Coronavirus

[1andrew1]

Malta refuses to accept NHS app as proof of vaccination. UK visitors need a letter from the NHS confirming vaccinations.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/m...l-b943361.html

You can get the app to send you a PDF

Originally Posted by jfman

I know “overwhelming success” is the default for those who enjoy a dose of British exceptionalism but I doubt Pierre thinks it’s an overwhelming success if we keep having to postpone freedom day, keep masks, distancing and so forth alongside some of the highest (and rising) Covid case counts in Europe.

It’s a good practice run for the Autumn boosters though.

I know you don’t like your holidays in Europe but Old Boy has Benidorm he wants to get to.

It's got nothing to do with 'freedom day', mask mandates, social distancing, or anything else. Nor is it British exceptionalism, as the hard data proves - the UK is one of several nations that have been extremely good at getting their vaccination programmes moving, and progressing at speed. That it practically chokes you to say so is just a bit sad.

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Malta refuses to accept NHS app as proof of vaccination. UK visitors need a letter from the NHS confirming vaccinations.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/m...l-b943361.html

Well, sod Malta, then. Of 2.6m visitors in 2018, 641,000 were from the UK. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Malta

Let them feel the pain.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by Chris

It's got nothing to do with 'freedom day', mask mandates, social distancing, or anything else. Nor is it British exceptionalism, as the hard data proves - the UK is one of several nations that have been extremely good at getting their vaccination programmes moving, and progressing at speed. That it practically chokes you to say so is just a bit sad.

It’s unfortunately got everything to do with freedom day, masks and distancing as that’s what the Government have been selling people.

Hiding behind “new variants” as something completely unanticipated causing delay and lowering the efficacy of vaccines (and the speculative second dose delay strategy we are rapidly trying to reverse) is to misrepresent fact. Variants were always absolutely predictable - and in late 2020/early 2021 there was already data on reinfection (Brazil) and lower vaccine efficacy (South African) variants.

I’d contest that what is “just a bit sad” is that you are blinded to the possibility that the Government pulled a confidence trick on everyone before an election and here we are with Autumn boosters and SAGE already warning of winter restrictions.

[Sephiroth]

We are well into the reign of the Delta variant and the hospital figures I pasted earlier speak for themselves.

So, that's the Delta variant ticked as a KNOWN.

Next variant please.

[1andrew1]

Another leak about the 19th July announcement.

Nightclubs and music venues will reopen without people having to take Covid tests or show vaccine passports from July 19 in a major boost for London’s West End and the night-time economy, the Standard has learned.

Michael Gove, the Cabinet minister leading a review, is understood to believe it would impose “too much hassle” on the public and businesses to require tests for a night’s dancing. A government source said: “We are increasingly confident that people are protected and the plan is to reopen everything, with no exceptions.”

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/d...s-b943401.html

---------- Post added at 13:14 ---------- Previous post was at 13:11 ----------

Originally Posted by Damien

You can get the app to send you a PDF

UK government quoting a five day turnaround to produce the letters that Malta needs. Don't know what they do for other countries and if this is just a ploy to reduce tourists from the UK.

[Carth]

What's the Covid situation in Malta anyway?

Is it under control? Are cases falling? Are the hospitals coping? How many of the population have had second jabs? Can you only go out in groups of 6? Are the nightclubs open?

What's the rush?

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by Carth

What's the Covid situation in Malta anyway?

Is it under control? Are cases falling? Are the hospitals coping? How many of the population have had second jabs? Can you only go out in groups of 6? Are the nightclubs open?

What's the rush?

A very nice place. And they drive on the left; and there's an M&S in Valetta.

Stats are good. (https://covid19.who.int/region/euro/country/mt).

If they want to put obstacles our way, sod 'em.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by jfman

Because nobody wants racists picking on Indians and nobody wants to annoy the fifth largest economy in the world.

Has this strategy been deployed anywhere else or is India being given special treatment in this respect?

It might be worth getting these letters as soon as you're double vaccinated then. Do we already have them available to request?

---------- Post added at 13:44 ---------- Previous post was at 13:43 ----------

Found it: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/corona...d-pass-letter/

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

A very nice place. And they drive on the left; and there's an M&S in Valetta.

Stats are good. (https://covid19.who.int/region/euro/country/mt).

If they want to put obstacles our way, sod 'em.

Never been, but always wanted to go. An acquaintance has told me that English is widely spoken & English food widely available which is a plus. Is it a bit like Gibraltar?

Surely the more English it is the less it feels like a foreign holiday?

[jfman]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Has this strategy been deployed anywhere else or is India being given special treatment in this respect?

India seemed to gather more immediate success from it than Brazil and South Africa (who in turn have now benefited).

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...indian-variant

Complained to social media companies, other countries and the WHO.

Special treatment? Who knows but capitalism often leads to following the tune of whoever has the most coin. We delayed putting India on the red list despite being in a worse position than Pakistan for three weeks - how likely do you think we would take an action that costs us nothing like renaming a variant?

---------- Post added at 13:55 ---------- Previous post was at 13:52 ----------

Originally Posted by Damien

Surely the more English it is the less it feels like a foreign holiday?

Benidorm. Blackpool in the sun.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by jfman

Benidorm. Blackpool in the sun.

That's a bit unfair to Benidorm.