Coronavirus update - NO MORE RESTRICTIONS

[the other bob wilson]

Good that some leading experts are excited by the latest developments unlike our First Minister. I was astounded at the stupid negative comments he made to the press yesterday. He was very negative about Pfizer's claims...." You would always want to read carefully what a particular competitor in this field says on their own behalf".

He doesn't realise that all Pfizer have done is report on the findings of a large double blind study, where the doctors involved did not know if patients were getting vaccine or a placebo until the code is broken. This is how medicines are tested worldwide. He really is anti-private industry.

Then he says "we will decide how to use it once it's available". Wales he says will be responsible for storage and distribution as well.

The facts are that supplies could possibly be available within the next 4-6 weeks. There is limited UK capacity for specialist distribution and storage at -80c, so he and Gethin had better get a move on and get a few logistic contracts sorted.

As for deciding who will get it first, well that will be sorted "once it's available". It needs sorting now. It's not as if you will be able to pop over to your GP for it.

Piss up and brewery come to mind

To be fair, I heard Johnson say that the UK Government's order for the vaccine included the devolved Governments and this article confirms that;-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54879535

so what Drakeford was saying was that it would be for the Welsh Government to manage once they had received their allocation, which I would hope would be the policy the UK Government is following.

[lisvaneblue]

To be fair, I heard Johnson say that the UK Government's order for the vaccine included the devolved Governments and this article confirms that;-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54879535

so what Drakeford was saying was that it would be for the Welsh Government to manage once they had received their allocation, which I would hope would be the policy the UK Government is following.

And Mark Drakeford did say that Wales share will be based on population, so approx 5% of UK. So he knows what he's likely to get which means he should be into planning the vaccination programme now.
Vaccines will happen, if not Pfizer's then AZ. They all work on RNA in similar ways so I expect the AZ one to be just as good, and with the same cold storage issues.

[the other bob wilson]

And Mark Drakeford did say that Wales share will be based on population, so approx 5% of UK. So he knows what he's likely to get which means he should be into planning the vaccination programme now.
Vaccines will happen, if not Pfizer's then AZ. They all work on RNA in similar ways so I expect the AZ one to be just as good, and with the same cold storage issues.

I think it's a bit of a leap to suggest that any Government would be sitting on their hands doing nothing in the situation the Welsh Government now finds itself in, do you really believe that they will not start thinking of how it is allocated before the vaccine has been approved and is in their hands?

[Rjk]

Good that some leading experts are excited by the latest developments unlike our First Minister. I was astounded at the stupid negative comments he made to the press yesterday. He was very negative about Pfizer's claims...." You would always want to read carefully what a particular competitor in this field says on their own behalf".

He doesn't realise that all Pfizer have done is report on the findings of a large double blind study, where the doctors involved did not know if patients were getting vaccine or a placebo until the code is broken. This is how medicines are tested worldwide. He really is anti-private industry.

Then he says "we will decide how to use it once it's available". Wales he says will be responsible for storage and distribution as well.

The facts are that supplies could possibly be available within the next 4-6 weeks. There is limited UK capacity for specialist distribution and storage at -80c, so he and Gethin had better get a move on and get a few logistic contracts sorted.

As for deciding who will get it first, well that will be sorted "once it's available". It needs sorting now. It's not as if you will be able to pop over to your GP for it.

Piss up and brewery come to mind

Drakeford is absolutely right to give a cautious message. nothing is certain with this vaccine yet, and some people are already talking as though the whole thing will be done and dusted within a few weeks.
this coupled with us coming out of lockdown could send a very bad message that people don't need to be as careful going about their day to day activities, which absolutely could lead to people dying. I would much prefer a leader who chooses their words carefully and thinks about the potential consequences of them than just waffles on like the UK prime minister.

if you think Drakeford can't organise a. piss up in a brewery then what do you think about Johnson ?

[lisvaneblue]

I think it's a bit of a leap to suggest that any Government would be sitting on their hands doing nothing in the situation the Welsh Government now finds itself in, do you really believe that they will not start thinking of how it is allocated before the vaccine has been approved and is in their hands?

