Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #103

[CharlestonGal]

Somebody needs to explain to me how, with 60% of the country
vaxxed, that we are almost back to where we were when the pandemic started--
Have the 40 percent of unvaxxed people caused this???

Doubtful. The Omicron cluster showed up off a branch of the Alpha variant a long time ago and stayed under the radar for at least a year and there is evidence of animal involvement. jmo

ETA: It also appears Omicron and Delta are not relatives and share no common ancestor. If humans with Delta (vaccinated or unvaccinated) and Omicron emerged from there, they would be close relatives. But they are not related at all. This appears to be a separate event.

 

[IceIce9]

I know quite a few people

Somebody needs to explain to me how, with 60% of the country
vaxxed, that we are almost back to where we were when the pandemic started--
Have the 40 percent of unvaxxed people caused this???

We never reached herd immunity.

40% unvaccinated is a huge number of people.

 

[CrimeAway]

Article classifies Omicron as antigenic shift.

Antigenic Drift
A minor change to a flu virus is known as antigenic drift. Both influenza A and B viruses undergo antigenic drift. (This is descriptive of SARS Alpha, Gamma, Delta, etc.)

Antigenic Shift
Antigenic shift is a more major change in the influenza virus. This shift typically occurs when a human flu virus crosses with a flu virus that usually affects animals (such as birds or pigs).

When the viruses mutate, they shift to create a new subtype that is different from any seen in humans before. When a major antigenic shift like this occurs, very few people have any type of immunity to the new, or "novel," flu virus. (This is Omicron, the first antigenic shift of the SARS-CoV 2.)

Broadly neutralizing antibodies overcome SARS-CoV-2 Omicron antigenic shift

ETA: And there is that mouse again.

Omicron RBD binds with increased affinity to human ACE2 and gains binding to mouse ACE2
The unprecedented number of substitutions found in the Omicron genome raises questions about its origin. Twenty-three out of the 37 Omicron S amino acid mutations have been individually observed previously in SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest (VOI), VOC, or other sarbecoviruses, whereas the remaining 14 substitutions have not been described before in any SARS-CoV-2 isolates.

This is another reason why I think that there should be a lot more wildlife sampling. I also think that more attention and resources should be given to understanding how bacteria and viruses jump between animal and human hosts. The "One Health" paradigm seems to be significant in this area. JMO.

Since you mentioned influenza, I thought that I would share this, in case others weren't aware:

UK chief vet warns avian flu at phenomenal level in UK

Minister confirms UK has been hit by record bird flu outbreak

Bird flu – Latest situation: UK-wide housing measures introduced to protect poultry and captive birds against avian flu

There is no known risk to human health, but obviously viruses can and do jump from animals to humans, so I think that awareness is important.

 

[acutename]

Somebody needs to explain to me how, with 60% of the country
vaxxed, that we are almost back to where we were when the pandemic started--
Have the 40 percent of unvaxxed people caused this???

not sure if the scientific theorists have moved on from this:


Did a collision of COVID and HIV forge the Omicron variant?
https://www.latimes.com › science › story › did-omicro...
Dec 2, 2021 — The Omicron variant was probably incubated in a person with poorly controlled HIV who struggled to clear a coronavirus infection.

I do know that people who have "long COVID" have the virus in their system for a long time. gives it more time to mutate, whether the person is vaccinated or not, IMO.

 

[JaneEyre]

This is another reason why I think that there should be a lot more wildlife sampling. I also think that more attention and resources should be given to understanding how bacteria and viruses jump between animal and human hosts. The "One Health" paradigm seems to be significant in this area. JMO.

Since you mentioned influenza, I thought that I would share this, in case others weren't aware:

UK chief vet warns avian flu at phenomenal level in UK

Minister confirms UK has been hit by record bird flu outbreak

Bird flu – Latest situation: UK-wide housing measures introduced to protect poultry and captive birds against avian flu

There is no known risk to human health, but obviously viruses can and do jump from animals to humans, so I think that awareness is important.

I will not add to my flock unless there is an emergency rescue situation. I fear where this is all leading. I just want to keep my current small flock safe. Of course I can't control what the wild bird population brings onto my property.

 

[nightowl1975]

[copied from @Arkay on previous thread]

Annoying, yes.
The end of the world? Not hardly.

I am able to work from home. It’s incredibly inconvenient for about half of my job and makes no difference whatsoever for the other half. But it can be done, I am salaried, and I have not lost any pay during the pandemic.

I work in healthcare, with the elderly, and I have taken Covid extremely seriously from the very beginning. I take no chances when it comes to possibly bringing Covid to work.

I’ve missed 16 weeks of work in the past 20 months due to Covid. Two weeks when I had it myself (fully vaccinated), two weeks for each of my kids who had it at completely separate times from each other (which is testament to the fact that early on, it was entirely possible to live in the house with someone who was positive but not spread it to others), two weeks early on for required quarantine prior to an appointment for my child at a cancer hospital, and about 4 weeks total throughout those 20 months for things that weren’t Covid but we didn’t know that for a day or two or more, so I stayed home as a precaution until we did.

