The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
WTFH has Trump got to do with anything?
Macron is still the President of Britain's nearest neighbour. Just yesterday he did a massive, dirty shit right on top of the most important vaccine of the lot, and didn't even bother to wash his disgusting hands afterwards.
The point is that if you do not have a solid track record of calling out Donald Trump for 5 years of relentless bullshitting and bigotry your effectiveness in calling out instances of it now in other politicians is hampered.
The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
WTFH has Trump got to do with anything?
Macron is still the President of Britain's nearest neighbour. Just yesterday he did a massive, dirty shit right on top of the most important vaccine of the lot, and didn't even bother to wash his disgusting hands afterwards.
Implying that I consider Macron to now be at Trump's level. I don't need to have been criticising Trump constantly for that to be valid.
Nevertheless only one of them seems to have made a vein in your prolapse burst, and in a very short period. I'm sensing that vein may have been ready to blow for quite a long time.
The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
Over the years PB dumped a million tons of ordure all over Trump. It wasn't an expl;sive one off, because Trump was consistently repugnant and outrageous over his entire ghastly presidency
Macron has in the past been a bit annoying and vain, but generally quite competent and sane, Yesterday, however, he suddenly evolved into a psychotic idiot hell-bent on destroying Europe's vaccination drive, and killing loads of his own citizens, while scaring millions more
So yes, the reaction has been more spectacular, because it is so sudden and unexpected. And so very very dangerous
The only thing missing from his outburst would have claimed that it uses aborted foetuses and contains pork...
Just to make sure the religious don't get tempted by the British vaccine.
A fairly safe assumption is that the previous Bus Sec thought it a good idea to see if they could remove some rights and that the new one disagrees?
Alternatively - someone in the department thought that during the changeover, it was good idea to try creating policies and then saddling the new minister with them.
No, I'm not joking. There are a number of ministerial memoirs from various political parties, with ministers discovering that policies have been created in their name, publicly, before they had actually entered the building. I remember one, where the permanent secretary tried telling the Minister it was very rude to cancel policies he wasn't responsible for and didn't want.
A friend of mine was fairly senior in MAFF or whatever it is currently called (he has since left). I asked him what his former colleagues thought of Brexit. He said they mostly thought it was great, they can think up policies again rather than negotiate interminably with EU institutions. No more expenses-paid trips to Brussels though.
No more expenses-paid trips to Brussels sounds like a pro not a con!
Brussels is a bit boring, agreed, but the Belgians eat well and have a unique beer culture that has managed not to get trashed by multinationals (so far). If you like that sort if thing, of course.
We are due to have our first jab and I have a genuine question which I hope Foxy or someone else who knows what they are talking about will respond to.
I get that Macron and Germany might well be playing politics with the notion that the AZN vaccine has low effectiveness for the over 65s. It is also my understanding that in the UK we have taken the decision to use Pfizer for the over 65s and AZN for the rest. If this is the case then does it not indicate that their may be some concern about the effectiveness of AZN for those over 65.
I think your understanding is wrong. AZN is being used for all age groups. Most intitially were Pfizer as this was what they had. AZN has been approved for use by the MHRA and the EMA for all ages.
Yes, it seems pretty random (unfortunately IMO, Olly's policy would be better, since Pfizer has the higher effectiveness so it makes sense to use it for the most vulnerable groups). A friend who is 75 got the AZ vaccine yesterday.
I get mine on Tuesday (don't know which). The enquiry was curiously tentative - "We could now offer you a vaccination. Would you be interested in doing that?" "Yes, of course." "It'll be at 8.27 on Tuesday, I know that's awfully earlky, will that be OK?" "Yes!" Just a very polite volunteer, I guess.
Didn't you ask? You wont want to get the wrong one when it comes to the second jab.
Yes, she said she didn't know. I'll ask when I get it.
Did they tell you to get the Eurostar and pick it up from a Belgian contact? If so it's Pfizer.
Did the nurse emerge out of a dry ice fog, like (Not) in Ice Station Zebra?
Apparently you go to the big square in Brussels to the cafe and ask for Rene..... #secretarmy
Are the vaccines hidden in the candle with 'andle on the gateau from the chateau, or are they the pill from the till, or is it in the jug with the drug? #alloallo
--AS
You stupid person (tm rene). Can you not see that this must be secret.
It remains terribly sad that ‘Secret Army’ - one of the best BBC television drama series ever made, which certainly stands the test of time (not least for its mature and before-its-time portrayal of the tensions and conflicts within the German side) has been eclipsed by a puerile sitcom the BBC foolishly chose to make in its wake.
Nah. I absolutely love Secret Army, just brilliant. But that doesn't detract from the fact that, for its first few series at least, Allo Allo was just genius, not least because it showed everyone to be flawed irrespective of nationality.
Never really got the Allo Allo thing, but in any case surely it indicates the gap between UK and European experiences of the war. Maybe someone will prove me wrong but I very much doubt the French could make a crude and puerile* farce about the occupation (my view may be coloured by having just watched a not very good but still horrifying documentary on the Das Reich Division's activities in France in the wee small hours this morning).
*I'm a big fan of puerile usually in case anyone thought otherwise.
Whether they could make it or not, the dubbed French version is extremely popular in France, so perhaps they have more of a sense of humour about it than you give them credit for.
The EU's top negotiator on vaccine contracts, Sandra Gallina, has defended the EU's collective approach on vaccines, arguing that doses collectively purchased will "come first", ahead of those secured under bilateral deals.
During a hearing in the European Parliament's environment and public health committee, Gallina said she was "confused" by recent reports of bilateral deals because the EU's overall strategy forbids member states from negotiating individually.
"I have not seen yet one [bilateral deal], I do not think I will ever. They do not exist based on what I have been told, [but in any case], the quantities [purchased] for Europe come first," Gallina told MEPs on Tuesday (12 January).
"This has been a united effort that has gotten us the doses that as a single country, big as the country can be, would have never received," Gallina warned.
Meanwhile, the commission expects to see faster deliveries of vaccines from April, as already agreed in the existing contracts.
The second quarter "is going to be the quarter with many doses".
That's a full 2 months away!
2 month's is bad, but there are some surprising countries set to do far worse according to this map. From The Economist, so maybe not foolproof...
I hope they are right but I fear they will struggle to reach that in France particularly given that half the population say they won't take the jab. Does anyone know what resistance to vaccination is like in any other countries apart from France and the UK? It is something that might become importance as we get towards the end of the year.
Asia essentially off limits until late 2022; Africa until 2023. That's a hell of long time for new mutations to take hold.
We are going to have to get vast amounts of vaccine produced and in arms outside America/Europe, as a global priority.
I may be in a minority on here but my view is once we have adequately vaccinated our population, we should be leading the way in getting the vaccine to the poorest parts of Africa
This is the kind of thing I want our armed forces to be involved with and it would be a superb example of what "Global Britain" is all about.
I don't think you are in a minority at all, in fact I think you're in the vast majority - there is just a question over what 'adequately vaccinated' means and therefore when we are in a position to help others.
That's a more interesting question.
There are still unanswered questions over the long term potency of the vaccines currently being administered. Will the same protection exist in 3 months or 6 months? Hopefully we can get the second vaccination programme rolling as soon as possible to improve our overall protection.
It's entirely likely the vaccines themselves will improve with time and it may be we'll only need vaccination every two years or perhaps every five for example. For now, we don't really know if the vaccinations being provided now will still provide immunity by the autumn.
This is the problem - we may have to keep vaccinating as the immunity of those vaccinated at the start of the process fades and we need to start the whole process again.
I don't know and this is a question to which nobody seems to have an answer.
The issue of providing vaccines to others is part of that uncertainty - I'd still like us to be involved in getting the first vaccination to the poorest countries but our population must come first - the intention can be expressed and the logistics prepared so we can move quickly as and when.
The EU today passed a regulation instructing its customs authorities to block all COVID-19 vaccine exports to some 100 countries worldwide, unless they receive an export authorization from national governments in the EU.
EU officials told POLITICO the regulation would be published today and enter into force on Saturday.
"Today, the European Commission has adopted an implementing regulation making the export of certain products subject to an export authorization," trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis said at a press conference. "The challenges we now face left us with no other choice but to act."
The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
WTFH has Trump got to do with anything?
Macron is still the President of Britain's nearest neighbour. Just yesterday he did a massive, dirty shit right on top of the most important vaccine of the lot, and didn't even bother to wash his disgusting hands afterwards.
The point is that if you do not have a solid track record of calling out Donald Trump for 5 years of relentless bullshitting and bigotry your effectiveness in calling out instances of it now in other politicians is hampered.
I have a rock solid record and I say Macron and the Commission are becoming as bad as Trump this week. Their attacks on AZN are as hate filled, fallacious and rotten as Trumps attacks on Dominion.
If you can't call out Trumpism when it is on our own doorstep then you lose all integrity. This week you have lost your integrity.
Doesn't seen massively surprising in most cases. The EU has been slow to accelerate, but has supplies coming and the ability to ramp up quickly when they do have the supplies, not as rich places with massive populations will struggle and poor place are screwed (but fortunately have been hit less hard up until now at least).
Australia, Canada and Norway are surprises though.