To quote Drakeford. " We will decide how to use it once it's available"

[lisvaneblue]

Drakeford is absolutely right to give a cautious message. nothing is certain with this vaccine yet, and some people are already talking as though the whole thing will be done and dusted within a few weeks.
this coupled with us coming out of lockdown could send a very bad message that people don't need to be as careful going about their day to day activities, which absolutely could lead to people dying. I would much prefer a leader who chooses their words carefully and thinks about the potential consequences of them than just waffles on like the UK prime minister.

if you think Drakeford can't organise a. piss up in a brewery then what do you think about Johnson ?

He wasn't just being cautious he was more or less suggesting that the Pfizer data should not be trusted.

As for him thinking about potential consequences, he is easing lockdown in Merthyr a place with the highest incidence in UK because his government may lose credibility if he didn't. What could the potential consequences of that be?

Then you look at the shoppers in Cardiff yesterday and wonder if the blanket easing of lockdown is going to come back to bite him.

[Hilts]

Johnson and his handling of this has been a disaster from day 1.

While I still think him and his front bench are a disaster and the worst govt in living memory I thought yesterday was his best performance by some distance.

I expected a fist pumping everything thing will soon be ok performance. But no very cautious , stick to the rules etc.

Very similar to Drakeford and Sturgeon.

Staggered really that anyone would criticise what Drakeford said. Particularly from Tories when the bloke they voted in did the same.

[Vindec]

He wasn't just being cautious he was more or less suggesting that the Pfizer data should not be trusted.

As for him thinking about potential consequences, he is easing lockdown in Merthyr a place with the highest incidence in UK because his government may lose credibility if he didn't. What could the potential consequences of that be?

Then you look at the shoppers in Cardiff yesterday and wonder if the blanket easing of lockdown is going to come back to bite him.

I said something similar and there was a deadly hush except for one poster. The UK should act as one in a pandemic. Isn't it strange that, at the beginning of this pandemic, many people were criticising the government's lack of quarantine arrangements for those arriving in the UK from abroad when now we can't even adopt arrangements to quarantine parts of the UK?

The cessation of the firebreak in areas where there are high concentrations of the virus is shameful.

[Hilts]

I think it's a bit of a leap to suggest that any Government would be sitting on their hands doing nothing in the situation the Welsh Government now finds itself in, do you really believe that they will not start thinking of how it is allocated before the vaccine has been approved and is in their hands?

Theyve probably more or less decided on how it will be allocated.

[the other bob wilson]

Theyve probably more or less decided on how it will be allocated.

Of course they have and I bet the arrangements will be the same, or virtually the same, in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Of course they have and I bet the arrangements will be the same, or virtually the same, in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Oh, there'll be little variations I'm sure -just to show how different we are. England in the right arm, Wales opting for the left..

[Rjk]

I said something similar and there was a deadly hush except for one poster. The UK should act as one in a pandemic. Isn't it strange that, at the beginning of this pandemic, many people were criticising the government's lack of quarantine arrangements for those arriving in the UK from abroad when now we can't even adopt arrangements to quarantine parts of the UK?

The cessation of the firebreak in areas where there are high concentrations of the virus is shameful.

Don't forget that the people in the areas of high concentration would have caught the virus before or as the lockdown was starting. You would have to expect that the number of people actually catching it today would be far lower.

Imagine the WAG had waited until England had acted to impose a lockdown, Merthyr would be running out of control and it would be an absolute disaster.

At the time Wales announced the lockdown all the Tories on here were saying it wasn't needed, the rates of infection were low and it would harm business.

England announce a much longer lockdown and all of a sudden Wales are leaving theirs too early.

The sheer mental gymnastics required by some on here to be able to always find a way to criticise Welsh Labour is utterly baffling.

[Hilts]

The UK should have gone into a coordinated lockdown to tie in with half term and with the knowledge furlough would be extended.

Didnt happen because the UK govt dithered delayed and eventually did a massive U turn.

