So, coronavirus...

[Paddington Bear]

People really aren't bothered about checking in on the app I've found - I'll do it if prompted and have only done it a couple of times since things opened up.

Why wouldn't you?

Here in NSW, the take-up is massive - albeit followed up by fines for the company if they don't enforce.

For a few ales and food, it's a no brainer

Anecdotally it falls into 'personal documentation & interference' side of things which we're generally not very fond of in the UK, general laziness, relatively little promotion & no meaningful enforcement, and an element of "I don't want to be quarantined because of someone the other side of the establishment tested positive a week ago" attitude - and the levels of infection [not present mind] in UK mean much more likely than in Aus. I imagine if Aus citizens had to isolate eg once a month that usage would drop off.

Pretty much this. I'd say it's about 1 in 10 pubs and restaurants enforcing it

[Slick]

Why wouldn't you?

Here in NSW, the take-up is massive - albeit followed up by fines for the company if they don't enforce.

For a few ales and food, it's a no brainer

Anecdotally it falls into 'personal documentation & interference' side of things which we're generally not very fond of in the UK, general laziness, relatively little promotion & no meaningful enforcement, and an element of "I don't want to be quarantined because of someone the other side of the establishment tested positive a week ago" attitude - and the levels of infection [not present mind] in UK mean much more likely than in Aus. I imagine if Aus citizens had to isolate eg once a month that usage would drop off.

Pretty much this. I'd say it's about 1 in 10 pubs and restaurants enforcing it

That's some serious catching up you have been doing

[Paddington Bear]

Anecdotally it falls into 'personal documentation & interference' side of things which we're generally not very fond of in the UK, general laziness, relatively little promotion & no meaningful enforcement, and an element of "I don't want to be quarantined because of someone the other side of the establishment tested positive a week ago" attitude - and the levels of infection [not present mind] in UK mean much more likely than in Aus. I imagine if Aus citizens had to isolate eg once a month that usage would drop off.

Pretty much this. I'd say it's about 1 in 10 pubs and restaurants enforcing it

That's some serious catching up you have been doing

Just doing my patriotic duty

[Saint]

UK opens vaccination to 36+ year olds. 54.1% of all jabs required to be delivered to the adult population have been completed now - 69.7% first dose, 38.5% second dose. We're about to reach the point where we see what vaccine hesitancy there really is in the youngest eligible age groups

[Slick]

UK opens vaccination to 36+ year olds. 54.1% of all jabs required to be delivered to the adult population have been completed now - 69.7% first dose, 38.5% second dose. We're about to reach the point where we see what vaccine hesitancy there really is in the youngest eligible age groups

I think this Indian variant is going to get the younger age groups thinking. Can see it sweeping through them as everyone lets down their guard with a few unhappy outcomes.

[Raggs]

UK opens vaccination to 36+ year olds. 54.1% of all jabs required to be delivered to the adult population have been completed now - 69.7% first dose, 38.5% second dose. We're about to reach the point where we see what vaccine hesitancy there really is in the youngest eligible age groups

From the data released a few days ago:

Age range 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80+
% first dose 67.6% 77.9% 89.8% 95.5% 98.1% 94.6% 97.4% 100%* 94.9%

Not too bad, considering some 50+ are likely still lining up their first dose. Does seem to be a dropping in uptake though, hopefully it's just due to the length of time it's been open, rather than anything else.

[Lemoentjie]

Harvard professor signs international letter calling for investigation into COVID-19 origins:

https://www.boston.com/news/coronavirus ... -lipsitch/

[Openside]

People really aren't bothered about checking in on the app I've found - I'll do it if prompted and have only done it a couple of times since things opened up.

The NHS App (for your proof of vaccine) is different from the NHS Covid tracker. Very much worthwhile getting it sorted now, rather than at some point in future when evryone suddenly wants to get it sorted. There's a stage that requires you to authorise your GP surgery to release their records to the app, and if they haven't got an automated system in place then it could take some time.

Just done it. Very simple

Is it the NHS Covid 19 app? as if so mine won't work as says another app is using the technology and stopping it working.

