Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Bairnardo]

Disheartening to see a lot of the Scottish newspapers lead with stories of our 'sluggish' roll out of the vaccine, and that we're beginning to lag behind the rest of the UK. I know some of these rags have agendas, but they can't all be wrong.
Also from Jeane Freeman's infamous 1 million by the end of Jan, which last week became Nicola Sturgeon's 900k; I'm now seeing the health secretary quoting 560k by the end of the month. I and a few others on this thread saw the warning signs several weeks ago, but were batted away and accused of worrying about something that hadn't happened yet. The warning signs are there, and Scotland should be getting angry. Pressure should be heaped on the government to ensure its rolled out as rapidly as can be.
On a similar vein, I saw the story on Sky News this morning re the vaccine roll out in Israel. Again, I know there's some stuff about Palestine and what have you, but whatever way you look at it, they're powering through their roll out. Presumably this must begin to reflect in their daily infection / hospitalisation / death numbers - anyone seen anything on this?

Well I had the same concerns as you, most of which were based on the form of the government on practically every aspect of handling this crisis so far, but all of my concerns were dismissed, I'm told, by actual facts. So I imagine theres absolutely nothing to see here, and nothing Scotgov can do to hasten the end of this crippling pandemic.

Let's just sit tight and let them do their jobs eh. No need to shine any lights under any rocks.

[Sergeant Wilson]

2 hours ago, Aufc said:

 

To be fair, when i say we are in a bubble it is not like we are going round their house all the time. Just means if i am going to pick the kids up then i go in the house rather than wait outside. Yeah we are pretty strict with ourselves seeing anyone else and sticking to the rules. My wife meets one of her mates with kids outside every so often. I play golf every so often. It probably is stretching the household rule but, as i said, it is not like we are going round their house and sitting for hours.

 

I'm the same, I stick to all the rules that suit me and don't bother with the few that don't.

That's allowed.

[super_carson]

4 minutes ago, Steven W said:

Pressure should be heaped on the government to ensure its rolled out as rapidly as can be.

Absolutely this.  I don't get why more isn't being made of this seeing as we were told ever since March that a vaccine would herald the return of some sort of normality.  Once these were announced as effective, and then approved the narrative has changed.   We have diminishing targets for this month, issues with supply and government advisers saying that a vaccine won't necessarily be the remedy we were all hoping for.  It seems to me (and again, forgive my tinfoil hat-wearing here) that governments (both SG and WM) are not comfortable with the responsibility being on them to deliver the vaccine efficiently and are shifting the onus (and therefore blame) on to the wider population.  

 

[Bairnardo]

Absolutely this.  I don't get why more isn't being made of this seeing as we were told ever since March that a vaccine would herald the return of some sort of normality.  Once these were announced as effective, and then approved the narrative has changed.   We have diminishing targets for this month, issues with supply and government advisers saying that a vaccine won't necessarily be the remedy we were all hoping for.  It seems to me (and again, forgive my tinfoil hat-wearing here) that governments (both SG and WM) are not comfortable with the responsibility being on them to deliver the vaccine efficiently and are shifting the onus (and therefore blame) on to the wider population.  
 

The last bit is exactly as I see it. Everyones demeanour changed almost immediately. It's easy to look like a leader when there are little to no expectations on you, facing a situation for which there really isnt a clear answer. As soon as there was one, it became their job to make it so, and they appear to be shitting the bed.

The rhetoric around the vaccine not being the key to some sort of normality, in particular would be deep cringe, were it not be the fact that it's really quite dangerous stuff.

[Billy Jean King]

Can't help but feel there's too much attention being placed on irresponsible people in supermarkets and not enough on folk getting on the bus to go and work in call centres and estate agents, but we have throughout this thing seen a very determined effort by government and press to make this a problem of personal responsibility and not poor policy and poor implementation. 

The whole housing market operating normally again is bonkers. House viewing are allowed.

[Thereisalight..]

4 hours ago, peasy23 said:

Yesterday was the first time since this started that I went in to Asda and they had a member of staff at the door with a box of masks ready to hand out to anyone without one.

Maybe it's just me, but if somebody claims they can't wear a mask because it causes them breathing problems, perhaps a busy supermarket in the middle of a pandemic isn't the smartest place for them to be?

The Asda here had someone handing out masks for the first few weeks of all this, then after that there was a box of masks in the foyer for people who has forgot theirs. 