[the other bob wilson]

Oh, there'll be little variations I'm sure -just to show how different we are. England in the right arm, Wales opting for the left..

And based on the UK (English) Government's record on the virus so far, I say (to borrow from another country) Vive Le Difference!

[Vindec]

Don't forget that the people in the areas of high concentration would have caught the virus before or as the lockdown was starting. You would have to expect that the number of people actually catching it today would be far lower.

Imagine the WAG had waited until England had acted to impose a lockdown, Merthyr would be running out of control and it would be an absolute disaster.

At the time Wales announced the lockdown all the Tories on here were saying it wasn't needed, the rates of infection were low and it would harm business.

England announce a much longer lockdown and all of a sudden Wales are leaving theirs too early.

The sheer mental gymnastics required by some on here to be able to always find a way to criticise Welsh Labour is utterly baffling.

Thank you for replying. Your post seems to believe I was making a political point. I wasn't. For what's its worth I believe either England should have followed Wales (to the extent all of the Welsh arrangements made sense which they don't) or Wales should have followed England. There should be a coordinated response by all three nations as I stated. Instead we have a mish mash of policies with Wales coming out of their mini lockdown allowing people from high infected areas travelling into areas where there are lower levels such as the people travelling to Cardiff yesterday presumably to buy their inessential items which bizarrely they couldn't purchase until yesterday.

I understand your point about the possibility of Welsh hospitals being overloaded so agree the need for the Welsh firebreak was obvious especially as the Welsh Nightingale hospital is not ready. In my opinion it would have been better if England would have entered their lockdown at the same time as Wales.

Just to clarify your point about the arrangements in England. When lockdown 2 ends on 2 December we will revert to the three tier system. That is very clear. Sorry but I don't know what is happening in Wales but from my outside perspective there seems to be a free for all where people can move about freely, drink in bars, pubs and restaurants and shop anywhere with no restrictions.

Of course if you agree that these arrangements are acceptable then that is your prerogative. It just so happens I don't but it's not for political reasons. This pandemic should not be about Labour v Conservative; it's far more important than that.

[lisvaneblue]

Of course they have and I bet the arrangements will be the same, or virtually the same, in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The man himself, Mark Drakeford said" we will decide how to use it once it's available"

So if you reckon it's already been sorted you are suggesting that he's not being truthful.

[Hilts]

The man himself, Mark Drakeford said" we will decide how to use it once it's available"

So if you reckon it's already been sorted you are suggesting that he's not being truthful.

He was asked a direct question on who decides how its used. This was to clarify who decides the UK government or the WAG. He said they will decide.

[lisvaneblue]

He was asked a direct question on who decides how its used. This was to clarify who decides the UK government or the WAG. He said they will decide.

Not quite. He said that the UK Gov purchases it and we get a share based on population.(.ie 5%). Then he said "we will decide how to use it when it is available."

All newspapers today have the vaccine as front page news, experts say its a breakthrough, WHO says same. Wales says, be cautious the data needs to be read carefully because its from a particular competitor in this field and published on their own behalf.

My daily newspaper had the table of action listing priority patients for England, nowt from Wales.

I hope for our sakes that our Wales government realises that they could have enough vaccine within a few weeks to protect 250,000 people in Wales.( 2 jabs each) They have to arrange specialist storage and distribution at extremely low temperatures and produce a priority list and an action plan.

This is nothing to do with party politics, just a siren call from me that I do not think Wales has considered mass vaccination as an imminent possibility. I'd love to be proved wrong.

[Heisenberg]

Not quite. He said that the UK Gov purchases it and we get a share based on population.(.ie 5%). Then he said "we will decide how to use it when it is available."

All newspapers today have the vaccine as front page news, experts say its a breakthrough, WHO says same. Wales says, be cautious the data needs to be read carefully because its from a particular competitor in this field and published on their own behalf.

My daily newspaper had the table of action listing priority patients for England, nowt from Wales.

I hope for our sakes that our Wales government realises that they could have enough vaccine within a few weeks to protect 250,000 people in Wales.( 2 jabs each) They have to arrange specialist storage and distribution at extremely low temperatures and produce a priority list and an action plan.

