Mono Monday - Opening

After a day of painting woodwork, I went for a late walk with G into town which meant we could also see the Holt xmas lights and take some photos - socially distanced of course. Fortunately there was next to no-one around, so we had no problem setting up our tripods and we were done very quickly. This is the 'opening' to an alley leading to the separate entrance to the temporary in-store Post Office in Bakers & Larners. I've added an extra of their lanterns. 

Day 246 / Day 12 of Lockdown 2 (for my record only)
UK deaths up 213 to 52,147 (revised basis), with 21,363 new cases, 14,915 patients in hospital and 1,355 on ventilation. Globally cases to date pass 55m, up 1m in 2 days. Scientists in Italy have found evidence of coronavirus antibodies in blood samples taken in October, meaning the virus was circulating in September. Another vaccine by Moderna has been found in preliminary trial data to be 94.5% effective and the UK has ordered 5m doses. Like the other vaccine announced so far, it uses RNA technology and is given via 2 doses, but production is not yet at scale so it won't be available until the Spring. The big benefit is that it can be kept for 30 days in ordinary fridges and for up to six months in normal or medical freezers, but it is more expensive. I listened to a new series on R4 this morning called How to Vaccinate the World and I hadn't realised that no vaccine has yet been approved which uses mRNA technology, which introduces a 'messenger sequence' for the person's own cells to produce the antigens and an immune response. It was announced last night that the PM is self isolating having been contacted by T&T as he'd had a meeting with MPs where one later tested positive - 10 other conservative MPs are also self isolating. Matt Hancock announced today that two new megalabs will come on stream in Jan, doubling current capacity and with the aim of being a permanent diagnostics capability in the UK. It was said at today's briefing that the Tiers in England might be toughened to be more effective post lockdown. The mass testing in Liverpool has so far found 700 asymptomatic cases. There's another NHS Covid app glitch, this time leaving some iPhone users with a 'blue screen'. 19m fewer dental treatments have been provided since March compared to last year. I read today that all the Covid-19 there's been in the World to date would fit in a teaspoon, or a shot glass at most  - that's an astonishing fact.