Generic Virus Thread

[snowychap]

Your Immune System Evolves to Fight Coronavirus Variants

Antibodies can change to counter new forms of the shape-shifting virus, research hints

Quote

A lot of worry has been triggered by discoveries that variants of the pandemic-causing coronavirus can be more infectious than the original. But now scientists are starting to find some signs of hope on the human side of this microbe-host interaction. By studying the blood of COVID survivors and people who have been vaccinated, immunologists are learning that some of our immune system cells—which remember past infections and react to them—might have their own abilities to change, countering mutations in the virus. What this means, scientists think, is that the immune system might have evolved its own way of dealing with variants.

“Essentially, the immune system is trying to get ahead of the virus,” says Michel Nussenzweig, an immunologist at the Rockefeller University, who conducted some recent studies that tracked this phenomenon. The emerging idea is that the body maintains reserve armies of antibody-producing cells in addition to the original cells that responded to the initial invasion by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID. Over time some reserve cells mutate and produce antibodies that are better able to recognize new viral versions. “It’s really elegant mechanism that that we’ve evolved, basically, to be able to handle things like variants,” says Marion Pepper, an immunologist at the University of Washington, who was not involved in Nussenzweig’s research. Whether there are enough of these cells, and their antibodies, to confer protection against a shape-shifting SARS-CoV-2 is still being figured out.

...more

 

[sidcow]

7 minutes ago, It's Your Round said:

That’s my fear @sidcow, as soon as things go back to normal, it’ll be easy for organisations to just go back to how things were. All talk of the great benefits might just slip into distant memory as the corporate hamsters get back on their wheels. 
 

I hope not, but I can see it happening. 

I've got no doubt. 

For a start, new starters and trainees are going to have to start in the full office in most companies. At what point do you then set them free on heavy homeworking? My bet is they don't. 

[sidcow]

3 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Home working is great, to an extent.

A flexible system is the way forward but I definitely think it’s beneficial for people to spend at least some time ‘in the office’.

It will be a mixture I think, especially depending on the role, but I don't think we've seen the end of The Commute or Offices just yet.  

[Davkaus]

My prediction is most companies start off saying they're fully flexible. Then it just makes sense to be in when there are meetings.  Then presenteeism takes hold again and people will feel like they need to be in the office and visible to catch management's eye and get promotions.

My next gig has taken the plunge and is flexible to the point of fully remote, to the point they're now hiring nationwide even though they only have offices in Nottingham.

I won't work for a company that wants me in the office more than a couple of days a week. Likewise I won't work for a company that's fully remote. I like working in places where I get along with my colleagues enough for the odd pint after work, but I am much more productive when I can just get my head down with some loud music at home.

[It's Your Round]

5 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

My prediction is most companies start off saying they're fully flexible. Then it just makes sense to be in when there are meetings.  Then presenteeism takes hold again and people will feel like they need to be in the office and visible to catch management's eye and get promotions.

My next gig has taken the plunge and is flexible to the point of fully remote, to the point they're now hiring nationwide even though they only have offices in Nottingham.

I won't work for a company that wants me in the office more than a couple of days a week. Likewise I won't work for a company that's fully remote. I like working in places where I get along with my colleagues enough for the odd pint after work, but I am much more productive when I can just get my head down with some loud music at home.

Your first paragraph is what I can see happening at my place. We’ll have the flexibility to begin with (85% of employees want a hybrid arrangement) but as you say, it won’t take long for the “is he/she working from home, again” comments, and before you know it everybody’s back in five days a week, so they don’t appear lazy. 

[sidcow]

4 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

My prediction is most companies start off saying they're fully flexible. Then it just makes sense to be in when there are meetings.  Then presenteeism takes hold again and people will feel like they need to be in the office and visible to catch management's eye and get promotions.

My next gig has taken the plunge and is flexible to the point of fully remote, to the point they're now hiring nationwide even though they only have offices in Nottingham.

I won't work for a company that wants me in the office more than a couple of days a week. Likewise I won't work for a company that's fully remote. I like working in places where I get along with my colleagues enough for the odd pint after work, but I am much more productive when I can just get my head down with some loud music at home.

That BBC story references the 2 tier working where those in the office might catch the managers eye more and those at home feel disadvantaged. I can definitely see that happening. People will then feel they have to be in the office more for career advancement. 

Out of site, out of mind as the saying goes. 

[Davkaus]

I agree. In my own experience in the before times, we had a hybrid model with a couple of people wfh full time. They were often excluded from discussions, completely accidentally, because it's much easier to just grab everyone in to a room. Even when they were involved, it's much harder to jump in to a discussion when you're on the phone and everyone else is in a room together. Workers that take that route will definitely suffer in terms of progression in a lot of workplaces.

I'd only want to work from home in a team where the majority do it, or where we have a 3/2 split and everyone tends to be remote on the same days.

