Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #107

[Yesiamapirate]

How about students?

U-M Vaccine - Campus Maize & Blueprint | University of Michigan
Looks like they are.

 

[scriabina]

Unvaxxed people do not put anyone at higher risk of getting sick.

The vaccine decreased infection rate significantly until Omicron, but even now, the duration of infection, the rate of replication, and the viral load are all lower in those vaccinated. Therefore, there is a smaller window of time for vaccinated individuals to spread the virus and there is also a lower probability of infection due to the viral load.

Furthermore, the crux of the issue lies in variants. We started out with much less infectious and less vaccine-resistant variants, but due to vaccine hesitancy and lack of global vaccine access, the virus has had free reign to mutate over the past year since the vaccine was available. More viral replications (again, as stated above, the virus replicates faster and for a longer period in the unvaccinated) facilitate more viral mutations, which leads to more variants. Then there is a bigger pool of variants from which more infectious and immune-evasive variants of concern can emerge. And yes, some of those new variants are and will be more resistant to the vaccine. But think about how and why that happened: inadequate social distancing, a lack of understanding that coronavirus is airborne, insufficient masks & mask access, and inadequate vaccine uptake and access in the earlier stages. All of these issues led to the virus thriving, replicating, mutating and strengthening.

The vaccine alone won't end the pandemic, but it is still important to limit spread of more resistant variants. We must mitigate via other measures too.

 

[scriabina]

She was filmed meeting with visitors just two days ago. I keep thinking, why is she expected to still be working at her age? Does she not deserve to enjoy a comfortable retirement like everyone else?

I believe she doesn't want to step down. If she wanted to, she would've a long time ago. She must really really enjoy being the Queen and having that power, even to the point that she'd risk her life for it.

 

[scriabina]

The first international tourists in more than 700 days are arriving in Australia today. Some flights were already in the air before the border opened .. but timed to arrive when it was officially open.

56 flights are coming in today. From UK, Canada, Japan, USA.

The tourists are being greeted with music, and being handed jars of vegemite and fluffy Aussie toys (kangies & koalas) as they enter the terminal after clearing Customs.

International tourists fly to Australia for the first time in 700 days

Disturbing. I previously took comfort that at least there were some pockets of the world that had managed to remain safe from COVID (Australia, New Zealand, Iceland), but none of those safe havens exist anymore. It's crushing.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Britain to lift Covid restrictions as queen tests positive (nbcnews.com)

“It is important that people feel confident again and that people should feel able to go back to work in the normal way,” the prime minister said.

LONDON — Britain is expected to unveil plans on Monday to lift all remaining government pandemic regulations, including self-isolation for those testing positive for the virus, a day after it was announced that Britain’s 95-year-old monarch had Covid-19.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he did not want people to “throw caution to the wind,” but vaccines and other measures meant that the government no longer needed to mandate pandemic restrictions...

Going forward, the U.K. will rely on vaccines and other measures like close surveillance of the disease, according to a Downing Street statement released Sunday evening...

 

[CSIDreamer]

I believe she doesn't want to step down. If she wanted to, she would've a long time ago. She must really really enjoy being the Queen and having that power, even to the point that she'd risk her life for it.

I personally think she feels a sense of duty and love for her country. Stepping down isn't a matter of whim, there is no such thing. Unless she were to abdicate the throne. She's of sound mind, there's no reason for that at all. JMO

 

[Tiff23fr]

This thread is now full.

Please continue on Thread #108