I always thought it was stupid that those at risk who already had breathing problems were exempt. Youd think those would be the ones desperate to protect themselves 

[bennett]

1 hour ago, Aufc said:

Why the f**k would anyone want to take their kid(s) to the supermarket? From my experience, its shite. They spend their time running away and hiding half the time and you get to the till and you find you have extra items you didnt put in. It also adds an extra 20 or so minutes onto a job that is necessary but infinitely shite.

Maybe some people don't have a choice?

 

[Billy Jean King]

Disheartening to see a lot of the Scottish newspapers lead with stories of our 'sluggish' roll out of the vaccine, and that we're beginning to lag behind the rest of the UK. I know some of these rags have agendas, but they can't all be wrong.
Also from Jeane Freeman's infamous 1 million by the end of Jan, which last week became Nicola Sturgeon's 900k; I'm now seeing the health secretary quoting 560k by the end of the month. I and a few others on this thread saw the warning signs several weeks ago, but were batted away and accused of worrying about something that hadn't happened yet. The warning signs are there, and Scotland should be getting angry. Pressure should be heaped on the government to ensure its rolled out as rapidly as can be.
On a similar vein, I saw the story on Sky News this morning re the vaccine roll out in Israel. Again, I know there's some stuff about Palestine and what have you, but whatever way you look at it, they're powering through their roll out. Presumably this must begin to reflect in their daily infection / hospitalisation / death numbers - anyone seen anything on this?

Didn't NS stand at her podium and rubbish those reports just yesterday reiterating they are on target ?

[TheScarf]

The SG's take on easing restrictions is worrying.  As has been said on here countless times, once the vulnerable and all front line NHS staff are vaccinated, meaning hospitals can easily cope, we should all be down to Tier 2 at worst, with some places at Tier 1 or better, no restrictions.

Studies have already shown that the number of cases in the over 80s has dropped, showing that the vaccine is working as it should.  They need to start setting clear pathways out of this fucking cuntmare.

[Sergeant Wilson]

3 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

The last bit is exactly as I see it. Everyones demeanour changed almost immediately. It's easy to look like a leader when there are little to no expectations on you, facing a situation for which there really isnt a clear answer. As soon as there was one, it became their job to make it so, and they appear to be shitting the bed.

The rhetoric around the vaccine not being the key to some sort of normality, in particular would be deep cringe, were it not be the fact that it's really quite dangerous stuff.

I've said all along. Good leaders can emerge from crisis but crisis suits poor leaders too. Chaos, snap unscrutinised decisions, move on to the next issue.

Think about it at work, poor managers love fire fighting, it means they never have to look long term and actually manage by anticipating and resourcing adequately.

[renton]

17 minutes ago, Steven W said:

Disheartening to see a lot of the Scottish newspapers lead with stories of our 'sluggish' roll out of the vaccine, and that we're beginning to lag behind the rest of the UK. I know some of these rags have agendas, but they can't all be wrong.

Also from Jeane Freeman's infamous 1 million by the end of Jan, which last week became Nicola Sturgeon's 900k; I'm now seeing the health secretary quoting 560k by the end of the month. I and a few others on this thread saw the warning signs several weeks ago, but were batted away and accused of worrying about something that hadn't happened yet. The warning signs are there, and Scotland should be getting angry. Pressure should be heaped on the government to ensure its rolled out as rapidly as can be.

On a similar vein, I saw the story on Sky News this morning re the vaccine roll out in Israel. Again, I know there's some stuff about Palestine and what have you, but whatever way you look at it, they're powering through their roll out. Presumably this must begin to reflect in their daily infection / hospitalisation / death numbers - anyone seen anything on this?

Israel has a high density, urban population. A highly digitised health care system that makes tracking and planning easier and a massive reserve military (every Israeli adult does 2 years in the military) that they can call on to boost  numbers of medics, vaccinators and infrastructure construction.

As for our vaccination numbers. They are limited by the numbers and timing of those numbers coming in. We expect to have 900,000 doses by the end of January, and recently took delivery of something like 400,000 doses. Thus we can do up to 560,000 before the balance f that 900,000 arrives. However, if that remainder arrives on the 31st of January then there will he a discrepancy between the number of doses available "in January" vs. The number of actual people vaccinated.

[Sergeant Wilson]

1 hour ago, Aufc said:

Why the f**k would anyone want to take their kid(s) to the supermarket? From my experience, its shite. They spend their time running away and hiding half the time and you get to the till and you find you have extra items you didnt put in. It also adds an extra 20 or so minutes onto a job that is necessary but infinitely shite.

