Saffron

The financial argument is not the only one with validity, and although the JCVI members are considered 'independent' their assessment criteria are far from bias-free: http://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h308/rr-3 At least three sides to every story, as the saying goes.

I don't think anyone questions the JCVI's judgement, in relation to current financial limitations. However the JCVI does not set the health budget. They simply have to factor in the budget they're given. The funding for health services is set by the government and is hardly independent or free from bias.

DaveR Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > "That's not a baised free assessment just bc the > government has set the policy. In fact, each > government subverts policy to its whim, resulting > in chronic underfunding and making meaningless any > arguments as above based on the logic of funding > as a deciding element." > > This literally makes no sense at all. Governments > don't subvert policy, they make policy, based on > the legitimacy derived from democratic elections. > They are answerable to parliament and the courts, > and to the electorate when they want another term. > This is UK constitution 101. They set policy to their own benefit. Governments are not altruistic by nature. They seek policies to keep power. Naive to think otherwise. Two words: champagne budget. So the same people who set policy and budgets for the masses, can quite easily afford private healthcare for themselves, as well as slurping champers at public expense. Just because a policy is set by a government does not necessarily make it objective or valid. Likewise, just because opinions/information are conveyed through petitions, does not necessarily make them invalid or irrelevant.

klh Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > In case anyone else has booked a meningitis B > vaccination at Your Travel Clinic in the Akerman > Medical Practice, I had booked our son in for > today over a week ago having been assured that > they had supplies and I paid a deposit. I even > called back last week to double check they > definitely had supplies and to offer to pay the > full amount in advance and was told his wasn't > necessary. I have just been called, an hour before > his appointment, to be told they have now run out. > Obviously, I'm very upset to have been told there > was a dose earmarked for our son but now it > appears it has been sold to someone else. That is super frustrating. I hope they're going to give you a discount, considering their oversight! xx

I'm not sure I entirely understand your question. Are you asking about varicella immunisation in general? I couldn't comment on you son's specific case, as I don't know the details. Suffice it to sat that if your son has already had CP infection (varicella virus), then he would not receive the CP vaccine. However, in years to come, it may be suggested that he receives the shingles vaccine, to prevent the re-emergence of the varicella virus from its dormant state in the body, where it remains after infection. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by referring to CP as "something most kids go through"? The fact that an infection is (a) common or (b) generally occurs during childhood, is in not necessarily directly related to the type or extent of clinical symptoms being mild in children. Prior to the advent of vaccinations and antibiotics, many common childhood diseases were devastating, despite the fact that most children suffered through them. Immunising against CP means that children are significantly protected from contracting varicella virus. If they do contract the virus, their symptoms are likely to be shorter and less severe than children who were not immunised. Although the individual level of efficacy is very good for the CP vaccine, the risk of transmission can be further reduced by increasing the total number of individuals vaccinated (known as herd immunity). The knock-on effect of this is better protection for individuals who cannot be immunized due to age or other health complications. This is especially true for infants, in who varicella infection can result in death. Typically when unvaccinated vulnerable individuals are exposed to CP, they are now treated with immunoglobulin (IG) therapy, which reduces mobidity and mortality in CP infection. Nevertheless people with active CP infection should not mix with the general public or any vulnerable individuals, to avoid infecting such people. Unfortunately, CP is most contageous before symptoms appear, meaning that vulnerable individuals can be exposed to an infectious person without being aware. Even in healthy children CP infection can lead to severe symptoms/complications, and it's not universally true that the course of infection is more mild in younger children. It's also not universally true that you only contract CP once. Depending on the population studied, re-infection rates for CP are something like 1:400 to 1:200. Following infection, the virus becomes dormant in the nervous system and can reemerge as shingles in adults, leading to painful long-lasting symptoms in some patients (though early intervtion with modern anti-viral drugs can greatly improve this.) In addition to fever, scarring, and time off work/school, even healthy children can develop complications, at a rate of ~20-40%. Severe complications occur in ~1% of paediatric cases (including previsouly healthy children, with no underlying medical conditions). These complications can include encephalitis, cerebellar ataxia, osteomyelitis, pyogenic arthritis, necrotizing fasciitis, endocarditis, pneumonia, sepsis, and death. Although individual risk is very low for severe complications, taken together admittance for CP complications account for a significant proportion peadiatric hospitalisations (~20%) in studies of unvaccinated populations. Therefore they represent a notalbe economic burden for healthcare systems. Hope that helps. All this information is easily searchable on Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, and various institutional websites for further details. xx

Wipe with fabric conditioner to disolve oils, then use fairy liquid on a bottle brush to remove. Wipe clean with hot water and vinegar.

That's not a baised free assessment just bc the government has set the policy. In fact, each government subverts policy to its whim, resulting in chronic underfunding and making meaningless any arguments as above based on the logic of funding as a deciding element.

Try searching "infantile acne". http://acne.about.com/od/teensacne/fl/Infantile-Acne-Baby-Acne.htm Use a gentle cleanser like micellar water. If you see secondary infections, or any scarring or hyperpigmentation starting to appear, go back to the drs. xx

se22cat Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > First World problems eh? >

> > But there isn't any kind of epidemic and the risk > remains low. Risk of contracting infection in relative terms is low. This risk of serious complications once infected is significant.

