Mike and Wendy's holiday blog: January 2021

Wednesday 13 January

Day 303

Clinical trial of protein called interferon beta showed that when inhaled it was 80% effective in stopping serious cv cases from becoming worse.

Boris promised 24/7 vaccines 'as soon as we can'.

Luca round.

Most cv deaths in one day in Europe since start of pandemic. 1,564 bringing the total to 84,767.

Trump impeached for the second time under 'incitement of insurrection'.

Thursday 14 January

Day 304

Busy day for Luca 😁

New cv variant in Brazil - but most of the country don't know about it because of their president dubbed 'Trump of the tropics' who . All UK travel from South America and Portugal (strong travel links with Brazil) now banned.

Snow in Retford.

Friday 15 January

Day 305

Judgement upheld against insurers who refused to pay out against covid claims. Lifeline for small businesses.

Misty, frosty walk.

Julie did 'pamper day' for Carol and she loved it 🥰

Saturday 16 January

Day 306

Mild day for a change.

Family quiz. We won!

Sunday 17 January

Day 307

One person admitted every 30 seconds to hospital in England with cv. But for every person with the infection 4 have already been vaccinated. NHS in worst position it has ever been in during its 72 years.

Made snarfs for schoolies and tabards for Julie and Cathryn.

Monday 18 January

Day 308

Next tranche of vaccines (after over 80s, NHS and care homes) for over 70s and clinically vulnerable. Hope to vaccinate 15m by February.

Mass vaccination centres open - some 24/7.

Impact of vaccine on transmission rates will be known in due course.

All travel corridors to the UK closed until at least 15 February in an attempt to control the virus. Travellers need to show a negative test before travel to here.

Tuesday 19 January

Day 309

Highest number of deaths in a 24 hour period since the start of the pandemic - 1,610 with 91,470 total.

Over 33,000 new cases so still on a downward trend.

Those who had cv in the first wave will no longer be protected by their antibodies now as immunity is thought to only last for up to 5 months.

Yellow alert for flooding with Storm Christoph and major incident declared by Gtr Mcr police amid fears of torrential downpours.

Wednesday 20 January

Day 310

Another grim record of 1,820 deaths. Nearly 39,000 new cases of cv.

Biden's inauguration.

Mike had the Pfizer vaccine.

Thursday 21 January

Day 311

No Glastonbury this year - and lockdown potentially lasting until summer 🙄

1,290 deaths.

Almost 5m vaccines done so far.

Lots of nursery staff with covid cases. No government help given.

Friday 22 January

Day 312

New cv variant transmits more easily, is more virulent and is causing more deaths. (UK, S Africa, Brazil have found new variants).

UK variant example: under original a 60 yr old man would have 10 in 1,000 chance of dying. Rises to 13 or 14 in 1,000 with variant.

Vaccine still works in UK variant but more concern over the others.

1,401 deaths.

R rate fallen to between. 0.8 and 1.0.

Nearly 5.5m vaccinated now.

Saturday 23 January

Day 313

Reports that Boris was scaremongering over the increase in deaths with the new cv variant.

UK doctors said that the gap between vaccines (which should be 3 weeks!) should be halved from the proposed 12 weeks ('balance of risks') to 6 weeks.

Unexpected snow.

We won the quiz!

Sunday 24 January

Day 314

Much better figures for Bury.

Matt Hancock said we were 'a long, long, long way off' from lifting restrictions.

Tougher border measures being considered with enforced quarantine - 10 days in a hotel at your own expense.

Monday 25 January

Day 315

Level of vaccine immunity could be as low as 33% when it was thought to be about 90%.

More snow.

Debenhams bought out by Boohoo.

592 deaths.

More than 6.5m now vaccinated incl over 80% of over 80s.

Tuesday 26 January

Day 316

Over 100,000 cv deaths now in UK. Far more than the original estimate by Patrick Valance that 20,000 would be a good outcome.

New cases still going down - just over 20,000 but 1,631 deaths - second highest daily toll.

Carol had covid vaccine

Wednesday 27 January

Day 317

Lockdown extended. Boris said schools may open on 8 March at the earliest. New plans to be published end of February.

