Vaccination Day

This morning I got my first vaccination at Fakenham Medical Centre, which is about 13 miles away. I arrived at the car park early, but they told me to go straight in and it only took a couple of mins. I had the Pfizer jab and all was straight forward. As I sometimes get light headed after the flu jab I was asked to stay in the waiting room for 15 mins instead of waiting in my car, but no such feeling this time. The only thing that surprised me was not being told to ensure I continue to comply with restrictions after being vaccinated and that my protection won't be optimal until I've had the 2nd jab, which I think is a big opportunity missed. I felt a bit tired this afternoon as expected, so watched a film. Who'd have thought that in less than a year after the first official Covid death in the UK, that I'd have had a vaccination and that 19m would have already had that - a quite amazing scientific, governmental support, trial volunteer and logistical NHS and vaccine volunteer achievement. 

Day 347 / Day 52 of Lockdown 3 (for my record only)
UK deaths up 345 to 122,415 (revised basis), with 8,523 new cases, 15,485 patients in hospital, 2,047 on ventilation and 1,117 new admissions. The UK's R rate remains at 0.6-0.9 with the growth rate at -6% to -2%. The ONS infection survey shows rates declining in private households at w/e 19/2 with: 1 in 145 in England had Covid (lowest since w/e 8th Oct); 1 in 205 in Wales; 1 in 225 in Scotland; and 1 in 195 in NI. At the briefing the Health Secretary said that the pace of decline was slowing. JVT showed slides indicating that infections are still high in quite a few areas across the UK and that rates are increasing in some areas. As he put it 'the battle is not won' and 'do not wreck this now.' Deaths in Germany pass 70,000. c19.2m have now received their first dose of the vaccine. The 15 areas in England with the lowest proportion of people vaccinated are all in London. Good to see that the JVCI has confirmed that the 2nd phase of the roll out of vaccines will also be done by age groups as this would provide 'the greatest benefit in the shortest time'. The Queen in an online meeting with health officials said that the vaccination 'didn't hurt at all', acknowledged that it must be 'difficult for people if they've never had a vaccine' and encouraged those that are hesitant to 'think about other people rather than themselves.'