NON_POLITICAL China Coronavirus THREAD

[ralfy]

"‘It’s something I have never seen’: How the Covid-19 virus hijacks cells"

“It’s something I have never seen in my 20 years of” studying viruses, said virologist Benjamin tenOever of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, referring to how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, hijacks cells’ genomes.

The “something” he and his colleagues saw is how SARS-CoV-2 blocks one virus-fighting set of genes but allows another set to launch, a pattern never seen with other viruses. Influenza and the original SARS virus (in the early 2000s), for instance, interfere with both arms of the body’s immune response — what tenOever dubs “call to arms” genes and “call for reinforcement” genes.
https://www.statnews.com/2020/05/21/coronavirus-hijacks-cells-in-unique-ways/

 

[Greenman]

it's cool, don't listen to greenman, he's just lazy

I am lazy, but IKEA still sucks. Being forced to tour the entire store is absurd.

 

[local]

Well, look, they had to paint a worst case scenario to get people to take this seriously. I'm in the SF Bay Area and we were among the first to have shelter in place directives to all but essential activities. SF mayor London Breed was the first mayor of a major city to do it and the rest of the region quickly followed suit. Governor Newsom stated around April 1 that his people were saying we were going to run out of ICU beds and ventilators way before the peak. The peak was expected, he said, April 26 or so. This got people's attention! Now, it didn't happen that way only because it really was in our power to flatten the curve. The picture he painted was if we didn't take the situation seriously (he didn't say that, it was kind of the writing on the wall). We did.

Now, I don't expect the situation to get to the point in CA where the ICU's are filled and we run out of ventilators. Late in April, IIRC, the governor sent a lot of our ventilators to hard hit areas outside of the state. Officially, loaned them, I believe. What I'm seeing/hearing about the rest of the country makes me wonder, though. Seems like people in MO, for instance, are just not feeling it. No masks, dense social gatherings. Similar in TX. Breakouts in MO and TX, also FL and other spots wouldn't surprise me. If they do happen they won't be as easily quelled as they would be here, because people there don't respect the science as much.

I just don't see it running rampant in truly rural areas. I'm sure you have seen what they are like, outside of church and bingo there is no close contact. If this isn't spreading like crazy in the cities it isn't going to spread like crazy in rural areas. I live in a town of about 2k people, the closest I have been to any of them in the last 3 months is the distance from my neighbors house to mine and that is not because I am hiding from them. However I do see that this is a huge threat to us all, both from a health and financial standpoint. I am constantly being driven mad by the number of people around me that are saying this is fake and a plot to stop Trump from being reelected or at worst it is less dangerous than the flu that I am not going to be upset in the least for these people when they lose someone they care about. I am just afraid that it will take too many deaths for them to actually care.

I am lazy, but IKEA still sucks. Being forced to tour the entire store is absurd.

I went to one for the first time in January, there were shortcuts that led to skipping probably 80% of the store. Does yours not have that?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Why would anyone wants to have not one, not two, but three live bat corona-viruses in a lab?

Wuhan lab had three live bat coronaviruses: Chinese state media

The Chinese virology institute at the centre of US allegations it may have been the source of the COVID-19 pandemic has three live strains of bat coronavirus on-site, but none match the new global contagion, its director has said. Scientists think COVID-19 -- which first emerged in the central...

news.yahoo.com

So you can do a test on one, repeat the test on the other to verify your science, and then eat the last one on lunch break.

 

[Greenman]

I just don't see it running rampant in truly rural areas. I'm sure you have seen what they are like, outside of church and bingo there is no close contact. If this isn't spreading like crazy in the cities it isn't going to spread like crazy in rural areas. I live in a town of about 2k people, the closest I have been to any of them in the last 3 months is the distance from my neighbors house to mine and that is not because I am hiding from them. However I do see that this is a huge threat to us all, both from a health and financial standpoint. I am constantly being driven mad by the number of people around me that are saying this is fake and a plot to stop Trump from being reelected or at worst it is less dangerous than the flu that I am not going to be upset in the least for these people when they lose someone they care about. I am just afraid that it will take too many deaths for them to actually care.



