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.

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?

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...

India only spent 2 nights in the 23m+ clubhouse dragging themselves through the front doors of the 24m+ clubhouse and through the cobwebs and dust only to collapse in exhaustion before reaching the bar (according to witnesses' reports that's where they stayed until dawn), but their neighbours are certainly feeling the effects.

The Seychelles (currently in 156th place on the case list, pop.<99,000), at this moment transversing the void of space between the Benin and South Sudan systems, is throwing up some disturbing results.

The Seychelles is the most vaccinated nation on Earth. But Covid has surged.

The Seychelles is viewed as having conducted a very successful vaccination rollout so far; it can boast having the highest share of people vaccinated against Covid-19 anywhere in the world, above Israel and the U.K.

The majority of vaccinated people have received China's Sinopharm vaccine (approved for emergency use by the WHO last Friday) as well as the AstraZeneca shot (known as Covishield locally, a version produced in India). In total, the Seychelles with a population of over 97,000 has recorded just under 8,200 cases and 28 deaths during the pandemic.

Numbers have now passed 9,100 cases and now 32 deaths.

While in the Maldives (currently in 112th place on the case list, pop.<549,000) has finally taken some action to slow their run up the list.

Maldives travel ban: The Bollywood bolthole during India's second Covid wave now shuts out wealthy Indians.

The atoll nation's Ministry of Tourism and immigration authority announced the temporary ban on Tuesday, which applies to all visa holders from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as well as people who have transited those countries in the past 14 days.

The ban, effective Thursday, will be in place until further notice as Maldives tries to control a surge in coronavirus cases, which jumped from around 100 new cases in mid-April to 1,572 on Wednesday.

That's the highest number of daily new cases in the country since the start of the pandemic, according to the Health Protection Agency. And it comes amid a rise in new cases across the region, particularly in India, where a second wave is killing thousands of people every day.

Currently they have recorded 41,300 infections and 87 deaths.

Meanwhile in the U.S. (where the state of Trumpsville leads the way in the daily case count race, they use to call it Florida), those stupid conspiracy theorist republicans continue to send the wrong messages. :-(

Just 45% of House Republicans say they've been vaccinated while 100% of congressional Democrats say they've gotten the shot.

Every single Democratic lawmaker in the House and Senate says they've received a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a new CNN survey. Things are quite different on the other side of the aisle.

Just 45% of House Republicans say they've been vaccinated. A much higher percentage of Republicans in the upper chamber say they've received vaccinations, but four GOP senators either said they won't get the shot or wouldn't reveal the information.

Overall, about 72% of House lawmakers say they've been vaccinated - 312 of the 431 members. Ninety-five GOP House members told CNN they've gotten the shot, 112 didn't respond to multiple inquiries, and five members confirmed they haven't been vaccinated or didn't want to reveal whether they had.

What can 1 say?

They, the NHS, isn't doing very well with the bookings etc. My eldest has today, the 15th, 09:57, got email confirmation of his appointments.
1st Appointment
Date & Time
14/05/2021 – 10:15 AM

Received this morning.
Spot the differences.



As said, who's paying for all this?

Received this morning.
Spot the differences.



As said, who's paying for all this?

I got one as well, but haven't really looked at it yet.

2nd one for me this week.
several differences between the 2...
...blatantly obvious at that.

The world's case tally has now passed 163.1 million while deaths have passed 3,383,800. :-(

The only change at the top end of the death list was Colombia replacing Spain in 10th spot while passing 80,000.

Now on the case list, Vietnam passed Guinea-Bissau before Timor-Leste came along to pass both as well as Eritrea, Comoros and Barbados, Vietnam then passed those 3 to claim 173rd place while Timor-Leste then passed the Channel Islands and Sierra Leone to claim 170th. Suriname leapt past the Congo, Djibouti, Martinique and Hong Kong to land in 147th while P.N.G. flew over Curaçao, Belize, Togo, Tajikistan, Haiti, Burkina Faso and Andorra to come down in 139th as Cambodia disposed of Mayotte and French Guiana to take over 128th and Angola replaced Australia in 120th.

The D.R.C. has taken 118th spot from Malta, the Maldives has dived past Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Senegal and Uganda to claim 111th as Mongolia overtook the Ivory Coast and Jamaica to move into 108th, Cyprus took 101st from Mozambique while Thailand took a long distant flight over Finland, China, Zambia, Ghana, Uzbekistan and Montenegro to land in 92nd, Latvia displaced Estonia from 86th and Sri Lanka replaced Albania in 83rd.

Venezuela took 73rd place from Qatar, Costa Rica claimed 60th from the Dominican Republic while Paraguay kicked Palestine out of 57th, Bolivia overtook Tunisia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to take over 53rd as Kazakhstan replaced Croatia in 51st, Greece jumped past Panama and Belarus into 48th, Nepal raced past both Bulgaria and Saudi Arabia into 43rd and the Philippines has deposed of Iraq to claim 24th spot.

Well that's it for this update.

"If this all works, and everyone comes together, vaccine passports will be a very, very simple way of us travelling without documents around the world."

Yeah right.
The way the EU is operating at the moment, I think Brexit would interfere with that idea!
Vaccine passports on the way?

The way the EU is behaving just now I think they would object to any vaccine passport scheme that they didn't originate

---

Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Just like BREXIT - post 2075980