I may be in a minority on here but my view is once we have adequately vaccinated our population, we should be leading the way in getting the vaccine to the poorest parts of Africa
This is the kind of thing I want our armed forces to be involved with and it would be a superb example of what "Global Britain" is all about.
Not in a minority at all just rather late to say it. However, quite a few are of the view that vaccines should be sent to the EU first to help them out. My personal view would stick with the world's poorest.
Brussels is a bit boring, agreed, but the Belgians eat well and have a unique beer culture that has managed not to get trashed by multinationals (so far). If you like that sort if thing, of course.
Brussels airport as a hub is soooooo much nicer than Schipol
We have an office in the nice part of Brussels, but all my time there is spent on a grungy industrial estate
The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
WTFH has Trump got to do with anything?
Macron is still the President of Britain's nearest neighbour. Just yesterday he did a massive, dirty shit right on top of the most important vaccine of the lot, and didn't even bother to wash his disgusting hands afterwards.
The point is that if you do not have a solid track record of calling out Donald Trump for 5 years of relentless bullshitting and bigotry your effectiveness in calling out instances of it now in other politicians is hampered.
I'm quite happy for you and TUD and anyone else to think my "effectiveness" is "hampered". Macron remains an imbecilic and dangerous cunt.
I may be in a minority on here but my view is once we have adequately vaccinated our population, we should be leading the way in getting the vaccine to the poorest parts of Africa
This is the kind of thing I want our armed forces to be involved with and it would be a superb example of what "Global Britain" is all about.
I don't think you are in a minority at all, in fact I think you're in the vast majority - there is just a question over what 'adequately vaccinated' means and therefore when we are in a position to help others.
That's a more interesting question.
There are still unanswered questions over the long term potency of the vaccines currently being administered. Will the same protection exist in 3 months or 6 months? Hopefully we can get the second vaccination programme rolling as soon as possible to improve our overall protection.
It's entirely likely the vaccines themselves will improve with time and it may be we'll only need vaccination every two years or perhaps every five for example. For now, we don't really know if the vaccinations being provided now will still provide immunity by the autumn.
This is the problem - we may have to keep vaccinating as the immunity of those vaccinated at the start of the process fades and we need to start the whole process again.
I don't know and this is a question to which nobody seems to have an answer.
The issue of providing vaccines to others is part of that uncertainty - I'd still like us to be involved in getting the first vaccination to the poorest countries but our population must come first - the intention can be expressed and the logistics prepared so we can move quickly as and when.
I think it is a near certainly that as soon as we finish by the autumn, the oldies will be getting jabbed again for the winter with an updated version.
The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
WTFH has Trump got to do with anything?
Macron is still the President of Britain's nearest neighbour. Just yesterday he did a massive, dirty shit right on top of the most important vaccine of the lot, and didn't even bother to wash his disgusting hands afterwards.
The point is that if you do not have a solid track record of calling out Donald Trump for 5 years of relentless bullshitting and bigotry your effectiveness in calling out instances of it now in other politicians is hampered.
I have a rock solid record and I say Macron and the Commission are becoming as bad as Trump this week. Their attacks on AZN are as hate filled, fallacious and rotten as Trumps attacks on Dominion.
If you can't call out Trumpism when it is on our own doorstep then you lose all integrity. This week you have lost your integrity.
The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
WTFH has Trump got to do with anything?
Macron is still the President of Britain's nearest neighbour. Just yesterday he did a massive, dirty shit right on top of the most important vaccine of the lot, and didn't even bother to wash his disgusting hands afterwards.
Implying that I consider Macron to now be at Trump's level. I don't need to have been criticising Trump constantly for that to be valid.
Nevertheless only one of them seems to have made a vein in your prolapse burst, and in a very short period. I'm sensing that vein may have been ready to blow for quite a long time.
Only one of them is publicly shitting on a vaccine.
I may be in a minority on here but my view is once we have adequately vaccinated our population, we should be leading the way in getting the vaccine to the poorest parts of Africa
This is the kind of thing I want our armed forces to be involved with and it would be a superb example of what "Global Britain" is all about.
I don't think you are in a minority at all, in fact I think you're in the vast majority - there is just a question over what 'adequately vaccinated' means and therefore when we are in a position to help others.
That's a more interesting question.
There are still unanswered questions over the long term potency of the vaccines currently being administered. Will the same protection exist in 3 months or 6 months? Hopefully we can get the second vaccination programme rolling as soon as possible to improve our overall protection.
It's entirely likely the vaccines themselves will improve with time and it may be we'll only need vaccination every two years or perhaps every five for example. For now, we don't really know if the vaccinations being provided now will still provide immunity by the autumn.
This is the problem - we may have to keep vaccinating as the immunity of those vaccinated at the start of the process fades and we need to start the whole process again.
I don't know and this is a question to which nobody seems to have an answer.
The issue of providing vaccines to others is part of that uncertainty - I'd still like us to be involved in getting the first vaccination to the poorest countries but our population must come first - the intention can be expressed and the logistics prepared so we can move quickly as and when.
I think it is a near certainly that as soon as we finish by the autumn, the oldies will be getting jabbed again for the winter with an updated version.
There are two separate issues.
- Will further jabs be necessary to prevent future infection? - Will further jabs be necessary to prevent future serious infection?
A fairly safe assumption is that the previous Bus Sec thought it a good idea to see if they could remove some rights and that the new one disagrees?
Alternatively - someone in the department thought that during the changeover, it was good idea to try creating policies and then saddling the new minister with them.
No, I'm not joking. There are a number of ministerial memoirs from various political parties, with ministers discovering that policies have been created in their name, publicly, before they had actually entered the building. I remember one, where the permanent secretary tried telling the Minister it was very rude to cancel policies he wasn't responsible for and didn't want.
A friend of mine was fairly senior in MAFF or whatever it is currently called (he has since left). I asked him what his former colleagues thought of Brexit. He said they mostly thought it was great, they can think up policies again rather than negotiate interminably with EU institutions. No more expenses-paid trips to Brussels though.
No more expenses-paid trips to Brussels sounds like a pro not a con!
Brussels is a bit boring, agreed, but the Belgians eat well and have a unique beer culture that has managed not to get trashed by multinationals (so far). If you like that sort if thing, of course.
"The rules also back-date to three months ago, giving Brussels the ability to snoop on past vaccine shipments after Brussels accused AstraZeneca of sending doses meant for Europe to Britain."
What's the betting they find that the UK has already had more than its fair share...by the nature we approved it faster, we will have been getting more deliveries.
If AZ have lied to the EU about deliveries from the EU to UK then the EU would have a justified point?
AZ is a total distraction....we saw that from the contract release yesterday. It is about the UK getting their deliveries of Pfizer vaccine.
It is all a distraction to fill news cycles! All of it.
Erm. Vaccinating 8 million people at approaching 12% of our population when most of the EU is languishing at c. 1-2% is not a distraction nor mere news cycle filling.
It's life and death.
The statistic which leapt out at me is that *globally* only 50m people have been vaccinated - of which the UK is 8m. Everyone has done well to get here - invidious to single out anyone as they all played their part
I am surprised how slow China is being. They have 2 vaccines they claim work and huge resources to manufacture and have shown when they need to do millions of tests in a few days they just order all their people to do so, no ifs, no buts.
We are due to have our first jab and I have a genuine question which I hope Foxy or someone else who knows what they are talking about will respond to.
I get that Macron and Germany might well be playing politics with the notion that the AZN vaccine has low effectiveness for the over 65s. It is also my understanding that in the UK we have taken the decision to use Pfizer for the over 65s and AZN for the rest. If this is the case then does it not indicate that their may be some concern about the effectiveness of AZN for those over 65.
I think your understanding is wrong. AZN is being used for all age groups. Most intitially were Pfizer as this was what they had. AZN has been approved for use by the MHRA and the EMA for all ages.
Yes, it seems pretty random (unfortunately IMO, Olly's policy would be better, since Pfizer has the higher effectiveness so it makes sense to use it for the most vulnerable groups). A friend who is 75 got the AZ vaccine yesterday.
I get mine on Tuesday (don't know which). The enquiry was curiously tentative - "We could now offer you a vaccination. Would you be interested in doing that?" "Yes, of course." "It'll be at 8.27 on Tuesday, I know that's awfully earlky, will that be OK?" "Yes!" Just a very polite volunteer, I guess.
Didn't you ask? You wont want to get the wrong one when it comes to the second jab.
Yes, she said she didn't know. I'll ask when I get it.
Did they tell you to get the Eurostar and pick it up from a Belgian contact? If so it's Pfizer.
Did the nurse emerge out of a dry ice fog, like (Not) in Ice Station Zebra?
Apparently you go to the big square in Brussels to the cafe and ask for Rene..... #secretarmy
Are the vaccines hidden in the candle with 'andle on the gateau from the chateau, or are they the pill from the till, or is it in the jug with the drug? #alloallo
--AS
You stupid person (tm rene). Can you not see that this must be secret.
It remains terribly sad that ‘Secret Army’ - one of the best BBC television drama series ever made, which certainly stands the test of time (not least for its mature and before-its-time portrayal of the tensions and conflicts within the German side) has been eclipsed by a puerile sitcom the BBC foolishly chose to make in its wake.
