International News Covid-19 .....

Worse still Omicron B anagram is no crimbo

Can`t see that working at all well.
People will, mostly, do the right thing but there are limits for everyone.
Take current arrangements at EY Towers - we have family from Devon, London and Oxford descending on us.
50% of our guests have accommodation booked, all the food etc is ordered for a week of fun & high jinks.
We`ve planned a LF testing regime for us at home and for those traveling, 3 days after arrival and we are all fully jabbed.
I can safely say we are very unlikely to throw it all out of the window and we are a pretty compliant bunch!
Sorry, Boris.
 
Can`t see that working at all well.
People will, mostly, do the right thing but there are limits for everyone.
Take current arrangements at EY Towers - we have family from Devon, London and Oxford descending on us.
50% of our guests have accommodation booked, all the food etc is ordered for a week of fun & high jinks.
We`ve planned a LF testing regime for us at home and for those traveling, 3 days after arrival and we are all fully jabbed.
I can safely say we are very unlikely to throw it all out of the window and we are a pretty compliant bunch!
Sorry, Boris.
Oh Boris isn't bothered! He's probably bored with the whole thing now and starting to forget how ill he was.
 
Omitted so much? Why don't you quote the bits I've omitted from that scientist's statement and explain how it's not contextually accurate, then?

The scientist didn't say it's not too early to make concrete predictions about the behaviour of the variant, and neither have I. I'm not saying the scientific community has decided the virus is safe. It's hard for me to understand your point because you seem to be arguing with a point I'm not actually making.

Once again, the point I was making was that strict testing of incoming SA travellers was (and remains) completely futile. The variant has already spread worldwide. It is coming in every day from new locations - masks and track and test don't work to stop the spread.

Again, you ignore the context. The article does not say that masks don't help. It differentiates between types of masks, at what points they might be ineffective and the recognised wisdom on how they work. Let's remember, surgeons wear masks, why is that? No one has said that a mask is the be and end all prevention solution, they contribute however if implemented alongside other measure.
As regards the virus variant and the scientific evidence, you have relied upon a quote from the person who 'first identified it'. But you omit,

Why are we so concerned about this variant?​

The Omicron variant has a large number of mutations compared with previous variants, more than 30 of which are in the spike protein – the key used by the virus to enter our body’s cells. Such a dramatic change has raised concerns that the antibodies from previous infections or vaccination may no longer be well matched, although it’s likely that some residual immunity, for example from T-cells, will remain.

Some of the same mutations have been seen in other partially vaccine-resistant variants, such as Beta and Gamma, although Omicron contains many additional mutations. Purely based on this list of mutations, scientists anticipate that the virus will be more likely to infect – or reinfect – people who have immunity to earlier variants. These are theoretical predictions, though, and studies are rapidly being conducted to test how effectively antibodies neutralise Omicron.

Also of concern is how rapidly Omicron appears to have spread within South Africa, where there has been a surge of cases in the past two weeks. More than 80% of these were from Gauteng province, and preliminary analysis suggests Omicron has rapidly become the dominant strain. There is a chance this is a statistical blip linked to a super-spreader event, but the data has triggered enough concern for precautionary measures.

Is there any difference in the symptoms people are reporting?​

According to Dr Angelique Coetzee, who runs a private practice in Pretoria, South Africa, the Omicron patients she has seen have presented with relatively mild symptoms, and none of the loss of taste of smell typically associated with Covid-19. Instead, they have had reported unusual symptoms, such as intense fatigue and a high pulse rate. However, it is too soon to know whether these anecdotal reports will be true of everyone who is infected with Omicron.


....I think the last sentence is very relevant and,

Asked by the BBC’s Andrew Marr whether countries like the U.S., U.K., Israel and EU were “panicking unnecessarily,” Coetzee stressed that the omicron variant had already likely spread to those nations.

“I think you already have it there in your country without even knowing it so I would say at this stage, definitely. Two weeks on, maybe we will say something different,” she added.
 
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Again, you ignore the context. The article does not say that masks don't help. It differentiates between types of masks, at what points they might be ineffective and the recognised wisdom on how they work. Let's remember, surgeons wear masks, why is that? No one has said that a mask is the be and end all prevention solution, they contribute however if implemented alongside other measure.
As regards the virus variant and the scientific evidence, you have relied upon a quote from the person who 'first identified it'. But you omit,

Why are we so concerned about this variant?​

The Omicron variant has a large number of mutations compared with previous variants, more than 30 of which are in the spike protein – the key used by the virus to enter our body’s cells. Such a dramatic change has raised concerns that the antibodies from previous infections or vaccination may no longer be well matched, although it’s likely that some residual immunity, for example from T-cells, will remain.