It might be the app that you report tests and vaccines on that I reoprt myself and my wife on daily. I am expecting an MBE at the end of it all

[Openside]

Boris can’t commit to border closures, no matter how much good advice and advance notice he gets. Idiot.

If we loose the summer to another lockdown because of the pig headed refusual to stop travel from India then this government is going to be in deep shit.

Yes lets blame the government rather than the stupid cunts travelling internationally without any reason to do so. The Govt has outlined what is permissible if the contents of Bradford , Bolton etc. take no heed that is on them...

[Marylandolorian]

They were wrong!
Take 4 minutes to read or listen this article on NPR about Herd Immunity

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-sho ... ntists-say

[tc27]

I hate Twitter - my favourite sci-fi author is a full on anti-vaxxer/lockdown 'sceptic'.

[mat the expat]

People really aren't bothered about checking in on the app I've found - I'll do it if prompted and have only done it a couple of times since things opened up.

Why wouldn't you?

Here in NSW, the take-up is massive - albeit followed up by fines for the company if they don't enforce.

For a few ales and food, it's a no brainer

Anecdotally it falls into 'personal documentation & interference' side of things which we're generally not very fond of in the UK, general laziness, relatively little promotion & no meaningful enforcement, and an element of "I don't want to be quarantined because of someone the other side of the establishment tested positive a week ago" attitude - and the levels of infection [not present mind] in UK mean much more likely than in Aus. I imagine if Aus citizens had to isolate eg once a month that usage would drop off.

I'm from the UK, and Melbourne was locked down for months.

I guess the old blitz spirit is gone

[Saint]

The NHS App (for your proof of vaccine) is different from the NHS Covid tracker. Very much worthwhile getting it sorted now, rather than at some point in future when evryone suddenly wants to get it sorted. There's a stage that requires you to authorise your GP surgery to release their records to the app, and if they haven't got an automated system in place then it could take some time.

Just done it. Very simple

Is it the NHS Covid 19 app? as if so mine won't work as says another app is using the technology and stopping it working.

It might be the app that you report tests and vaccines on that I reoprt myself and my wife on daily. I am expecting an MBE at the end of it all

OK - so there are 3 apps that you might/should have that are directly related to Covid and vaccination in the UK

1 - The NHS Covid-19 app. This is the tracnk aand trace app that alerts you as to being in proximity with someone who's tested positive, and that allows you to check into venues by scanning QR codes
2 - The Covid Symptom Study. this is the Zoe app, where by you check in daily to report positive tests, vaccinations etc. Nothing in this app will impact the Covid-19 app
3 - The NHS app. This is your login to your NHS medical records and where you can directly access a proof of vaccination record, which may or may not ultimately become a Vaccine "passport". Nothing here will impact the Covid-19 app either

When the Covid-19 app says it can't work because another app is using the technology,. it means that you have a background app running that is alsoBbluetooth scanning/beaconing. Only 1 app can have control of that part of the Bluetooth stack. So do you have another track and trace app installed and running? When I went to Italy last year I had to disable the UK platform to run the Italian app instead

[Insane_Homer]

[GogLais]

Boris can’t commit to border closures, no matter how much good advice and advance notice he gets. Idiot.

If we loose the summer to another lockdown because of the pig headed refusual to stop travel from India then this government is going to be in deep shit.

Yes lets blame the government rather than the stupid cunts travelling internationally without any reason to do so. The Govt has outlined what is permissible if the contents of Bradford , Bolton etc. take no heed that is on them...

Some people will always break the rules and a competent government should prepare for that. It's ok saying the problem is on the citizens of Bradford, etc but it's our problem as well once it starts spreading. I know it's not in India but horror tales from our Virgin stewardess neighbour about lack of compliance with Covid security on flights from Islamabad.

[Sandstorm]

They were wrong!
Take 4 minutes to read or listen this article on NPR about Herd Immunity

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-sho ... ntists-say

That doctor sounds Indian. No way anyone will take his work on Covid19 as gospel.

[SaintK]

Boris can’t commit to border closures, no matter how much good advice and advance notice he gets. Idiot.

