Why Can't We Ease Restrictions As Soon As The Vulnerable Groups Have Had The Vaccine?

[dave50]

If as promised these groups have had the vaccine by the middle of February then we leave another 3 weeks to take effect, why can't we then start to open up the economy in March? Why is there talk of Easter at the best and even summer? What is the hold up? I hope they aren't going to try and wait for zero infections because that will never happen. We will have to get used to it being around for a long time with a few suffering.

[-SharonA-]

Dave50, we have not had even a sniff of the vaccines here in East London.
So how does your plan work for us??? Never mind zero infections, it's zero vaccines!

[New Judge]

There are large parts of London and Kent where the vaccine has been very thin on the ground, Sharon. In Sandwich, Kent, (ironically where the Pfizer R&D centre is sited) virtually no vaccinations have been administered. Apparently there are plans to "catch up." The question really is why have they fallen behind so early in the programme. (Answer: because it was not planned properly).

My GP's surgery spent £1m two years ago developing the premises into a "community clinic". It has two floors, probably a dozen consulting rooms and various large areas. It is "not participating" in the vaccine rollout. The GPs have been busy round the care homes administering the jab (at £10 a pop). But they can't do the same for their registered patients.

I've just had a good laugh whilst watching "The Papers". Apparently the Chancellor has a plan to pay people who test positive £500 to "encourage them to self-isolate." It is said to cost about £500m a week. Of course having trousered the monkey all those infected will stay locked up, won't they.

It gets better and better.

[bobbinwales]

Heatd two good explanations on radio 4 why it'll be Easter at earliest. Because although the priority Goldie groups count for vast majority of the deaths they only account for a much smaller proportion of hospital icu beds. The under 70s account for half the beds and there numbers are rising. We cant lift restrictions until the number of icu patient's falls for certain and that could be a few months with that new variant, reducing restrictions to soon would mean to much pressure on nhs even tho fewer deaths

[bobbinwales]

Yes a know some will say there hospital is no buster than usual its all media hype and goverment properganda but we cant do anything about there ignorance / misunderstanding now

[bobbinwales]

Bourdain unfortunately your assumption that young people are much less likely to be effected is completely wrong. They are yes much less likely to die but under 60s actually acount for more than half of icu covid beds and there numbers are growing fast due to new variant. Fortunately goverment listens to health professionals and scientists and modelled not to the frustrated man on the street who wants to get back to the pub ect

[iluvmargie]

Oh God what WILL you do bobbinwales when there are no more covid threads for you to spout off on??? You are such a know it all!!

[bobbinwales]

Thanks marji. Yes a do follow it and youll find am in agreemnt with those that know what there talking about. Restrictions will be he here in some form for many months and lockdown a sit is now will probaly go on till end March. Theres no alternative. Wish there was. A could find a link to what the scientists say but a know your not intrested in learning as you know better

[dave50]

Once the vulnerable are protected, then to continue keep shutting down the economy because too many people are in hospital is ridiculous. We have never done it for the flu in winter. The NHS is supposed to take care of us, not the other way round. Also it's THE NHS, not OUR NHS, wish people would stop saying that.

[Ellipsis]

42% of people in intensive care with Covid are under 60. The under 60s are a long way off getting vaccinated and if we leave lockdown before they are vaccinated, mixing everybody together again, hospitals will be quickly overwhelmed.

Also new variants will be given more chance to emerge and, as we've just seen today, new variants can be more deadly as well as more transmissible - not a good combination.

And another also, the effects of long Covid are not yet understood, so allowing more young people to catch the disease is an unknown risk to our country.