Jigsaw Weather

A very wet and cold day today, perfect for a jigsaw, some admin and an online lecture. The jigsaw was things from the 1980s, and bought back loads of memories. The lecture topic was very interesting, The Healing Power of Plants, but the lecturer mistook himself for a stand up comedian and made jokes that I felt were best left in the 1970s - a shame. 

Day 701 / Day 20 Post Plan B (for my record only)
All remaining rules in NI are to be replaced by guidance from today. Kids in Wales aged 5-11 are to be offered the vaccine (a JCVI announcement is expected on 21st Feb - rumours about disagreements with the UK Govt). There is speculation again that free lateral flow tests are to be abandoned - I wish the Govt would stop flipping on isolation and testing, they say they still expect isolation for those with Covid as a sensible thing to do, then they need to test for it. The ONS has reported that in total 46,028 care home residents have died with Covid mentioned on the death certificate. A study has found that unvaccinated women are at greater risk of having stillborn babies as the Covid infection damages the placenta and deprives the foetus of oxygen - more work is needed though to ascertain the size of the risk. The UKHSA has reviewed 15 national / international studies and concluded (as you’d expect) that long Covid is less likely in those who are fully vaccinated. It also estimated that 2% of the UK population have reported long Covid symptoms. The Govt has at last relaxed immigration rules so more care home staff can be recruited, still only a 12 month ‘health and care’ visa, but it’s said it offers a path to settlement in the UK. Djokovic gave an interview to the BBC where he said he believes in ‘freedom to choose what you put in your body’. In Italy, in order to access their workplace, workers over 50 now have to show proof of vaccination or recovery from recent infection. Dame Sarah Gilbert (of the Oxford vaccine) collected her Damehood from the Princess Royal at Windsor Castle today.