Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[BlueToff]

Theres not a single person this hasnt impacted in some way, we have all suffered, all made sacrifices, all lost things, whether thats money, holidays, going to Goodison, even visiting our friends and family, it all counts and it all matters.

We didn't do it for the old, the sick, the ill, the fat, I thought we did it cos thats what we should do as humans, protect other humans.

I know, a silly idea, but I would rather we clung on to the last thing that makes us human and not animals.

Yeah I'm fully aware and agree with it mate. I don't agree with what the poster said.

 

[BlueStevie35]

Hospital figures - 81 deaths were announced today, down 18 on yesterday and down 12 on last Wednesday. 69 deaths were in English hospitals, down 19 on yesterday and down 8 on last week. The 7 day rolling average falls to 81.43

All settings - for the 28 day cut off, 98 deaths were announced today, down 14 on yesterday and down 43 on last Wednesday. The 7 day rolling average falls to 78.71

For the 60 day cut off, 209 deaths were announced today, down 24 on yesterday and down 82 on last Wednesday. The 7 day rolling average falls to 161.43

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

Whats the answer then? You can't lockdown forever incase another variant appears. The scientists seem confident that the vaccines will have an impact on all versions so we are hopefully past the worst of it. There will be further deaths but hopefully we are past the worst of it.

My personal view is that this will be eventually brought under control by vaccines in the way that influenza has. We will probably need robust border controls and track and trace for the next couple of years though.

 

[Jebus_lives]

We have to accept the inevitable that the virus will never be eradicated and you have to accept it's worldwide and therefore the extent of the problem. There will always be places where it's completely out of control and spreading rapidly, even with the best vaccines because not all will have them.

It's why the COVAX program is so important and why no country or continent can be complacent even if in the future it's down to only 'background' levels in Europe and nearer home. A worldwide problem needs the world to come together and keep fighting it on every continent even after its down to very low levels in Europe, North America and parts of Asia

Wherever it's more prevalent there are going to be further mutations. The more mutations there are then the chances are that the Covid virus' spike protein will also be radically altered by some of them. The more radically the Covid virus' spike protein's shape is changed then the less effective current vaccines are likely to be.

There is then an adaption process in which current vaccines will have to be modified to cope with new mutations. The vaccination program will likely continue next Winter and Spring too with at least booster shots with new mutations protection for vulnerable groups and maybe more extensively too, rather as the seasonal Flu vaccines are given now. It'll only be seasonal Covid vaccines once some control is exerted everywhere though. While the levels are high it will still be an all year round problem.

There is the prospect of different techniques being used to develop a vaccine not so dependent on a largely unchanged Covid virus spike protein but targeting one of the virus' core proteins, If developed the new vaccine wouldn't be anything like so rapidly overtaken by new mutations making it far more effective for far longer.

Financial incentive for countries to do this, even if the humanitarian inclination is overridden by national politics.

The Economic Case for Global Vaccinations - ICC - International Chamber of Commerce

An ICC Research Foundation commissioned study showing that advanced economies stand to lose USD trillions through vaccine nationalism.

iccwbo.org

There was an opportunity for countries to work together better to tackle a global issue and it's largely fallen down.

 

[Jebus_lives]

My personal view is that this will be eventually brought under control by vaccines in the way that influenza has. We will probably need robust border controls and track and trace for the next couple of years though.

 

[summerisle]

Latest weekly figures for the North West :

 

[davek]

Latest weekly figures for the North West :

12 areas seeing an increase in cases.

That's worse than last week isn't it?

 

[roydo]

12 areas seeing an increase in cases.

That's worse than last week isn't it?

Its the weird way the data is presented mate. Using % rise from a lowish base can look alarming, add in that they do not say how many are actually being tested, and pretty blunt conclusions can be made.

The other week, my area had a 100% increase in cases, and moved the area from surpressed, to light green. It was 2 to 4 in reality.

This week, its back to under 3. Granted, areas of denser and larger populations will obvs be more liable to a rise, but nationally, the trend, (the important bit) is firmly downward looking.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

But if there are no foreign holidays this year people will be forced to holiday at home. Those figures assume that the Spanish will all sit at home and won't spend a cent in their own country.

That's depressing having to experience what normally goes abroad again.
I'm sure there are very upstanding people who normally go abroad, however, it was noted by people in tourism round my way the distinct lack of basic manners and general poor decorum of summer 2020, which even termed a name "the Costa crowd".

 

[mrb85]

No, I mean the UK virus. Itls the variant perfected by the utter helmets in government who told people to do stuff like eat out to help out and spread the virus about.

Didn't know what you eat leads to mutations........

 

[mrb85]

Johnson: 3rd wave effect from continent expected here in weeks.

There is absolutly no way that this economy/society can open up as planned. It would turn into a wild fire, and would represnt the 3rd disaster this government had initiated in 15 months.

I'd suggest you widen your reading. So vaccination is a total waste of time then?

 

[mrb85]

Those people who refuse the vaccination, if they catch covid, should be made to pay the cost of their treatment.

And then we can extend this principle to smokers, car drivers, big drinkers.......in other words, privatisation.

 

[davek]

Its the weird way the data is presented mate. Using % rise from a lowish base can look alarming, add in that they do not say how many are actually being tested, and pretty blunt conclusions can be made.

The other week, my area had a 100% increase in cases, and moved the area from surpressed, to light green. It was 2 to 4 in reality.

This week, its back to under 3. Granted, areas of denser and larger populations will obvs be more liable to a rise, but nationally, the trend, (the important bit) is firmly downward looking.

Nationally that is the case. But here in the north west there are areas that simply cant get on top of the virus other than by a complete lockdown. Towns where there's multi-generational house occupancy; a lot of front line or key workers making contact with the virus; low income and poor health.

These places cant tolerate reopening. The infection rate will steeply rise in no time and then spread out from there.

 

[summerisle]

12 areas seeing an increase in cases.

That's worse than last week isn't it?

By 1.

 

[davek]

I'd suggest you widen your reading. So vaccination is a total waste of time then?

Yes, because that's what I said.

FFS.