Re: Coronavirus
 

Yep. Scouse has two family members in the UK who've died from covid.

Re: Coronavirus
 

I am sorry to hear that Christmas. My experience is what it is and you have your own - they obviously differ a great deal. Whilst we have all been greatly affected by the covid response its undeniable the majority of people have suffered no physical ill effects from covid so my experience is probably not actually that uncommon.

Re: Coronavirus
 

I'm not sure if you can make that assumption.

Latest figures show cumulatively nearly 450,000 people have been admitted to hospital due to covid (https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/healthcare) - about 10% of confirmed cases so it is more likely that people will know someone severely impacted.

I personally know many hospitalised, plus one friend who died and two who have been left with permanent impairments, although fortunately most family members haven't been too severely impacted (6 family members have had covid in the UK).

Re: Coronavirus
 

After reading this I feel so lucky that while Jim had Covid and was sick as a dog with it, he didn't require hospitalization and has been experiencing only minor side effects. I know of 4 others who have had it and all survived, thank heaven.

Re: Coronavirus
 

My brother and family had it, mild cases but my he said it was the sickest he'd ever been. Another family we know had it, one of them was quite poorly and is still exhausted. Another family friend is still suffering long term effects.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Only one new death, which seems to be two less than usual.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...2e549d81dd.jpg

Re: Coronavirus
 

I think only my neighbor has had it of all the people I know personally. She has stopped coughing so at least physically she seems alright now.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Yo-Yo MA played a concert while waiting 15 minutes after being vaccinated.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...e498f510e4.jpg

Re: Coronavirus
 

Anticipating a lockdown and possible shortages we made three grocery store visits in the week of 16th March last year. Not hoarding, just making sure we had a supply of high use items for our household.

Although I've been a few times to the Pharmacy, the liquor store, Giant Tiger as well as Sobeys (once) and IGA (once) I hadn't been to the preferred, and typically three times a month, Superstore since 16th March.

So I went today, the 15th, so as not to have missed a complete year. :o :lol:

Re: Coronavirus
 

Sorry to hear that. Any idea of how they became infected?

Re: Coronavirus
 

No idea, probably just at the supermarket, work, via their kids school etc, same as most I'd imagine. One had it very early on, he died last April. He messaged my husband saying 'not feeling too hot, think I've got this Covid thing but looking forward to catching up over a beer soon', and he died 10 days later. Fit and healthy guy in his mid forties, and with two teenage kids. Just awful.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Please tell me you bought some vitamin d at the pharmacy!

Re: Coronavirus
 

Yes, but was already doing so :lol:

Re: Coronavirus
 

The friend who took me to physio this morning is a bit older than I am, so his tier is up and he went and got his Pfizer shot just a little while ago (his 15 min wait after should just be up now). As we were texting he mentioned that there are protesters with signs standing near the entrance to the exhibition grounds where the testing and vaccinating is happening. Maybe it will be on the news tonight.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Updated vaccine schedule for 1st dose for BC, everything moved forward a bit which is good. 2nd dose is 16 weeks after 1st dose. Looks like May-June for me and my wife.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...1b2df9c566.png


Extremely vulnerable include:


People with underlying health conditions that are clinically extremely vulnerable include:

• Solid organ transplant recipients
• People with specific cancers:
  • People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy
  • People with lung cancer who are undergoing radical radiotherapy
  • People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
  • People having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
  • People having other targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors
  • People who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last six months or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs
• People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• People with rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), homozygous sickle cell disease)
• People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection (biologic modifiers, high dose steroids, AZT, cyclophosphamide)
• People who had their spleen removed
• Adults with very significant developmental disabilities that increase risk
• Adults on dialysis or with chronic kidney disease (stage 5)
• Women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired
• Significant neuromuscular conditions requiring respiratory support

Re: Coronavirus
 

Yep, that's like we talked about the other day. From day one, people with co-morbidities are of much greater risk. Diabetes,, high blood pressure, obesity, heart issues and so on.

But like NB, BC "wants" a bit more than merely having a condition that puts one at risk. eg Having chronic kidney disease doesn't cut it, you need to be on dialysis or it doesn't matter. Mind boggling.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Ontario has opened up the vaccination process a little. From Monday over 70’s can register for the mass vaccination centers. People over 60 or those with chronic medical conditions can register with participating pharmacies/doctor’s office for the AZ shot.

Re: Coronavirus
 

BC is quite strict compared to other jurisdictions, appears NB is as well.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Is there a definition of that? Is it simply having one (or more) of listed conditions or does there have to be something extra like me and J have been chatting about?

Re: Coronavirus
 

I have a progressive lung problem...I get the first shot first thing Monday. :thumbsup:

Re: Coronavirus
 

Is that Toronto Centric because the Official Ontario website doesn't include chronic illness for using the vaccine booking online?https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/(I hope you are able to get it through your GP or simiilar :fingerscrossed: )

Re: Coronavirus
 

So using that link it's quite similar to BC and NB then.

It seems there are three levels of at risk with diabetes being in the lowest. Chronic Kidney Disease is there but only at stage 4 (and presumably dialysis).

Re: Coronavirus
 

If I could find someone to take me in their car and go through the line up for drive-through I could get an Astro-Zeneca shot, but if I wait maybe 6 weeks until I can drive they may have expanded the roll out and there could be Phizer available for my age group. My health conditions aren't severe enough to merit getting a booked appointment. I'm going to keep an eye on how these criteria change in the coming days, and will go when it becomes more convenient.

