Omicron may become dominant variant with its high transmissibility – Dr. Yong Poovorawan

[Sanookmike]

19 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Interesting, from Reuters:

 

Omicron variant may have picked up a piece of common-cold virus

 

By inserting this particular snippet into itself, Omicron might be making itself look "more human," which would help it evade attack by the human immune system, said Venky Soundararajan of Cambridge, Massachusetts-based data analytics firm nference, who led the study posted on Thursday on the website OSF Preprints.

 

The study here, yet to be peer reviewed: https://osf.io/f7txy/

 

Also brought this up yesterday in the other thread its a good thing means it's looking like it is going to be weaker etc ,which is what I've said all along and is following the general path of the virus becoming weaker over time.

 

Highly infectious with a low mortality rate means quick mass herd immunity.. we have to just hope ppl don't start dropping dead.

Edited December 7, 2021 by Sanookmike

[Oblomov]

On 12/1/2021 at 1:37 PM, Sanookmike said:

But do we lockdown and impose restrictions yearly for the flu? 

 

Covid death rates are already at the same levels as flu thanks to vaccines, shouldnt we be living with it like flu now?

 

Statistically your at more risk jumping on a motorbike taxi ???? 

 

How long are we going to keep going in circles... Just like flu this will never disappear its here forever. 

We could do without the media ignoring (or lightly reporting) chaos and destruction caused by  lockdowns, yet splashing lurid headlines of X number of X variant found, as if that is an imminent threat of graver concern than anything else.

 

Not much space given to 700,000 citizens missing screening and testing for cancer and other fatal conditions in one country alone, yet another inevitable mutation of a flu/respiratory  type virus shouts from every 'news' portal.

 

At some point a rational realism must be the next wave.

 

 

[Sanookmike]

3 minutes ago, Oblomov said:

We could do without the media ignoring (or lightly reporting) chaos and destruction caused by  lockdowns, yet splashing lurid headlines of X number of X variant found, as if that is an imminent threat of graver concern than anything else.

 

Not much space given to 700,000 citizens missing screening and testing for cancer and other fatal conditions in one country alone, yet another inevitable mutation of a flu/respiratory  type virus shouts from every 'news' portal.

 

At some point a rational realism must be the next wave.

 

 

Yeah the restrictions do more harm than good, the cost out ways the purpose. Slowing the spread won't stop it spreading, But it will ensure a lot of ppl don't get treatment for cancers and as well as the economic issues losing businesses etc. 

 

Media is to blame for ppl panicking for sure, doom and gloom sells better. They mentioned today on BBC news the UK has around 400 confirmed cases today and it's going to double everyday.. Predicting 100,000 case a day by January. Sounds bad but this is based on no data and they have been wrong everytime with these predictions. 

 

They don't mention that of the 400 cases today in the UK not one is in hospital. 

[Oblomov]

5 minutes ago, Sanookmike said:

Yeah the restrictions do more harm than good, the cost out ways the purpose. Slowing the spread won't stop it spreading, But it will ensure a lot of ppl don't get treatment for cancers and as well as the economic issues losing businesses etc. 

 

Media is to blame for ppl panicking for sure, doom and gloom sells better. They mentioned today on BBC news the UK has around 400 confirmed cases today and it's going to double everyday.. Predicting 100,000 case a day by January. Sounds bad but this is based on no data and they have been wrong everytime with these predictions. 

 

They don't mention that of the 400 cases today in the UK not one is in hospital. 

Exactly Mike - BBC is egregiously bad and much more concerned with agendas than the real news that affects most our lives. Going forward with this virus, which is forever in some form, we've got to stop attaching horror to every variant and wait until the science is conclusive, then react rationally. Some people are so risk averse now yet life is risk. 

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

3 hours ago, Sanookmike said:

Please see your direct quote.. you clearly stated that the info in the video came from a twittter thread.

 

The main study source was show in the video and links provided with encouragement to go and read it for yourself. Anyone who cared to watch the video had access to the link of the main study.

 

You seemed to imply that my conclusions are based condensed data when we are looking at the same thing.

 

The link to the study was in the tweet thread announcing the new study. Thats why I posted it, along with a direct link. 

 

The tweet thread was published defore Campbells vid so was the source of the study announcement. Get it now fella? Try going to the tweet and actually reading it to confirm.

 

Now run along and get yourself back to youtube.