> > While this case is devastatingly tragic, I have > huge concerns about putting pressure on our over > stretched resources by public pressure via social > media rather than strong evidence base proving > efficacy. The evidence for individual efficacy is quite clear. Bexsero is highly efficacious. While I appreciate the view that our NHS is overstretched, I disagree with the implication that this is in any way through public pressure or improper usage. The NHS is overstretched because it has been chronically (and now intentionally) underfunded. We're not going to save the NHS by letting the government pass us off with lower and lower standards. The UK is a wealthy country, and our politicians need collective extraction of political thumbs from ass.

Penguin68 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I would guess the psychological motivation of the > perpetrator may not be about publicity - and > animal torture is so left-field that I doubt > others would imitate (although I suppose it might > 'give authority' to someone already well down that > path). How many people locally would be sick in > that way such that local publicity would engage > imitative behaviour? National publicity might > engage someone elsewhere in the country, I suppose > - but probability alone would suggest that > lightening is less likely to strike twice in the > same local area. The way the animals are being displayed does in fact suggest there is an element of attention seeking to the behaviour, and copycat crimes (even murders) are associated with publicity and not necessarily the crime itself (ie, the copying behaviour can be of any crime). https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-beast/201207/copycat-killings I am not questioning that people need to know. They certainly do need to know. I am only questioning where and hiw the information is displayed. And I totally agree with the suggestion that posters need to be displayed with sensitivity, especially eg near schools etc, bc the information can be v upsetting for some people. xx

Nigello Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Do it digitally and in person; posters about > pyschotic cat torturers around primary schools is > not a great idea. Also -- sorry to even be thinking about this! -- is the 'wrong' type of publicity going to give this criminal a sick thrill, or inspire other creeps to commit similar crimes? How do we minimise that but still get the news out? :( xx

Under the 2006 reforms and consolidation of animal welfare legislation, a criminal prosecution can bring up to a year in prison. If they prosecuted each case separately, then I guess a lengthy prison sentence could follow considering the scale of the current crime. However, I suspect what you suggest about psychiatric detention is probably more likely given the nature of the crime.

Wondering if maybe the thread title should state that there is a petition included? I almost didn't read the thread, bc catch up doesn't apply to us. Glad i looked in the end, though very sad to hear your friend's story. I think a rollout was part of the early negotiations to make Bexsero available on the NHS. Due to funding, it was decided the group most in need of coverage would be the under 1s. Agreed, we should keep pressing for wider availability. xx

I thought the answers were quite good for general context, proving the reader a springboard for dialogue on the subject.

Would a private school offering alternative curriculum (Intern'l Bacc, Steiner, etc) have more flexibility? Or offer any financial schemes for exchange students?

TFL you make me laugh. We have to put up with poorly trained drivers and a lack of accountability and transparency because there are so many buses and bus journeys. Lame excuse. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/revealed-complaints-made-about-londons-bus-drivers-including-the-baby-sent-flying-to-floor-when-one-10161419.html

Angelina Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > TfL will follow up any reports of bus drivers > driving unsafely and investigate. No, TFL will not investigate. This is because the bus companies are independently contracted out from TFL, so TFL can neatly shed any responsibility. And the bus companies themselves have no transparency whatsoever in how complaints are handled, even when of a serious nature. They only want to know if you intend to file a legal claim agaist them. I'm speaking from personal experience, and that is why next time I'll be making a police complaint for future incidents.

Angelina Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Bus drivers are responsible for the safety of > their passengers. > > With consideration, there is a bit of common sense > in moving around a bus that is still travelling. > They are not the smoothest ride and brake > suddenly. > > Next time, you might think about being the first > down the stairs, so if little one does fall, he > will just fall into you And then you will both be knocked down the stairs by some sh1t driver who doesn't give a flying f*ck, and TFL will do nothing. Meanwhile the bus company will by turns antagonise/ignor you while you try to make legit complaints about drivers' shouting and reckless driving, even if you have a time-stamped pic of the numberplate and an independent witness. Been there, done that. More than once. And yes, I do know how to ride a bus, and what passengers' responsibilities are. When/if I have another incident, I'm filing a police report. It seems this is the only way to be taken seriously. To the OP, so sorry for your experience. It's inexcusable to be treated this way. xx

Do you have room to put in a half-bath upstairs (basically just a loo and sink)? Not done a conversion, but I have lived in a house with just a single toilet on a separate floor to the bedrooms... It's not brilliant for getting up in the middle of the night to do a million wees (like when you're 8 mos pregnant). And the opposite: Try getting a toddler upstairs to the only toilet, when you're already dressed and nearly out the front door. Not easy. xx

Mini puppet theatre / finger puppets?

If you mean soft carrier, have you tried a ring sling? xx

TheCat Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Saffron Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > TheCat Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > So to those that make the case that one car > is > > off > > > the street, so there is no net difference to > > > parking space...the key point is that > > effectively > > > whether or not there is a car parked there, a > > > dropped kerb means the owner of that home has > > > 'taken ownership' of the public space in > front > > of > > > their kerb. Can I get a partial rebate on my > > road > > > tax please? > > > > No, because road tax was abolished last > century. > > Thanks. That was the point of my post. To find out > about road tax. You're welcome.

TheCat Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > So to those that make the case that one car is off > the street, so there is no net difference to > parking space...the key point is that effectively > whether or not there is a car parked there, a > dropped kerb means the owner of that home has > 'taken ownership' of the public space in front of > their kerb. Can I get a partial rebate on my road > tax please? No, because road tax was abolished last century.