Some of the same mutations have been seen in other partially vaccine-resistant variants, such as Beta and Gamma, although Omicron contains many additional mutations. Purely based on this list of mutations, scientists anticipate that the virus will be more likely to infect – or reinfect – people who have immunity to earlier variants. These are theoretical predictions, though, and studies are rapidly being conducted to test how effectively antibodies neutralise Omicron.

Also of concern is how rapidly Omicron appears to have spread within South Africa, where there has been a surge of cases in the past two weeks. More than 80% of these were from Gauteng province, and preliminary analysis suggests Omicron has rapidly become the dominant strain. There is a chance this is a statistical blip linked to a super-spreader event, but the data has triggered enough concern for precautionary measures.

Is there any difference in the symptoms people are reporting?​

According to Dr Angelique Coetzee, who runs a private practice in Pretoria, South Africa, the Omicron patients she has seen have presented with relatively mild symptoms, and none of the loss of taste of smell typically associated with Covid-19. Instead, they have had reported unusual symptoms, such as intense fatigue and a high pulse rate. However, it is too soon to know whether these anecdotal reports will be true of everyone who is infected with Omicron.


....I think the last sentence is very relevant and,

Asked by the BBC’s Andrew Marr whether countries like the U.S., U.K., Israel and EU were “panicking unnecessarily,” Coetzee stressed that the omicron variant had already likely spread to those nations.

“I think you already have it there in your country without even knowing it so I would say at this stage, definitely. Two weeks on, maybe we will say something different,” she added.
Nothing that you've just written/copied contradicts the points I'm making.
 
I'll just chuck this can of petrol onto the fire and go off to me bed.

See Page 1. :)

Mutations can change a virus in many ways and variants can be more transmissible but less harmful to the host.

If it becomes the dominant strain it circulates like flu etc and we learn to live with it.

Could be the light at the end of the tunnel...

Or an oncoming train. 🤷‍♀️
 
See Page 1. :)

Mutations can change a virus in many ways and variants can be more transmissible but less harmful to the host.

If it becomes the dominant strain it circulates like flu etc and we learn to live with it.

Could be the light at the end of the tunnel...

Or an oncoming train. 🤷‍♀️
Absolutely. And until we know, given what worse case looks like, we tread carefully. Why do anti maskers latch onto possible good news like limpets and ignore the equally possible bad news? 🤷‍♂️
 
Absolutely. And until we know, given what worse case looks like, we tread carefully. Why do anti maskers latch onto possible good news like limpets and ignore the equally possible bad news? 🤷‍♂️

Dunno.
Probably because they are thick as thick things?
I`ve not stopped wearing a mask on buses, in shops or crowded places so it's no problem here and probably not for many sensible folk!
Probable scenario - increase in cases, impact on healthcare remains manageable, masks & vaccinations "hold the breach" and we carry on.
 
Absolutely. And until we know, given what worse case looks like, we tread carefully. Why do anti maskers latch onto possible good news like limpets and ignore the equally possible bad news? 🤷‍♂️
It's classic behaviour. Like criticising and discounting all government and university research as corrupt, made up, biased or paid off, but then when a piece of research is published which supports their position they are suddenly very supportive.
 
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Normality is resumed. Warm. Fuzzy. Familiar. Stay alert and all that.

Would probably be a good idea if all the shops and supermarkets with the signs out the front saying “face coverings are now a personal choice” could take those in and hide them away if nothing else. As of today they are mandatory. Both my local petrol station and supermarket are still displaying these. Either nobody has enough about them to realise they need removing or they’re purposefully ignoring the restrictions, so as not to scare off those patriots whose beloved freedom is being so cruelly ripped away from them by putting a mask on for a few minutes.

I’ve stopped kissing strangers on the mouth. Do your bit.
 
Just been to Sainsbury's, very pleasing adherence to mask wearing, just a cocky young guy and an angry looking oddball in hiking gear without.
went the local chippy - 3 people (inc me) in masks , all staff in masks.... then in come two largeish family groups , none of the 5 adults in masks :-/ ... thankfully Id got my order and was on me way out
 
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