Coronavirus (2022) thread

[Stoned Rose]

Thanks to all who replied to my query, much appreciated :)

 

[Sibierskii]

The Sun is reporting that the requirement to take a PCR test after a positive LFT will be scrapped in the coming days in order to free up capacity. You would just need to isolate for seven days and have negative LFTs on days six and seven to rejoin the world.

Makes sense as with the number of cases now what really is the point of confirmatory PCRs?

Edit: Lead story on The Telegraph too so it's happening.

Surely this will see cases plummet

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Just received this text message from my medical centre. -

There is a text being circulated telling people that they are eligible for a COVID Pass and if they don't get one they will be fined. The text directs the user to click on a link that directs them to a payment site. THIS IS A SCAM and the text should be deleted. No-one has to pay for a COVID pass and no-one is going to get fined. You can access your COVID pass via the NHS app or you can ring 119 and ask for one. THEY ARE FREE.

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

Surely this will see cases plummet

It will see reported cases plummet probably.

Do the case numbers really matter at the moment? What matters most is hospitalisations and deaths and I’m sure the ONS can get an accurate picture of cases via the PCR tests that still will be done plus the general monitoring it does constantly.

 

[Healdplace]

Multiple hospitals (17) across Greater Manchester have today declared a severe problem due to missing staff off ill or isolating and the big rising Covid case levels locally. And put on hold all non urgent surgery.

As of last night the North West and Greater Manchester both set records for highest cases across the pandemic - beating those recently set by London.

234 patients - easily the most in the UK - were added to the NW hospital Covid patient numbers yesterday. Now at 2618 - up from 1392 seven days ago and 909 two weeks ago.

Happily just 98 on ventilators (up from 86 two weeks ago) - way less than from similar patient numbers in the past. Showing it is indeed apparently less dangerous by seemimgly not getting to the lungs as easily as older strains did.

North West had 29,360 cases yesterday and Greater Manchester 12,078 of those. Both records.

Only Rochdale and Trafford did not quite have over 1000 cases plus in the 10 GM boroughs yesterday.

Routine treatments being scaled back or stopped in multiple sites across GM to cope.

Take care all local Blue Mooners. Be patient with the NHS. GM is now at the epicentre for the next couple of weeks only hopefully as it is already starting to ebb in London. And whilst it is milder the NHS need your help locally to cope with all the other things that tend to need hospital treatment in January. Especially with ice and snow forecast.

 

[artfuldodger]

Multiple hospitals (17) across Greater Manchester have today declared a severe problem due to missing staff off ill or isolating and the big rising Covid case levels locally. And put on hold all non urgent surgery.

As of last night the North West and Greater Manchester both set records for highest cases across the pandemic - beating those recently set by London.

234 patients - easily the most in the UK - were added to the NW hospital Covid patient numbers yesterday. Now at 2618 - up from 1392 seven days ago and 909 two weeks ago.

Happily just 98 on ventilators (up from 86 two weeks ago) - way less than from similar patient numbers in the past. Showing it is indeed apparently less dangerous by seemimgly not getting to the lungs as easily as older strains did.

North West had 29,360 cases yesterday and Greater Manchester 12,078 of those. Both records.

Only Rochdale and Trafford did not quite have over 1000 cases plus in the 10 GM boroughs yesterday.

Routine treatments being scaled back or stopped in multiple sites across GM to cope.

Take care all local Blue Mooners. Be patient with the NHS. GM is now at the epicentre for the next couple of weeks only hopefully as it is already starting to ebb in London. And whilst it is milder the NHS need your help locally to cope with all the other things that tend to need hospital treatment in January. Especially with ice and snow forecast.

Is there a link to which ones? We are in Stockport, which as you know has high case numbers. My son suffered an injury playing rugby on Sunday and we took him to Stepping Hill, anticipating being in A&E all night. We were pleasantly surprised to be out after 90 mins, which included having an X-ray.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Multiple hospitals (17) across Greater Manchester have today declared a severe problem due to missing staff off ill or isolating and the big rising Covid case levels locally. And put on hold all non urgent surgery.

