21

COVID-19 / Re: My daughter thinks the vaccine is poison. How can I convince her otherwise?

« on: 26/01/2021 18:07:50 »

My personal opinion: I would be as non-confrontational as possible. Ask her more about how the vaccines are poison, and perhaps establish some common ground (maybe a healthy distrust of politicians?)

If you're to make a case about why the vaccine isn't poison - and is worth taking - make it about you rather than about her.

"I wanted it, because..." rather than "you should take it, because..."

22

COVID-19 / My daughter thinks the vaccine is poison. How can I convince her otherwise?

« on: 26/01/2021 17:58:27 »

Viv asks:

I have a 48 year old daughter with two children. She is absolute adamant that when her turn comes, she will not have the vaccine. She will not “inject her body with poison”. We have both had ours with no reaction at all and feel very grateful and look forward to our second one.

What do you suggest I say to my daughter to persuade her to have it? It really worries me from both her own point of view and the children’s.

23

Question of the Week / Re: QotW 21.01.19 - Could Earth get so big that rockets couldn't go to space?

« on: 25/01/2021 17:38:30 »

Answered (in much simpler form) on the Question of the Week podcast: https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/question-week/if-earth-were-heavier-would-rockets-work

24

COVID-19 / Is a methatrexate injection for arthritis a problem for the COVID vaccine?

« on: 25/01/2021 17:03:11 »

Carol asks:

I have a 17.5mg methatrexate injection weekly for rheumatoid arthritis. I cannot find any advice on whether I should leave it off before my COVID vaccine or to continue, and also if it's okay to have it at all?

25

COVID-19 / Will our future generations build an immunity to the coronavirus?

« on: 20/01/2021 18:09:16 »

Jonathan asks:

Will our future generations build an immunity to the coronavirus, or will it be subject to particular mutations like the flu virus?

26

COVID-19 / Would prior anaphylactic reactions make it unsafe to get the vaccine?

« on: 19/01/2021 17:31:43 »

Darren asks:

I have had two anaphylactic reactions: one to tuna fish 25 years ago, and another with a wasp sting 12 years ago, hence I carry a couple of EpiPens around with me. Could I still get the COVID vaccine?

27

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Why do glass windows & mirrors squeak when you clean them?

« on: 15/01/2021 17:21:56 »

Margaret asks:

Why do glass windows & mirrors squeak when you clean them?

28

COVID-19 / I am 78 and care full time for my wife. Am I in the UK vaccine priority group?

« on: 14/01/2021 17:42:07 »

Listener Colin sent us the following:

My wife needs end-of-life care. I have a care agency that visits five times a day, but I’m her main carer as her husband. I am 78, my wife is 79, and if I was taken ill with coronavirus my wife would end up in care.

I note on the government website that I should be in the priority group for the first vaccination. Could you tell me if this is correct?

Can anyone interpret the guidelines better than me, especially how they're defining "health and social care workers at high risk"? https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/

29

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / As I fill my bird bath, why does the hose nozzle get sucked towards the bottom?

« on: 13/01/2021 17:40:09 »

George sent us the following observation from the bird bath on his balcony:

As I fill up the bird bath with the garden hose and I push the hose nozzle closer to the bottom (to prevent spray), I notice that the hose suddenly gets drawn downwards when almost at the bottom.

My only thought was that the liquid "forces" created a negative pressure to "pull" the nozzle to the bottom... much like the differing air pressures on an aircraft wing.

Can anyone explain this phenomenon?

30

COVID-19 / Would an extended dosage interval work for the Oxford vaccine?

« on: 12/01/2021 18:19:50 »

John asks:

I am 70 and expecting to get COVID-19 vaccine, probably the Oxford/AstraZeneca one. However, the government is extending the dosage interval for the Pfizer vaccine. I understand their reasoning, but I am concerned that this can't be extrapolated to the Oxford vaccine, as a dosage error improved its efficacy significantly. Do you know if it's being proposed?

31

COVID-19 / Could a lupus patient be hurt by the vaccine?

« on: 11/01/2021 15:57:25 »

Sylvia asks the following:

If a Lupus patient - and I understand each patient has individual symptoms - has the COVID vaccine, might it be harmful? The patient I'm referring to had the flu vaccine, and she reacted badly and was quite poorly.

32

COVID-19 / Are air conditioners in shops and offices a danger for spreading COVID?

