Penguin68

No one-shot vaccine has yet been approved for use in the UK or the EU. (Or possibly anywhere, I don't know what the Chinese or Russian vaccines require). All current 2 shot vaccines offer protection 21 or so days after use (much like the flu jab), the second jab slightly improves and extends cover is all. The government intention is for all those over 50 to have been offered their first jab by the end of March. We will probably need (as we do with flu) annual vaccination - Covid-19 is going to with us for the foreseeable.

It is to be hoped that within the next 4-5 weeks all those locally in the riskiest groups (Tier 1-4) will have been offered and had a vaccine, and then the vaccine has had time to become effective. So those risking themselves in any Northcross Road market huddle will not then be putting the most vulnerable, locally, at such risk. Even those vaccinated who do still then develop symptoms (3 weeks after being vaccinated) are unlikely to fall severely ill or need hospitalisation, it would seem. This does not mean we can then move into an open house situation, but the risks we run and ask others to run will be considerably lessened. It is still true that for most of those infected, Covid-19 is neither life threatening, particularly debilitating or even noticeable. It is also true that for a very small number of people out of any at-risk group the disease can still be dreadful, and at times fatal or at least with very long-lasting impact. Over time there may be a genetic component discovered which puts people at much greater risk, although the costs of general screening for such markers is probably prohibitive. Hopefully by the end of April (assuming they complete initial vaccination by end March) all those over 50 will have some protection.

Interestingly I've finally had the general NHS letter to people in my Tier - rather late in the day as my GP, and Kings, both also got in touch earlier. But the NHS asks you to book both vaccination slots - there's a web site to do it on, it seems (I didn't check). Presumably they set a limit for how long (and how short) you must wait between jabs.

If the stall holders were all in cars they'd be stopped pronto - Southwark knows where its priorities lie - 4 wheels bad and cause all problems - two wheels (or two feet) - safe as houses and to be encouraged in droves.

In Tessa Jowel they are booking people back for the Astra Zeneca after 11 weeks. I'm guessing that's probably the routine for both, although different centres may be operating differently. My daughter, a health worker is waiting 12 weeks for her next Pfizer from the centre she had the first one.

I also had a jab at the Tessa Jowell yesterday afternoon - very well organised and safe and the lapsed time to get through was about 45 minutes. The stewards were very good and helpful and I'm glad that they have been redefined (today I think) as front-line NHS workers and will be eligible for jabs now. They did collect probably more information than they needed, but that shouldn't be an issue for the 2nd jab as few things will have changed (just your current state of health, perhaps, and whether you've had any other recent vaccinations). Much more time costly in terms of data collection than the seasonal flu jab, but of course they know far less about the Covid jabs and what impact they might have.

I just hope you can cut-over the history into the new site - being able to search and reference what went on before is often useful as things do tend to come around again in one guise or another.

No DF - your list isn't correct - Tier 4 is those over 70 and under 75 and those clinically very vulnerable - i.e. those asked to shield, I believe, 65 and over. Tier 1 also includes I think NHS front-line staff and those in care homes and care home staff. It is confusing as the Tiers have changed - and I think the age criteria is a single one at the top of over 80. Tier 6 was showing as "All individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality" but I think some at least of these have been taken back into Tier 4. Tier 5 is for those over 65, and Tier 7 those over 60. The government hopes that all those over 50 will be offered vaccinations by the end of March, and the whole adult population by September.

at least one was not adhering to the basics In what way? Not wearing a mask? (may have been clinically exempted). Too close? May have been in a bubble. Many, perhaps most professional film crews are tested before coming together to work - and during a job if it lasts over a day; so the risk may have been quite low. This is a very different set of circumstances to a bunch of people meeting randomly together. Most crews are freelance, so if they get infected they are losing work and pay - so they have a huge incentive not to - as they will be tested for it.

that the very fact that they are being allowed to work in this way, when many are not We are being asked to work from home where that is possible, but if not, to go to work. I doubt whether location work like this is possible from the various homes in which the crew will live, so they are not just being 'allowed' to work - but it is a necessity. People working on e.g. building sites (or on the very many road works around the borough) are also being, in your words 'allowed' to work 'in this way' although I would suggest 'required' might be a better verb. Many film crews (or elements thereof) will 'bubble' - that is form a close working group and not mix with others - think of the way they managed Strictly - this often means that for the duration of the work they will be separated from their families. Unless you believe that if you were working like this it would lead to your complacency etc. (remembering that this is a work, not a social situation) I don't think you have much to worry about here. I am sure they will be policing each other as regards work safety.

Off topic perhaps but nationalising what is now a private service can be expensive if you are to recompense the new owners, and quite damaging to future government financing if you don't. Royal Mail's problems are patchy - some areas are still well served, even when ours isn't. There are service standards which Royal Mail is meant to meet - it isn't in a number of areas, and there is a regulator which is meant to hold them to these. However, significant failure might lead to fines, which the current owners wouldn't like. Our problems are at least partly those of mismanagement at a local level, and it is not clear that any change of ownership would remedy this. Nor that there would be a bottom-less money pit to fund what's needed if it was nationalised. Indeed in current circumstances definitely not! Pressure from local and national politicians (and we know Helen Hayes is very definitely on the case) is our best option here. And now Helen isn't on the Front Bench she has more time on her hands!

I also know someone who is on an immuno suppressing treatment who has been advised not to have the vaccine at the moment - he had imagined it was because of the treatment but it may have been because of the particular condition he is being treated for (or perhaps the particular stage of his treatment). Either which way, following the advice of your doctor must be the best course of action.

