India didn't set a new daily case count today, but it's still another 400K+ one, though they have set themselves a new daily death record ... But you really can't [trust the accuracy of] those official numbers, India obituaries cast doubt over country’s COVID-19 statistics...

So... Those examples give a discrepancy of between x2 and x40 for how many people are dying compared to what is being reported...

Herd immunity is desperately sadly costly deadly...


Stay safe folks!
Martin

Edit: Grammar

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
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Well it looks like that all the hazard reduction burns and burnoffs happening here over the last several months have upset our fruit bats around Sydney again (the Sydney basin has been heavily smoked out several times).

'Do not touch’: Warning about deadly ‘bat disease’ lyssavirus in Sydney.

Health officials in Sydney’s west have issued an urgent alert after a deadly disease was detected among a group of bats.

Residents have been urged not to touch, or go near, bats amid fears they could contract lyssavirus (ABLV), a potentially deadly virus often carried by Australian bats.

Bats can transmit ABLV by biting or scratching. It can be deadly if not treated.

The Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) issued the urgent health warning after the disease was detected in bats in the area.

Eleven people have been scratched or bitten by a bat this year, four of which needed medical treatment.

While lyssavirus is an incredibly rare disease, it can be fatal.

Those burns have been petering out fast over the last week (there can't be much of this state left to burn now anyway) so hopefully those bats might settle back down shortly (and it'll be some time before we see another 2019-2020 bushfire summer get repeated).

result from "2020 india excess deaths" search
Indiaspend - Can New Mortality Data Explain India's Low COVID Death Numbers?

Last May, the Peoples Church and nine other Oregon churches sued the state in an attempt to override Gov. Kate Brown’s (D) “Stay Home, Save Lives” coronavirus order that capped statewide gatherings at 25 attendees. The measure did not exempt religious services. The group of churches argued that the restrictions violated their constitutional rights on freedom of religion.

and now;
COVID-19 outbreak at Salem’s Peoples Church sickens at least 74 people
and

Oregon has traced other coronavirus outbreaks to churches. Last June, at least 236 members of a Pentecostal church in eastern Oregon tested positive for the virus. Last month, the state’s Occupational Safety and Health agency received a complaint on an Apostolic church that allegedly failed to enforce masks and social distancing during services; at least 14 parishioners were infected, the Albany Democrat-Herald reported.

quotes from WP "An Oregon church sued over covid-19 restrictions. Now, an outbreak there has sickened 74."

Well India has recorded another daily death count of over 4,100 while putting in another 400K+ new case day as they reopened the 22 million case clubhouse after 3 months of being vacant. :-O

How much cleaning up will get done there in 3 days will be another question.

Anyhow as Sweden goes into their usual long weekend blackout Belgium reclaims 27th spot on the case list for a few days while Japan (38th) has moved into striking range of Austria, the U.A.E. replaced Lebanon in 39th as Nepal jumps up 3 spots into 46th, Sri Lanka (88th) is now in position to make a move on Latvia and Uzbekistan displaced Ghana from 93rd.

El Salvador took 100th spot from Mozambique as Afghanistan replaced Singapore in 104th, Jamaica displaced the Ivory Coast from 108th while Mongolia knocked Uganda out of 110th, Madagascar bumped Zimbabwe from 113th and the Maldives dived past Sudan and Malawi to claim 115th.

Meanwhile down in Sydney they're still looking for their missing link, but no more local transmissions have yet been found.

It maybe that India now has an even bigger problem on their hands.

Worrying rise in mucormycosis fungal infection in recovered COVID patients in India.

A deadly fungal infection is affecting a rising number of recovered COVID patients in India, as doctors battle to treat patients in a health system already under severe pressure.

Mucormycosis is normally incredibly rare, but doctors in the virus-ravaged Asian country are coming across cases of the life-threatening infection more and more among people who have had coronavirus......

....Mucormycosis is caused by exposure to mucor mould, commonly found in soil, plants, manure and decaying fruit and vegetables.

It affects sinuses, brain and lungs and can be life-threatening for patients who are immunocompromised such as people with diabetes. Often patients must have their eyes removed in order to save their lives.

