Coronavirus (2021) thread

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carlosthejackal said:
Variants have always been on the cards , the media love sensationalising everything, as I’ve said before vaccinations and science are the route out with enormous steps being made daily , no point in getting down about every snippet of news all it will do is send you mad . Things are getting better.
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I don't think you can say that I do any of this. Nor that I am unaware as to what is going on here.

The fact we have allowed these variants to take root and are still not effectively controlling our borders will mean this will drag on longer than it might have done.

And we are guessing as to how well the vaccines will respond to the rapid changes to combat it that our vaccines are forcing the virus to do. Nobody can know as viruses are unpredictable.

But unless and until we stop these new variants becoming endemic in the UK by more effective border controls this will become a long dance between humanity and the virus and tweaks to the vaccine and a ruinously expensive one.

We are not eradicating this virus now just by vaccinating the population. Way past there. We simply have to reach an equilibrium point where we can live with it long term with it being regarded much as we do many other diseases that are not killing so visibly every week.

The UK is well ahead in the vaccine race. We have a big chance now to win the battle in the medium term not the long term. But if we do this and at the same time toss away the edge we gain by letting the world and it's cat bring every new strain by coming here unfettered because we are a 'crossroads of the world' we will be in this dance of virus - vaccine - modified virus - modified vaccine - that will go on for some time.

We are not the Isle of Man or New Zealand and never can be. But unless and until we are more like them than an open barn door we will never be as successful as they will be in getting on top of this now rapidly mutating virus.

These are just realities we have to live with. And letting the new strains become endemic with people unconnected with travel from those places is not good news however you look at it.
 
Sky just reported a Cambridge University study questioning the efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine after 21 days when administered as a single dose in those over 80. Anyone else seen that mentioned elsewhere?
 
mcfc_ms said:
Just got back from taking my gran for her vaccine. Quite emotional seeing all the elderly look so happy after having something as simple as a vaccine. A few younger disabled kids/adults there today too getting theirs too. All the staff and nurses there were fantastic and very positive
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At last. A ray of sunshine to warm todays proceedings.
 
Gabriel said:
Sky just reported a Cambridge University study questioning the efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine after 21 days when administered as a single dose in those over 80. Anyone else seen that mentioned elsewhere?
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We will soon have a real world test of that with millions of people so we will know for sure I expect by March.
 

Second highest weekly number of deaths since pandemic began

A total of 8,422 deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending 22 January mentioned COVID-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is the second highest weekly number since the pandemic began.

The figure is up from 7,245 deaths in the week to 15 January.

Nearly half (45.1%) of all deaths registered in England and Wales in the week to 22 January mentioned COVID-19 on the death certificate - the highest proportion recorded during the pandemic

The ho!idays came at a very high price
 
Healdplace said:
We will soon have a real world test of that with millions of people so we will know for sure I expect by March.
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Yes, the South African variant has already been seen in Israel as well, so the next two months should be telling. It should also be possible to compare the effectiveness of the adopted strategies.
 
Sputnik 5 is apparently 91% effective after the second dose, but on limited numbers right now and bigger trials being completed now. Had always been sceptical about the Russian/Chinese vaccines but it dawned upon me a few weeks ago with this variant issue that we absolutely need to get these vaccines manufactured and distributed on a global basis or we could be chasing our tails for a long time here. The Russians and Chinese seem to be donating or distributing for political reasons alot of these vaccines to the poorer countries so their role in achieving this target will be vital. Can't see the EU/U.S./U.K doing too much until our own houses are in order. Hopefully they are at least safe anyway...

https://www.theguardian.com/society...inst-symptomatic-covid-russian-trial-suggests
 
I see a piece in the Lancet is saying we should add the Russian Sputnik vaccine to our arsenal as its efficacy is now clearly established.

I suspect it will be hard to divorce politics from this vaccine or to get some people to take it for inevitable reasons but should we trust doctors evaluating it? I would if it speeds things up.
 
Gabriel said:
Yes, the South African variant has already been seen in Israel as well, so the next two months should be telling. It should also be possible to compare the effectiveness of the adopted strategies.
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I think the real concern today is that there has been a further mutation that makes it more adept at evading the immune system.

Our vaccination programme is going so well it will inevitably create this fightback from a virus proving swifter at mutating in response to barriers than I think most had hoped.

Luckily we too have learned to adapt vaccines more swiftly but you cannot keep vaccinating all the vulnerable on Earth again and again until the dance between virus and vaccine slows a little more than it seems to be happening right now.

Luckily for us the UK is a genuine world leader in identifying variants and we may have a head start in getting on top of them. IF we do the right things in response.
 
Family member in one of the eight SA variant surge districts says Hermes driver told her they are now suspending deliveries to that post code for a week. Not sure if this is an isolated instance or the sign of things to come. If supermarkets take the same view, there will be chaos.
 
kaz7 said:
Certainly not what i wanted tony to say , i cant do covid a second time when my lungs are still not recovered from the first time
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Another excellent reason to ensure we don't open up until cases are very low, and then gradually, rather than as soon as the o70s are vaccinated, as political pressure may pus us.
 
sir baconface said:
Family member in one of the eight SA variant surge districts says Hermes driver told her they are now suspending deliveries to that post code for a week. Not sure if this is an isolated instance or the sign of things to come. If supermarkets take the same view, there will be chaos.
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something wrong when a parcel del Co is playing it safe and the goverment are sat on the fence,imediate postcode full lockdown would and is the only way forward
 
kaz7 said:
The media are not sensationalising it , one of the top guys in the world as in trials have found reinfections with these new variants , the is nothing to be gained by waiving away anything you cant happy clap about , facing the truth is the best way
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I predicted who would have liked this post before i looked and i got 3 out of 3!

Its not happy clapping - the attempt to find the most depressing news article and create panic will send poor BlueMatt over the edge! Van Tam and his collogue are calm about mutation and just say we are adept at amending vaccines and it can be done quickly. The media just want sensational clicks.
 
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