I seems the 70+ is taking priority over the clinically extremely vulnerable. If you are over 70 you are clinically vulnerable. At least based on death rates. And some of those who are asked to shield are indeed very vulnerable, but are not able to be vaccinated (e.g. they may be on immuno-suppressant medication). It is one group of vulnerable people being prioritised against another, although it ought to be said that both over 70 -75s (well those over 70 and under 75) and the under 70 extremely clinically vulnerable are both treated as being Tier 4 for the vaccine - so technically they are grouped together - how individual NHS groups actually invite patients from within one group is not being mandated, as I understand it.

As an answer to the question posed by the OP - I believe most local GP surgeries are 'offering' the vaccine, but not administering it - this seems to be done locally via the Tessa Jowell centre - which is where DMC is based, but is not, in and of itself, DMC. People registered at local GPs are also getting vaccines at Guys, Thomas's and Kings possibly based on where they may also be being treated. I suspect most local surgeries are not equipped to store and administer the Pfizer vaccine - Astro-Zeneca, when it becomes locally available, may be different. As it (Pfizer) is delivered in large batches pooling demand from local GPs seems sensible. My wife and I are at the Forest Hill Road practice and are booked into the Tessa Jowell.

That's why I responded based on continuing symptoms. Ideally, the person with Covid would get a test which would show them clear (but still suffering from the after-effects). But if they still have a raised temperature, persistent cough, headache - I would assume unless a test showed otherwise that the virus was still active - however a symptom such as loss of sense of smell or taste might (and I believe does) persist after the infectious phase is passed. As might continued shortness of breathe. In a case such as this direct medical advice would be best to ensure that you are not risking others.

The person without Covid should continue to self-isolate for 10 days after the person with Covid's symptoms cease. Because they could have caught Covid on the last day of there being symptoms in the other. If they test clear 5 days after that, however they could, I think, then stop self-isolating, or wait the full 10 days. It used to be 14 days. My daughter was caught by that at the beginning of the very first lock-down.

Mice who live in the garden (and are slightly brown rather than grey) are wood mice. They can come into the house but not to stay. House mice preferentially live in houses,and are dust grey

Off the wall suggestion here, but why doesn't the OPs offer to babysit the toddler (if there is no other childcare bubble in operation) - give the parents a break if nothing else. They may either find just how uncontrollable the toddler is, and perhaps feel more sympathetic/ understanding - or even find some remedy to engage the child so he isn't so disruptive, and share this with his parents. With lockdown etc. at the moment, and in a small flat (I'm guessing) toddlers do get beside themselves with frustration and boredom. They will have no little friends they can meet and play with (and tire themselves out). My grandson is charming, but even for him there is only so much he can take. Currently in almost continuing lock-down, and with no safe outlets (you can only meet up with one other person with a child outside, and none inside unless in a childcare bubble) life as a toddler parent is, frankly, often awful.

The robins are in close proximity but don't seem to interact. If they are an established pair from last year this may be a period of armed neutrality before courtship (re)commences.

I thought robins were very territorial but see two in close proximity. When they pair to breed they lose that element of territoriality. An established pair (not that they live that long) may set-up early. They are quite cute when courting, with the male bringing titbits (robinbits?) for the female.

My postie told me today (Thursday 21st) that 'they were now all caught-up at the Delivery Office'. Whether that was in general, or just my walk, I don't know, but it sounds positive.

The One Tree Hill emplacement is too small for the WWII 3.7 inch gun, a fairly standard 'small' AA gun. There is an interesting quote I have found on AA use:- ""It isn't easy to shoot down a plane with an anti-aircraft gun...In stead of sitting still, the target is moving at anything up to 300 m.p.h. with the ability to alter course left or right, up or down. If the target is flying high it may take 20 or 30 seconds for the shell to reach it, and the gun must be laid a corresponding distance ahead. Moreover the range must be determined so that the fuse can be set, and above all, this must be done continuously so that the gun is always laid in the right direction. When you are ready to fire, the plane, though its engines sound immediately overhead, is actually two miles away. And to hit it with a shell at that great height the gunners may have to aim at a point two miles farther still. Then, if the raider does not alter course or height, as it naturally does when under fire, the climbing shell and the bomber will meet. In other words the raider, which is heard overhead at the Crystal Palace, is in fact at that moment over Dulwich; and the shell which is fired at the Crystal Palace must go to Parliament Square to hit it." Which may be locally relevant and suggest Crystal Palace as an AA site.

Surprised that the new entrance on Underhill Road doesn?t have a ramp for disabled or buggy access. The two extant entrances (when they are open, currently Forest Hill Road entrance is shut for remedial works until 21st) both have full access. The steps are quite steep from Underhill - I wonder whether the space necessary to build a user-friendly ramp slope was available, it would have to curve round quite a way? The new 'upper' surface is mounded over existing graves - maybe building a curving access slope would have interfered (or was feared that it would interfere) with old (and now 'buried') burials.

I'm guessing the CDC is saying that you can't catch Covid from a dog that might have it. But thinking of a dog as a collection of surfaces on which the virus can rest you clearly can. You're just catching Covid from a person via a dog, as you might via a door handle. Physics, not biology.

If dogs put people at risk (and, as they can carry the virus on their fur, they can) then they should be controlled at this time. I certainly agree that you shouldn't keep a dog without looking after it properly, and that does include exercise, but if your looking after it puts other people either at risk, or legitimate fear of risk, then you need to consider your position seriously. People avoiding exercise because they are frightened of dogs exercising out-of-control simply isn't acceptable, when outdoor exercise is the only option available to us. Of course taking dogs out, on leads, is fine and necessary. But I am one of these who puts people's need ahead of other animals (and no, that doesn't mean I am happy with poor or cruel treatment of other living things). You, AllisonAdler seem to be exercising proper care, but others clearly aren't.