Hebe

I thought I’d take a photo of the flowers beginning to appear on one of my Hebes. An indoors day today as I had to stay in for my fault microwave to be collected, DPD were right on time. This morning I was sorting out some paperwork for filing. This afternoon I wrote a long email to the Toyota garage as I told them I’d do, with all the things they told me verbally so they can confirm it’s correct. There’s also some things they had to get back to me on, which I reminded them of, including supplying me with the Terms & Conditions of sale and purchase of my car, which they were bizarrely unable to provide me on the day. I also (hopefully) sorted out the two refunds sent by HMRC (one correct, one cancelled). 

Day 623 / Day 134 of Step 4 of Roadmap Easing (for my record only)
Following advice from the JCVI, the booster programme is being extended in England to over 18s by descending age group, with the gap from the 2nd jab being reduced to 3 months minimum. The aim being to boost immunity prior to a potential wave of the new variant. It’s probably the right action (although out of sync with the message to assess the variant over the next 3 weeks), but I assume a logistical nightmare and it brings into question why the booster programme was late starting. Unsurprisingly there are queues to book a booster on the NHS website. Severely immunosuppressed people will be offered a booster this Winter, no sooner than 3 months after their 3rd jab. 2nd jabs for 12-15 year olds are confirmed to be safe and they are urged to take up the offer. Omicron cases in the UK now total 11 (6 in Scotland - some no travel links, 5 in England - 1 linked to a school), and this is expected to rise. Sweden and Spain identified their first case (s). More countries have implemented travel restrictions and bans. The UK called an urgent meeting of G7 Health Ministers which took place today, where they agreed to all monitor Omicron, share data, and meet again in Dec. The Govt tells schools in England that pupils in year 7 and above should wear masks in communal areas (I wish someone could explain to me how the virus distinguishes between a corridor and a classroom!) They also call for the same in university communal areas. Govts in Scotland and Wales are calling for a stronger ‘four nations’ approach to travel rules and for the PM to call an immediate COBRA meeting. Nicola Sturgeon asks people to test themselves any time you meet with someone outside your household and for bosses to maximise home working. A new study calls for quicker brain imaging for Covid patients after it found that 1 in 100 patients hospitalised with Covid develop complications of the central nervous system (potential for strokes and brain haemorrhage).