As of last night the North West and Greater Manchester both set records for highest cases across the pandemic - beating those recently set by London.

234 patients - easily the most in the UK - were added to the NW hospital Covid patient numbers yesterday. Now at 2618 - up from 1392 seven days ago and 909 two weeks ago.

Happily just 98 on ventilators (up from 86 two weeks ago) - way less than from similar patient numbers in the past. Showing it is indeed apparently less dangerous by seemimgly not getting to the lungs as easily as older strains did.

North West had 29,360 cases yesterday and Greater Manchester 12,078 of those. Both records.

Only Rochdale and Trafford did not quite have over 1000 cases plus in the 10 GM boroughs yesterday.

Routine treatments being scaled back or stopped in multiple sites across GM to cope.

Take care all local Blue Mooners. Be patient with the NHS. GM is now at the epicentre for the next couple of weeks only hopefully as it is already starting to ebb in London. And whilst it is milder the NHS need your help locally to cope with all the other things that tend to need hospital treatment in January. Especially with ice and snow forecast.

On the back of this,lets finally hope the penny drops with society's fucktards and the inappropriate use of the NHS/Emergency Services is significantly reduced by way of them taking more responsibility for their own existence and managing them selves accordingly.

 

[Dubai Blue]

Back to the Jokovic issue, it's an absolute travesty that they have decided to allow him to take part. An utter disgrace.

Putting aside the gross unfairness in treating him differently to everyone else, what sort of shit message does this send out, that chosing to not be vaccinated is perfectly OK and without consequence???

I am heartened by the stories coming out that the Australian federal govenment, responsible for border control, may - and presumably will - deny him entry to the country. The PM has said "If he is not vaccinated, he must provide acceptable proof that he cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons to be able to access the same travel arrangements as fully vaccinated travellers."

Given Jokovic's reluctance to discuss his vaccination status, I can only hope he will (rightly) be denied entry.

No-one is forcing Jokovic to have injections (nothwithstanding him being an utter moron in not having them) but at the same time, no-one is forcing him to play in the Australian open either. His choice.

One of the exemptions seems to be if you've had COVID-19 in the last 6 months. I can't see how any of the others could possibly apply to him, so I assume it's that one.

 

[blueinsa]

On the back of this,lets finally hope the penny drops with society's fucktards and the inappropriate use of the NHS/Emergency Services is significantly reduced by way of them taking more responsibility for their own existence and managing them selves accordingly.

Triage should start at the doors of A&E. Don’t even let the selfish fuckers in if it is not a medical emergency.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Triage should start at the doors of A&E. Don’t even let the selfish fuckers in if it is not a medical emergency.

100%.

Unfortunately though,where an Ambulance is concerned/requested,they pretty much have to attend......and the resource has then been compromised.

 

[Churchlawtonblue]

It will see reported cases plummet probably.

Do the case numbers really matter at the moment? What matters most is hospitalisations and deaths and I’m sure the ONS can get an accurate picture of cases via the PCR tests that still will be done plus the general monitoring it does constantly.

It will also reduce isolation times, as currently you have to start your isolation after the result of your pcr. which could take 2 or 3 days to take and get your result after you have done a lft.

 

[SWP's back]

A quick question regarding Omicron in particular. I've been optimistic about this maybe being the end game for the pandemic ever since the early data that came out of SA and I'm still holding that view, but due to its ability to re-infect those who have previously had Covid so much more than the other main variants, is it possible for those who have had Omicron to get it again and again? We hear a lot about levels of immunity to Covid through prior infection but could Omicron end up like the common cold not just in terms of symptoms but in terms of us being able to keep catching it over and over?

It reinfects people that have had other variants mate as it has enough mutations on the spike protein for antibodies to not recognise it (though T-killer cells do and attack it). It doesn’t mean it reinfects people that have had Omicron as far as I’m aware, mate.

