Oh. Omicron
Nov 29th 2021, 11:03 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 247
Oh. Omicron
While we're playing the 'wait and see' game with the latest variant take a look at the tweets of South African Council of Scientific and Industrial Researcher Ridhwaan Suliman
and keep an eye on statements made by the like of people such as Rudo Mathiva:
Also, we're hearing about people in Australia and Israel who are double vaxxed, and previously infected, that have tested positive for the new strain but aren't sick with it.
There is nothing to suggest yet that Omicron is causing death or morbidity in the fully vaccinated. The takeways for me are
1. Get the whole world vaccinated asap. We're not safe until we're all safe.
2. Ensure that booster shots are made available at the correct interval be it 2,3 or 6 months.
3. Carry on with vaccination-plus strategy, i.e. vaccines plus mask wearing, good ventilation and social distancing.
4. Lift or modify the travel bans asap so that medical supplies and reagents can get into southern Africa (see 1).
5. Protect our most vulnerable - older people and immunocompromised.
Provincial update #COVID19 in South Africa:
• All provinces reporting an increase in cases now; GP still of most concern followed by WC
• Case incidence up to 12 new cases per 100k in GP, still below 2 in rest
• New hospital admissions in GP doubling every week https://twitter.com/rid1tweets
• All provinces reporting an increase in cases now; GP still of most concern followed by WC
• Case incidence up to 12 new cases per 100k in GP, still below 2 in rest
• New hospital admissions in GP doubling every week https://twitter.com/rid1tweets
and keep an eye on statements made by the like of people such as Rudo Mathiva:
“We’re seeing a marked change in the demographic profile of patients with COVID-19,” Rudo Mathivha, head of the intensive care unit at Soweto’s Baragwanath Hospital, told an online press briefing.
“Young people, in their 20s to just over their late 30s, are coming in with moderate to severe disease, some needing intensive care. About 65% are not vaccinated and most of the rest are only half-vaccinated,” said Mathivha. “I’m worried that as the numbers go up, the public health care facilities will become overwhelmed.” https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireSt...amble-81417682
“Young people, in their 20s to just over their late 30s, are coming in with moderate to severe disease, some needing intensive care. About 65% are not vaccinated and most of the rest are only half-vaccinated,” said Mathivha. “I’m worried that as the numbers go up, the public health care facilities will become overwhelmed.” https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireSt...amble-81417682
There is nothing to suggest yet that Omicron is causing death or morbidity in the fully vaccinated. The takeways for me are
1. Get the whole world vaccinated asap. We're not safe until we're all safe.
2. Ensure that booster shots are made available at the correct interval be it 2,3 or 6 months.
3. Carry on with vaccination-plus strategy, i.e. vaccines plus mask wearing, good ventilation and social distancing.
4. Lift or modify the travel bans asap so that medical supplies and reagents can get into southern Africa (see 1).
5. Protect our most vulnerable - older people and immunocompromised.
Last edited by Brisbannite; Nov 29th 2021 at 11:05 pm.
Nov 30th 2021, 3:51 am
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: Oh. Omicron
While we're playing the 'wait and see' game with the latest variant take a look at the tweets of South African Council of Scientific and Industrial Researcher Ridhwaan Suliman
and keep an eye on statements made by the like of people such as Rudo Mathiva:
Also, we're hearing about people in Australia and Israel who are double vaxxed, and previously infected, that have tested positive for the new strain but aren't sick with it.
There is nothing to suggest yet that Omicron is causing death or morbidity in the fully vaccinated. The takeways for me are
1. Get the whole world vaccinated asap. We're not safe until we're all safe.
2. Ensure that booster shots are made available at the correct interval be it 2,3 or 6 months.
3. Carry on with vaccination-plus strategy, i.e. vaccines plus mask wearing, good ventilation and social distancing.
4. Lift or modify the travel bans asap so that medical supplies and reagents can get into southern Africa (see 1).
5. Protect our most vulnerable - older people and immunocompromised.
and keep an eye on statements made by the like of people such as Rudo Mathiva:
Also, we're hearing about people in Australia and Israel who are double vaxxed, and previously infected, that have tested positive for the new strain but aren't sick with it.
There is nothing to suggest yet that Omicron is causing death or morbidity in the fully vaccinated. The takeways for me are
1. Get the whole world vaccinated asap. We're not safe until we're all safe.
2. Ensure that booster shots are made available at the correct interval be it 2,3 or 6 months.
3. Carry on with vaccination-plus strategy, i.e. vaccines plus mask wearing, good ventilation and social distancing.
4. Lift or modify the travel bans asap so that medical supplies and reagents can get into southern Africa (see 1).
5. Protect our most vulnerable - older people and immunocompromised.
Nov 30th 2021, 4:58 am
#3
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 247
Re: Oh. Omicron
While we're playing the 'wait and see' game with the latest variant take a look at the tweets of South African Council of Scientific and Industrial Researcher Ridhwaan Suliman
and keep an eye on statements made by the like of people such as Rudo Mathiva:
Also, we're hearing about people in Australia and Israel who are double vaxxed, and previously infected, that have tested positive for the new strain but aren't sick with it.
There is nothing to suggest yet that Omicron is causing death or morbidity in the fully vaccinated. The takeways for me are
1. Get the whole world vaccinated asap. We're not safe until we're all safe.
2. Ensure that booster shots are made available at the correct interval be it 2,3 or 6 months.
3. Carry on with vaccination-plus strategy, i.e. vaccines plus mask wearing, good ventilation and social distancing.
4. Lift or modify the travel bans asap so that medical supplies and reagents can get into southern Africa (see 1).
5. Protect our most vulnerable - older people and immunocompromised.
and keep an eye on statements made by the like of people such as Rudo Mathiva:
Also, we're hearing about people in Australia and Israel who are double vaxxed, and previously infected, that have tested positive for the new strain but aren't sick with it.
There is nothing to suggest yet that Omicron is causing death or morbidity in the fully vaccinated. The takeways for me are
1. Get the whole world vaccinated asap. We're not safe until we're all safe.
2. Ensure that booster shots are made available at the correct interval be it 2,3 or 6 months.
3. Carry on with vaccination-plus strategy, i.e. vaccines plus mask wearing, good ventilation and social distancing.
4. Lift or modify the travel bans asap so that medical supplies and reagents can get into southern Africa (see 1).
5. Protect our most vulnerable - older people and immunocompromised.
"If it emerges that this variant is no more dangerous than the Delta variant, then we won't keep measures in place for a day longer than necessary.
"Our experience of fighting this virus has shown us it's best to act decisively and swiftly when we see a potential threat. Which is why we're building our defences and putting these measures in place without delay." https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59470344
"Our experience of fighting this virus has shown us it's best to act decisively and swiftly when we see a potential threat. Which is why we're building our defences and putting these measures in place without delay." https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59470344
Last edited by Brisbannite; Nov 30th 2021 at 5:00 am.
Nov 30th 2021, 10:41 pm
#4
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 247
Good and bad news about Omicron
Good
- Three vaccine doses is as effective against Omicron as it is against Delta for serious illness and preventing infection. Any decrease in protection is probably within the margin of error at this stage
- The risk of not recovering from Omicron is twice as high as Delta
- The rate of infection is very high: 1.3 times greater than Delta. It is more transmissible
- The severity of the illness in the unvaccinated* is 2.4 times worse than the original strain
First publication - Preliminary data: The vaccine protects highly effectively against the new varient https://www.mako.co.il/news-lifestyl...fe17d71027.htm
Dec 1st 2021, 4:43 pm
#5
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2019
Location: France atm
Posts: 747
Re: Good and bad news about Omicron
Good
- Three vaccine doses is as effective against Omicron as it is against Delta for serious illness and preventing infection. Any decrease in protection is probably within the margin of error at this stage
- The risk of not recovering from Omicron is twice as high as Delta
- The rate of infection is very high: 1.3 times greater than Delta. It is more transmissible
- The severity of the illness in the unvaccinated* is 2.4 times worse than the original strain
Dec 1st 2021, 5:19 pm
#6
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2019
Location: France atm
Posts: 747
Re: Good and bad news about Omicron
Good
- Three vaccine doses is as effective against Omicron as it is against Delta for serious illness and preventing infection. Any decrease in protection is probably within the margin of error at this stage
- The risk of not recovering from Omicron is twice as high as Delta
- The rate of infection is very high: 1.3 times greater than Delta. It is more transmissible
- The severity of the illness in the unvaccinated* is 2.4 times worse than the original strain
Dec 1st 2021, 7:42 pm
#7
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: Good and bad news about Omicron
No matter what logic you present, which you did, there will be some who thrive on the drama, and the easiest way to get drama is through negativity. Negativity manifests itself in left wingers (whingers) and logical solutions are often ignored as it doesn't suit the agenda
Dec 1st 2021, 8:30 pm
#8
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 247
Re: Good and bad news about Omicron
The two week time frame was initially suggested by some of the pharmaceutical companies but the WHO are saying they're getting data already:
The World Health Organization expects to have more information on the transmissibility of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus within days, its technical lead on COVID-19, Maria van Kerkhove, said in a briefing on Wednesday.
