AnnieC

21 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

My sister found out about this some months ago and we have been taking vitamin D daily ever since. I believe that they stumbled across it due to the higher mortality rates amongst BAME people who naturally have lower vitamin D levels. 

Ditto - been taking 2,000 IUs daily for months and so far I'm still alive. Some very interesting stuff on youtube by Dr John Campbell, who gives a daily update on various subjects related to covid; here's his most recent one on VitD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au6FKi8aAsA  

He's been doing these videos for about a year and has proved to be pretty thorough and reliable - I was pointed in his direction by a doctor friend last March. 

2 minutes ago, lincslady said:

I don't know if you are all aware that quite a large number of the older housebound in various parts of the country have not yet had the opportunity to be vaccinated - it is a bit galling when Boris is telling us all to get on with it, when we have not been given the choice.  This is surely particularly important for anyone who has various carers coming in to help them every day? 

 

I have emailed my MP to suggest that there seems to be a need for someone 'at the top' to take charge of the organisation of this important part of the rollout.  

I am so sorry you're still having a problem; hopefully your MP can do something to get this sorted out. 

Take care and fingers crossed that you get your vaccinations asap.🤞

18 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

As maybe but if the teachers are vaccinated and the kids can't spread it then there is no reason schools cant be open. But they are also saying the infection rate will increase if schools open. So you can't win can you.

The schools are closed (to many children) because it is believed children were adding to household spread of disease. Not to protect the teachers.

And I'm not a teacher basher - many of my family are teachers, but none of them think they should be elbowing more vulnerable people out of the queue.

26 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

Maybe because some teachers are dying. And maybe even because some of these kids when they go back to school might spit/cough on the teachers the way the police get it? I am sure that will happen.

Teachers do not appear to be at higher risk than other occupations; at most risk, according to the ONS, are restaurant staff, factory workers, care workers, taxi drivers, security guards and nurses. I imagine you can add shop staff, bus drivers, prison officers, police, railway workers, and quite a few others to that list. Where do you draw the line? 

And yes, I might be biased - two of my daughters are in group 6, one with a serious chronic condition, the other with asthma. I'm afraid I would like them vaccinated, along with quite a few regulars on this forum, before members of any profession at lower risk; teachers at increased risk will be vaccinated along with everyone else in line with the scientific advice.

Just now, WECRUISEUK said:

One thing i want to hear is teachers getting the jab before returning fully to work,maybe put two days aside solely for them,then police and shop workers,this would be a good move.

Whilst I sympathise, and have every admiration for the way those in public-facing roles have done a brilliant job,  the next group is group 6, the younger vulnerable group, many of whom have not set foot outside their doors since March. 

Glad I don't have to make these decisions.

I don't think we've heard from SarahHben for a while - perhaps you're having a break and just reading? I'm missing your posts.🙂

1 minute ago, DamianG said:

We don’t buy cards for each other any more but I did manage to turn this out (with a bit of help from my mate Marks & my other pal Spencer). Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

That looks lovely, Damian.

42 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

Hopefully we will get to know next Sunday when Boris and pals tell us. The way the infection/hospitalisations and death rates are coming down and the number of people vaccinated things should start moving pretty quickly. The weather hopefully will be warming up with lengthening daylight and meeting in parks or even gardens should be safe, getting schools back up and running will likely be priority. I would imagine a phasing lockdown out in stages across the country will happen. We also need to test how the vaccine is working within the society which can't be done properly in lockdown, all this while avoiding a new wave of covid. 

I believe we have a Boris briefing tomorrow - whether it will tell us anything we want to hear is another story.

33 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

My darling husband has just informed me that I am acting as his chauffeur this morning.  He has to go for his first vaccine appointment this morning and he is worried that he might suffer some problem that will make it difficult to drive.  I have pointed out to him that millions have had the the vaccine with no problems but he is seriously concerned.  I really don't understand what he is worried about.

He's having the male version of the jab? Bit like man flu...

2 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

 

 

my husband is 69  and has heard nothing. To be honest, I’m finding it slightly disconcerting, as everywhere else seems to be cracking on.

 

Has anybody in Kent or Medway got any news? 

Sorry to hear that, Dermotsgirl - it must be dispiriting to hear about younger 65 pluses getting their call-up papers. Fingers crossed he hears very soon🤞 - the sooner we all get jabbed the sooner they can move onto group 6, the younger group at risk.

20 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

My wife received a text from our GP surgery yesterday which we hoped was about booking her jab, but said that they needed to collect ethnicity data in regards to vaccinations. As there was a link to report your ethnicity I suspected a scam, so suggested that she called the surgery to check. Turned out it was genuine and she was duly recorded as ‘white British’. Knowing how busy they are my wife didn’t ask any further questions, but it makes me wonder if, within each grouping, they might be prioritising BAME groups first due to the added risk that the virus presents to them and the currently high refusal rates in those communities. Obviously that’s just me surmising. We have an extremely low percentage of BAME people where we live, so I’m wondering if this is happening elsewhere?

