Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[davek]

A more deadly strain of the vaccine but the Tory Death Cutl say the lockdown we have is ok.

Is the penny beginning to drop yet?

 

[BlueToff]

That was a genuinely worrying press conference, particularly the doubts on the efficacy of the jab.



But he says there is "more concern" about the susceptibility of the South African and Brazilian variants to vaccinations.

There are concerns about this, he says, adding that it is being studied at laboratories around the world.


The Daily Telegraph's Gordon Raynor raises a video he says has been posted by Health Secretary Matt Hancock aimed at travel agents, suggesting the South African variant is 50% less susceptible to vaccines than the original strain of the virus.

He asks whether this is correct and, if so, whether it will affect the government's approach to whether to tighten UK border controls.

The PM runs through the measures that the UK has in place, including the ban on direct flights from South Africa and "rigorous" obligations for people entering the UK in terms of quarantine and tests.

But he suggests "we may need to go further to protect our borders", saying the massive progress the UK is making in terms of vaccinations cannot be undermined.




If that is true about the new strains, I think the vaccines being the light at the end of the tunnel, might just be a false dawn.

That's how you've chosen to take it, yet left out Whitty making a crucial point that the vaccines - and this is based on how vaccines have worked in the past against almost every illness - will likely still protect against serious illness or death, even if they do not fully protect against infection. They won't know for sure just yet, but based on previous experience, which is all they can go off at the moment.

That is the point of a vaccine. And that will help the health systems ensure they are not overrun.

 

[BlueToff]

A more deadly strain of the vaccine but the Tory Death Cutl say the lockdown we have is ok.

Is the penny beginning to drop yet?

Up to employers to start following the guidance which - word for word - is the same as it was in March, too?

 

[roydo]

If that is true about the new strains, I think the vaccines being the light at the end of the tunnel, might just be a false dawn.

But it isnt true about the new strains.

It was one Lab in Exeter.

 

[neil999]

I thought viruses become less dangerous when they mutate?

 

[arminisgod]

I thought viruses become less dangerous when they mutate?

maybe i'm being thick but i really didn't get Vallance. The new variant doesn't cause any more deaths if you go into hospital with COVID, but is more fatal.

I really didn't understand that at all

 

[BlueStevie35]

Hospital figures - 1170 deaths were announced today, up 221 on yesterday and up 229 on last Friday. 993 deaths were in English hospitals, up 204 on yesterday and up 186 on last week. The 7 day rolling average rises to 917.57

All settings - for the 28 day cut off, 1401 deaths were announced today, up 111 on yesterday and up 121 on last Friday. The 7 day rolling average rises to 1240.86

For the 60 day cut off, 1528 deaths were announced today, up 126 on yesterday and up 121 on last Friday. The 7 day rolling average rises to 1338.43

 

[roydo]

maybe i'm being thick but i really didn't get Vallance. The new variant doesn't cause any more deaths if you go into hospital with COVID, but is more fatal.

I really didn't understand that at all

Thats me as well.

My take, FWIW, was that the Old Covid one meant 10 in 1000 folk over 60 would need the hospital, but the Covid Plus meant 13 in a 1000 would need a bed.

Vaxtastic.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

I don't understand that once all the elderly and vulnerable have been vaccinated we won't be able to go back to something like more normal life.

Because it's public relations (PR) bull on the vaccine number rollout. This PR bullsh*te is just the one jab that is not what the Vaccine manufactures suggest in best practice, terrible. It's like we are in the afterlife with Trump in his tower...

 

[roydo]

Because it's public relations (PR) bull on the vaccine number roll. This PR bullsh*te is just the one jab that is not what the Vaccine manufactures suggest in best practice, terrible. It's like we are in the afterlife with Trump in his tower...

You clearly didnt watch the briefing.

Or if you did, you made a cuppa when that was explained. By a scientist.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

You clearly didnt watch the briefing.

Or if you did, you made a cuppa when that was explained. By a scientist.

I gave up watching those handmaidens in November when they stood gormless and allowed Johnson promise 5 day Christmas... Principled by science they are not.

 

[roydo]

I gave up watching those handmaidens in November when they stood gormless and allowed Johnson promise 5 day Christmas... Principled by science they are not.

Not gonna argue the toss on Johnson.

But Whitty explained quite clearly that the single dose to max out the numbers to get SOME protection is far better at suppressing a spread than 2 doses into half the number.

 

[Tubey]

maybe i'm being thick but i really didn't get Vallance. The new variant doesn't cause any more deaths if you go into hospital with COVID, but is more fatal.

I really didn't understand that at all

He's gone on an average of studies and just looked at raw numbers.

I'm reality he's dealing with a limited data set because he has less than a month of data on it, compared to 10 months on the old variant.

The new variant may be slightly more deadly because it infects quicker and more easily, meaning a more rapid viral load. But by a factor of 33%? Nah. Not having it - I don't think that'll be borne out longitudinally.

 

[davek]

Up to employers to start following the guidance which - word for word - is the same as it was in March, too?

The employers are making the decision to get people in work and make money if they can...which is the nature of employers. It's the government's job to take that decision out of their hands. If that means subsidising them beyond rent relief, that's what needs doing.

All roads lead to Nos 10 and 11 Downing St.

 

[BlueToff]

Not gonna argue the toss on Johnson.

But Whitty explained quite clearly that the single dose to max out the numbers to get SOME protection is far better at suppressing a spread than 2 doses into half the number.

He won't listen to you mate