Topic: COVID-19:VERIFIED news sources, 0 politishit, 0 CONSPIRACY SHITE

[Red-Soldier]

It feels like every other person around me has the same thing and some testing negative. This thing is so transmissible, that it's going to rip through the country.

People are catching Covid and fighting it off so fast - that's why they test negative..

[gazzalfc]

Our work have closed the office early for Christmas. Too many wanting to work from home rather than take any risks.

We've all been given 7 Lateral flow test kits each to use for before and after Christmas for our own peace of mind.

My Booster is booked in for tomorrow down by the pier head

Still going the match tonight though. Did have second thoughts but I should be fine.

[LFC when it suits]

That is not good.

Have you tested positive for new variant or do you not know? Think you need to wait 30 days for booster anyway.

Did one of them home tests, so have no idea. 

[stoa]

Also one less right wing political agitator, so yeah, a win-win. I am usually not one for wishing bad things, least of all death, even on shitty people. But in this case he fell victim to nature, so fair play to the virus. It would be to all our advantage if the little fucker acted selective like that more often.

Edit: According to the article the AfD said that he "without a doubt knew about the risk. But he decided against the vaccination because freedom was more important to him". I posted recently about this throwing around of this misinterpreted - veering to just plain wrong - 'freedom' argument, as it is being discussed here by some. Especially the AfD talking about freedom is taking the absolute cake though: They'd be the first who would curtail all kinds of (real) freedoms if it was in their power. Everytime I hear one of them utter "freedom!!" on tv I could puke. Jeez I fucking despise this party. Sorry for sounding aggressive, I know Christmas is supposed to be all lovey dovey and forgiving, but that right wing shit drives me up the wall.

The worst thing about the "freedom"-talk is that the likes of the AfD and other Covidiots are responsible for the fact that our freedoms are as limited as they are for example during lockdowns. If they accepted that some measures are necessary (like getting vaccinated, wearing masks), they wouldn't have to endure some of the more severe restrictions to their freedoms like not being able to go out or closing restaurants and other public places. By doing what they're doing they're basically helping to keep things the way they are (i.e. dire) and they don't mind that, because it gets them support from some whackos who claim to be thinking for themselves, but are just following fake news and lies without seeing that they're the ones responsible for the situation we all are in...

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

Had double vaccine, got booster Saturday...felt like shit Sunday Monday, tested yesterday, just had positive result. PCR took 21 hours to come through.

Here we go...

[Snail]

Half the office have now tested positive or are waiting for PCR results, after forcing us back in four days a week. My colleague's elderly mum will now be spending Christmas alone thanks to those gobshites.

[TepidT2O]

Half the office have now tested positive or are waiting for PCR results, after forcing us back in four days a week. My colleague's elderly mum will now be spending Christmas alone thanks to those gobshites.

Are they still expecting you in?

[Snail]

Are they still expecting you in?

I've was at home yesterday because of symptoms, still waiting for PCR results, if I got a negative result today they were expecting me back in tomorrow but two people have just tested positive so they're kindly letting us stay home (we're only open another day and a half before Christmas anyway ffs).

[jillcwhomever]

I've was at home yesterday because of symptoms, still waiting for PCR results, if I got a negative result today they were expecting me back in tomorrow but two people have just tested positive so they're kindly letting us stay home (we're only open another day and a half before Christmas anyway ffs).

So stupid bringing people back into the office now with a highly catchable virus doing the rounds. I hope it’s negative for you.

I’m going for a booster tonight but woke up with a sore throat so I had to do a lateral to make sure, luckily it was negative. But it’s mad out there at the moment. I’ve spoken to people who have coughs yet are putting off doing a test until after Christmas. I told them you are being stupid, but some people will not follow common sense.

[rob1966]

I've was at home yesterday because of symptoms, still waiting for PCR results, if I got a negative result today they were expecting me back in tomorrow but two people have just tested positive so they're kindly letting us stay home (we're only open another day and a half before Christmas anyway ffs).

When do you leave to start the new job?

[PaulF]

So stupid bringing people back into the office now with a highly catchable virus doing the rounds. I hope it’s negative for you.

I’m going for a booster tonight but woke up with a sore throat so I had to do a lateral to make sure, luckily it was negative. But it’s mad out there at the moment. I’ve spoken to people who have coughs yet are putting off doing a test until after Christmas. I told them you are being stupid, but some people will not follow common sense.

It's weird but not a surprise.
Somehow for some people it's ok to NOT test , so you can't find out you're positive and therefore have to isolate.
But after Christmas you will do it.
I mean if you plump for not testing before Christmas, then why bother afterwards?
I suppose it's sort of obvious, but surely even those with that mindset must realise, that the damage is being done when you're socialising. Testing AFTER christmas and then isolating or not (And to be honest, why would they isolate ) . Talk about closing stable door after horse has bolted.