I went to one for the first time in January, there were shortcuts that led to skipping probably 80% of the store. Does yours not have that?

It didn't when I was there several years back.

 

[local]

Why would anyone wants to have not one, not two, but three live bat corona-viruses in a lab?

Wuhan lab had three live bat coronaviruses: Chinese state media

The Chinese virology institute at the centre of US allegations it may have been the source of the COVID-19 pandemic has three live strains of bat coronavirus on-site, but none match the new global contagion, its director has said. Scientists think COVID-19 -- which first emerged in the central...

news.yahoo.com

High risk, high reward. That is why a BSL 4 lab is such a big deal, in theory it reduces the risk to a manageable level.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I predict the second wave won't hit until late fall and it will make this first wave look small

I kind of feel the same way. Heck there's already a bump in numbers in southern Ontario, and things like this don't help:

Meanwhile here in the north we've been smart about it and we have no new cases in almost 2 weeks now, but these assholes are going to make this last longer for all of us. That's why I still say they need to bubble regions and block all forms of travel so covid free regions can start to go back to normal.

 

[duragezic]

I kind of feel the same way. Heck there's already a bump in numbers in southern Ontario, and things like this don't help:

Meanwhile here in the north we've been smart about it and we have no new cases in almost 2 weeks now, but these assholes are going to make this last longer for all of us. That's why I still say they need to bubble regions and block all forms of travel so covid free regions can start to go back to normal.

I don't think that is realistic. In order for those regions to go on as things somewhat have requires people to travel through them.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I don't think that is realistic. In order for those regions to go on as things somewhat have requires people to travel through them.

You would still allow essential stuff like shipments etc, just no individuals who could potentially be carriers of the virus. no visiting family out of town or going on vacations etc. It could pose an issue for people who happen to live right near the boundary and happen to also have a job a town over but that would be a rare situation they could figure out on a case per case basis.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

it's cool, don't listen to greenman, he's just lazy

Ehhh Ikea was in all honesty great for when I was in the days of single, fresh out of school and wanted to fill up a house/apartment for cheap.

Eventually though once you get some money in life I would suggest putting a bit more money down and buy furniture that isn't as shitty material. You know, furniture that lasts without getting dings, rips, etc. Every month.

 

[duragezic]

You would still allow essential stuff like shipments etc, just no individuals who could potentially be carriers of the virus. no visiting family out of town or going on vacations etc. It could pose an issue for people who happen to live right near the boundary and happen to also have a job a town over but that would be a rare situation they could figure out on a case per case basis.

I can understand that but it still does not seem realistic. Who is a potential carrier? The movement of people happens for all kind of reasons.

 

[Svnla]

Per ABC News, because of the virus and so many restaurants being shut down for a while, there are a lot more rats out in the open and they are hungry and aggressive.

I wonder if the Ninja Turtles' teacher would go out for some fresh air.

 

[K1052]

While true, it's incredibly early in the process. We should be able to always get at least some kind of immune response out of a test vaccine. The question is whether the response is broadly effective or narrowly, conditional in any way, and most importantly the primary data endpoints needed would be: does it provide actual lasting immunity and is it as safe as reasonably possible?

They've been finding neutralizing antibodies in SARS patients even after a decade so hopefully a broadly effective vaccine will confer lasting protection but at this point even if a vaccination was only effective for just a couple years it would be a tremendous achievement. No vaccine trial has, so far, seen any life threatening adverse reactions and there is no evidence of vaccine enhanced disease.

Those cases of GBS that do seem to occur from vaccines (this is merely correlated, difficult to prove a simultaneous infection wasn't responsible), they represent such an absurdly small fraction of those who actually receive vaccines without harm that I'm convinced some routine vaccines should be compulsory with nary a valid excuse (religion, diet, and personal beliefs don't count Karens!). Bad luck is just that, bad luck. In the end, the influenza vaccine for instance prevents more cases of GBS than it cures, as influenza is one such infection known to occasionally induce the syndrome.