Aye, leave them at the Mother in Law's. The kettle will be on for you coming back.

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

I suppose Sturgeon could emulate Israel's vaccination programme by fencing off large part of our population and leave them to fend for themselves.

[Sergeant Wilson]

Just now, Sherrif John Bunnell said:

I suppose Sturgeon could emulate Israel's vaccination programme by fencing off large part of our population and leave them to fend for themselves.

Who would you start with?

[Bairnardo]

I suppose Sturgeon could emulate Israel's vaccination programme by fencing off large part of our population and leave them to fend for themselves.

We already discussed this and agreed, it's the Old Firm fans that narrowly miss out.

[welshbairn]

3 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

The SG's take on easing restrictions is worrying.  As has been said on here countless times, once the vulnerable and all front line NHS staff are vaccinated, meaning hospitals can easily cope, we should all be down to Tier 2 at worst, with some places at Tier 1 or better, no restrictions.

Studies have already shown that the number of cases in the over 80s has dropped, showing that the vaccine is working as it should.  They need to start setting clear pathways out of this fucking cuntmare.

I think they're worried that as soon as they say it will soon be over, people will start easing off prematurely and we'll get another spike. I agree it's time they described a pathway to something more like normal, even with loads of caveats, people need a bit of hope.

[Todd_is_God]

6 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

The SG's take on easing restrictions is worrying.  As has been said on here countless times, once the vulnerable and all front line NHS staff are vaccinated, meaning hospitals can easily cope, we should all be down to Tier 2 at worst, with some places at Tier 1 or better, no restrictions.

Studies have already shown that the number of cases in the over 80s has dropped, showing that the vaccine is working as it should.  They need to start setting clear pathways out of this fucking cuntmare.

On top of this, the "most vulnerable" priority list goes well beyond the scope of what is actually required.

Take the "clinically vulnerable" younger people like myself. There have been just 33 deaths to date in those aged under 45, clinically vulnerable or not. I'm not convinced the rest of the population should be living under considerable restrictions until the likes of me have been vaccinated.

I've no doubt I am at greater risk than the general population of similar age, but that means little when you consider the base level of risk if I was not "clinically vulnerable" is absolutely tiny.

[Distant Doonhamer]

Are there figures to support press claims that Scotland is behind the rest of the U.K. in terms of vaccination rates?

[Todd_is_God]

11 minutes ago, renton said:

Israel has a high density, urban population. A highly digitised health care system that makes tracking and planning easier and a massive reserve military (every Israeli adult does 2 years in the military) that they can call on to boost  numbers of medics, vaccinators and infrastructure construction.

As for our vaccination numbers. They are limited by the numbers and timing of those numbers coming in. We expect to have 900,000 doses by the end of January, and recently took delivery of something like 400,000 doses. Thus we can do up to 560,000 before the balance f that 900,000 arrives. However, if that remainder arrives on the 31st of January then there will he a discrepancy between the number of doses available "in January" vs. The number of actual people vaccinated.

According to the usually reliable travelling tabby, we have vaccinated just over 150,000 to date (which I believe is up to last Tuesday)

That leaves the SG around 3½ weeks to vaccinate 400,000 people.

Those sound like fantasy land numbers based on what has gone before, but tomorrow's vaccinated update will give a clearer picture of whether we have any hope of getting to 560,000 by month end.

I could be wrong here but i'd be absolutely stunned if we have managed to vaccinate 115,000 in the last 7 days.

[Steven W]

23 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

The SG's take on easing restrictions is worrying.  As has been said on here countless times, once the vulnerable and all front line NHS staff are vaccinated, meaning hospitals can easily cope, we should all be down to Tier 2 at worst, with some places at Tier 1 or better, no restrictions.

Studies have already shown that the number of cases in the over 80s has dropped, showing that the vaccine is working as it should.  They need to start setting clear pathways out of this fucking cuntmare.

This is why I flagged up Israel earlier. For several reasons they're leading the way on the vaccine front, which must therefore at some point (maybe even by now) translate into big drops in infections / hospitalisations / deaths, so it would be interesting to keep an eye on their numbers. Ultimately we're following their path, and their numbers were plummet, you'd expect ours to do simliar in time. Upon that basis SG could begin to start eyeing up easing of restrcitions - if SG really wanted to

Unfortunately Travelling Trabby has yet to branch out into Middle East charts and graphs

Edited January 12, 2021 by Steven W