China Coronavirus

[Hound]

David, there's a very good Eamon Dunphy / Last Stand podcast with Tomas Ryan which goes through your questions.

My recollection is as follows:
- Omicron is only marginally less dangerous than Delta for the unvaccinated (maybe 10% less in terms of hospitalizations I think he said)
- omicron is probably no more contagious than Delta, but it's much better at breaking through antibody protection, so is much more transmissable overall
- While omicron can easily infect the vaccinated, it struggles to make them sick. Big difference in hospitalization rates between vaccinated and unvaccinated who contract omicron.
- where hospitalization is required for a vaccinated person, the length of stay is less than with the delta
- not confirmed totally at this stage, but very strong indications that far less likely to require intensive care from omicron - probably because it does not attack the lungs the way delta does
-there is a risk, based on South African figures and early UK figures, that Omicron impacts kids worse than delta. Too early to say for sure but something to be monitored.

[David McKeown]

David, there's a very good Eamon Dunphy / Last Stand podcast with Tomas Ryan which goes through your questions.

My recollection is as follows:
- Omicron is only marginally less dangerous than Delta for the unvaccinated (maybe 10% less in terms of hospitalizations I think he said)
- omicron is probably no more contagious than Delta, but it's much better at breaking through antibody protection, so is much more transmissable overall
- While omicron can easily infect the vaccinated, it struggles to make them sick. Big difference in hospitalization rates between vaccinated and unvaccinated who contract omicron.
- where hospitalization is required for a vaccinated person, the length of stay is less than with the delta
- not confirmed totally at this stage, but very strong indications that far less likely to require intensive care from omicron - probably because it does not attack the lungs the way delta does
-there is a risk, based on South African figures and early UK figures, that Omicron impacts kids worse than delta. Too early to say for sure but something to be monitored.

Thanks. I'll have a look for that.

[Captain Obvious]

Anything from Tomas Ryan and the rest of ISAG members comes with a health warning.  They tend to talk up any negatives and talk down any positives about the current situation.

[sid waddell]

Anything from Tomas Ryan and the rest of ISAG members comes with a health warning.  They tend to talk up any negatives and talk down any positives about the current situation.

It's called reality.

In a global pandemic that is the correct way to look at things.

If a bridge is showing signs that it might collapse, such as, say, the bridge in Genoa, you don't accentuate the positives. "Ah shure go on there, you'll be grand." In aircraft safety, you don't say, "ah, it probably won't crash".

The analysis of Ryan and ISAG has been hard headed and realistic all through and because of that they have given as good an analysis of the situation all through as you'll find in this country.

[seafoid]

Anything from Tomas Ryan and the rest of ISAG members comes with a health warning.  They tend to talk up any negatives and talk down any positives about the current situation.

It's called reality.

In a global pandemic that is the correct way to look at things.

If a bridge is showing signs that it might collapse, such as, say, the bridge in Genoa, you don't accentuate the positives. "Ah shure go on there, you'll be grand." In aircraft safety, you don't say, "ah, it probably won't crash".

The analysis of Ryan and ISAG has been hard headed and realistic all through and because of that they have given as good an analysis of the situation all through as you'll find in this country.

We got relatively lucky with Omicron but this is a war and we are nowhere near the end mostly because of the global percentage unvaccinated and the weakness of fighting on a national basis.

[Captain Obvious]

Sid I don't expect accentuate of the positives however I'd much prefer balanced analysis of the situation than agenda driven ultra negative fear mongering analysis that you'll find for those chaps and their devoted followers are as weird as they come.

[Blowitupref]

Anything from Tomas Ryan and the rest of ISAG members comes with a health warning.  They tend to talk up any negatives and talk down any positives about the current situation.

It's called reality.

In a global pandemic that is the correct way to look at things.

If a bridge is showing signs that it might collapse, such as, say, the bridge in Genoa, you don't accentuate the positives. "Ah shure go on there, you'll be grand." In aircraft safety, you don't say, "ah, it probably won't crash".

