Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[101]

1 hour ago, Snafu said:

At last some great news -

https://valneva.com/press-release/valneva-reports-positive-phase-1-2-data-for-its-inactivated-adjuvanted-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-vla2001/

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/healthcare/biotech/healthcare/new-covid-vaccine-shows-strong-immune-response-in-early-uk-trials/articleshow/81936269.cms

 

'UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that the promising Phase I and II results mean that the Valneva vaccine, being developed at Livingston in Scotland, can now move to Phase III clinical trials.

The vaccine was found to be safe and generally well tolerated, with no safety concerns identified by an independent data safety monitoring board.

"The UK government has funded these clinical trials and it is fantastic to see Valneva's vaccine produces a strong immune response," said Hancock.

"This vaccine will be made onshore in Livingston in Scotland, giving another boost to British life science, and if approved will play an important role in protecting our communities. I look forward to seeing the results of the upcoming phase three trial," he said.

The company said the results showed the vaccine was "highly immunogenic with more than 90 per cent of all study participants developing significant levels of antibodies" to the coronavirus spike protein. The vaccine, called VLA2001, also induced T-cell responses, which help the body fend off a virus and determine long-lasting immunity.

"These results are very promising and provide renewed hope that a vaccine using a whole inactivated virus might provide strong protection against variants," said UK Vaccines Minister Na***** Zahawi. '

 

Edit: I see the swear filter is off on one again??

Once it's approved let's close the borders and jab everyone up here.

[David W]

1 hour ago, Billy Jean King said:

Article on the news there about the cost of a private test. PCR was quoted at £120 and LFT £60. The profits especially on the latter must be enormous either that or the cost of making TWO LFTs per week available to every adult (and certain school kids) in England and Scotland must be off the scale. Crazy stuff.
Also wife just showed me dozens of posts from local Facebook maws saying "I'm not sending mine back" after the SG schools announcement today. Utterly bonkers, these folk seem happy for the current shit show to go on for ever and they appeared to be the majority on the local FB pages.

99% of them will be dropping their kids at school as expected before hopping onto FB to claim otherwise. Absolute weirdos.

[Left Back]

21 minutes ago, Elixir said:

Will the SNP vote with the Tories?..

This is an interesting (and strange) viewpoint.

”. The Government believes that introducing a ban on this [asking for Covid passports/status] would in most cases be an unjustified intrusion on how businesses choose to make their premises safe”

is it not up to the paid public health experts in conjunction with government to determine what is an acceptable risk rather than individual businesses.  This seems like an abdication of responsibility to me.

[Thereisalight..]

26 minutes ago, Elixir said:

Will the SNP vote with the Tories?..

The most sensible thing that Labour have done in over a decade tbh

[Elixir]

31 minutes ago, Todd_is_God said:

I don't think the SNP can vote on it.

I imagine they'll abstain. If this does get voted down, I can't then see any of the devolved administrations introducing anything, so this can only be a good thing - if they see it through...

15 minutes ago, Thereisalight.. said:

The most sensible thing that Labour have done in over a decade tbh

True, but again, if they see it through...

[Thereisalight..]

3 minutes ago, Elixir said:

I imagine they'll abstain. If this does get voted down, I can't then see any of the devolved administrations introducing anything, so this can only be a good thing - if they see it through...

True, but again, if they see it through...

I think it will depend on how many Tory rebels there will be, IMO not many. Hopefully the Lib Dems will vote against it and I'd like to think the SNP would as well, purely as lining the pockets of Boris's pals is something they've previously voiced an opinion about

[TheScarf]

Does that bloke think everyone should be sat in a fucking library reading a book to obtain knowledge on a subject? 

[djchapsticks]

48 minutes ago, Todd_is_God said:

I don't think the SNP can vote on it.

Surely the SNP MPs will. 

The SNP MSPs won't have a say of course. 

[Dons_1988]

4 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

Surely the SNP MPs will. 

