Covid-19 Virus

My brother's ex-wife is an anti-vaxxer, she refused to have her daughter jabbed, she's 14, as a result she has been banned from attending school until she has had her first dose. They live in Christchurch, New Zealand.

 

Distressing news coming from Buckingham Palace, where it appears our summer double bank holiday could be in real jeopardy:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60453566

 

I reckon he’s been coughing on everything heading her way for the past fortnight.

 

We'd still get a day of mourning off wouldn't we?

 

Why can’t we have both? She just needs to hang on until second week of June. Then after mourning there’s accession day, followed by coronation day. Could be a popular last surge of monarchism coming up!

 

The perfect storm. I like it

 

I know it is meant to be light hearted guys, but lets change the subject eh!

 

You’re right TVOR. Apologies.

By the way, this picture really brings out your good side:

 

A week I'd have thought....

 

Unless they decide to go for the Godwineson approach; bury the dead monarch & crown the new one on the same day, even using the same spread of food for both feasts.

 

What would you like to discuss on the Covid thread instead?

 

If we were confident that case numbers were to plummet and stay that way, the cost of tests would hardly be an issue.

 

But presumably a good chunk of the cost is the overheads that are payable regardless of the number of tests processed? All those Crapita manned tents in council car parks, labs, technicians etc aren't on zero hours contracts.

 

Why? Surely the main reason people take tests is because consequences follow from a positive outcome. If there are no such consequences, why would most people bother to test?

 

I see that but the tests will still be free for the most vulnerable.

 

The consequence of me getting it is passing to to my aged and infirm parents. My dad would be unlikely to survive infection.

That's why I test before seeing them if I have been in a higher risk situation or feel a bit ropey.

 

And what would you do if you think you might have flu, or gastroenteritis, or even a stinking cold? Surely you would just steer clear of them for a while?

I get that there is some need for tests but I’m inclined to think that there has to come a point when most testing is no longer needed. The question is whether that point has been reached yet, or it’s too soon.

 

Personally I think it is too soon.

The message is to take personal responsibility and make your own choices but, like everything in life, you can't do that without all the information.

I would still like to test before seeing my dad who is 84 and recovering from a triple bypass. I want to do that whether I'm symptomatic or not and will pay to do so if I have to. But I can afford to do that....some people can't.

Perhaps they could be provided on prescription so those on benefits or low income can still get them for free. You wouldn't actually need a doctor's script, people could just self declare at the pharmacy if they are entitled to free prescriptions, as they do now.

 

I guess that has been considered but isn’t it the case that the majority of those who get free prescriptions are not in fact entitled to them?

There will always be people in this sort of position, I’m not sure how we determine when the time is right.

 

I think there is reason to think that in the future home testing may become something more normal for a variety of conditions. We already have far more health data about ourselves than we used to.

Why not minimise the spread of serious infections to older and vulnerable people if we can?

 

Well, I presume the answer is that it costs too much. Not sure whether figures have been published though?

 

Ill folk are also expensive.

 

Just flipping things for a second... does your dad expect / want you to do that?

 

Yes, of course. But these sorts of calculations are being constantly made in every health system.

 

And now the Department for Health can make those calculations directly. If it thinks testing is a genuinely preventative tool that diverts people away from being ill it will presumable direct its budget towards it rather than 'after the event' treatments.

 

Yes. But my mum wants me to do it even more and I always do what my mum says!

 

With all of those there are more often than not symptoms which tell you to avoid the infirm. Covid can be asymptomatic, testing is the security net.

 

What see him? Probably not

 

With you. They're quite often banging on about preventative medicine being more cost effective than reactive. Promoting no smoking, healthy diet etc, to avoid cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Not to mention vaccines for Covid Flu BCG etc etc.

Covid testing is another powerful weapon in the preventative medicine arseanal. I bet chucking out a few mass produced plastic test kits is a darn site cheaper than shoving someone on a ventilator for a few days

 

Agreed. Although it seems (this is a rather unsubstantiated claim on my part) that people with the Omicron variant tended to get some symptoms.

Anyway, surely the answer in your case is simple? If your parents are very vulnerable they ought still to be able to qualify for free tests. So they just give a load of them to you.