That was faster than the "weeks" the WHO had predicted last week that it would take to assess the data available on the variant after designating it a "variant of concern", its highest rating.....
Vaccine developers have said it will take about two weeks to assess whether their shots are effective against it.
WHO expects to have more information on Omicron transmission 'within days' | Reuters
That was faster than the "weeks" the WHO had predicted last week that it would take to assess the data available on the variant after designating it a "variant of concern", its highest rating.....
Vaccine developers have said it will take about two weeks to assess whether their shots are effective against it.
WHO expects to have more information on Omicron transmission 'within days' | Reuters
South Africa conducts genome sequencing on only a small proportion of total samples collected each week. The NICD did not give a total number of confirmed cases of Omicron infection. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa...te-2021-12-01/
The data, released by South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), shows that 52 infants under age 2 were among 452 COVID-19 patients admitted in Tshwane - the metropolitan area that includes the capital Pretoria - in the period between Nov. 14 and 28, a higher number than for any other age group.
However, taking into account the size of the populations of the various age groups, the risk of admission was higher for people over age 60.....
HAVE THE ADMISSIONS BEEN LINKED TO OMICRON?
No. Only a small percentage of positive test samples in South Africa are being submitted for genomic sequencing to detect the variant due to limited capacity. That means we cannot know for sure whether the infants in hospital were infected with Omicron, NICD scientists have said.
There is also uncertainty about whether all of the infants included in the data are infected with COVID-19, as not all are tested for the virus, scientists said.....The province of Gauteng, where Tshwane is located, has experienced an increase in flu cases in the past month.
"We need to be really careful to look at the other respiratory infections and diseases to work out why were children being admitted. Were they being tested as they were being admitted or was it precautionary?" said von Gottberg.
https://www.reuters.com/business/hea...ts-2021-12-01/
However, taking into account the size of the populations of the various age groups, the risk of admission was higher for people over age 60.....
HAVE THE ADMISSIONS BEEN LINKED TO OMICRON?
No. Only a small percentage of positive test samples in South Africa are being submitted for genomic sequencing to detect the variant due to limited capacity. That means we cannot know for sure whether the infants in hospital were infected with Omicron, NICD scientists have said.
There is also uncertainty about whether all of the infants included in the data are infected with COVID-19, as not all are tested for the virus, scientists said.....The province of Gauteng, where Tshwane is located, has experienced an increase in flu cases in the past month.
"We need to be really careful to look at the other respiratory infections and diseases to work out why were children being admitted. Were they being tested as they were being admitted or was it precautionary?" said von Gottberg.
https://www.reuters.com/business/hea...ts-2021-12-01/
Last edited by Brisbannite; Dec 1st 2021 at 8:36 pm.
Dec 1st 2021, 8:46 pm
#9
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 247
Re: Oh. Omicron
Nand, you can follow the WHO's technical lead on Twitter or look for tweets about her briefings:
Quick update on #COVID19 Omicron variant by
@WHO's
@mvankerkhove
https://twitter.com/mrigankshail/sta...72879427117057
@WHO's
@mvankerkhove
https://twitter.com/mrigankshail/sta...72879427117057
Last edited by Brisbannite; Dec 1st 2021 at 8:48 pm.
Dec 4th 2021, 3:11 pm
#10
Mostly Harmless
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Semi-rural wonderworld, Brisbane
Posts: 15,109
Re: Oh. Omicron
Omicron … Omigod … yeh, it all sounds very scary at first reading but what … actuallly … is the mortality rate?
In other words … apart from the media hype …. is anyone actually dying from this?
In other words … apart from the media hype …. is anyone actually dying from this?
Dec 14th 2021, 11:16 am
#12
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: Oh. Omicron
The Loony Project actually had the voice of reason on the show. Have they lost the plot? The good Prof will never provide the drama The Project craves
https://www.news.com.au/entertainmen...b46cd3f1b4151e
https://www.news.com.au/entertainmen...b46cd3f1b4151e
Dec 14th 2021, 11:33 am
#13
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2019
Location: France atm
Posts: 747
Re: Oh. Omicron
A person in England died from it.
