General Chat

https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/guidelines-policy/covid-19-vaccination-people-who-are-severely-immunosuppressed-third-primary-dose

Edited to say I had googled because I was getting confused.

This might explain the difference between a third dose and a booster dose.
I believe the booster is for anyone over 50 whereas the third dose is for those who are immunosuppressed. These people may then get a booster 6 months after their third jab.

Interesting to see the 3rd jab can be given after 28 days Island. Like Ann I had read that it would be given anytime after 8 weeks. Also like Ann I had a booster jab exactly 6 months after my second vaccination. I got notification from the NHS by text, email and through the post, so someone without internet access would still be notified by snail mail.

Ann, I got the letter regarding 3rd jab yesterday - six months after my 2nd. 3rd jab can be given 28 days after 2nd jab. What with getting my flu jab on friday and change of meds, which will probably have side effects, any day soon I'm a bit alarmed tbh.
I'll see if I can type out my letter if anyone is interested.

No notice of booster yet :-|

I think the 3rd jab is said to boost immunity and I did read that it is not the same as the booster jab, but I don't know how it differs. I thin it is in the timing, whereas the booster has to be six months after the second jab the third jab has to be a number of weeks 8?, 12?) after the second jab.

I had my booster exactly 6 months after my second jab, notified by both NHS and the local surgery, the second gave an opportunity to book on line (or by phone but both notifications were by text/message on line. I don't know how they are reaching people without computers/smart phones etc. When I went the clinic was working flat out and that was the second week, I think it is still ongoing weekly here.

I know our surgery is doing some but we haven't been called yet. I don't know where the other centres are except there will be a few days of drop in in a town that I can drive into but I am notorius for not being able to find the right way out and end up going miles out of my way.

I had heard about the 3rd jab and thought my friend who has just had cancer would get offered one - but no!

Just discovered that in a town of about 30,000 people no provision has been made to give booster jabs. Have managed to book a booster on line for Friday that fits in with my journey home from volunteering but what about all the people without their own transport? Making it easier for people would surely increase the uptake.

Who knew that 3rd jabs are now being recommended for those most at risk?
I'm not talking 2 + booster but a 3rd jab the same as 1 and 2, not a 'top up'.

Wonder why?

Well in Wales masks and social distancing mandates are still in force. Our rates for hospital admissions, positive tests and ICU beds in use are all well up compared to this time last year
:-S :-S

Advice is difficult to follow, when, in the House of Commons, the Oppositin Parties are doing as advised - wearing masks, but the Government doesn't - using the excuse 'but we know each other!

So, according to the Government, you can't catch a virus off of anyone you know!

Try telling that to children, whose parents died when they brought Covid home from school. <3

ONS data up to 9th October shows the increase to be school children and a sharp increase in those in years 7 - 11.

Unfortunately the steepest rises in positive tests seem to come after that date, which could mean that the other age groups are now positive.

My Gnddtr travels on the tube to work. She wears a mask but has told me that not everyone does so. I had not realised mask use was mandatory but if a few more hefty fines were handed out it would be good and if people were told they would be refused entry at station entrances, rather than on the trains (so reinforcements can be brought in more easily if necessary), it would be even better. It takes a lot to get through to some people whose heads are thicker than others.

I wonder how many MPs use the underground (maybe none will do so following the murder of David Amess) but what about their families - surely some will do so? Is it too much to expect our Members to apply themselves to keeping people safe? We need a Nicola in times like these.

Selfishness springs immediately to mind but my patience is running thin with government’s lack of cohesive planning.

I also think that Boris is rather slyly introducing his early gung-ho plan of herd immunity. Remember that - and how long and how many deaths it took before he heeded the advice of scientists and doctors!

Rollo, you beat me to it! (Only because my pal knocked to thank me for something.)

Masks, social distancing and so on just don't fit into Boris world view. And so as covid infections rise action is well behind the curve with the NHS directed to making face 2 face GP appointments its priority.

After the last 18 months it is astonishing that the govt can still sell its lacksadaisical policies and even more astonishing that it remains ahead in the polls..

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02801-8

Even where masks are mandatory, as on LondonUnderground, they seem incapable or unwilling to enforce it.

One of my daughters workmates refuses to wear even a face shield as it is claustrophobic. She also refuses to touch one’s loyalty card (even when you are having difficulty getting under the screen to reach the machine- so I always make sure I use cash to pay her. :-D

Well, I think Nicola’s right, Florence.

Oh that Boris didn’t crave for love quite so much ……. we’d all be safer.

Names in Scotland ItS mandatory to wear facemasks.Nicola Sturgeon decided we should keep wearing them in public places ufn.

Our local intensive care is full of covid patients again.

Perhaps someone who, for medical reasons, can’t wear a face mask, can let me know whether a Perspex/plastic visor is suitable for them? I’m not knocking them - I simply want to know whether they can wear such a visor and if not, why not?

I think mask- and/or visor-wearing ought to be compulsory inside everywhere and on all public transport - trains, trams, buses, taxis etc. I can not understand any reluctance to do so, nor can I understand government reluctance to bring in such a ruling - and not, as Boris was so fond of doing, making it advisory!

We may be in for a bumpier ride than we expected this winter - for me it would be down to a lax government ….. so not much different from last year really. Hospitals, like our local one, may find themselves in danger of being overrun by covid again and medical staff run off their feet but why, when the remedy is within our grasp?

I am feeling exactly like this :-S :-S :-S

With the huge increase in positive cases it looks as though tougher measures and probable lockdowns must be on its way.

Is there a regional difference in the wearing of masks? Many people locally still wear their masks in shops and public transport but friends of mine went to the north west recently and felt awkward and out of place because they were wearing masks and no one else seemed to be doing so.

Here in BC, we've had short periods where masks have been "advised" for certain activities, but transit, businesses etc have also been able to declare masks mandatory at all times. This has never changed for transit, and most people obey without any problem.

We are currently still in the 4th wave of covid, which started in late August early September. Masks are once again mandatory indoors and advised outside when near people.

All school kids age 5-18 have to wear masks all day in school, as well as on school buses and in the playgrounds.

We have vaccination passes showing that we have been double vaccinated, and have to show this plus government issued photographic ID when wanting to enter non-essential services such as restaurants, gyms, sports arenas, etc. Fast food, take-away food and coffee shops do not need the pass.

Masks must be worn when indoors, except when actually drinking or eating, and is advised outside (most people do that).

We've learnt to live with it, and most people are actually more comfortable wearing masks and distancing than without.


I had an appointment with an ENT surgeon this afternoon, he wore a mask all the time, and I only took mine off while he actually examined my ears and nostril, then had to replace it. Hand sanitizer was at the front desk and had to be used ............. I actually carry my own sanitizer as I've found most of the ones used by businesses cause me problems. Most people seem happy with that.

Like Ontario, our daily counts are hovering between 500 and 600 a day, although that is down from 2 or 3 weeks ago. Large numbers are having to be hospitalized, and the vast majority of those have not been vaccinated.

Here in Ontario we've had the mask wearing all the way through and just started covid passports to go to many indoor places. In my area children have had to wear masks in school all day even the 4yr olds. Our daily count is hovering in the 500 area though sometimes down to late 300's. Now we're be inside more often it will be interesting to see the numbers as we move forward, and also the fact we'll shortly be able to drive over the border to the states for non essential travel.

Well, it appears we have one of the worst infection rates in Europe!
Not so much sleepwalking, more a case of 'If we ignore it, it may go away' :-| :-|