Just enjoyed a sailing cruise in company with several boats. At least x10 people, including me, have tested positive for Covid. Why is there no longer any information in the Press about prevalence? Talking with local GP out if hours doctor tonight, they are experiencing s significant spike in cases. Can BCUK try to promote some press coverage and data ref. cases?
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I will copy your post to Blood Cancer UK for you @BloodCancerUK
Take lots of care of yourself
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Hi @beverleyanny ,
Thanks for telling us about your experience. Iâm sorry that so many of you have come down with Covid and hope you recover quickly. I have seen some reports in the media about the spike in cases recently, but agree it isnât getting the coverage that it used to. Unfortunately, some of the media has misinterpreted the latest WHO declaration that the Covid pandemic is âis no longer a global health emergency of international concernâ as meaning the pandemic is over. However, the WHO qualified that statement by stating that, despite Covid no longer being an global health emergency, the Covid pandemic is ongoing and remains an established and ongoing health issue. Hereâs the original statement:
Hereâs the latest info on Covid on the Blood Cancer UK site
I have included our Senior Digital Support Services person @Alice_BloodCancerUK in my response to you, to see if she can advise if : 1) if there will be a press release on this in the near future to deal with the misinformation about the âpandemic being overâ in the press; and
2) if there will be a statement clarifying the WHO statement on the Covid section of the website.
Thanks for raising this very valid concern.
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I can see @Erica and @purdy1966 have already given great responses.
Itâs frustrating isnât it. I always worry as I teach in a primary school and have contracted covid twice already!
The Blood Cancer UK website is always my go to place for the mist updated info.
Please take good care of yourself x
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Thankyou @Nichola75, @purdy1966 and @Erica for responding!
I agree that the BCUK site is an excellent source of up-to-date information and this forum is also certainly very supportive.
However, I suppose I feel that the general public seem to have âforgottenâ about Covid an probably donât visit this site. There remains a significant minority of people for whom Covid iâs much more serious than âjust a coldâ, along with the risk of long Covid . . . How can we raise awareness of responsible behaviour amongst the general public regarding testing, ventilation etc. to support those who may be vulnerable, in particular as autumn/winter approaches?
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Hello @beverleyanny
We will pass on your post to our policy team as we understand your concern. We have updated our guidance regarding COVID treatments and have been working with the NHS, DHSC and Integrated Health Boards to ensure this is communicated effectively:
Antibody and antiviral treatments for people with blood cancer | Blood Cancer UK
We will update our website and social media as ever with any more information.
Kind regards
Gemma
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Thanks for raising this beverleyanny â and hope you are managing the covid without too dire symptoms.
I want to reply on the issue of information available on prevalence of COVID at any given time. Like you, I would find such information very helpful in deciding how much to do things that involve being in close contact with people like meeting up inside, or going into shops, restaurants or the cinema. If prevalence was 1%, that would be about a tenth as risky as is it were 10% ⌠.
Until last March, I found the ONS COVID survey very good for this. Then it estimate prevalence at about 2.5% - one in 40 people. It was a couple of weeks out of date when published but reliable I think. After funding ended for that I looked to the âdashboardâ https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/ to give an indication of whether rate were increasing or decreasing, but as it depends on who gets tested, and that changes over time, it cannot easily or reliably be used to estimate prevalence.
Estimates of prevalence of âsymptomatic COVIDâ are posted daily by the Zoe health study Latest Daily UK COVID-19 Data: Vaccines, Cases, Trends | ZOE . Today (Aug 14) they give an estimate for the UK overall 861,000 such cases. As the population is 67 million, that is presumably 861/67000 = 1.3%. They have been going up since early July, but are still lower than late May or any earlier time since the study estimates posted (late 2021). Estimates are also given by county. I do find that very helpful, though I have not been able to find any information on how the estimates are made or how certain they are. Presumably it is based largely on reports from the Zoe app users, but I would expect some additional steps. If anyone reading this knows where I could find Zoeâs methods, that would be great.
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How are you doing @beverleyanny?
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Sorry that you caught Covid on your cruise, but it highlights the fact that any close and prolonged contact, especially in an inside environment, brings with it the risk of catching not just Covid, but other illnesses. Personally, I donât believe the Govât or media should be doing anything right now - all sensible people know that Covid hasnât disappeared and is unlikely to do so too. It is now considered to be like influenza - a persistent threat, but only really to the vulnerable. It is now up to individuals to take their own risk assessments and act accordingly - it is not the responsibility of anyone else. Imagine if there were daily reminders of how many car accidents/deaths there are or how many people were being hospitalised with sepsis, for example!
I really do believe that we are now in the position of educating ourselves and making decisions based on our own vulnerabilities, not just with Covid, but for all viruses/illnesses. In my own case, despite having 7 vaccinations and having no detectable antibodies, plus being on cycle 11 of chemo, which has depleted my immune system, I have not been taking any precautions for the last 18 months, relying instead on knowing that I would get access to the anti-viral treatment!
I hope that you have mild symptoms and recover quickly.
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Thankyou for asking @Nichola75 Feeling fully recovered after having only mild symptoms once the anti-virals kicked in. Ventured out to the pub yesterday as now testing negative but kept well away from others and still donât do any âhugsâ . . . itâs strange how the âlockdownâ habits have stayed with me - I hadnât seen some of these friends for more than a year!
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Glad you are feeling better and getting out and about.
Lots of lockdown habits stayed with me too! X
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Thanks for the message, @SpaceAngel but we werenât in âclose and prolonged contact in an inside environmentâ . . . the cruise in company was all on our own boats with 2-3 people aboard. My husband and crew member didnât get Covid, but several others in the fleet did. When we were ashore it was mostly outside, on beaches, a big open marquee or Marina pontoons . . . Iâm pleased that there is some press coverage now regarding the new variant, just to remind people to be vigilant. Like you, Iâd begun to take fewer precautions over the past couple of years since the anti-virals are available, and seem to work very well. Iâm feeling fully recovered now and went to the pub yesterday!
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Just shows that protecting yourself outside is as important as inside
I do my own risk assessments for my individual needs as itâs no good relying on general population as covid doesnât really affect them in the same way as it does us vulnerable
I have the Zoe app and I make it my business to know what covid is doing in the world.
Doesnât help that haematology consultants tell you to learn to live with covid and one saying that masks are needless apparently WHO says so
Iâm on my last stem cell transplant and Iâm guarding it with my life
So far touch wood with my risk assessments and still shielding I have stayed well no infections no covid no colds or coughs since my second transplant in 2022
My best advocate is myself 
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I tested positive for Covid for the first time on 1st Sep. Didnât even cross my mind that that was why my fatigue had suddenly got a lot worse. I can only assume my wife caught at work or when she went bowling with colleagues. Luckily, and probably due to having 5 vaccinations it didnât affect me too badly except for the fatigue.
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I reckon Covid can get you from nowhere and when you least expect it @Adw265
I hope your poor wife isnât feeling guilty.
Glad that you were not affected too badly, but look after yourself it might take a while to build back up.
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