If we loose the summer to another lockdown because of the pig headed refusual to stop travel from India then this government is going to be in deep shit.

Yes lets blame the government rather than the stupid cunts travelling internationally without any reason to do so. The Govt has outlined what is permissible if the contents of Bradford , Bolton etc. take no heed that is on them...

Naah. The twats kept the Indian corridor open for another 2 weeks after they had closed it to Pakistan and Bangladesh who had far lower rates of infection. It was a political decision based on the fact that the blonde slug wanted to hold off cancelling the trip
Neither have the Home Office office sorted out the Border Force for arrivals into the UK. You've got 1000's of people arriving with no segregation between those from "red" zones mingling with those from amber and green with little or no social distancing
It's a fucking farce...............yet again!

[Sandstorm]

Neither have the Home Office office sorted out the Border Force for arrivals into the UK. You've got 1000's of people arriving with no segregation between those from "red" zones mingling with those from amber and green with little or no social distancing

Surely the easiest thing is to send all Green + Amber flights into Heathrow, then all Red flights to Gatwick only? Fuck, this Govt really is completely useless!

[Slick]

Neither have the Home Office office sorted out the Border Force for arrivals into the UK. You've got 1000's of people arriving with no segregation between those from "red" zones mingling with those from amber and green with little or no social distancing

Surely the easiest thing is to send all Green + Amber flights into Heathrow, then all Red flights to Gatwick only? Fuck, this Govt really is completely useless!

Is there not somewhere a little more shit and out of the way we can send the amber and red flights to?

[Marylandolorian]

They were wrong!
Take 4 minutes to read or listen this article on NPR about Herd Immunity

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-sho ... ntists-say

That doctor sounds Indian. No way anyone will take his work on Covid19 as gospel.

Doesn’t look Indian to me and seems well qualified
http://www.bio.utexas.edu/research/meye ... index.html

Lauren Ancel Meyers is the Cooley Centennial Professor of Integrative Biology and Statistics & Data Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin and a member of the Santa Fe Institute External Faculty. She was trained as a mathematical biologist at Harvard and Stanford Universities and has been a pioneer in the field of network epidemiology and the application of machine learning to improve outbreak detection, forecasting and control. Professor Meyers leads an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and public health experts in uncovering the social and biological drivers of epidemics and building practical tools for the CDC and other global health agencies to track and mitigate emerging viral threats, including COVID-19, pandemic influenza, Ebola, HIV, and Zika. Her research has been published in over 100 peer-reviewed articles in major journals and covered by the popular press, including The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, CNN and the BBC. Professor Meyers was named as one of the top 100 global innovators under age 35 by the MIT Technology Review in 2004 and received the Joseph Lieberman Award for Significant Contributions to Science in 2017.

[Saint]

Neither have the Home Office office sorted out the Border Force for arrivals into the UK. You've got 1000's of people arriving with no segregation between those from "red" zones mingling with those from amber and green with little or no social distancing

Surely the easiest thing is to send all Green + Amber flights into Heathrow, then all Red flights to Gatwick only? Fuck, this Govt really is completely useless!

Reportedly the Border Force agents have let it be known that there is no money in the world you could pay them to work at an exclusively Red Flight terminal/airport.

For which the real answer is that no-one should be flying to/from a Red Flight country without the reason for travel being pre-approved. Some travel to and from India probably is unavoidable, especially given the work between Oxford/AZ/SII - but nowhere near the scale that is still happening

[troglodiet]

......our Virgin stewardess neighbour....

I don't even know my neighbours' names, yet you know yours' virginity status.

Impressive.

[SaintK]

......our Virgin stewardess neighbour....

I don't even know my neighbours' names, yet you know yours' virginity status.

Impressive.

[Openside]

Just done it. Very simple

Is it the NHS Covid 19 app? as if so mine won't work as says another app is using the technology and stopping it working.

