[COVID-19] General Discussion

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

crazy how much paying for the covid tests has changed the data.
March 30th 689K tests taken
April 7th 537K tests taken
April 21st 333K tests taken

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Which is why I stocked up prior to 1 April. Still not taking any until I get symptoms.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

As the global trailblazers of Omicron second wave Scotland is now over it. Cass started plummeting, then hospitalisations (down by a third from the peak). So hopefully a fall in deaths will follow.

China in all sorts of a pickle due to commitment to home made vaccines. I'm not even sure what they think they are attempting in Shanghai. Maybe delay things for a few weeks until they are well into spring? If they think Omicron subvariants are compatible with a zero Covid policy they are mad.

 

[The Seeker]

Good News!

United States is 'out of the pandemic phase,' Fauci says

The United States is finally "out of the pandemic phase," the country's top infectious disease expert said, as cases and hospitalizations are notably down and mask mandates are all but extinct. While there are still new infections spreading throughout the country - an average of 50,000 per day...

news.yahoo.com

 

[The Seeker]

Good News!

United States is 'out of the pandemic phase,' Fauci says

The United States is finally "out of the pandemic phase," the country's top infectious disease expert said, as cases and hospitalizations are notably down and mask mandates are all but extinct. While there are still new infections spreading throughout the country - an average of 50,000 per day...

news.yahoo.com

One day later and Dr. Fauci has retracted his statement. Oh well...

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Vaccine makers see off push to share Covid know-how

Shareholders failed to get Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna to share their Covid vaccine knowledge.

www.bbc.co.uk

Money talks in the end.

 

[Which Tyler]

One day later and Dr. Fauci has retracted his statement. Oh well...

Quite right too - it was a stupid thing to say in the first place - to the point I'd assumed he was being mis-quoted.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

And in China - still going for Zero Covid policy:

 

[Bada-Bing!]

What might rising Covid cases in South Africa mean for the UK?

South Africa is seeing a wave of coronavirus infections linked to two new ‘sub-lineages’ of Omicron: BA.4 and BA.5

www.theguardian.com

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

What might rising Covid cases in South Africa mean for the UK?

South Africa is seeing a wave of coronavirus infections linked to two new ‘sub-lineages’ of Omicron: BA.4 and BA.5

www.theguardian.com

I don't think it'll mean much for Europe. But it's probably going to be an example of a SH nation being far too cautious in their summer months with Omicron (more so than NH was in the same months (which were NH winter)). So I think they'll subjecting their people to a (hopefully final) tough winter of highly elevated hospitalisations. I think Aus, NZ and SA will all implement restrictions around June/July unless these subvariant prove less potent.

All hypothetical but expect another screwed up July test series in terms of crowds (not that that's a priority).

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Covid: World’s true pandemic death toll nearly 15 million, says WHO

These include deaths from Covid and from the indirect effects of the pandemic over two years worldwide.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Does US really have world's highest Covid death toll?

A new report suggests other countries had more excess deaths than US during the pandemic.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Bada-Bing!]

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

My sister and BIL as well as my nephew all got it on Friday. nephew is only two so he's unvaxxed not sure when the other two got their last booster. All have pretty bad symptoms but their outlooks is good. Pretty crazy to get it bad two years after the initial outbreak but here we are. Seems like numbers are up everywhere.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Ending England’s Covid restrictions was divisive – but the data shows we were right | Raghib Ali

Despite Omicron worries, England has fared no worse than other nations that kept restrictions in place, says clinical epidemiologist Raghib Ali

www.theguardian.com

 

[Umaga's Witness]

If it's may 12 where you are then it's me/cfs awareness day. Please be aware that MECFS and long COVID (same thing, just with specified trigger) are real. Some tips if you get sick with a virus like COVID or an enterovirus (similarly infects both respiratory and Ethelial cells in gut lining and has been thought by many for 50+ years to be the main contributor of MECFS) - don't eat sugar while you are Sick - a higher prevalence of the sugar eating bacteria has been associated rich getting long COVID or MECFS. Also rest adequately - don't push yourself.

 

[The Seeker]

A sad milestone was reached today in the USA.

COVID claims 1 million U.S. lives

NEW YORK (Reuters) -The United States has now recorded more than 1 million COVID-19 deaths, according to a Reuters tally, crossing a once-unthinkable milestone about two years after the first cases upended everyday life and quickly transformed it. By the time the World Health Organization (WHO)...

news.yahoo.com

 

[Bada-Bing!]

North Korea: Covid outbreak a great disaster, says Kim Jong-un

North Korea's leader blames the outbreak on bureaucratic and medical incompetence.

www.bbc.co.uk

And in North Korea Covid has finally hit the country.

 

[The Seeker]

 

[Which Tyler]

Not remotely surprised he's anti-vaxx - he's also amazingly racist / biggoted