Double vaccinated and booster jabbed

 

This morning I got my Covid booster jab at my local chemist. I had booked an appointment (as over 50) here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/. 

The jab was on time and I did not actually feel any tenderness during the injection. No doubt there will probably be some tenderness tomorrow or other minor side effects but so far so good. Many thanks to Woodgrange Pharmacy Forest Gate for their polite and efficient service. I understand it also offers a "walk in" service for those eligible. 

Check out your local "walk in" facility here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/find-a-walk-in-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-site/

I fully accept that I may experience side effects from this jab. I understand the concern expressed by some that the Covid vaccines were brought in comparatively very quickly compared with other vaccines and that I may still catch and suffer from Covid despite all these vaccinations. 

However, I am satisfied that the risk of any serious side effects are tiny when compared to risk of catching Covid. That there has been sufficient independent and expert research into the safety of these vaccines. 

Research has shown that by being fully vaccinated I am less likely to catch Covid, to suffer serious illness or death and to spread the disease to my friends, colleagues and loved ones. 

Check out this British Heart Foundation website advice which I thought was independent and authoritative https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/covid-booster-vaccine#Heading3

Just had my 1st Covid vaccine: AstraZeneca

 This evening I had my first jab in Westfields Stratford. It went very smoothly. There was no queue outside and despite being a little early I was allowed straight in. The security at the door gave me a new face mask and showed me how to access the hand cleansing dispenser. He asked me whether I felt at all unwell and tested my temperature with a hand held scanner to my forehead. 

I then went to a receptionist who took my reference number and again asked questions about whether I felt unwell or not. Then I was led into a waiting area for 5-10 minutes. The vaccine centre itself was very large with high ceilings and I felt safe because there was plenty of room for social distancing. 

Next I was escorted to a bay with 3 staff who, again, asked me questions about my health and am I on any medication to thin my blood or any known allergies to injections. They had to check that my taking part in a monthly national survey for the ONS (monthly blood and swab tests to see if I have or ever had Covid) was a problem. The doctor in charge came to speak to me and agreed it was not. 

I then had the injection (AstraZeneca) which was completely painless and I didn't need a plaster. The whole process took about 20 minutes and so far (3 hours since) there has been no side effects. 

Many thanks to all the staff for treating me in such a professional and respectful manner. 

Shareholder Spring: Employee reps to stop crony capitalism

I was astonished to read in today's Evening Standard (of all papers) that its City Editor, James Ashton, supported as the only "surefire way for any board to keep in touch with reality" over executive pay, is to appoint employee representatives to the

board "to keep them honest".

The background to this is the revolts by shareholders (or rather asset managers not by and large the actual share owners) at Company Annual General Meetings (AGM) over excessive and unearned top executive pay. Yesterday the boss of insurance giant Aviva was forced to resign after his pay package was rejected at its AGM. So were the bosses of drugs giant AstraZeneca and Trinty Mirror. Tomorrow apparently the British Gas Centrica CEO is also in big trouble.

At a pension conference recently on executive pay I asked Government Cabinet minster Vince Cable why it was thought a good thing that employee representatives were legally required to make up to 50% of the trustee board of a company pension fund, making decisions that could make or break the organisation, yet there was no requirement to have even one such rep on the same company remuneration committee? He claimed to support the principle of employee reps but that the role of a pension trustee was very different to being on a company remuneration committee (which is completely rubbish not least since many employer reps on pension schemes also sit on you know what committees!)

I must admit to agreeing with James Ashton's conclusion that the employee representation "model has been proved to work elsewhere in Europe. What better way for the chairman to keep in touch with the shopfloor than to have the shopfloor turn up in his boardroom once a month? It could make for some uncomfortable meetings".

Update: I'll post on the campaign by Fair Pensions on how ordinary people can take action against executive High Pay soon.