It is not reasonable IMO to expect someone to miss that much work if they are unable to work from home. For many months now, at least the last 4-6 months, I work as long as my rapid test is negative if I have any kind of symptoms. We have access to basically unlimited rapid tests. I simply cannot continue to work from home every time I have a runny nose or headache or whatever. It’s just not realistic. And this is from someone who doesn’t miss pay for working from home.

 

[MimosaMornings]

"Masks don't add much, if anything."


Southwest’s C.E.O. tests positive for the coronavirus after a Senate hearing.

Southwest CEO tests positive for Covid-19 after testifying unmasked at Senate hearing - CNN

“Kelly testified at the hearing that he believes masks do not add substantial protection to airplane passengers and cited aircraft ventilation systems.

"I think the case is very strong that masks don't add much, if anything, in the air cabin environment," he said. "It is very safe and very high quality compared to any other indoor setting."

Gee thanks. Great way to get those business travelers back in your planes.
(Kelly, that’s the ones who pay for business select...)

Mayors, CEOs and non-VIPs alike are testing positive for COVID as Omicron variant rages

“Kelly, who is also the head of the nation's largest flight attendants union, was not wearing a mask during the meeting, keeping in line with other unmasked individuals in the room. He was also seen coughing multiple times during the hearing.”

Coughing and unmasked indoors with all those other people who also were unmasked. (Eye roll)

“On Friday afternoon, Sylvester Turner, mayor of Houston, Texas, announced that he had tested positive for the virus.

This afternoon, I learned that I tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. I was not feeling well overnight and thought I was suffering from allergies or a sinus infection, so I decided to get tested before starting my daily schedule," Turner said in a statement. "Before and after getting my test results, I canceled all events for today and the weekend."

My symptoms are mild, and I will spend the next several days isolating myself at home and getting some rest."

Ummm, he should be cancelling everything for the next 10 days, not just the weekend? Guess he will be spending Christmas isolating from everyone.

 

[nightowl1975]

I'm not confidant in the NFL's self reported vaccination rates. They're the same people who covered up the widespread brain damage among their players for years and years. Antonio Brown was only suspended after his chef publicly ratted him out for his fake vaccination card. Who knows how many other players have them? jmo

Are all of those listed for the Browns actually positive or just on the list due to exposure? That’s a lot of players.

That said, if it’s omnicron, and the players have only had two shots, some of the numbers I’ve seen so far indicate you’ve got little to no protection. It’s so discouraging.

 

[Turkeytrot]

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/17/pfizer-executives-say-covid-could-become-endemic-by-2024.html

Well..that's not very encouraging. Feels forever away

 

[Arkay]

@nightowl1975

Your post included a reference to an earlier post of mine from the previous thread, but with a quote below my name that is NOT from me. I only mention this so that the meaning of my original post is not distorted, which the snipped post out of context does actually do.

I understand that all the quarantining and isolating has been hellacious for you, even though you can work from home without loss of salary. I certainly wish all the best health for your child who had an appointment at a cancer hospital.

In my living four generations of family, we have every conceivable tangle of working situation. Retired, or essential workers, or those who can work from home; those who are wealthy and those who live paycheck to paycheck, one on disability, children whose school lives are in uproar, etc. I know the havoc it can wreak and I feel what you are enduring.

I am very relieved for you and your family, though, as your post indicates that even with Covid in your household, none of you were hospitalized for it. As aggravating as your situation is, and I don’t make light of it, hopefully all that sacrifice and duress was at least successful in protecting your family from the most dire consequences of the virus.

 

[CrimeAway]

Here's the latest TWIV Clinical Update. I hope that some of these help my fellow websleuthers.

 

[Spyralflare]

I lost my mom and step-dad last Dec to Covid. I hadn’t been able to see them for months beforehand because it wasn’t safe to travel/visit.

Oldest sister refuses to get vax for religious reasons. Her husband was hospitalized with Covid this year. Didn’t change her thinking Sister near my parents got it when they did. She has been losing her hair ever since. Dermatologist says it will all fall out eventually and regrow.

I work with seniors and am triple vaxxed as of October. No working from home; I’ve had to be on site every day since this started. Thankfully my workplace has done much better than most in infection/death numbers.

I guess we are finding out what happens when the whole world gets PTSD at once.

Hearing about omicron makes me so discouraged. But this virus will not stop mutating until the countries with low vax rates get more doses and increase their percentages.

please be safe, everyone.

 

[Lilibet]

I lost my mom and step-dad last Dec to Covid. I hadn’t been able to see them for months beforehand because it wasn’t safe to travel/visit.

Oldest sister refuses to get vax for religious reasons. Her husband was hospitalized with Covid this year. Didn’t change her thinking Sister near my parents got it when they did. She has been losing her hair ever since. Dermatologist says it will all fall out eventually and regrow.

