EddieB

Didn't they used to be called "telephone boxes"?

When it comes “having Covid”, is there any clarity how long those who have tested positive (once) are regarded as persisting with having Covid in the official statistics? For example, the 4% now infected represent a largely different “set” to the ~3% who were positive in the week before Christmas. Current estimates are that across the UK around 95% adults now have measurable levels of antibodies, which by my maths indicates an excess over vaccination take-up rate, the balance being immunity acquired from previous infection.

Most of the symptoms are the body's immune response to the infection. Omicron can trigger a different reaction to the previous strains - very much like a winter cold or "man flu", which varies from person to person. In our experience (and as adb says) there's very little time with raised temperature - though I found I dreamt vividly one night as might be expected with a mild fever. While the severity will pass within a couple of days, the body is left weakened (like flu) and may take well over a week to get over. It seems that the memory of infection with previous strains, or the AstraZeneca vaccine, is stronger and longer lasting than MRNA vaccines (Pfizer/Moderna, which are more specific to previous variants in their protein spike).

Yes, the piece I posted here earlier was clipped from a longer posting on another group, having noted similarities to North West Frontier! I last saw 1497/1493 at Sibiu in 2016 - in much the same state as the 2015 picture linked in your post. The museum collection had been pushed to one side, needing much tlc and there was no one wanting to collect money from the only visitor that day. During the same trip arrangements were made to see what had been the last operational standard gauge steam locos, sadly in secure storage and out of use. It’s hard to tell whether 1497 had been made steamable for the TV series - I think it was operable in its early days in preservation, but I think we would have heard had it been. Certainly it was given a repaint and fitted with signage to make it look Italian. As for faithfulness to the original novel, it’s a rather loose adaptation - but actually works quite well. Of course every modern version must contain a balloon flight, which was never in the original (borrowed from another Verne story).

Wouldn't be surprised if he has granddaughters older than his current wife. ("So what first attracted you to the billionaire Bernie Ecclestone?")

The locomotive 141F-2401 has been "on display" at the former station at Horna-Villarcayo for many years - quite some distance from Alicante.

There should be a warning within the instruction booklet that comes with the kit. It could be that you’re pushing the swab too far.

Shot in Romania... Most of the action involves a train pulled by (what I think is) 0-6-0 no. 1497 (Henschel 3824/1894, restored for the museum at Sibiu as "1493"). Upon arrival at "Brindisi", it turns into a side view as no. 43 "CALUGARENI" (2-4-0 Canada Works, 233/1869) posing on the turntable at Bucuresti Calatori (it's home depot until recent removal to the museum adjacent to Bucuresti-Nord), though with a backscene added to make it look like a port!

Interesting piece here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-59697807 that suggests that highly mutated variants (such as omicron) could have developed during longer periods of infection in the immuno-compromised (such as HIV sufferers). It's a plausible explanation of why omicron may have long remained undetected while accumulating some thirty substitutions in its spike protein. As such, it would indicate evolutionary drift at predictable rates, tending towards loss of virulence and supporting hypotheses that omicron is a milder form.

3. A Greyhound bus going in the opposite direction?

It seems that the BBC has caught up with the cold/flu-like symptoms we'd reported (and experienced): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59768366 I see that Wales is keeping the isolation period at ten days. That seems sensible when it would appears that omicron only gives a positive test result (LFT/PCR) for a much shorter period, yet remains symptomatic for longer - is the decision in England for convenience or because infectiousness has actually been measured against LFT testing?

In fairness, many leading international news agencies were reporting the Botswanan President’s assertion about the four foreign diplomats being the source of omicron at the start of this month. Their nationality was not disclosed, but some had travelled from or through Europe.

Does that mean the current ones get grandfather rights? You could be back in the driving seat before you know it, Andy!

For that, I think you'll need to look outside the gentlemen of infinite resource, sagacity and whitty. (With apologies to Rudyard Kipling).

Like the Government and their cronies? It would be helpful if the Test & Trace service were able to recognise multiple instances in the same household, such that those already having tested positive don't get bombarded with multiple emails, texts and calls on behalf of every other family member who has also tested positive!

Since they visited other rule-breakers and issued fines, I think the Metropolitan Police have become politicised and failed to recognise their need to have investigated in the public interest. Beyond that, the endless diet of who was or wasn't at this, that or another party splashed all over the media (particularly a certain LBC morning anchor), is becoming tiresome.

That seems about par for the course. Whether the latest strain is spreading in partnership with a cold/flu bug or generating similar symptoms of itself, the "classic" symptoms (temperature, cough, loss of taste/smell) are seldom manifesting. As we've found (and had corroborated from those in the Health Service) there are many instances of "false negatives" in both Lateral Flow and PCR tests. Combined with what appears to be an extended asymptomatic incubation period, and little difference between vaccinated/unvaccinated becoming infected (though potentially affects severity) and hence infectious it looks like the latest variant has few barriers to stop it spreading widely. The above is based on personal experience and that of trusted friends. Not a representative sample, but more than just hearsay (or random posts on social media). A lot that we're not hearing from "official" channels, whom we fear are stuck repeating messages from previous campaigns. As we've found, it's hard to throw up resistance when you have had children at school. On the plus side, one of us remains negative (testing positive for delta over a year ago), suggesting that the immune response stays in memory longer than we are being advised (but in accordance with articles published in "Nature" earlier this year).

The irrepressible Kimi! (I got side-tracked with the customs officer and the teddy bear).

True, and the Spectator has been called out for making unfair criticisms of SAGE/Imperial College modelling in the past. However a link in the piece connects to measures of past projections against actual results, to gives an indication of reliability (although the "past performance" disclaimer applies).

On the other hand, do you always trust those selling the tickets for the ghost train?

Christian Horner?

While omicron is seen as the fastest growing strain, it's not the only variant in town and it may be that others remain more lethal. Time will tell.

With apologies to those who like everything as neat as the displays at Fortnum & Mason*... I chased up our "missing" PCR result from earlier in the week, which has now come through as positive. So, through family and school car-share "bubble" (previous week), we have: One PCR positive, LFT positive (following negative, no further contacts outside family), symptoms; One PCR negative, LFT positive (following negative, no further contacts outside family), symptoms; One PCR positive, LFT negative, no symptoms; One PCR indeterminate, LFT negative, man flu; One PCR negative, LFT negative, no symptoms. No indication which variant responsible for the positive results. The spice of life, indeed. A range of different permutations, that would make more sense if the walk-in centre were playing "find the lady" with the receipt cards. Based on current rumours, like last year we'll be out of quarantine just in time to begin the next circuit-breaker lockdown. (*Other grocers are available).

Many said to be suffering from groyne injuries...

Not sure I agree with him. To a great extent, people can modify their behaviours to the level of security they believe is right or makes them feel safer, but liberty is within the powers of the state to grant or remove.