COVID THREAD

[Thirsty Relic 213]

2 minutes ago, top4718 said:

This is the bit I don't get, there seems to be an overwhelming assumption that the current cases will automatically lead to hospitalisations so far that Isn't happening anywhere, people are locking themselves down for a mild illness without the government having to do anything.

As you follow football, you may have heard the Liverpool manager spouting his views on vaccination, proud of all his squad having had all their doses and saying everybody should be dosed up.  Nonetheless, 3 of his squad are unavailable as they have just tested positive, so will isolate for a while, then be back.  No suggestion any of them are actually ill, need hospital treatment, or will not still be 100% fit for the next match when they are allowed to play.

 

 

[SheffieldBricky 0]

The current rush to get boosters encouraged by the government isn't for this strain. It's for the next.

[Zinger549 233]

5 minutes ago, SheffieldBricky said:

The current rush to get boosters encouraged by the government isn't for this strain. It's for the next.

They said there has been a increase in Omicron cases and to get boosted to help protect against it.

[Dromedary 166]

6 minutes ago, SheffieldBricky said:

The current rush to get boosters encouraged by the government isn't for this strain. It's for the next.

Just been reading that it is estimated that booster jabs could provide up to 85% protection against severe illness but then goes on to say this is based on limited information on Omicron! It also does not state what manufacturer of the boosters are that they supposedly tested.

[rabbitfluff 10]

40 minutes ago, Jim117 said:

Just got back from an unsuccessful attempt to get a booster. If you’re booked in at Gleadless church today don’t bother. Traffic at a complete standstill and queue stretching down towards the school. It was like the last flight out of Kabul airport. Why the hell they are giving out appointment times I have no idea. Absolute bloody bedlam!

Cheers for the heads up. I was just off there for my booked appointment but I'll save myself a trip. 

[SheffieldBricky 0]

14 minutes ago, Zinger549 said:

They said there has been a increase in Omicron cases and to get boosted to help protect against it.

It all seems a bit too much for and illness like a mild cold. They're always quoting the science but the science says this one is nothing. I think there are things they don't tell us to avoid panic. There will be another strain and it will be worse.

11 minutes ago, Dromedary said:

Just been reading that it is estimated that booster jabs could provide up to 85% protection against severe illness but then goes on to say this is based on limited information on Omicron! It also does not state what manufacturer of the boosters are that they supposedly tested.

The very best is 85% why don't they tell us the worst outcome and then quote the average protection. Probably because it's under 50%.

 

Journalists won't ask either.

 

Probably because the average will be under 50%.

[sedith 19]

17 hours ago, onewheeldave said:

'Will We Closed Down By Jan'

 

If you [the public], allow it, then yes, probably.

If you stand up and say 'enough, I'm done with complying' and throw away your masks and get on with your lives  and stop doing what the idiots in charge are demanding, then no.

 

Anarchy then?

[onewheeldave 22]

1 hour ago, top4718 said:

 

 

Something I've just seen which is a little worrying - the definition of a Covid hospitalisation will now be anyone admitted to hospital who tests positive within 28 days!!! This has to be a deliberate attempt to up the hospitalisation numbers with the new variant as the are currently so low, very sinister.

Do you have a link to this?

 

[onewheeldave 22]

34 minutes ago, sedith said:

Anarchy then?

No. Sanity.

[BigPP 96]

1 hour ago, top4718 said:

This is the bit I don't get, there seems to be an overwhelming assumption that the current cases will automatically lead to hospitalisations so far that Isn't happening anywhere, people are locking themselves down for a mild illness without the government having to do anything.

 

Something I've just seen which is a little worrying - the definition of a Covid hospitalisation will now be anyone admitted to hospital who tests positive within 28 days!!! This has to be a deliberate attempt to up the hospitalisation numbers with the new variant as the are currently so low, very sinister.

 

22 minutes ago, onewheeldave said:

Do you have a link to this?

 

It's top4718 peddling misinformation as usual. Nothing has changed.

 

All the stats are here:

 

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/healthcare

[bassett one 450]

after seeing wales and scotland ,closing there countrys down in certain ways,mr bungling boris now with parliment closed will follow ,because hes no one to stop him,come on bungles tell us sooner than later,instead of hiding behind the experts,at least we can arrange around it,maybe us peasants  can have wine and cheese partys for newyears eve,or visit friends to check our eye site ,via driving,one would not wish to break the rules would one?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, top4718 said:

This is the bit I don't get, there seems to be an overwhelming assumption that the current cases will automatically lead to hospitalisations so far that Isn't happening anywhere, people are locking themselves down for a mild illness without the government having to do anything. ...

Doubling time is estimated to be less than two days in all regions except the south-west.  That was the data as of the 16th.   If only a small percentage of those who become infected go on to develop symptoms requiring hospitalisation - older people, those with pre-existing conditions, the immunocompromised, the unvaccinated, the unlucky - that's still a lot of people. 

 

The Omicron variant is far more able than previous variants to evade infection-blocking neutralising antibodies due to the greater number of mutations resulting in changes to regions of the spike protein targetted by those antibodies.  Data from T cell studies is still preliminary but it looks like the T cell response to infection is much better preserved because those receptor targets are preserved.

 

Again, emphasis on the preliminary nature of the data.  But, if that holds it's good news because it might be one of the keys to keeping the consequence of infection mild.

 

This is a very good, well written article about the T cell response, infection in the vaccinated (including those previously infected), the consequent immune response and how that might translate into illness.   I urge people to give it a read if you're interested in how the immune system deals with this virus and want to inject some cautious optimism into your life along with the booster.

 

Apart from the last paragraph:

 

Quote

But our shot-trained T cells can’t be expected to stand their ground forever. Too many people around the world remain unvaccinated, offering the virus many more chances to splinter into new, troublesome lineages. The quicker the virus moves to colonize us, the more likely it is to outpace our defenses. SARS-CoV-2 could eventually learn to hopscotch over more killer Ts [pdf], too—a risk we run when we force our bodies to repeatedly tussle with this fast-changing foe.