Nah. I absolutely love Secret Army, just brilliant. But that doesn't detract from the fact that, for its first few series at least, Allo Allo was just genius, not least because it showed everyone to be flawed irrespective of nationality.
Never really got the Allo Allo thing, but in any case surely it indicates the gap between UK and European experiences of the war. Maybe someone will prove me wrong but I very much doubt the French could make a crude and puerile* farce about the occupation (my view may be coloured by having just watched a not very good but still horrifying documentary on the Das Reich Division's activities in France in the wee small hours this morning).
*I'm a big fan of puerile usually in case anyone thought otherwise.
Whether they could make it or not, the dubbed French version is extremely popular in France, so perhaps they have more of a sense of humour about it than you give them credit for.
An expert on French TV ratings now, is there no end to your areas of expertise?! What were its viewing figures?
No idea, but you don't keep purchasing 9 series comprising 85 episodes if nobody's watching.
I may be in a minority on here but my view is once we have adequately vaccinated our population, we should be leading the way in getting the vaccine to the poorest parts of Africa
This is the kind of thing I want our armed forces to be involved with and it would be a superb example of what "Global Britain" is all about.
I don't think you are in a minority at all, in fact I think you're in the vast majority - there is just a question over what 'adequately vaccinated' means and therefore when we are in a position to help others.
That's a more interesting question.
There are still unanswered questions over the long term potency of the vaccines currently being administered. Will the same protection exist in 3 months or 6 months? Hopefully we can get the second vaccination programme rolling as soon as possible to improve our overall protection.
It's entirely likely the vaccines themselves will improve with time and it may be we'll only need vaccination every two years or perhaps every five for example. For now, we don't really know if the vaccinations being provided now will still provide immunity by the autumn.
This is the problem - we may have to keep vaccinating as the immunity of those vaccinated at the start of the process fades and we need to start the whole process again.
I don't know and this is a question to which nobody seems to have an answer.
The issue of providing vaccines to others is part of that uncertainty - I'd still like us to be involved in getting the first vaccination to the poorest countries but our population must come first - the intention can be expressed and the logistics prepared so we can move quickly as and when.
I think it is a near certainly that as soon as we finish by the autumn, the oldies will be getting jabbed again for the winter with an updated version.
There are two separate issues.
- Will further jabs be necessary to prevent future infection? - Will further jabs be necessary to prevent future serious infection?
I think the future will be - what do we immunise against in this years round of immunisations? Think annual flu jabs but for everyone.
Ursula surely has to fall on her sword so we can all move on
?.....as far as been reported the EU still intend to count out every vaccine for export and potentially ban them for basically no reason beyond we don't think its fair.
We are due to have our first jab and I have a genuine question which I hope Foxy or someone else who knows what they are talking about will respond to.
I get that Macron and Germany might well be playing politics with the notion that the AZN vaccine has low effectiveness for the over 65s. It is also my understanding that in the UK we have taken the decision to use Pfizer for the over 65s and AZN for the rest. If this is the case then does it not indicate that their may be some concern about the effectiveness of AZN for those over 65.
I think your understanding is wrong. AZN is being used for all age groups. Most intitially were Pfizer as this was what they had. AZN has been approved for use by the MHRA and the EMA for all ages.
Yes, it seems pretty random (unfortunately IMO, Olly's policy would be better, since Pfizer has the higher effectiveness so it makes sense to use it for the most vulnerable groups). A friend who is 75 got the AZ vaccine yesterday.
I get mine on Tuesday (don't know which). The enquiry was curiously tentative - "We could now offer you a vaccination. Would you be interested in doing that?" "Yes, of course." "It'll be at 8.27 on Tuesday, I know that's awfully earlky, will that be OK?" "Yes!" Just a very polite volunteer, I guess.
Didn't you ask? You wont want to get the wrong one when it comes to the second jab.
Yes, she said she didn't know. I'll ask when I get it.
Did they tell you to get the Eurostar and pick it up from a Belgian contact? If so it's Pfizer.
Did the nurse emerge out of a dry ice fog, like (Not) in Ice Station Zebra?
Apparently you go to the big square in Brussels to the cafe and ask for Rene..... #secretarmy
Are the vaccines hidden in the candle with 'andle on the gateau from the chateau, or are they the pill from the till, or is it in the jug with the drug? #alloallo
--AS
You stupid person (tm rene). Can you not see that this must be secret.
It remains terribly sad that ‘Secret Army’ - one of the best BBC television drama series ever made, which certainly stands the test of time (not least for its mature and before-its-time portrayal of the tensions and conflicts within the German side) has been eclipsed by a puerile sitcom the BBC foolishly chose to make in its wake.
Nah. I absolutely love Secret Army, just brilliant. But that doesn't detract from the fact that, for its first few series at least, Allo Allo was just genius, not least because it showed everyone to be flawed irrespective of nationality.
Never really got the Allo Allo thing, but in any case surely it indicates the gap between UK and European experiences of the war. Maybe someone will prove me wrong but I very much doubt the French could make a crude and puerile* farce about the occupation (my view may be coloured by having just watched a not very good but still horrifying documentary on the Das Reich Division's activities in France in the wee small hours this morning).
*I'm a big fan of puerile usually in case anyone thought otherwise.
Whether they could make it or not, the dubbed French version is extremely popular in France, so perhaps they have more of a sense of humour about it than you give them credit for.
An expert on French TV ratings now, is there no end to your areas of expertise?! What were its viewing figures?
No idea, but you don't keep purchasing 9 series comprising 85 episodes if nobody's watching.
I'm now slightly disappointed in your level of expertise on French TV ratings, but fear not, I believe you still possess your integrity!
So what's this about. The protestors have built a tunnel against the opposition of those trying to construct the project. It's not very safe (unsurprisingly), and the protestors are complaining that not enough is being done to ensure their safety. Or they could, you know, come out?
We are due to have our first jab and I have a genuine question which I hope Foxy or someone else who knows what they are talking about will respond to.
I get that Macron and Germany might well be playing politics with the notion that the AZN vaccine has low effectiveness for the over 65s. It is also my understanding that in the UK we have taken the decision to use Pfizer for the over 65s and AZN for the rest. If this is the case then does it not indicate that their may be some concern about the effectiveness of AZN for those over 65.
I think your understanding is wrong. AZN is being used for all age groups. Most intitially were Pfizer as this was what they had. AZN has been approved for use by the MHRA and the EMA for all ages.
Yes, it seems pretty random (unfortunately IMO, Olly's policy would be better, since Pfizer has the higher effectiveness so it makes sense to use it for the most vulnerable groups). A friend who is 75 got the AZ vaccine yesterday.
I get mine on Tuesday (don't know which). The enquiry was curiously tentative - "We could now offer you a vaccination. Would you be interested in doing that?" "Yes, of course." "It'll be at 8.27 on Tuesday, I know that's awfully earlky, will that be OK?" "Yes!" Just a very polite volunteer, I guess.
Didn't you ask? You wont want to get the wrong one when it comes to the second jab.
Yes, she said she didn't know. I'll ask when I get it.
Did they tell you to get the Eurostar and pick it up from a Belgian contact? If so it's Pfizer.
Did the nurse emerge out of a dry ice fog, like (Not) in Ice Station Zebra?
Apparently you go to the big square in Brussels to the cafe and ask for Rene..... #secretarmy
Are the vaccines hidden in the candle with 'andle on the gateau from the chateau, or are they the pill from the till, or is it in the jug with the drug? #alloallo
--AS
You stupid person (tm rene). Can you not see that this must be secret.
It remains terribly sad that ‘Secret Army’ - one of the best BBC television drama series ever made, which certainly stands the test of time (not least for its mature and before-its-time portrayal of the tensions and conflicts within the German side) has been eclipsed by a puerile sitcom the BBC foolishly chose to make in its wake.
Nah. I absolutely love Secret Army, just brilliant. But that doesn't detract from the fact that, for its first few series at least, Allo Allo was just genius, not least because it showed everyone to be flawed irrespective of nationality.
Never really got the Allo Allo thing, but in any case surely it indicates the gap between UK and European experiences of the war. Maybe someone will prove me wrong but I very much doubt the French could make a crude and puerile* farce about the occupation (my view may be coloured by having just watched a not very good but still horrifying documentary on the Das Reich Division's activities in France in the wee small hours this morning).
*I'm a big fan of puerile usually in case anyone thought otherwise.
Whether they could make it or not, the dubbed French version is extremely popular in France, so perhaps they have more of a sense of humour about it than you give them credit for.
How did they dub "good moaning?"
They had the actor speak in very badly mispronounced French (as Officer Crabtree was meant to be doing). I don't know how much innuendo they managed to get in, as French probably doesn't lend itself quite as well, but I think it's still very funny.
The EU's top negotiator on vaccine contracts, Sandra Gallina, has defended the EU's collective approach on vaccines, arguing that doses collectively purchased will "come first", ahead of those secured under bilateral deals.
During a hearing in the European Parliament's environment and public health committee, Gallina said she was "confused" by recent reports of bilateral deals because the EU's overall strategy forbids member states from negotiating individually.
"I have not seen yet one [bilateral deal], I do not think I will ever. They do not exist based on what I have been told, [but in any case], the quantities [purchased] for Europe come first," Gallina told MEPs on Tuesday (12 January).
