Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak

[nudge]

 

 

[Happy Blue]

People saying Omicron could be a good thing because it could flush out delta

Omicron variant: Virus could be a blessing in disguise

 

[Harry]

3 hours ago, nudge said:

 

 

That does suck but this is someone with a huge commercial stake in things, so not exactly an unbiased source 

[RandoEFC+]

3 hours ago, Happy Blue said:

People saying Omicron could be a good thing because it could flush out delta

Omicron variant: Virus could be a blessing in disguise

 

While I wouldn't trust GB News as far as I could throw them, there is merit in this suggestion. We've seen new strains become dominant because they're more transmissible and if a less lethal, more transmissible strain becomes dominant, that would obviously be good in a way. Can't get too carried away with this mindset though. More transmission means more chance of a new mutation which is more lethal and transmissible becoming dominant. Bit of a problem if not enough people have natural immunity yet, or if said new strain can dodge previously built natural immunity because the mutations make it unrecognisable to the antibodies.

Even if Omicron is only equally dangerous to Delta or slightly less, that's still not great because a 50% increase in cases could lead to a 50% increase in hospitalisations and fatalities.

Still, it can't be bad news coming out of South Africa that none of their Omicron cases have been hospitalised yet. The sample size is too small to be jumping up and down, but it's the best news you can have at this stage, especially as we're more likely to be talking about unvaccinated people in those countries. If they're coping then in theory, fingers crossed, populations with a higher vaccination level shouldn't be too heavily at threat. Too early to jump to that conclusion but we'll probably know a lot more in the next couple of weeks.

[nudge]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

That does suck but this is someone with a huge commercial stake in things, so not exactly an unbiased source 

Oh I don't trust or believe any pharma or other big business CEO, but claims like that sadly have the potential to influence political decisions worldwide.

[Honey Honey]

He did say we need to wait for the data. That medicalxpress article just chose to omit that.

“There is no world, I think, where [the effectiveness] is the same level . . . we had with Delta

“I think it’s going to be a material drop. I just don’t know how much because we need to wait for the data. But all the scientists I’ve talked to . . . are like ‘this is not going to be good’.”

[nudge]

7 minutes ago, Honey Honey said:

He did say we need to wait for the data. That medicalxpress article just chose to omit that.

“There is no world, I think, where [the effectiveness] is the same level . . . we had with Delta

“I think it’s going to be a material drop. I just don’t know how much because we need to wait for the data. But all the scientists I’ve talked to . . . are like ‘this is not going to be good’.”

The medicalxpress article didn't omit that...

"Stephane Bancel told the newspaper in an interview published Tuesday that data would be available on the effectiveness of current vaccines in the next two weeks but scientists were not optimistic.

"All the scientists I've talked to ... are like 'this is not going to be good'," he told the newspaper."

 

All in all, he shouldn't be talking shite and fueling panic. My worry is not that the vaccines won't work, my worry is that countries will shut down again because of such claims.

[RandoEFC+]

I do worry that elements of the media and the scientific community have a certain subconscious streak in them (note my wording here please) are actually almost partially happy when things threaten to flare up again because it benefits them, a bit like Arsenal Fan TV actually enjoy it when Arsenal are shit.

For news outlets, Covid drama generates hits and attention for them. Same for some of the scientific experts, if they've enjoyed their moment in the sun being invited on television and radio programs to share their expertise, then fair play to them in the first instance, but you can see some of them getting over-excited again at times like these where uncertainty creeps back in and people are looking for answers.

It's annoying because there have been points in the pandemic where some experts have over-reacted to a new twist in the tale and it can cause unnecessary panic. It also gives the various factions of nut-jobs (anti-vaxx, lockdown-sceptic, conspiracy theorist, etc, etc) ammunition.

[nudge]

[Honey Honey]

10 minutes ago, nudge said:

The medicalxpress article didn't omit that...

"Stephane Bancel told the newspaper in an interview published Tuesday that data would be available on the effectiveness of current vaccines in the next two weeks but scientists were not optimistic.

"All the scientists I've talked to ... are like 'this is not going to be good'," he told the newspaper."

 

All in all, he shouldn't be talking shite and fueling panic. My worry is not that the vaccines won't work, my worry is that countries will shut down again because of such claims.

When data will be out was a separate comment he made later in the interview, the key part of what he said was that we need to wait for the data. Always a red flag when an article doesn't actually provide the full quotes that surrounds the dramatic one they choose. 

A government is not going to shut down because of what he said. Governments have a multitude of advisors, agencies and scientists. They take advice from multiple channels, not a line or two printed in the financial Times, then further manipulated by the medicalxpress.

Ultimately he is saying what we all already know that 1. Efficacy will go down with new variants, 2. We have to wait for the data before we know what this will be, 3. There a big noises across the scientific community about this.

