COVID19 and the myth of asymptomatic transmission

Spoiler, there is no myth.  However, it is more accurate to say that most of those with COVID who have no symptoms are in fact pre-symptomatic as they will go onto develop symptoms later.  It is hard to state this as a fact as this requires extensive research to say so, but working in the NHS, in May last year, I took part in a study looking at this in the NHS.  While none where I work were sent home as a result, some others in local GP surgeries were.  Also before Christmas, in a GP surgery locally, one person who had no symptoms at the time infected those they made cups of tea for, and we know this as they developed symptoms after the tea round and those who had the tea got COVID after!

In September 2020, Donald Trump proved that in what many term the Rose Garden Super Spreader event.  It was held so that President Donald Trump could officially nominate Amy Coney Barrett to the vacant Supreme Court seat before he was voted out of office.  It was outside and this was felt to be safer than holding it indoors.

It was known that his rallies were linked to the spread of COVID, so while many thought that an outdoor event would be safer, the danger of this event was known.

I do not like having to wear a mask, but I know that by wearing one, I reduce the chance of catching this disease, but more importantly, if I have it, by wearing a mask, I am much less likely to spread it.

If those who attended the Rose Garden event had worn masks, less would have been infected.

Last of all, COVID19 is real. People down our road died of it, I have treated those with it, and the nursing home I help in has yet to return to full capacity after COVID killed so many in it. Our local hospital is back to operating on patients as it did last year.  Earlier in the year when it was full of COVID patients, it had to restrict operations, initially to emergencies only, and then later to life and death operations only.  

We can see what is happening in India where government incompetence has shown what happens when a decisions are made to ignore the need to flatten the curve.  Just like what happened in Brazil.  I just pray that others learn from this.

PMQ's and how the Prime Minister is interested in saving lives. A shame about the 127,256 bodies which have piled high

People in our country are not interested in allegations that the Prime Minister has taken what many consider an illegal donation to furnish his Downing Street flat so he does not have to live in a skip. According to many, the population are interested in how vaccination has been a success for the nation.

 

Fortunately, despite Keir Starmer missing it, the Prime Minister, when asked in parliament who initially paid for the refurbishment, stated that he had already answered the question and that it was him.  (Check the link at one minute.)  Instead of people being focused on yet another allegation of Conservative sleaze, they are interested in how Boris has saved lives, and of course, they are not interested in the allegations that he had said that he would be happy for bodies to be piled high.  

Many do not mind that we live in a nation where the rich appear to be able to buy access to the Prime Minister.  I do.  It is hard to tackle issues of corruption in nations abroad when we have a government that ignores the law, allows bullying to take place and appears to give lucrative contacts for PPE (which does not always work) to friends. 

I am sure that we can trust the Prime Minister.  It is not as if he has any dodgy contacts or has repeatedly lied to about his fidelity!

Stowaway

I liked this film.  I saw that it had Toni Collette, Anna Kendrick and Daniel Dae Kim in it and had to watch it.  That and it is a science fiction film.  

When it comes to films, it has to be compared to Gravity, but while that has action and drama, this is much more slow moving and leaves the viewer to ponder on ethical questions.

One test with films is if I would have paid to watch it.  The answer for this film is possibly no, but it is worth watching despite that cut off, and if I had paid to watch it in the cinema, I would not have been disappointed. 

Jennifer's Body

I have watched this film before many years ago.  My wife did watch it, or the beginning of it before, but decided not to continue.  My daughter and I finished watching this yesterday.  It was weird watching bits of it with her, but overall, I think that this has stood the test of time.

To be fair, I do not watch as many horror films as I would like, and this is not really one, but is an enjoyable mix of gore, horror, comedy and the supernatural.

Anyway, we watched it after my son, wife and I had got back from Freeport.  We took Leia with us but it was crowded and she cannot be trusted in crowds so I took her on circuits around the periphery of the shopping centre.  She found a field which she loved to explore which gave me more much needed exercise.  We had intended to arrive earlier but having to bathe Leia meant that we were much later than we had intended, hence it being so crowded.  Maybe next time... 

