NON_POLITICAL China Coronavirus THREAD

[snoopy7548]

With the abundance of tests (via USPS and the ones your insurance can provide for free), I've just started doing moderately regular testing. Like, went out to a concert or on a trip - test 2-3 days later, regardless of how I feel.

Me too, to an extent. The tests expire, so there's no point in keeping them long-term especially if you can keep ordering more.

 

[allisolm]

The tests expire, so there's no point in keeping them long-term especially if you can keep ordering more.

Many of the tests provided by the government have had their expiration dates extended as data on usefulness is accumulated over time. See link below for dates. Unfortunately, the ones I got have not had the date extended.

At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

Expiration dates and more about authorized at-home OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests information.

www.fda.gov

 

[Captante]

Many of the tests provided by the government have had their expiration dates extended as data on usefulness is accumulated over time. See link below for dates. Unfortunately, the ones I got have not had the date extended.

At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

Expiration dates and more about authorized at-home OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests information.

www.fda.gov

The individually packaged first 4 tests I received (ACON & made in China) are on the "extended" list @ 16 months shelf life and are ok until April 2023 so no rush to use them up.

The single box 4-pack I received second (Roche/SD Biosensor & made in Korea) OTOH only have a 6-month shelf life expiring in mid-August and have not been extended per the FDA site.

 

[allisolm]

The single box 4-pack I received second (Roche/SD Biosensor & made in Korea) OTOH only have a 6-month shelf life expiring in mid-August and have not been extended per the FDA site.

Those are the ones I received but mine expire Jul 4.

 

[balloonshark]

I also have the Roche/SD Biosensor from the first batch of freebies. Expires July 5th which could be inconvenient since people get together for the 4th.

 

[Captante]

Connecticut Daily-positivity now @ 14%.

370 hospitalized/serious cases.

 

[pete6032]

Cases are soaring. Why hasn't second booster been approved for entire population?

 

[BudAshes]

Cases are soaring. Why hasn't second booster been approved for entire population?

Maybe it is not that effective against the new strains?

 

[pmv]

Cases are soaring. Why hasn't second booster been approved for entire population?

The figures I see do suggest that cases (in the US and globally) are on a distinct upward curve, but I wouldn't call it "soaring". At least not in comparison with the last, Omicron, wave.

I am curious _why_ infections are going up again. Is it just everyone getting individually complacent or bored of the whole thing, plus official restrictions being lifted?

But deaths don't seem to be rising along with infections, so presumably the existing vaccinations (plus the lower deadliness of Omicron?) are sufficient to avoid serious consequences? And that's why there's no hurry about a second booster?

 

[Brovane]

The figures I see do suggest that cases (in the US and globally) are on a distinct upward curve, but I wouldn't call it "soaring". At least not in comparison with the last, Omicron, wave.

I am curious _why_ infections are going up again. Is it just everyone getting individually complacent or bored of the whole thing, plus official restrictions being lifted?

But deaths don't seem to be rising along with infections, so presumably the existing vaccinations (plus the lower deadliness of Omicron?) are sufficient to avoid serious consequences? And that's why there's no hurry about a second booster?

COVID as with any other respiratory virus will have seasonal variation to it's infections.

I would say immunity both vaccine induced and natural immunity from a previous infection or both is resulting in more mild and asymptomatic cases for those that do get infected again. Those who do get a serious case of COVID after vaccination seem to be mostly medically frail.

This to me is the new normal. We will have fluctuations in cases but COVID is a endemic Coronavirus. Hopefully at some point there will be a updated vaccine that targets the more recent variants circulating. I don't wear a mask when I am out now unless a business specifically requests it. Next month I am planning to attend Cisco live in Las Vegas.

 

[pmv]

COVID as with any other respiratory virus will have seasonal variation to it's infections.

Just on this point, I don't think seasonality is the issue at the moment - as we are heading into the warmer part of the year in the northern hemisphere one would expect infection numbers here to fall rather than increase.

What I read is that it might be because of yet more sub-variants of omicron, which are even more infectious still. They seem to be multiplying into alpha-numeric soup now. B.A.2.12.1, B.A.3, B.A.4, B.A.5 and B.A. Baracus (though vaccines still retain Mr T Cell immunity against that last one).

 

[Torn Mind]

I think this is just a matter of actually paying attention to a virus this closely that we notice increasing numbers. I'm pretty sure COVID's relatives also get people sick in the summer but they never needed to be studied scientifically since a few old dead people wasn't worth the money.

Testing in times of low trouble is mainly a hobby of the better off in terms of transportation and finances. After all, once can only take so many bus rides or taxis just to get tested before it gets tiresome and starts hitting the wallet(of the individual or the state, as some locales like my local county provide free rides to testing locations).

 

[Brovane]

Just on this point, I don't think seasonality is the issue at the moment - as we are heading into the warmer part of the year in the northern hemisphere one would expect infection numbers here to fall rather than increase.

We have seen COVID surge during the summer in the US for the last 2-years.

 

[Captante]

Connecticut 7-day rolling positivity now @ 14.19%.

