Serious concern’ as South Africa detects new coronavirus variant--Omicron

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23 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Isn't this what viruses do? It's inevitable that there will be new strains in the future.  Hopefully governments have learned that overreacting isn't going to help.

Hopefully, denialists will learn that vaccination does.

[i84teen]

39 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Ordering enough vaccines for your population is an idea that escapes Anutin.

He is ordering Molnupiravir, developed by US drug companies Merck, Sharp and Dohme (MSD) and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

He may be on the correct path in combining new covid medications and vacines to focus on treating covid patients as endemic status is certainly on the horizon with covid amidst effects of lower efficacy and waning mRNA vaccines and the new variants (B.1.1.529/Omicron which has been identified only in fully vaccinated thus far). The vaccines alone seem not to be the panacea we all thought and need to be augmented with therapeutics.

https://www.thephuketnews.com/government-to-order-2-million-molnupiravir-pills-81976.php

[Bkk Brian]

2 hours ago, i84teen said:

He is ordering Molnupiravir, developed by US drug companies Merck, Sharp and Dohme (MSD) and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

He may be on the correct path in combining new covid medications and vacines to focus on treating covid patients as endemic status is certainly on the horizon with covid amidst effects of lower efficacy and waning mRNA vaccines and the new variants (B.1.1.529/Omicron which has been identified only in fully vaccinated thus far). The vaccines alone seem not to be the panacea we all thought and need to be augmented with therapeutics.

https://www.thephuketnews.com/government-to-order-2-million-molnupiravir-pills-81976.php

Who told you the new variant Omicron has only been found in vaccinated people? That's incorrect. The case found in Belgium was from someone who was not vaccinated and had travelled back from Egypt and all the cases in South Africa how do you know their vaccination status, taking into account the very low rates of vaccination there?

[Rimmer]

An unattributed misleading post has been removed

[jacko45k]

 

[rabas]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Who told you the new variant Omicron has only been found in vaccinated people? That's incorrect. The case found in Belgium was from someone who was not vaccinated and had travelled back from Egypt and all the cases in South Africa how do you know their vaccination status, taking into account the very low rates of vaccination there?

While true not all, there are numerous cases. See  Wiki-Omicron.

 

"All four initial cases reported from Botswana occurred among fully vaccinated individuals.^[24] All three initial confirmed and suspected cases reported from Israel occurred among fully vaccinated individuals. ^[25]"

 

The case in HK quarantine was fully vaccinated as was a person infected by him in a room across the hall. [ref]

 

Just today:

"On 27 November 2021, the Dutch health ministry estimated about 85 of the ~600 passengers on two flights from South Africa that landed at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol  on Nov 26 were infected with the virus."  [wiki] The actual number is now 66. [reuters] I assume most if not all passengers would be vaccinated.

 

[cormanr7]

Major vaccine producers are already testing their product against omicron to see if adjustments  will be required: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/26/pfizer-biontech-investigating-new-covid-variant-jj-testing-vaccine-against-it.html.

 

 

[3NUMBAS]

we could be walking to our doom

[brewsterbudgen]

Has anyone been hospitalised with the new variant yet?

[MrJ2U]

8 hours ago, i84teen said:

He is ordering Molnupiravir, developed by US drug companies Merck, Sharp and Dohme (MSD) and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

He may be on the correct path in combining new covid medications and vacines to focus on treating covid patients as endemic status is certainly on the horizon with covid amidst effects of lower efficacy and waning mRNA vaccines and the new variants (B.1.1.529/Omicron which has been identified only in fully vaccinated thus far). The vaccines alone seem not to be the panacea we all thought and need to be augmented with therapeutics.

https://www.thephuketnews.com/government-to-order-2-million-molnupiravir-pills-81976.php

You need to order more than enough vaccines for the entire population.

 

Simple.