"This has been a united effort that has gotten us the doses that as a single country, big as the country can be, would have never received," Gallina warned.
Meanwhile, the commission expects to see faster deliveries of vaccines from April, as already agreed in the existing contracts.
The second quarter "is going to be the quarter with many doses".
That's a full 2 months away!
2 month's is bad, but there are some surprising countries set to do far worse according to this map. From The Economist, so maybe not foolproof...
I hope they are right but I fear they will struggle to reach that in France particularly given that half the population say they won't take the jab. Does anyone know what resistance to vaccination is like in any other countries apart from France and the UK? It is something that might become importance as we get towards the end of the year.
Spain is now at 60% certain and around 70% as probable.
Views might change if deaths start increasing - I know a couple of people here that change their minds when this new wave in UK really took off - and more and more of us know people who are seriously ill or dead.
Incidentally - I mentioned previously a mate of my son's who caught covid from work and passed it onto his entire family. The dad died Thursday - underlying issues but in his 50's
So what's this about. The protestors have built a tunnel against the opposition of those trying to construct the project. It's not very safe (unsurprisingly), and the protestors are complaining that not enough is being done to ensure their safety. Or they could, you know, come out?
Dickheads....fine them £10k for breaking covid rules.
Ursula surely has to fall on her sword so we can all move on
?.....as far as been reported the EU still intend to count out every vaccine for export and potentially ban them for basically no reason beyond we don't think its fair.
Brussels has backed down from plans to impose export controls on vaccines that threatened the shipment of 3.5million Pfizer doses to Britain.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the assurance to Boris Johnson after announcing an extraordinary embargo on jabs leaving the bloc amid dwindling supplies on the Continent.
In my experience in life the most difficult people to deal with are those who never change their mind.
Events shift. Facts evolve. So must we.
I certainly hadn’t fully processed just how bad the EU is likely to keep looking from the outside (they might not do anything this egregious too often, but they’ll do other stuff). My slight worry we’d end up rejoining is falling away.
I would have campaigned hard to rejoin. And, personally, I was beginning to look at houses in Scotland for retirement in what I thought would become an EU country.
No more. After the disgraceful behaviour of the EU and, far worse, the manner in which they have crapped all over their own citizens there's no chance I will ever support them again. They have acted like the worst examples of an old centralist Communist dictatorship, even evoking the idea that solidarity comes before production. They have made an appalling mess of the most important job since their inception.
We got out just in time. Now we need to face out and strike trade deals around the world.
That's pretty much exactly how I feel. I thought Brexit was a disastrous mistake. Now I think it was the right thing to do.
I never liked the undemocratic nature of the EU. But I'd never seen a demonstration of just how dangerous the consequences could be.
How can anyone trust the EU Commission to comply with even the most minimal standards of behaviour after this? Disregard for the well-being of their own people, and contempt for everyone else.
My sentiments exactly.
And to Roger, this isn't about 'being flaky' ffs. This is people's lives we're talking about. It is the biggest crisis since the second world war, without a shadow of doubt, and the EU have flunked it. Since when they have lashed out at the British for getting on with the job of vaccinating their citizens as the EU should have done.
I was a remainer but I will never again support the EU after this. Everything that you thought could be bad about an over-centralised bureaucracy has come to the fore. Hideous red tape that is, literally, going to kill their own people.
As the country with the most deaths in Europe it ill behoves the UK to say 'the EU have flunked it'. What's the debate about if it isn't about saving lives which the the UK government have singularly failed to do
Those praising British vaccine policy are well aware of our failings early on with this pandemic. The NYT piece, like Janet Street-Porter's in yesterday's Mail, acknowledge that. Some of our deaths are undoubtedly also not down to the Gov't but our freedom aspiring recalcitrance and, continued, refusal to wear masks, socially distance and follow rules. But yes we messed it up.
However, as vaccines are the way out of this I strongly suggest you wait for the final tally rather than the one at half-time.
I just find it mind boggling to see otherwise intelligent people answer everything with a chorus of Rule Britannia
Little minds get boggled easily - Ode to Joy is little better. What is your view of Macron's anti-vax comments?
Perhaps he just got bored with the English Exceptionalists and decided to follow the old proverb "Those who the gods wish to destroy they first make mad" and it seems to be working
We seem to be ok with vaccine provision, here in the UK, but have we adequate stocks of paper bags for the PB Euro-hating hyperventilators to breath into?
I voted Remain and live in Spain where vaccinations have paused. I think I'm allowed to vent a little when the authorities I rely on behave badly.
Why not complain to the Spanish rather than venting your Little Englander crap on here when you don't even live in the country.
I do and I complain about the EU as they are in charge. You could try moderating your language your nasty prejudices about where people choose to live show your true colours.
It is your choice to live there, I don't give a rat's arse where you live. I am interested in where I live.
I thought you wanted to live in the EU too? Indeed that's now one of the central arguments of the Scottish 'independence' movement. I suspect you might need an answer on the vaccine issue as if the unionists have any sense they will hammer you on it.
Frank don't be a silly boy. Living in a member country of the EU does not mean you live in a fictional country called the EU. We have plenty of vaccines by the way , we have paid up front for them and have cast iron contracts. Toodlepip.
Thanks to Kate Bingham and the UK government.
I know where I live Max and who the government are, perhaps you should be trying to educate Frank rather than myself. He does not seem to understand that Scotland is in fact still in the UK and has paid upfront for our vaccines via our government using our money.
The Scottish government led vaccine procurement for Scotland?
Rob, don't be silly , you well know the Tories hide everything from the Scottish government and are scared that if they ever included them in anything they would be shown up for the fools they are.
I'll take that as a no.
We would be in far better shape if they had been running the show for sure and much less largesse for the chumocracy.
Well the Scottish government is in charge of the roll out of the vaccine Malcolm and they are bloody slow. They were also in charge of testing where we again lagged behind the rest of the UK substantially.
And so far as I can see the chumocracy has currently provided:
The third highest level of testing per million of any large or medium sized country in the world. The first approved vaccine. A remarkably high strike rate in vaccines that we invested in. Massive domestic production created almost from scratch to protect ourselves from fools such as the EU. The best roll out of vaccines of any large country in the world and better than all except Israel of medium sized countries.
It does rather suggest to me that part of the Scottish problem is that Nicola's chums are useless twats like the last 2 health secretaries.
David, they chose to do the most fragile difficult cases first and then all the health workers. They could have been a bit further ahead if taking the low hanging fruit like England but we see the difference in death rates every day and our ratio is way way below England so I am happy to be a bit slower but prioritise the most vulnerable cases. I have my appointment and so they are doing people in 60's which does not appear to be that slow to me.
I think that that was true initially when there was a greater emphasis on getting to care homes etc which would have reduced the rate of inoculation. I am not so sure that it is true now. My mother in law (84) got hers last week and we seem to have been concentrating on the general older population for a couple of weeks now. And yet still the gap persists. Yesterday England has 437,866 , we have 27515. Its disappointing.
What seems to have happened is that in Scotland we have relied very heavily on the Health Boards whilst in England they have been much more willing to add additional capacity outwith the normal patterns to get this done.
I still think vulnerable first is the way David, save as many as possible rather than trying to get front page headlines to try and deflect from previous horlicks.
No it isn't. You do as many people as possible at the same time. Doses sitting in the fridge means there's people who could potentially end up in hospital. People aged 60 and over all have a non-negligible risk of hospitalisation so the strategy in England, Wales and NI of reaching down the priority list ensures that those people will be partially protected sooner. Just because you use a vaccine dose on someone aged 68 it doesn't mean you're taking it away from someone aged 84, we're not supply limited to that extent.
It is only Tory propaganda that anything is sitting in a fridge, that was debunked a few weeks ago when they said same thing and then squealed when SNP published the numbers to prove it was hogwash. They started again last week and are now wetting their pants as Sturgeon has promised to publish again and prove them wrong yet again.
So what's this about. The protestors have built a tunnel against the opposition of those trying to construct the project. It's not very safe (unsurprisingly), and the protestors are complaining that not enough is being done to ensure their safety. Or they could, you know, come out?
Look, I'm against HS2, albeit for different reasons, but...huh?
The activists say HS2’s eviction techniques are putting their lives at risk while HS2 blames the protesters and the way the tunnel has been constructed for putting their own lives at risk.
Larch Maxey, one of the activists in the tunnel, said: “HS2 are endangering our lives yet again. They need to help us make the tunnel safe. They have made this an urgent situation. We haven’t got the air supply.” He said the eviction team were preventing the tunnellers from clearing soil and water from the tunnel, which was making it very dangerous.
Earlier he had told journalists via video that the tunnellers had had a chance to sleep for a couple of hours on Thursday after a previous sleepless night due to HS2 contractors continually working
There are still unanswered questions over the long term potency of the vaccines currently being administered. Will the same protection exist in 3 months or 6 months? Hopefully we can get the second vaccination programme rolling as soon as possible to improve our overall protection.
It's entirely likely the vaccines themselves will improve with time and it may be we'll only need vaccination every two years or perhaps every five for example. For now, we don't really know if the vaccinations being provided now will still provide immunity by the autumn.
This is the problem - we may have to keep vaccinating as the immunity of those vaccinated at the start of the process fades and we need to start the whole process again.