« on: 08/01/2021 17:53:42 »

Tim asks:

Are air conditioners in shops and offices a danger for spreading the coronavirus?

33

COVID-19 / Does the Oxford vaccine stop the illness, transmission, or just symptoms?

« on: 07/01/2021 17:26:05 »

We got this question from listener Jo:

Am I right in thinking vaccines are designed to work on one of three outcomes? 1) a vaccine for the illness, or 2) a vaccine for transmission, or 3) a vaccine for stopping symptoms? And that a vaccine cannot work on all three?

Within this framework the Oxford vaccine is a number 3), a vaccine to stop symptoms. However, symptoms tell us we have COVID and that we are at risk to others as we can transmit the virus. These signs and symptoms allow us to make the right decision to protect others by conducting a test and self-isolating. Therefore, does this not suggest that those having the new vaccine can become super spreaders of the virus as they will not know they have it because they have are asymptomatic? Asymptomatic does not mean they are not transmitting the virus to others.

My mother, an 80 year old diabetic, is having her vaccine next week. My partner has MS and will not be vaccinated for at least 4 months. Therefore, does this now mean my mother can be a walking talking COVID super spreader and by visiting her I now put my partner at risk?

By not focusing on the anti-transmission vaccine, could this cause a new strain of the virus?

34

COVID-19 / Is Oxford's vaccine less likely to cause anaphylactoid reactions than Pfizer's?

« on: 06/01/2021 19:33:04 »

Janet asks the following:

I am a 76 year old female and due to have the vaccine by mid February. I am not allowed to have the Pfizer jab as I carry an EpiPen for venom allergy - not for food, meds or other vaccines. Is the Oxford/AZ vaccine less likely to cause anaphylactoid reactions?

Can anyone help?

35

Physiology & Medicine / Can cartilage re-grow in the human body?

« on: 05/01/2021 18:10:04 »

Roy and Tracey ask:

Can cartilage re-grow in the human body?

36

Chemistry / Do batteries lose charge if they cool down and heat up again?

« on: 04/01/2021 16:53:15 »

Here's a question sent in by Elric:

Batteries lose capacity in cold weather. Say I have a Li ion battery that's fully charged under room temperature, then I drop the battery's temperature to a low enough temperature (let's say -10C) and let it sit for a while so it loses capacity temporally. After that, I reheat the battery up to room temperature such that the battery is functioning normally. Ignoring all minor losses, will the reheated battery be 100% charged? Or does the electricity stored go away as the capacity of the battery lowers?

Can anyone help?

37

COVID-19 / Why am I still experiencing rhinitis symptoms two weeks after COVID infection?

« on: 18/12/2020 11:22:07 »

We received the following from Lara:

I'm after a scientific explanation for why I'm still experiencing sneezing and a blocked nose after my coronavirus infection.

I tested positive on the 7th December after having mild cold like symptoms, possibly starting on the 4th. I thought I was over the mild symptoms but I'm still experiencing what seems like rhinitis: a tickly irritated nose like I'm about to sneeze, which I occasionally do, and also a blocked nose which I can blow out (started off clear but it's slowly getting a colour).

Am I still fighting the infection? I'm 22 weeks pregnant; does that mean my immune system is weaker? Or am I just not infectious at all, and it's just some post viral infection response?

Can anyone shed some light?

38

COVID-19 / How similar is the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to other coronavirus spike proteins?

« on: 17/12/2020 18:07:30 »

Jennifer sent us this:

Can you please share with me the difference or similarities in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1 spike proteins? Are their similarities in their amino acid sequence that would allow the immune system to recognize them as the same?

39

COVID-19 / What is being done to protect clinically vulnerable children against COVID-19?

« on: 16/12/2020 18:04:16 »

Melinda asks:

What is being done to protect clinically vulnerable children against COVID-19? My 6 year old grandson has, amongst other medical needs, chronic lung disease, and has now had to shield in the 2nd lockdown on medical advice. He is  missing out on so much, not just education...

40

COVID-19 / Are dexamethasone and convalescent plasma actually being used yet?

« on: 14/12/2020 18:19:09 »

We got a couple questions in from listener Reg:

In June it was announced that the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone could potentially reduce 1 in 3 deaths among patients on ventilators. If this is being used then I would expect a fewer number of deaths, but nobody seems to have mentioned this - nor the progress in using plasma extracted from patients who have recovered - in months.  Do you know the current status of either treatment?