[i84teen]

27 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Simple

If it were so simple maybe more than 43% of the world would have been fully vaccinated. The wealthier nations are on their 3rd and 4th booster shots and African nations, other low income countries and even Thailand struggle to secure adequate 1st dose vaccine supply.

 

In the vaccine efficacy waning and vaccination coverage algorithm, the consensus on reaching herd immunity requires a very high vaccine efficacy at low vaccination levels. We know vaccines are losing efficacy after a few months along with their ability to prevent transmission, hospitalizations and even death now. Effective therapeutic treatments are required now, vaccines seemingly may not provide a path to herd immunity without them. There are new vaccines still in testing which may prove beneficial, one such vaccine is Novavax.

 

[MrJ2U]

4 minutes ago, i84teen said:

If it were so simple maybe more than 43% of the world would have been fully vaccinated. The wealthier nations are on their 3rd and 4th booster shots and African nations, other low income countries and even Thailand struggle to secure adequate 1st dose vaccine supply.

 

In the vaccine efficacy waning and vaccination coverage algorithm, the consensus on reaching herd immunity requires a very high vaccine efficacy at low vaccination levels. We know vaccines are losing efficacy after a few months along with their ability to prevent transmission, hospitalizations and even death now. Effective therapeutic treatments are required now, vaccines seemingly may not provide a path to herd immunity without them. There are new vaccines still in testing which may prove beneficial, one such vaccine is Novavax.

 

Anutins an idiot.

 

Still hasn't ordered enough vaccines.

 

Unless you live in Thailand and have seen the complete idiocy of this governments handling of the virus its hard to believe.

 

Obviously you don't live in Thailand.

[i84teen]

Thailand has about the same amount of eligible people vaccinated (close to 57%)  as many western countries, USA included. Thailand also has an AZ vaccine production facility but I am unsure what amounts are apportioned for domestic use and shared to Astra.

3rd doses are currently underway.

Well, what is all the idiocy you refer to?

 

 

[MrJ2U]

15 minutes ago, i84teen said:

Thailand struggle to secure adequate 1st dose vaccine supply

Thats because the damned government is the middle man.

 

They could have ordered a year ago.

 

There paying more for the useless Chinese vaccines than the mRNA vaccines because they get a kickback.

 

There blocking private hospitals and Universities from buying there own.

 

Your in lala land.

[MrJ2U]

24 minutes ago, i84teen said:

If it were so simple maybe more than 43% of the world would have been fully vaccinated. The wealthier nations are on their 3rd and 4th booster shots and African nations, other low income countries and even Thailand struggle to secure adequate 1st dose vaccine supply.

 

In the vaccine efficacy waning and vaccination coverage algorithm, the consensus on reaching herd immunity requires a very high vaccine efficacy at low vaccination levels. We know vaccines are losing efficacy after a few months along with their ability to prevent transmission, hospitalizations and even death now. Effective therapeutic treatments are required now, vaccines seemingly may not provide a path to herd immunity without them. There are new vaccines still in testing which may prove beneficial, one such vaccine is Novavax.

 

https://www.ft.com/content/aaa8b820-68c7-408d-9486-222fe2d65634

 

Just one of many blunders.

[i84teen]

11 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Thats because the damned government is the middle man.

 

They could have ordered a year ago.

 

There paying more for the useless Chinese vaccines than the mRNA vaccines because they get a kickback.

 

There blocking private hospitals and Universities from buying there own.

 

Your in lala land.

I know groups of both Thai and foreigner's who paid private hospitals for moderna vaccines. Universities buy vaccines? As  I understand it, only governments can purchase emergency vaccines (EAU) due to liability issues. As far as kickbacks, sounds like conjecture and I ask you provide proof of that in the FT link article.

[MrJ2U]

Just now, i84teen said:

I know groups of both Thai and foreigner's who paid private hospitals for moderna vaccines. Universities buy vaccines? As  I understand it, only governments can purchase emergency vaccines (EAU) due to liability issues. As far as kickbacks, sounds like conjecture and I ask you provide proof of that.