I don't know and this is a question to which nobody seems to have an answer.
The issue of providing vaccines to others is part of that uncertainty - I'd still like us to be involved in getting the first vaccination to the poorest countries but our population must come first - the intention can be expressed and the logistics prepared so we can move quickly as and when.
I think it is a near certainly that as soon as we finish by the autumn, the oldies will be getting jabbed again for the winter with an updated version.
I'm not sure who you are calling "the oldies" but I think you're right. I also agree vaccines will improve both in terms of efficacy and in terms of the length of immunity provided.
That said, and it's a poor pun, it's an "arms race" as I imagine the virus will be evolving as well and new variants have and will continue to emerge. The problem will be if one emerges which is resistant to all current vaccines - I think that's unlikely in the short term. Longer term, a virus will emerge which will be new and resistant to all current vaccines - it's happened before, it will happen again.
Brussels is a bit boring, agreed, but the Belgians eat well and have a unique beer culture that has managed not to get trashed by multinationals (so far). If you like that sort if thing, of course.
Brussels airport as a hub is soooooo much nicer than Schipol
We have an office in the nice part of Brussels, but all my time there is spent on a grungy industrial estate
Ursula surely has to fall on her sword so we can all move on
?.....as far as been reported the EU still intend to count out every vaccine for export and potentially ban them for basically no reason beyond we don't think its fair.
Brussels has backed down from plans to impose export controls on vaccines that threatened the shipment of 3.5million Pfizer doses to Britain.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the assurance to Boris Johnson after announcing an extraordinary embargo on jabs leaving the bloc amid dwindling supplies on the Continent.
She's made blaming the EU for things so much easier, on so many issues. Something will come up, Boris can blame the EU, they'll deny it, then this incident will be brought up, and while the precise details won't be right, Boris will be able to point to enough that is true to muddle the waters.
If Scotland was vaccinating a the same rate as England they would have done 43,000 jabs today, not 28,000 - which probably would have taken us over 500,000
I can't comprehend the Scottish figures.
Either they're throwing a lot of doses in the bin, or they're accumulating a mammoth stockpile.
Neither makes sense.
If Scotland was vaccinating at the same rate as England they would have done 704k by now, not 543k
Usual Scotland BAD from you. Have you ever had anything positive to say about Scotland in your life considering your "claim" you were born there.
So you're happy the Scottish government is the slowest rolling out vaccination in the UK?
You are happy your beloved England tops the world's death list , stop trying to obfuscate. I would like them to do as safely and fast as they can , with most vulnerable getting it first and get death rate even lower than it is today. I do not gloat that other countries are doing badly on some or all parts, it is not a game show.
The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
WTFH has Trump got to do with anything?
Macron is still the President of Britain's nearest neighbour. Just yesterday he did a massive, dirty shit right on top of the most important vaccine of the lot, and didn't even bother to wash his disgusting hands afterwards.
The point is that if you do not have a solid track record of calling out Donald Trump for 5 years of relentless bullshitting and bigotry your effectiveness in calling out instances of it now in other politicians is hampered.
I have a rock solid record and I say Macron and the Commission are becoming as bad as Trump this week. Their attacks on AZN are as hate filled, fallacious and rotten as Trumps attacks on Dominion.
If you can't call out Trumpism when it is on our own doorstep then you lose all integrity. This week you have lost your integrity.
I sense you are angry because I revealed that your PB persona was Gareth Keenan. Fair enough. Perhaps it was unfair. I'll think again and revise it to something more empowering. How would you feel about Ross Kemp?
Re the specific issue at hand, I've expressed in half a dozen posts my bitter disappointment in President Emmanuel Macron of France. As for the Trump comparison, it's ludicrous on one level - this was one shocking incident as compared to 5 years of continuous cesspit - but I actually like it because it does work for this incident and it does ram the point home. "Trumpian" is (quite rightly) the ultimate insult you can throw at a politician and Manu merits it here.
Which is why my very first (integrity laden) post on the matter yesterday was as below -
"If this is an accurate translation of what President Macron said today about the AZ vaccine, I'm afraid it pushes him in my book towards the vicinity of another President, one we have just gotten rid of, who specialized in toxic bullshit. And I never thought I would say that."
Feels a bit wanky quoting myself, but just this once.
Ursula surely has to fall on her sword so we can all move on
?.....as far as been reported the EU still intend to count out every vaccine for export and potentially ban them for basically no reason beyond we don't think its fair.
Brussels has backed down from plans to impose export controls on vaccines that threatened the shipment of 3.5million Pfizer doses to Britain.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the assurance to Boris Johnson after announcing an extraordinary embargo on jabs leaving the bloc amid dwindling supplies on the Continent.
They are still *recording* the exports (which is in itself a veiled threat), but have said that companies delivering contracted doses will not be affected.
In other words, the EU managed to damage its reputation both with pharmaceutical companies and with an important ally, while not actually managing to increase the number of doses of vaccines it has.
Ursula surely has to fall on her sword so we can all move on
Nope. Who, in the EU, would see it as a benefit? It's her incompetence, but losing the EC President would look like weakness in conceding something to an outsider, and provoke arguments over who would replace her.
Privately rap her knuckles, then not give her another term perhaps.
Ursula surely has to fall on her sword so we can all move on
?.....as far as been reported the EU still intend to count out every vaccine for export and potentially ban them for basically no reason beyond we don't think its fair.
Brussels has backed down from plans to impose export controls on vaccines that threatened the shipment of 3.5million Pfizer doses to Britain.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the assurance to Boris Johnson after announcing an extraordinary embargo on jabs leaving the bloc amid dwindling supplies on the Continent.
They are still *recording* the exports (which is in itself a veiled threat), but have said that companies delivering contracted doses will not be affected.
In other words, the EU managed to damage its reputation both with pharmaceutical companies and with an important ally, while not actually managing to increase the number of doses of vaccines it has.
Ursula surely has to fall on her sword so we can all move on
?.....as far as been reported the EU still intend to count out every vaccine for export and potentially ban them for basically no reason beyond we don't think its fair.
Brussels has backed down from plans to impose export controls on vaccines that threatened the shipment of 3.5million Pfizer doses to Britain.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the assurance to Boris Johnson after announcing an extraordinary embargo on jabs leaving the bloc amid dwindling supplies on the Continent.
They are still *recording* the exports (which is in itself a veiled threat), but have said that companies delivering contracted doses will not be affected.
In other words, the EU managed to damage its reputation both with pharmaceutical companies and with an important ally, while not actually managing to increase the number of doses of vaccines it has.
A real win-win for the bloc.
Not sure where they are going to get some face saving done here. As you point out, the only goal was about increasing the number of doses it has, and they haven't yet managed to do that at all, let alone substantially. So is the goal now just to ignore their own ramping up of tensions until a week or two when supplies are expected to be better? They can then claim their efforts helped?
The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
WTFH has Trump got to do with anything?
Macron is still the President of Britain's nearest neighbour. Just yesterday he did a massive, dirty shit right on top of the most important vaccine of the lot, and didn't even bother to wash his disgusting hands afterwards.
The point is that if you do not have a solid track record of calling out Donald Trump for 5 years of relentless bullshitting and bigotry your effectiveness in calling out instances of it now in other politicians is hampered.
I have a rock solid record and I say Macron and the Commission are becoming as bad as Trump this week. Their attacks on AZN are as hate filled, fallacious and rotten as Trumps attacks on Dominion.
If you can't call out Trumpism when it is on our own doorstep then you lose all integrity. This week you have lost your integrity.
I sense you are angry because I revealed that your PB persona was Gareth Keenan. Fair enough. Perhaps it was unfair. I'll think again and revise it to something more empowering. How would you feel about Ross Kemp?
Re the specific issue at hand, I've expressed in half a dozen posts my bitter disappointment in President Emmanuel Macron of France. As for the Trump comparison, it's ludicrous on one level - this was one shocking incident as compared to 5 years of continuous cesspit - but I actually like it because it does work for this incident and it does ram the point home. "Trumpian" is (quite rightly) the ultimate insult you can throw at a politician and Manu merits it here.
Which is why my very first (integrity laden) post on the matter yesterday was as below -
"If this is an accurate translation of what President Macron said today about the AZ vaccine, I'm afraid it pushes him in my book towards the vicinity of another President, one we have just gotten rid of, who specialized in toxic bullshit. And I never thought I would say that."
Feels a bit wanky quoting myself, but just this once.
Proclamation: The PB Peoples' Court of the Great Nation of Vaccinania has ruled that you must post twenty times that 'Macron has shit all over the vaccine' if you wish to have your integrity restored. Progress will be monitored and further action may be considered.
If Scotland was vaccinating a the same rate as England they would have done 43,000 jabs today, not 28,000 - which probably would have taken us over 500,000
I can't comprehend the Scottish figures.
Either they're throwing a lot of doses in the bin, or they're accumulating a mammoth stockpile.
Neither makes sense.
If Scotland was vaccinating at the same rate as England they would have done 704k by now, not 543k
Usual Scotland BAD from you. Have you ever had anything positive to say about Scotland in your life considering your "claim" you were born there.
So you're happy the Scottish government is the slowest rolling out vaccination in the UK?
