The COVID-19 thread

[Tiffany]

It's a matter of weeks now with my mate. last year he made to the presentation night for an umpiring group he and i were both with. (He doesn't umpire with us now but used to coach us goal umpires)
Up until last month he lost his way with his walking and is now using a walking frame and a wheelchair to get around in.
He has to wear oxygen lines that help him breathe.
He lost a hell of a lot of weight. It only takes a cold to make him terribly sick.
Someone brought a cold to training when he was coaching us back in 2006 and wasn't training but they caused him to become ill.
He threw up 9 times at umpiring, 4 times on the way home from umpiring, twice at home and once in hospital.
it only took a sneeze from someone with a cold to do this.

I'm so sorry your friend has so little time left, how very sad and heart breaking. Sending the warmest heart felt thoughts your way and to your friend that may have some comfort and peace at this time from good friends like you and loved ones.

 

[Retro]

The covid booster jab isn't going to be rolled out widely this winter, leaving millions exposed. This article and the government website below it specify who is eligible, although it looks kind of vague.

The annoying thing is that ineligible people are unable to buy a jab from a chemist as it's controlled by the NHS.

More than 12 million people in the UK will miss out on a coronavirus vaccine this winter as the numbers being offered a booster jab have been scaled back.

A COVID-19 booster will not be offered to healthy people under the age of 65 this winter, health officials said earlier this month.

This is despite scientists warning a new subvariant of Omicron with a high number of mutations that could help it evade people's immune systems and spread faster.

COVID booster: Are you eligible for a jab this year?

Health officials have announced who will be offered a COVID-19 booster jab this autumn.

uk.news.yahoo.com

JCVI advises on eligible groups for 2023 autumn booster

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has announced its advice regarding persons who will be eligible for a COVID-19 booster vaccine in autumn 2023.

www.gov.uk

 

[aussiefooty]

I got my 4th jab in April this year. My local ufs dispensory chemist did it.
Check first though.

 

[Retro]

It looks like we really should have another lockdown perhaps, as undesirable as that is, to prevent runaway covid spread like we had last time. I know at least three people that have died of it, so it's no joke.

What gets me, is that the government have made it impossible to legally get a covid jab outside of the NHS, so one can't just go to a chemist and buy one. Most of us welcome these protective jabs, ie not anti vaxxers, so it's galling that we can only get one if allowed to by the NHS.

The UK has “let our guard down” over Covid and is “quite blind to what is going on”, a scientist has warned as concerns grow over the new BA.2.86 coronavirus variant.

The government brought forward its autumn Covid booster vaccine drive this week in response to the discovery of the new variant, which has a similar number of mutations to Omicron and Delta and was detected in the UK and several other nations across the globe.

While scientists have welcomed the “precautionary” decision, the role that the new variant BA.2.86 – dubbed “Pirola” – may play in the coming months remains far from clear.

Although optimistic that the booster will offer some protection, some virologists conceded that “we don’t know yet” whether it will provide adequate protection in all instances as its many mutations may mean it can evade the jab.

But with just one case confirmed in England, and another by Public Health Scotland on Thursday, the new strain is not currently classified as a “variant of concern”.

Fears over new ‘Pirola’ Covid variant as scientists warns UK has ‘let our guard down’

Jury still out on whether UK is set to face ‘a major wave’, amid hopes expedited booster will be effective against new variant ‘Pirola’

uk.news.yahoo.com

 

[aussiefooty]

Yikes...
Try masking up in all places that have large amounts of people in them. Might be a great idea to see if you can have yourself working from home without having to go in and being in lockdown.

 

[Retro]

Thankfully, my job is mostly wfh nowadays, which helps.

 

[Retro]

Let's hope this doesn't blow up into a full blown epidemic in the UK.

A new COVID variant dubbed Eris could be aiding the spread of the disease across the UK.

Experts have said the apparent recent increase in COVID cases is no immediate cause for alarm because the number of total cases remains small - but that people should remain vigilant about the virus.

Bad weather encouraging people to spend more time indoors and waning immunity have been blamed for the rise - though wider immunity to severe disease remains strong.

