foreveryoung Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 1 hour ago, Jonesy7211 said: One of my best and oldest friends, tested positive on boxing day. Since the 28th he's been in ICU and on a ventilator being helped to breathe as his lungs aren't doing their job. He's 40, no underlying conditions. Double jabbed. This new variant is still dangerous. Do they know it's Omicron, could be Delta still. Good luck to him anyway. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brommy Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 Just now, foreveryoung said: Do they know it's Omicron, could be Delta still. Good luck to him anyway. Just about to ask the very same. Terrible news either way, but I’m interested in whether it has been medically confirmed as Omicron or Delta, especially considering the severity of symptoms without age or other health factors. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonesy7211 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 1 hour ago, foreveryoung said: Do they know it's Omicron, could be Delta still. Good luck to him anyway. I've not asked the question. Just assumed I suppose. I'll ask his family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post HanoiVillan Posted January 2, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted January 2, 2022 It's always worth remembering that *being milder on average* is not the same as *every instance being milder*. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brommy Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 3 hours ago, HanoiVillan said: It's always worth remembering that *being milder on average* is not the same as *every instance being milder*. Definitely. If there are cases of Omicron leading to severe illness or death amongst younger (<50?) adults with no underlying health conditions, the word should be spread, not least on VT. It might save lives if more people appreciate it’s not just a cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 1 hour ago, brommy said: Definitely. If there are cases of Omicron leading to severe illness or death amongst younger (<50?) adults with no underlying health conditions, the word should be spread, not least on VT. It might save lives if more people appreciate it’s not just a cold. It's nice to think so, but truthfully given how transmissible this variant appears to be I'm not really sure how much difference behaviour is likely to make at this point. But yes, it's always good not to catch it if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted January 3, 2022 Moderator Share Posted January 3, 2022 3 hours ago, HanoiVillan said: given how transmissible this variant appears to be I'm not really sure how much difference behaviour is likely to make at this point Behaviour makes a huge difference, fortunately. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brommy Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 8 hours ago, HanoiVillan said: It's nice to think so, but truthfully given how transmissible this variant appears to be I'm not really sure how much difference behaviour is likely to make at this point. But yes, it's always good not to catch it if you can. Wearing masks in supermarkets will help reduce transmission and having a booster vaccination will reduce the likelihood of severe symptoms. Thinking Omicron is only a cold might be one reason why many people aren’t currently wearing masks in supermarkets and some people aren’t getting boosted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 5 hours ago, brommy said: Wearing masks in supermarkets will help reduce transmission and having a booster vaccination will reduce the likelihood of severe symptoms. Thinking Omicron is only a cold might be one reason why many people aren’t currently wearing masks in supermarkets and some people aren’t getting boosted. I don't see any evidence that wearing masks in supermarkets makes any meaningful difference in transmission? Supermarkets are just about the best-ventilated indoor spaces people visit. I'm not aware of any outbreaks being traced back to supermarkets during the long part of last year when wearing a mask in supermarkets was rare and not required either. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted January 3, 2022 Moderator Share Posted January 3, 2022 Quote 72 studies met the inclusion criteria, of which 35 evaluated individual public health measures and 37 assessed multiple public health measures as a “package of interventions.” Eight of 35 studies were included in the meta-analysis, which indicated a reduction in incidence of covid-19 associated with handwashing (relative risk 0.47, 95% confidence interval 0.19 to 1.12, I2=12%), mask wearing (0.47, 0.29 to 0.75, I2=84%), and physical distancing (0.75, 0.59 to 0.95, I2=87%). Owing to heterogeneity of the studies, meta-analysis was not possible for the outcomes of quarantine and isolation, universal lockdowns, and closures of borders, schools, and workplaces. The effects of these interventions were synthesised descriptively. Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that several personal protective and social measures, including handwashing, mask wearing, and physical distancing are associated with reductions in the incidence covid-19. Effectiveness of public health measures in reducing the incidence of covid-19, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and covid-19 mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis | The BMJ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 33 minutes ago, blandy said: Effectiveness of public health measures in reducing the incidence of covid-19, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and covid-19 mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis | The BMJ Unfortunately this data predates the massively more infectious variant we are currently experiencing, so I'm not really sure how relevant it is at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villaglint Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, HanoiVillan said: I don't see any evidence that wearing masks in supermarkets makes any meaningful difference in transmission? Supermarkets are just about the best-ventilated indoor spaces people visit. I'm not aware of any outbreaks being traced back to supermarkets during the long part of last year when wearing a mask in supermarkets was rare and not required either. Seems crazy that we are 2 years in and still people don’t really understand the difference in mask types and their relative influence on transmission. It’s taken a long time for the penny to drop for me so I’m not being judgemental nor aiming this particularly at you (just to be clear!). It’s more to say that it’s proven the FFP2/3 work and that cloth masks or jumpers pulled over the nose (sometimes just mouth) don’t. Government knows this and I wonder why they haven’t made more of an effort to more widely distribute these types of masks. When I got some in boots they had to go out the back, didn’t stock them on the shelves at all. Edited January 3, 2022 by villaglint 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 1 minute ago, villaglint said: Seems crazy that we are 2 years in and still people don’t really understand the difference in mask types and their relative