Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #95

[Gibbo214]

So far, it seems to me that if you are vaccinated, you are at minimal risk for catching Covid. And, people have a choice, no one has to go out to eat, and people can wear a mask anywhere.

I am vaccinated, and still wear my mask. Especially at work.

Some people cannot be vaccinated. Very young children, people with allergies to a component in the vaccine and immune compromised people. These are the people who herd immunity protects. When I was younger and still working, I saw two babies only weeks old die of whooping cough, whooping and gasping for air. One of the most traumatic things in my career.

 

[Lilibet]

The Doctor Who Eliminated Smallpox Says COVID-19 Is Here to Stay

Read this and weep: The doctor who eliminated smallpox say Covid 19 is here to stay, and he has a lot more to say about this virus----that we are nowhere near herd immunity- This man is a genius so when he talks we should all listen. People acting like the virus is history are dangerous-- This article is behind a pay wall- I hope you can read it or find it somewhere else on the internet---the most scary thing about the virus is its constant mutation and the variants- and some of these variants may elude the effectiveness of the vaccine---- scary to even think about.

I’m weeping.

Highly-contagious Indian variant could be the dominant strain of COVID in the US within a WEEK | Daily Mail Online

Uh-oh-according to this article the highly contagious indian variant could be the dominant strain this coming week in the United States and the bad news is that 30% of fully vaccinated people out of 42 died in the UK

Now I’m sobbing.

I honestly don’t know how to process any of this and apply it in my life. We were so cautious, obsessively applying everything we learned here on this thread for the past year, and the virus found us in late January, how we don’t know. Now we are both fully vaccinated, still cautious, but getting haircuts and thinking of maaaaybe eating at our favorite outdoor restaurant and seeing a few fully vaxxed friends.

But….we live in a county in Southern Oregon with a low vaccination rate because people here are stinkin’ rebels who equate any restrictions or recommendations by the governor with Naziism. But the state is about to open up because Oregon is statistically almost at 70% who have their first shot…but only if you count the compliant metro areas up north near Portland. And the variants are coming. I knew this was likely, but these articles make it all inescapable and even worse than I thought. So I guess I just need to go back to bed and pull the covers over my head. Wake me when it’s over.

Gov. Brown defends plan to lift mask mandate when Oregon hits vaccine benchmark

 

[Gibbo214]

The only time I've had the flu, in the past 10 years, is when I contracted it on an airplane flight.

It's true that after that, I resumed getting flu shots (it was the year before COVID, so yep, I followed advice and got a flu shot before I got my COVID vaccine).

It's great that the flu is so limited this year and I wonder how Australia will proceed, going forward. I bet the US goes back to having flu season again. But maybe, just maybe, it will be a bit better (I sure will be getting my shots in future).

I am not sure what will happen with the flu in Australia or how it applies to the rest of the world. I was of the impression that Australia got the current flu first and the Northern Hemisphere got it the following winter.

 

[GRT]

The way I see it, this is only limiting the freedom of the people who do the right thing - they can always eat at home, wear masks, consistently socially distance, not go to crowded events .....
And allowing the freedom of those who don't do the right thing to get rid of this pandemic.

Which I think is very unfair.

It doesn't bother me so much, but I'm pretty confident in the ability of the vaccine to keep me healthy. I've heard about a few who were vaccinated catching the virus, but I think it's rare.

At the G7, they said their plan is to get rid of covid by the end of 2022. I sure hope they're successful.

 

[SouthAussie]

It doesn't bother me so much, but I'm pretty confident in the ability of the vaccine to keep me healthy. I've heard about a few who were vaccinated catching the virus, but I think it's rare.

At the G7, they said their plan is to get rid of covid by the end of 2022. I sure hope they're successful.

Maybe you missed the post I put up earlier. Their plan is basically scuttled. There is no plan now. No-one would agree to funding it. I read that even the billion doses that the G7 are pledging (which includes the ½ billion that the US has already pledged) will amount to vaccination of about 6% of the population.

