Another reason not to visit China

are those covid or obedience tests? taking one for the team has a new meaning.

From UK news:

Professor Adam Finn - who works out of the University of Bristol - told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme: "We anticipate by the end of this week or certainly early next week we will get robust answers that will show us how things are working...that will either confirm or tell us we need to adjust our strategy."

He added that initial data, which has not yet been published, suggested that in both the Pfizer and the Oxford jab "it's likely there will be an increasing protection over that time [of 12 weeks]",

My personal perspective:
From what I understand that's not atypical of vaccines in general - the main benefit would be giving as many people as possible at least some protection from 1 dose in the short term - any additional protection from increasing the gap is nice, but only a side benefit.

This is indeed a massively complex issue, with no simple answer.

Or rather, there is a simple answer- is that no-one knows and that top scientists totally disagree, and all put forwards arguments that seem to make sense. There are also top scientists who are genuinely concerned that an increased gap could lead to more variants, vaccines becoming less or not efficient, and resistance.

On another subject- Priti Patel has announced that quarantining in Hôtels will only be for a very limtied number of countries. Just don't get it- surely they should just not come at all! And secondly, that even for those countries not on the list (not seen the list yet- has someone here got it?) - they should only travel for 'essential or very important reasons'. Who decides what is, what are the criteria for this??? Surely in a massively internet interconnected world- there should be practically NO REASON WHATSOEVER that translates into 'essential travel'. Any idea?

Travel will be fun...... need a PCR test less than 48 hours before landing in Germany and one 72 hours before being allowed back into Switzerland now. There goes my nose........

We have installation teams that travel all over the place without whom the equipment would be unable to be installed. This equipment is involved in saving lives so I suppose that is SOME REASON WHATSOEVER.

Probably all non-person related international transport, like truck drivers, pliots etc.

Indeed. I think the trucks transporting the vaccines from Europe to the UK are pretty much essential, likewise for medicines etc.

Do you have to travel? Stay safe if you can! Take care.

Was talking about people flying in- not freight/haulage.

Johnson has announced that UK children will not return to school until 8th of March. I grieve for all children, and my grandchildren - no school, no friends, no shared sport, games activities.

They have a big house, lots of space and all the necessary tablets, etc- and their respective schools (top private schools) provide full lessons, timetabled and so well organised, every day. But even then ... this is so not normal.

But the gap is widening, huge % of children do not have access to the internet or a tablet each, don't have the space and this is just so ... can't even find the words.

Meanwhile, my French colleague just flew to Guadeloupe - for a two week HOLIDAY.


I suppose that is a "reason", but I'm certainly not happy about it.

https://today.rtl.lu/news/world/a/1661936.html

There is an alternative - anal swab

works in Switzerland? is HR aware?

Long explanation on BBC News right now about the 'disagreement' between EU and AstraZeneca- not quite so simple as some think on here.

Todays published numbers are 2222 out of 27 k tests

85 hospitalisations
58 death

https://www.covid19.admin.ch/en/overview

Compared to last week wednesday

Normally, yes. But fortunately, he works from home, so no one will see him when he gets back.
And I must say that the Guadeloupe government seems to have a lot of precautions in place.

It just the *idea* that someone is flying somewhere for holiday that really riles me.

I see where you're coming from. At the same time, people are genuinely burning out and losing their minds. If your colleague wants to go to Guadeloupe and can do so following all laws and protocols, etc. and comes back refreshed and sane, and isn't even physically in the office...then I can't be TOO judgy. Just a little bit.

I imagine most employers who have folks working from home don't have that much control. People are entitled to take vacation days and they don't have to tell the employer every detail of the holiday, whether it's lounging on the couch in CH or lounging on a beach somewhere. Most employers discourage "non-essential" travel right now, but what's essential to one person isn't the same as essential to another (see above, for example).

If you're already working from home, quarantine upon return is not really a big deal.

I'm not trying to minimize it too much but I do understand people need to see family and they need a break. Our mental health is important and often ignored until it's at crisis level.

Just the fact that somebody can work in home-office riles me.

Lot of people here requested many times that schools close here. You can't have both - closing schools as anti covid measure (and lose many kids en route) or leave them open (with all the risks). Again, as somebody who risks going to work and being there, everyday, we need reasonable, calm and constructive approach since every day is already quite an exercise. Think of people who commute to work everyday these times and have to mingle with many. And yes, lockdown is hard on many school kids. I hope we can do without.

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Umm, Guadeloupe is in France, so it's not like he's doing international travel.

Tom

Why would HR (if working in a company that has a HR department, I haven't in over 30 years) even care?

Tom

It was not clear at all that Dante's colleague is working from home.

Yes, people are flipping their lid, for sure- but a holiday to exotic climes really seems so wrong at the moment. When so many are not able to visit very sick parents, can't go to funerals, can't hug grandchildren or sick, dying family and friends, it just seems all wrong.