Edited December 7, 2021 by Bkk Brian

[Sanookmike]

New "stealth" version.. so two omicrons now, undetectable by the PCR's we are using. Not really any data yet but could act differently. 

 

This could be good or bad jury is still out 

 

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/07/scientists-find-stealth-version-of-omicron-not-identifiable-with-pcr-test-covid-variant

[Scott]

A post from an unapproved source has been removed.  

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

3 hours ago, Sanookmike said:

Yeah the restrictions do more harm than good, the cost out ways the purpose. Slowing the spread won't stop it spreading, But it will ensure a lot of ppl don't get treatment for cancers and as well as the economic issues losing businesses etc. 

 

Media is to blame for ppl panicking for sure, doom and gloom sells better. They mentioned today on BBC news the UK has around 400 confirmed cases today and it's going to double everyday.. Predicting 100,000 case a day by January. Sounds bad but this is based on no data and they have been wrong everytime with these predictions. 

 

They don't mention that of the 400 cases today in the UK not one is in hospital. 

The BBC is now reporting 437 cases with their source that they have linked to being a tweet from the UK Health Security Agency:

 

No reports from the Agency whether there are hospitalizations, that does not mean to say that there is none, however the majority of adults are vaccinated in the UK and we have no idea of the ages of those who have the virus. Even with Delta we would hope for very few hospitalizations so there is still a lot to discover yet

 

Saying all the media is to blame for panicking and doom and gloom in which you are obviously referring to the BBC here is just not true. It is reporting the facts as known at the time from the experts. 

 

I also note you've just linked to the media ie the Guardian regards the Omicron PCR issue, so selective personal choice reporting is fine then for you.

 

 

Edited December 7, 2021 by Bkk Brian

[sezze]

1st data from Pfizer about protection vs Omicron . This isn't the best news . For now the good news looks in the less virulent nature of Omicron , but it is yet to be confirmed .

BTW with such a large amount of changes to the spike proteins , it is not unexpected , but it doesn't make it good .

[Scott]

I find Omicron mildly worrisome, not so much as just a variant but just how it managed to get so many mutations and what it means.   Coronaviruses, in general, have an 'error editor' which throws out most genetic mistakes.   The huge number of infections worldwide has made room for a lot of mutations and variants still arising, but this one seems to have a lot of genetic material that comes from other sources.  

 

I am more concerned that this type of variant could cause more insidious problems down the road.  In the short term, I suspect we can and will deal with it, but if it continues to accumulate outside genetic material this might be more difficult to do.  

[sezze]

16 minutes ago, Scott said:

I find Omicron mildly worrisome, not so much as just a variant but just how it managed to get so many mutations and what it means.   Coronaviruses, in general, have an 'error editor' which throws out most genetic mistakes.   The huge number of infections worldwide has made room for a lot of mutations and variants still arising, but this one seems to have a lot of genetic material that comes from other sources.  

 

I am more concerned that this type of variant could cause more insidious problems down the road.  In the short term, I suspect we can and will deal with it, but if it continues to accumulate outside genetic material this might be more difficult to do.  

If it actually mixed with common cold virus , it might be a good thing . People catching a cold , nobody cares , since it not dangerous , annoying but not dangerous . So far 1st data out , from SA , hospital cases are on the rise , but not on ventilator , so prob more fever like symptoms , and maybe a bit of extra oxygen . This is far less a problem then the ventilator , since ventilator patients need a lot more care , thats ICU . Let's hope it is confirmed that it is less virulent ( and then pushes Delta out of the water.. but start 1st with less virulent ). 

[Danderman123]

4 hours ago, Oblomov said:

We could do without the media ignoring (or lightly reporting) chaos and destruction caused by  lockdowns, yet splashing lurid headlines of X number of X variant found, as if that is an imminent threat of graver concern than anything else.

 

Not much space given to 700,000 citizens missing screening and testing for cancer and other fatal conditions in one country alone, yet another inevitable mutation of a flu/respiratory  type virus shouts from every 'news' portal.

 

At some point a rational realism must be the next wave.

 

 

We have just endured a virus that has killed 5,000,000+ people, and now a new, more infectious variant has emerged. This is not the flu, this is much more dangerous infection. We need to be very careful before assuming the new variant is benign.

 

yea, I get it, you want your bar to open, and I hope it does.

[Macrohistory]

It's astonishing that so many people on here are still drinking the Kool-Aid of thinking that Omicron causes only mild disease.  With >99% of Covid cases in South Africa now caused by Omicron, hospitalization rates are soaring, and there were 27 Covid deaths yesterday alone, up from 9 the day before and only 1 two days ago.  What will it take to wake people up?

