Yesterday I had a phone call from the University Hospital, Lewisham.
When they announced who was calling, I had a momentary sharp intake of breath as I thought that it might relate to my recent surgical operation ... and then they asked if I’d had my COVID-19 vaccination yet. When I said that I hadn’t, they asked me if I could be available this morning to visit the hospital to be vaccinated. I immediately agreed ... and at 10.10am I will be waiting for my vaccination.
I’m not sure which of the vaccines they will be administering, but whichever it is, I will be very pleased to have it.
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteThat is good news that you'll be Vaccinated. We expect that the vaccine won't be available here until March. As a State we're doing very well with no cases reported for the past four days- yet we are all still wearing masks when out. Best Wishes. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteJust got back from the hospital, having been vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine. I’m told that I might experience a few side effects (flu-like symptoms, muscle and joint stiffness) for a few days.
I suspect that London has yet to reach the peak of the current wave of infections. The local hospitals are full to capacity ... and a bit! It sounds as if your state has got things right, and insisting that people continue to wear masks makes a lot of sense.
Keep safe and keep well,
Bob
I've just been randomly tapping on the interactive map for new cases in London. The data is not presented in the most helpful way but it does look like the 7 day moving averages of new cases for London boroughs are all falling by rates between 20% and 40%, though it is not at all clear what these percentages mean. I must investigate further, but there is some reason to hope that things may get better rather than worse. Given the way the disease develops there will, of course, be a delay before reductions in new cases is reflected in reductions in hospitalizations but fingers crossed ... Meanwhile I'm looking forward to getting a letter about vaccination, so I found your account very interesting (but they've got to finish the 75 year old first).
DeleteMike Hall,
DeleteIn our borough the number of cases has risen by over 2,000 in the last week, and the total is hovering just under 8,000. This comes after a drop during the previous week.
I suspect that there is a major time lag between when the cases are reported and when they appear in the statistics. Our local hospitals are full to capacity, and only emergency surgery is being undertaken ... and from what I saw today, there is very little out patient activity taking place.
There is definitely a bit of a postcode lottery with regard to whether or not you have been offered a vaccination. Less than a mile from where we live, a centre has been set up that aims to vaccinate about a thousand people a day ... but it is in the next door borough and falls under a different NHS trust.
Keep safe and keep well,
Bob
Great news for you Bob, but I can imagine the momentary cold sweat when the call came through!
ReplyDeleteSteve J.,
DeleteI’ve now had my first jab, and have booked my second one.
There was a moment of panic when I got the phone call ... but it soon turned to relief, especially as I was really hoping to have my vaccination as soon as it was possible.
All the best,
Bob
Bravo! Good luck.
ReplyDeleteBenjamin of Wight,
DeleteCheers, old chap!
Keep safe and keep well,
Bob
Excellent Bob! Delighted to hear this.
ReplyDeleteTradgardmastare,
DeleteCheers! I’m pleased that I’ve taken the first step towards protecting myself from the virus.
All the best,
Bob
Well done Bob.
ReplyDeleteLocal gossip here suggests that my age group (70+) should get an appointment letter within the next week or so.
An important step forward but fully expect that the tail end of this is some way away.
Jim
Jim Duncan (Jim),
DeleteThings sound a bit further on in your area than they are in our part of London. The only people I know who are 70+ and who have had or are due the jab are those who are already being treated for some form of illness.
I hope that you get yours soon ... but I think that you may well be right about how long it will be before the pandemic is behind us.
All the best,
Bob
I got my vaccination appointment today, February 12th at a local university building via drive through.
DeleteJim Duncan (Jim),
DeleteThat is great news! Only a couple of weeks to wait ... and it sounds as if the procedure will be done quite quickly.
Keep safe and keep well,
Bob
Excellent news, Bob. I trust it was qucik and painless..?
ReplyDeleteRestrictions aren't going away any time soon but this should start to have an effect on outcomes, which is the really important thing. Good luck with the next jab!
David in Suffolk,
DeleteI’m very pleased that I’ve had it done.
The person who did my vaccination was a retired senior medical practitioner, and it was done with practiced efficiency and almost no pain.
The sooner everyone has the vaccination, the better ... but even though it was being done very efficiently today, the process is slower than I expected because they have to stick to the vaccination regulations that were laid down in 2011. From start to finish, it took nearly an hour.
All the best,
Bob
Congratulations. Suffolk is purportedly a bit slow, so I hold my self in readiness and will jump as soon as I'm contacted. Keep safe.
ReplyDeleteJoppy,
DeleteCheers! The speed with which the vaccination programme is coming online seems to vary greatly across the UK, and appears to depend upon the facilities that are available in each locality.
I hope that you get your vaccination ASAP.
Keep safe and keep well,
Bob
Good stuff Bob!
ReplyDeleteGeordie an Exiled FoG,
DeleteCheers! I've now been vaccinated, and should have some level of protection against the virus within a fortnight. This should improve once I've had the second dose in April.
All the best,
Bob
I have had both shots of the pfizer vaccine, I work in a hospital and see covid patients every day. I was the only one of my co-workers who had no side effects from the shots. Everyone else has had sore arms to horrible aches and shivers. But just having the vaccine has made a world of difference. Now when you gown up to enter the covid units, you don't wonder if this is the time you slip up and make a mistake. I have had 9 coworkers catch it, some have been mild cases, but one ended up in icu twice, another had their 9 year old in the icu. Nasty virus. I keep thinking and this too shall pass. Wonder what future generations will think of us, not well I imagine.
ReplyDeleteDoug Southwell,
DeleteI think that I’ve been extremely lucky to have had my first vaccination and to have booked my second dose. Not having any side effects is a real bonus!
It must be very reassuring to have the enhanced level of protection provided by the vaccination. What I find most unsettling is the way some seemingly healthy people contract the virus and die, whilst others with underlying serious illnesses can survive. I got news today that a very healthy former colleague caught the virus and died within a matter of days.
I think that the UK should have gone onto a war footing as soon as the pandemic had been declared, with food supply being controlled (possibly even rationed!), strict contact and assembly rules enforced (with the introduction of identity cards), and the economy switched over to meeting the requirements of the ‘war’ against the virus.
My suggestions are very draconian, but might have arrested the spread enough to allow for the development of vaccines that could provide effective protection for the population and a serious reduction in the death toll. I only hope that the generations that follow ours learn from the mistakes we have made ... and don’t repeat them.
All the best
Bob