25,308 new cases (daily reported cases down by 30% over the last week).

1,725 deaths (new second highest daily total). 101,887 total.

Row between UK and EU over Astra-Zeneca vaccine.

Arrivals from cv hotspots will have to quarantine for 10 days in a hotel (and pay for it themselves) when they come to the UK.

Thursday 28 January

Day 318

Cuppa tea (and brioche) is serious business 🥰

Had a little cuddle with Nico when Luisa came to pick up Luca - he's chubby and smiley 🥰

Army helping pressurised NW ambulance service. 75% of new cv cases here are the new variant and 1 in 4 patients in the NW are covid patients.

EU still bullying UK over vaccines. UK first to sign for Astra-Zeneca vaccine with EU signing much later - they now want some of UK doses to be diverted to them. Germany also saying this vaccine should only be used on under 65s. Spain has had virtually no vaccine to give for two weeks.

28,600 new cases and 1,239 deaths.

103,126 total deaths with half of that number being from the start of November.

7.4m jabs given in UK.

Potential new vaccine - Novavax 89% effective. Works well against new strain too. To be manufactured on Teeside.

Friday 29 January

Day 319

Another potential (single shot) vaccine - Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) - 66% effective.

EU made moves to monitor where Astra-Zeneca was being exported in order to get more vaccines to their member states through 'best efforts' contract clause as their rollout was slow in comparison to the UK - who had placed their order much earlier. Big row! They also invoked article 16 re: borders in Northern Ireland in order to stop NI becoming a back door for vaccines to be passed to the UK. Arlene Foster said it was 'an act of aggression'. Much backtracking later! 🙄

29,079 new cases. 1,245 deaths. 7.9m people vaccinated now.

Saturday 30 January

Day 320

Rates high in France and Spain. France closing border to non EU members.

23,275 new cases today and 1,200 deaths.

Family quiz.

Sunday 31 January

Day 321

One year today since the first patient with covid in UK was admitted to hospital in Newcastle.

Toilet brush symbol of defiance in Russia as people protest against the imprisonment of Navalmy.

Captain Tom hospitalised..

Monday 1 February

Day 322

11 cases of S African variant found - with no links abroad or anywhere. 85,000 people told to stay at home with door to door tests being carried out.

Over 9m vaccinations done now.

Tuesday 2 February

Day 323

More snow but very wet. Rain washed it away.

Kent variant undergoing new genetic changes. Thought to be more resistant to vaccine.

Other mutations found in Bristol and Liverpool.

Captain Tom died in hospital after contracting pneumonia then cv 💕

1,449 deaths. 108,013 total. Over 9.5m have been given jabs now.

Wednesday 3 February

Day 324

WHO at last allowed into the lab in Wuhan where cv is thought to have originated.

Vaccinations carried out on more than 90% of over 75s, all eligible in care homes and over 10m in total.

10 day quarantine still not started. Boris still dithering.

6pm clap for Captain Tom.

Thursday 4 February

Day 325

More that 1,500 sites now offering vaccines.

Research being carried out into mixing different vaccines.

Number of people contracting virus at lowest level since mid December.

Friday 5 February

Day 326

Almost half the UK population should be vaccinated by May.

Cv cases below 20,000 again. 1,014 deaths. 111,264 total.

Surveys say only 57% staying home this lockdown as opposed to 81% in the first lockdown - and 90% say they are still distancing.

Saturday 6 February

Day 327

Sunday 7 February

Day 328

Quiet day. Carol very down.

Monday 8 February

Day 329

New Kent variant B found in South Manchester - may make vaccine slightly less effective. Mass testing started.

Astra Zenica rollout in South Africa suspended - they say it doesn't protect against severe cases.

Travellers will now need to quarantine on arrival to the UK for 10 days with cv tests on days 2 and 8.

Migrants will be able to get vaccines without questions asked but it is feared that many will still be too scared to come forward. Asylum seekers too need to have vaccines.

Tuesday 9 February

Day 330

Bitterly cold. Light snow. Very slippy 😁