Praise where praise is due.

Had my Covid jab today. Organized via my doctor, but conducted at another local surgery - my guess as a co-operation between several. Extremely well organised - I was in and out in about 20 minutes including sitting around for 15 minutes after the jab, to make sure there were no immediate side effects. I'd say lots of the helpers were volunteers and did their jobs very well. Praise? Hate to, but the fact this government did order up vaccines before they knew which ones would be good means we are ahead of the pack - for once. But did make me wonder if test and trace had been organised locally if it would have been more successful early on.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News
Loading thread data ...

I wasn't aware you were in a group to be vaccinated this early in the scheme.

If I wanted something organised on this scale I would have asked the army!

Test and trace was always going to fail. There was no advantage to the user, only disadvantages. The disadvantage of false positives, where anyone not running the app would never have to go through enforced isolation.

If there was a monetary advantage, or it was stipulated that use of the app was mandatory when using public transport then it could have had limited success.

Reply to
Fredxx

There is no basis for your claim.

Quite. The UK tends to be more hands off than other countries. Other countries required you to obatain a permit just to go shopping.

You mean little or no enforcement UK style?

Reply to
Fredxx

Why? I would guess that the number of service personnel who specialise in logistics is exceedingly small compared to the number in the NHS responsible for things like the annual distribution and administering the flu vaccine. The average squaddie just obeys orders, he doesn't organise anything!

I don't think there is a shortage of people to distribute the vaccine on a national basis nor a shortage of people to help the local organisation of information and shepherding of people at a vaccination station but maybe more "medically trained" people are required to administer the jab. Its not just stabbing a needle into the arm but how to spot and deal with an allergic reaction or someone fainting etc.

I heard on the radio the results of a study about the testing regime in Liverpool into the effectiveness of the faster test compared to the laboratory test. One conclusion was that the results from the two test compared a lot better when the test was performed by someone with a previous medical background and a lot less when the test was conducted by someone recently given the short training on how to test.

Reply to
alan_m

but it appears that you need anti-terrorism training & Child protection training according to retired doctors who have volunteered to help

>
Reply to
charles

Given your GP is already geared up to organise flue etc jabs, why? Surgeries already have the relevant details of all their patients, and surely most in the country are registered with one?

So the fact we have such high numbers of Covid cases means that system was as well designed as possible?

With decent testing we would have several weeks warning of who is infectious. Rather than waiting until the symptoms show.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News

The main difference with the UK is the Government dithered for ages before making unpopular decisions. Meaning they had to be more draconian. Clearly shown with the recent spike.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News

That's nice.

But what does it actually *mean* ?

Are you due a second jab in 3 weeks ?

Reply to
Jethro_uk

Hence my mentioning the numbers involved when I had mine. Each had their own function. I was 'triaged' by a separate medic to the one doing the injection. I was in the room where the injection was given for only a couple of minutes. Having made sure before I was wearing suitable clothing. After the jab you went back to the waiting area for about 15 minutes to make sure no immediate reaction. And that area was heavily supervised as well.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News

With flu jabs it was in and out - for Covid there is more time before and after waiting at a social distance. Few doctors' surgeries have the space.

Reply to
charles

Glad to hear that, Dave.

Reply to
Tim Streater

I think the cut off point for people having a second jab within 3 weeks has already passed - its now within 12 weeks. I understand the rational behind the decision that it may be better short term to give more people a single jab but even those advocating the 12 week period seem to be very unwilling to say how effective the vaccination program will be medium to long term because the 12 week period is not recommended by the vaccine manufacturers, the WHO nor backed up by any trials.

Reply to
alan_m

The 12 week period isn't recommended for the Pfizer vaccine, but it *is* recommended with better results for the AZ vaccine.

Reply to
Andy Burns

? Which word don't you understand?

So you do understand what jab means? ;-) But are you in some form of news blackout? The second jab is being delayed to give as many as possible the first one. If supplies of vaccine exceed initial demand, it's possible they will bring the second one forward, I'd guess.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News

Hence my local ones co-operating with a communal one. Which just happened to be a health centre. Could equally as well have been a village hall or whatever. Or a closed school.

FWIW my last flue jab was done during this pandemic, and they opened up the surgery over the weekend to do them. So no contact with 'ordinary' patients.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News

Yep, two birds with one stone.

Increase number of people vaccinated, improve customer perception of the apparently inferior vaccine you have lots of.

Reply to
Pancho

I saw a long two page article in the Times last Saturday which went into some of that. The writer compared the situation with a war. If we fight a war, you expect the government to set the war aims, and to work in conjunction with the Forces Chiefs who set the overall strategy to achieve the war aims. The Chiefs work with the next layer down to implement the strategy.

The Govt, IOW, doesn't get involved with implementing the strategy or the tactics (although Churchill certainly did in WW1, with mixed success).

He then went on to say that due to failure at the top of the NHS, our Govt

*is* having to get involved not just with the war aims, but also with the strategy and tactics to achieve the war aims. Since they are just politicians, small wonder that there are mistakes here and there.

But not, as another poster says, terrorism training. See various letters to the Times from people who've given up trying to volunteer. But AIUI, the Gumment is simplifying that.

Reply to
Tim Streater

or in my case - the exhibition suite at Epsom Racecourse.

same here. it was on a Saturday - it was in at the front door and exit by a Fire Exit round the back. Luckily is was a warmish day, since waiting to go in was outside. Unlike my last dental appontment when it was a bitterly cold day. Their skin thermometer just said "Too Cold". I had to wait indoors for a few minutes before it could take my temperature.

Reply to
charles

Could be worse, we don't have the chinese vaccine that barely scrapes over the 50% effective line.

Reply to
Andy Burns

The annual distribution of flu vaccines is trivial compared with the Covid-19 campaign. There's not the same issues of demand exceeding supply, or to limit to relatively small cohorts. Distribution of flu vaccines is on the basis of "pull" by GPs, pharmacies etc. They order from the manufacturers. Transfers of surplus stock from one to another is also handled locally or regionally by those who are short asking around.

And anyone who thinks the NHS/DHSC has great logistics capability for such an exercise might care to think how it handled PPE procurement and distribution (if they are willing to conceive that it wasn't all handled by Matt Hancock and his SPADs).

Reply to
Robin

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.