[Xela]

I can see a lot of people going off sick with anxiety/depression/long covid if they are 'forced' back to the office. People have got used to sorting out childcare/appointments/deliveries around WFH. 

For me, I was WFH 2/3 days a week anyway so as long as it remains that, or possibly 1 day a week in the office then i'm ok with that. I wouldn't be keen on being in the office 4 days a week anymore. 

[StefanAVFC]

30 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

My prediction is most companies start off saying they're fully flexible. Then it just makes sense to be in when there are meetings.  Then presenteeism takes hold again and people will feel like they need to be in the office and visible to catch management's eye and get promotions.

My next gig has taken the plunge and is flexible to the point of fully remote, to the point they're now hiring nationwide even though they only have offices in Nottingham.

I won't work for a company that wants me in the office more than a couple of days a week. Likewise I won't work for a company that's fully remote. I like working in places where I get along with my colleagues enough for the odd pint after work, but I am much more productive when I can just get my head down with some loud music at home.

Yep this is exactly where I sit.

I like working from home but I need to be in the office also; for banter, face to face interaction and my own sanity.

[Genie]

1-2 in the office, 3-4 at home would suit me perfectly.

[RussG]

1 hour ago, snowychap said:

Your Immune System Evolves to Fight Coronavirus Variants

Antibodies can change to counter new forms of the shape-shifting virus, research hints

 

There's a lot of really interesting research on T-Cells which I think this refers to which I'm surprised isn't being more of in the media, it's probably too positive a piece of news to report for some of them though.

Edited April 6, 2021 by RussG

[mikeyp102]

4 hours ago, sidcow said:

I've got no doubt. 

For a start, new starters and trainees are going to have to start in the full office in most companies. At what point do you then set them free on heavy homeworking? My bet is they don't. 

We’ve had new starters and trainees who have never been in the office as joined since covid. It’s hard work, but it’s doable

[snowychap]

4 hours ago, RussG said:

There's a lot of really interesting research on T-Cells which I think this refers to which I'm surprised isn't being more of in the media, it's probably too positive a piece of news to report for some of them though.

T cells are referred to later in the article but the main thrust of the article is about B cells.

You're right, though - very interesting stuff and seems pretty positive.

[AlwaysAVFC]

6 hours ago, mikeyp102 said:

We’ve had new starters and trainees who have never been in the office as joined since covid. It’s hard work, but it’s doable

My Mrs started her role in August so only went into the office to collect her IT equipment. All interviews beforehand and any training was done on Microsoft teams.

They are planning on continuing homeworking after and have asked people to apply if that's what they want to do. She has been approved but is still waiting on the revised contract. I think there has been a bit of a pause as they then decided they wanted staff in 3 times a week. With the plan for the work from home contract to say that commuting into work from home will be paid they have realised the cost of this, and have also recruited from a bit further afield so I think they are working out what they really want as contracts were meant to be out before April.

 

[fightoffyour]

11 hours ago, Genie said:

1-2 in the office, 3-4 at home would suit me perfectly.

It’s a short working day but I like it.

[sidcow]

Moderna is here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56657038

Covid: Moderna vaccine UK rollout to begin in Wales

Quote

A third Covid-19 vaccine will be rolled out across Wales from Wednesday with patients in Carmarthenshire becoming the first in the UK to receive it.

The Moderna vaccine was approved as safe and effective for use in the UK in January this year.

Supplies arrived in Wales on Tuesday, with 5,000 doses sent to Hywel Dda University Health Board vaccination centres.

It has not yet been confirmed when the rest of the UK will start using it.

The UK has ordered 17 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, with Scotland receiving its first batch on Monday.

The jab is the third of seven vaccines that the UK has ordered. Like the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca jabs which are already in use, the Moderna jab is given in two doses, several weeks apart.

The first doses will be administered at Carmarthen's Glangwili Hospital.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was delighted the UK rollout of the Moderna vaccine was starting.

"The UK government has secured vaccines on behalf of the entire nation and the vaccination programme has shown our country working together at its best," he said.

Wales' Health Minister Vaughan Gething said a third vaccine for use in Wales "significantly adds" to the nation's defences against Covid-19.

 

[mikeyp102]

1 hour ago, sidcow said:

Moderna is here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56657038

Covid: Moderna vaccine UK rollout to begin in Wales

 

I wonder why Wales and Scotland have it but not England yet

[lapal_fan]

21 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said:

I wonder why Wales and Scotland have it but not England yet

expendable populations, innit?

[bickster]

37 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said:

I wonder why Wales and Scotland have it but not England yet

Is it because their rollouts have reached lower ages? I noticed that the first person to get it in Ammanford was in her twenties

[sidcow]

10 minutes ago, bickster said:

Is it because their rollouts have reached lower ages? I noticed that the first person to get it in Ammanford was in her twenties

With the AstraZeneca situation I can see them using Moderna and the other one thats coming in June on the younger population. At least until they can prove or disprove any link.