An "Anonymous" poster has PM-ed the comments:

You herald the example of a Cruise Ship Youtube video as the way forward, while decrying the UK Covid trace program as a waste of money.

The Cruise video promo you linked to was a demonstration cruise at 1/6 capacity with restrictions that no-tax-payer would accede to.

So, let's compare:


UK Test and Trace is tax payer budgeted at an eye-watering £3600 Million and counting. It has not stopped recurring pandemic surges, 3 times over now and counting.

Independently alongside that, we have the ONS fully randomized study that samples COVID infection in the population each week that is used to report the actual infection rates.

Other than to profitably burn public money, the Test and Trace looks to be merely a propaganda exercise.

Compare that with a medium sized whole new hospital that costs around £300 Million to build...


As for the 1/6th capacity UK cruise:

We have dire examples of norovirus killing cruise passengers and making most others very sick. How many passengers are cruises to be allowed to kill with COVID for the sake of their profits?

What is interesting, is that the 1/6th capacity is profitably worthwhile for a cruise...


Until we can quickly get the world vaccinated for COVID in a similar way as was done for smallpox.


Stay safe folks!
Martin

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... UK Test and Trace is tax payer budgeted at an eye-watering £3600 Million and counting. It has not stopped recurring pandemic surges, 3 times over now and counting...

Yet another article about the UK "Test and Trace":


Covid-19: NHS Test and Trace weaknesses remain, says watchdog
wrote:

... Findings 'deeply disappointing'

The NAO warned effectiveness of the service was still being undermined by low levels of public compliance, both in terms of coming forward for testing and adhering to isolating.

It also pointed out that just 14% of the 691 million rapid tests sent out to the public had been registered as used.

Meg Hillier, chair of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, said the findings were "deeply disappointing" and the service continued to be "plagued by the same issues"...

Hence:

... Until we can quickly get the world vaccinated for COVID in a similar way as was done for [eradicating] smallpox.

Stay safe folks!
Martin


NHS: National Health Service (excluding the Serco externally run Test and Trace (and pay dearly, supposed - ) 'NHS service')
NAO: National Audit Office

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Sadly:


Namibia’s oxygen supplies exhausted
wrote:

Namibia’s reserves of medical oxygen have been “exhausted” as the country experiences record numbers of daily deaths from coronavirus...

... With a population of just 2.5 million, this currently represents the highest death rate on the continent. The country has also recorded high numbers of new cases...

... New measures, including a lockdown in the capital, Windhoek, have been introduced to contain the spread of the virus...

... the country was having problems getting hold of the jabs. Just over 5% of the population has so far received at least one dose.

Stay safe foks!
Martin

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BBC - live updates

@08:50
AstraZeneca in Beta variant vaccine trial

AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford have begun trials of a modified coronavirus vaccine designed to act against the Beta variant, first identified in South Africa.
More than 2,000 volunteers are being recruited in the UK, Brazil, South Africa and Poland.
One aim of the study is to provide evidence on possible booster vaccines for people who have already had both jabs.

And for some interim results from another ongoing trial by Oxford University:


Mixing Covid vaccines gives good protection...
wrote:

... The Com-Cov study, which looked at giving the doses four weeks apart in 850 volunteers aged 50 and above, found:

• AZ followed by Pfizer induced higher antibodies and T cell responses than Pfizer followed by AZ
  
• Both of these mixes induced higher antibodies than two doses of AZ
  
• The highest antibody response was seen after two doses of Pfizer, and the highest T cell response from AZ followed by Pfizer
  

Lead investigator Prof Matthew Snape, from the University of Oxford, said the findings did not undermine the UK policy of giving people the same jab twice: "We already know that both standard schedules are very effective against severe disease and hospitalisations, including against the Delta variant when given at eight to 12 weeks apart."...

... "This longer interval is known to result in a better immune response," he added. Mixed dose trial results for a 12-week jab interval will be available next month...

Interesting and good.

Stay safe folks!
Martin

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A salutary story:


Marr on catching Covid after being double vaccinated
wrote:

... I had received two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine long before. I wasn't behaving recklessly - but I did feel pretty much invulnerable...

... At 08:00 the following morning, I received a positive result and was told by NHS Test and Trace I must self-isolate for 10 days...

... Two days after my first symptoms, I began to feel seriously ill...

... By the time my quarantine ended, I felt fine.

But I have the following thoughts...

... Third, with a positive result, for goodness' sake self-isolate. You may think you have superpowers because you have been double vaccinated. And, yes, the vaccine seems does protect very well against admission to hospital - at no point did I have difficulty breathing.

But that doesn't mean you can't become infected.

And it doesn't mean the illness, hiding behind those bland words, "mild and moderate symptoms", won't be unpleasant.

In short, stay cautious, stay safe.

Stay safe folks!
Martin

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Here is quite a contrast with the latest 'pay award' to Serco as the backdrop:


Serco bags £322m contract extension for Test and Trace, is still struggling to share data with local authorities
wrote:

Look who's having a good pandemic...