And last of all, Line of Duty.  The cliff-hanger is now in the open, but we have left not knowing who H is and we are all assuming that the Spanish connection has been shut down after the discovery of the lap top used to send messages, we presume from H.  But, if the messages were sent from Spain, that does not explain how definitely was spelt as definately. While I thought that this is could be a Northern Irish thing, it is something across the internet.  Jed Mercurio is a git, a genius, but a git as we do not even know if there is to be another series!  

Leia goes swimming

Am knackered.

The woof alert gave me a lie in, well a relative one, waking us up after 0700.  I got up and brushed my teeth, but by the time I got down, my daughter was with he.

After a bit of time of us playing with her, my daughter negotiated the appropriate bribe for me to come with me and Leia, this turned out to be a sausage roll and orange juice from Greggs. I, being fussy about sausage rolls, had a vegan one, which was not too bad.

Our walk took us to the boating lake in Castle Park.  And it was there that Leia, when chasing a duck, went for her first swim.  My daughter has told me not to say who was responsible for this, or holding her lead at the time, but I think it is fair to mention that I have taken her to the pond without incident before.

The photo was taken once she had some time to dry off.

Once we got home we had to bathe her.  Needless to say she needed it.  The amount of dirt that she soaked up in that pool was unbelievable.  

Grooming her after she was dried was a family affair.  I just hope I do not have to bathe her again today. 

American Assassin

An enjoyable film. There was a glaring continuity error with the beach scene with the same man waking past in the same manner in different shots (I missed the others as I got into the film).  I had tried to watch it before, but my daughter got annoyed as she wanted to watch it.  Sadly my son did not join the rest of us.  Even Leia watched it, though that was the scene with the dogs to be fair.

It is not deep, it is not thought provoking, but it is a good action film, one I consider to be more enjoyable than the Mission Impossible sequels.

Anyway, it took me away from the disappointment of Arsenal losing.  I watched the highlights before I went to bed.  While some would say we should do better, we did almost win a penalty before a bizarre offside decision.  I doubt we are going to qualify for Europe next season and our perception of being a big six club is going to be in jeopardy.

PMQ's and the Tories defending toxic masculinity

I did not get to listen to PMQ's properly as I was working at the vaccination hub yesterday and had a Teams meeting during it.  So I listened to it afterwards.

The main issue with it is Tory Sleaze.  James Dyson had asked about tax exemptions when it came to providing ventilators for the UK last year.  The Conservatives moved quickly to ensure that this took place and considering the danger that the UK was facing, ensuring that we had the ventilators that we thought might be needed was the right thing to do.  The issue with this was the way the communications took place without a record being made and how it only came to light when the text messages where 'found' by the BBC.  For the record, due to the pandemic, I have no issues with the tax exemptions being provided to a millionaire who is a Tory party donor.  I just feel that the communication should have been documented in a clear manner.

The issue of preferential access in a manner not subject to scrutiny has been present with David Cameron asking for favours, and of course

There was the issues as well with contracts for PPE being handed out.  The government were right to act quickly to obtain PPE for the nation, but they were wrong to give the contracts just to friends and donors.  Especially when the PPE obtained was substandard and how the lack of decent PPE cost lives.

There is an issue about how Matt Hancock has shares in a company that tenders services to the NHS, but working in the NHS, I am aware that a blind process to evaluate bids is often used, and if this process was followed, I have no issues with Matt Hancock owning these shares.  So long as the correct processes were followed.

Boris has stated in his response to the questions by Keir Starmer that the Conservatives get on with making the tough decisions to save our nation.  While they have obtained the vaccines our nation needs, they have also allowed many to die of COVID and the mistakes that they made with PPE, which have benefitted donors and friends has already been mentioned.

Boris talks about tougher sentences for rapists and violent criminals, avoiding how the Conservative voted against a register for stalkers and domestic abusers.

He also mentions action taken on the European Super League, forgetting that Labour called for action first.

A shame that Boris Johnson is not held to account though on the claims he has made by the media though.  But that is not surprising.