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

it makes sense to have at least another 2 weeks off the bike

Obvs I'm not a doctor and have no idea about what to do when recovering from Covid but a couple of years ago I had an experience where I broke two ribs and several weeks later developed pneumonia because I had not been breathing deeply enough and my lungs were not clearing themselves out.

I've seen some things to suggest breathing exercises to make sure you're doing the best for your lungs when recovering from Covid. I do wonder whether some light exercise would be beneficial in terms of making sure your lungs get a proper inflating?

Obviously wouldn't have to be cycling. Maybe even a stiff brisk walk oevery day.

Would be curious to know if light exercise helps with Covid outcomes.

Will come back to this another day, when I'm in a better place.

Once again quote the whole lot about going to France. Just a quick reminder that the french have alot stricter lock down. So I would need a valid reason to travel from the UK to France. Think about why I would be allowed to travel.

But seeing as you comment without thinking, should I point out that your hypocrisy know no bounds? Or just not in a pandemic? I did call you out about it at the time too.

I'm sorry you're not in a very good place, I had picked that up. But that doesn't excuse your behaviour, lots of people aren't in a very good place at the moment.

I didn't comment without thinking and I am aware of the possible reasons why you may be allowed to travel, but you didn't qualify that at the time and you haven't thus far.

I think it would probably benefit everyone if you focused on getting yourself into a better place and getting the support you need to do that rather than winding people up in this thread. I genuinely hope you can do that.

I’ve been trying to deep breathe as often as I can.

I’m a diaphragmatic breather normally, so been stretching and yoga poses and breathing.

Went for a cold brisk walk yesterday with a scarf wrapped around my head, which felt ok.

We're all diaphragm breathers. That's the job of the diaphragm.

Using the diaphragm and diaphragmatic (belly) breathing is slightly different.

I do understand the difference between gaming a system and deliberately defrauding it and guess what - yes they are the same to me in that I would find doing either unconscionable during a global pandemic.

I’m not keen on getting involved, but I did want to say that I think this statement is a bit unfair (for lack of a better word). My understanding of Lynx’s reasoning for his vaccine suggestion is that there are doses potentially going to waste because of various reasons but mainly administrative ones that need sorting out. Your centre has found uses for the surplus, but he found a centre that was content to apply the vaccine to a walk-in. Is it more morally questionable to allow a life-saving medicine to be lost, or to try and find a use for it even on one’s self? He’s not exactly cutting the queue, and his reasoning was sound enough that the centre staff agreed with it.

I’m not saying one moral choice is preferable to the other, I’m just saying that there’s a valid argument to be made for both, and his reasoning isn’t necessarily stupid or fraudulent. His suggestion may be misguided in that we should all be locked down, but it’s in response to an actual moral and administrative insufficiency.

Do the centres have a list of less-at-risk people who are 100% committed to dropping whatever they’re doing at 4pm and going to get vaccinated from the surplus doses? It’s a job for the GPs, but perhaps that’s a way to minimise spoilage.

Adding: I wouldn’t recommend following Lynx’ suggestion, please register your interest with your GP instead.

It's not even leftovers in some places. This sounds a lot worse:

Frustrated medics say they are beginning to run out of patients in the government’s top four priority cohorts to vaccinate and fear that lives will be lost unless they are allowed to immunise more people immediately.
Doctors at the Francis Crick Institute in London say they are providing first doses at a rate of 100 a day when they have capacity for 1,000.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/11/covid-london-doctors-say-they-are-running-out-of-priority-patients-to-vaccinate

People here have been talking about traveling because of the school holidays and because the schools are closed... I hear some of the fb groups have turned into real slanging matches between people saying that they need a break from the grind of a lockdown and the people reminding them this is exactly what caused the rapid spread this time last year. Social cohesion isn't working as a tactic this time

I can only speak from my experience of this but, at the hub we are supporting, there is surplus at the end of most days, which is offered to the volunteers who keep the place running.

Whilst it sounds sensible, in theory to make that available to others rather than chucking it, I think it would be problematic. An influx at 4pm would place unfair pressure on staff and volunteers trying to maintain a COVID secure environment. Unless you did it on a nod and a wink there would be a high risk of large numbers travelling across London and crowds at the hub. How would we allocate the surplus, assuming numbers turning up on spec exceeded the available doses, which they probably would? What about people turning up without the required information so that the vaccine can be recorded and GP records updated? It would potentially be a nightmare free for all and place staff and volunteers in an unenviable position. Without them, you can’t run the hub.

