I can't understand why life science graduates with specific PCR experience aren't beating a path to his door for that kind of quality-of-life shift pattern and sweet salary.
Can you check which antibody one and report the reaction using yellow card please?
@TiRed I'm not sure we have that.
Product is Hizentra Immunoglobulin, via self administered subcutaneous infusion at home each week.
We often observe mild reactions to new batches that are beyond the usual aches or 'odd feeling' for 12-24hrs after infusion. Last night was a mild and temporary rash.
There's a recording process every time, we've only once had to call the immunology team in 14 years of taking subcut immunoglobulins for a more obvious reaction.
IANAD
Mrs_oab as immunocompromised permanently has this - just because you once had antibodies, doesn't mean that you always keep producing them. I presume your immunosuppressant is doing what mes_oab's illness does - stops in some way the bodies ability to produce or retain antibodies.
This then is why I'm delighted her weekly treatment now has cv19 antibodies in.
Sorry to interrupt your genuinely useful discussion with something only mildly interesting, but I missed this earlier in the year. A bit of lateral thinking… a mobile ICU department on a train…
https://www.milanotoday.it/attualita/coronavirus/treno-ospedale.html
I’m glad you got your tests Ernie. But your anecdote does not change the fact that the UK government changed policy and guidance [ in England ] to lean heavily on testing to get through these few key weeks without ensuring everything was in place to give that the chance to work.
It proves that whatever supply issues have occurred it hasn't rendered "the whole thing null and void" as claimed by binners. As does also the fact that approximately one and a half million are currently being the tested everyday.
Saying something hasn't worked as well as it should have is not the same as saying that something has not worked at all.
I know binners likes to see everything in terms of black and white only but reality is always so extreme. Even when you are trying to score political points.
It’s not just that it isn’t working as the government want it to, it has been sabotaged by the government announcing new policies and guidance without backing them up with provision. If you need to use LFT for the purposes they were already being used for (attending your NHS or care job, for example) but can no longer get tests because of the increased demand created by the government due to the new/extended uses they are pushing… it is no consolation that there is still testing “available” of the scale similar to that being used before the new policies and guidance were announced.
The next problem (I’m sure the PM is working hard with his team on this right now, not waiting ‘till next week, oh no) is that schools sent home LFT kits for pupils to use before returning to the classroom. How many of those are still sitting in homes, and about to be used for preparing for the new term… and how many have had to be used to end isolation periods or before visiting relatives or venues?
All good points Kelvin, but it's almost like you imagine that the PM is doing anything motivated by a desire to safeguard public health (as opoosed to, say, avoiding too many people dying for the press to continue to pretend that all is well).
Interesting numbers today at the test centre. We've been averaging 60 an hour even over Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Today we are doing 15 an hour.
So I’ve been feeling a bit off since Boxing Day, cough, sore throat, bit of sneezing, and last few nights cold sweats. I’ve done a lat flo every day and it’s been negative
Only person I’ve seen recently is my girlfriend who has had a bad cold also, she’s had 2 negative pcr tests however so it’s not covid she has. My symptoms aren’t quite the same however, she didn’t have a sore throat or any sweating for example
I’m 99% sure I don’t have covid, and given the lack of pcr testing don’t think I should be taking up a slot. But having woken up in a pile of soaking bedsheets for 2nd day running I’m beginning to think it’s worth getting checked out.
I’m 99% sure I don’t have covid, and given the lack of pcr testing don’t think I should be taking up a slot. But having woken up in a pile of soaking bedsheets for 2nd day running I’m beginning to think it’s worth getting checked out.
You have symptoms, get tested is my view. I have symptoms and have done a 3 LFTs and all are -ve however I do not trust their accuracy too much. I am off in a short while to get a PCR just to be sure...
@eddiebaby - that does not surprise me and I was just talking about this with the office. Given, technically, you have to isolate until the results of your PCR are in I can't see too many people being keen to have one today and those that wanted to be sure they are clear for tonight have missed the boat.
