My only plan was to have the in laws and one more guest for Christmas (who was in our support bubble last Christmas as she lives alone) but unfortunately they contracted Covid, thankfully fully boosted so have fairly mild symptoms. We will hopefully get to do Christmas in January if they're well enough. We should just stop fetishising dates and just come together when we can do it safely. Be it in two, three weeks, so be it. There's nothing you can do on the 25th that can't be done in January.
Or at Easter or mid summer, outside in fresh air. We haven't seen family or UK friends since 2019 - visits cancelled cos of Covid restrictions - but are not complaining. We'd rather be safe than sorry and can do facetime on What's App or FB, something which has brought OH into closer weekly contact with his siblings than since they all left home aged 18, 5 decades or so ago.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I woudn't give much weight to Tim Spector or Zoe. He is not much respected in govt health advisors' circles.
Funnily enough I was listening to Tim Spector in a podcast about the 'gut biome' a few days ago. I do think the gut biome is important, but I was staggered by the 'unscientific-ness' of Tim's language - he was talking about 'stress molecules' and similar nonsensical stuff.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
The keenest advocate for the Christmas party among our group would have had to miss it, as it transpires. It was supposed to be tomorrow. His wife tested positive today. I know about a dozen people with it now, which is about 10 more that at any one time up to now. Yes, it remains to be seen how the numbers translate into hospital cases, but the numbers are bonkers from a standing start.
Oh well. SNAFU
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I woudn't give much weight to Tim Spector or Zoe. He is not much respected in govt health advisors' circles.
Funnily enough I was listening to Tim Spector in a podcast about the 'gut biome' a few days ago. I do think the gut biome is important, but I was staggered by the 'unscientific-ness' of Tim's language - he was talking about 'stress molecules' and similar nonsensical stuff.
I shouldn't backbite, but I have a friend who is on one of the govt Covid advisory panels and he says Spectre is a laughing stock in the scientific community and his projects are nonsense. I think Spectre likes being regarded as a bit of a Covid 'superstar'- the go to talking head. I greatly trust my friend the respiratory prof and think we should treat Spectre's viewpoints and social media celebrity with cauction.
I have been part of the gut biome project for years.
I woudn't give much weight to Tim Spector or Zoe. He is not much respected in govt health advisors' circles
I shouldn't backbite, but I have a friend who is on one of the govt Covid advisory panels and he says Spectre is a laughing stock in the scientific community and his projects are nonsense.
I don't think this is entirely fair. It was the contributions of peple to the app, that first identified loss of taste and smell as early symptoms in the first wave. Their data mirrors the official data even if the numbers are not the same they identify trends before the react study is able to because of the way the data is collected. If you report symptoms to the app you are offered a PCR test, this data is all fed to the government and contributes to the overall data. The work of his teams on twin studies is well regarded.
How can you tell how serious a variant is after a vaccination programme? We've all heard the chat about Omicron not being as bad as Delta, but is that because the vaccinations keep the symptoms at bay? Do we know from the SA data - and the effectiveness of their vaccination programme - if the illness is as severe as Delta in unvaccinated people?
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We should just stop fetishising dates and just come together when we can do it safely. Be it in two, three weeks, so be it. There's nothing you can do on the 25th that can't be done in January.
Funnily enough I was listening to Tim Spector in a podcast about the 'gut biome' a few days ago. I do think the gut biome is important, but I was staggered by the 'unscientific-ness' of Tim's language - he was talking about 'stress molecules' and similar nonsensical stuff.
Oh well. SNAFU
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”