We have to be thankful we’re no longer in the EU,where their vaccination plan and roll out has been woeful.
FWIW I don’t feel like it’s bragging rights or,we’re better etc,I genuinely feel sorry for all those people who feel that they’ve been let down in Europe.
You’re right Tom From what I’ve read on MSM it appears that the EU buying decision was heavily influenced by Macron wanting a French vaccine (GSK/Sanofi) only to find it has problems and won’t be approved - if at all - for some time. That said progress across the EU is patchy too, with France in particular incredibly slow. It seems that, at first, they required anyone wanting a vaccine to have to visit their GP first, have an explanation, sign consent forms, and then have a 5 day “cooling off” period. I think that has now gone, but talk about building in delays. The French also seem reluctant to even mention the Oxford vaccine even though the EU is supposed to have ordered some.
I voted Remain, Brexit is likely to upset my retirement plans somewhere or other. However, the vote was the only occasion of genuine democracy I can remember. I'm old enough to remember Thatcher and Blair, in particular, getting substantial majority victories in elections where they secured a minority of votes. This was simple-the most votes won. The four years of subsequent bickering did no one any good.
At the risk of straying off topic, there’s an interesting piece in the Telegraph today about how well the UK’s vaccine task force, led by Kate Bingham, has done. It’s behind a paywall and too long for here but this is the conclusion: I have no idea whether Ms Bingham was a Remainer, like me, or a Brexiteer. But whether she intended it or not, her work may well end up being the most persuasive test case for Brexit yet to emerge. The small task force she led has not only given the UK a head start on vaccines. It has also planted other seeds, encouraging work to replace syringes with oral doses for future pandemics, funding the development of an antibody manufacturing industry and finding new ways to use the UK’s impressive virus genome sequencing capacity. The British state might have proved its mediocrity in all too many ways over the past year, but this one, crucial project has shown that success isn’t about scale and uniformity. It is about competence and focus. There is no reason why any other policy area, from trade to agriculture and business regulation, cannot prove the same point.
Don't normally get involved in these discussions but will this once. I think its very easy when you're not in government to say the government should have or should be doing this or that without any responsibility. It's a different story when you're in power and it's your neck on the line.
Which is a shame because the Astra Zeneca one is cheap, easily transportable and likely plentiful but Macron will be doing all he can to keep it out of the EU.
Regretfully,France is the home of chauvinism,and right now,not portraying itself in a very good light. Having spent a lot of time there when I was younger with friends and French family,I am saddened by what I see now. Macron would appear to be self harming for the sake of patriotic stupidity,something I’m sure not all Frenchmen will agree with.
Looks like it's not just something that happens in France: https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/n...fusing-pfizer-covid-vaccine-wait-english-one/
Interesting article @TillyB . In my mind the details about which vaccine is being used does not need to be published. People should just be told to attend and if they choose not to take the one on offer they should go to the back of the queue, with all the risk associated with their decision. Short sighted folk should not waste any time on them.
There is a difference,in that this is still a free country and rightly or wrongly it’s a personal choice,not my choice,not your choice perhaps,but theirs. The situation in Europe is entirely different,where people haven’t had the chance to refuse the vaccine,due to availability. If it was mandatory,that would be a different matter,but it isn’t mandatory.
Yep agreed @Tom Gillam . It is their choice and like I said they should take the risks associated with their decision.
I know I'm straying from the discussion about vaccines (as an over-70 coffin dodger I'm certainly looking forward to mine), but I have just come across the best example of political invective that I've seen for a long time, and had to share it. Some of you may be aware of Laurence Fox, a minor TV actor currently trying to forge a second career as a media culture warrior - a sort of male Katie Hopkins. Predictably, he is an anti-masker. His latest stunt is to brag on Twitter that he has bought a mask-exemption badge on a lanyard from Amazon, and has photographed himself wearing it. (Look how clever I am.) Anyway, Simon Hoare, the Conservative MP for North Dorset was not impressed, and is reported to have commented: " I hadn’t realised that being a first class, ocean going, chateau bottled, nuclear powered prick was an exemption from wearing a mask. What a selfish loathsome tool this man is." I personally have never voted Conservative in my life, but, if I lived in North Dorset, I might make an exception for Mr Hoare for his splendid use of language. I would even buy him a pint.
You can think it’s as jingoistic as you like,I really don’t care what label you’re trying to attach. How on earth do you know they’re being jingoistic anyway?
Did you read the article? Does that not strike you as being jingoistic? I’m not sure they release that the Oxford vaccine was not developed by an English person
If you have taken issue because I’ve said something that’s offended you regarding France,then so be it,but to follow this by accusing an older generation,which happens to be more patriotic than yourself of being jingoistic is quite frankly pathetic. Does it really matter that much why they’ve refused a vaccine?It’s THEIR choice. Yet another case of first world agonising and judging,as if there weren’t more difficult problems on the planet right now?