The infection has a mortality rate of 50 per cent.

Doctors believe the rise in infections may be caused by patients who have been treated with steroids, which is common for severely ill COVID patients.

The recently finished reporting period has seen the world's total case numbers pass 159.5 million while deaths have passed 3,317,300. :-(

Well the only change at the top end of the death list was Bulgaria claiming 30th place from Portugal.

On the case list Kyrgyzstan bumped Montenegro from 91st place, Cuba booted Norway out of 89th while Sri Lanka put in a mighty effort to pass Latvia, Algeria (who was then passed by Latvia), Estonia and S. Korea to claim 84th, Oman took 75th from Bosnia/Herzegovina as both Uruguay and Honduras passed Armenia to take up 70th and 71st spots respectively, Ireland slipped past Moldova into 65th and Nepal displaced Ecuador from 45th spot as well as becoming the 46th member of the 400,000+ club.

There's a bit controversy going on in Japan over holding the Olympic Games as they sprinted past Austria into 37th spot, Serbia became the 35th country to enter the 700,000+ clubhouse while we've still got over 12hours to wait to see if Sweden reclaims 27th back from Belgium (I'll let you all know if they don't) and Colombia has become 12th member of the 3 million plus club.

India OTOH has decided to spend a 3rd night in the 22 million plus clubhouse (probably to get some extra rest in before they attack the job of cleaning out the 23 million plus clubhouse at 1st light and get a couple of fair well drinks in) while more horrifying news surfaces from there, 40 bodies wash ashore on India’s Ganges River, and now even Anthony Fauci calls for lockdown as scientists lash Modi government.

But now India's problems are bleeding across its borders and over to its neighbours, Concern as India’s virus crisis spreads across South East Asia with the situation so bad in Nepal that it could topple its government, Nepal faces coronavirus nightmare as infections soar and medical supplies run out.

Meanwhile in breaking news the US Food and Drugs Administration declares Pfizer vaccine safe for children.

Anyhow here down under in Sydney they're still on the hunt for their missing link, but no other locally acquired cases have yet turned up which has experts baffled, while further south in Victoria a man, understood to be in his 30s, recently returned to Australia from overseas and completed his 2 week hotel quarantine in South Australia tested positive days after he had returned home giving more evidence for the push to extend the quarantine period from 2 to 3 weeks.

Some recent research news and a stark reminder of just how dangerously infectious is the COV-SARS2 virus (COVID-19):


Small behavioral changes {of the public} determine success or complete failure of epidemic control
wrote:

... [When social measures are successful,] The epidemic curve does not flatten, it collapses...

... Failure yields faster than exponential growth...

... Marginal differences and disproportionate effects...

... The difference between success and failure of a lockdown is marginal, or as Budanur puts it: "A policy that would have worked yesterday will not only take much longer to take effect, but it may fail entirely if it is implemented a single day too late." Hof adds: "Most European countries only reacted when health capacity limits became threatened. Actually, policy makers should have paid attention to their contact tracing teams and locked down before this protective shield fell apart."

More recently, the team has looked into optimal strategies in which lockdowns are used as a preventive tool rather than an [always far too deadly late] emergency brake...

Gene tied to balding may also raise COVID risks for men
wrote:

It's long been known that COVID-19 is more fatal for men than women, and new research links some of that excess risk to a gene known to cause a form of hair loss in males...

... androgenetic alopecia is caused by the activity of the androgen receptor (AR) gene, which in some men can lead to hair loss. An enzyme called TMPRSS2, key to COVID-19 infection, is also androgen-sensitive, and might be affected [to make the Coronavirus more infectious or potent] by the AR gene as well...

Why is COVID-19 so hard to treat? Growing evidence points to unique infectious profile
wrote:

... the virus infects both the upper and lower respiratory tracts...

... Additionally, more frequent multi-organ impacts, blood clots, and an unusual immune-inflammatory response not commonly associated with other similar viruses mean that COVID-19 has evolved a uniquely challenging set of characteristics...

... Although inflammation is a factor, it is a unique disregulation of the immune response that causes our bodies to mismanage the way they fight the virus.