I wasn't asked about ethnicity - just asked to book a jab. 

12 minutes ago, Aulanis said:

Just read on the BBCs newspaper headlines   ( that to me sounds odd)

that,  the purveyor of indisputable facts   The Sun !!   has a headline

that over 65s will be getting their invite letters  from next Monday.

 

Hurrah!!

I had a text about 20 minutes ago (in the 65+ group) asking me to ring the surgery. Needless to say, the phone lines are overwhelmed and unable to get through, with no option of using a website or any other alternative.

Just now, Josy1953 said:

I thought that you were going on  a different sort of cruise to most of us  😂😂

Isn't this the point where we dig out our pineapples and pampas grass?

1 hour ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I’ve just heard the most bizarre and awful thing from a friend.

 

Today her husband went for his jab. He went into the vaccine hub, and was registered and given his little card, which was pre-filled with the vaccine details. Then he was shown to a waiting area, where he waited for an hour. Then someone came over to him, and said he could go now. He said he hadn’t had his jab yet, but they were adamant that he had. Three nurses got involved and a doctor, who even suggested that my friends husband had had a funny turn and had forgotten that he’d had it. It looks as if he was mistakenly told to wait in a post jab waiting area. Now, his records say he’s been jabbed, the doctors and nurses say he’s been jabbed and therefore refuse to actually jab him because they say they can’t give him 2 jabs, ( even though he hasn’t had a jab).

 

So now they feel totally lost, as there’s no way he can get his first jab! 
 

my friend said her husband was going to phone his GP and see if anything can be done 

That's very worrying!

A similar thing happened to my daughter with a cyclosporin infusion years ago - the nurse had ticked the box saying she'd had it, she hadn't, they believed the nurse and refused to give it to her. No real harm done in that case, though, unlike in your friend's husband's. 

I hope he gets his jab tomorrow. Question for those who've had it done: does it leave a mark? If so, lack of that may be sufficient evidence.

11 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

It makes you cringe! 

It also made us spend our money elsewhere - didn't go on P&O again for some years.

Unless I've missed it, I don't think we've heard from Dave for a couple of days - Dave, if you're reading this, hope you're ok.

21 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Our arrival into Warnemunde was delayed due to fog, so our full day trip to Rostock didn’t run. Instead we spent the afternoon walking around Warnemunde, and it was lovely. They also gave us a good send off. As the ship departed, they opened the dock gates so that people could come on to the dock to wave us off. ‘Time to Say Goodbye’ was booming out across the water and crowds of people waving at us - very memorable 

I know that others who were onboard have already told this story on CC, but I'll re-tell it for those who missed it.

We were in Warnemunde on Arcadia in (I think) 2008 - had a lovely day wandering around the town, the people were friendly, the sun was shining and, as when Dermotsgirl departed, crowds of locals waved us off. And how did we repay them for welcoming us to their town? We blasted out The Dambusters. Worse still, most seem to find it amusing.

57 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

I’ve always coloured my hair myself, take after my Dad who started going grey in his 20’s! I did start letting the grey grow through in lockdown but it was depressing me! So I bought some dye from Amazon! It really needs a cut though, with my hair being naturally curly it’s getting rather wild!

It is not colouring, Sue. Here it is described as my "deep conditioning treatment".

28 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

We have a moble hairdresser so I'm hoping for maybe a one person visitor allowed? but then again, probably not.

Avril

Any of the other solos out there wish they'd bubbled up with their hairdresser and not a family member?🤣

5 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

 

As an aside we love Warnemunde which is a lovely little seaside town with lots of nice walks, shops and places to eat.

I was just about to post very similar comments - Warnemunde is absolutely delightful.

24 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I think my 74 yr old SIL still receives her carers allowance for my BIL.

I was a little simplistic in my explanation - it's available as a top-up if the recipient's state pension is under a certain amount. For most, that means it ceases.

5 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Since carers allowance is means tested there will not be many DB pensioners receiving that allowance and, although I definitely am my wife's sole carer, I don't ever remember being registered.

Plus carers' allowance ceases at state pension age.

1 minute ago, Eddie99 said:

I thought I heard the PM say they do not want to reintroduce tiers as they eventually ease this lockdown?

Yep, he did say that. Having said that...

20 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I would hope so as well. My sister,  who has just turned 65 is being vaccinated on Friday. Shows how different parts of the country are proceeding at different rates.

I'm in the 65-70s group, in the adjoining county to you, and heard nothing either. We do different in the east.

50 minutes ago, Peanut006 said:

What lovely comments form everyone supporting each other during what feels like a never ending lockdown. I always have daffodils in the house as soon as I can, the colour makes me feel happy knowing Spring is just around the corner

Michelle

And Tesco now has 16 in a £1 bunch - at the beginning of the season it was 9.

Why oh why am I counting my daffodils?