The SNP MSPs won't have a say of course. 

I don’t think they’d vote on something that applied solely to England. 

[Todd_is_God]

3 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

Surely the SNP MPs will. 

As the decision does not have any bearing on Scotland, I don't think Scottish MPs can vote on it.

[Ira Gaines]

I'm pretty sure the SNP took part in a fox hunting vote that had nothing to do with Scotland, and it caused a bit of a stir. So they set a precedent for themselves.

[Elixir]

22 minutes ago, Thereisalight.. said:

I think it will depend on how many Tory rebels there will be, IMO not many. Hopefully the Lib Dems will vote against it and I'd like to think the SNP would as well, purely as lining the pockets of Boris's pals is something they've previously voiced an opinion about

If Labour's position is to vote against and they're whipped into doing so, then combined with the Liberals I think there will certainly be enough Tory rebels to torpedo it into the bin.

[Thereisalight..]

1 minute ago, Elixir said:

If Labour's position is to vote against and they're whipped into doing so, then combined with the Liberals I think there will certainly be enough Tory rebels to torpedo it into the bin.

I'd certainly hope so but knowing BJ he'd probably offer some sort of sweetener to the rebels to make them either vote for it or abstain

[deegee]

Get this passport nonsense kicked right out. Maybe there is some merit for certain overseas travel, although the uptake on vaccination numbers at the destination country will be a factor. Why on earth would I need a passport to enter specified (hospitality and leisure) venues as well as stadiums but for the past year the supermarkets have had “week before Christmas” sales and footfall basically every week?

Are the governments seriously thinking a vaccine passport will be a requirement to enter the likes of Stirling Albion’s Forthbank ground with 500 fans but not next door at Morrison supermarket on a Saturday afternoon? Similarly with other grounds the length and breadth of the country.

[Todd_is_God]

1 hour ago, deegee said:

Get this passport nonsense kicked right out. Maybe there is some merit for certain overseas travel, although the uptake on vaccination numbers at the destination country will be a factor. Why on earth would I need a passport to enter specified (hospitality and leisure) venues as well as stadiums but for the past year the supermarkets have had “week before Christmas” sales and footfall basically every week?

Are the governments seriously thinking a vaccine passport will be a requirement to enter the likes of Stirling Albion’s Forthbank ground with 500 fans but not next door at Morrison supermarket on a Saturday afternoon? Similarly with other grounds the length and breadth of the country.

It's even more hilarious when you consider the current proposal where I could travel from Glasgow to Aberdeen on a train without any requirement for one, have a few beers in a pub, again without one, but then need a passport to get into Pittodrie

I understand that the thinking might be to reassure the people they have spent the last 13 months telling they will die if the get within 2m of another person that large gatherings and things like nightclubs etc are safe to resume, but by seemingly ignoring, or having no idea how people will travel to these things, they just sound daft.

However I think's its more likely there are a small band of people trying to find some justification for bringing in an ordinarily completely unpalatable data tracking system in order to satisfy a decision and commitment made months ago, despite any actual need for it no longer existing.

[Ginaro]

Some updated excess death numbers 

 

[Elixir]

Things like this is what happens when you piss around in the ethical minefield of medical coercion, rather than simply focusing on getting consent through clear, positive communication and engagement. Clowns.

Quote

 

Comedy club pulls out of government trial

As we reported earlier a comedy club in Liverpool received a deluge of abuse after it was inaccurately reported to be involved in a Covid vaccine passport scheme over the weekend.

Now the Hot Water Comedy Club says as a result of "misleading press releases/media articles and the confusing messaging on the official government website" it has made the decision not to be part of any government programme.

"We have still not managed to speak to anybody in the government about this," a statement says.

 

[Have some faith in Magic]

As with most of these things, follow the money with regards to vaccine passports. 

[Elixir]

I think I actually hate the SNP now. Never again will they get my vote.

[Todd_is_God]

Clear indication that Sturgeon wants them up here then.