 

[Healdplace]

Is there a link to which ones? We are in Stockport, which as you know has high case numbers. My son suffered an injury playing rugby on Sunday and we took him to Stepping Hill, anticipating being in A&E all night. We were pleasantly surprised to be out after 90 mins, which included having an X-ray.

Not seen one, sorry, but BBC News are likely to do something on it. It is not just GM. But they were specifically mentioned.

tbh I had no idea there even were 17 hospitals in Greater Manchester. That sounds like most of them. Given I can only name about half that number.

I am pretty sure they will see anyone still in need and are just trying to deter frivolous visits from someone who has stubbed their toe or postponing routine things that can be delayed without risk to health.

And they will try to discharge as early as possible if deemed safe to do so and treat at home where feasible - which is not a bad thing anyway.

But the double whammy of fast rising patients and fast dwindling staff off with Omicron is bound to create a short term hiatus.

Very likely will be short term though as Omicron seems to burn fast and furious and so probably not be like this for months.

 

[blueinsa]

100%.

Unfortunately though,where an Ambulance is concerned/requested,they pretty much have to attend......and the resource has then been compromised.

We should give the paramedic onboard the authority to say no ambulance trip to an A&E department is necessary.

 

[M18CTID]

It reinfects people that have had other variants mate as it has enough mutations on the spike protein for antibodies to not recognise it (though T-killer cells do and attack it). It doesn’t mean it reinfects people that have had Omicron as far as I’m aware, mate.

Ok, cheers mate

 

[hgblue]

It reinfects people that have had other variants mate as it has enough mutations on the spike protein for antibodies to not recognise it (though T-killer cells do and attack it). It doesn’t mean it reinfects people that have had Omicron as far as I’m aware, mate.

I think this is probably correct. My daughter had Delta a few months ago and has what I presume to be Omicron now. However, it's unbelievably mild, two days of a sore throat and a bit of a headache and she's already feeling better.

 

[Healdplace]

The only thing about Omicron we are as yet not totally clear on is now that the patient age profile is shifting and younger age groups (where it has been mild) are decreasing and more (though still not big numbers) in the older more vulnerable groups are catching it via the interactions over Christmas - then how that will impact the hospital data.

It is likely there will be some impact as in those ages the problem is often Covid triggering other diseases that are more likely in older people so it could still increase those. But if the lack of travel into the lungs holds true there too as seems hopeful it will make a big difference.

The numbers to watch are the hospital patients v ventilator ratio. Right now these are very hopeful. As it looks like patients are going in. staying a few days and not getting as far as icu. How far that changes as more older patients arrive will be the key. It will go up. But it is looking hopeful not by enough to be anything like as bad as last January pre vaccines.

We are nowhere near the numbers then - especially of ventilated patients. If that continues we will get through this in fairly short order I suspect.

We were over 1000 ventilated patients in the UK even pre Omicron a couple of months ago. Numbers are still down on that right now. A huge change as these were rising VERY fast this time last year with the older strains. Especially with the massive increase in cases in past few weeks.

We were triple the numbers we have now back then and getting worse to peak around the third week in January. Which may be almost exactly the track we are on now a year later but with very much lower numbers on the key measures. Due to the vaccines primarily and, it seems, a different acting variant.

 

[SWP's back]

That would go down well if Boris said it….

 

[artfuldodger]

On the back of this,lets finally hope the penny drops with society's fucktards and the inappropriate use of the NHS/Emergency Services is significantly reduced by way of them taking more responsibility for their own existence and managing them selves accordingly.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjP8srxypr1AhV4QEEAHWAFAG8QFnoECBIQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.redcross.org.uk%2Fnowhere-to-turn&usg=AOvVaw0XqgF6elDaGm7PjmgweyX1

Just 1 per cent of people in England make up nearly a third of ambulance call outs and 16 per cent of A&E visits, a report has found.

 

[shemnel]

What is the latest evidence re jabs reducing (or not) the chances of actually catching covid? i guess omicron changed this? and the chances of then transmitting it on?

are we still in the same situation that being jabbed is reducing these things compared to not being jabbed? (completely ignoring the subsequent health impact)