There one of the only countries that does this.

The GPO has really been an impediment to squiring vaccine's.

 

Luckily my Thai wife and grandmother are scheduled for their second Moderna jabs in December 18th.

 

I've gotten Pfeizer only because the USA has donated it on stipulation the 20% go to foreigners.

 

This government has completely mishandled this.

 

People who are vaccinated with the Chinese vaccines are going to be in trouble in the coming wave.

 

Hopefully you've been vaccinated.

 

Anyway good luck and stay safe.

[Danderman123]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Has anyone been hospitalised with the new variant yet?

So far, vaccinated infected are asymptomatic.

[Virt]

It's in the UK too and probably to late to prevent the spreading in Europe,

so we just have to wait and see if it push Delta out of the way and becomes top dog.

 

Hopefully the current vaccines will still be able to keep most of the infected away from hospitals so it buy us some time,

since it will take a few months to get a new version of the mRNA vaccines out if new versions are required.

 

Man i'm so sick and tired of this Covid 19 <deleted>, but it's interesting to see how fragile human mankind really are. 

 

[jak2002003]

3 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

we could be walking to our doom

Hope so. 

 

I hope the human population gets severely reduced as we as a species have stagnated and ruining the planet with our pollution and killing off all the other animals. 

 

 

[ArcticFox]

We're into full-fear mode again.  Now the powers-that-be can keep applying the screws to the population with New Normal Emergencies Forever.  This never ends, it only get more Machiavellian. 

[Virt]

3 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Has anyone been hospitalised with the new variant yet?

Not sure but here they describe the cases so far has been extremely mild.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/26/south-africa-b11529-covid-variant-vaccination

 

“It’s all speculation at this stage. It may be it’s highly transmissible, but so far the cases we are seeing are extremely mild,” she said. “Maybe two weeks from now I will have a different opinion, but this is what we are seeing. So are we seriously worried? No.

[Danderman123]

The bad news is the virus seems to evade the vaccine. The good news is that nobody is hospitalized or even showing symptoms.

 

Perhaps this is what happened to the Spanish Flu,

[bkk6060]

They need to suspend the Thailand Pass and close the airport until more information is available.

[DrPhibes]

Was going to book a Jan 11th flight to the US a couple of days ago, maybe I'll wait about another 1.5 weeks and see what comes out.  Double vaxxed Pfizer with paid Moderna waiting in the wings.

[Jeffr2]

 

[Virt]

6 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

The bad news is the virus seems to evade the vaccine. The good news is that nobody is hospitalized or even showing symptoms.

 

Perhaps this is what happened to the Spanish Flu,

Some experts says it's not all bad news, but it's all speculation at the moment.

They say the best scenario would be if new variant was highly transmissible but less lethal than delta, so it could replace the delta variant.

That way more would get it, but less people would die compared to the delta, so we could build herd immunity faster, but at the cheaper price.

 

If that is true, shouldn't we try to embrace the new variant?

I know it sounds weird, but shouldn't we try to chose the least deadly version if possible?

As time goes by it seems like we all more or less will get infected at some point,vaccinated or not, and then i would prefer to get a "covid light" variant.

[mommysboy]

We just don't know.

 

Early indications might suggest that it is milder than previous variants.

 

Best not to speculate too much. Fingers crossed.

[Atlantis]

On 11/26/2021 at 5:49 AM, Scott said:

The mutation has been found in Botswana as well, so yes, put that Safari on hold for now.  What is of a little more concern is that it has been found in Hong Kong.  That's a little too close to home for comfort.  

 

These variants sometimes have to sort of fight it out.   Delta has won out so far.  

 

Methinks Omicron is already here, Scott.

Do you remember the timeline of events in early January 2020 with the original less virulent strain?...

[Virt]

Some very early data seems to indicate that it could very well be a variant that pushes the Delta to the side, but time will tell if that is a good or bad thing if it happens.

 

 

https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1463956686075580421/photo/1