China Coronavirus

[Rossfan]

London mayor declaring the omicron  figures a "major incident".
7,333 cases in the 26 today.

[David McKeown]

Thanks

[6th sam]

I'm going to preface these comments with the caveat that today a family member died of Covid. I have also spent most of the last three weeks in hospital for non Covid reasons.

The impact of the vaccine on spread is not a zero sum game. Just because it doesn't stop you becoming infected doesn't mean it has made no difference. The pattern of rapid growth pre and post vaccine has confirmed that.

The idea of either only vaccinating the vulnerable or of only locking them down is scary to me. Firstly it would be largely ineffective giving the interconnected world we live in. During the lockdown I was shielding. I only went out to go to the shops. An unchecked virus running wild would still have presented a huge risk to me even with my shielding because of the number of contacts I would still have when shielding be that with other shoppers, the shop assistant or delivery drivers etc. With an unchecked virus the chances of me encountering a +ve contact would have been greatly increased. That is something that would be factored into modelling but seems to have gone unconsidered by those who advocate only locking up the vulnerable.

The second issue with only vaccinating the vulnerable is that society as a whole and health care in particular simply would not have been able to cope. Not just from the increase in patients but also from the staff shortages that would have happened as medical professionals had to take time off work to tend to themselves.

It's a similar rationale to why low risk groups are still encouraged to get vaccinated.  There are likely little benefit to them individually but the benefit to society is great.

If there are sensible alternatives out there I'm more than willing to hear them but provide imperial evidence for them. Provide experts advocating them through peer review research. Don't provide YouTube videos from non experts providing inaccurate or misinformed theories based on easily debunked 'evidence'. Otherwise stop wasting time.

Enough said, very well articulated intelligent analysis. Sorry for your loss David and very best wishes for your recovery .

[Blowitupref]

London mayor declaring the omicron  figures a "major incident".
7,333 cases in the 26 today.

Under reported case numbers the previous 3 days to give inflated number today

[From the Bunker]

London mayor declaring the omicron  figures a "major incident".
7,333 cases in the 26 today.

Under reported case numbers the previous 3 days to give inflated number today

That 7,333 contains an add on of around 3,200 under reported cases from the previous couple of days from what I hear.

[seafoid]

Omicron percentages are falling in South Africa.

It's contagious but must run out of targets.

[seafoid]

https://www.ft.com/content/7264aae6-f228-4015-87ef-838c701b99bb

The Netherlands has become the first EU country to re-enter a strict nationwide lockdown, in a response to the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant that will shutter swaths of the economy until at least mid-January

[Hound]

I can't understand why folk in the south aren't up in arms. Longest lockdown in EU, highest vaccination rate. From a people who stood from something in the distant past to a people who just do what there told regardless of the fact it isn't working. Not much fight in you boys.

It's interesting the correlation between the thickos with no academic ability and poor job prospects because they could never be let manage people or have any kind of responsibility and who have moronic views like the above.

Of course the thickos just double down when it's pointed out to them how stupid they are, because the thickos believe it proves the point that 'they' are out to get them!

[Milltown Row2]

Omicron percentages are falling in South Africa.

It's contagious but must run out of targets.

'Medical expert' was on the radio the other day saying you can't use other countries as yardsticks for this virus, the age profile in South Africa is completely different to European countries for starters.

[Wildweasel74]

We can fairly assume no record kept of the outbreaks in shanty Town areas

[From the Bunker]

Omicron percentages are falling in South Africa.

It's contagious but must run out of targets.

'Medical expert' was on the radio the other day saying you can't use other countries as yardsticks for this virus, the age profile in South Africa is completely different to European countries for starters.

You can look at stats all you like from different countries. Each has an agenda. Some want to overstate cases, some want to understate. It all depends on the principal narrative of that country. Sweden has cut down on tests. Cutting down on test means a reduction in cases. Ireland cant test enough people. Then of course there are poorer countries who just cant test. Once again no tests - no cases!

Bottom line is Governments will cook the figures to suit the Narritive. Just look at yesterdays figures of 7,333 that contained an add on of around 3,200 under reported cases from the previous couple of days.

[J70]

I'm going to preface these comments with the caveat that today a family member died of Covid. I have also spent most of the last three weeks in hospital for non Covid reasons.

The impact of the vaccine on spread is not a zero sum game. Just because it doesn't stop you becoming infected doesn't mean it has made no difference. The pattern of rapid growth pre and post vaccine has confirmed that.

The idea of either only vaccinating the vulnerable or of only locking them down is scary to me. Firstly it would be largely ineffective giving the interconnected world we live in. During the lockdown I was shielding. I only went out to go to the shops. An unchecked virus running wild would still have presented a huge risk to me even with my shielding because of the number of contacts I would still have when shielding be that with other shoppers, the shop assistant or delivery drivers etc. With an unchecked virus the chances of me encountering a +ve contact would have been greatly increased. That is something that would be factored into modelling but seems to have gone unconsidered by those who advocate only locking up the vulnerable.

The second issue with only vaccinating the vulnerable is that society as a whole and health care in particular simply would not have been able to cope. Not just from the increase in patients but also from the staff shortages that would have happened as medical professionals had to take time off work to tend to themselves.

It's a similar rationale to why low risk groups are still encouraged to get vaccinated.  There are likely little benefit to them individually but the benefit to society is great.

If there are sensible alternatives out there I'm more than willing to hear them but provide imperial evidence for them. Provide experts advocating them through peer review research. Don't provide YouTube videos from non experts providing inaccurate or misinformed theories based on easily debunked 'evidence'. Otherwise stop wasting time.

Good post.

Sorry for your loss and your own health struggles.

[Blowitupref]

Omicron percentages are falling in South Africa.

It's contagious but must run out of targets.

'Medical expert' was on the radio the other day saying you can't use other countries as yardsticks for this virus, the age profile in South Africa is completely different to European countries for starters.

Median age in South Africa is 28 compared to 38 here however it balance itself out with the amount of people that has HIV in South Africa.

They are currently experiencing their highest caseload in all of this pandemic and in previous peak of cases it resulted in
In 600 deaths per week. There is about 7,600 people with Covid in South African hospitals, about 40 per cent of the peak in the second and third waves.

Michelle Groome, head of health surveillance for the country's National Institute for Communicable Diseases said more than 90 per cent of hospital deaths were among the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, News24 reported, citing Waasila Jassat, a researcher with the NICD.

The number of Covid-19 hospitalisations in this wave is also being inflated by the fact that milder patients are being admitted because there is room to accommodate them. Many are there for other complaints but are routinely tested, according to health officials.


The rises we are seeing in many EU countries is Delta driven with too much mixing indoors it remains to be seen what happens once omicron replaces delta all we know for certain thus far is it will produce more cases.

[Rossfan]

Another prize specimen....

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/news/former-boxer-defends-his-anti-vax-flight-tirade-as-the-word-of-god-41163861.html

[From the Bunker]

Another prize specimen....

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/news/former-boxer-defends-his-anti-vax-flight-tirade-as-the-word-of-god-41163861.html

Ah, he's young and upset! Better to keep his thoughts to himself. Irish Indepedent must be having a slow news day to run a news story on this. Just goes to show you the Independent is no better than the Red Tops anymore!