... It is not just Test and Trace putting the pound signs in the eyes of Serco CEO Rupert Soames...

This comment acutely sums up the circumstances:

45RPM
wrote:

Serco, Harding, Grayling, Handcock, Johnson - it’s a Comedy of Errors, Tory style - and with a body count (128,000) that makes Guardians of the Galaxy (83,871 on-screen deaths) look restrained.

Stay safe folks!
Martin

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Here is some real world testing whilst working in a very high risk area:

Covid: Masks upgrade cuts infection risk, research finds
wrote:

The quality of face masks healthcare workers wear makes a huge difference to their risk of coronavirus infection.

Wearing a high grade mask known as an FFP3 can provide up to 100% protection...

... The results are published in a pre-print paper that has not been peer-reviewed...

... The study concludes that "cases attributed to ward-based exposure fell significantly, with FFP3 respirators providing 31-100% protection (and most likely 100%) against infection from patients with Covid-19". Any remaining cases were likely to be caused by spread in the community, rather than in the hospital...

... the work gives "some real world evidence that FFP3 masks are actually effective and more effective than the surgical masks". He added: "Clearly, it's a relatively small study in one trust and so we need to see these findings replicated elsewhere. "But given the difference in the results that we've seen, as a sort of precautionary principle effect, what we should be thinking about is changing to use FFP3 masks for anyone caring for a patient with coronavirus."...

... although FFP3 masks are less comfortable than surgical ones, surveys show staff generally prefer a higher level of protection...

Note that that article details the results for hospital staff dealing very closely with very ill highly infectious COVID patients.


In brief:

ANY mask is better than no mask. Especially so for avoiding infecting others around you. Some masks are better than others for yourself and everyone around you.

From that, I'll be upgrading my "N95" masks for "N99" ASAP.


Stay safe folks!
Martin

ps: OK, food shopping is nothing like as hazardous as a COVID hospital ward, but there are still too many who are maskless and oblivious and in too much of their own lost rush to care or to be aware... Hence why we still have a deadly pandemic...

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This looks to be a very difficult move:


Covid-19: Republic of Ireland to use indoor hospitality vaccine pass
wrote:

The Irish government is delaying the return of some indoor activities, including hospitality, over increasing cases of the Delta Covid-19 variant.

Indoor hospitality was due to reopen on 5 July.

When it reopens, it will be limited to those who are fully vaccinated...

How is that going to reliably work?!

There is enough of a 'game' with under-age drinking as it is...


Stay safe folks!
Martin

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And here is a good and interesting move:

UK will provide vaccines to COP26 delegates
wrote:

... Accredited COP Delegates being fully vaccinated will be an important mitigation measure to ensure the health and safety of both delegates, and the local community. The vaccination of registered delegates will be part of a wider package of measures the UK will have in place to be able to deliver a safe, in-person COP26.

COP26 is the 2021 edition of the United National Annual Climate Change Conference...

Here's hoping everyone will be duly vaccinated and COVID-free well in time for the conference!

Stay safe folks!
Martin

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That story is quite behind in the number connected to that limo driver cluster (only the government calls it the "Bondi" cluster) is a bit dated as another 22 got added to it 20mins ago taking the total connected to that limo driver to 196.

The pollies here (state and federal) are now running around like chooks with their heads cut off throwing band-aids all over the place.

But I do find it worrying that many countries are laughing at us for locking down over such small infection numbers.

Cheers.

The Telegraph (behind pay wall) reports that about 900 gold miners, who have had contact with others confirmed to have the Indian variant have traveled around Australia.

The Telegraph (behind pay wall) reports that about 900 gold miners, who have had contact with others confirmed to have the Indian variant have traveled around Australia.

Yes this could very likely be even bigger cluster than the the limo driver's and it all started when a Victorian FIFO miner was mistakenly detained in a Queensland quarantine hotel on his way to work there and by the time that they finally cleared him he had been infected with a strain linked to a businessman staying there. Questions are now being asked of the feds as to why they have been allowing this un-vaccinated businessman to be frequently travelling backwards and forwards from Indonesia during a so called closed border (or are there different rules for rich mates?).

Anyhow with overlapping shifts that mine could have up to 1700 individuals running across each other and it seems that their employer isn't very forthcoming with looking after all those locked down workers in that camp of theirs ATM.

Locked-down workers at Northern Territory mine threaten to riot.

Well the world's total case count has now passed 182.5 million as total deaths pass 3.95 million. :-(

Changes at the top end of the death list over the last week have been Sweden being passed by Japan before Tunisia came along and passed them both to claim 35th place while Iraq displaced Portugal from 31st and Argentina booted Germany from 11th spot. At the lower end the D.R.C. passed Madagascar and Australia (Madagascar later passed Australia to move back into 109th again), but they only wound up in 108th spot due to Uganda taking flight from 118th position up to 106th. :-O

Anyhow there's been some changes in the case list, especially down the lower end of it where the action seems to be these days.

