River Cruisers: How Are Things Where YOU Are?

[Canal archive]

Thank you djh1959. So right we are damned if we do and damned if we don’t. The next worrying thing is the amount of vaccine that may be thrown away in Africa because it’s going out of date and the amount of non take ups. It does feel strange to not wear a mask but I’ve still kept them in pockets, bags and everywhere they may be handy. CA

[notamermaid]

Right, first day back at work looks to be Friday, with introduction to the new software on Thursday. Probably need to get a test before I start on Thursday. Talked to my colleague for the first time in two months I think. It seems I have missed a bit of stuff and what's been happening and not all of it good...

 

Oh well, still better than sitting around, waiting for a vaccine and Britain to be open to me. Cannot get any more preparations done for going to Würzburg right now.

 

No mask-wearing? Scary thought.

 

Over 14 percent of Germans now fully vaccinated. Far more second jabs happening than two weeks ago. I wonder if that slows down first jabs. Still no notification of my appointment, but then others have been waiting longer than me. There seems to be a backlog of the priority group that needs to be dealt with first. I am young-ish and unimportant.

 

Waiting for a parcel to arrive with British goodies, including Cumberland sausages (made in Germany to a British recipe). What I would give for an English Breakfast right now.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[djh1959]

Our cluster is still growing, currently our state government is in a cabinet meeting to decide whether to put us back into lockdown :(.

 

They are also awaiting test results of another person who has returned from overseas, done the mandatory 14 days quarantine, tested negative, but then after release, later becoming ill.  This is how this latest cluster started, and if this second passenger is also positive, maybe quarantine needs to be longer than 14 days.

 

This Indian variant is proving to be a very big problem.  It was announced on talk back radio just before that the UK variant was twice as transmissible as the original, but the Indian variant is five times worse again!  Now that is scary.

[notamermaid]

Okay, I am not going to England and I am glad my government closed the border to Indian flights and UK people!

 

So sorry to hear about Australia, you had been doing so well.

 

Right now, perhaps a move to the original quaranta giorni quarantine is needed - 40 days.

 

And quite frankly I do not care about passenger airlines going bust, the freight planes will keep on flying.

 

Since last Summer our tourist board has been promoting holiday at home in Rhineland-Palatinate. This year I am involved a bit in the campaign as well. Interesting things and places to learn about that I never knew.

 

I will stay put here in my area for a while, hoping for that July date for Würzburg, but I strayed at the weekend and went to the hotspot Cologne! Almost everything was still shut there. But it was an interesting day out. I will post about my experience in the Rhine thread.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Here are some of the reasons/arguments on the reasons for the spreading of the so called Indian variant. It’s from the BBC and I’m rapidly loosing faith in that organisation so as with all reports take it with a sack of salt. 
It has also been suggested that in the regions where the strain is most prevalent less of the population works from home.

 

Indian Covid variant: How much faster does it spread? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57119579

 

CA

[notamermaid]

Thanks for the link.

 

BBC - sadly, blemishes are getting bigger on the icon that it is. Still enjoy BBC World News (we cannot get the UK BBC channel as it is reserved to the British public who pay for it of course, like we do with some of our channels), it is good to listen to, especially Ross Atkins.

 

I enjoy ARTE, that is a great channel with the arts and documentaries a particular focus. It is German/French, so I suppose not available to a British audience. Unless by some weird turn of a satellite dish...

 

Vaccinations have slowed down over the long weekend, tons of people in my age group still not vaccinated.

 

Pfizer/BioNTech may not be authorised for children here. Disturbing news of heart problems after mRNA vaccines coming in from the US. Anecdotal case here in Germany, but more potentially evidential cases (is that the phrase?) reported from Israel.

 

notamermaid

 

[Coral]

22 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

 

 

Pfizer/BioNTech may not be authorised for children here. Disturbing news of heart problems after mRNA vaccines coming in from the US. Anecdotal case here in Germany, but more potentially evidential cases (is that the phrase?) reported from Israel.

 

notamermaid

 

I believe this happens in Moderna also. This was all over the news in the past few days, mostly young adults, mostly male. From my non-medical understanding - it is a mild case and usually clears up. They are still researching it.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/05/24/covid-vaccine-heart-problems-teens-young-adults-what-we-know/5241271001/ 

 

Here is a CNN article: https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/25/health/vaccine-myocarditis-kids/index.html. 

Edited May 26, 2021 by Coral

[Canal archive]

A friend of ours sadly no longer with us was an avid traveler around Europe and film maker, he had the best collection of European pavements ever as he always forgot to switch it off. In his Somerset garden in stead of flowers he grew TV satellites and could receive programs in just about every European language. Because of where he lived and his shock of pure white hair and his ability to get tickets for Glastonbury my daughters nicknamed him ‘the bishop of Bath & Wells. Bless him. CA

[dogs4fun]

Interesting read on the Indian variant - thanks for the link. My concern is with the Olympics in Japan this summer.

