The Brick Castle: COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 18th June 2021.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 18th June 2021.

The UK added 10,476 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,610,893 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 1,034,415 tests yesterday.

The counter says 42,460,632 people (80.6% of the adult population) had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 30,898,467 people (58.7%) had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

1,251 people were in hospital on Weds 16th, with 210 using a ventilator yesterday, 17th June.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 11 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 127,956 losses of life in all settings.

Up until Friday 4th June, the ONS report that 152,397 people had COVID listed as a cause on their death certificate.

Rep. Of Ireland 268,046 cases and 4,941 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.)

3,861,742 people have now officially lost their lives to COVID worldwide, although we know the real total is likely to be several times this number. There have now been a total of 178,386,378 reported cases worldwide. Already 162,909,621 people have recovered.

48 percent of men who were off work because of COVID reported mental health related illness

I had an internet failure disaster this afternoon, so I apologise now if there are any errors. I managed to lose about half my post, which I've attempted to swiftly re-write. I've no doubt missed at least one of the big stories, so feel free to laugh, and point - and mention anything interesting you spotted in the comments.

Wales is delaying relaxation of lockdown restrictions by 4 weeks, due to concerns about the Delta Variant. Wales are doing loads better than England (get a fence up, quick!).

"As we open up vaccinations to everyone 18+, I want to take a moment to thank our young people.
You’ve acted selflessly and sacrificed so much to save others in this pandemic.
Now the end is in sight. Please get your jabs as soon as you can."
Joris Bonson, UK Mime Sinister.
He isn't wrong - the younger you are, the more of your life COVID has taken up. The older you are, the more it's taken away.

ALL ADULTS aged 18+ in England can now book your COVID vaccinations. Second jabs for people who are more vulnerable or over age 50 can be booked or re-booked 8 weeks after the second, and will be offered to you by 19th July. If you live in a surge area or somewhere they're doing particularly fabulously, you may also have the option of no appointment walk-in clinics.

"The R range for England is 1.2 to 1.4 and the growth rate range for England is +3% to +6% per day as of 18 June 2021."
UK SAGE
That is very similar to last week’s figures, so at least it isn’t in free flight.

Surge Testing Postcode Bingo Winners
Everyone 12+ in these areas should get themselves a PCR test:
Banstead, Walton-on-the-Hill, Tattenham Corner, Reigate town centre

180621 indieSAGE cases per 100k by nation UK

Today's Variant update shows that cases of Delta in the UK have risen to over 75,000. It was inevitable, we knew it had taken over, so most of the cases last week and this are Delta. So long Alpha Variant - we didn't like you either.

Mainly good, but a bit mixed, results for the RECOVERY Trial for REGEN-Cov "monoclonal antibody cocktail" . The not-yet-peer-reviewed study found it to be the first 'direct antiviral drug intervention to improve covid survival'.
There was a clear benefit in hospitalised patients who had not yet developed their own antibody response, but it seems a negative response in those who had. It means it could be very useful in saving lives, but only for some people, and only earlier on in an infection.

Notting Hill Carnival has been cancelled for the second year running, due to safety concerns around crowds and COVID. A lot of events, festivals, carnivals, trips and other assorted jollies are now making the decision on whether to go ahead or not. Sorry to everyone who can't - next year is going to be pretty epic.

Delta is spreading everywhere, including countries which we've been in awe of throughout. I can see it breaking out anywhere, and it could easily catch a country like New Zealand completely off-guard.
It looks like the vaccinations may have the potential to reduce mortality to as low as 0.2% - if that happens then we will (with some sadness) very easily learn to live with COVID, and regular vaccinations for it.
We can clearly see that despite a rapid rise in cases, and the knowledge Delta is nastier than previous COVID Variants, UK hospitalisations are NOT following the same line as before - they ARE lower.
These are first generation vaccines still, 2nd generation are on their way. Our technology will only improve. The fact CureVac's interim results yesterday were a fail has taught us that one of their main differences to other mRNA vaccines is actually a super important part of why the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines work so well.
When vaccinations are available worldwide, which won't be as long as you think, levels will get down to a tiny percentage of now, and the number of mutations and variants will drop to match. We will win this, what we really want to do is win it in the UK without another large wave, and without letting a large wave spread around the globe - especially in unvaccinated populations.

180621 indieSAGE cases per 100k by UK region

Scientists have been looking into why many people with COVID suffer anosmia, or a loss of taste and smell. They have studied brain scans from the UK's BioBank, and think they've found the answer.
"Our findings thus consistently relate to loss of grey matter in limbic cortical areas directly linked to the primary olfactory and gustatory system."
Basically, COVID attacks the brain, in the areas responsible for smell and taste. Nice.
Fortunately for the vast majority of people, the brain is a clever thing and it isn't a permanent symptom.