Liberia passed Guinea-Bissau, but remain in 179th place as Fiji took a flight over 5 countries and as they went over New Zealand they earned enough frequent flyer points to become the 181st member of the 3K+ club, they then continued on past another 4 countries before becoming the 177th member of the 4K+ club and then passing Barbados to make a refueling stop in 176th. :-O

Sierra Leone also took a flight becoming the 172nd member of the 5K+ club and then passed 4 countries to land in 168th spot. Tajikistan must of heard my little complaint last week and has started to add a few daily again (but I can't believe their numbers). Meanwhile Taiwan passed Mali and the Seychelles passed Somalia, but both remain in 143rd and 141st spots respectively as Vietnam leapt over Togo and Andorra as well as all 4 of them to claim 140th place.

Eswatini replaced French Polynesia in 135th, Guyana displaced Mayotte from 133rd while Suriname nudged Mauritania out of 131st, Trinidad/Tobago kicked Cabo Verde from 122nd as Rwanda jumped over Malawi and Sudan to claim 119th, the D.R.C. became the 117th member of the 40K+ club and Cambodia along with Zimbabwe passed the Ivory Coast to take up 112th and 113th spots.

Mozambique nudged Cyprus from 105th spot, Uganda jumped over Cyprus and El Salvador to claim 103rd as Namibia passed El Salvador to become the 102nd member of the 80K+ club and then promptly kicked Cameroon from 101st, Mongolia became the 97th member of the 100K+ club before passing both Montenegro and Uzbekistan to take over 95th while Norway slipped past Estonia into 91st, Algeria passed Latvia just before Zambia jumped over them into 87th and South Korea along with Myanmar passed North Macedonia to take up 84th and 85th spots respectively.

Cuba finally ran down Kenya to take 81st place, Sri Lanka replaced Moldova in 74th after they and Slovenia were passed by both Honduras (now in 72nd) as well as Oman who continued past Bahrain to land in 70th as Bahrain was already displace by Venezuela from 69th while Egypt took 65th spot from Lithuania, Uruguay and Costa Rica both passed Croatia and Georgia to move into 55th and 56th spots as Tunisia became the 53rd member of the 400K+ club after passing Slovakia before also taking 52nd from Panama who became the 53rd member of that same club and Paraguay continues their race with Kazakhstan moving back into the lead as both passed Belarus with Paraguay taking over 49th place.

Greece replaced Bulgaria in 47th as Malaysia crushed Serbia out of 36th while Bangladesh rolled right on over Portugal to become the 30th country to enter the 900K+ club and on their current trajectory they look on course to beat Pakistan into the 1M+ club. Indonesia absolutely walloped Peru out of 17th place while Colombia became the 10th country to enter the 4M+ clubhouse and Russia plucked Turkey right out of 5th spot.

Anyhow that's it for this update and I certainly need a drink after doing it.

It was predicted.
Football linked to 2,000 Scottish Covid cases

Nearly 2,000 Covid cases in Scotland have been linked to people watching Euro 2020 football matches.
Public Health Scotland said two thirds of the 1,991 cases were people who travelled to London for Scotland's game with England on 18 June.
This included 397 fans who were inside Wembley for the match.

The Telegraph (behind pay wall) reports that about 900 gold miners, who have had contact with others confirmed to have the Indian variant have traveled around Australia.

Yes this could very likely be even bigger cluster than the the limo driver's and it all started when a Victorian FIFO miner was mistakenly detained in a Queensland quarantine hotel on his way to work there and by the time that they finally cleared him he had been infected with a strain linked to a businessman staying there. Questions are now being asked of the feds as to why they have been allowing this un-vaccinated businessman to be frequently travelling backwards and forwards from Indonesia during a so called closed border (or are there different rules for rich mates?).

Anyhow with overlapping shifts that mine could have up to 1700 individuals running across each other and it seems that their employer isn't very forthcoming with looking after all those locked down workers in that camp of theirs ATM.

Locked-down workers at Northern Territory mine threaten to riot.

Deary me... Those conditions sound badly worse than a foreign desert prison! That mining company looks to be completely uncaring negligent...

Such is the contagious nature of contagions...


Good luck for keeping the COVID infections isolated.

Stay safe folks!
Martin

---

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Just a simply obvious headline from real-world happenings:


England, UK: COVID-19 vaccines have prevented 7.2 million infections and 27,000 deaths
wrote:

... the vaccination programme has prevented between 6.4 and 7.9 million infections and 26,000 and 28,000 deaths in England alone...

Note: Those numbers are just for England alone!


Stay safe folks!
Martin

---

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Doesn't bode well for the 40,000 at Wembley on Tuesday.
Football linked to 2,000 cases in Scotland

Such events and consequences just reinforce my belief that watching football is a very dangerous pastime.

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