This may explain why some people experience "long COVID" and suffer severe lung damage after infection...

... Tragically, millions around the world have died already...

That ain't no ordinary flu or cold!

Stay safe folks!
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

So it seems it's "either / or". The national service probably doesn't even know where the medical centres are, and I doubt my GP has bothered to find out where the national centres are. Once you've chosen your channel of communication (phone or website), you're marshalled down the appropriate pathway.

Looks like it still is.
Received a call this afternoon - 03005610240 - NHS Immunisation Centre.
Please confirm your name
D.O.B.
1st Line of Address.
Didn't answer but asked a question instead...
...what is the purpose of this call?
We see you haven't had a vaccination & request that you book an appointment.
WTF?
Better check your records...
...then hung up.
Checked number via google to play safe.
It is genuine, but did note one comment. You cannot get a person if you call it back. This number does not accept calls but if you have been called, we may call back.
I'm beginning to wonder after received some snail mail yesterday.
Imperial College London-Ipsi Mori-NHS.
Take a test to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Your participation in the REACT COVID-19 research study....
Save our NHS?
Best way to do that is to get all BP's out of it!
Edited for spelling.

Mmmmm...

For my area, you can get vaccinated without needing to book. Just turn up.

For some areas without readily available public transport, there is even a "Vaccination Bus" that is parking up in various council car parks so that people can just board the parked bus and get vaccinated there and then. Good local news splash that the bus centre recently vaccinated over 50 people one day. Excellent!


And I guess the random testing has been running for long enough now that most people in the UK should have been approached to do the random test by now. Quite an alternate survey/census... Useful and important, hopefully the results are not abused.


Good luck and good patience for your vaccination!

Stay safe folks!
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Good luck and good patience for your vaccination!

Miss the point again I see.

We see you haven't had a vaccination & request that you book an appointment.
WTF?
Better check your records...
...then hung up.

Halfway to getting the 2nd jab.
Also, already have had several tests by employer (Results sent in "very" lengthy text messages from NHS).
Useful & important survey? Really?
So why isn't the NHS linking up their systems?
WHO IS paying for all this?
Save our NHS?
What a frigging laugh-a-minute.

It's common for cyber criminals who calls you, to have faked/spoofed their phone number, so it looks as if the calls comes from a trusted source.
That's not hard to do either. By surfing the Internet anyone can find several call ID spoofing services and some others are also available for mobile devices
operating with iOS and Android, they all offer additional services to the call spoofing.

So, even if you googled the number in question and google says "NHS Immunisation Centre", that does not mean that it actually was NHS Immunisation Centre, who called you.

You're preaching to the choir. :-)
Try telling that to the dildos that spout the Data Protection Act at you every time they call.
They get riled when you mention ID theft...
...BUT I am who I say I am is often the response I get.
My reply every time is...
...PROVE it.
Unfortunately, they hang up. :-)

Oh dear, much of what has been said on this board...
...the chicken that came home to roost

3.3M dead already. Will it be 5M by Spring 2022?

Well, my comment was because that you posted "Checked number via google to play safe. It is genuine......."

Sure, the number is genuine, but is the caller calling from that number really?

Exactly. :-)
The compensation lawyers are rubbing their hands in glee.
"Ladies & Gentlemen
Due to overcrowding we are diverting to Charles De Gaulle
Please have your credit card & passport to hand at the Eurostar booking office"
Diversions ahead

According to https://simpleflying.com/london-airports-no-traffic/ Stanstead, Gatwick and Luton are idle.

And I would guess all the others that mainly handle holiday charters are not doing much either.

Persisent ******d's.
Called yesterday at 09:00, couldn't get to phone in time.
Called again 08:31 this morning. What a lovely 4 minute call. :-)
More than likely a scammer, if not then the Government has problems.
Luke from Mumbai NHS Immunisation didn't know what spoofing was.
Also didn't know that the DPA is a 2 way street.
I call you, I need to confirm my identity.
You call me...
..".this call is being recorded Sir.
I'm going to end the call now Sir."
...Mumbai Luke still stayed on the line...
...idiot.
A lot of people are getting very irritable so the quicker the authorities get their act together the better, otherwise...