In the old days, a forehead tattoo might have done the job, but today a chip implant like the ones used on dogs would serve the purpose - an immune verification chip which allows you a free pass into clubs and pubs - "beep" and you are in :-)

My sister suggested stoking up with immodium and only  having a dump once a week 

Other suggestions would be a shower head and  flannel - be OK if you rinse it well afterwards - probably

Indeed - they have some guinea pigs lined up - but it does not amount to the kind of trial which would licence to mass market.

From the BBC article you linked to:

"Experts say it will still take many months to know if this vaccine, or others also in research, will work. "

There is zero chance of a mass market vaccine being available by the autumn - if we are very lucky, we could get there by February or March next year - that is why it is hugely irresponsible to get people's hopes up. At least the statement should be qualified by stating where they imagine we will have got to by the autumn - that will probably be when large scale trials of a proto-vaccine could start.

Readers' questions: Can I catch coronavirus again?

Question from Tanya Lucid

Tanya, from Kingston-upon-Thames, wants to know if she has coronavirus and has self-isolated for 14 days, is there a chance she could catch it again.

BBC Online health Editor Michelle Roberts says:

Experts say most people should develop immunity, at least in the short term, after they have recovered from coronavirus which means they shouldn’t catch it again soon.There is a chance that some people will get it more than once though

From the BBC article: "But even if these initial safety tests go well, it could still take up to 18 months for any potential vaccine to become available for the public."

Cause for hope yes, but it seems the idea of a pre-winter vaccine is fanciful. 

I had the impression you lived in a remote cave somewhere, far away from other humans, anyway? :)

What's wrong with just saying hello?   Humans don't make sense!

Just a question here.  Should it become possible and easy to test if someone has antibodies can they then donate blood, which is then used in a transfusion therefore passing the antibodies on?

Unfortunately it is not really likely. It may give brief protection but nothing more.

Time to bring back rationing books.

I still have mine from the early 1950s - I wonder if the coupons will still work.

(Believe it or not rationing of some goods was still in place 9 years after the war ended.)

just wondered! Answers my question. TY

Varadkar says that the Irish govt believes the number of Irish #COVID19 cases will be at 15,000 by the end of March.

— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) March 17, 2020

I've now had a full debrief on the science. My last post on the subject now as I've chosen to drink quite heavily. Please don't be complacent. Good news - there might be a chance are we're already up to near 20m+ (virus has been here since Dec19, undiagnosed deaths etc.), but we need to push for antibody tests. Do not push for the viral tests. Worthless.

So what you're saying is that Hollywood has lied to us. 

  

It's a problem every time I visit Greece or Italy, people hug and kiss too often even if only they saw each other yesterday. Handshakes should be abolished too. 

I think Beast is a socialist and his mates are right wing nationalists. Your point is valid regardless.

We're up to 20 million+ already in the UK? If that's the case surely there would have been a huge surge in deaths. Somebody is speaking bollox. Either your contact or the experts who are working on the mortality rate.   

I’m trying to avoid watching “Outbreak”. 

You can tell my mind is not being occupied with anything else tonight, but another thought. Is there any chance that electricity supplies may be interrupted, by lack of staffing to do whatever it is they do?

I guess he meant globally.