General Coronavirus chit chat thread - non-travel specific

[tgh]

For Covid vaccination, I believe that we will be among the first cabs off the rank in au.
We will also assume that we are no less vulnerable than prior to vaccination.. if and until really good contrary evidence arrives.
We might then take a peek at some nearby cruise bookings…

 

[DC3]

I have a more relaxed approach... the government has said 'March'. For me the details don't matter so much... it's not like those first in line need to plan their diary or availability around the roll out... they can't go anywhere!

Yes. Some of us have a more optimistic outlook of how our pollies will plan and are quite content with that. Others may be somewhat skeptical. Anyway, we all live and let live on AFF.

 

[Denali]

Announced masks mandatory in Sydney - not that I go anywhere, not even the office at the moment.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Announced masks mandatory in Sydney - not that I go anywhere, not even the office at the moment.

Ms FM is having a super spreader event for Bub’s first birthday. Mr FM and I plan to wear masks.....

 

[drron]

Announced masks mandatory in Sydney - not that I go anywhere, not even the office at the moment.

And they have done so for indoor settings which are responsible for the large majority of Covid spreading events.
No need to wear them outdoors if you can social distance.

Masks now mandatory as NSW records seven COVID-19 cases

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announces a range of coronavirus restrictions, including mandatory masks in indoor settings and lifting lockdown orders in the southern half of Sydney's northern beaches.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Denali]

Health warning for the RTA hubby was at Wednesday. Health alert was noon to 1ish and he was there 3hrs earlier and so was sister and nephew (who dropped over to my house later that day but I wore a mask and we kept distance/didnt hug). Which exactly proves what Ive been saying to people who downplay the chances, I have no idea where people have been when they approach me.

 

[Bundy Bear]

A new website to keep track of.

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/

Israel leading the way with over 10% of the population has the first shot.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Yes, I had looked at the document date and thought that it may not be all that up to date. Let’s hope that our confidence will be rewarded.

Was just reading today that there is a division for Covid Vaccination within the Department of Health in Canberra which has been working since before Christmas (and continued during Christmas and New Year) to plan for the vaccination rollout.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

PM reiterated opposition to any immediate roll-out of a vaccine. What's Australia going to do? Be the only country in the world that doesn't approve one?

Interesting opinion piece in news.com(.au) just now... Australia was 'front of the queue' to receive vaccines according to the PM. But that doesn't seem to mean much!

 

[drron]

PM reiterated opposition to any immediate roll-out of a vaccine. What's Australia going to do? Be the only country in the world that doesn't approve one?

Interesting opinion piece in news.com(.au) just now... Australia was 'front of the queue' to receive vaccines according to the PM. But that doesn't seem to mean much!

No country in the world has yet fully approved any of the Covid vaccines.

 

[Pushka]

No country in the world has yet fully approved any of the Covid vaccines.

But are using it regardless. Are they reckless or extremely proactive/reactive?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But are using it regardless. Are they reckless or extremely proactive/reactive?

The UK is planning 2 million doses a week from later in January, and 30 million doses delivered by Easter!

On 11 December Pfizer stated it would file for full approval of its vaccine in the US in April 2021. Not sure if they've brought that date forward or not?

 

[Princess Fiona]

But are using it regardless. Are they reckless or extremely proactive/reactive?

They are using it under Emergency authorization. In plain English it has circumvented their normal approval process (which will still take place) for use as an Emergency drug. The countries which have done so deem the risk of withholding such Emergency approval to be too great a risk to their population given the incidence of the disease there and the morbidity and mortality from it thus far.

Australia is not and has never been in a situation with Covid where we need to circumvent our usual approval processes in favor of Emergency use authorization of Covid-19 vaccines.

 

[drron]

But are using it regardless. Are they reckless or extremely proactive/reactive?

They are using Emergency Authorisations not full authorisations because they actually have emergencies unlike Australia.

 

[Pushka]

They are using Emergency Authorisations not full authorisations because they actually have emergencies unlike Australia.

Yes I understand that but as I said before, what medical corners are being cut in order to do this? What are the increased risks?

How will those risks be known to TGA for full approval in late January that aren't known now? Is this just a semantics difference?

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

So if Pfizer is asking full approval in US in April, does that mean Australia will be the first country to give full approval to any covid vaccine and we are the guinea pigs???

 

[Flying mermaid]

So if Pfizer is asking full approval in US in April, does that mean Australia will be the first country to give full approval to any covid vaccine and we are the guinea pigs???

I don’t know we can be called guinea pigs if millions have already had it. Dr FM is due to get her today - Pfizer she thinks.

 

[drron]

Yes I understand that but as I said before, what medical corners are being cut in order to do this? What are the increased risks?

How will those risks be known to TGA for full approval in late January that aren't known now? Is this just a semantics difference?

As I have said before the more patients that are vaccinated and the greater time since vaccination either the safer the vaccine is or some unexpected problem arises which may or may not mean full Authorisation is not given.
In essence you want to know what the unknown unknowns are.I certainly can't answer that.

 

[OZDUCK]

Much as I like visiting Singapore I have never had any doubts regarding the authoritarian nature of the government there. But this did surprise me a bit as they do not tend to normally tell what appears to have been straight out bare-faced lies.

Singapore reveals Covid privacy data available to police

Reversing earlier assurances, officials say tracing data can be used for criminal investigations.

www.bbc.com

 

[DC3]

Palau, population 18,000, currently COVID-free, may become the first to have (most of) the population vaccinated:

This Pacific nation's part of Operation Warp Speed, and it soon could be mostly vaccinated

As Palau receives its first batches of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, it could soon become one of the world's first countries to achieve widespread vaccination against COVID-19.

www.abc.net.au