[COVID-19] General Discussion

[TRF_heineken]

damn, how you all feeling now? glad to see you're at least well enough to get on line

do you only have to quarantine for 10 days? in aus there has been talk of making it longer than 2 weeks because so many of our hotel quarantines have tested negative at two weeks but still gone on to infect people

My mom is still getting oxygen, but she's getting better everyday.

everyone else is fine since Monday. I'm still a bit fatigued, and the stomach aches are still a pain, but other than that I'm all good.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

So I just had COVID-19. Came out of self-isolation this morning. Myself, my wife, my dad, mom, brother and sister-in-law all tested positive last week Monday. Can honestly say, it's one of the worst experiences I've ever had.

Glad you're O.K (and I hope the rest of your family recover fully too). It's an odd disease indeed. I know people personally who have tested positive with no symptoms whatever through to people that have died from it (underlying conditions contributed) and almost everything in between. How were the rest of the +ve group. Similar to you or widely varied?

 

[TRF_heineken]

Glad you're O.K. It's an odd disease indeed. I know people personally who have tested positive with no symptoms whatever through to people that have died from it (underlying conditions contributed) and almost everything in between. How were the rest of the +ve group. Similar to you or widely varied?

So we all had the chills and body aches, and then from time to time we all had shortness of breath.

My other symptoms were headaches, diarrhea, coughing and fever.
My wife's symptoms were headaches, nausea, fever and redness of eyes.
My brother's symptoms were nausea, loss of smell, nausea and headaches.
My dad's symptoms were, fatigue, coughing, fever, body aches, headaches.
My mom's sympoms are fatigue, coughing, headaches and shortness of breath.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Puts things into perspective. Hope all of your family all recover fully from it @TRF_heineken .

For the UK we await Monday's decision. But would be surprised if there is not a delay.

What could a delay to the 21 June lockdown easing mean for England?

Analysis: with ministers said to be considering England’s 21 June easing, how delay could affect vaccinations and virus spread

www.theguardian.com

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Covid: Everyone can see hospitalisations going up, says PM

Boris Johnson says vaccine protection is key to unlocking, as number in hospital with Covid hits 1,000.

www.bbc.co.uk

Sadly hospital cases back above 1000.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

love the lady who tries to stick the key to her neck and it doesn't stick.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

If you have long Covid, as I did, don’t give up hope. Recovery is possible | Paul Garner

It’s different for everyone. In my case, finding an explanation for my symptoms that made sense was the key, says professor of infectious diseases research Paul Garner

www.theguardian.com

 

[Reiser99]

So the Delta variant now comprises 91% of new cases. This is the same variant that was discovered in India, which is the same country that the government refused to put on the red list immediately.

But yeah...not their fault, they're doing a stellar job.

 

[McTallshort]

love the lady who tries to stick the key to her neck and it doesn't stick.

Just tried that and obviously the AZ isn't magnetic

 

[Bada-Bing!]

So we all had the chills and body aches, and then from time to time we all had shortness of breath.

My other symptoms were headaches, diarrhea, coughing and fever.
My wife's symptoms were headaches, nausea, fever and redness of eyes.
My brother's symptoms were nausea, loss of smell, nausea and headaches.
My dad's symptoms were, fatigue, coughing, fever, body aches, headaches.
My mom's sympoms are fatigue, coughing, headaches and shortness of breath.

If you don't mind me asking:
How many of your family have had a jab yet before catching Covid? And how is the vaccination program going in SA?

 

[Reiser99]

So this may be my ignorance speaking, but is the fact that the delta variant is spreading quickly through a population that is largely vaccinated in someway actually very bad. My logic is that if it is going to mutate again here, which is possible, especially if it keeps being transmitted, then it is very likely that any mutation that succeeds will help it spread easier. The most obvious way would be a mutation that lets it get round the vaccine. Therefore not only did the government allow the delta variant in when it could have stopped it, it might also have helped create the perfect breeding ground for a vaccine resistant strain.

Anyone with more knowledge able to weigh in on this?

 

[Bada-Bing!]

From my reading and following the subject the data we have is that the current vaccines are effective against the Delta variant after two doses.

Whether it mutates again and gets around the current vaccines is a question that as far as I know doesn't have an answer yet.

If it does, then we need a booster, which Hancock says can be created in a 100 Days (pinch of salt to that).

Within the last 2 hours per Guardian feed:

PHE data confirms there have been 42 deaths so far in England with Delta variant

There's another little nugget in the Public Health England data released today which PA have picked up. As of 7 June, there have been 42 deaths in England of people who were confirmed as having the Delta variant of Covid-19 and who died within 28 days of a positive test, according to Public Health England.

Of this number, 23 were unvaccinated, seven were more than 21 days after their first dose of vaccine, and 12 were more than 14 days after their second dose.