354 Hospitalized/serious cases. *(+31 new cases but -16 overall)

Many of the people I've seen when out have been masked up last week or so. (It had dropped substantially)

 

[pmv]

We have seen COVID surge during the summer in the US for the last 2-years.

Really? Not from the figures I see. It tends to peak during the winter then decline in the warmer months, as one would expect from more people being in close quarters indoors with the windows shut when the weather is cold. This time a year ago daily case numbers in the US were falling, not rising.

 

[Brovane]

Really? Not from the figures I see. It tends to peak during the winter then decline in the warmer months, as one would expect from more people being in close quarters indoors with the windows shut when the weather is cold. This time a year ago daily case numbers in the US were falling, not rising.

Yes really. Do you really not remember the US surges in 2020 and 2021? The surge in the Southern states is probably caused by more people being indoors with windows shut and AC on because of high temperatures outdoors.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/01/health/covid-southern-summer-surge-prediction/index.html

"This is what we have to be prepared for in this country. We should be preparing right now for a potential surge in the summer across the Southern United States because we saw it in 2020 and we saw it in 2021."

 

[pmv]

Yes really. Do you really not remember the US surges in 2020 and 2021? The surge in the Southern states is probably caused by more people being indoors with windows shut and AC on because of high temperatures outdoors.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/01/health/covid-southern-summer-surge-prediction/index.html

"This is what we have to be prepared for in this country. We should be preparing right now for a potential surge in the summer across the Southern United States because we saw it in 2020 and we saw it in 2021."

Well, maybe it's the case on a regional level, then (parts of the US being so hot that, I guess, it works backwards, with AC taking the place of heating). Nationally it seems cases peak in the winter. As has been the case here in Europe.

Exactly a year ago cases were falling nationally as spring arrived, now they have been rising in the same season - that seems like a difference that isn't just down to the time of year.

 

[pmv]

....Here in UK case numbers have fallen dramatically, but it's very hard to be sure how much of that is down to stopping providing free testing kits. Clearly much less testing is happening, so I don't know what to make of the numbers now.

 

[Stopsignhank]

The numbers are going up and with the new test kits there are many cases not being reported. I know 5 people who had COVID in the last month. They confirmed they had COVID with the home tests and used the home tests until they were negative. So they were never officially counted in the COVID numbers. This includes my wife and son. Ironically I was the only one that took an official COVID test and it was negative.

 

[Brainonska511]

Tested positive today via an antigen test that I swabbed my scratchy throat with. A bunch of friends we saw on the weekend also are testing positive . Assuming I had COVID in January (using my wife's positive test as a proxy), this is the second time in under 6 months.

 

[K1052]

Tested positive today via an antigen test that I swabbed my scratchy throat with. A bunch of friends we saw on the weekend also are testing positive . Assuming I had COVID in January (using my wife's positive test as a proxy), this is the second time in under 6 months.

Yeesh. Feel better.

Would be nice if the FDA would approve a shot that protects better against symptomatic Omicron one of these days...

 

[Brainonska511]

Yeesh. Feel better.

Would be nice if the FDA would approve a shot that protects better against symptomatic Omicron one of these days...

Thanks! So far, only mild, but we're only maybe 2 days from exposure. Hoping my adventures in what was presumably omicron in January provide some additional protection.

 

[dullard]

Well, maybe it's the case on a regional level, then (parts of the US being so hot that, I guess, it works backwards, with AC taking the place of heating). Nationally it seems cases peak in the winter. As has been the case here in Europe.

I think part of the issue is that May isn't summer. Summer is the very end of June through most of September. In the US there are distinct peaks in both summer (people indoors with AC) and in winter (people indoors with heating). Also one thing to keep in mind is that with free (or nearly free) at-home testing in the US, the official numbers starting in 2022 can't be compared to the official numbers pre-2022. That is because many people who test positive are not bothering to call in to report being sick to the officials. I fully feel that we have had higher case loads in winter than in summer, but this recent uptick is still important.

 

[dullard]

Would be nice if the FDA would approve a shot that protects better against symptomatic Omicron one of these days...

Yes, that would be nice. But the FDA cannot approve anything that hasn't yet been submitted for approval. That is like me asking you to approve my next request that I publicly make here for you. Will you do that?

Omicron specific vaccines should be submitted to the FDA around September, give or take a month.

 

[dullard]

Many of the tests provided by the government have had their expiration dates extended as data on usefulness is accumulated over time. See link below for dates. Unfortunately, the ones I got have not had the date extended.

At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

Expiration dates and more about authorized at-home OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests information.

www.fda.gov

I work for a company that makes similar medical test kits (note: none of our tests are Covid related). For new products, it is quite hard to determine when they will expire. We base our expiration dates on accelerated aging at elevated temperatures, expectations from similar products, manufacturer claims from the individual components, and business-related reasons. That last part is the most dubious. We don't want to have to recall anything, so we are quite cautious with expiration dates. Basically, if one of these brand new kits says it expires in June, it is probably good for a couple months past that just to avoid the possibility of a recall.

Once more data comes in with stability tests for longer periods of time at different temperatures, then we get real data and put real expiration dates on the products. Often they are far less conservative with the second batch. It is common for us to initially put 6 month dating on kits when later we find out they last 2+ years.