The Brick Castle: COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 4th/5th September 2021.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 4th/5th September 2021.

UK Daily Statistics:
Cases: 6,978,126 (+37,011)
In Hospital Thursday 2nd: 7,541
Using A Ventilator Thursday 2nd: 1,038
Losses of Life: 133,299 (+68)
Tests: 1,155,929
Vaccinations 1st Dose: 48,245,337 (88.8% of UK aged 16+)
Vaccinations Fully Vaxxed: 43,378,193 (79.8%)

Rep. Of Ireland: 356,819 (+1,180) cases and 5,112 losses of life.

World: 221,394,352 reported cases and 4,579,498 losses of life.

ICNARC outcomes may 1st to Sept 1st 2021

"Good to meet Dr Tedros ahead of G20 Italy health summit.
We discussed shaping the current global health response inc. supporting work on Covid origins, establishing a Global Pandemic Radar, and getting ahead of the threat from AMR."
Sajid Javid, UK Health Secretary

"Great meeting with UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid in Rome. Constructive discussion about the proposed treaty on pandemic preparedness and response, the origins of COVID19, antimicrobial resistance and building a stronger WHO. Grateful for the UK's long-standing partnership."
Dr Tedros, Head of WHO.
(Psst, I'm not sure Sajid got the bit about a stronger WHO?).

Nadhim Zahawi, the UK Vaccines Minister, said on Sky News this lunchtime that parental consent will be needed if the choice is made to offer vaccinations to 12-15 year olds.
That decision still rests in the hands of the 4 Chief Medical Officers - who probably didn't have 3 hours sleep between them this weekend.
No official word as yet, however the Telegraph (kitchen towel to all Governmental leaks) is reporting that the decision has been made, and children will start vaccinations next week. We shall see...

050421 ICU admissions by age and sex this year

"Almost two thirds, 64 per cent, of people over 60 say they have experienced no personal repercussions from Covid."
I'm not a huge fan of The Times, but it has a great article today about how COVID has had, and will continue to have, a disproportionate effect on younger people, especially those under 30. It's widened the generation gap that we in the UK certainly already had.
Although older people are at greater risk of serious harm, and may have spent a long time isolated, younger people were more likely to have had to isolate in a small indoor-only box.
For our younger people, careers have been lost, education and relationships interrupted, life plans changed.
Older people mainly believe that a poor COVID situation is due to individual behaviour, whereas young people believe it is due to Government decisions.
Unless they can magic it away, the financial burden will fall to the future. Our children will still be paying for all of these vaccines, tests and PPE when we are gone. (Fingers crossed for global economic collapse eh.)

There are around 120 pregnant or recently pregnant people in UK ICUs. Please consider vaccination. Talk with with your medical professional, and if you really don't want to be vaccinated while pregnant, make it a first consideration afterwards.

050921 critically ill patients with COVID by race UK

There have been massive protests in Thailand. The people are calling for monarchy reform, the resignation of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, the immediate rollout of quality vaccines, and an inclusive social welfare.
Yesterday General Chan-o-cha survived a vote of no confidence, which has not pleased the protestors at all, and they were back out filling the streets today - despite an emergency decree which bans live music or gatherings of 25 or more in Bangkok.

As of last night, New South Wales in Australia had 863 COVID patients in hospital, with 173 in ICU. This includes two children under 10 and an infant. This has disturbed them very much.

A mask war has broken out in Florida. The Governor, Ron DeSantis, banned mask mandates. Some school districts, including Miami Dade which has lost 3 teachers to COVID, have still made masks mandatory.
As promised, this week, the state Department of Education withheld funding from 2 districts, even though last week a state judge ruled that they don't have the authority to ban mandates.

050921 patients in critical care by month

Israel have released some (not-yet-peer-reviewed) early data on Booster Doses, and it's very good. They found that a 3rd dose of AstraZeneca reduced the likelihood of testing positive significantly.
Efficacy went from 48%-68% at 7-13 days after vaccination, up to 70%-84% at 14-20 days (once the Booster had kicked in).
Original efficacy in the groups being given the Booster doses will have already started to wane a little, as it's now quite a long while since they were vaccinated.
Israel’s national coronavirus czar, Salman Zarka, yesterday said they should begin making preparations for future 4th doses:
“Given that that the virus is here and will continue to be here, we also need to prepare for a fourth injection.”
We do annual flu jabs. Annual COVID jabs really are very doable.

Some of the images are from the UK's latest ICNARC report on ICU bed use. They make fairly grim reading, and show very clearly just how differently Delta Variant has affected our partially vaccinated population. People in their 50's have been admitted to ICU more than any other age group. Thank goodness that group is now vaccinated... We do also still have a huge disparity in risk depending on whether you identify as black, white, asian etc. Non-white groups are at far greater risk of ICU admission. They are also substantially less likely to accept the offer of vaccination. Please, talk to your mates. Encourage them to at least consider it.

Schools go back properly em masse next week. it WILL lead to an increase in cases, and an increase in people in hospital. We can cope with the case numbers rising, but all Government eyes will be on hospital figures = the metric they're using to decide what happens next. We won't really see the difference in those figures properly for around 3 weeks. Fingers crossed.

Some numbers. All floating in space together:

Countries / Cases / Losses of life (since midnight GMT. In larger countries, such as the USA and India, some states /provinces have yet to report today):

India 33,026,741 (+39,126) 440,779 (+212)

UK 6,978,126 (+37,011) 133,229 (+68)

Iran 5,129,407 (+25,870) 110,674 (+610)

Malaysia 1,844,835 (+20,396) 18,219 (+336)

Philippines 2,080,984 (+20,019) 34,234 (+173)

Russia 7,012,599 (+18,645) 187,200 (+793)

Japan 1,556,998 (+16,012) 16,313 (+66)

Mexico 3,420,880 (+15,586) 262,868 (+647)

Thailand 1,280,534 (+15,452) 12,855 (+224)

Vietnam 524,307 (+13,137) 13,074 (+281)

Cuba 689,674 (+9,221) 5,703 (+86)

Indonesia 4,129,020 (+5,403) 135,861 (+392)

Italy 4,571,440 (+5,315) 129,515 (+49)