Coronavirus Outbreak

[earl]

https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern

>Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs.

There hasn't been enough time to assess how bad this variant is but it sounds like this strain has become the dominant strain in South Africa over Delta. South Africa has had low cases recently (lower than Australia - I don't know if it is poor quality testing) and they have low vaccination rates.

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

Vitamin D levels advised https://youtu.be/V5g9AVqRsjo

 

[innsaneink]

Just reading about the latest mutation in South Africa which is causing great concern amongst many covid experts.It appears to be more contagious and possibly more vaccine resistant (if i read the article correctly).It is on the BBC website atm if you want to have a read

That variant could make the current vaccines useless

Thanks doctor.

 

[innsaneink]

Some countries are already isolating southern Africa in an attempt to stop the new strain getting to their country.I would expect our government to follow suit quickly and ban all travel to and from there if we haven't already

Seems sensible but no doubt
Some people will be offended

 

[swag_tiger]

Some countries are already isolating southern Africa in an attempt to stop the new strain getting to their country.I would expect our government to follow suit quickly and ban all travel to and from there if we haven't already

Seems sensible but no doubt
Some people will be offended

Wait until people start using the new variant for their anti vaccine agenda.

 

[Eyeofthetiger 0]

https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern

>Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs.

There hasn't been enough time to assess how bad this variant is but it sounds like this strain has become the dominant strain in South Africa over Delta. South Africa has had low cases recently (lower than Australia - I don't know if it is poor quality testing) and they have low vaccination rates.

@earl it’s corona time brother. Back to lockdowns we go again next year. The concerning thing is how much longer can the government keep giving out handouts

 

[innsaneink]

I think more lockdown will be the final straw for a lot of people

 

[earl]

https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern

>Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs.

There hasn't been enough time to assess how bad this variant is but it sounds like this strain has become the dominant strain in South Africa over Delta. South Africa has had low cases recently (lower than Australia - I don't know if it is poor quality testing) and they have low vaccination rates.

@earl it’s corona time brother. Back to lockdowns we go again next year. The concerning thing is how much longer can the government keep giving out handouts

Lockdowns suck and the support can't be on-going. We can't afford it. We will also have heaps of other stuff to spend money in the future like climate change,

I think they should lockdown flights at least out of Africa now. We don't what a new bad variant getting in now.

 

[FinestTigers]

(forgive me if i may have said something here that may seem incorrect, this is just my contribution of sharing some info.)

The WHO has divided the virus strains into three categories, VOC, VOI and VUM.

There are now five Official VOCs.
**Variants of Concern** (VOC)
1) **Alpha** (the original mutation, it was 40 to 80% more transmissible than the original virus)
2) **beta** (detected in May 2020 in S.Africa)
3) **gamma**.(deadlier still, detected in Brazil in November 2020.
4) **delta**.(Red Alert, first detected in India. Designated in May 2021, it was until recently the most concerning strain of the virus. It has up to 17 mutations, including sub-lineages, and is considered 97% more transmissible And now,
5) **Omicron** The New fear
The variant just designated, called Omicron, or B.1.1.529, has a whopping 32 mutations of the spike protein, raising fears that it will be resistant to existing vaccines. Fewer than 100 cases have been detected so far, but it has reportedly already reached Europe from its initial nexus in southern Africa.

**Current Variants of Interest** (VOIs): Lambda and Mu.

Then there is a list of a concerning number of **Variants Under Monitoring** (VUM)
WHO says The evidence and impact that these variants may have is currently unclear, and so, requiring enhanced monitoring and repeat assessment pending new evidence.

But remarkably,
This is different from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) categorization, which lists only Delta as a VOC, and the rest as VUMs.

This is concerning, and so i would like to ask the WHO this question (and vice versa) why is the CDC hesitant and delayed in agreeing with the categorization of the WHO? what and who should we trust in this pandemic the WHO or CDC?

But it's been reported that, The Biden administration will follow advice from Dr. Anthony Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and restrict travel from several African nations, top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said the omicron strain could be a "red flag," but more research needs to be done — and fast?

So it appears that the US is very concerned but they don't want to be seen as that they are following the advice of the WHO, And then it's no wonder that the World feels like that it's been stuck in a vicious circle for this long.

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

could this be right ?
https://twitter.com/BabaBoonBro/status/1464345618931851270?s=20

 

[Masterton]

I think more lockdown will be the final straw for a lot of people

Yep. I've supported every lockdown so far, but there is a limit.

 

[swag_tiger]

I think more lockdown will be the final straw for a lot of people

Yep. I've supported every lockdown so far, but there is a limit.

It all depends on how bad the variant is. If it's resistance to vaccines we can't just let it rip.

 

[Masterton]

It all depends on how bad the variant is. If it’s resistance to vaccines we can’t just let it rip.

I know. But what happens if there's another variant next year and the year after? It doesn't seem implausible considering recent history.

 

[swag_tiger]

It all depends on how bad the variant is. If it’s resistance to vaccines we can’t just let it rip.

I know. But what happens if there's another variant next year and the year after? It doesn't seem implausible considering recent history.

So you're saying at some point we have to let every new variant rip though the community. We had over 100 deaths during the last wave and that was during lockdown.

 

[earl]

could this be right ?
https://twitter.com/BabaBoonBro/status/1464345618931851270?s=20

I love this twitter stuff. If that is the case it'd be great but there is no evidence that is the case. It'd be great if it were the case because it would spread to everyone and no one would get sick. At that point don't get vaccinated.

 

[earl]

It all depends on how bad the variant is. If it’s resistance to vaccines we can’t just let it rip.

I know. But what happens if there's another variant next year and the year after? It doesn't seem implausible considering recent history.

So you're saying at some point we have to let every new variant rip though the community. We had over 100 deaths during the last wave and that was during lockdown.

We have to be hesitant implementing lockdowns. They suck. You are correct though. At some point you can't just accept significant deaths. I think precautionary measures work. Then we have to wait until they have vaccines to handle the situation.

Hopefully this variant isn't an issue.

 

[Masterton]

So you’re saying at some point we have to let every new variant rip though the community. We had over 100 deaths during the last wave and that was during lockdown.

I suspect that eventually further lockdowns would become so unpopular that the government of the time would be hesitant to enforce them to the level they have in the past. Especially if the vaccines still work, but are just less effective.

Maybe I'm completely wrong. I'm no Nostradamus. But it feels to me that the community's enthusiasm for proper lockdowns is waning.

 

[Chicken_Faced_Killa]

So you’re saying at some point we have to let every new variant rip though the community. We had over 100 deaths during the last wave and that was during lockdown.

I suspect that eventually further lockdowns would become so unpopular that the government of the time would be hesitant to enforce them to the level they have in the past. Especially if the vaccines still work, but are just less effective.

Maybe I'm completely wrong. I'm no Nostradamus. But it feels to me that the community's enthusiasm for proper lockdowns is waning.

I thought they said once you got above 90% vaccinated that lockdowns would be no more

 

[Eyeofthetiger 0]

Just reading about the latest mutation in South Africa which is causing great concern amongst many covid experts.It appears to be more contagious and possibly more vaccine resistant (if i read the article correctly).It is on the BBC website atm if you want to have a read

That variant could make the current vaccines useless

Thanks doctor.

No problem. Prepare yourself mentally for the lockdowns in the new year. This thing is not going away