49.6% of German adults have received a dose of a COVID vaccine, and 28.7% are fully vaccinated.

Today 50 charities reminded the UK Prime Minister to #KeepYourPromiseBoris.
It’s nearly 100wks since he promised to 'fix the crisis in social care once and for all’...

180621 indieSAGE hospital admissions compared to cases

Bad news for Chinese vaccine Sinovac, and Indonesian medics, and erm... anyone facing Delta Variant. Over 350 doctors have tested positive, despite being vaccinated. Most are asymptomatic, but "dozens" are in hospital and receiving oxygen.
Indonesia is really suffering, it has one of the worst outbreaks in Asia.

The Conservative life peer and ex head of Test & Trace, Baroness Dido Harding, has applied to become the next Chief Executive of NHS England.
Ermmmmm. Yeah... She does have the qualifications:
Boris likes her
She's terribly rich and went to a very fancy school
Her husband is John Penrose, Conservative MP and UK 'Anti-Corruption Champion'.
There's probably more, but that'll do it.

I couldn't watch the indieSAGE briefing today because of my internet failure. They did about a million slides though, so aside from talking about the UK's consistent failure to support people when they are isolating or ill, they discussed the fact that vaccinations are lower by far among BAME communities than white people. They also looked into the link between hospitalisations and cases, and there is a clear difference now that we have vaccinations. I've included some of the slides, you can find them all on the Independent SAGE website.

180621 indieSAGE daily hospital admissions

Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has announced mandatory vaccinations for service sector workers. Moscow currently has a massive 12,000 hospitalized Covid-19 patients.
On the brighter side, the ban on sitting on Moscow's park benches has been lifted.

It is no longer compulsory to wear masks in all public places in France, just when you are in a crowded place, a group of more than 10, or it's impossible to physically distance. From Sunday the curfew will also be lifted.

Luxury Cruise Crews News:
The Royal Caribbean's Odyssey Of The Sea was due to set sail on July 3rd, but they've had to delay after 8 crew members have tested positive.
All 1,400 crew had their first vaccination on June 4th, and the 2nd dose is due June 18th.
The cruise should now leave 31st July instead.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is now recommended only for people aged over 60 in Australia. They are virtually COVID-free, there really is little point taking something which has a greater risk of causing you harm than the virus does at that time - unless you personally want to future-proof in case an outbreak does occur.

180621 indieSAGE vaccinated percent by ethnicity

Scotland play England in the football around about now, and there are massive crowds in London. Sheesh.... Please don't go home with anything you wouldn't be proud to tell your Mum about - including COVID.

It's Men's Health Week, and according to First Care UK, who look after workplace wellbeing:
"Nearly half of men who need time off work related to Covid will go on to take time off for mental health-related absences too. Leaders must urgently be aware of symptoms so they can intervene early."
Being bored and isolated. Fretting about time off work or not earning while you're off. Feeling scared for yourself, your family and loved ones. Having COVID and being ill. Facing your own mortality. Being bereaved. Misplaced guilt. Having a slow and frustrating recovery, or even worse - going back before you are fit enough and really spangling yourself. It all places a heavy burden on anyone. You really are not alone.
However tempting it is, if you are ill, don't go back too early, and ask for a gradual return or home working if you need it. Under all that bravado, you are just a collection of cells and you have little control over how much damage a virus can do them. It's okay to be easy on yourself, and it's okay to talk to someone about just how bad it all is.

It is the weekend! Hurrah! I hope you've planned something nice for yourself - for YOU, not them. You've come through another week, and I know you can still raise a smile, even if it's a tired one, or through hayfever bleary eyes.

We're a lot better at this now. We remember how to deal with viruses, and we are managing to integrate sensible behaviour into regular life. Viruses mutate, but at random and it's by accident. We have the benefit of a brain, so they'll never be more than 1 step ahead, and they won't win. Back Sunday...

Keep Smiling, Get Outdoors, Save The NHS.

Some people. They're shown as numbers because I can't spell all of their names:

Countries / Cases / Losses of life (since midnight GMT. In larger countries some states /provinces have yet to report today):

USA 34,378,949 (+1,357) 616,491 (+51)

India 29,821,028 (+59,064) 385,119 (+1,221)

Brazil 17,704,041 not yet reported today 496,172

France 5,749,691 not yet reported today 110,634

Turkey 5,359,728 (+5,575) 49,071 (+59)

Russia 5,281,309 (+17,262) 128,445 (+453)

UK 4,610,893 (+10,476) 127,956 (+11)

Italy 4,250,902 (+1,147) 127,225 (+35)

Spain 3,757,442 (+4,214) 80,652 (+18)

Germany 3,727,873 (+249) 90,854 (+34)

Iran 3,080,526 (+10,100) 82,746 (+127)

Poland 2,878,466 (+190) 74,782 (+48)

Mexico 2,467,643 (+4,253) 230,792 (+168)