You are happy your beloved England tops the world's death list , stop trying to obfuscate. I would like them to do as safely and fast as they can , with most vulnerable getting it first and get death rate even lower than it is today. I do not gloat that other countries are doing badly on some or all parts, it is not a game show.
The point is "Should the Scottish government be doing things differently?" Which you bat away with your usual defensive nonsense.
I may be in a minority on here but my view is once we have adequately vaccinated our population, we should be leading the way in getting the vaccine to the poorest parts of Africa
This is the kind of thing I want our armed forces to be involved with and it would be a superb example of what "Global Britain" is all about.
I don't think you are in a minority at all, in fact I think you're in the vast majority - there is just a question over what 'adequately vaccinated' means and therefore when we are in a position to help others.
That's a more interesting question.
There are still unanswered questions over the long term potency of the vaccines currently being administered. Will the same protection exist in 3 months or 6 months? Hopefully we can get the second vaccination programme rolling as soon as possible to improve our overall protection.
It's entirely likely the vaccines themselves will improve with time and it may be we'll only need vaccination every two years or perhaps every five for example. For now, we don't really know if the vaccinations being provided now will still provide immunity by the autumn.
This is the problem - we may have to keep vaccinating as the immunity of those vaccinated at the start of the process fades and we need to start the whole process again.
I don't know and this is a question to which nobody seems to have an answer.
The issue of providing vaccines to others is part of that uncertainty - I'd still like us to be involved in getting the first vaccination to the poorest countries but our population must come first - the intention can be expressed and the logistics prepared so we can move quickly as and when.
I think it is a near certainly that as soon as we finish by the autumn, the oldies will be getting jabbed again for the winter with an updated version.
There are two separate issues.
- Will further jabs be necessary to prevent future infection? - Will further jabs be necessary to prevent future serious infection?
I think the future will be - what do we immunise against in this years round of immunisations? Think annual flu jabs but for everyone.
Flu wipes out something like 15,000 people in a typical year IIRC. At the moment the NHS only offers flu jabs to specific groups; however, if we're now going to need covid updates each year as well, which is a distinct possibility, then perhaps policy will change, the flu and covid inoculations will be bundled together, and the whole adult population will end up getting both at once each Autumn?
The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
Over the years PB dumped a million tons of ordure all over Trump. It wasn't an expl;sive one off, because Trump was consistently repugnant and outrageous over his entire ghastly presidency
Macron has in the past been a bit annoying and vain, but generally quite competent and sane, Yesterday, however, he suddenly evolved into a psychotic idiot hell-bent on destroying Europe's vaccination drive, and killing loads of his own citizens, while scaring millions more
So yes, the reaction has been more spectacular, because it is so sudden and unexpected. And so very very dangerous
Over the years - least my three - PB has also dumped a million tons of ordure over Macron. He deserves plenty right now, no question, but over the piece I'm frankly not sure the Trump/Macron 'PB ordure dumping differential' has been anything like wide enough.
The decline in cases is fantastic. We should be below the level it was at the end of the December lockdown within a week or so if the rate continues. I can't believe how steep the slope on the graph is.
If Scotland was vaccinating a the same rate as England they would have done 43,000 jabs today, not 28,000 - which probably would have taken us over 500,000
So not getting the big 500, because Welsh Excel crashed and the Scots still insist on keeping a massive stockpile...
We prefer to lower the death rate to getting newspaper headlines. You got evidence of any stockpile or just your fevered imagination.
I don't think it's either/or. The vaccine supply is divided up according to population, so there should be plenty to continue going down the priority list, rather than waiting for every last person in the first group to be vaccinated.
You have any evidence they are stockpiling rather than doing jabs.
The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
WTFH has Trump got to do with anything?
Macron is still the President of Britain's nearest neighbour. Just yesterday he did a massive, dirty shit right on top of the most important vaccine of the lot, and didn't even bother to wash his disgusting hands afterwards.
The point is that if you do not have a solid track record of calling out Donald Trump for 5 years of relentless bullshitting and bigotry your effectiveness in calling out instances of it now in other politicians is hampered.
I have a rock solid record and I say Macron and the Commission are becoming as bad as Trump this week. Their attacks on AZN are as hate filled, fallacious and rotten as Trumps attacks on Dominion.
If you can't call out Trumpism when it is on our own doorstep then you lose all integrity. This week you have lost your integrity.
I sense you are angry because I revealed that your PB persona was Gareth Keenan. Fair enough. Perhaps it was unfair. I'll think again and revise it to something more empowering. How would you feel about Ross Kemp?
Re the specific issue at hand, I've expressed in half a dozen posts my bitter disappointment in President Emmanuel Macron of France. As for the Trump comparison, it's ludicrous on one level - this was one shocking incident as compared to 5 years of continuous cesspit - but I actually like it because it does work for this incident and it does ram the point home. "Trumpian" is (quite rightly) the ultimate insult you can throw at a politician and Manu merits it here.
Which is why my very first (integrity laden) post on the matter yesterday was as below -
"If this is an accurate translation of what President Macron said today about the AZ vaccine, I'm afraid it pushes him in my book towards the vicinity of another President, one we have just gotten rid of, who specialized in toxic bullshit. And I never thought I would say that."
Feels a bit wanky quoting myself, but just this once.
Proclamation: The PB Peoples' Court of the Great Nation of Vaccinania has ruled that you must post twenty times that 'Macron has shit all over the vaccine' if you wish to have your integrity restored. Progress will be monitored and further action may be considered.
The decline in cases is fantastic. We should be below the level it was at the end of the December lockdown within a week or so if the rate continues. I can't believe how steep the slope on the graph is.
Hopefully means a sharper decrease in the death rate than we experienced last time, or those estimates of 150000 may not be too far off.
Positive tests down to the level of the second wave peak. Good reduction in admissions this past week too.
Admissions down by more than deaths, cases down by more than admissions. All quite logical. And the tests completed are still gradually trending upwards.
Ursula surely has to fall on her sword so we can all move on
?.....as far as been reported the EU still intend to count out every vaccine for export and potentially ban them for basically no reason beyond we don't think its fair.
Brussels has backed down from plans to impose export controls on vaccines that threatened the shipment of 3.5million Pfizer doses to Britain.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the assurance to Boris Johnson after announcing an extraordinary embargo on jabs leaving the bloc amid dwindling supplies on the Continent.
Her exact words for some reason gave me an image of a weasel when i saw them:
"We agreed on the principle that there should not be restrictions on the export of vaccines by companies where they are fulfilling contractual responsibilities."
Not sure how you can judge a scenario to be undesirable when it never happened. Arguably the rollout might have benefitted from Boris's golden touch - then both the UK and EU would be sitting pretty. We'll never know.
Has Malcy been on this morning defending the not quite so sainted Nicola?
If you could read you would have seen I was slagging her off big time. as usual. Jog on Loser.
I've seen you slag her off for not getting Independence done yet, or for attacks against Alex Salmond.
Have you attacked her for her performance over education, healthcare or other elements of her day job?
Healthcare is doing well, recent education data showed upticks and doing well , not aware of any other elements but think she is doing a crap job at getting independence and trying to stiff Alex. Do you have examples , anything I saw re health was to point out that Scotland NHS was performing better than England and Wales. Last thing I saw on education was positive as well but perhaps you get better Scottish information down south, you do have The Sun, Express , Daily Mail and Carlotta ( if you count tax havens as down south ).
Not sure how you can judge a scenario to be undesirable when it never happened. Arguably the rollout might have benefitted from Boris's golden touch - then both the UK and EU would be sitting pretty. We'll never know.
The owner of this site described it as a great post so I thought it was worth seeing again.
You did right. Flawed but at the same time articulate and insightful. Ditto their follow up post when they got tumbling with the energetic and diligent Philip Thompson construct. It's certainly a useful counterview to what has been something of an orgy of "We're great, they're shit. Thank fuck we're out!" sentiment. The main point is a good one, I think. There is a disturbing amount of nationalistic propaganda pumped out these "Boris" and "Brexity" days, and there is a disturbingly large and receptive domestic audience for it. I personally don't think it's in the same ballpark as the Trumpian side of America, nevertheless it is something all those who are not sold on National Populism as the way forward should be anxious about.
He lost it when he said that America was merely "wounded" by Trump, but the UK is irretreviably broken. Not somebody who's been paying much attention to the USA is perhaps the charitable explanation.
I did say "flawed" and that is the biggest of them. You know my feelings about Trump and the damage he has done. I yield to nobody on it. Damage not just to America, btw, but globally. I think the Role Model aspect of having such a person in the highest elected office on the planet is not discussed and appreciated as much as it ought to be. His administration's policies were the least toxic thing about Donald Trump. Indeed many can be respectably supported. His legacy is not that. His legacy is his corrupting impact on hearts & minds.
So if you were to objectively examine a list of the words and actions of each side during this past week, which one would look more like Donald Trump to you? Because threatening his neighbours to cover up his own failings, spreading fake news about coronavirus treatments, playing fast and loose with agreements he signed, and generally throwing his toys out of the pram like a sad little baby seems like it would be right up his alley.
Yes. I am disappointed in Manu. Not particularly rooting for his re-election unless it's against Le Pen.
"Disappointed"?!?!?!