It's a start, but it is going to be a long, slow road.

 

[GRT]

Maybe you missed the post I put up earlier. Their plan is basically scuttled. There is no plan now. No-one would agree to funding it. I read that even the billion doses that the G7 are pledging (which includes the ½ billion that the US has already pledged) will amount to vaccination of about 6% of the population.

It's a start, but it is going to be a long, slow road.

Shoot! I did miss your prior post. My bad.

I'm also concerned after reading this:

"The immunisation drive has faced various hurdles, starting with the February news from a small study that found AstraZeneca’s vaccine is mostly ineffective against the 501Y.V2 variant dominant in South Africa (the Beta variant, as per the World Health Organisation’s new labelling system) — as a result, the health department sold the AstraZeneca shots. "
​

So, that's South Africa, but if we have any vaccine that's not going to protect against a variant, we're going to be fighting a constant uphill battle to contain a virus that might never be contained. That's a little scary. I'm sure researchers are busy developing new vaccines as we speak, but if the virus mutates--and it's doing that--we're looking a much more scary situation.

​

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I always thought it was the other way around. Overseas got it first and we had a warning of what strain of flu we were to face in our coming season. At least that's what our news reports have always said.

I am not sure what will happen with the flu in Australia or how it applies to the rest of the world. I was of the impression that Australia got the current flu first and the Northern Hemisphere got it the following winter.

 

[SouthAussie]

Shoot! I did miss your prior post. My bad.

I'm also concerned after reading this:

"The immunisation drive has faced various hurdles, starting with the February news from a small study that found AstraZeneca’s vaccine is mostly ineffective against the 501Y.V2 variant dominant in South Africa (the Beta variant, as per the World Health Organisation’s new labelling system) — as a result, the health department sold the AstraZeneca shots. "
​

So, that's South Africa, but if we have any vaccine that's not going to protect against a variant, we're going to be fighting a constant uphill battle to contain a virus that might never be contained. That's a little scary. I'm sure researchers are busy developing new vaccines as we speak, but if the virus mutates--and it's doing that--we're looking a much more scary situation.

​

We will be needing constant booster shots. The developers are all trying to tweak their vaccines to combat the Beta variant. We will be always playing catch-up with new variants.
And, of course, the booster shots will not be able to accommodate everyone until their supplies ramp up.
The sooner the virus becomes less dangerous (if that will ever be) the better.


Moderna has developed a booster vaccine to target the Beta strain, which is now in phase 1 clinical trials in the US.

Oxford University is working on adapting the vaccine to ensure that it protects against this variant, as well as other strains. They have said a ‘booster’ jab could be available by autumn 2021.

Pfizer/BioNTech also recently announced that they are developing a booster vaccine, which is more specific to the South African variant.

Covid variants: latest on the Indian, UK, South African and Brazilian variants

 

[GRT]

We will be needing constant booster shots. The developers are all trying to tweak their vaccines to combat the Beta variant. We will be always playing catch-up with new variants.
And, of course, the booster shots will not be able to accommodate everyone until their supplies ramp up.
The sooner the virus becomes less dangerous (if that will ever be) the better.


Moderna has developed a booster vaccine to target the Beta strain, which is now in phase 1 clinical trials in the US.

Oxford University is working on adapting the vaccine to ensure that it protects against this variant, as well as other strains. They have said a ‘booster’ jab could be available by autumn 2021.

Pfizer/BioNTech also recently announced that they are developing a booster vaccine, which is more specific to the South African variant.

Covid variants: latest on the Indian, UK, South African and Brazilian variants

I had to do more research. I got the J&J vaccine and it seems to be doing fairly well against the variants known now, but that could change in a heartbeat.

J&J COVID-19 vaccine protective against virus variants, study finds

I didn't know Harvard researchers developed the J&J though.

"Researchers at Harvard University who developed the one-shot vaccine found people from different parts of the world who received it were protected against severe disease regardless of the virus variant."
​

The weird thing is--I'm getting the sense these vaccine manufacturers, or investors (?) (JMOO) may be bad-mouthing the other vaccines. Side effects that are truly rare are being hyped back and forth. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[ilovewings]

I’m weeping.