[nudge]

1 minute ago, Honey Honey said:

When data will be out was a separate comment he made later in the interview, the key part of what he said was that we need to wait for the data. Always a red flag when an article doesn't actually provide the full quotes that surrounds the dramatic one they choose. 

A government is not going to shut down because of what he said. Governments have a multitude of advisors, agencies and scientists. They take advice from multiple channels, not a line or two printed in the financial Times, then further manipulated by the medicalxpress.

Ultimately he is saying what we all already know that 1. Efficacy will go down with new variants, 2. We have to wait for the data before we know what this will be, 3. There a big noises across the scientific community about this.

Tell that to Israel, Japan, or Morocco who already completely banned foreigners from entering because of omicron fears, or a dozen of other countries who banned all flights from numerous African countries even before his comments...There have been a lot of knee-jerk reactions around COVID, some countries are by far more cautious than some others, and the CEO of one of the main vaccine suppliers giving irresponsible comments like that to the media is surely fueling the fire. 

I've been trying to get home for almost two years now; so forgive me if I am wary of every little thing that has potential to put another blow to my chances.

[Azeem]

I also like to believe govts have different checks and balances but with the kind of world leaders mostly around, Nah 

[Azeem]

Omicron was reportedly first in Netherlands from there to South Africa.

[Bluebird Hewitt]

2 hours ago, nudge said:

Don't worry. Wales will be in its 4th lockdown before the end of the year, especially with our health minister saying this.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-59476931

[DeadLinesman]

24 minutes ago, Bluebird Hewitt said:

Don't worry. Wales will be in its 4th lockdown before the end of the year, especially with our health minister saying this.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-59476931

You can fuck right off. I’m due at The Plassy for my pre xmas family get away this year in a hot tub lodge. If the welsh government come between me and the only chance of getting my end away before the year is out, I will fucking end them.

[Honey Honey]

2 hours ago, nudge said:

Tell that to Israel, Japan, or Morocco who already completely banned foreigners from entering because of omicron fears, or a dozen of other countries who banned all flights from numerous African countries even before his comments...There have been a lot of knee-jerk reactions around COVID, some countries are by far more cautious than some others, and the CEO of one of the main vaccine suppliers giving irresponsible comments like that to the media is surely fueling the fire. 

I've been trying to get home for almost two years now; so forgive me if I am wary of every little thing that has potential to put another blow to my chances.

Not agreeing with a pre-empetive measure doesn't mean that the measure is irrational.

The future is uncertain by definition. Whilst you can call an action knee jerk, the pandemic is also a story of non action and decisions which we know in hindsight cost lives.

I'm not saying if a measure is right or wrong, but that whatever it is comes from the right place. With the exception of some Boris Johnson decisions.

[nudge]

6 minutes ago, Honey Honey said:

Not agreeing with a pre-empetive measure doesn't mean that the measure is irrational.

The future is uncertain by definition. Whilst you can call an action knee jerk, the pandemic is also a story of non action and decisions which we know in hindsight cost lives.

I'm not saying if a measure is right or wrong, but that whatever it is comes from the right place. With the exception of some Boris Johnson decisions.

I didn't debate if any specific measure is rational or irrational, right or wrong, good or bad though; I simply noted that there has been a lot of panic surrounding the whole issue, and that political decision-making is sometimes affected and influenced by the said panic, fear and other emotions.

Either way, it appears that you have by far more trust in rationality and competence of politicians and governments than I do; so it's probably best we leave it at that.

[Happy Blue]

3 hours ago, nudge said:

Something doesn't add up does it to the way the UK has responded to this 

[nudge]

11 minutes ago, Happy Blue said:

Something doesn't add up does it to the way the UK has responded to this 

Quite honestly, UK's responses aren't particularly of interest to me... You can build a huge wall around your island to keep everyone in (or out), for all I care  

[Danny]

On 29/11/2021 at 13:03, Waylander said:

I think in Australia they forcibly rounded up the Aborigines in Northern Australia to place in isolation camps. Some have condemned this.

Last week there were large crowds in at least three big cities over the continued lockdown measures.

For once did not notice the police using CS gas wonder if threats were made as saw in some previous demos some citizens thought the police had lost the plot and made their feelings known.

 

This is just general Australian policy 

[Happy Blue]

1 minute ago, nudge said:

Quite honestly, UK's responses aren't particularly of interest to me... You can build a huge wall around your island to keep everyone in (or out), for all I care  

Can you stop beating around the bush and tell us what you really think? 

[nudge]

Just now, Happy Blue said:

Can you stop beating around the bush and tell us what you really think? 

About what? 

[Tommy]

2 minutes ago, nudge said:

About what? 

He wants someone smart on his side for a change. 

[Happy Blue]

3 minutes ago, nudge said:

About what? 

I was joking about your bluntness 

[Happy Blue]

3 minutes ago, Tommy said:

He wants someone smart on his side for a change. 

Do you need a hug or something?