NB I was always going to be in tonight - just me and the boy - so will be abiding by the isolation until results rule...
Interesting numbers today at the test centre. We’ve been averaging 60 an hour even over Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Today we are doing 15 an hour
I've just been for mine. Straight in, straight out 5 cars parked up testing.
Interesting numbers today at the test centre.
Are bookings down, after people couldn’t make a booking?
Are numbers down as people avoid isolating over new year while waiting on results?
I do note on Travelling Tabby that while infections rocket, hospitalisations rise, deaths are dropping...
You have symptoms, get tested is my view. I
Yeah I tend to agree. Just booked myself a test this afternoon. Would be a bonus if it’s covid I reckon, rather than just a bad dose of the cold. At least I’ll get it out the way for a month or so
@tpbiker a couple of friends of mine have been feeling similar symptoms since before Christmas and have tested negative so it could just be a lingering cold. Given how many folk are getting to little or no symptoms from Covid this seems particularly harsh and unfair!
Sorry if I've missed discussion of this issue earlier in the thread but after a dinner table discussion with my in laws this evening I'm keen to get some more information.
According to this nytimes article there's some concern from some of the advising panel to the Israeli government that a fourth vaccination may overwhelm the immune system.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/23/world/middleeast/israel-vaccine-4th-dose.html
Admittedly the article is more nuanced than that headline, so this could be sensationalized... @TiRed is it something to be concerned about?
My in-laws are still saying they are not getting a third jab because it's uncharted territory (doesn't help that a retired Dr friend has told them it's unusual to have so many vaccines in such a short period...
doesn’t help that a retired Dr friend has told them it’s unusual to have so many vaccines in such a short period
HPV?
Hep b requires 3 in 12 weeks
Babies get 8 over 8 weeks, 3 of which are the 6 in 1.
a retired Dr friend has told them it’s unusual to have so many vaccines in such a short period…
What does the retired doctor believe is a more usual figure during global pandemics?
Just wait until next week when the schools go back, a combination of increased transmissions, schools closing because of lack of staff and parents having to stay home with their kids will make this week look like a holiday.
Doesn't seem a very helpfull comment from the doctor, is that all the doctor said? - unusual, maybe but it is an unprecidented situation in that we can potentially get ahead of the curve before the pandemic becomes more lethal via mutations etc.
That's a strong position (reletivley speaking) to be more pro-active and not really a position we've been in as a species before.
I just wanted to say a huge thanks for all the help and advice I've received from this thread and ours contributors over the last year and before. I would have found things a lot not difficult without it.
I'm hoping this thread falls off the front page a lot more over the year to come though!
I know there is likely a few bumpy months to come however I can't but help feel we just might, might be over the hump.
Have a happy and healthy 2022 all.
Considering it feels like half the country have omicron (whether they realise it or not) we are definitely in a better place than last new year.
This is one thread that could just p**s off. Although the royal institute Christmas lecture is partly on covid and we'll worth a look. BBC4 download
a retired Dr friend has told them it’s unusual to have so many vaccines in such a short period…
Having reviewed the practice of dose ranging for vaccines, I have to say that compared to medicines, they are in the dark ages. The dose and dosing duration of vaccines are very seldom well-explored, and there is really no optimisation for any response. Medicines aren’t brilliant (and that’s my day job), but vaccines are at a different level of unknown.
A modest dose given relatively often, say every three months, would boost antibodies to steady state (where fall in levels after dosing is exactly replenished by the next dose). We don’t know where that is, nor what levels are needed for annual protection. We have some ideas from monoclonals (thank you AZ Evusheld) and ongoing vaccine studies.
I think annual might be possible eventually, but with a more frequent initial dosing regimen. Annual can then be given with flu.
So my father in law has just had a positive PCR - he's 87 so not ideal. I saw that the pfizer pill has now been approved - any idea how he would end up getting it? Can he ask his GP? I assume he'd qualify as being over 60 I guess he's vulnerable. Failing that any trials worth signing him up to?