What we know about new 'Eris' COVID variant - and if you can get vaccinated

Experts say the UK is likely facing a small summer surge, with the recent poor weather probably playing a role

uk.news.yahoo.com

 

[Retro]

Oh the irony of an anti-covid drug producing more covid. Just can't win with this nasty virus, but I think we'll get there in the end though.

An antiviral drug used to treat patients with Covid-19 may be causing mutations in the virus and fuelling the evolution of new variants, scientists have said.

Molnupiravir, which is also sold under the brand name Lagevrio, is designed to mutate coronavirus to destruction, but researchers found evidence that the virus can sometimes survive the treatment, leading to mutated versions that occasionally spread to other people.

There is no evidence molnupiravir has produced more dangerous variants of Covid, but scientists said the mutations increased the genetic diversity of the virus in the wild and provided more options for future evolution.

Use of antiviral may be fuelling evolution of Covid, scientists say

Study finds evidence virus can survive treatment with molnupiravir, leading to mutated versions that sometimes spread

www.theguardian.com

 

[Tiffany]

"They" named the new Covid strain after the Greek Goddess Eris....who is the goddess of strife and discord.
I'm hearing a lot of people around me getting sick with Covid again. I hope this isn't an indication of what is yet to come for the winter months.

@Retro thanks for the article on the antiviral drug. Always good to get those updates on what works and what doesn't for Covid.

 

[Retro]

This isn't good at all: covid cases start to jump with new variant and a huge increase in deaths, too. Perhaps we should go back to a lockdown?

Covid-19 hospitalisations has increased by 24 per cent in one week in the UK as new variant Pirola sweeps across the UK.

The most common symptoms of the new strain include a runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, or a sore throat. However, three more symptoms have been commonly reported, according to the New Scientist: diarrhoea, eye irritation and rashes.

As the new variant sweeps across the UK, data from the UKHSA shows that the number of deaths increased by 55 per cent in the week ending on September 8 compared with the week before.

Symptoms of new Covid variants as cases increase in UK

Cases of the Pirola variant in the UK have surpassed 100

uk.news.yahoo.com

 

[Tiffany]

I hope this variant doesn't cause a swarming amount of deaths like the first variant. Thanks for the update!

 

[Retro]

I remember thinking wtf? when I heard Johnson utter these stupid words. Now, years later, we hear that the experts also knew they were stupid and flagged up that they were bs, yet Johnson carried on with them.

Behaviour scientists advising the Government reacted with shock when former prime minister Boris Johnson tweeted to the public “stay alert” messages with which they did not agree, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry has heard.

In May 2020, the Government messaging changed from ‘stay home’ to ‘stay alert, control the virus and save lives’.

Whut?!

Scientists shocked by ‘stay alert’ Covid messages they did not agree with

Members of the Spi-B advisory group told the Covid-19 Inquiry they had been raising the ‘problem’ of Government communications for several weeks.

uk.news.yahoo.com

 

[Tiffany]

I remember thinking wtf? when I heard Johnson utter these stupid words. Now, years later, we hear that the experts also knew they were stupid and flagged up that they were bs, yet Johnson carried on with them.




Whut?!

Scientists shocked by ‘stay alert’ Covid messages they did not agree with

Members of the Spi-B advisory group told the Covid-19 Inquiry they had been raising the ‘problem’ of Government communications for several weeks.

uk.news.yahoo.com

I think it's safe to say there was a lot of weird stuff that happened in the name of covid. Frankly, staying "alert" puts an extreme amount of stress on people that aren't equipped to handle stress from fear or the unknowns.

 

[Retro]

Yup, it basically pushes the responsibility of keeping people safe from covid onto the people rather than the government who should be protecting us. A bit of subtle and not so subtle psychological manipulation.

 

[Tiffany]

Yup, it basically pushes the responsibility of keeping people safe from covid onto the people rather than the government who should be protecting us. A bit of subtle and not so subtle psychological manipulation.

Very well said.....covid psych-ops

 

[Retro]

Hey check out how the caring, sharing Nasty Party Tory Party during the covid pandemic, were keen to let the virus rip through the country and kill off all the dead wood such as the old people, the disabled, those on benefits and others not earning their keep, plus those with health issues, working or not. And Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak were at the centre of this, ie both of our prime ministers!

Warms the cockles of my heart, ahh.

Boris Johnson wanted to let Covid “rip” despite the fact people would die, while Rishi Sunak also thought that was “okay”, the public inquiry has heard.