[Canal archive]

dogs4fun exactly! CA

[notamermaid]

Olympics? A crazy, risky endeavour. I fully understand the petitions against it.

 

notamermaid

 

[djh1959]

Things have got considerably worse here in Melbourne.  Our case numbers doubled overnight, and are now spread all over the city.  Authorities are saying that they are all the Indian variant and that it appears that it spreads six times faster than the original.  Not sure if this is true or not, but this is moving like wildfire.
Sadly, we have a flight with 150 people from India that landed here this afternoon.  They will of course all go into quarantine but there are now more and more cases where people have tested negative after fourteen days and then get sick a couple of days later.  That is the entire reason for our new outbreak.
From midnight tonight we are back in total lockdown.  Work from home, cannot drive further than 5km, and only to buy food, medical care or get vaccinated.  No visitors and all other business closed.  We can buy take away and booze, thank god.
After being covid free for months, this is devastating to people here.
I would be very wary of travel out of your country, you never know if you will run into someone at an airport who has been to a country with this variant.  It appears to need to be avoided at all costs.

[notamermaid]

@djh1959 Eek!! You are having me worried.

 

So sorry to hear about this. Big capital SH**

 

At this point I am wondering if we you should all stay within our country for the next two years. Why are you even allowing a plane from India to land??

 

I don't know, but is there something wrong with the tests or the hotels? Read this story of a person getting Covid-19 because the family on the other side of the corridor opened their door so he got a full waft.

 

And what if the Olympics happen with a Japanese having just created a variant that infects athletes from all over the world, a beast that will beat the existing vaccines?

 

Has anybody else got the feeling we are in a deep mess?

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

@djh1959, I was thinking of you this morning when I saw the news.  So sad, as you guys have done so well, and have been showing the world that it is possible to control this.  I know it will be hard, but hopefully the week will enable the tracers to find out if there is any more out there and won't be extended.  

 

What is scary is the fact that people are coming up negative while in quarantine, but later coming down with Covid....as you say, do they need to extend quarantines for longer than 14 days?  At least your lock downs and quarantines are enforced.  I think that is our problem, the Government is bringing in the rules, but no one is enforcing them, so people still go out and have parties, leave quarantine because they don't like it, or even refuse to go. 

 

Sad when a few people can ruin life for so many....

[SCBarker]

This thread never fails to remind how different situations are around the globe, as well as how feelings and approaches to the virus and vaccinations are different.  I'm definitely wishing everyone the best!

 

A little update on my area of Texas... I just checked the numbers for my county (4,713,000 pop).  Average 235 cases and 9 deaths a day. So 4.98/100,000 cases and 0.19/100,000 deaths. 45% partially vaccinated and 35% fully vaccinated. Vaccinations were open to all peoples about the end of March.

 

Everyone has pretty much returned to normal functions.  There are still a fair amount of stores and restaurants requiring masks, but those seem to be quickly changing to just apply to unvaccinated.  The Governor has ended extra payments to those who became unemployed due to Covid.  Nationwide there seems to be a shortage of service workers, most notably waiters, waitresses, and rideshare drivers.  It looks like there will need to be a wage adjustment to get them back.

[Canal archive]

looks like there’s a new vaccine about to come onto the market. It’s British/French and is in phase three of testing. Should be on stream in a few weeks we’ve ordered 60 million doses and the EU 300 million doses. CA
 

 

[notamermaid]

Good. CureVac from Germany is also getting closer to the "finishing line". Could be with EMA for approval in Summer. Haven't looked up the latest details, but the website says they are also participating in a UK trial for boosters.

 

Meanwhile, Belgium has reported one death after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and will only give it to those over 41 years.

 

We have had so little of that vaccine delivered, that rare side effects can hardly have occurred so far. We have less than 400,000 doses of it administered.

 

My employer is looking into getting into the vaccine scheme for mass vaccination of staff. Could be July before that happens, hopefully I can get a jab before that through GP or vaccination centre.

 

AstraZeneca is causing headlines again here, this time it is ischemic stroke in connection with findings published by UK doctors. And because the University of Ulm has found impurities in vials that may have a biological effect.

 

notamermaid 

 

 

[rcaruso]

Well in Dallas TX, pretty much same as Houston.  The issues with the Indian Variant are really worrisome.  Also our President now wants answers if COVID really came from animal to human contact or from the Lab in Wuhan (a little late).

 

We just worked with Viking Air on our Nov. cruise, but only time will tell.  We sure miss Spargel season in Germany, the Silvaner wine and DM as my husband loves their Shaving cream and I love the Rexonna deodorant, and the DM soaps.  And of course our friends, and the vollkorn brotchen!

[djh1959]

23 hours ago, notamermaid said:

At this point I am wondering if we you should all stay within our country for the next two years. Why are you even allowing a plane from India to land??