Ewan, molnupiravir is available and being tested in a trial. It may be a little early for Pfizer distribution but do enquire with GP. Sotrivimab is also being tested in the recovery trial for admitted patients (which hopefully he will not be) and is available to outpatients at risk depending on the risk factors.
Molnupiravir trial site is here:
https://www.panoramictrial.org/participant-information
Super will pass that on - thankyou 🙂 Tho knowing him I doubt he'll agree to take it anyway! (he's tripple jabbed tho).
🤞🏻🤞🏻 Ewan.
My daughter has just joined the -ve PCR following 2 faint +ve LFTs. GAVI have an interesting statistical analysis of tests.
We’ve advised she sees out the 7 days/2 negative test regime as it’s only a few more days.
Thanks Dantsw13 I've gone for the joining a trial will help others angle of attack, so we'll see...
I'd try the GP in parallel, as probably the quickest process. Might be worth a call to the surgery to test the water?
I've family on the in-law side who live in Uganda.
They're also anti-vaxxers it transpires and espouse that the pandemic isn't as big a worry and we should all just crack on. They've also faked single parenthood and low income claims for the last 5 years in Wales, so that thier kids can access UK universities, hardship funds, tax credits and a scholarship to US university.
They had a wedding last week in Uganda, and since basically all of the guests have tested positive.
The bride and groom have faked PCR rather than test to still be able to go on honeymoon to South Africa. The daughter trying to work out how to get back into USA where she is at university, currently looking into all sorts of avoidance tactics. The parents are both seriously ill and asking wider family if they would be prepared to pay an emergency flight back to the UK so they can make use of NHS..(!).
Is it any wonder that a pandemic lumbers on?
They don't sound like a very typical family.
What happened to long covid? Not heard anything about it for a while. Wasn’t it supposed to be 1 in 10 affected?
I would imagine it was worse after early waves, when it was completely alien to our immune system. There are still plenty on here to talk of suffering with it.
What happened to Long Covid?
well mine never left. Still have anosmia 20 months later. Fatigue comes and goes with chest pains. Every mild infection wipes me out. And I probably rode about 1/50th of my best annual mileage last year.
Studies are ongoing. But one imagines that the vaccines will have provided a lot of prevention from new cases, so with the passage of time, we are recovering.
Still have anosmia 20 months later.
I don't understand how it can do lasting damage like that to some people. I completely lost all sense of smell due to Covid about a week ago but it's been coming back for the last couple of days to the point where now I can pretty much smell everything even if it isn't particularly strong.
The symptoms might be the same but presumably the damage is very different. I have a huge amount of sympathy for people who can't shake off the effects of Covid. It really is bad luck.
I have read that there are specific genes that predispose people to worse symptoms, not sure how true that is. It does seem to be a complete lottery, other than age.
can't imagine why that PCR testing company is struggling to recruit graduates at less than average wage with no shift allowance. that may be a decent wage to a lot of people but you just don't want to pay for those with relevant qualifications and experience. jebus. heaven forbid you invest in training...
If they aren’t willing to pay for good lab staff, could QC issues be responsible for some of the +ve/-ve test issues?
If they aren’t willing to pay for good lab staff, could QC issues be responsible for some of the +ve/-ve test issues?
Having run 1000s of qPCRs myself, I'd say it's a definite possibility
My BIL is also in team 2+ve LFTs, and yer a -ve PCR, and was exactly my first thought
Serious question* - if all of us in the house have COVID, there's no need to attempt - albeit virtually impossible - singular isolation, right?
I mean, we wont end up re-infecting each other in a continual COVID loop?
* I think I know the answer but I'm seeking validation because my daughter isnt reacting well to being bound to her room.
Not necessary or realistic.
Krypton - within the house we haven’t bothered at all. If it’s that contagious, by the time you’ve got a +ve it’s too late. You might then need to moderate your outside activities though.