It might be the app that you report tests and vaccines on that I reoprt myself and my wife on daily. I am expecting an MBE at the end of it all

OK - so there are 3 apps that you might/should have that are directly related to Covid and vaccination in the UK

1 - The NHS Covid-19 app. This is the tracnk aand trace app that alerts you as to being in proximity with someone who's tested positive, and that allows you to check into venues by scanning QR codes
2 - The Covid Symptom Study. this is the Zoe app, where by you check in daily to report positive tests, vaccinations etc. Nothing in this app will impact the Covid-19 app
3 - The NHS app. This is your login to your NHS medical records and where you can directly access a proof of vaccination record, which may or may not ultimately become a Vaccine "passport". Nothing here will impact the Covid-19 app either

When the Covid-19 app says it can't work because another app is using the technology,. it means that you have a background app running that is alsoBbluetooth scanning/beaconing. Only 1 app can have control of that part of the Bluetooth stack. So do you have another track and trace app installed and running? When I went to Italy last year I had to disable the UK platform to run the Italian app instead

Thank you for your detailed and helpful response - I have been reporting on No.2 for 15 months religiously. As for the rest is will not surprise you to learn that I have no idea if I have another app working that is blocking it, but I am not downloading an app that will tell me I have to quarantine as someone might have walked past me whilst positive. (Not very public spirited I know)

[Openside]

......our Virgin stewardess neighbour....

I don't even know my neighbours' names, yet you know yours' virginity status.

Impressive.

outstanding foruming

[Openside]

Neither have the Home Office office sorted out the Border Force for arrivals into the UK. You've got 1000's of people arriving with no segregation between those from "red" zones mingling with those from amber and green with little or no social distancing

Surely the easiest thing is to send all Green + Amber flights into Heathrow, then all Red flights to Gatwick only? Fuck, this Govt really is completely useless!

Thats a pretty good idea

[Happyhooker]

Is it the NHS Covid 19 app? as if so mine won't work as says another app is using the technology and stopping it working.

It might be the app that you report tests and vaccines on that I reoprt myself and my wife on daily. I am expecting an MBE at the end of it all

OK - so there are 3 apps that you might/should have that are directly related to Covid and vaccination in the UK

1 - The NHS Covid-19 app. This is the tracnk aand trace app that alerts you as to being in proximity with someone who's tested positive, and that allows you to check into venues by scanning QR codes
2 - The Covid Symptom Study. this is the Zoe app, where by you check in daily to report positive tests, vaccinations etc. Nothing in this app will impact the Covid-19 app
3 - The NHS app. This is your login to your NHS medical records and where you can directly access a proof of vaccination record, which may or may not ultimately become a Vaccine "passport". Nothing here will impact the Covid-19 app either

When the Covid-19 app says it can't work because another app is using the technology,. it means that you have a background app running that is alsoBbluetooth scanning/beaconing. Only 1 app can have control of that part of the Bluetooth stack. So do you have another track and trace app installed and running? When I went to Italy last year I had to disable the UK platform to run the Italian app instead

Thank you for your detailed and helpful response - I have been reporting on No.2 for 15 months religiously. As for the rest is will not surprise you to learn that I have no idea if I have another app working that is blocking it, but I am not downloading an app that will tell me I have to quarantine as someone might have walked past me whilst positive. (Not very public spirited I know)

That's not how it works ffs. Even the telegraph reports it better than that little trite soundbite. You used to be better than this

[Openside]

OK - so there are 3 apps that you might/should have that are directly related to Covid and vaccination in the UK

1 - The NHS Covid-19 app. This is the tracnk aand trace app that alerts you as to being in proximity with someone who's tested positive, and that allows you to check into venues by scanning QR codes
2 - The Covid Symptom Study. this is the Zoe app, where by you check in daily to report positive tests, vaccinations etc. Nothing in this app will impact the Covid-19 app
3 - The NHS app. This is your login to your NHS medical records and where you can directly access a proof of vaccination record, which may or may not ultimately become a Vaccine "passport". Nothing here will impact the Covid-19 app either

When the Covid-19 app says it can't work because another app is using the technology,. it means that you have a background app running that is alsoBbluetooth scanning/beaconing. Only 1 app can have control of that part of the Bluetooth stack. So do you have another track and trace app installed and running? When I went to Italy last year I had to disable the UK platform to run the Italian app instead

Thank you for your detailed and helpful response - I have been reporting on No.2 for 15 months religiously. As for the rest is will not surprise you to learn that I have no idea if I have another app working that is blocking it, but I am not downloading an app that will tell me I have to quarantine as someone might have walked past me whilst positive. (Not very public spirited I know)

That's not how it works ffs. Even the telegraph reports it better than that little trite soundbite. You used to be better than this

How does it work then - I was under the impression (clearly erroneously) that is is all about proximity to other mobile devices...