I agree with this. Also the government should be making plans right now to inoculate the entire country with the flu vaccine this year when it is ready because the winter respiratory season is going to be a huge bitch with this virus running around too.

 

[brianmanahan]

I am lazy, but IKEA still sucks. Being forced to tour the entire store is absurd.

it's an educational tour though

by the time i get through the entire store i feel like i can speak swedish

 

[brianmanahan]

Ehhh Ikea was in all honesty great for when I was in the days of single, fresh out of school and wanted to fill up a house/apartment for cheap.

Eventually though once you get some money in life I would suggest putting a bit more money down and buy furniture that isn't as shitty material. You know, furniture that lasts without getting dings, rips, etc. Every month.

yeah, for stuff that i don't sit on very long like island chairs i'll get ikea ones

but computer chairs or recliners, i go all quality. steelcase computer chair and flexsteel recliner will last me forever.

 

[CZroe]

Why would anyone wants to have not one, not two, but three live bat corona-viruses in a lab?

Wuhan lab had three live bat coronaviruses: Chinese state media

The Chinese virology institute at the centre of US allegations it may have been the source of the COVID-19 pandemic has three live strains of bat coronavirus on-site, but none match the new global contagion, its director has said. Scientists think COVID-19 -- which first emerged in the central...

news.yahoo.com

We've known this all along. They have documentary video of themselves swabbing bats in a cave to bring back samples and they were extremely proud when they announced to the world that their lab found a bat coronavirus in the wild that could infect humans without an intermediary host. They even had job listings for bat coronavirus researchers.

 

[CZroe]

Well it's hard to study live mutation risks if you don't have any live virus...

There is controversy around virus research, because it requires actively manipulating viral particles, but it's kind of a necessary evil if you will.

They out-right experimented with gain-of-function by giving bat coronaviruses the ability to infect humans through ACE2 (the receptor in human cells that SARS and SARS-CoV-2 use to infect humans).

 

[Muse]

I predict the second wave won't hit until late fall and it will make this first wave look small

Well, TBH if it's coming I hope it's before the election so we can get the lead out.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Better tell them NYers about that because more of them leaving and moving to TX/other states than vice versa. Austin is packed as a sardine can.

Lawmakers want to know why people are leaving New York State

The latest census numbers show New York's population dropped by 77,000 between 2018 and last year.

www.wgrz.com

Those are just pussies that can't handle different seasons, so they want to go somewhere where it's 'summer' forever (they want NY summer forever; they can't get it without seasons).

 

[Muse]

I am constantly being driven mad by the number of people around me that are saying this is fake and a plot to stop Trump from being reelected or at worst it is less dangerous than the flu that I am not going to be upset in the least for these people when they lose someone they care about. I am just afraid that it will take too many deaths for them to actually care.

That would drive me insane. I don't know if I could handle that. I don't suffer fools gladly. I've never lived in such a place. I see that all the time, but only in the media. You don't encounter that around here AFAIK, but I haven't been getting around to say it mildly. I am so sheltered in place... but I do have my antenna out! I'm fortunate to live where people don't drive me nuts. Well, they do, but not like where you are, obviously.

That mini-doc I saw on TV of rural TX tragedy in the making, well, it was clear to me that the situation was terrible. I don't recall the details now, must have been 3+ weeks ago. A lot of old super at risk people whose life style wasn't going to protect them from covid-19 infection, a health care system that wasn't going to be able to do much for them when they did catch it. Coffins! Lots of them. A woman health care worker who was already stressed was going to be stressed-OUT!

 

[Red Squirrel]

I can understand that but it still does not seem realistic. Who is a potential carrier? The movement of people happens for all kind of reasons.

