Coronavirus (2021) thread

[meltonblue]

Just on the next few years, I highly doubt it will be similar to the last twelve months. The main impact is going to be continuous vaccine rollout, it’s already being planned as a yearly thing.

Even with that, there still will be an impact and that’s going to be with us to stay too but nowhere near the scale we’re going through now.

 

[M18CTID]

Officially 8 (few symptoms a day or two before).
I’ve been booked by my GP to have a call with a hot covid clinic this afternoon. They’ll assess and if required they’ll get me in (or someone out) to due oxygen sat levels...hopefully some other form of treatment too.

Hope you get sorted mate. Didn’t realise you were only 8 days into it. Feels like you’ve been battling this for weeks

 

[grunge]

Just on the next few years, I highly doubt it will be similar to the last twelve months. The main impact is going to be continuous vaccine rollout, it’s already being planned as a yearly thing.

Even with that, there still will be an impact and that’s going to be with us to stay too but nowhere near the scale we’re going through now.

If it has to go to a yearly roll out then the single shot vaccines that are on the way will be key. a 2 jab solution isnt very optimal for a yearly event.

 

[ayrshire_blue]

Interested to see some links - I've not seen anything beyond potential worries yet.

Of course, what this does show is why it's so important to drive down cases.

There is huge pressure at the moment to open up the UK as soon as those most at risk from death (70+) are vaccinated. This absolutely must be avoided for two reasons:

(1) There will be a massive spike of infections in the u70s, who actually comprise the majority of cases in ICUs: we'll hospitalise and disable huge numbers of people.
(2) It's the perfect way to develop vaccine resistant strains - a segment who've only had one dose of a vaccine massively exposed to another segment where infection rates are sky high. If you *wanted* to develop a vaccine resistant virus, that would be the perfect strategy.

I'm guessing it's based on the link above which I had posted last night. As I say though, the post itself says it doesn't take into account T or B cells and their role in this thing, so perhaps not as bad as it sounds? I do still wonder if although they do the same job, vaccine induced antibodies might have a greater effect than prior infection due to amounts involved - again if that were to be the case then this might not be the end of the world. Hopefully anyway.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I'm guessing it's based on the link above which I had posted last night. As I say though, the post itself says it doesn't take into account T or B cells and their role in this thing, so perhaps not as bad as it sounds? I do still wonder if although they do the same job, vaccine induced antibodies might have a greater effect than prior infection due to amounts involved - again if that were to be the case then this might not be the end of the world. Hopefully anyway.

Thanks, I'd seen that. Looks like, for now, there is evidence from lab assays that these new variants have some impact on immunity, but certainly not complete escape. How significant is as yet unknown. There does not yet seem to be any evidence of increased levels of reinfection.

Mutations were always know to be an issue. None of this seems to be a reason for panic, but it *does* strengthen the case that many public health experts have made from the start:

We need to drive cases as low as possible, ideally to zero. Living with a high level of infections is not a sensible strategy.

 

[blueparrot]

I’m unsure, but does mean they are still detecting antibodies in those that had it back in spring / summer ?
These are from Oct/ Dec so if done now those with antibodies must be higher than these figures.



The proportion of the population testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies almost doubled between October and December 2020, according to Office for National Statistics estimates.

Approximately one in 10 people had antibodies against the virus across the UK in December, with England topping the list at one in eight people or about 12% of the population.

That equates to 5.4 million people over the age of 16.

In Wales, an estimated one in 10 had antibodies and one in 11 in Scotland. The likelihood of having antibodies was lowest in Northern Ireland at one in 13 or 7.6%.


Since October, the number of people with Covid antibodies has increased across the UK.

Yorkshire and the Humber has overtaken London as having the highest proportion of people with antibodies at 16.8%, up from 9.5% when the ONS last published the figures in October, and from below 5% in May.

London is close behind at 16.4%, up from 11% in October. At the last peak in May, 15% of the population in London had antibodies, but this fell, as detectable antibodies recede with time.

In the North West, 15% of people had antibodies, more than doubling from 6% in October.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-55715793

 

[twosips]

Thanks, I'd seen that. Looks like, for now, there is evidence from lab assays that these new variants have some impact on immunity, but certainly not complete escape. How significant is as yet unknown. There does not yet seem to be any evidence of increased levels of reinfection.

Mutations were always know to be an issue. None of this seems to be a reason for panic, but it *does* strengthen the case that many public health experts have made from the start:

We need to drive cases as low as possible, ideally to zero. Living with a high level of infections is not a sensible strategy.

I trust this fella hugely. He's very, very good. His tone in reply to Kucharskis's tweets is incredibly telling, and it's a big change in tone by his standards having followed him for a while. Yes, there may be some protection still, but I can't pretend it isn't concerning.

 

[Cityfan]

Officially 8 (few symptoms a day or two before).
I’ve been booked by my GP to have a call with a hot covid clinic this afternoon. They’ll assess and if required they’ll get me in (or someone out) to due oxygen sat levels...hopefully some other form of treatment too.

Good luck with it and hope you get better quick.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

If that is the case then to a certain extent all we will be doing is existing rather than living. People will start to feel battle fatigued and will start to rebel against the restrictions.
Some may take the view that we are all going to go at some point so we might as well enjoy ourselves before we do.

The most worrying aspect will be those people who have the jab thinking they can suddenly go about their everyday lives again.

The standard of reporting on what this jab actually affords is downright pathetic.

Most of the papers yesterday reporting we are all ready to book our summer holidays...

Excuse me, last time I heard, the jab reduces the severity of Covid for those most at risk, there is no such knowledge yet of it stopping transmission from those administered it.

Millions of people will still be waiting in line for their turn, so their ability to infect/contract remains the same, as does the threat posed by those of the populous who start to think 'I'm alright Jack', having had the jab but still able to infect others.

There is a gross misrepresentation of what this vaccine will afford us, certainly this year.

Other countries are further behind us in the roll out, so it is completely selfish and irresponsible of the mass media to talk about normality in the coming months, booking holidays, etc.

It is a not a Covid killer jab, it is a window of some immunity for a period of time, so we need to understand that this might be with us for the long term.

The biggest challenge will be suppressing the behavior of those who believe they are somehow 'clean' and the rules suddenly don't apply.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I trust this fella hugely. He's very, very good. His tone in reply to Kucharskis's tweets is incredibly telling, and it's a big change in tone by his standards having followed him for a while. Yes, there may be some protection still, but I can't pretend it isn't concerning.

Vaccines should still offer protection against the more severe symptoms even for those lineages.