[Ovals]

......our Virgin stewardess neighbour....

I don't even know my neighbours' names, yet you know yours' virginity status.

Impressive.

Very Good

[Happyhooker]

Thank you for your detailed and helpful response - I have been reporting on No.2 for 15 months religiously. As for the rest is will not surprise you to learn that I have no idea if I have another app working that is blocking it, but I am not downloading an app that will tell me I have to quarantine as someone might have walked past me whilst positive. (Not very public spirited I know)

That's not how it works ffs. Even the telegraph reports it better than that little trite soundbite. You used to be better than this

How does it work then - I was under the impression (clearly erroneously) that is is all about proximity to other mobile devices...

Exposed to other devices over an extended period of time. There's some programming involved but it would take longer than I have right now to explain it. The algorithm is also really shit.

This "oh, if I walk past someone who has it" is utter bollocks daily mail crap.

You're more likely to be contacted if you just fill in the name and number list that all pubs are keeping.


Oh, and in respect to paddington's post, only one pub I've been in in the last month has been lax on this, and we left pretty rapidly.

[Jockaline]

I can't say I'm too keen to have an app with all my medical records on it. Am I being overly paranoid?

[Saint]

Thank you for your detailed and helpful response - I have been reporting on No.2 for 15 months religiously. As for the rest is will not surprise you to learn that I have no idea if I have another app working that is blocking it, but I am not downloading an app that will tell me I have to quarantine as someone might have walked past me whilst positive. (Not very public spirited I know)

That's not how it works ffs. Even the telegraph reports it better than that little trite soundbite. You used to be better than this

How does it work then - I was under the impression (clearly erroneously) that is is all about proximity to other mobile devices...

It's a combination of proximity and time. If you walk past someone else with the app enabled it's almost certain that you won't even register at all as being in proximity. And if you do, that brief proximity will not trigger any sort of alert at all.

The exact formula is changing as the understanding develops, but it's down to a combination of signal strength + time. So if you spend a large amount of time (I think we're currently talking 5 minutes+) in near proximity (and given Bluetooth power ranges we're realistically talking sub 1 metre) then that's enough to trigger an alert.

There's no real excuse for not having the NHS Covid19 app running in your phone. Any criticism that can be levelled at it is that it's nowhere near sensitive enough (deliberately so) to actually do any good

[Openside]

That's not how it works ffs. Even the telegraph reports it better than that little trite soundbite. You used to be better than this

How does it work then - I was under the impression (clearly erroneously) that is is all about proximity to other mobile devices...

Exposed to other devices over an extended period of time. There's some programming involved but it would take longer than I have right now to explain it. The algorithm is also really shit.

This "oh, if I walk past someone who has it" is utter bollocks daily mail crap.

You're more likely to be contacted if you just fill in the name and number list that all pubs are keeping.


Oh, and in respect to paddington's post, only one pub I've been in in the last month has been lax on this, and we left pretty rapidly.

In my experience no one puts their real phone number down at the pub. I rely on social distancing but I live in the country and the only two places I have been in the last two months is the Golf club and the supermarket.

[Openside]

That's not how it works ffs. Even the telegraph reports it better than that little trite soundbite. You used to be better than this

How does it work then - I was under the impression (clearly erroneously) that is is all about proximity to other mobile devices...

It's a combination of proximity and time. If you walk past someone else with the app enabled it's almost certain that you won't even register at all as being in proximity. And if you do, that brief proximity will not trigger any sort of alert at all.