 

Graph below is for Gauteng Province only.  Source:  https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1468349342771785734 )

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by Macrohistory
Specifying that graph is from Gauteng only

[Scott]

37 minutes ago, sezze said:

If it actually mixed with common cold virus , it might be a good thing . People catching a cold , nobody cares , since it not dangerous , annoying but not dangerous . So far 1st data out , from SA , hospital cases are on the rise , but not on ventilator , so prob more fever like symptoms , and maybe a bit of extra oxygen . This is far less a problem then the ventilator , since ventilator patients need a lot more care , thats ICU . Let's hope it is confirmed that it is less virulent ( and then pushes Delta out of the water.. but start 1st with less virulent ). 

You may be right and we can hope but we also have to realize that it may combine with more deadly strains, like Delta and use the viral material from the cold virus or other viral material to more easily evade the immune system. 

It's not Omicron, per se, but what it seems to be able to do at a microbiological level that concerns me.  

 

[Sanookmike]

2 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

The BBC is now reporting 437 cases with their source that they have linked to being a tweet from the UK Health Security Agency:

 

No reports from the Agency whether there are hospitalizations, that does not mean to say that there is none, however the majority of adults are vaccinated in the UK and we have no idea of the ages of those who have the virus. Even with Delta we would hope for very few hospitalizations so there is still a lot to discover yet

 

Saying all the media is to blame for panicking and doom and gloom in which you are obviously referring to the BBC here is just not true. It is reporting the facts as known at the time from the experts. 

 

I also note you've just linked to the media ie the Guardian regards the Omicron PCR issue, so selective personal choice reporting is fine then for you.

 

 

Guardian article isn't fear mongering and saying 100,000 cases a day are coming. Theres nothing about the article that is misleading so I'm happy to share it.

 

It's been discussed in parliament today and there is no hospitaliaztion's in relation to omicron in the UK.

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by Sanookmike

[Bkk Brian]

9 minutes ago, Sanookmike said:

Guardian article isn't fear mongering and saying 100,000 cases a day are coming. Theres nothing about the article that is misleading so I'm happy to share it.

 

It's been discussed in parliament today and there is no hospitaliaztion's in relation to omicron in the UK.

 

 

 

Things tend to move very quickly with covid, the vid you linked to was uploaded on the 7th Dec when there were as stated 336 confirmed cases, its out of date. As for your constant narrative that the BBC is spreading fear and misleading well, I'll leave that as your own personal bias, thats not my opinion.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Bkk Brian

[jacko45k]

13 minutes ago, Sanookmike said:

Guardian article isn't fear mongering and saying 100,000 cases a day are coming

They did say something along those lines on Sky News this morning. 

[coolcarer]

43 minutes ago, Sanookmike said:

Guardian article isn't fear mongering and saying 100,000 cases a day are coming. Theres nothing about the article that is misleading so I'm happy to share it.

 

It's been discussed in parliament today and there is no hospitaliaztion's in relation to omicron in the UK.

 

 

 

What’s fear mongering about a model that is predicting a potential increase to 100,000 a day of Omicron, it’s not saying 100k sick people just confirmed cases. The UK is already experiencing 46k cases of delta daily, with Omicron almost certainly being a much higher transmissibility variant then 100k could well be an underestimate. The importance is sickness levels which are uncertain.

[placeholder]

6 hours ago, Sanookmike said:

Yeah the restrictions do more harm than good, the cost out ways the purpose. Slowing the spread won't stop it spreading, But it will ensure a lot of ppl don't get treatment for cancers and as well as the economic issues losing businesses etc. 

 

Media is to blame for ppl panicking for sure, doom and gloom sells better. They mentioned today on BBC news the UK has around 400 confirmed cases today and it's going to double everyday.. Predicting 100,000 case a day by January. Sounds bad but this is based on no data and they have been wrong everytime with these predictions. 

 

They don't mention that of the 400 cases today in the UK not one is in hospital. 

