Coronavirus (2021) thread

[birchwoodgingerste]

It’s far more likely that mutations become weaker than stronger. Viruses don’t want to kill their host.

If thats true why is the omicron strain more powerfull rather than less.?

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

If thats true why is the omicron strain more powerfull rather than less.?

It’s more transmissible. The signs so far suggest it is less potent that delta, but on limited data.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

It’s more transmissible. The signs so far suggest it is less potent that delta, but on limited data.

More transmissable but less potent thats a new one.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

More transmissable but less potent thats a new one.

Like a cold Is?

Tramissability and death rates don’t have to go in the same direction.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

Like a cold Is?

Tramissability and death rates don’t have to go in the same direction.

But if everyones had a jab so are more protected then surely the data would be inconclusive would it not??

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

But if everyones had a jab so are more protected then surely the data would be inconclusive would it not??

Only 24% of Saffers have, from what I read.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

But if everyones had a jab so are more protected then surely the data would be inconclusive would it not??

It wouldn’t be inconclusive, but it wouldn’t be 100% accurate to the U.K.

They could take the percentage of vaccinated and do ratios, but we are dealing with a potential variant with a significantly different protein spike, so they have to work out how effective current vaccines are against it too.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

It wouldn’t be inconclusive, but it wouldn’t be 100% accurate to the U.K.

They could take the percentage of vaccinated and do ratios, but we are dealing with a potential variant with a significantly different protein spike, so they have to work out how effective current vaccines are against it too.

Ok thanks for taking time to explain.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Ok thanks for taking time to exsplain.

We’ll get through this. We’re not far off now.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

We’ll get through this. We’re not far off now.

Hope so pal fingers crossed.

 

[mccity]

More transmissable but less potent thats a new one.

It's worth understanding that like animals, viruses are living beings whose primary function is to survive and spread.

COVID is hyper spreadable. And it has the bonus skill of going undetected for a while which makes it even better at spreading. It doesn't actually need to be as potent as it is to survive and flourish in humans (it came from bats which do require heavy duty viruses to bypass their immune systems), it only needs to be potent enough to get to a point where it can get a heavy load in a person and then spread on to the next ones.

So if it's managed to become more transmissible somehow, it is likely going to be anywhere from equally potent as before (unlikely), or less potent (likely). It wouldn't have gained anything from being more potent. It's even more likely that being less potent is what made it more transmissible, and not the other way around.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

It's worth understanding that like animals, viruses are living beings whose primary function is to survive and spread.

COVID is hyper spreadable. And it has the bonus skill of going undetected for a while which makes it even better at spreading. It doesn't actually need to be as potent as it is to survive and flourish in humans (it came from bats which do require heavy duty viruses to bypass their immune systems), it only needs to be potent enough to get to a point where it can get a heavy load in a person and then spread on to the next ones.

So if it's managed to become more transmissible somehow, it is likely going to be anywhere from equally potent as before (unlikely), or less potent (likely). It wouldn't have gained anything from being more potent. It's even more likely that being less potent is what made it more transmissible, and not the other way around.

Backs up what alan harpers tash was saying makes sense now thanks for posting.

 

[mccity]

Backs up what alan harpers tash was saying makes sense now thanks for posting.

Also I'm not 100% sure of this, but viruses need living cells to replicate because of how basic they are. So it's a biological disadvantage to them if their hosts die.

 

[SWP's back]

If thats true why is the omicron strain more powerfull rather than less.?

Is it? Where have you read that?

usually viruses become more transmissible but less lethal.

 

[worsleyweb]

Be interesting to see if all the works xmas parties go ahead.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

It's worth understanding that like animals, viruses are living beings whose primary function is to survive and spread.

COVID is hyper spreadable. And it has the bonus skill of going undetected for a while which makes it even better at spreading. It doesn't actually need to be as potent as it is to survive and flourish in humans (it came from bats which do require heavy duty viruses to bypass their immune systems), it only needs to be potent enough to get to a point where it can get a heavy load in a person and then spread on to the next ones.

So if it's managed to become more transmissible somehow, it is likely going to be anywhere from equally potent as before (unlikely), or less potent (likely). It wouldn't have gained anything from being more potent. It's even more likely that being less potent is what made it more transmissible, and not the other way around.

All the variants so far have been roughly as potent as each other so the likelihood is that the new variant will have similar potency. It may not of course:

 

[Gaylord du Bois]

S.African doctor says patients with Omicron variant have "very mild" symptoms

A South African doctor who was one of the first to suspect a different coronavirus strain among patients said on Sunday that symptoms of the Omicron variant were so far mild and could be treated at home.

www.reuters.com

 

[grunge]

S.African doctor says patients with Omicron variant have "very mild" symptoms

A South African doctor who was one of the first to suspect a different coronavirus strain among patients said on Sunday that symptoms of the Omicron variant were so far mild and could be treated at home.

www.reuters.com

while I hope this pans out when I read an interview with her yesterday she only mentions about it predominantly effecting those under 40. Which are those you would expect to be mild cases anyways.

I can’t help but think this is just South Africa PR fire fighting as they have lost business due to everyone red listing them.

we need a lot more data. Most medical organisations are saying it will be months before we really know if it’s more or less deadly.

edit. For reference hospitalisations have tripled in 2 weeks in the main area of SA where Omicron has taken hold. From 135 to 418.

DAILY HOSPITAL SURVEILLANCE (DATCOV) REPORT - NICD

DAILY HOSPITAL SURVEILLANCE (DATCOV) REPORT DAILY HOSPITAL SURVEILLANCE (DATCOV) REPORT (Jul-Dec 2022) NICD COVID-19 SURVEILLANCE IN SELECTED HOSPITALS (2 Sep 2022) NICD COVID-19 SURVEILLANCE IN SELECTED HOSPITALS (1 Sep 2022) NICD COVID-19 SURVEILLANCE IN SELECTED HOSPITALS (31 Aug 2022) NICD...

www.nicd.ac.za

 

[Vic]

vaccines should be sent to poor countries for sure ! sadly they dont have the money to pay for them!

Good grief. Some of the £37bn on our "World-beating" (not) test and trace would have been better spent on vaccines for poor countries.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Be interesting to see if all the works xmas parties go ahead.

Well there’s one bonus of covid.