Re: Coronavirus
 

I couldn't find anything either and was hoping to so I could make an appointment for me. We did get one of the 60-64 ones for my husband, it's 100km away but worth the drive.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Doug Ford announced early yesterday morning that from Monday, participating pharmacies would be vaccinating 60-69 year olds with the AZ vaccine, in addition to that anyone with chronic health conditions, plus others ie pregnant women, indigenous people etc. I got online straightaway and managed to get our names on the waiting list. Approx 1 hr later I received a text asking me to log in and choose a time and date. I managed to secure an 9.00 am appointment for Monday. Daughter who has asthma also managed to register on the wait list, that was around noon and I think all current appointments must have been filled, she is on the wait list.


Edit: The above covers the following areas of Ontario only...Toronto, Windsor-Essex and Kingston, Frontenac and Addington & Lennox.

Re: Coronavirus
 

More than half the UK's adult population has now received a first COVID vaccine dose, the government has said. :britflag::thumbs_up:

Re: Coronavirus
 

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...0e52cc97b0.png

Re: Coronavirus
 

Big anti-COVID restriction crowd in Kelowna yesterday.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7709485/m...protest-rally/

From the article:

"Earlier in the week, a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled that bans on outdoor protests were an infringement on rights and freedoms with respect to public protests."

Re: Coronavirus
 

Same kind of thing in London today.

https://news.sky.com/video/covid-19-...kdown-12251593

Wouldn't it be awful if these vaccines did unknowingly cause some irreparable damage to us all, and the only healthy people left to run the world were the anti-vax / anti-gov brigade. That reminds me, I watch Idiocracy again soon :lol:

Re: Coronavirus
 

The Covid numbers in Ontario have been rising steadily, hovering just under 2,000 per day again now. Yesterday we took the short drive into town via Lakeshore...there were hundreds and hundreds of people out walking, cycling, running, picnicking etc. Hardly anyone was wearing a mask. Despite Toronto stepping up the immunization program this week, I think we will see a spike in numbers before too long. I understand we all feel trapped and stir crazy, but after a year of being ultra careful and staying home, why oh why are people throwing caution to the wind now? Surely it isn’t much of an imposition to wear a mask when outdoors.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Indoor mask wearing I get but you're saying people should now wear masks outdoors? I thought we are supposed to be easing restrictions.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Unless you can stay well away from people yes. That’s what we have been told. Where we are there are various signs outside asking people to wear masks and stay 2 meters apart.

Re: Coronavirus
 

We have just had the 1st AZ shot. Seems pretty chaotic to arrange the 2nd shot. Have to wait for the government to announce the 2nd shots are available...then rebook. Everyone I know in the UK were given their 2nd apt when they got the first shot.

Felt terribly sorry for a guy who was at the pharmacy this morning. He has cancer and was having chemo. He has been told he has to get the 2nd shot within 4 weeks of the first. The pharmacist said she couldn’t help him and to try to get an apt at one of the mass vac. clinics. You would think his oncologist would have arranged this. :(

Re: Coronavirus
 

Good news! :thumbsup:

Re: Coronavirus
 

We're getting a little shut-down.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...ders-1.5961062

Re: Coronavirus
 

This will be good for some who have been laid off from the tourism sector over the last year.

BC will have 1,400 workers who have been laid off across 14 organizations do non-clinical work at the vaccine centers.

groups in the program include the B.C. Pavilion Corporation, Ceres Terminals Canada, the Canadian Red Cross, the Fraser Valley Bandits, Pacific Destinations Services, the Pacific National Exhibition and the Vancouver Giants, Air Canada, WestJet, Vancouver International Airport, the Vancouver Canucks and Tourism Whistler.

The employees will be paid by their companies with some salaries being topped up by the province.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...n-bc-1.5961768

Re: Coronavirus
 

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...54cb1a0c0c.jpg

Re: Coronavirus
 

Here in Toronto the Covid numbers are climbing again during the 3rd wave...over 2K per day. A week ago outdoor patios on restaurants and cafes were allowed to open. Today we learn from April 12, nail and hair salons will be allowed to open. That makes no sense to me...although I can’t wait to get my hair and nails done. :D

People over 70+ In Toronto can go to the mass vac centers for the vaccine. 60 - 69 can get the AZ vaccine at certain pharmacies. There are over 30K empty appointments for next week at the max vax centres. Plus many more make an appointment and do not bother to turn up. The mayor is asking that everyone gets vaccinated. On the other hand it is being reported that there are long lines outside the max vax centres. People using wheelchairs and walkers are stood outside for hours in single digit temps. When they do get inside...there is another wait....physical distancing is not being recognised by many.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Its hard to believe that people don't want vaccinations. Do they not understand the statistics and graphs on the news ?!! I just had mine today. Very pleased to be on the path to immunity.

Re: Coronavirus
 

We had the AZ vaccine on Monday. Surprising how many people we have mentioned it to have looked in horror and said they will not have that vaccine. I mentioned it to a lady on our reception desk today...she said there was no way she would have the AZ. I can’t understand it. :confused: Still I suppose it means we may get the 2nd shot quicker than the estimated 16 weeks. :)