The extract read: “PM meeting – begins to argue for letting it all rip. Saying yes there will be more casualties but so be it – ‘they have had a good innings’.

“DC says ‘Rishi thinks just let people die and that’s okay’.

Read the whole disgusting thing here:

Johnson and Sunak were happy to let people die from Covid, inquiry hears

The claim, heard during the public inquiry into the Covid pandemic, came from the diaries of Sir Patrick Vallance.

uk.news.yahoo.com

 

[Tiffany]

"Just let people die", is not okay!

Covid is making it's way in our parts of the globe too. A lot of people are getting sick again.

 

[Mars]

Hey check out how the caring, sharing Nasty Party Tory Party during the covid pandemic, were keen to let the virus rip through the country and kill off all the dead wood such as the old people, the disabled, those on benefits and others not earning their keep, plus those with health issues, working or not. And Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak were at the centre of this, ie both of our prime ministers!

Warms the cockles of my heart, ahh.





Read the whole disgusting thing here:

Johnson and Sunak were happy to let people die from Covid, inquiry hears

The claim, heard during the public inquiry into the Covid pandemic, came from the diaries of Sir Patrick Vallance.

uk.news.yahoo.com

This only proves what we suspected all along. It was obvious that they did not give a toss. Johnson was all for herd immunity, although he never called it by name, I don't know that any other party would have been any better.
I have a deep distrust of politicians, no matter what party. I don't see Labour coming out against ulez, they could if they wanted to, I don't know how they would have behaved had they been in power during the pandemic.
Didn't ever hear about Labour inveighing against the tory policies during the pandemic. In my book, they are all much of a muchness, none of them really cares about the people.

 

[Retro]

Didn't ever hear about Labour inveighing against the tory policies during the pandemic. In my book, they are all much of a muchness, none of them really cares about the people.

I seem to remember Starmer offering his "cooperation" with the government during the pandemic and only offering a token resistance to their blunderings. The bold bit really names it. They're nearly all hypocrites one way or another. I do believe that there are some genuine politicians out there, but of course, they won't be the ones with much power.

I agree with the rest of what you said, too.

 

[Mars]

I seem to remember Starmer offering his "cooperation" with the government during the pandemic and only offering a token resistance to their blunderings. The bold bit really names it. They're nearly all hypocrites one way or another. I do believe that there are some genuine politicians out there, but of course, they won't be the ones with much power.

I agree with the rest of what you said, too.

Yeah, Starmer's resistance to the Tories' criminalities.....token indeed!
OK, I will admit there may be some genuine politicians out there, and precisely because they are genuine, because they care and want to do good, they won't be the ones with much power, and therefore their influence would be marginal at best.
Maybe genuine types are initially drawn to the public arena, they are enthusiastic and brimming with ideas.
Soon, however, they discover what they have to deal with: creatures that come out from under rocks and congregate in cesspools.
So those genuine characters leave and go do something else, and we, the voters, are left to eat our frustrations.

 

[Crims]

So those genuine characters leave and go do something else, and we, the voters, are left to eat our frustrations.

Ever the pragmatist

No comment, I'm apolitical

 

[Retro]

I've noticed it's spreading quickly this year and this confirms it.

JN.1 Covid variant: WHO charts its rapid global spread

Covid and other infections could rise in many parts of the world this winter, the experts warn.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Tiffany]

Here in the US too. I'm concerned about all of the world wide travel. January will likely see an extreme upsurge.

I went to the mall last week. I have a rule not to shop during December (I broke my rule...sigh). All I could think was the Big Bang Theory episode where Penny sneezes on Sheldon and Sheldon sees all of the viruses in his head from the sneeze.

 

[live627]

"Just let people die", is not okay!

Covid is making it's way in our parts of the globe too. A lot of people are getting sick again.

Also, this is flu season; covid did not eradicate it but its now just another flu strain that's permanently with us. I predicted in June 2020 that this would likely happen (not online).

 

[Tiffany]

Also, this is flu season; covid did not eradicate it but its now just another flu strain that's permanently with us. I predicted in June 2020 that this would likely happen (not online).

I'm totally on board with your observation.

We have flu, Covid, and RSV in circulation right now. Hoping everyone stays well this winter.