influence on transmission. It’s taken a long time for the penny to drop for me so I’m not being judgemental nor aiming this particularly at you (just to be clear!). It’s more to say that it’s proven the FFP2/3 work and that cloth masks or jumpers pulled over the nose (sometimes just mouth) don’t. Government knows this and I wonder why they haven’t made more of an effort to more widely distribute these types of masks. When I got some in boots they had to go out the back, didn’t stock them on the shelves at all. I'm fully aware of the different mask types thanks, and have written about them before in this thread. However, in reality, most people are not going to start wearing the more effective, tight-fitting clinical-style masks because they are more uncomfortable and make it harder to breathe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted January 3, 2022 Moderator Share Posted January 3, 2022 15 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said: Unfortunately this data predates the massively more infectious variant we are currently experiencing, so I'm not really sure how relevant it is at this point. The data does predate Omicron, that’s true. The mechanism by which omicron spreads is the same, primarily aerosol method. As such, mask’s effectiveness in reducing aerosol particles from leaving and entering wearer’s fisogs will be unchanged. Of course it may be that a lower loading of omicron is all it takes to “catch” it, it it may be the same loading as for Delta, but that fewer people are able to repel the omicron fungus. We don’t know, but we do know masks are beneficial in protecting against spreading Corollafunguses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 Can I ask, @blandy, why do you call it fungus? I've been noticing it for the last 18 months and for reasons I can't articulate it annoys the **** out of me 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villaglint Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 1 hour ago, HanoiVillan said: I'm fully aware of the different mask types thanks, and have written about them before in this thread. However, in reality, most people are not going to start wearing the more effective, tight-fitting clinical-style masks because they are more uncomfortable and make it harder to breathe. Again didn’t mean to aim that comment at you individually was just participating in the convo, apologies because I knew it’d be taken that way, I did try to flag it up. I guess everyone’s experiences of mask wearing is different. For me I don’t find them any more uncomfortable or difficult to breath in. Worn them for many hours straight and it’s been absolutely fine. Small sample size though! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 9 minutes ago, villaglint said: Again didn’t mean to aim that comment at you individually was just participating in the convo, apologies because I knew it’d be taken that way, I did try to flag it up. I guess everyone’s experiences of mask wearing is different. For me I don’t find them any more uncomfortable or difficult to breath in. Worn them for many hours straight and it’s been absolutely fine. Small sample size though! Fair, sorry I was being tetchy, your comment didn't deserve that response. But in general, I am quite mask-skeptical. Does it *hurt* to wear a better mask? Well, some people find them more annoying. But it probably does people no harm to wear a better mask. I doubt it's as effective as 'being middle class' or 'being able to do your office job remotely' or 'not having kids' though. Does it make any difference at a societal level? Well here in BC people seem to be better about wearing masks, and I don't see anyone wearing the most ridiculous blue ones you get at petrol stations here, but at the end of the day there's still an enormous omicron wave. In France and Spain the rules are much tighter than in the UK - in Spain you have to wear a mask if you're walking alone in the countryside these days - but guess what, middle of the omicron wave. If our main concern is 'I don't want to catch covid' then sure, let's talk about getting a better mask, but also be realistic about how much difference to your chances it's going to make. If our main concern is the overall level of pressure on the healthcare system, then masking differences are so trivial they're barely worth talking about IMO. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted January 3, 2022 Moderator Share Posted January 3, 2022 2 hours ago, Davkaus said: Can I ask, @blandy, why do you call it fungus? I've been noticing it for the last 18 months and for reasons I can't articulate it annoys the **** out of me We’ll, the answer is in the question Quote it annoys the **** out of me Job done . I mean you write some bobbins on the internet and no one reacts? What’s the point, right? That’s not how it works is it? (Also, I’m a dickhead). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuthority Posted January 4, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted January 4, 2022 Interesting info on National Public Radio here today. Although the % of people with the omicron variant being hospitalized is much, much lower than previous variants, so many people are getting it due to its transmissibility that hospitals are filling up and fast. That is a problem especially in smaller communities. A couple of weeks back we purchased some KN95 masks and these are definitely more robust (and bloody uncomfortable) compare to normal medical masks. Tested yesterday along with my unvaccinated son (under 5) and thankfully both negative. But the radio program did talk about the under 5's who are being hospitalized - they are a large unvaccinated population and the unvaccinated are the most vulnerable. My University is going online for the 1st 2 weeks. Then I guess we'll see where we are. Hopefully this is the beginnng of the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robtaylor200 Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 (edited) I had an email at 03:30 this morning from NHS after my drive thru PCR test Sunday I am positive and have to isolate, so cant see any Dingle fans from work. Apparently not even allowed to answer their wind up messages On a serious note. it does not state Delta or Omicron on the email. I have the symptoms of a bad cold (hoping it stays like that and that I am one of the lucky ones) lost sense of smell and taste yesterday (everything tastes like a pie from VP). Also I seem to be sleeping in 4 hour cycles, bed at 9 and up at 1am or 2am, then fall asleep again around lunch time. Went to see my sister over Christmas, she must have had it as tested positive the day before me and my niece. We popped in to see the wife's brother the day after visiting my sister and now he has it too. At the moment Mrs. T does not have it , but I should imagine its only a matter of time. Masks do they help ?, don't they help ? well if there is a the slightest possibility that they do, then bloody wear one. I see so many people making the token gesture of wearing it under their chin or covering mouth only. I met with 3 family members in a day and now we all have it as were were blase too Edited January 4, 2022 by Robtaylor200 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts