Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[roydo]

The theory there seems to be that a country regularly exposed to diseases have a population with immune systems ready to fight off virus like Covid19.

Wouldn't that be the same in Brazil therefore, a place that has a long record of ill health caused by diseases that attack the immune system?

I dunno. I have no idea if Brazil have a history of CV type infections. I guess, like most things, there will not be ONE reason why populations cope differently, but a petri dish of all sorts.

But I struggle to square the circle why British born Asians are high risk here, while in India billions have shrugged it of. It seems. Could be anything. My theory just has a strand of admittedly my logic.

 

[peteblue]

Quoits might make a big comeback.

But you keep showing pictures of nice sunny days. All these things are done in the summer, there is a reason that the Darts season runs from around Oct to March.....

 

[navidson]

Christmas will be gone in the new world. The only worship is that of the party comrade. And each morning when you rise at dawn for your work in the fields you’ll be bloody grateful.

Like food? Like work!

 

[Chris O'Connor]

We should really start to see many more second doses, at least by the end of next week. If it’s only 650000 - 750000 by middle or end of March, we are going to be running a huge risk.

The plan is for up to a 12 week gap between doses, there are currently no plans for a markedly shorter interval between them.

At least in Sefton, most started being given first doses with such an interval intended, in the week starting January 8th, which would make 12 weeks later either very late March or the start of April. The few receiving their first doses before then in December mostly had their second in the first week of January.

For most of the vulnerable groups, it's late March at the earliest for the second.

(I realise not everywhere is exactly the same and some centres will start earlier)

 

[Chris O'Connor]

We have to make sure we get it right this time compared to last year.

The vaccination rollout looks to be working well so we have light at the end of the tunnel.

But, we still need to be prepared and have a working track and trace system just in case for new variations.

I would think the work being done to develop a booster vaccination which works with known (and unknown future) mutations to the spike protein (on the surface of the virus) is vital to our efforts.

The spike protein structure being largely unchanged is crucial to the current vaccines, so that any mutation that results in changes to it's structure hinders their effectiveness.

To combat not just the South African variant but future variants which have either similar (or future different changes) to the spike protein a different method of how the vaccine works is needed.

The new all encompassing vaccine being developed at Oxford no longer mimics the spike protein on the surface of the virus, and therefore no longer depends on an immune reaction to that spike protein. Instead it targets a protein further within the core of the virus itself meaning any future variations involving structural changes to the surface spike protein won't affect its effectiveness.

There is a booster vaccine against known variants planned to be in production within 6 months but the new universal vaccine is likely to take a year

 

[Methuselah]

My brother who is a retired priest at St. Mary's Monastery in Woolton has got Covid. He is 86 on Wednesday next week. I spoke to him on the phone yesterday and he said he feels a bit better but sounded very frail. He said he can't concentrate on anything, has no energy, no appetite. Which is most unlike him as he has always been a 'get up and go' guy since we were kids. He was always wanting to learn new things while all I wanted to do was play football. Just hope and pray that he continues to pull through. There is only 13 months between us in age and we grew up like twins.
We were together in the boys' pen when Goodison had the record crowd in 1948/49.

 

[roydo]

I would think the work being done to develop a booster vaccination which works with known (and unknown future) mutations to the spike protein is vital to our efforts.

The spike protein structure being largely unchanged is crucial to the current vaccines, so that any mutation that results in changes to it's structure hinders their effectiveness.

To combat not just the South African variant but future variants which have either similar (or future different changes) to the spike protein a different method of how the vaccine works is needed.

The new all encompassing vaccine being developed at Oxford no longer mimics the spike protein on the surface of the virus, and therefore no longer depends on an immune reaction to that spike protein. Instead it targets a protein further within the core of the virus itself meaning any future variations involving structural changes to the surface spike protein won't affect its effectiveness.

There is a booster vaccine against known variants planned to be in production within 6 months but the new universal vaccine is likely to take a year

Sorry for being dim, and you obviously know what you are on about, but is that all good or not so good news?

 

[maccavennie]

My brother who is a retired priest at St. Mary's Monastery in Woolton has got Covid. He is 86 on Wednesday next week. I spoke to him on the phone yesterday and he said he feels a bit better but sounded very frail. He said he can't concentrate on anything, has no energy, no appetite. Which is most unlike him as he has always been a 'get up and go' guy since we were kids. He was always wanting to learn new things while all I wanted to do was play football. Just hope and pray that he continues to pull through. There is only 13 months between us in age and we grew up like twins.
We were together in the boys' pen when Goodison had the record crowd in 1948/49.

Hope he recovers swiftly mate.

 

[Charro]

Indoor drinking and dining must be a thing of the past.

Hahahahahah. That’s his best work so far.

Might as well say sitting indoors has to be a thing of the past you massive mentalist.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

Sorry for being dim, and you obviously know what you are on about, but is that all good or not so good news?

Good news in that we are not standing still, we know for a fact there will be plenty of new variants as every virus undergoes mutations all the time it's therefore inevitable. Some of these new variants will inevitably make our current vaccines ineffective.

So instead of just accepting the inevitable, work is already underway on changing the way the new generation of vaccines work so they're not so dependant on the outer surface structure of the vaccine (and more specifically the spike protein found on its surface) staying the same. New mutations will change the surface 'shape' of the virus, including the bit the vaccines depend on staying constant, so we need to always keep updating the vaccines.

The new methodology of vaccine production being developed will hopefully take away the need for constant boosters against new mutations as it targets something within the core of the virus and isn't dependant on no changes to the virus surface 'shape'.

 

[roydo]

Good news in that we are not standing still, we know for a fact there will be plenty of new variants as every virus undergoes mutations all the time it's therefore inevitable. Some of these new variants will inevitably make our current vaccines ineffective.

So instead of just accepting the inevitable, work is already underway on changing the way the new generation of vaccines work so they're not so dependant on the outer surface structure of the vaccine (and more specifically the spike protein found in its surface) staying the same. New mutations will change the surface 'shape' of the virus, including the bit the vaccines depend on staying constant, so we need to always keep updating the vaccines.

The new methodology of vaccine production being developed will hopefully take away the need for constant boosters against new mutations as it targets something within the core of the virus and isn't dependant on no changes to the virus surface 'shape'.

Thats the thing that has slowly dawned on me; to me and most, this is weird, scarey, all sorts.

But to the lab folk and boffins, its kinda normal work to them.

 

[tsubaki]

The plan is for up to a 12 week gap between doses, there are currently no plans for a markedly shorter interval between them.

At least in Sefton, most started being given first doses with such an interval intended, in the week starting January 8th, which would make 12 weeks later either very late March or the start of April. The few receiving their first doses before then in December mostly had their second in the first week of January.

For most of the vulnerable groups, it's late March at the earliest for the second.

(I realise not everywhere is exactly the same and some centres will start earlier)

I know, which is the big risk. We've still got no idea how long the first dose (edit: the level of the protection, of the Pfizer dose only) lasts, or whether the second dose will be as effective if given that long after the first.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

Thats the thing that has slowly dawned on me; to me and most, this is weird, scarey, all sorts.

But to the lab folk and boffins, its kinda normal work to them.

Yeah the booster stuff is just similar to flu vaccines atm, every year we have new flu strains and the annual vaccines are amended accordingly.

The vaccine currently works by injecting parts that to the body look like a spike protein that exists on the surface of the Covid virus. The body actually produces antibodies against the spike protein, the virus being attacked because it contains the spike protein, which the antibodies recognize, on its surface.

So any changes to the structure of the Covid virus spike protein will mean the antibodies produced as a result of the vaccine won't recognize it and therefore won't attack the virus.

If however the new methodology and new generation of vaccines injected a different part of the Virus, (not the actual virus part but something that mimicked it) and something that's not contained on the viruses outer shell but inside, being an integral part to the actual core of the virus, then any changes to surface protein shapes just won't matter as the vaccines won't be targeting them.

 

[roydo]

Yeah the booster stuff is just similar to flu vaccines atm, every year we have new flu strains and the annual vaccines are amended accordingly.

The vaccine currently works by injecting parts that to the body look like a spike protein that exists on the surface of the Covid virus. The body actually produces antibodies against the spike protein, the virus being attacked because it contains the spike protein, which the antibodies recognize, on its surface.

So any changes to the structure of the Covid virus spike protein will mean the antibodies produced as a result of the vaccine won't recognize it and therefore won't attack the virus.

If however the new methodology and new generation of vaccines injected a different part of the Virus, (not the actual virus part but something that mimicked it) and something that's not contained on the viruses outer shell but inside, being integral part to the actual core of the virus, then any changes to surface protein shapes just won't matter as the vaccines won't be targeting them.

Amazing.

I took comfort when I read/heard that there are 3000 proteins in a CV virus, and the folk know what ones do what, based on past experience. So thats the starting game.

I guess its like I know jack about cars. Can drive one, inflate tyres, top up oil, and thats it. So a problem to me, is straight forward to a good mechanic.

Thats my comfort blanket, all things Covid.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

I know, which is the big risk. We've still got no idea how long the first dose (edit: the level of the protection, of the Pfizer dose only) lasts, or whether the second dose will be as effective if given that long after the first.

Tests with the AZ vaccine have produced promising results with the 12 week interval meaning a stronger response than just 21 days. The Pfizer data from Israel published yesterday suggest much the same is probable and a strong effectiveness will still be maintained after 12 weeks.