This is nothing to do with party politics, just a siren call from me that I do not think Wales has considered mass vaccination as an imminent possibility. I'd love to be proved wrong.

"Nothing to do with party politics"

[the other bob wilson]

The man himself, Mark Drakeford said" we will decide how to use it once it's available"

So if you reckon it's already been sorted you are suggesting that he's not being truthful.

He's being a politician and he's giving a political answer because he doesn't want it to look like the Welsh Government automatically follows the UK Government's lead - it's just that I suspect that they will do in this case.

[Hilts]

Not quite. He said that the UK Gov purchases it and we get a share based on population.(.ie 5%). Then he said "we will decide how to use it when it is available."

All newspapers today have the vaccine as front page news, experts say its a breakthrough, WHO says same. Wales says, be cautious the data needs to be read carefully because its from a particular competitor in this field and published on their own behalf.

My daily newspaper had the table of action listing priority patients for England, nowt from Wales.

I hope for our sakes that our Wales government realises that they could have enough vaccine within a few weeks to protect 250,000 people in Wales.( 2 jabs each) They have to arrange specialist storage and distribution at extremely low temperatures and produce a priority list and an action plan.

This is nothing to do with party politics, just a siren call from me that I do not think Wales has considered mass vaccination as an imminent possibility. I'd love to be proved wrong.

Im certain they know and are preparing for the start of vaccination. I saw no difference in Drakeford or Johnsons response.

I certainly didnt read his answer as we will decide what to do when we get it.

[Rjk]

Not quite. He said that the UK Gov purchases it and we get a share based on population.(.ie 5%). Then he said "we will decide how to use it when it is available."

All newspapers today have the vaccine as front page news, experts say its a breakthrough, WHO says same. Wales says, be cautious the data needs to be read carefully because its from a particular competitor in this field and published on their own behalf.

My daily newspaper had the table of action listing priority patients for England, nowt from Wales.

I hope for our sakes that our Wales government realises that they could have enough vaccine within a few weeks to protect 250,000 people in Wales.( 2 jabs each) They have to arrange specialist storage and distribution at extremely low temperatures and produce a priority list and an action plan.

This is nothing to do with party politics, just a siren call from me that I do not think Wales has considered mass vaccination as an imminent possibility. I'd love to be proved wrong.

I would assume that the arrangements to store and distribute a potential vaccine that looks like it'll be available in a few weeks are being looked at by someone., surely you don't believe they're really just sitting on their hands?

However, I think it is right for Drakeford to exercise caution, as if he came out with a statement saying that "hooray the vaccine is nearly here, we're all saved" then you'd see a lot of people suddenly caring a lot less about social distancing measures.

It is also worth considering that there are other companies working on vaccines - one or more of these may turn out to be more effective than the Pfizer one, or not require such extreme temperatures to give them a useable shelf life. So I can understand the comments about it being one companies message.

If we get the Pfizer vaccine here in Wales, and it sits around for weeks because we have nothing put in place for it, while people are dying in large numbers then yes absolutely the blame would stand at the door of the Welsh govermnent - however it is just speculation that that is going to happen.

[cyril evans awaydays]

"Nothing to do with party politics"

He is very fond of knee jerk reaction

As for deciding who will get it first, well that will be sorted "once it's available". It needs sorting now. It's not as if you will be able to pop over to your GP for it.

Piss up and brewery come to mind

Biggest Clown on TV

Mark Drakeford.

Like he said....nothing to do with party politics

[Elwood Blues]

He's being a politician and he's giving a political answer because he doesn't want it to look like the Welsh Government automatically follows the UK Government's lead - it's just that I suspect that they will do in this case.

This playing politics is getting ridiculous on all sides now.

It is far too important for our leaders to play party games

[Hilts]

All parties responded cautiously yesterday.

The only real difference was when few tougher questions were asked Drakeford answered clearly and confidenly whereas Boris immediately starts stuttering , stammering and struggled to get his sentences out.