That's why you limit the movement. Essential workers like truckers would need to use special precautions. Ideally, they stay in their cab and the locals unload the trailers. They could have designated bathrooms that they're allowed to use. Ex: could make an agreement with Tim Hortons or something where truckers are allowed to use their bathrooms. (currently general public can't go inside) Staff would use their own separate bathroom. For food they could still get delivery to their truck when they park somewhere or make an exception to the rule and let them walk up a drive thru window. There are little things like this that could be done, it's not really hard.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

That's why you limit the movement. Essential workers like truckers would need to use special precautions. Ideally, they stay in their cab and the locals unload the trailers. They could have designated bathrooms that they're allowed to use. Ex: could make an agreement with Tim Hortons or something where truckers are allowed to use their bathrooms. (currently general public can't go inside) Staff would use their own separate bathroom. For food they could still get delivery to their truck when they park somewhere or make an exception to the rule and let them walk up a drive thru window. There are little things like this that could be done, it's not really hard.

Makes total sense to me. Good luck getting anyone to go along with that. We can't even get people to acknowledge it's a real thing or even though there is a chance they could save someone's life they won't put on a mask to go into the store for 15 minutes. We are fucked as a society. We better hope this whole thing is really overblown as some claim or we are in for some dark days.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Makes total sense to me. Good luck getting anyone to go along with that. We can't even get people to acknowledge it's a real thing or even though there is a chance they could save someone's life they won't put on a mask to go into the store for 15 minutes. We are fucked as a society. We better hope this whole thing is really overblown as some claim or we are in for some dark days.

Lot of people here have suggested it, it's not just me. We are doing fine here in the north, we don't want southerners comming here ruining our low numbers. If they could be blocked from coming, and people here blocked from going down south and coming back, it would ensure we keep this trend going, while allowing to get small businesses going again.

Today we hit 14 days with no new cases. We sit at 64 with 3 active. We all want to keep it this way, but it only takes one dufus who decides to travel to create another outbreak.

 

[destrekor]

They out-right experimented with gain-of-function by giving bat coronaviruses the ability to infect humans through ACE2 (the receptor in human cells that SARS and SARS-CoV-2 use to infect humans).

Correct. And there was some controversy that NIH encouraged and funded gain of function research. I think it was back earlier in this thread I saw it brought up before and looked into it.
Though wasn't the S (spike) protein that hooked into the human ACE2 receptor already expressed in the wild? Perhaps just limited efficiency in comparison to a needed S protein mutation? Seems there is subtle difference in surface structure of the bat ACE2 (which may in fact vary between bat species too?).

Wasn't it also said this research occurred under BSL-2? I would suspect at least that's now over for good, I'd hope. Frankly any potential gain-of-function research regarding human infectiousness ought to BSL-4 it would seem after this.

And yes, I fully accept the likelihood this 100% accidentally walked out of the lab and was just spread easily due to the nature of human behavior in crowded markets. May not even matter it was a wet market, any kind of outdoor market can be equally busy. Granted, wet markets ought to be barred forever due to the unique conditions that make it just as likely to originate there. There's still the potential of recombination *after* viral escape from the lab, further complicating future efforts at control and allowing potential for greater mutations and evolution due to who knows what and how many cross-species transmission events.

 

[ultimatebob]

I just don't see it running rampant in truly rural areas. I'm sure you have seen what they are like, outside of church and bingo there is no close contact. If this isn't spreading like crazy in the cities it isn't going to spread like crazy in rural areas. I live in a town of about 2k people, the closest I have been to any of them in the last 3 months is the distance from my neighbors house to mine and that is not because I am hiding from them. However I do see that this is a huge threat to us all, both from a health and financial standpoint. I am constantly being driven mad by the number of people around me that are saying this is fake and a plot to stop Trump from being reelected or at worst it is less dangerous than the flu that I am not going to be upset in the least for these people when they lose someone they care about. I am just afraid that it will take too many deaths for them to actually care.



I went to one for the first time in January, there were shortcuts that led to skipping probably 80% of the store. Does yours not have that?

If you know what you want, you just go to the warehouse level and pick it up. No need to go to the showroom at all. I gotta pick up some of those tasty meatballs while I'm there, though!