I work with seniors and am triple vaxxed as of October. No working from home; I’ve had to be on site every day since this started. Thankfully my workplace has done much better than most in infection/death numbers.

I guess we are finding out what happens when the whole world gets PTSD at once.

Hearing about omicron makes me so discouraged. But this virus will not stop mutating until the countries with low vax rates get more doses and increase their percentages.

please be safe, everyone.

I’m so sorry about your Mom and step-dad, @Spyralflare. And the various situations with the rest of your family. I’m glad your workplace has done well. So many haven’t. I agree about the PTSD and now omicron adds to it. I hope you and yours can stay safe. My dh and I are certainly trying, but necessary medical appointments have made travel necessary and there’s such a chance to pick up omicron even boosted. May we all survive this!

 

[IceIce9]

I am able to work from home. It’s incredibly inconvenient for about half of my job and makes no difference whatsoever for the other half. But it can be done, I am salaried, and I have not lost any pay during the pandemic.

I work in healthcare, with the elderly, and I have taken Covid extremely seriously from the very beginning. I take no chances when it comes to possibly bringing Covid to work.

I’ve missed 16 weeks of work in the past 20 months due to Covid. Two weeks when I had it myself (fully vaccinated), two weeks for each of my kids who had it at completely separate times from each other (which is testament to the fact that early on, it was entirely possible to live in the house with someone who was positive but not spread it to others), two weeks early on for required quarantine prior to an appointment for my child at a cancer hospital, and about 4 weeks total throughout those 20 months for things that weren’t Covid but we didn’t know that for a day or two or more, so I stayed home as a precaution until we did.

It is not reasonable IMO to expect someone to miss that much work if they are unable to work from home. For many months now, at least the last 4-6 months, I work as long as my rapid test is negative if I have any kind of symptoms. We have access to basically unlimited rapid tests. I simply cannot continue to work from home every time I have a runny nose or headache or whatever. It’s just not realistic. And this is from someone who doesn’t miss pay for working from home.

One of my friends lost her job due to missing work, a job she had for over 15 years. She has three kids in school, and every time one of their classmates tested positive the kids in that class had to stay home and do remote learning for two weeks. And once someone on the bus tested positive and there was another two weeks.

Of course the kids couldn’t stay home alone and she is a single parent. So when one of the kids had exposure to a classmate she had to take two weeks off work to stay home with the child. Between the three kids she ended up missing many weeks of work. And neither she nor any of her kids ever had COVID themselves.

Finally her employer had to let her go. She said they told her they didn’t want to but they needed someone dependable in her position.

 

[nightowl1975]

One of my friends lost her job due to missing work, a job she had for over 15 years. She has three kids in school, and every time one of their classmates tested positive the kids in that class had to stay home and do remote learning for two weeks. And once someone on the bus tested positive and there was another two weeks.

Of course the kids couldn’t stay home alone and she is a single parent. So when one of the kids had exposure to a classmate she had to take two weeks off work to stay home with the child. Between the three kids she ended up missing many weeks of work. And neither she nor any of her kids ever had COVID themselves.

Finally her employer had to let her go. She said they told her they didn’t want to but they needed someone dependable in her position.

Yes, this.

There are WAY too many examples of real people who truly find themselves having to make impossible choices to flippantly think anyone who dares not immediately cease all activity for 10-14 days every time they’re exposed is a monster who doesn’t care about humanity.

 

[IceIce9]

Are all of those listed for the Browns actually positive or just on the list due to exposure? That’s a lot of players.

That said, if it’s omnicron, and the players have only had two shots, some of the numbers I’ve seen so far indicate you’ve got little to no protection. It’s so discouraging.

Those are all players who personally tested positive. If they have been fully vaccinated they can return after two negative tests.

 

[nightowl1975]

Those are all players who personally tested positive. If they have been fully vaccinated they can return after two negative tests.

Wow. I thought surely it had to be positives and exposures. That’s a crazy long list.

 

[katydid23]

Somebody needs to explain to me how, with 60% of the country
vaxxed, that we are almost back to where we were when the pandemic started--
Have the 40 percent of unvaxxed people caused this???

I don't think we can blame this on the unvaccinated. There are a lot of 'breakthrough' cases in fully vaccinated people.

And they have also confirmed that vaccinated people can carry the same viral load that can be contagious and can pass it on to others just as easily as unvaccinated people can.

Some of the areas that have the highest percentage of fully vaccinated population also have the highest surges in new cases.

 

[weepingangel]

https://twitter.com/ronfilipkowski/status/1472016822639677450?s=21

"Masks don't add much, if anything."


Southwest’s C.E.O. tests positive for the coronavirus after a Senate hearing.

Southwest CEO tests positive for Covid-19 after testifying unmasked at Senate hearing - CNN

 

[WildOrchid]

Was this posted yet? Holy moley.
NY COVID Cases: Single-day record since start of pandemic