SKY NewsVaccine surge may not stop Indian variant spread, PM warned

[Barry]

Why question me?

Because you're the forum lockdown junkie.

[patman post]

Just 851.2 people per 100,000 died last month – the lowest figure since the ONS started recording mortality rates in 2001 
Daily Telegraph
That's really good news, isn't it, Pat?

Why question me? Good news, yes. But I've no idea how many died ahead of their expected life-span.   
Isn't it to be expected that the restrictions and recommendations for Covid should also be lessening the impacts of other infectious diseases? 
It's if there's rises in Covid infection rates after 14 June that will show if 17 May relaxation was premature...

[Barry]

Just 851.2 people per 100,000 died last month – the lowest figure since the ONS started recording mortality rates in 2001

Daily Telegraph

That's really good news, isn't it, Pat?

[patman post]

Getting more people vaccinated whether by fear, $1m lottery inducements, or whatever, seems a good thing to me. But vaccination has never been promoted as the only weapon against the Covid pandemic.   
Until Covid is subdued into being a background human ailment (or eradicated like smallpox — though that took 200 years), the basic mantra of Hands Face Space coupled to lockdowns and travel restrictions remain crucial. 
Testing the water with England's May 17 relaxation of rules on assembly inside public buildings, lockdown and travel, is a gamble that may have been taken too soon — ie, with a significant proportion of the population still to be vaccinated which allows a substantial breeding ground for variants to develop. 
Best not to let that happen and instead allow the NHS to catch up with ailments that have grown more serious while Covid emergencies were requiring so much resource.
Despite wanting to visit family in France and Norway, our inclination is to listen to mainstream medical and scientific advice and remain cautious...

[Borchester]

I don't know.
I thought it was 3 weeks to flatten the curve, protect the NHS and save lives, Pat. (24th March 2020)

Now it seems to be a different objective.
Scare people into more vaccinations using the "Indian Variant" which is more contagious by over 50%, or was it 7% at yesterday's briefing, or hang on, maybe not at all. Oh, and the vaccines cover it and it isn't any more deadly.

Hospital admissions at a low. Covid+ deaths average 8 per day.
Deaths from all causes at an all time low, because people died a bit early last year.
NHS under pressure? Hmmm.

There have been 66 deaths in the last week, which, as you suggest, works out at sod all. God knows what will happen when the newspapers have to go back to reporting the news or the NHS treating anything other than this flu they are so keen on, but I dare say it will be padded out as long as possible

[Barry]

I don't know.
I thought it was 3 weeks to flatten the curve, protect the NHS and save lives, Pat. (24th March 2020)

Now it seems to be a different objective.
Scare people into more vaccinations using the "Indian Variant" which is more contagious by over 50%, or was it 7% at yesterday's briefing, or hang on, maybe not at all. Oh, and the vaccines cover it and it isn't any more deadly.

Hospital admissions at a low. Covid+ deaths average 8 per day.
Deaths from all causes at an all time low, because people died a bit early last year.
NHS under pressure? Hmmm.

[patman post]

A surge in vaccinations in Covid hotspots may not be enough to halt the spread of the Indian variant — and now there's warnings from medical and scientific quarters that lockdown rules should not have been relaxed this week.

Bolton, where the Indian variant outbreak is worst, has seen a doubling in cases per 100,000 people in the last week — even though vaccination efforts are being stepped up.

Like old school generals directing from the rear, Tory MPs including Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench MPs, are now telling the PM not to delay the final step of lockdown lifting next month, or reimpose restrictions.

But hasn't there already been too much political dogma interfering in handling the pandemic...?

[GBNews]

Vaccine surge may not stop Indian variant spread, PM warned

Boris Johnson is being warned by scientists that a surge in vaccinations in COVID hotspots may not be enough to halt the spread of the Indian variant - and that he should not have relaxed lockdown rules this week. 

Source: Vaccine surge may not stop Indian variant spread, PM warned