An update on vaccination in the UK.
Tl:DR - Vaccination rates are on the rise again. 2/3 of adult population have had a first dose, 1/3 a second dose.
Disparity in uptake still exists between most and least deprived areas.
1/9
Firstly, to the raw numbers.
The number of doses has picked up following the May Bank Holiday dip.
Still primarily second doses (orange) being given to keep pace with first doses (blue) 12 weeks earlier. 2/9
We have now given first doses to almost 2/3 of the adult population and second doses to over 1/3.
This is already having a tremendous impact with PHE suggesting they have saved over 12,000 lives in England alone. reuters.com/world/uk/nearl… 3/9
Wales is surging ahead with first dose delivery (at 74.8%), but has been caught up by the other three nations (who seem to be moving in lockstep) for second dose delivery. 4/9
First dose rates in over 50s are all above 90% with people in their 40s (still being offered first doses) at 75%.
Vaccination was opened up this week to under 38-39 year-olds, so we should start to see more significant proportions of under 40s getting vaccinated. 5/9
In over 80s, second doses (90%) are now behind first doses from12 weeks ago (93%) indicating that a small proportion of people are not taking up their second dose. 6/9
Looking regionally for the over 80s, second dose coverage is lowest in London (as is first dose coverage).
Its also interesting to note that second dose uptake as a proportion of first dose uptake is short of 100% for all regions but lowest in London. 7/9
In previous weeks we have seen disparities in uptake by deprivation with the least deprived demographics having higher uptake than the most deprived.
A similar trend is true for people taking up a second dose as a proportion of those who had first dose. 8/9
Overall though, the vaccine programme is going really well and we are meeting Test 1:
"The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully."
ahead of the next stage of the Roadmap on Monday 17th.
9/9
As always, huge thanks to Bob Hawkins for his help with preparing the charts.
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Today the Royal Society will meet to discuss “Fellows’ behaviour”. Without doubt the fellow they will primarily be discussing is Elon Musk.
The behaviour may range from his public dissemination of unfounded conspiracy theories to his attacks on the science
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Musk is also an important figure (some would argue the most important) within a US administration that is laying siege to science and to scientific inquiry itself.
2/38 researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-world-…
The new administration’s executive orders have restricted research, silenced climate scientists and cut funding, as part of a systematic targeting of the scientific community.
3/38
Here's what I think we should be doing to ensure that the UK (and indeed other non-US countries) does not suffer the same fate.
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The United States is currently witnessing an unprecedented assault on its scientists and scientific institutions, driven by populist agendas that prioritise ideology over evidence.
These orchestrated attacks threaten the foundations...
Silence will not shield scientists from the consequences of an increasingly hostile political landscape.
UK and other non-US scientists must act to support our US colleagues.
Here's what I think we should be doing...
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Science thrives on collaboration and openness.
The people who practice science are committed to seeking truth and combatting falsehoods.
2/35
In an era where political forces increasingly seek to distort, suppress, or co-opt scientific knowledge for ideological purposes, the global scientific community must recognise that staying silent in the face of these challenges is no longer an option.
Fiona Fox’s recent article in Research Professional News cautions that expelling Elon Musk from the Royal Society could undermine public trust in science.
I disagree...
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1/25 researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-vie…
I think that this perspective overlooks the critical role that scientific institutions play in upholding ethical standards and defending the integrity of science, especially at times when science and scientists are subject to threats and intimidation from political institutions
2
It's imperative that scientists and their representative bodies actively engage in political discourse to protect scientific integrity, particularly when it is under direct threat, as has been clearly evidenced by recent developments in the United States
3 iflscience.com/us-science-is-…
After hearing some underwhelming testimony last month at the #COVIDInquiry on the use of respirators, @trishgreenhalgh and I decided to write a rapid response to the @bmj_latest to set the record straight.
Here's what we wrote...
1/15 bmj.com/content/386/bm…
"Respirators outperform surgical masks; fit-testing is desirable but not essential"
Professor Susan Hopkins (UK Covid Inquiry, 18th September 2024) claimed that evidence for the superiority of respirators (which are made to an industry standard and designed to fit ...
2/15
closely around the face) over medical facemasks (which are not generally made to any quality standard and often fit loosely, leaving gaps around the sides) is “weak”.
She also claimed that respirators are of little use if they are not fit-tested.
3/15 bmj.com/content/386/bm…
As the UK’s general election campaign enters its final few weeks, we’ve already seen numerous examples of dodgy declarations, substandard stats and graph gaffs.
So I thought I'd write about the importance of numeracy to the functioning of democracy.
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We can expect to see more questionable claims in the run up to polling day.
The factor that all these all these missteps have in common is that they involve the manipulation or misrepresentation of numerical quantities.
One of the most hotly disputed figures of the campaign so far has been the Conservatives’ claim that Labour’s policies will, as Rishi Sunak put it, “amount to a £2,000 tax rise for everyone”. Labour have rebuffed this figure, arguing that... theguardian.com/politics/artic…