The exact formula is changing as the understanding develops, but it's down to a combination of signal strength + time. So if you spend a large amount of time (I think we're currently talking 5 minutes+) in near proximity (and given Bluetooth power ranges we're realistically talking sub 1 metre) then that's enough to trigger an alert.

There's no real excuse for not having the NHS Covid19 app running in your phone. Any criticism that can be levelled at it is that it's nowhere near sensitive enough (deliberately so) to actually do any good

cheers fair enough I will load it then.

[Saint]

I can't say I'm too keen to have an app with all my medical records on it. Am I being overly paranoid?

Yes. The app takes a lot of authentication to access your records - frankly, it would be easier for a walkup to fake your identity than to impersonate you remotely.

If you do any sort of online banking then you need to fix their authentication before worrying about your health records - by comparison they're outrageously lax

[Saint]

PS - and if you're worried about checking in via QR code and being caught by someone checking in after you leave who later turns out to be positive, it's stupendously easy to get your own QR checkin code for your own house for when you return home.

[Jockaline]

Not sure if it was Bolton or not, but it sounded for a while they were going to give the vaccine to anyone in hot spot regardless of age. After initially thinking that didn't seem fair, but now think it's an excellent idea. We're now in the age bands where the health risks are not really age dependent.

In Scotland some areas hospitality have not been able to open up, if they were prioritised then the unlocking would be expedited, which would be good for the general economy. It would also mitigate it spreading further afield.

Would still have some age vaccinations, in addition to target areas with high cases, but I might swap age direction around as the younger adults are probably the biggest spreaders, they have been probably some of the harder hit, and likely the biggest consumers of the business still locked down.

[Saint]

Not sure if it was Bolton or not, but it sounded for a while they were going to give the vaccine to anyone in hot spot regardless of age. After initially thinking that didn't seem fair, but now think it's an excellent idea. We're now in the age bands where the health risks are not really age dependent.

In Scotland some areas hospitality have not been able to open up, if they were prioritised then the unlocking would be expedited, which would be good for the general economy. It would also mitigate it spreading further afield.

Would still have some age vaccinations, in addition to target areas with high cases, but I might swap age direction around as the younger adults are probably the biggest spreaders, they have been probably some of the harder hit, and likely the biggest consumers of the business still locked down.

I wrote a long answer to this but junked it. Frankly, we're all in this together, and if "the young" are ignoring guidance and therefore exposing themselves to risk I'm not really sure why the rest of the population should have to delay their return to make it easier for everyone else. You're effectively proposing to reward anti-social behaviour.

[Jockaline]

I can't say I'm too keen to have an app with all my medical records on it. Am I being overly paranoid?

Yes. The app takes a lot of authentication to access your records - frankly, it would be easier for a walkup to fake your identity than to impersonate you remotely.

If you do any sort of online banking then you need to fix their authentication before worrying about your health records - by comparison they're outrageously lax

Cheers, I'm more worried about my phone falling into the wrong hands physically or remotely and flogging my data. I guess there isn't that much demand for health record data though.

I am not that trusting of digital channels, I don't do any mobile banking, or do any payments using my phone. I use my phone to call, text, checkout bus times, browse etc. I work for a bank and always use my work's network for any PC banking too.

[Happyhooker]

How does it work then - I was under the impression (clearly erroneously) that is is all about proximity to other mobile devices...

Exposed to other devices over an extended period of time. There's some programming involved but it would take longer than I have right now to explain it. The algorithm is also really shit.

This "oh, if I walk past someone who has it" is utter bollocks daily mail crap.

You're more likely to be contacted if you just fill in the name and number list that all pubs are keeping.


Oh, and in respect to paddington's post, only one pub I've been in in the last month has been lax on this, and we left pretty rapidly.

In my experience no one puts their real phone number down at the pub. I rely on social distancing but I live in the country and the only two places I have been in the last two months is the Golf club and the supermarket.

so, in your experience nobody gives their real number in the pub, but you haven't been to the pub. okay.

there's so little risk to the app i can't see why you wouldn't do it unless you're antivax etc. and wrt whoever was talking about access to medical records, i have only entered my contact details on there, they certainly don't have my nhs number