The Slug and Door

The slug was making it's way down the garage door this morning, I rather liked the colours and patterns. I planted a couple more shrubs today after the rain. This morning I attended a U3A Zoom talk on East Anglian families with influence, about 3 big and important local families - the Barclays, the Gurneys and the Buxtons (2 big banking families, anti slavers and the prison reformer Elizabeth Fry (nee Gurney)). Yesterday I attended an Arts Society talk on Food and Art Through the Ages, but I was most interested in the history of desserts and chocolate!!!

Day 366 / Day 71 of Lockdown 3 / Day 10 of Step 1 of Roadmap out of Lockdown (for my record only)
UK deaths up 141 to 125,831 (revised basis), with 5,758 new cases, 7,218 patients in hospital, 968 on ventilation (lowest since end Oct) and 465 new admissions. 25.3m have now received their first dose of the vaccine and 1.8m have had their second dose. There's confusion over a letter from NHS England to local vaccination sites warning of a 'significant reduction' in vaccine supplies from 29/3 and that volumes of first doses will be 'significantly constrained'. As a result those aged under 50 should only be offered a vaccine in 'exceptional circumstances' and that it's vital that 2nd doses are delivered on time, with this disruption expected to last 4 weeks. The JCVI says it's linked to 'reductions in national inbound vaccines supply' which I assumed was due to the EU hinting again that they could block vaccine exports to the UK this morning, but SKY News are reporting that it's due to global supply issues with the AZ vaccine. Anyway, from today vaccination centres have been told to close unfilled bookings from 29/3 onwards to keep April clear. MH didn't effectively answer questions about this in the briefing, and also confirmed the announcement this morning that over 50's can now book a jab which would be delivered by mid Apr (?). Dominic Cummings gave evidence to MPs on the Science & Technology committee today and he said that the vaccine programme was moved out of the Dept of Health after the problems they had procuring PPE. He also said that Parliament should hold an urgent inquiry into the handling of the Covid crisis.