Now I’m sobbing.

I honestly don’t know how to process any of this and apply it in my life. We were so cautious, obsessively applying everything we learned here on this thread for the past year, and the virus found us in late January, how we don’t know. Now we are both fully vaccinated, still cautious, but getting haircuts and thinking of maaaaybe eating at our favorite outdoor restaurant and seeing a few fully vaxxed friends.

But….we live in a county in Southern Oregon with a low vaccination rate because people here are stinkin’ rebels who equate any restrictions or recommendations by the governor with Naziism. But the state is about to open up because Oregon is statistically almost at 70% who have their first shot…but only if you count the compliant metro areas up north near Portland. And the variants are coming. I knew this was likely, but these articles make it all inescapable and even worse than I thought. So I guess I just need to go back to bed and pull the covers over my head. Wake me when it’s over.

Gov. Brown defends plan to lift mask mandate when Oregon hits vaccine benchmark

I hear ya!!! it is so depressing and just think if all those who equate getting the vaccine with nazi-ism, would get vaccinated, we could repel this damn virus---- but of course that is not what is happening. My husband is going to the store without his mask and plans to not wear it. I did not wear a mask a couple of times at the grocery store but decided I am going to go back to wearing it , especially with this new variant being very transmissible and on the move. The other thing is at the grocery store not all the cashiers are masked and they are too close for comfort so I plan to mask up. My husband all but refuses to do so ( He is a Trumper and doesn't believe masks are useful against the virus -what can I say)- I told him to wear it for me then -- how hard is it to put a mask on for 1/2 hour or less at the market? Here in Michigan the virus is at its lowest point since the pandemic began but we know how quickly that can change, especially with the entire country wide open now, just like there is no virus circulating anymore!!! So I am weeping with you.

 

[ilovewings]

Judge rules in favor of hospital requiring employees to have vaccination with 170 likely to be fired | Daily Mail Online

Judge rules in favor of the hospital requiring employees to get vaccinated or lose their job. I heard the attorney say these employees are going to take this as far as they can-- I am repulsed by hospital employees that are so selfish they don't care that they can spread a virus to patients-- I say the hospital is better off without them: i am sure they can be replaced with employees who will get vaccinated. SMH

 

[mickey2942]

The issue of variants and booster shots goes directly to my previous post about cruise ships. Let's say, a mutant variation of Covid runs rampant on a cruise ship, literally killing folks who have already been vaccinated.

Who is gonna let those folks off the boat in their country? No one. It will be the exact same situation as "Diamond Princess" death ship.

 

[JDG]

Even with vaccinations and boosters, COVID is not going away.

Instead of being a pandemic it will become ENDEMIC to large swathes of the world.

We will learn to live with it, every year a certain percentage of people will die of it and that will be normal.

Same as diseases were before we had antibiotics and other drug therapies.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Even with vaccinations and boosters, COVID is not going away.

Instead of being a pandemic it will become ENDEMIC to large swathes of the world.

We will learn to live with it, every year a certain percentage of people will die of it and that will be normal.

Same as diseases were before we had antibiotics and other drug therapies.

Said long ago on these threads as to it will be endemic, as it "doesn't kill enough or maim enough or disfigure enough" to be a concern for many. SMDH.

The concern that I have, is how they are going to do trials with PROVING it's effective against the variants. It was QUICK to market having so many folks in the placebo group get the disease as the numbers were soooooooooo high for infections during those trials.... vs. control.

But with variants.... if they wait for the trial to end when e.g. 60 in the control get it.... it's already WIDESPREAD. How to nip in the bud with low numbers in US to even get to the endpoint of having enough cases in the placebo. Unless they do in the countries that the outbreak is occurring?

Can someone help me to understand? As MSM is not yet covering such, although it's the same numbers at the start of the first of the pandemic.