Doctors and nurses vent anger as unvaccinated Covid cases delay vital operations

The NHS has a backlog of 5.8 million waiting for surgery and specialists are increasingly frustrated at how the unvaccinated have left them unable to tackle it

Doctors and nurses vent anger as unvaccinated Covid cases delay vital operations

The NHS has a backlog of 5.8 million waiting for surgery and specialists are increasingly frustrated at how the unvaccinated have left them unable to tackle it

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/doctors-and-nurses-vent-anger-as-unvaccinated-covid-cases-delay-vital-operations-z3zchvv9l

[sezze]

2 hours ago, Macrohistory said:

It's astonishing that so many people on here are still drinking the Kool-Aid of thinking that Omicron causes only mild disease.  With >99% of Covid cases in South Africa now caused by Omicron, hospitalization rates are soaring, and there were 27 Covid deaths yesterday alone, up from 9 the day before and only 1 two days ago.  What will it take to wake people up?

 

Graph below is for Gauteng Province only.  Source:  https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1468349342771785734 )

 

 

 

It surely spreads incredible fast . Nobody says it is not dangerous but it is the amount of infected vs hospitalizations we needs to keep a eye on . The spread might become a problem fast even if it is 20-30% less virulent then Delta . THX for the twitter link , im checking it out now .

[peter zwart]

Let it be more dominant. That i dont care. As long its less strong and will be like a seasonal flu and we dont need any vaccins anymore its fine with me.

[Danderman123]

8 minutes ago, peter zwart said:

Let it be more dominant. That i dont care. As long its less strong and will be like a seasonal flu and we dont need any vaccins anymore its fine with me.

We don’t know yet if it is mild, so your post is pointless.

[Bkk Brian]

And for those who say "but not a single person died from Omicron". Well, that's not quite correct: the "it's mild" Tshwane report found that of 166 Covid-positive patients admitted to this 1 hospital in the last 2 weeks, 9 died of Covid & 5 out of 33 admissions aged over 60 died.

 

https://www.samrc.ac.za/news/tshwane-district-omicron-variant-patient-profile-early-features

[Danderman123]

42 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

And for those who say "but not a single person died from Omicron". Well, that's not quite correct: the "it's mild" Tshwane report found that of 166 Covid-positive patients admitted to this 1 hospital in the last 2 weeks, 9 died of Covid & 5 out of 33 admissions aged over 60 died.

 

https://www.samrc.ac.za/news/tshwane-district-omicron-variant-patient-profile-early-features

But, we don't know a lot about this small sample. We know that the deceased had Covid, but we don't know if they had Omicron. We don't know if they were in the hospital for some acute condition, and then were infected by Covid. 

 

It’s still too early to say we understand Omicron. 

[Bkk Brian]

7 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

But, we don't know a lot about this small sample. We know that the deceased had Covid, but we don't know if they had Omicron. We don't know if they were in the hospital for some acute condition, and then were infected by Covid. 

 

It’s still too early to say we understand Omicron. 

Still too early agreed but most of your questions are addressed in the twitter thread link that is also provided in my post.

[Danderman123]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Still too early agreed but most of your questions are addressed in the twitter thread link that is also provided in my post.

I read the thread. Not much practical information. They tell us 100x that it's very infectious. 

 

Is it as lethal as Delta? Is it mild? Still no useful data..... 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, Danderman123 said:

I read the thread. Not much practical information. They tell us 100x that it's very infectious. 

 

Is it as lethal as Delta? Is it mild? Still no useful data..... 

Of course, its a small study in the very early stages of the pandemic and carries little weight just yet. However I was just pointing you to the questions you raised where it addressed them.

[Macrohistory]

2 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

But, we don't know a lot about this small sample. We know that the deceased had Covid, but we don't know if they had Omicron. We don't know if they were in the hospital for some acute condition, and then were infected by Covid. 

 

It’s still too early to say we understand Omicron. 

 

If they died from Covid in South Africa in recent days, they almost certainly died from Omicron, which has now entirely supplanted Delta. ( Graph below is from https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/12/07/omicron-is-already-dominant-in-south-africa )

 

 

[Macrohistory]

Meanwhile, per Steve Miller:  "Severe Omicron cases in Gauteng hospitals are accelerating, increasing by over 25% in the last 24 hours."  Complete thread (from which the graph below was taken) here:

 

https://twitter.com/SteveMillerOC/status/1468204385016565760

 

[Danderman123]

5 minutes ago, Macrohistory said:

 

If they died from Covid in South Africa in recent days, they almost certainly died from Omicron, which has now entirely supplanted Delta. ( Graph below is from https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/12/07/omicron-is-already-dominant-in-south-africa )

 

 

Probably, but there is a non-zero possibility that they died from Delta.