Generic Virus Thread

[trekka]

9 minutes ago, bickster said:

How well vaccinated in NZ?

12% first dose, 18% both doses.  

Our World in Data

[sidcow]

On 16/08/2021 at 07:57, Genie said:

New rule changes today, if you’re double jabbed +14 days you don’t need to isolate if a close contact tests positive.

An update from Casa Genie.

The children who’s only symptoms were a headache right at the start continue to be perfectly well. My lad is now testing negative. Daughter yesterday tested positive still about 5 days. Neither child has had any of the 3 classic symptoms the NHS go on about so it’s obvious why it gets missed in them. A spoon of Calpol and they’re fine to go off infecting all they meet.

The wife is still edging towards wellness. It started with the high temperatures (39.2-39.4C) which were quite concerning at the time. It was kind of at the point where if it got any higher I’d have had to call 111 which might have led to an ambulance or doctor treatment. Luckily that cleared after about 24 hours. Then it was heavy cold territory, bunged up, aching, very tired and short of breath for a few days. Now that’s gone and it’s left a cough for the last 2-3 days. Her smell and taste is coming back now too. I’m hoping this is the final stage. 

Glad to hear Mrs Genie is on the mend. It's a sobering thought though that if she was that ill after her jabs what a different story it might have been a few months ago.  These jabs really are lifesavers. 

 

[choffer]

18 minutes ago, bickster said:

How well vaccinated in NZ?

I fear for NZ. Aunty Cindy has done a great job at keeping a lid on it and the whole country has been out living their best lives for much of the past 18 months but their vaccine rates are low and from my connections out there, they seem to be largely over the scanning in to venues and wearing masks. 
If delta kicks in over there, it’ll be carnage. 

[sidcow]

11 minutes ago, trekka said:

12% first dose, 18% both doses.  

Our World in Data

Delta would go through that like a dose of salts. 

[sidcow]

1 minute ago, choffer said:

I fear for NZ. Aunty Cindy has done a great job at keeping a lid on it and the whole country has been out living their best lives for much of the past 18 months but their vaccine rates are low and from my connections out there, they seem to be largely over the scanning in to venues and wearing masks. 
If delta kicks in over there, it’ll be carnage. 

 

Just now, sidcow said:

Delta would go through that like a dose of salts. 

 

[sidcow]

I hope I'm not talking too soon but my lad is now 4 days from seeing his girlfriend (who tested positive on Saturday) and is still testing negative. 

Hopefully we've had another close shave only after daughter was out with a friend who caught it at The Euro's. 

Bearing in mind how contagious it is I'm amazed to be honest. 

As Mrs Sidcow said though, at their age they may well have already had it and not know, though it's hard to believe they wouldn't have passed it on to one of us if they had already had it. 

[sidcow]

Go on Brum. 

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/sajid-javid-university-of-birmingham-department-of-health-b951032.html

New cheaper, faster Covid test could be used at airports, say researchers

A new potentially cheaper and quicker Covid test could be rolled out at airports in as little as three months, researchers have said.

The development, from scientists at the University of Birmingham, comes amid ongoing controversy about the expense of tests required for travellers coming to the UK.

PCR tests typically cost around £65 but some private clinics are charging around £200.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham said they have developed a test that is as sensitive as a PCR test but can give results in just a few minutes without the need for a laboratory.

One of those behind the research said it would be “ideally suited” to airports and could be rolled out in three to six months with commercial backing.

Their test, using the exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR) method, can detect results in less than 10 minutes, even for low levels of virus, they said.

Tim Dafforn, professor of biotechnology at the university’s School of Biosciences, said: “An ideal test would be one that is both sufficiently sensitive and speedy – our test, called RTF-EXPAR, achieves this goal.”

He added: “The simplicity and speed of this new test means that it is ideally suited to environments where a rapid answer is required close to need, like airports and entertainment venues

The test works with existing instrumentation, meaning that it could conceivably be deployed in these areas in three to six months with some commercial backing

At low levels of virus, results were detected in around 8.75 minutes, while at high concentrations the detection time was just 3.08 minutes, the researchers said.

Professor Andrew Beggs, from the Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences at the university, who also worked on the study published in PNAS, said their test should be “much cheaper” than laboratory-based tests and added that they would like to see it rolled out “as soon as possible”.

He said: “The analysis showed RTF-EXPAR’s sensitivity is equivalent to quantitative PCR testing, with a positive predictive value of 89%, and a negative predictive value of 93%.”

The full results will be published “in the near future”, he said.

Prof Beggs added: “The university has filed a patent application and is talking to commercial partners who would bring the test to market. We’d like to see it rolled out as soon as possible.

“The test is suitable for near-patient testing, so should be much cheaper than laboratory-based tests”.

[choffer]

Further context on the NZ concerns:

 

[Seat68]

 

[bickster]

Spoilsport @Seat68I was about to post the same

[Genie]

2 hours ago, sidcow said:

Glad to hear Mrs Genie is on the mend. It's a sobering thought though that if she was that ill after her jabs what a different story it might have been a few months ago.  These jabs really are lifesavers. 

 

Thanks mate. If her body had taken this virus “cold” without getting a head start I’m certain she’d have been hospitalised as she was close to needed some medical advice for 24 hours or so.

She’s still got a slight cough but testing negative now. 
 

