Thanks, John. I think there is a place for remote consultations, but they should be the exception rather than the rule. Doctors can pick up symptoms and other subtle clues to a person’s condition at in-person appointments which they simply can’t at the other end of a phone line or video call.

I understand your reservations about the vaccine rollout and respect the two experts quoted in that article. Personally I think on the balance of risk older people and those who are especially vulnerable should be vaccinated (if they agree, of course). For young, healthy people it’s a more difficult judgment, as in the vast majority of cases Covid is no worse for them than the flu. But they can still spread it to other people if they catch it, of course. I agree more data is needed to determine whether there is a particular risk to women of child-bearing age.

Sorry to learn about your eye and the day-trip to Burton. Hope everything is on the mend.

As to actually getting to see someone at surgeries and hospitals, unless we do something I suspect that this will be the new norm. As with flu-vaccines and statins medical practices are being financially incentivised (bribed) to change their modus operandi. Sadly, person to person consultations are likely to be a thing of the past if the continued policy of forcing us all apart continues to gain traction.

Anyway, we can only hope and pray that things improve. The first step should be to ensure that any woman of child-bearing age refuses to take any vaccine. I believe what is going on is sinister. These two gentlemen were right at the leading edge of vaccine production and I urge all your readers to heed this warning.

https://healthandmoneynews.wordpress.com/2020/12/02/head-of-pfizer-research-covid-vaccine-is-female-sterilization/

Thanks, Jenny. Yes, my eye clinic appointments have to be in person, as they couldn’t check the state of my retina over the phone! But I know that a lot of hospital and doctor’s appointments are being done by phone or video call now. I can understand the rationale for this, but IMO you don’t get the same personal connection with the clinician. There is a place for such appointments, but I hope they won’t become the norm from now on.

Thanks, Caz. Yes, I’m hoping I can be discharged in January. I wouldn’t claim I’m doing that well on the fitness front, but it was certainly good to be able to go for a swim again. I really hope they don’t close the pools again now. And yes, fingers crossed the vaccine/s will help. The next few months will certainly be interesting. I really hope we can get back to some sort of normality soon.

So some good news, then some not so great news with Bricklane. Sounds wise to not invest anything else there for the foreseeable.

I’m glad the eye clinic check up went as well as possible – good job it was pretty empty for your trip so as to be safer. Fingers crossed for the January check-up giving you the all clear for discharge.

Sounds like you’re doing well fitness-wise too. I really need to get my folks out for a little walk again. I’m keeping them thoroughly indoors, and I think they’re glad the weather’s gone so nasty at the moment as they’re not as frustrated about staying home because of the virus. I hope the vaccine news is something positive to help us out of this mess, though that’s yet to be seen. I can’t imagine the government not making a pig’s ear of that like they have with everything else.

Thanks for your comment. Yes, I am a big fan of Nutmeg, and Kuflink as well. I liked Bricklane initially, but in view of recent events I can’t really recommend it now. That being said, they have been victims of circumstances outside their control. I still think the property REIT/ISA concept is good and hope and expect that matters will improve in due course.