacking and thus infecting our cells.

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The thing I saw about it said, in the most simplistic terms, was that the outside of the virus was sticker so more likely to stay on your hands or surfaces. The actual virus was the same.

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Originally Posted by Smartie

They were probably the first health authority in the UK to start rolling out the vaccine in decent numbers.

I'm a frontline health worker and am in regular (virtual) contact with people all over the UK. All sorts of bother down South where they seem to have made a slow start, whereas everyone I know in my line of work in Forth Valley has already been vaccinated, along with all of their colleagues.

They've done a great job there on that front.

I can't get through over the phone in Lothian - have tried 9 or 10 times now. Only one colleague of mine has managed to get though so far, and it sounds like they've effectively run out of this batch in Lothian now anyway.

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I think your right in Lothian. A receptionist was telling me she phoned at the end of Dec when she was told she would get a slot, only to be told it would now be Jan/Feb. I have a family member working for the same health board in a non-people facing role and they got their first vaccination.

Also know of a delivery driver for Boots (pharmacy goods) who's had their first jab

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Originally Posted by Peevemor

There are obviously too many people who aren't following the guidelines properly - I suspect this is the main reason. Also, while social distancing measures make a huge difference, they're not 100% effective. I think if you're near someone for a certain length of time 10 mintues?), even if you're both masked the risk of infection is 'only' reduced by 95%. People who cross over the elastic on their mask to stop their glasses steaming up are basically sending their breath, unfiltered, out to eacch side.

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I've always wondered if the virus was so dangerous, why is there no specific bins allocated specifically to dispose of old face masks in public places?

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Originally Posted by Hibrandenburg

I think it's because the new variant is better at attacking cells in the body meaning that less of the virus is required to start successfully reproducing itself and causing infection.

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I heard Van Tam mention that the new variant has evolved, and where the original one had one spike, how he put it was the new mutation had grown a neck and shoulders which allow it to attach in three areas rather than one.

Some GP surgeries in Edinburgh have received an allocation of the Oxford vaccine today 👍🏻

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Originally Posted by Santa Cruz

Thanks. Weird timing to ditch briefings.

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https://twitter.com/NicolaSturgeon/s...137682432?s=19

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by Callum_62

https://twitter.com/NicolaSturgeon/s...137682432?s=19

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk

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Cheers. I'm watching Gav Williamson speaking just now, oh dear, a nap to be out of post very soon. An SNP MP is questioning him, don't really understand this tbh when their education system has always been separate to ours, anyway, he took the opportunity to slag off the Scottish Education syllabus. He must be up there with the most incompetent Cabinet Minister of all time.

Some teachers in Scotland are to get jabs this month, most likely the ones that are working in schools with the children of key workers and vulnerable kids

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sco...-3086277%3famp

Seems madness universities aren't being closed like England, students have been arriving in halls of residence all week

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Originally Posted by Del Boy

Some teachers in Scotland are to get jabs this month, most likely the ones that are working in schools with the children of key workers and vulnerable kids

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The ones with underlying health problems? I hope this applies to all school staff in this bracket and not just teachers.

I've got a contact through work who is based in Singapore. He just sent me over an picture of him sitting in a busy bar with a group of friends, having a few beers and just enjoying life.

It doesn't seem they have done anything that is rocket science. A strict lockdown initially, a quarantine period for anyone arriving in the country, mass testing and an advanced contact tracing system that involves smart phones, 'tokens' and good old fashioned legwork. That's really about the sum of it. They recorded 28 new cases yesterday.....

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

I've got a contact through work who is based in Singapore. He just sent me over an picture of him sitting in a busy bar with a group of friends, having a few beers and just enjoying life.

It doesn't seem they have done anything that is rocket science. A strict lockdown initially, a quarantine period for anyone arriving in the country, mass testing and an advanced contact tracing system that involves smart phones, 'tokens' and good old fashioned legwork. That's really about the sum of it. They recorded 28 new cases yesterday.....

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Similar from my mate in Australia on New Year’s Eve. Sickening.

Daily Scottish update;

2039 cases since yesterday - 10.5% positivity rate
Increase of 37 in the confirmed cases in hospital
Increase of 2 in the confirmed cases in intensive care
68 deaths registered since yesterday

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

I've got a contact through work who is based in Singapore. He just sent me over an picture of him sitting in a busy bar with a group of friends, having a few beers and just enjoying life.

It doesn't seem they have done anything that is rocket science. A strict lockdown initially, a quarantine period for anyone arriving in the country, mass testing and an advanced contact tracing system that involves smart phones, 'tokens' and good old fashioned legwork. That's really about the sum of it. They recorded 28 new cases yesterday.....

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As you say, simple measures.

I don't know if closing down the borders would have been as simple as it's made out but the pitiful attempts to do anything at all about it, along with the poor quality and timing of the implementation of all the other measures are very disappointing from UK/Scot governments.

To their credit, and it's a fairly empty column, the vaccine process does so far seem to be going positively.

Clap for our Carers to make a return, great news for the "where's your ****ing poppy?!?" Brigade :greengrin

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.the...annemarie-plas

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Originally Posted by Smartie

I get what you're asking, and I've not really had a satisfactory explanation anywhere I've discussed this either.

Ok, it's more infectious. But what does that actually mean? What do we need to do differently? Obey the current rules better? Increase the distance we keep? Do we need to be stricter with the type of mask?

The powers that be might not know - hence "stay at home" again. The advice re social distancing etc from before seemed a bit arbitrary and was rolled out quite quickly. I wonder what actual evidence there is behind 2m, rather than 0.5m or 5m?

Does anyone on here who has had the virus lately have any sort of hunch where they caught it from?

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I'm almost certain I caught it from my daughter and the many cases at her nursery.

My wife works as Assistant Manager at the same nursery and she also caught it.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

I've got a contact through work who is based in Singapore. He just sent me over an picture of him sitting in a busy bar with a group of friends, having a few beers and just enjoying life.

It doesn't seem they have done anything that is rocket science. A strict lockdown initially, a quarantine period for anyone arriving in the country, mass testing and an advanced contact tracing system that involves smart phones, 'tokens' and good old fashioned legwork. That's really about the sum of it. They recorded 28 new cases yesterday.....

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Particularly sickening when you think that could have been us. Now our only way out is a vaccine.

Anyone else get a letter and leaflet about the vaccine process today.