Rain in Pond

We've had rain in North Norfolk all day, with it being particularly heavy this afternoon. I took my car to the garage for a free winter check this afternoon and was shocked at the amount of standing water around. This morning I did more research on a new laptop and bought one online at John Lewis. It's so much more complicated than it used to be, now the screen can be HD, 4K, touch screen, the storage memory can be included or you work from the Cloud, it can flip (or not), can detach the keyboard and be a tablet if needed and there are a plethora of different types of ports. Then once you've worked out what you want including the above and the usual screen size, memory, graphics card and CPU, you find that they don't have one that meets your requirements (unless built to spec with Dell) or they do and it's out of stock (a lot were out of stock). The more laptop types there are, the fewer options of spec within those types there appears to be. I looked in JL in MK, but they had very few on display, so I've not even seen the one I'm buying!

Day 547 / Day 58 of Step 4 of Roadmap Easing (for my record only)
This morning the JCVI recommended that people over 50 etc (groups 1 to 9) get a booster jab of an mRNA vaccine from Pfizer or Moderna (half dose), but with at least 6 months passing since their 2nd jab. AZ can be given if allergies prevent the use of an mRNA vaccine. They also advised those eligible to get their free flu jab which can be done on the same visit if scheduling leads to this. The Govts of all 4 nations have accepted this advice and the NHS will contact those eligible and start vaccinations from next week at mass vaccination centres and GP surgeries. JCVI will examine the evidence over immunity for younger people as it emerges as they were vaccinated later. Prof Van Tam warned of a 'bumpy' winter ahead. Boris, the CSA and CMO gave a briefing this afternoon on the autumn & winter plan for England. 
Plan A is to:
a. Build defences through pharmaceutical interventions (vaccines, antivirals, disease modifying therapeutics);
b. Identify & isolate positive cases to limit transmission (Test, Trace & Isolate);
c. Support the NHS & Social Care (managing pressures & recovering services);
d. Advise people on how to protect themselves & others (clear guidance & communications)!!!!!!!;
e. Persuing an international approach (help to vaccinate the world, manage risks at the border)!!!!!!!

The CSA & CMO talked about monitoring the stats closely for rapid increases in cases / hospitalisations (incl the % of cases leading to hospitalisation) and acting quickly and decisively. They stressed that we're starting from a much higher base number of cases this year, the delta variant is a 'very bad variant', and that it wouldn't take much doubling of cases to get into trouble. Whilst not defined, other than having a range of metrics, this is where Plan B would kick in to introduce measures to control transmission (not necessarily all at once) while minimising economic and social impacts:
a. Communicate clearly and urgently to the public that the level of risk has increased, and with it the need to behave more cautiously;
b. Introducing mandatory vaccine-only Covid status certification in certain settings;
c. Legally mandating face coverings in certain settings. 
Also consider asking people to again work from home.
Personally I think it very likely that Plan B will be required by the end of the year. If that doesn't work, then as a last resort some form of lockdown would be needed (I would be surprised unless it's left too late to introduce Plan B, the public ignores the risks, or if a new variant breaches vaccine protection). 

A couple of key points for me were that 5m have yet to receive a vaccine, and that the risk of hospitalisation from Covid for unvaccinated people in their 30s is equivalent to the risk for over 70s that have been double jabbed. The Health Secretary also said it's 'highly likely' that frontline health service staff and those in the wider social care sector would be required to have coronavirus and flu vaccinations.