MOO

ETA: Question if ANYONE here knows. When they do the annual change of flu variants each and every year for flu shots.... how to they do those trials. How many do they have to have get such... or since they are mostly working on past years, it's easier.

 

[JDG]

^^very good questions.

The Delta (Indian) variant is now in 74 countries, including the USA/Canada.

Because it is easily transmissible, it can spread widely in the community esp in areas that have lower vaccine compliance.

IMO, the drug trial for the COVID vaccine is happening NOW, using the populations who are being vaccinated.

The trials that were held were not normal drug trials, it is/was an emergency drug approved by the FDA.

If you've been vaccinated, you are part of the largest drug trial ever seen by mankind.

ETA: the mRNA vaccines didnt just fly out of the lab. They have been working on them since SARS in 2008(???).
The vaccines showed great potential for treating cancers and other illnesses but when COVID came along, the companies tweaked them to work on COVID.

 

[Sundog]

Delta COVID-19 variant 'probably going to become' dominant strain in US, Gottlieb says

Scott Gottlieb, former FDA director, on the Indian virus becoming the dominant strain in the U.S. He says the mRNA vaccines are 88% effective against the Indian virus, and the viral vector vaccines are about 60% effective.

ETA - Here is the link to Dr. Gottlieb's interview

Gottlieb says Delta virus variant likely to become dominant U.S. strain

 

[MimosaMornings]

Headache and runny nose linked to Delta variant — BBC News

"This variant seems to be working slightly differently," he says.

"People might think they've just got some sort of seasonal cold and they still go out to parties and they might spread around to six other people.

"We think this is fuelling a lot of the problem.

"It might just feel like a bad cold or some funny 'off' feeling - but do stay at home and do get a test.”
———-
“ Don’t worry, it’s just allergies”

Have you ever had allergies before?

“Well, no. But it’s not Covid”

Yet they are surprised when they test positive. I heard that statement for the umpteenth time last week on a zoom call.

 

[ilovewings]

Delta COVID-19 variant 'probably going to become' dominant strain in US, Gottlieb says

Scott Gottlieb, former FDA director, on the Indian virus becoming the dominant strain in the U.S. He says the mRNA vaccines are 88% effective against the Indian virus, and the viral vector vaccines are about 60% effective.

ETA - Here is the link to Dr. Gottlieb's interview

Gottlieb says Delta virus variant likely to become dominant U.S. strain

The problem is these unvaccinated people will contract the virus and spread it
overwhelming our medical system and thereby affecting all of us, and no
doubt some vaccinated people will also contract the virus-

 

[CoverMeCagney]

The delta variant has just put “freedom day” back by a month here in the U.K. It is spreading amongst younger people generally, those who have not been vaccinated and probably those who’ve only had one dose so far. Graph here shows cases by age group, 20-29 being the yellow line, and I believe 90% of our cases are now delta.

 

[CSIDreamer]

I hear ya!!! it is so depressing and just think if all those who equate getting the vaccine with nazi-ism, would get vaccinated, we could repel this damn virus---- but of course that is not what is happening. My husband is going to the store without his mask and plans to not wear it. I did not wear a mask a couple of times at the grocery store but decided I am going to go back to wearing it , especially with this new variant being very transmissible and on the move. The other thing is at the grocery store not all the cashiers are masked and they are too close for comfort so I plan to mask up. My husband all but refuses to do so ( He is a Trumper and doesn't believe masks are useful against the virus -what can I say)- I told him to wear it for me then -- how hard is it to put a mask on for 1/2 hour or less at the market? Here in Michigan the virus is at its lowest point since the pandemic began but we know how quickly that can change, especially with the entire country wide open now, just like there is no virus circulating anymore!!! So I am weeping with you.

I'm a "Trumper". I wore a mask religiously until (1) I was fully vaccinated and (2) my state lifted the mask mandate. IMO that's a pretty unfair stereotype. I think there comes a point in time when we have to open our eyes and hold adults accountable for their own actions instead of blaming someone else. But personal accountability is huge with me. JMO