NON_POLITICAL China Coronavirus THREAD

[pmv]

Seems this thing is everywhere

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/covid-outbreak-antarctic-polar-research-170637005.html

 

[manly]

I have a little bit of a problem with Dr Vasta's quotation. It's not DESPITE claims Omicron is more mild, it IS more mild, but it's also more contagious and a more vaccine evasive so we just have so many more cases that we're bound to have more hospitalizations.

The reason I take exception with her wording is that certain subgroups will pounce on it and use it to argue "see? They don't know what they're talking about! Some say it's mild, here's the doctor saying it's not! Etc etc"

There are two different effects that are being conflated for the every man. Omicron is intrinsically less virulent; but outcomes are also less severe due to vaccination and natural immunity.

There is a pre-print study from SA (see Dr. John Campbell on YouTube) that concludes that cellular immunity (T cells and B cells) against Omicron is still quite robust. This appears to explain why hospitalizations and deaths for both SA and UK (it's still early) did not surge as some feared could happen. If this holds true generally, this is fantastic news for highly vaccinated countries. The UK in particular has a low death rate despite them being in a state of continuous surge since July!

Having said that, the U.S. is not a highly vaccinated country and although certain states have quite a lot of natural immunity built up, there are still naive populations that will bear the brunt of this wave. U.S. hospitalizations are ramping up in many hot spots, so it really is too early to declare that the pandemic is over.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Well a couple rapid and one PCR test says no COVID so it pretty much has to be the god damned cedar. Unusual my husband is so impacted this year though.

This is absolutely my last cedar season in Texas.

Stolen from Reddit:

View attachment 55213

Omicron symptoms are supposed to be light though lol. Stupid cedar pollen has my throat feeling like I have been gargling razor blades. I have taken three PCR tests this month because of this crap. Negative every time, including on Monday this week so it's gotta be this airborne menace.

 

[ultimatebob]

Holy crap !!!!

TWO new words in ONE day!



*(That's entirely enough "productivity" for me!)


EDIT: Connecticut daily-positivity rate: 20.33%

The good news is that once everyone has had COVID in Connecticut (it's pretty safe to assume that everyone here is going to get it eventually), we'll all have natural immunity to go along with our double and triple vaccinations.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Natural immunity? Not sure that exists. Already ben reported that those previously haven caught COVID got it again, and some never got rid of ot months later.

 

[Zorba]

Having said that, the U.S. is not a highly vaccinated country and although certain states have quite a lot of natural immunity built up, there are still naive populations that will bear the brunt of this wave. U.S. hospitalizations are ramping up in many hot spots, so it really is too early to declare that the pandemic is over.

Speaking of, I don't know of a single family around us that have vaccinated their 5-11 year old. We got my daughter literally the first appointment Walgreens had. But all these people we know, that got themselves vaccinated early on and have been boosted can't be bothered or don't want to vaccinate their kids. I really don't understand WTF is wrong with people. I really wish there was somewhere warm that wasn't fucking insane I guess maybe I should move to Austin, but then Texas as a whole is maybe as bad as Oklahoma).

 

[Zorba]

Omicron symptoms are supposed to be light though lol. Stupid cedar pollen has my throat feeling like I have been gargling razor blades. I have taken three PCR tests this month because of this crap. Negative every time, including on Monday this week so it's gotta be this airborne menace.

That's what happens when millions of trees throat fuck you for a few months.

 

[pmv]

All I have to say about this, is that apparently this thing has been going on so damn long, that we now have a 'traditional' way to report it, apparently

Fauci: hospitalization figures a better guide to Omicron than case count

But government’s top medical adviser warns public not to be fooled by data suggesting variant lacks severity of earlier variants

www.theguardian.com

The US government’s top medical adviser, Dr Anthony Fauci, has joined a growing body of experts who say hospitalisation figures form a better guide to the severity of the Omicron coronavirus variant than the traditional case-count of new infections.

 

[feralkid]

The good news is that once everyone has had COVID in Connecticut (it's pretty safe to assume that everyone here is going to get it eventually), we'll all have natural immunity to go along with our double and triple vaccinations.

Until the next variant emerges.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Pretty good interview with a doctor about covid/omicron impacts on children.

Fulford: Time to find new balance with COVID-19

Dr. Martha Fulford says it's time to focus on how many people are being admitted to hospital because they are sick with COVID-19.

www.ctvnews.ca

 

[manly]

Speaking of, I don't know of a single family around us that have vaccinated their 5-11 year old. We got my daughter literally the first appointment Walgreens had. But all these people we know, that got themselves vaccinated early on and have been boosted can't be bothered or don't want to vaccinate their kids. I really don't understand WTF is wrong with people. I really wish there was somewhere warm that wasn't fucking insane I guess maybe I should move to Austin, but then Texas as a whole is maybe as bad as Oklahoma).