Things could certainly be improved, although a lot of recent problems have been down to older people struggling to get out in the cold weather - lots of stories, whether true or not, of having to stand and wait outside e.g. at Lords. But people turning up on the off chance - and I know this isn’t what you’re suggesting- isn’t the answer.

Do the centres have a list of less-at-risk people who are 100% committed to dropping whatever they’re doing at 4pm and going to get vaccinated from the surplus doses?

Someone I know works at one and they're giving spare doses to police. They drive over to get the vaccine with the blue lights on

I think people are imagining a possible disaster that just isn't happening (at least not on the scale where it could be a disaster). As many have said, random people are getting jabbed each time, mostly because they are working at the vaccination centre (either as part of the team or as part of the venue). Also the teams involved are going through their lists of people they know who are younger but in a vulnerable class and getting them to come in at short notice[1], but there may come a time when these people run out (e.g. when all of the volunteers/staff have been jabbed and most of the extra contacts have been jabbed or can't make it in in time). At that point grabbing random people off the street *may* be the right answer.

But there's a big difference between that and setting the expectation that hanging around is a sensible thing to do. It's unlikely there will ever be hoardes of people outside vaccination centres and, if there ever are, there can be things put in place to deal with them.

1. 50yo friends of mine have been jabbed thanks to this. Both of them have underlying health conditions and both hung around right until the end in case the centre could get someone "more deserving" in before them.
   

I suspect I know what the answer to this is... I left my car at my dad's place about 80 miles away from London in late November. I planned to pick it up again after Christmas but obviously haven't because of lockdown.

I'd quite like to get it back... is this something that would be allowable? My wife and I would drive to his house, obviously not going in or anything stupid, and then driving back.

You are allowed to maintain a car (take it to a garage, get an MOT etc). If you leave a car for too long without moving it you will have problems before long. Seems reasonable to go and pick it up.

Be prepared to jump start it if the battery has failed and perhaps put some air in a tyre though.

I would have everything available to back up your statement. Proof of ownership, insurance etc, so it doesn't look like you are just buying a used car and are out for the jolly. It would be unfortunate if you were fined/reprimanded for that kind of thing (if you can do it without stopping for petrol/sausage rolls/coffee) but at the same time, if you can live without the car until lockdown is over it would be better to wait. If you break down, have an accident or something, you'd be putting others at risk further from your home than necessary than you would have on a more local journey.

You are allowed to maintain a car

It's illegal to leave the house or be out of the house for any reason other than the ones on the list. Patronising any business that's open is on the list, which include getting a service, MOT, etc or even buying a used car. Leaving your property to do any sort of DIY maintenance is - by the letter of the law - illegal.

So going to pick up the car is illegal, but going to pick up the car to take it to a garage to have furry dice installed is not.

(this is of course a total nonsense and millions of people are breaking the law every day)

Thanks chaps. I just want to make sure I wouldn't be mugging anyone off, or endangering them I guess, by making the journey.

It's illegal to leave the house or be out of the house for any reason other than the ones on the list.

Yeah - that's the issue. I can see it's not essential; we have another car anyway and it's not like we're going anywhere at the minute.

But I really like mine and always maintained it thouroughly. I don't want it to decay any or make it any more annoying when I do pick it up (like if it's left a really long time and I need to call assistance or something when I do go to get it).
It's going to be due it's annual service (in London) in the next few week as well.

I assume I won't be free to make the journey this side of May, given lockdown is till (maybe) March, then there'll maybe be tiers again that'll restrict travel.

It's going to be due it's annual service (in London) in the next few week as well.

I assume I won't be free to make the journey this side of May, given lockdown is till (maybe) March, then there'll maybe be tiers again that'll restrict travel.

I think the indication is if you're collecting it to take it for the service, you're fine. So book accordingly.

Given that you have to have it serviced soon, you should be fine.
I'd get some kind of booking email for the service, and as long as you have a valid reason, if you are stopped, you shouldn't risk a fine.

I imagine the highway patrol officers are generally stopping those that flag up with expired insurance, MOT, and 4 adults in the car.

tbh I think you'd be justified going ahead with this. Just assume there's a non-zero chance of being stopped by the police, and possibly fined £200 if they don't like your face.

It doesn't even register on my "things you shouldn't be doing during a pandemic" scale though.

Is there a bike in the car? Leave it if not.

There is not. There might be a tin of fruit drops in the glove box though.

Dibs

Nearly forgot those when I sold the Panda last year. Could have been a disaster.

Lockdown exit to be cautious and irreversible says pm.

This will be interesting to watch.