[blandy]

 

[cyrusr]

1 hour ago, blandy said:

 

That is quite an ominous read. Needs soaks verification/proper testing but it seems sadly the vaccines long term efficiency is not as good as we would hope. Hopefully the longer gap in jabs will improve the long term effect but still I don’t see our government doing much until it’s too late.

[Big Salad]

With the way COVID is spiking in my area and the new variant, it is now required again starting from Friday to wear masks while indoors in public places. It is just a shame as really thought we were making good progress on it, but just seems like we are slipping back to where we were not all that long ago.

I just hope our Governor does not shut down the state again. Last time, a ton of business had to close, our infrastructure has not recovered, etc.

We shall see.

Edited August 18, 2021 by Big Salad

[maqroll]

 

[fightoffyour]

20 hours ago, sidcow said:

Go on Brum. 

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/sajid-javid-university-of-birmingham-department-of-health-b951032.html

New cheaper, faster Covid test could be used at airports, say researchers

A new potentially cheaper and quicker Covid test could be rolled out at airports in as little as three months, researchers have said.

The development, from scientists at the University of Birmingham, comes amid ongoing controversy about the expense of tests required for travellers coming to the UK.

PCR tests typically cost around £65 but some private clinics are charging around £200.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham said they have developed a test that is as sensitive as a PCR test but can give results in just a few minutes without the need for a laboratory.

One of those behind the research said it would be “ideally suited” to airports and could be rolled out in three to six months with commercial backing.

Their test, using the exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR) method, can detect results in less than 10 minutes, even for low levels of virus, they said.

Tim Dafforn, professor of biotechnology at the university’s School of Biosciences, said: “An ideal test would be one that is both sufficiently sensitive and speedy – our test, called RTF-EXPAR, achieves this goal.”

He added: “The simplicity and speed of this new test means that it is ideally suited to environments where a rapid answer is required close to need, like airports and entertainment venues

The test works with existing instrumentation, meaning that it could conceivably be deployed in these areas in three to six months with some commercial backing

At low levels of virus, results were detected in around 8.75 minutes, while at high concentrations the detection time was just 3.08 minutes, the researchers said.

Professor Andrew Beggs, from the Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences at the university, who also worked on the study published in PNAS, said their test should be “much cheaper” than laboratory-based tests and added that they would like to see it rolled out “as soon as possible”.

He said: “The analysis showed RTF-EXPAR’s sensitivity is equivalent to quantitative PCR testing, with a positive predictive value of 89%, and a negative predictive value of 93%.”

The full results will be published “in the near future”, he said.

Prof Beggs added: “The university has filed a patent application and is talking to commercial partners who would bring the test to market. We’d like to see it rolled out as soon as possible.

“The test is suitable for near-patient testing, so should be much cheaper than laboratory-based tests”.

How will the cowboy companies set up by Tory chums make their money?

[bickster]

12 minutes ago, fightoffyour said:

How will the cowboy companies set up by Tory chums make their money?

See I read it as more profit for those licenced by the government to do testing, not the price will go down but the profits will go up

[LondonLax]

11 hours ago, blandy said:

 

Essentially the virus is here for ever more but I can’t see countries enacting measures for ever more or even just every winter. 

Everyone being offered a vaccine then getting on with their lives is the most likely long term plan. 

[Genie]

The wife had a call from the test and trace team the other day ref the positive PCR tests we’d had in our household, basically just reminding to finish the isolation which is fine.

She mentioned in the conversation that the boy had now tested negative, the T&T lady then said that nobody should do another test for 90 days after a positive PCR as it can still come back positive even though negative. That didn’t sound right to me (the bit about not retesting). Everybody keeps doing tests until negative don’t they? I appreciate it’s technically possible for old cells to still be around but people don’t not test for that reason do they?

The wife mentioned that he goes back to school next week and has to do 2 negative tests before they start (new DfE rules), T&T said he could refuse to do them but the school might not let him start in that case. Or he could do them and then argue the result if it was positive.

I can’t see the school allowing a pupil in who had a confirmed positive PCR test 2 weeks ago and then tested positive again in their lateral flow tests just because the rules say he’s probably alright.

It doesn’t seem to matter as he is testing negative anyway, but struck me as more classic bollocks from the government creating confusion and problems right as the new school year is about to start.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Genie

[sidcow]

9 hours ago, Genie said:

The wife had a call from the test and trace team the other day ref the positive PCR tests we’d had in our household, basically just reminding to finish the isolation which is fine.

She mentioned in the conversation that the boy had now tested negative, the T&T lady then said that nobody should do another test for 90 days after a positive PCR as it can still come back positive even though negative. That didn’t sound right to me (the bit about not retesting). Everybody keeps doing tests until negative don’t they? I appreciate it’s technically possible for old cells to still be around but people don’t not test for that reason do they?

The wife mentioned that he goes back to school next week and has to do 2 negative tests before they start (new DfE rules), T&T said he could refuse to do them but the school might not let him start in that case. Or he could do them and then argue the result if it was positive.

I can’t see the school allowing a pupil in who had a confirmed positive PCR test 2 weeks ago and then tested positive again in their lateral flow tests just because the rules say he’s probably alright.

It doesn’t seem to matter as he is testing negative anyway, but struck me as more classic bollocks from the government creating confusion and problems right as the new school year is about to start.

My nephew was told this as he was positive for ages.  You can test positive for weeks after you've recovered and are no longer longer contagious.  My daughters friend has also been told the same.