Coronavirus thread

[Iota]

With infection rates ballooning here in London, it was something of a relief to see Gavin Williamson do a last minute U-turn and close all primary schools for two weeks at the beginning of term, after mystifyingly insisting that a number of them would open. He seemed to be operating under the impression that the coronavirus wouldn't do anything as recklessly irresponsible, as to cross from one postcode to another. 

It seems to me, with the virus now beginning to spread vigorously across the country and elsewhere, it would be sensible to close all schools, secondary and primary, for two weeks, in a bid to get a little ahead of the virus, rather than waiting for the inevitable surge. But this is again being resisted by the government, despite much pressure for them to do so.

[Todd]

France vows to boost pace of vaccinations after slow rollout 'fiasco'



The US isn't the only country with distribution and vaccination delays it seems.  Israel is the only charted country seeming to do well in terms of vaccinating its populace on a percentage basis.  I can't see how herd immunity through vaccination in the US can be achieved before late Q3 at the earliest.  Hopefully I am wrong.

[Mandryka]

It seems to me, with the virus now beginning to spread vigorously across the country and elsewhere, it would be sensible to close all schools, secondary and primary, for two weeks, in a bid to get a little ahead of the virus, rather than waiting for the inevitable surge. But this is again being resisted by the government, despite much pressure for them to do so.

Well you know the tories have a winning formula with Covid - they're topping the poles, they've convinced people that it's the people's fault that the disease is rampant, and they and their friends have had a good feed at the trough and are much richer for it. They're not going to do anything to jeopardise what is, from their point of view, a most excellent Covid pandemic.

[Mandryka]

Israel is the only charted country seeming to do well in terms of vaccinating its populace on a percentage basis.

Er what about the population in occupied Palestine? Israel are responsible for their health under international law, but of course, from their point of view, the less Palestinians the better so Covid is a blessing in disguise.

[Mandryka]

I hope authorities around the world have learned a few lessons for the next pandemic, which might come soon and could be more dangerous:

'COVID-19 not necessarily the big one, next pandemic may be severe,' warns WHO

Q

I refuse to read this scaremongering post.

[Que]

I refuse to read this scaremongering post.

It's the World Health Organization.... this is serious. 

But that doesn't it make less scary, rather more, so I quite understand your take on it.

Not much we can do about it anyway... The message of the WHO is probably meant for those who can....

Q

[geralmar]

[MusicTurner]

Dutch and Danish studies now indicating that a good level of Vitamin K seems very important for avoiding the harder versions of the sickness. Further surveying still needed, though, but data so far appear convincing.

[Mandryka]

[T. D.]

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/05/south-africa-covid-variant-appears-to-obviate-antibody-drugs-dr-scott-gottlieb-says.html

Dr. Scott Gottlieb warned that vaccinating Americans against Covid is more critical than ever, especially as the new South Africa variant appears to inhibit antibody drugs. 

"The South Africa variant is very concerning right now because it does appear that it may obviate some of our medical countermeasures, particularly the antibody drugs," said the former FDA chief in the Trump administration in an interview on CNBC's "The News with Shepard Smith" on Tuesday evening. "Right now that strain does appear to be prevalent in South America [Africa?] and Brazil, the two parts of the world, right now, that are in their summer, but also experiencing a very dense epidemic, and that's concerning.["]

[Karl Henning]

Horrid.

[SimonNZ]

A very long read in the New Yorker:

The Plague Year
The mistakes and the struggles behind America's coronavirus tragedy.
By Lawrence Wright

.

[Mandryka]

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/05/south-africa-covid-variant-appears-to-obviate-antibody-drugs-dr-scott-gottlieb-says.html

Dr. Scott Gottlieb warned that vaccinating Americans against Covid is more critical than ever, especially as the new South Africa variant appears to inhibit antibody drugs. 

"The South Africa variant is very concerning right now because it does appear that it may obviate some of our medical countermeasures, particularly the antibody drugs," said the former FDA chief in the Trump administration in an interview on CNBC's "The News with Shepard Smith" on Tuesday evening. "Right now that strain does appear to be prevalent in South America and Brazil, the two parts of the world, right now, that are in their summer, but also experiencing a very dense epidemic, and that's concerning.["]

Does « obviate some of our  . . . antibody drugs » mean « make the vaccines less effective »? In Europe we're being told there's no evidence for this at all.

[MusicTurner]

More news every day ... the expected advance of the UK mutation yesterday resulted in a stricter lock down here, trying to minimize it. Groups only of 5 people, 2 m distance between individuals, thinning out in public transport, etc. It will probably become the main virus during February. BTW, 9000 different mutations have been identified and mapped here. Curfew will be the last among the options. Increasing strain on one's working and daily life decisions and prospects.

On the positive side, all residents at the homes of the elderly have now received first vaccinations, and authorities are planning for 100,000 vaccinations per day later. Being 5.8 mio people, this could mean vaccine programs being implemented in about 2-3 months, when they become fully available.

[vandermolen]

More news every day ... the expected advance of the UK mutation yesterday resulted in a stricter lock down here, trying to minimize it. Groups only of 5 people, 2 m distance between individuals, thinning out in public transport, etc. It will probably become the main virus during February. BTW, 9000 different mutations have been identified and mapped here. Curfew will be the last among the options. Increasing strain on one's working and daily life decisions and prospects.

On the positive side, all residents at the homes of the elderly have now received first vaccinations, and authorities are planning for 100,000 vaccinations per day later. Being 5.8 mio people, this could mean vaccine programs being implemented in about 2-3 months, when they become fully available.

Apparently 1 in 45 have the disease in the South East. All my lessons have to go online again. 

[Iota]

Apparently 1 in 45 have the disease in the South East.

And announced rather starkly on the BBC last night that in London it is now 1 in 30, the worst rate there has been at any time during the pandemic throughout the whole country. Things certainly not seeming rosy at the moment.

[vandermolen]

Dutch and Danish studies now indicating that a good level of Vitamin K seems very important for avoiding the harder versions of the sickness. Further surveying still needed, though, but data so far appear convincing.

Interesting and thanks for letting us know.

[Karl Henning]

My Occupational Therapist will receive the second dose of the vaccine on Sunday.

[SimonNZ]

A very long read in the New Yorker:

The Plague Year
The mistakes and the struggles behind America's coronavirus tragedy.
By Lawrence Wright

.

I hope some people make the time to read that. It's very well written and there's much more to it than the title suggests.

[T. D.]

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/07/a-record-number-of-people-died-from-covid-the-last-two-days-in-the-us-.html

A record number of people died in the U.S. from Covid-19 on Tuesday and again on Wednesday as a mob of angry rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol.

A record 3,733 people died from the virus on Tuesday, followed by 3,865 deaths Wednesday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Over the past seven days, the country reported an average of 2,686 fatalities every day — a figure second only to the record high set a little over two weeks ago.