No news on the ages of those who died.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Just had my 2nd Pfizer vaccine. 1st time I only had a sore arm so hopefully just the same this time. Have a bad feeling we could see a spike with the new variant though when lockdown ends, although I'd hope at this stage it won't be anywhere near the previous spikes.

 

[Which Tyler]

Just had my 2nd Pfizer vaccine. 1st time I only had a sore arm so hopefully just the same this time. Have a bad feeling we could see a spike with the new variant though when lockdown ends, although I'd hope at this stage it won't be anywhere near the previous spikes.

Vaccination does seem to put a major dampener on even the Delta variant - it's the 20-29 YO age group (10-19 comes second, and 30-39 come 3rd*) leading the cases at the moment - so running comparatively rife in the unvaccinated, but really low numbers (currently) amongst the vaccinated.

ETA: Found the actual data, rather that PHE's graph over the entire 15 months which is unreadable for recent trends.
[source]
Still can't find data for vaccination rates by age group. Best I've found is subdivided data on total numbers vaccinated, by different age groups (eg all under 30s lumped in together - I can unpick the subdivisions, but not the lumping in)

 

[BiggusLaddus]

Covid: Things are looking up in Bolton, eye of the variant storm

Bolton had been "ground zero" for the new variant, but now cases have started to fall.

www.bbc.co.uk

Things are getting better in Bolton.

I read another piece this morning (that I can't find now) which had graphs of the local case rates by age. It seems the variant spread rapidly through the young but then hit a brick wall with older people.

It was speculated that areas with higher vaccine take up rates than Bolton might not see much of a surge.

 

[BiggusLaddus]

That was it.

June 21: Why lockdown easing may be delayed

The UK should be braced for a surge in infections - but what's coming will be quite different to before.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Bada-Bing!]

My work place is still as things stand wanting everyone back into the office on 21 June. I have no objections going in as I have had both jabs, but I know at least 25% of the office who are under 30 won't have done so.

Crazy thing is I spoke to my line manager who said HR and partners are not allowed to ask if you have been jabbed yet or insist on a negative LFT to attend the office. Is this true of other work places?

 

[BiggusLaddus]

Is this true of other work places?

We were told a while ago that it was 'expected' that most people would be 2-3 days in the office from June, but we've had nothing since and I'm still at home full time.

It was pointed out that it is June and had been for a a while, but no more news. We think they're just sitting on it until the general work from home guidance is withdrawn.

No LFT required, just a temp check on arrival, socially distant everything, and masks when within 2m.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

We were told a while ago that it was 'expected' that most people would be 2-3 days in the office from June, but we've had nothing since and I'm still at home full time.

It was pointed out that it is June and had been for a a while, but no more news. We think they're just sitting on it until the general work from home guidance is withdrawn.

No LFT required, just a temp check on arrival, socially distant everything, and masks when within 2m.

My workplace makes no sense. They want us all in from 21 June 5 days a week and then from 1 August those above a certain level get 2 days a week allowance working from home. So 3 days in and 2 days at home. Why they don't do that from 21 June I don't know.

I am also working from home atm full time until 21 June. Went in once in May (first time since March 2020) and I managed to get a car park space so drove in. But office was pretty empty back then and there was no temp check although so called social distance was in place.

Travel on the tube is another concern if I don't get a car park space on return. Went into London last month at the weekend and found it pretty uncomfortable with the mixing and walking through walkways to different platforms.

Plus we have been told the fresh air has been ramped up in office to increase dispersal. Masks only required when going to loo only. Few will wear a mask whilst sat at their desk.

I would prefer if they just brought back in those who had had both jabs. Or if peeps who haven't really insist on coming in to at least produce a negative LFT. But hey ho I Don't make the decisions where I work.

Just feel we are just waiting for an outbreak in the office on return for those not yet vaccinated.

 

[ncurd]

My work place is still as things stand wanting everyone back into the office on 21 June. I have no objections going in as I have had both jabs, but I know at least 25% of the office who are under 30 won't have done so.

Crazy thing is I spoke to my line manager who said HR and partners are not allowed to ask if you have been jabbed yet or insist on a negative LFT to attend the office. Is this true of other work places?

God thats going to be a complicated minefield, my extremely limited knowledge is your HR is broadly wrong any business is allowed to do anything to be COVID safe according to their internal practices.

What they probably can't do is "gate" paying people based on it, so you can't require LFT tests and then not pay them for not being able to come into the office. I'm actually unsure what if someone can't work due a failed PCR test. Definitely true to vaccine as it would definitely be a discriminatory act.

Mind you where I work HR was saying back in October the "work from if you can" advise was not legally enforceable and they could demand you come into the office. They caught tons of flack for that apparently up and down the country so have pretty much left sites to organise themselves since so we don't know whats going on even though some us have made request to go in a couple days a week.