Albuquerque?

All I have to say about this, is that apparently this thing has been going on so damn long, that we now have a 'traditional' way to report it, apparently

Fauci: hospitalization figures a better guide to Omicron than case count

But government’s top medical adviser warns public not to be fooled by data suggesting variant lacks severity of earlier variants

www.theguardian.com

This was already the case with delta, but it became more obvious with omicron.

 

[Zorba]

Albuquerque?


This was already the case with delta, but it became more obvious with omicron.

ABQ gets fairly cold in the winter I think, but it an option.

SoCal is the obvious exception to warm places being insane, but it has some other issues.

 

[echo4747]

Until the next variant emerges.

Here you go... Cameroon Variant : https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/new-variant-southern-france-found-22631670

 

[Brainonska511]

Ugh... Currently waiting in a drive through testing line that is crazy long. And everyone in it has to have an appointment.

I've been mildly symptomatic since Thursday night, and my wife tested positive late last week. I've been feeling better overall (really just a mild cold), but would like to know (I almost certainly also have COVID). At least the vaccine and booster are doing their job for me.

 

[K1052]

That's what happens when millions of trees throat fuck you for a few months.

What waking up like this every day is pretty awesome:

 

[K1052]

Ugh... Currently waiting in a drive through testing line that is crazy long. And everyone in it has to have an appointment.

I've been mildly symptomatic since Thursday night, and my wife tested positive late last week. I've been feeling better overall (really just a mild cold), but would like to know (I almost certainly also have COVID). At least the vaccine and booster are doing their job for me.

Sucks about the line. They're still crazy here too. Rapid tests have been back in stock at some stores at least lately locally.

 

[nisryus]

What waking up like this every day is pretty awesome:

Mid last week the kid got back from his EMS camp at Lake Georgetown. He was so miserable the whole time there due to cedar. Apparently one of the member had to leave after staying for a day due to allergy being so bad.
Since it was hard to tell as some of the covid symptoms are similar to cedar, we got him tested. Luckily the result was negative.

 

[Brainonska511]

Sucks about the line. They're still crazy here too. Rapid tests have been back in stock at some stores at least lately locally.

Rapid tests seemed useless for us, based on the course of our tests. Tested negative day before our flight back to the US, and again after we got home. Wife tested positive via PCR from a sample taken on the first full day we were back home (the day she started to have symptoms).

The only big advantage was we got to quarantine at home instead of being stuck in the UK. And we had KN95 masks on for our flight, so hopefully didn't get anyone sick.

 

[K1052]

Mid last week the kid got back from his EMS camp at Lake Georgetown. He was so miserable the whole time there due to cedar. Apparently one of the member had to leave after staying for a day due to allergy being so bad.
Since it was hard to tell as some of the covid symptoms are similar to cedar, we got him tested. Luckily the result was negative.

The symptoms are rather close. Looking forward to moving so I'm not bunkered in the house for two plus months a year surrounded by roaring HEPA filters. Anybody who thinks about moving here should come in January and make sure they aren't allergic.

 

[nakedfrog]

The symptoms are rather close. Looking forward to moving so I'm not bunkered in the house for two plus months a year surrounded by roaring HEPA filters. Anybody who thinks about moving here should come in January and make sure they aren't allergic.

Be careful about where you move with regard to wildfires too, then, doesn't seem likely they'll be on the downswing anytime soon

 

[K1052]

Be careful about where you move with regard to wildfires too, then, doesn't seem likely they'll be on the downswing anytime soon

West coast fires caused smoke to show up here in Texas anyway.

 

[Captante]

CT's positivity rate is 21.5 percent

 

[Spacehead]

I haven't looked for any yet, but are these home test any good? Is there a difference between brands?

 

[Muse]

I haven't looked for any yet, but are these home test any good? Is there a difference between brands?

I asked my doctor today (email) and he replied that they are 80% efficiency/effectiveness, whatever that means. I suppose that means that 4/5 times they are right? He said they can be hard to obtain but that Walmart had some yesterday. Said they can be obtained online. He suggested try the big pharmacies too. I have yet to do any covid test, but asked him so I'll have an idea how to get tested if I get sick. Better to know before that.

 

[Brainonska511]

I haven't looked for any yet, but are these home test any good? Is there a difference between brands?

For what they are, they are fine - probably pretty interchangeable between brands. But just keep in mind that because they are antigen-based, they have lower sensitivity compared to PCR- or NAAT-based tests (eg, modest false-negative rates - identifying only say, 5-8 out of 10 infections compared with PCR/NAAT which could identify 10/10). The big thing for them is the speed at which you can get results.

If I recall, some of the home tests also recommend serial testing - test once, then test again 24-36 hours later.