 

I don't know, but is there something wrong with the tests or the hotels? Read this story of a person getting Covid-19 because the family on the other side of the corridor opened their door so he got a full waft.

 

 

Notamermaid, what you read is correct.  The planes that are landing are full of Australian citizens returning from India.  A bigger question is why they were allowed to go there during a pandemic, when our borders are supposedly closed.  Some people can get special permission to leave, and it seems a lot went to India.  The gentleman in question was allowed to go for a family wedding, which seems highly unfair as during our lockdown last year, no-one could attend any wedding in a different state as the borders were shut.  There were no weddings allowed in Victoria.

He flew to Adelaide and went into quarantine there, was tested four times, all negative.  He was released then flew home to Melbourne, felt sick a few days later, got tested and was positive.  I believe this is the second or third time that this has happened.  The assumption is that he picked up the virus when he opened his room door shortly after a positive case next door opened his (or hers).

By the time he was discovered to be positive, it was too late, it has spread everywhere, I think we are at 39 cases now.  I realise that this is not a big number by European or US standards, but it is huge when we have been covid free for months.

Today there were only four new cases, but the contacts that they are checking have grown to 15,000 and there are many exposure sites, so the "experts" are expecting the numbers to grow rapidly.

Edited May 28, 2021 by djh1959

[djh1959]

18 hours ago, Daisi said:

I think that is our problem, the Government is bringing in the rules, but no one is enforcing them, so people still go out and have parties, leave quarantine because they don't like it, or even refuse to go. 

There is no way anyone can leave quarantine here.  It is all hotel quarantine, paid for by the returning passenger in full, and they are guarded either by security or by police.

Home quarantine is not allowed, hopefully once we get the vaccination numbers up, it might be allowed for vaccinated people.

[Canal archive]

Here it has been reported that of all those in hospital, evidently most of which have the Indian variant non have had two jabs and only a few have had one jab the vast majority have not had any vaccinations. So something must be working. 

A thought to ponder, in the early weeks and months of the pandemic variants weren’t tested for only the fact that it was COVID 19. (I’m not judging anyone on that there was far to much to contend with). Sadly far to many passed away but how is anyone to know if these so called Kent and Indian variants or others weren’t  responsible. 
 

Also if it did originate from a laboratory they have had the whole world to test it on now, replication, variation and longevity free for them costly for us.

 

Its bank holiday weekend here and we’re going out to lunch with our very good friends to celebrate mine and my girlfriends birthday on there boat starting with a very girly bottle of pink Prosecco. So enjoy all. CA

[notamermaid]

@Canal archive

A girls party! Happy Birthday (belated?) and have fun. Great to be able to do that.

 

I am off to work, big first day. Computer is working, checked yesterday.

 

notamermaid 

 

[Canal archive]

Fantastic have a really good day and I hope all goes well.
Our archive computers had not been fired up in anger for nearly a year so I’ve been battling with them. As I’m only there on and off and a volunteer and no one else is back yet it’s interesting. CA

[Ritabob]

Notamermaid, 

Have a great day back at the office.   The mental image I have is one of a young student on their first day of school. Uncomfortable shoes, new lunch box, new outfit. Enjoy!

RB 

[Daisi]

5 hours ago, djh1959 said:

There is no way anyone can leave quarantine here.  It is all hotel quarantine, paid for by the returning passenger in full, and they are guarded either by security or by police.

Home quarantine is not allowed, hopefully once we get the vaccination numbers up, it might be allowed for vaccinated people.

 

The way they set ours up was if you were flying in (land crossings were different), prior to boarding you were supposed to have the quarantine hotel booked, and the plan to quarantine at home, as well as the negative test within 72 hrs.  The hotel quarantine was only for 3 days, or until the test you took upon arrival was returned negative.  Once "released", you were to travel directly to your "home' quarantine for the remainder of the 14 day period, and do more tests.  Problem was, people were arriving with no hotel quarantine arrangements, and then refusing to go anyway.  They were also walking out of supposedly guarded hotels.  There was a $3000.00 fine for doing so, but most ignored it anyway. Once one got away, most others knew they could as well.

 

Land crossings just required the tests, and a home quarantine.  We only had 4 airports open for international travel, which considering the size of our country distance wise didn't help much.  If you were from the east coast, fly to Mexico, fly back in Montreal  Quebec or Toronto Ontario, after a quarantine you could still have a 2 day drive to get home....and that's long days driving, as we are close to the Quebec border and it takes us 16 hrs to drive to PEI.  

 

I think the main thing is, we have both Federal and Provincial Governments making the rules and no enforcement.  There was an American traveller last summer who was supposed to drive directly through from Alaska to the US, however he decided to stop in and tour around Banff Alberta.  They finally caught him, charged him (possibly jail sentence and most likely a large fine) however in December, they quietly dropped all punishments, so I'm interested to see how things go this year.