Yes that's what I assumed too.

Based on the summary I read, Hancock was a bit more optimistic on travel suggesting "the door isn't shut" and noting that its all about variants and they are hoping for better data on efficacy vs. Brazil and ZA variants. Probably an intnetional swing back from all the doomsday headlines yesterday. What I don't understand is that the task force is going to announce next Monday and yet he referred to additional efficacy vs. variant data in the next few weeks.

It's a great pity that (some) young people have to be persuaded and cajoled to do something that, while perhaps not being of immediate benefit to themselves, benefits society greatly.

Before we go around bashing the youngsters... do we actually know that there is a problem? As far as I'm aware no one under 40 (exceptions apply, obviously) has been offered vaccination yet and I can't say I've heard a lot of anti-vaxxer chatter although I do steer very well clear of Facebook, Twitter and other social cesspits.

I can understand the finding time whilst working thing, I had mine at 18:50.
Could we see the vaccination sites go from the current 8-8 opening to 10-10 to allow more of those working to get done after? I know 24 hour vaccinations were touted a few months ago.

I haven't been offered a jab yet as a late 30s, but all the people in my social circle would take time off work to get jabbed, I really don't think this is a problem right now.

another factor is people who have already had it before (e.g. immunity) may feel less need to get it.

anyway we are still at supply issue so not so
much a problem yet not everyone wanting one let’s see

I also see that people in the same household as immunocompromised will be next in the priority list after 50’s, good move

RUDE! i've only been a loner this year because of covid!!! :p

Yes, that's today's development, though it happened last week. They are actually being added, belatedly, to Priority Group 6, so actually before those in their 50s, and we started Group 6 a while back. The logic is interesting though: since we now know that the vaccines inhibit transmission as well as being effective in giving people immunity, stopping death and severe illness, this was the key turner for adding these people to Group 6. We suspect that the immuno-compromised won't benefit as much from vaccines as the wider community, but if the people they live with can reduce transmission then that's the next best thing. Full text of the letter to the JCVI is here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...-24-march-2021

This is great news as I seem to remember it being one of the larger question marks, correct?

Indeed it was uncertain at the start of the vaccine programme, then the data suggested it was in fact happening, and now there is no doubt that the vaccines, in addition to all the other things they do, have the ability to curtail transmission. It would have been more surprising if the vaccines did not have this ability, the immune processes from other vaccines suggested it as the most plausible outcome, but now there is no doubt about it.

What remains unclear is the extent of it. It's not 0%, as indicated above, and it's not 100% or anywhere near unfortunately, but the data is pointing around the 50% mark. Which is excellent, when combined with all the other benefits and a high take up by the population in question.

No, I have no first-hand knowledge of whether it's a problem.

I was replying to a post that claimed that the government is "threatening" covid passports in an effort to convince younger people to all have the jab, the implication being that they wouldn't do so otherwise.

As a 27 year old, I have received absolutely no anti-vaccine propaganda or anything if the sort and I am not aware of a single person within my social circle who has any intention of not getting a vaccine.

Whilst there may be a selection bias here - I have a PhD and so do a large majority of my social group and Mrs Wilsnunn is a medical doctor and a vast majority of her friends are also medical doctors - I have seen no evidence that there is a significant problem with vaccine uptake amongst the younger generation in the UK.

The same cannot be said for the middle aged generation and above here in Singapore where I am now, a vast majority of them are either a) sceptical of the vaccine (will it kill me? etc) or b) don’t see the need given that community transmission in Singapore is close to zero. Again the younger generation here seem to be excited to receive their vaccine when it is their turn.

Numbers time:
New Cases today: 4,654. Monday last week: (5,342)
Death: 23 (17)
Hospitalisations: 4,560 people in hospital as of 25th March.

It seems like our new cases per day has pretty much stabilised at the 5k mark - it'll be interesting to see how this number changes when schools are out by the end of this week.

Todays data:

Cases 4,654 (5,342 last Monday)
Deaths 23 (17)
Patients admitted 334 (450 on the 18th)
Patients on ventilation 615 (890 on the 19th)

The rolling 7 day average is now down 4.2% on the previous week. The number of people in hospital has dropped significantly from 6,100 on the 18th to 4,560 on the 25th.