Chat about Novel Coronavirus - 2019-nCoV - COVID-19

This support bubble stuff is bollocks for most people. Another benefit that is either designed to or ‘unfortunately’ excludes the working classes

Also if you're posh enough to have a garden you can see whoever you like basking in the comfort of your log burner and gazebo or whatever.

Those of us in flats have no choice but to sit in the dirt in a park in the rain/snow/cold/dark with a bag of cans if you ever want to see anyone don't live with

That guy who caught flak for building a heated outdoor sitting area certainly made the right call.

I've spent hours on to TNT to try and find out where shipments are over the last couple of days. They have no idea. Having to dispatch in and out via express only, which is just about getting through but with delays/part deliveries.
I'm sure a few customers in Europe won't have got Xmas presents in time.

And France has said they will do the same for any border crossing where the neighbour has increased cases or the new strain is on the rampage.

I also quit my director role on principle and have been struggling since. Caring about society and not believing in the EU are not mutually exclusive.

So, get down from your high horse.

most of the Pfizer vaccine

The BioNTech (Pfizer) one is made in Puurs in (Belgian) Flanders for this half of the planet and somewhere in Michigan (US) for the other (rich) half.

Keep it current

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Isn’t that what quarantining people does?

I had DPD arrive to pick up a Xmas parcel for family in France 2 days ago, they refused to collect it at the door, and I got a refund that evening.
Really annoying, but makes sense not having it in a warehouse, and then potentially staying there forever due to customs requirement changes.

It’s been around since September at least. Closing the border for two days seems a little futile.

@Acliff yeah but 2 days. Fair enough if they test everyone on return maybe the two days allows them to put that in place but I’m doubtful

I read that the first batches are being made in Europe (Germany and Netherlands) up until the end of the year after which manufacture will be mainly Uk.

I see your point about the 2 days being too short to be in any way effective, and could be seen as posturing. Though 2 days is often enough for emergency meetings, to decide whether they extend or scale back on the restrictions.

I read that the first batches are being made in Europe (Germany and Netherlands) up until the end of the year after which manufacture will be mainly Uk.

Yeah, that's why I said "the majority." Although I'm not entirely sure if it's "the first batches" we get will be from the EU, or the EU portion will be in the first batches that are sent out. I remember reading that the EU manufacturing is only due to there being capacity to do it, so they decided to make use of it rather than not, and that manufacturing in the UK is already taking place.

The vaccine stuff is all a bit mysterious in terms of numbers and delivery dates from what I've been able to google, but from the look of things, the UK is very well off in terms of getting doses both domestically and internationally. I don't think closed borders will be an issue.

Thanks, just had some concerns about vaccine supply.
Things aren't really clear about borders and how closed they actually are.

Caring about society and not believing in the EU are not mutually exclusive

lol

I'm not sure I would call it futile; if they test everyone that's currently held at the border (which seems to be new entry requirements for countries that banned all travel from UK) then it controls further potential spread, whether they've got the new strain or not. Most European hospital systems are already at close to max capacity, and a big dump of this new strain would tip them over the edge. Just because it's already present surely doesn't mean that no attempts to control it should be made?

Yet they weren’t doing that previously?
Perhaps this new strain is so worrying it requires the testing. That said if that is the case it’ll be too late already.
Just doesn’t square to me.

We finished production at work a day early due to parts shortages from the EU, our French site also finished early due to shortages of parts from the UK.

I think maybe there's a bit of disparity in how it's all being communicated in the media and how it's actually happened. Lots of headlines saying that the Gov 'knew about this new strain since September', but I have a feeling that they didn't know how contagious it was until recently, hence the drastic Tier 4 introduction.

When I say previously I mean for the lesser transmitted version.
It was identified in Sept it’s been growing since. To think it’s not already in France spreading is ridiculous.

Plague Island stickers? New list:

1. Jonny69
   

Fuck yeah!

Maybe you could try and explain why this is funny?

Because they’re both exclusive.

Don't be silly Ed.