The man's become a fucking embarrassing disgrace.
Yes. That's why I'm disappointed. You should be too.
I'm appalled. You should be too.
Would you say you were more appalled by Macron than Trump or about the same? I don't remember you going on a 2 day rampage of dozens & dozens of 'fucking disgrace' tweets over oor Donald, though I may have missed it
WTFH has Trump got to do with anything?
Macron is still the President of Britain's nearest neighbour. Just yesterday he did a massive, dirty shit right on top of the most important vaccine of the lot, and didn't even bother to wash his disgusting hands afterwards.
The point is that if you do not have a solid track record of calling out Donald Trump for 5 years of relentless bullshitting and bigotry your effectiveness in calling out instances of it now in other politicians is hampered.
I have a rock solid record and I say Macron and the Commission are becoming as bad as Trump this week. Their attacks on AZN are as hate filled, fallacious and rotten as Trumps attacks on Dominion.
If you can't call out Trumpism when it is on our own doorstep then you lose all integrity. This week you have lost your integrity.
I sense you are angry because I revealed that your PB persona was Gareth Keenan. Fair enough. Perhaps it was unfair. I'll think again and revise it to something more empowering. How would you feel about Ross Kemp?
Re the specific issue at hand, I've expressed in half a dozen posts my bitter disappointment in President Emmanuel Macron of France. As for the Trump comparison, it's ludicrous on one level - this was one shocking incident as compared to 5 years of continuous cesspit - but I actually like it because it does work for this incident and it does ram the point home. "Trumpian" is (quite rightly) the ultimate insult you can throw at a politician and Manu merits it here.
Which is why my very first (integrity laden) post on the matter yesterday was as below -
"If this is an accurate translation of what President Macron said today about the AZ vaccine, I'm afraid it pushes him in my book towards the vicinity of another President, one we have just gotten rid of, who specialized in toxic bullshit. And I never thought I would say that."
Feels a bit wanky quoting myself, but just this once.
Proclamation: The PB Peoples' Court of the Great Nation of Vaccinania has ruled that you must post twenty times that 'Macron has shit all over the vaccine' if you wish to have your integrity restored. Progress will be monitored and further action may be considered.
The EU's top negotiator on vaccine contracts, Sandra Gallina, has defended the EU's collective approach on vaccines, arguing that doses collectively purchased will "come first", ahead of those secured under bilateral deals.
During a hearing in the European Parliament's environment and public health committee, Gallina said she was "confused" by recent reports of bilateral deals because the EU's overall strategy forbids member states from negotiating individually.
"I have not seen yet one [bilateral deal], I do not think I will ever. They do not exist based on what I have been told, [but in any case], the quantities [purchased] for Europe come first," Gallina told MEPs on Tuesday (12 January).
"This has been a united effort that has gotten us the doses that as a single country, big as the country can be, would have never received," Gallina warned.
Meanwhile, the commission expects to see faster deliveries of vaccines from April, as already agreed in the existing contracts.
The second quarter "is going to be the quarter with many doses".
That's a full 2 months away!
2 month's is bad, but there are some surprising countries set to do far worse according to this map. From The Economist, so maybe not foolproof...
Also, why on earth is Norway lagging behind the rest of Europe? They are a small population in one of the richest countries in the world. They have had a very successful control and contain campaign to date with very low infection and death rates, why would they not be one of those at the forefront of getting everyone vaccinated?
That's one of the ones that looks wrong (it is the Economist, after all!)
I don't know what crude and arbitrary formula they've deployed, but it looks wrong.
I very much doubt that any of Norway, Canada, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand will take until the middle of next year to get done. Japan and South Africa might make it this year as well. Greenland is a Danish dependency with a very small population so shouldn't have to wait too long. And if you squint at the map you'll notice that Serbia is down for the back end of 2022, when they're currently the seventh best performing country in the world by rate. But hey-ho.
I think there are a couple of things to note here:
(1) As we're seeing in the UK and Israel (and maybe the US), vaccination programmes can start to really impact CV19 rates while relatively small proportions of the population has been vaccinated. R may be 3 for CV19 when no-one has had Covid and no-one is vaccinated; it'll be a much smaller number when a third of the population is vaccinated and another 10-20% have had Covid.
(2) Vaccine production capacity is only growing. I believe the Serum Institute of India is planning to produce two billion doses (between AZN and Novavax) this year. Novartis and Sanofi will both manufacture Pfizer's vaccine under license. And Bayer has also signed up to manufacture CureVac's vaccine. Then we have J&J, Moderna and others. It's hard not to imagine that the world will be pumping out at least a billion doses of vaccines every quarter from the second quarter of this year, and many place will have far more doses than they have people.
Now, I don't know the structure of the UK contracts for vaccines. If the UK doesn't end up taking all its J&J order because (say) Pfizer and Novavax and AZN have managed to get 100 million doses to us, do we have the option to decline it? (Are contacts set up as a big upfront payment and then a small per dose one?)
There's also the question of which vaccines you'd want to send where. J&J or AZN are probably fantastic for Africa because of their easy storage requirements. Sending Pfizer vaccines to Uganda, by contrast, might result in very high wastage due to lack of appropriate refigeration.
Would it be too much provocative for the UK now to offer to help Ireland with vaccinations or Dishy Rishi to announce a new package of measures to further encourage Big Pharma to set up in the UK?
If Scotland was vaccinating a the same rate as England they would have done 43,000 jabs today, not 28,000 - which probably would have taken us over 500,000
I can't comprehend the Scottish figures.
Either they're throwing a lot of doses in the bin, or they're accumulating a mammoth stockpile.
Neither makes sense.
If Scotland was vaccinating at the same rate as England they would have done 704k by now, not 543k
Usual Scotland BAD from you. Have you ever had anything positive to say about Scotland in your life considering your "claim" you were born there.
So you're happy the Scottish government is the slowest rolling out vaccination in the UK?
You are happy your beloved England tops the world's death list , stop trying to obfuscate. I would like them to do as safely and fast as they can , with most vulnerable getting it first and get death rate even lower than it is today. I do not gloat that other countries are doing badly on some or all parts, it is not a game show.
"I do not gloat" versus "England tops the world's death list" Hmmmmmm
We are due to have our first jab and I have a genuine question which I hope Foxy or someone else who knows what they are talking about will respond to.
I get that Macron and Germany might well be playing politics with the notion that the AZN vaccine has low effectiveness for the over 65s. It is also my understanding that in the UK we have taken the decision to use Pfizer for the over 65s and AZN for the rest. If this is the case then does it not indicate that their may be some concern about the effectiveness of AZN for those over 65.
I think your understanding is wrong. AZN is being used for all age groups. Most intitially were Pfizer as this was what they had. AZN has been approved for use by the MHRA and the EMA for all ages.
Yes, it seems pretty random (unfortunately IMO, Olly's policy would be better, since Pfizer has the higher effectiveness so it makes sense to use it for the most vulnerable groups). A friend who is 75 got the AZ vaccine yesterday.
I get mine on Tuesday (don't know which). The enquiry was curiously tentative - "We could now offer you a vaccination. Would you be interested in doing that?" "Yes, of course." "It'll be at 8.27 on Tuesday, I know that's awfully earlky, will that be OK?" "Yes!" Just a very polite volunteer, I guess.
Didn't you ask? You wont want to get the wrong one when it comes to the second jab.
Yes, she said she didn't know. I'll ask when I get it.
Did they tell you to get the Eurostar and pick it up from a Belgian contact? If so it's Pfizer.
Did the nurse emerge out of a dry ice fog, like (Not) in Ice Station Zebra?
Apparently you go to the big square in Brussels to the cafe and ask for Rene..... #secretarmy
Are the vaccines hidden in the candle with 'andle on the gateau from the chateau, or are they the pill from the till, or is it in the jug with the drug? #alloallo
--AS
You stupid person (tm rene). Can you not see that this must be secret.
It remains terribly sad that ‘Secret Army’ - one of the best BBC television drama series ever made, which certainly stands the test of time (not least for its mature and before-its-time portrayal of the tensions and conflicts within the German side) has been eclipsed by a puerile sitcom the BBC foolishly chose to make in its wake.
Well, I agree on the first point, that Secret Army was a superb series. But I must also admit to loving Allo Allo, and in particular it's references to Secret Army
Ursula surely has to fall on her sword so we can all move on
?.....as far as been reported the EU still intend to count out every vaccine for export and potentially ban them for basically no reason beyond we don't think its fair.
Brussels has backed down from plans to impose export controls on vaccines that threatened the shipment of 3.5million Pfizer doses to Britain.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the assurance to Boris Johnson after announcing an extraordinary embargo on jabs leaving the bloc amid dwindling supplies on the Continent.
They are still *recording* the exports (which is in itself a veiled threat), but have said that companies delivering contracted doses will not be affected.
In other words, the EU managed to damage its reputation both with pharmaceutical companies and with an important ally, while not actually managing to increase the number of doses of vaccines it has.
Would it be too much provocative for the UK now to offer to help Ireland with vaccinations or Dishy Rishi to announce a new package of measures to further encourage Big Pharma to set up in the UK?
Not sure how you can judge a scenario to be undesirable when it never happened. Arguably the rollout might have benefitted from Boris's golden touch - then both the UK and EU would be sitting pretty. We'll never know.
