Generic Virus Thread

[Rugeley Villa]

The fact someone has died from this new variant isn’t big news at all. People die from the flu every year. There will be many more deaths from this variant but it doesn’t mean it’s more deadlier than previous variants. All we know at the moment is that it’s more contagious, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We may have another semi lockdown but it won’t be as strict as the first one.

[Rugeley Villa]

Too early yet but what Info we do have indicates that it’s no more deadly than previous variants, and is possibly milder. More contagious, but milder = good news. 

[desensitized43]

2 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

Surely there is enough evidence by now in South Africa to judge whether Omicron is more dangerous or deadly?  From what I can see it's not the case, luckily.  All the most vulnerable people over here should have had their boosters by now too, so I find it hard on the evidence so far that the hospitals will be overrun.  People have the responsibility to act safely with social distancing, wearing masks, getting all their jabs, testing when needed and isolating.  We can do that without locking everything down again.

There's some evidence from South Africa but our situation and theirs arent a direct comparison because...

- It's summer in SA

- Their population is signaficantly younger than ours

- Their vaccination rates are different, both in sheer number, but also the type of vaccine used (We used AZ to vaccinate the elderly and it appears this is an inferior vaccine)

- Their population lives in very different conditions (shanty towns etc)

- Their natural immunity rate is different because they've not had the "waves" of infection we've had.

 

Some of the above are to our benefit and others to our detriment. It's all very complex.

[Genie]

1 minute ago, foreveryoung said:

It's changed now mate, this omicron has been proved by the South Africans to be mild flu symptoms, nothing else.

No it hasn’t. Nothing is proved. There’s a chance it might be, but with the sheer amount of cases enough people will very likely need treatment it’ll overrun the hospitals.

If only a very small percentage of 200,000 people a day getting infected go to hospital (which are already pretty full) then they’ll get overrun.

[Genie]

A lot of social media doctors seem to know a lot about this brand new variant. 

[desensitized43]

2 minutes ago, Rugeley Villa said:

The fact someone has died from this new variant isn’t big news at all. People die from the flu every year. There will be many more deaths from this variant but it doesn’t mean it’s more deadlier than previous variants. All we know at the moment is that it’s more contagious, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We may have another semi lockdown but it won’t be as strict as the first one.

Isn't the general rule of Pandemics that they tend to get more infectious but milder?

It's surely to any viruses benefit to spread easier but leave the host alive?

[Genie]

 

[Rugeley Villa]

2 minutes ago, desensitized43 said:

Isn't the general rule of Pandemics that they tend to get more infectious but milder?

It's surely to any viruses benefit to spread easier but leave the host alive?

I think that’s the main hope we all have. It’s not just going to go away , so next best thing it’s milder and most of us get a dose . Only problem is it will still kill people but without sounding blunt that’s life. How many people do we lose from disease and infection every year? That’s where the vaccines play their part in protecting the elderly and vulnerable.

[trekka]

11 minutes ago, Rugeley Villa said:

Too early yet but what Info we do have indicates that it’s no more deadly than previous variants, and is possibly milder. More contagious, but milder = good news. 

Not necessarily, Ruge.  A reduced death rate but with a vastly increased infection rate would still see us up shit creek with the number of hospitalisations based on the larger number of people infected. The NHS is on its knees as it is. 

Edited December 13, 2021 by trekka

[sidcow]

23 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

 People have the responsibility to act safely with social distancing, wearing masks, getting all their jabs, testing when needed and isolating.  We can do that without locking everything down again.

 

[foreveryoung]

Just now, foreveryoung said:

South Africa did not flap.

Need to be aware of the power of these Pharmaceutical companies. Where there's still a problem, there is billions in profits. It cannot end for them.

Just a thought.

 

[sidcow]

21 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

It's changed now mate, this omicron has been proved by the South Africans to be mild flu symptoms, nothing else. 

Nothing of the sort has been proved.

[foreveryoung]

Just now, sidcow said:

Nothing of the sort has been proved.

Research what the South Africans are saying.

[bickster]

Just now, foreveryoung said:

Research what the South Africans are saying.

Separate the first word from the rest of your sentence and you'll have two entirely different concepts

The demographics of South Africa are wildly different to those of the UK for starters

[Mandy Lifeboats]

I fear that we are in for a terrible January because Bozo Borris will not implement restrictions at Christmas.  

The new variant is mild and vaccinations should give us protection.  But society cannot operate with large numbers of people absent from work. Imagine the NHS with just 5 % of the staff off sick.  Or a 5% reduction in HGV drivers.  

Yet again Bozo hasn't learnt that moderate restrictions implemented at the right time is better than waiting until the excrement hits the fan.  

 

[sidcow]

1 minute ago, foreveryoung said:

Research what the South Africans are saying.

[HanoiVillan]

It depends what you mean by 'proved'. There is no gold standard research on this yet, no, because it is still too new. However, there are a lot of observations from South African doctors suggesting that the ratio of patients with severe illness is way down. 

We are in a gap where we do not have 'proof' but we do have lots of observations, all pointing in one direction. 

[Rugeley Villa]

17 minutes ago, trekka said:

Not necessarily, Ruge.  A reduced death rate but with a vastly increased infection rate would still see us up shit creek with the number of hospitalisations based on the larger number of people infected. The NHS is on its knees as it is. 

Suppose I’m not looking at the bigger picture there . I’m focusing on deaths. 

[HanoiVillan]

5 minutes ago, Rugeley Villa said:

Suppose I’m not looking at the bigger picture there . I’m focusing on deaths. 

To be honest, I think you're right to do so. We need to resist the temptation of getting into 'social distancing' to reduce the load on the health service until it literally cannot be avoided. We cannot be having a 'new normal' where we get locked in our houses every winter to reduce the annual NHS winter crisis. 

[foreveryoung]

4 minutes ago, bickster said:

Separate the first word from the rest of your sentence and you'll have two entirely different concepts

The demographics of South Africa are wildly different to those of the UK for starters

Demographics have nothing to do with it, as I'm not saying you can't catch it. Your just far less likely to have complications from it. South Africa saying it attracts very mild symptoms.

I agree nothing is fact, but I also don't understand why there is talk of lockdown and flapping about boosters when there is no proof it's any worse than the common cold.