Peston, and many other national journalists are proving to be just as incompetent as the Government. Probably best summed up by the fact that during a year where millions of people have been asked / legally obliged to take time off work to self isolate, ministers have been asked more questions about scotch eggs than they have about Statutory Sick Pay.
The questioning in some of these press conferences is utterly pathetic and has been the whole way through. But that's how it is the press are just fishing for headline nothing else. I have no love for Peston, he does seem to be one who they feed the leaks to before to gauge the public response.
Serco ? I strongly suggest that people look into the recent history of that organisation before accepting anything they say.
I don't think vaccinations should be compulsory. Even if the post above is true, then it looks as if you have to either have had a vaccine OR have a rapid flow test. Whilst hospitalisation levels are high, I don't see what's wrong with asking people to have a test to go into somewhere, it's just like my dad having his temperature checked before he goes into work each day or me being tested regularly at work. I'm not seeing it as you must have had a vaccine but instead that you must have a test, with the only way you don't have a test is if you have been vaccinated as I presume they think there is no need (not sure how true that is though). Essentially, I think people have it backwards. I can see how people may not think you should have to have a test, especially as they are not particularly reliable but that is what is being insisted upon here unless you have been vaccinated, having had a vaccine is not being insisted upon (although it would stop you having to have a test every time).
Okay then. You and the girls are off to london for the weekend. See a show. Few cocktails bit of shopping. All excited. You all do lateral flow tests at the station to board the train. All comes back negative. You hit the smoke. Another test at the hotel to check in. All fine with your second test of the day. Bit of snap and a drink at the hotel then off to see a show. Another test. Your third of the day. One of the group comes back positive. No symptoms whatsoever. Thats all of you having to 'self isolate' all of your contacts have to self isolate. Youll have to cover the costs of the hotel for 10 days. Plus travel home...
There's not a chance that I'd be off to London for the weekend whilst hospitalisation levels are high though. There's a difference between going to your local on a Friday night for example or the cinema on a weekend and travelling down to London, going round loads of shops, going to bars, going to a show and stopping overnight in a hotel. I wouldn't be doing any of that until the rapid flow tests aren't needed. Also, if a rapid flow test comes back positive you are supposed to follow it up with one of the slower tests. If that comes back negative you don't have to self isolate (other than the time it takes to get that done so possibly 2 days), if it does come back positive then it's a good job those places did the rapid flow testing otherwise the person who got the positive test would have been walking around risking infecting people without knowing it.
I can understand that short term, it's something we should have been doing for the last few months to be honest. But after 'the majority' of the country are vaccinated and all possible vulnerable people have been vaccinated then you can't keep forcing the tests as at that point it's become permanent and that's exactly what Bozo said, he said these were measures he was considering or expecting for AFTER the vaccination program.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56077372 So not a test or a vaccine but a combination, so just doing one or the other won't be enough to get in those places. Can you imagine in winter drunks queuing outside a club to be tested and waiting half an hour for the result to be allowed in? They may as well stay shut because that doesn't sound like fun. You could just show on your phone you've had a clear test that same day but for all anyone knows you might have caught it since the test and what's to stop someone getting inside, opening a window or door and passing their phone to a mate who hasn't had a test to get them in? If even having a vaccine doesn't mean you can avoid tests then that might put people off taking the vaccine as you may as well stick to regular tests then be injected with a new thing.
I think you've misunderstood the quote. It's not saying that you must have had both a vaccination AND a test to get in, he's saying that tests and vaccines are two approaches that the government might take to try and get things open. Yes, it may mean if you've had a vaccine that you still need tests, as it says they're not sure if you can still transmit Covid or not but it doesn't mean that a test alone wouldn't be enough. In terms of queuing for 15-30mins, haven't we all done that plenty of times? I've queued for around an hour before and it didn't come with the benefit of hopefully saving a life. Until hospitalisation numbers start to fall, places can't open as normal so the choice is between them being shut for longer or them being open and you needing to have a test and wait 15mins.
https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-c...the-primary-analysis-of-phase-iii-trials.html But the AZ vaccine 100% stops you going to hospital or dying so having a test incase you or someone else might feel ill for a day or two seems excessive.
The person who has had the vaccine isn't having a test to help them (knowing you're positive or not makes zero difference to your own health - other than giving you a heads up to monitor your oxygen levels), it's to stop them passing it on to someone who hasn't had it. Therefore, not testing vaccinated people (unless we know that they definitely can't transmit it, of course) doesn't help stop the spread. Once everyone who needs to be has been vaccinated, then that's different but that's not going to happen for a while yet so we can either keep everything shut until then or open things with testing.
We do the rapid flow ones at work and have been told if it comes back positve isolate for 10 days, no need to do a PCR test. Originally we were told it would be a PCR test but now told we don't need to. Following that revelation I opted out of the testing.
Had the AZ jab yesterday afternoon. Felt fine till I got into bed then started with a fever. Had to take some paracetamol which helped but had a really bad night's sleep. It's reassuring to think my immune system had a good go at it...
A move that will put thousands more companies out of business. The spring trade is absolutely vital for many in the hospitality industry and to be yet again robbed of it will simply kill them off.
I'm shocked we haven't heard of more closures already to be honest. Some independent businesses must be in a shocking position.
The only reason that many still exist is that the owners are scared they won't be able to get a job anywhere else after this because the number of unemployed people wanting jobs will be at a record high. A reason for many more is out of loyalty to their staff they're trying to keep going as long as furlough allows before everyone loses their jobs. Wouldn't be surprised to find that when the furlough scheme ends a lot of limited companies fold leaving massive debts behind that will never be repaid
With continued mass testing and the false positives - never going to happen, there'll always be 000's of 'cases' even after the vaccination program. Need some different advisors in govt. Or a different Govt.