The analysis of Ryan and ISAG has been hard headed and realistic all through and because of that they have given as good an analysis of the situation all through as you'll find in this country.

We got relatively lucky with Omicron but this is a war and we are nowhere near the end mostly because of the global percentage unvaccinated and the weakness of fighting on a national basis.

As in we have a population that over 90% of those that can be vaccinated got vaccinated?

[thebuzz]

I've a close relative in the infectious diseases field, and they say that nasal swabbing is proving inadequate when it comes to testing for Omicron.

Throat swabbing may start to be incorporated for rapid tests as its more likely to detect it early on. Apparently Omicron affects the throat and renders the patient infectious a couple of days before it moves to the nose.

Not sure what that will mean for home testing though.

I got a home testing kit from Boots yesterday and the chemist said it was only to be used in both nostrils. I thought this was something new as I had previously only seen kits where you swabbed the back of your throat as well as the nostril,  You reckon this would be a step back instead?

[Armagh18]

When will vax passports be done away with?

Be a long while yet if ever i'd say.... Bigger question is when will 2 jabs be considered not vaccinated..

Would the 2020 Flu jab cover you for the 2021 Flu? You have to be taking the hand with the majority of your posts re Covid

Aye but I've never been asked for my 2020 flu jab to go for a pint or get on a plane...

[sid waddell]

Sid I don't expect accentuate of the positives however I'd much prefer balanced analysis of the situation than agenda driven ultra negative fear mongering analysis that you'll find for those chaps and their devoted followers are as weird as they come.

That's a deliberate and mendacious mischaracterisation and doesn't address the reality that their analysis has been as accurate as you will find.

The main reason European countries, especially the UK, have done so poorly during his pandemic is because they have dismissed realistic, hard headed analysis in favour of so called "positivity".

"Positivity" was corner cutting fantasy.

I find it more  than bizarre that those who rejected corner cutting fantasy are now vilified. There's a mass psychosis at work out there.

[Milltown Row2]

When will vax passports be done away with?

Be a long while yet if ever i'd say.... Bigger question is when will 2 jabs be considered not vaccinated..

Would the 2020 Flu jab cover you for the 2021 Flu? You have to be taking the hand with the majority of your posts re Covid

Aye but I've never been asked for my 2020 flu jab to go for a pint or get on a plane...

Never been in a pandemic either

[thebigfella]

When will vax passports be done away with?

Be a long while yet if ever i'd say.... Bigger question is when will 2 jabs be considered not vaccinated..

Would the 2020 Flu jab cover you for the 2021 Flu? You have to be taking the hand with the majority of your posts re Covid

Aye but I've never been asked for my 2020 flu jab to go for a pint or get on a plane...

Never been in a pandemic either

Was just about to say the same. It amazes me how people conveniently forget this minor detail.

[seafoid]

Sid I don't expect accentuate of the positives however I'd much prefer balanced analysis of the situation than agenda driven ultra negative fear mongering analysis that you'll find for those chaps and their devoted followers are as weird as they come.

That's a deliberate and mendacious mischaracterisation and doesn't address the reality that their analysis has been as accurate as you will find.

The main reason European countries, especially the UK, have done so poorly during his pandemic is because they have dismissed realistic, hard headed analysis in favour of so called "positivity".

"Positivity" was corner cutting fantasy.

I find it more  than bizarre that those who rejected corner cutting fantasy are now vilified. There's a mass psychosis at work out there.

According to MD in Private Eye one of the main drivers of the UK Covid outcome is massive income inequality. Poverty is correlated with ill health and poor immunity. . The UK has a lot of poor people.

[armaghniac]

Was just about to say the same. It amazes me how people conveniently forget this minor detail.

Maybe not, but there are inoculation requirements for travel in many cases, and these have varied over time as appropriate, smallpox vaccines were required for travel for 35 years. Flu is not a particular issue at present, but it could be at some time.

[Wildweasel74]

A, lad around were we live picked up Corona for a 3rd time, hard to believe. His family would been the first family to pick it up on the original first wave. I presume they been vaccinated.