My Father died of Pneumonia, that he caught in hospital after being admitted for Leukaemia - I'm not sure what was on the death certificate though.

Genuine question, as I haven't got a clue of the answer, in your scenario of people dying from complications from untested covid, are they not retrospectively tested for Covid?

I understand people are nervous, my wife works on Covid wards.

I don't think we will se anything like 'normal' for a few years.

It's an interesting point though, I'm obviously not qualified in anyway to have anything other than an uninformed opinion, I think we need to strike a balance between the two somehow.

Shutting down again will be catastrophic in other ways and just getting on as 'normal' will have the same effect in different areas.

I don't believe they test everyone who dies for covid. It might seem that this would be a logical thing to do but that's not always what actually happens. For example, we were looking for covid positive samples to test in our serology assays and at the height of the outbreak it became obvious that blood samples from people in hospital from covid were not being stored. We, and everyone else trying to work on the virus, had to scrabble around for positive samples even though thousands were dying globally each day. We ended up collaborating (and still are) with multiple institutions world wide, each with a set of samples to test. These sample sets ranged from 30 to around 150 in size. The biggest sample set I saw was from the team at Great Ormond Street I worked with who had around 160 - all NHS confirmed positives. That data is published. The Roche diagnostic assay that the govt bought 3.5 million of only showed data for around 40 positive samples in their FDA submission.

We are working with various organisations, and I believe that larger population monitoring and data gathering is definitely the objective. For example we may see sampling done in a different way - what we call "oral fluid", which is not actually saliva. It has the same antibody profile as serum but is obviously easier to collect - you just rub a big cotton bud around your gums for a minute or two then run in a serology assay. Our tests are highly sensitive and simultaneously measure antibodies to multiple viral proteins, you can even check what subclass of immunoglobulin is being generated (antibodies have several classes, IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE, plus several IgG subclasses). For vaccine development for example it's critical to fully understand the antibody response.
What I do know is that everyone is working flat out, it's quite inspiring sometimes.

It looks like the mitigation strategy is probably about the only sensible thing to be done.

Govt will probably roll out vaccinations around Q1 2021, but target the vulnerable first (care homes, front line NHS, etc...) If you're under 50 (so not you Gotcha

you probably won't get vaccinated at all - so for anyone in that bracket it's looking like herd immunity for you and take your chances, once the ones at highest risk have some protection.

I expect we'll have a rolling road block in October half term to put the brakes on in time for Xmas, which the govt will be very anxious to protect as best it can. Not just commercially but for morale too. And that's probably the right thing to do.

Is the game definitely on, Peter Smith isn't convinced?

Anyhoo.........GAMEDAY or is it?

Fed up of hearing about Covid.

Cheers for the detailed reply, appreciated.

Like the look of the starting line up, will be good to see how myler gets on with gale in the halfs

Walker
Briscoe Hurrell Sutcliffe Handley
Myler Gale
Seumanufagai Leeming Oledzki
Thompson Martin
Prior

Smith Donaldson Dwyer Holroyd.

Lui Sutcliffe Briscoe Cuthbertson

You are very welcome (I am working from home most of the time and I don't get to talk shop much). If I was to offer something positive I am still hoping we see a vaccine being rolled out end of November. Don't be surprised if there is something to feel good about this year.

Flat start so far.

So yet another bye for st helens, getting wakefield 2 weeks on the trot whilst they are riddled with disease, plus getting wigan days before CC semi and us days after the final. All the cards massively stacked in their favour. They are in the grand final already.

Hull playing like their lives depend on it, as per. Who will they bend over against next week?

That was a forward pass.

I’m confused how Myler was off side. He was on the line, and shot out when the ball was being played?

A mile forward

Nailed on. There must be a better way

Surely video ref could have a quick look. Got a yellow card to boot as well. Not our night tonight

Mirror opposite of last week, no go forward, spine lacking cohesion and poor contact. Hull have really tightened their middle in response to what leeds did to wigan, need to play a bit wider off the ruck with more movement.

I think they just pick and choose what they look at. Poor call that.

Lovely movement that

Much better

Enjoying this one. Hull sticking it to us, figuring we won’t want to match that a week before CC Final.

Our skill and fitness might win the day here hopefully. They haven’t quite got over the top of us.

Love that Holroyd is putting himself about at his age.

Have to say, despite some naysaying.. I think Handley has been great recently. Saved a try running back and been involved in two more at the other end.

We look worse with Myler at half than Lui.

Walker usual curate’s egg; brilliance and errors. He looks keen to get that FB shirt back.

Decent spirit shown to come back after wobbly first 20. Super pass from Walker and brilliant finish by Handley for 2nd try.

Pretty committed game.

Need to cut errors out and get Koni more ball he looks difficult for them to hold. Turn em round with kicking game n get quicker players running at their middles to tire them out.

I know. I bet Sarginson is fuming at his yellow.