Ursula surely has to fall on her sword so we can all move on
?.....as far as been reported the EU still intend to count out every vaccine for export and potentially ban them for basically no reason beyond we don't think its fair.
Brussels has backed down from plans to impose export controls on vaccines that threatened the shipment of 3.5million Pfizer doses to Britain.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the assurance to Boris Johnson after announcing an extraordinary embargo on jabs leaving the bloc amid dwindling supplies on the Continent.
They are still *recording* the exports (which is in itself a veiled threat), but have said that companies delivering contracted doses will not be affected.
In other words, the EU managed to damage its reputation both with pharmaceutical companies and with an important ally, while not actually managing to increase the number of doses of vaccines it has.
A real win-win for the bloc.
Not sure where they are going to get some face saving done here. As you point out, the only goal was about increasing the number of doses it has, and they haven't yet managed to do that at all, let alone substantially. So is the goal now just to ignore their own ramping up of tensions until a week or two when supplies are expected to be better? They can then claim their efforts helped?
I suspect that the key thing has been Pfizer's deals with Sanofi and Novartis to manufacture CV19 vaccines. This bringing on of additional capacity (almost certainly in the EU) will make a massive difference to the quantity of vaccines available. Now, it probably won't happen until Q2, but I suspect the EU will be over the worst by June/July.
As I know there are a few history buffs on here (and plenty of Brexit policy obsessives), just posting to say that I am mightily enjoying Robert Tombs short new book, "This sovereign isle".
The decline in cases is fantastic. We should be below the level it was at the end of the December lockdown within a week or so if the rate continues. I can't believe how steep the slope on the graph is.
Yes once again the rate of decrease is accelerating. It really feels like a vaccine related success, there's no other way to explain fewer cases despite lockdown conditions remaining stable.
YOu do not know what Wendepunkt mean. You mean "We've passed the Hochpunkt". The Wendepunkt was around the 1st of Jan.
You're quite right, I thought it meant turning point but it actually means point of inflexion. However that is the turning point of the derivative, i.e. the rate of change of daily infections, and we are past that as you say. So my statement is correct, though I admit error in my thinking.
Not sure how you can judge a scenario to be undesirable when it never happened. Arguably the rollout might have benefitted from Boris's golden touch - then both the UK and EU would be sitting pretty. We'll never know.
My gut is that the Euro area won't achieve that number, because they'll be Covid-ed for all of Q1, and while things will improve in Q2, they won't be great.
I'd be a bit more optimistic re the UK, because we should be back in growth mode from the second quarter.
Comments
https://twitter.com/GraemeDemianyk/status/1355531710033768452?s=20
Just to make sure the religious don't get tempted by the British vaccine.
We are going to have to get vast amounts of vaccine produced and in arms outside America/Europe, as a global priority.
There are still unanswered questions over the long term potency of the vaccines currently being administered. Will the same protection exist in 3 months or 6 months? Hopefully we can get the second vaccination programme rolling as soon as possible to improve our overall protection.
It's entirely likely the vaccines themselves will improve with time and it may be we'll only need vaccination every two years or perhaps every five for example. For now, we don't really know if the vaccinations being provided now will still provide immunity by the autumn.
This is the problem - we may have to keep vaccinating as the immunity of those vaccinated at the start of the process fades and we need to start the whole process again.
I don't know and this is a question to which nobody seems to have an answer.
The issue of providing vaccines to others is part of that uncertainty - I'd still like us to be involved in getting the first vaccination to the poorest countries but our population must come first - the intention can be expressed and the logistics prepared so we can move quickly as and when.
The EU today passed a regulation instructing its customs authorities to block all COVID-19 vaccine exports to some 100 countries worldwide, unless they receive an export authorization from national governments in the EU.
EU officials told POLITICO the regulation would be published today and enter into force on Saturday.
"Today, the European Commission has adopted an implementing regulation making the export of certain products subject to an export authorization," trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis said at a press conference. "The challenges we now face left us with no other choice but to act."
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-imposes-export-controls-on-rich-nations-from-saturday/
If you can't call out Trumpism when it is on our own doorstep then you lose all integrity. This week you have lost your integrity.
We have an office in the nice part of Brussels, but all my time there is spent on a grungy industrial estate
There's nothing as bad as making eye contact with the cleaner the morning after the night before.
- Will further jabs be necessary to prevent future infection?
- Will further jabs be necessary to prevent future serious infection?
Ursula surely has to fall on her sword so we can all move on
https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210128/china-using-anal-swabs-for-covid-testing
So what's this about. The protestors have built a tunnel against the opposition of those trying to construct the project. It's not very safe (unsurprisingly), and the protestors are complaining that not enough is being done to ensure their safety. Or they could, you know, come out?
Incidentally - I mentioned previously a mate of my son's who caught covid from work and passed it onto his entire family. The dad died Thursday - underlying issues but in his 50's
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the assurance to Boris Johnson after announcing an extraordinary embargo on jabs leaving the bloc amid dwindling supplies on the Continent.
The activists say HS2’s eviction techniques are putting their lives at risk while HS2 blames the protesters and the way the tunnel has been constructed for putting their own lives at risk.
Larch Maxey, one of the activists in the tunnel, said: “HS2 are endangering our lives yet again. They need to help us make the tunnel safe. They have made this an urgent situation. We haven’t got the air supply.” He said the eviction team were preventing the tunnellers from clearing soil and water from the tunnel, which was making it very dangerous.
Earlier he had told journalists via video that the tunnellers had had a chance to sleep for a couple of hours on Thursday after a previous sleepless night due to HS2 contractors continually working
That said, and it's a poor pun, it's an "arms race" as I imagine the virus will be evolving as well and new variants have and will continue to emerge. The problem will be if one emerges which is resistant to all current vaccines - I think that's unlikely in the short term. Longer term, a virus will emerge which will be new and resistant to all current vaccines - it's happened before, it will happen again.
https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2021-01-30/foster-urges-johnson-to-replace-northern-ireland-protocol-after-vaccine-row
I would like them to do as safely and fast as they can , with most vulnerable getting it first and get death rate even lower than it is today. I do not gloat that other countries are doing badly on some or all parts, it is not a game show.
Re the specific issue at hand, I've expressed in half a dozen posts my bitter disappointment in President Emmanuel Macron of France. As for the Trump comparison, it's ludicrous on one level - this was one shocking incident as compared to 5 years of continuous cesspit - but I actually like it because it does work for this incident and it does ram the point home. "Trumpian" is (quite rightly) the ultimate insult you can throw at a politician and Manu merits it here.
Which is why my very first (integrity laden) post on the matter yesterday was as below -
"If this is an accurate translation of what President Macron said today about the AZ vaccine, I'm afraid it pushes him in my book towards the vicinity of another President, one we have just gotten rid of, who specialized in toxic bullshit. And I never thought I would say that."
Feels a bit wanky quoting myself, but just this once.
In other words, the EU managed to damage its reputation both with pharmaceutical companies and with an important ally, while not actually managing to increase the number of doses of vaccines it has.
A real win-win for the bloc.
https://twitter.com/afneil/status/1355527710542618626
Privately rap her knuckles, then not give her another term perhaps.
https://twitter.com/Tim_R_Dawson/status/1355214250139115521?s=20
Come on, Andrew. He became leader in August so the quotations on that might be ok, but at least get his name right.
"We agreed on the principle that there should not be restrictions on the export of vaccines by companies where they are fulfilling contractual responsibilities."
The Wendepunkt was around the 1st of Jan.
Do you have examples , anything I saw re health was to point out that Scotland NHS was performing better than England and Wales. Last thing I saw on education was positive as well but perhaps you get better Scottish information down south, you do have The Sun, Express , Daily Mail and Carlotta ( if you count tax havens as down south ).
(1) As we're seeing in the UK and Israel (and maybe the US), vaccination programmes can start to really impact CV19 rates while relatively small proportions of the population has been vaccinated. R may be 3 for CV19 when no-one has had Covid and no-one is vaccinated; it'll be a much smaller number when a third of the population is vaccinated and another 10-20% have had Covid.
(2) Vaccine production capacity is only growing. I believe the Serum Institute of India is planning to produce two billion doses (between AZN and Novavax) this year. Novartis and Sanofi will both manufacture Pfizer's vaccine under license. And Bayer has also signed up to manufacture CureVac's vaccine. Then we have J&J, Moderna and others. It's hard not to imagine that the world will be pumping out at least a billion doses of vaccines every quarter from the second quarter of this year, and many place will have far more doses than they have people.
Now, I don't know the structure of the UK contracts for vaccines. If the UK doesn't end up taking all its J&J order because (say) Pfizer and Novavax and AZN have managed to get 100 million doses to us, do we have the option to decline it? (Are contacts set up as a big upfront payment and then a small per dose one?)
There's also the question of which vaccines you'd want to send where. J&J or AZN are probably fantastic for Africa because of their easy storage requirements. Sending Pfizer vaccines to Uganda, by contrast, might result in very high wastage due to lack of appropriate refigeration.
Andrew Neil at his most ferocious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr-YFSHKYtA&t=1s
I'd be a bit more optimistic re the UK, because we should be back in growth mode from the second quarter.
The US number is probably right.