[PaulF]

I've was at home yesterday because of symptoms, still waiting for PCR results, if I got a negative result today they were expecting me back in tomorrow but two people have just tested positive so they're kindly letting us stay home (we're only open another day and a half before Christmas anyway ffs).

Are you going to name and shame your employer at some point in the future? There's a HR handbook in there on how not to run a company.

[courty61]

Looking at some data before and still looking OK although there is a bit of a lag.

% of tests coming back positive seem to be constant at 5%ish - which shows we are picking up the majority of cases. If that number is high it suggests loads are being missed. South Africa has jumped to around 30% which is wild.

The UK has never had that rate since the early days of the pandemic, it hit 13% last January.

See where the case numbers go, but if the positive rate increases then loads are being missed in the community

[TepidT2O]

Looking at some data before and still looking OK although there is a bit of a lag.

% of tests coming back positive seem to be constant at 5%ish - which shows we are picking up the majority of cases. If that number is high it suggests loads are being missed. South Africa has jumped to around 30% which is wild.

The UK has never had that rate since the early days of the pandemic, it hit 13% last January.

See where the case numbers go, but if the positive rate increases then loads are being missed in the community

Where are you getting the positivity rate from?

[paulrazor]

about to go for a PCR test

unfortunately my Lateral flow was positive this morning

pissed off

didnt help yesterday when in Belfast someone not looking blew smoke in my face from a cig

[TepidT2O]

about to go for a PCR test

unfortunately my Lateral flow was positive this morning

pissed off

didnt help yesterday when in Belfast someone not looking blew smoke in my face from a cig

Sorry to hear that…


I spent last Christmas in the front room.. I’m just hoping to everything I don’t developm it again.

[djahern]

Looking at some data before and still looking OK although there is a bit of a lag.

% of tests coming back positive seem to be constant at 5%ish - which shows we are picking up the majority of cases. If that number is high it suggests loads are being missed. South Africa has jumped to around 30% which is wild.

The UK has never had that rate since the early days of the pandemic, it hit 13% last January.

See where the case numbers go, but if the positive rate increases then loads are being missed in the community

We can’t compare overall test positivity (lateral flow + PCR) to a time when it was predominantly PCR. Should look at PCR positivity only which is increased fairly dramatically recently - above 15% most recent days. Even then the direct comparison to previous waves isn’t perfect - many will do lateral flow first so would filter out some of those who are likely to have been negative before they do a PCR.

[paulrazor]

Sorry to hear that…


I spent last Christmas in the front room.. I’m just hoping to everything I don’t developm it again.

i only got my booster this day last week too

Would still recommend people get that

Im downing a bottle of champers if this test turns up negative but im not holding up much hope

[TepidT2O]

So, I’m reading a lot about omicron being milder.   But I don’t think we will know this for quite some time.

What’s happening at the moment. Well, omicron is giving the impression of being less severe than delta, but why?  Well, for delta infections were more in the unvaccinated, so, infection for them would have worse consequences. For omicron, infection is more in the vaccinated (due to immune escape), but they have more immunity to any serious infection despite getting infected again.

So we don’t really know if omicron is milder due to those confounding variables.  But we do know that it’s impact on vaccinated people or those with prior infection is certainly less severe, and something that might be significant as to how we exit this pandemic situation.

On the downside, we really have two pandemics at the moment.  One is delta and one is omicron. Omicron doesn’t look like it will last for long, but when it’s gone, it’s looking like we will still have significant delta case numbers rumbling on

[courty61]

Our world in data has a graph re positive rates.

The data taken from the gov.uk website.

Last data was just shy of 1.5m tests completed. Not sure on the split between the type of tests.

Plus not sure if the positive number includes lateral flows too. Its not clear

[Indomitable_Carp]

So, I’m reading a lot about omicron being milder.   But I don’t think we will know this for quite some time.

What’s happening at the moment. Well, omicron is giving the impression of being less severe than delta, but why?  Well, for delta infections were more in the unvaccinated, so, infection for them would have worse consequences. For omicron, infection is more in the vaccinated (due to immune escape), but they have more immunity to any serious infection despite getting infected again.

So we don’t really know if omicron is milder due to those confounding variables.  But we do know that it’s impact on vaccinated people or those with prior infection is certainly less severe, and something that might be significant as to how we exit this pandemic situation.

Do we not have this sort of data from South Africa, where the vaccination rates are still only at 46%?

[deano2727]

129 in hospital with Omicron despite there being 90k new cases of covid yesterday and high numbers for the last week or two.

I'd suggest that is highly promising.

[didi shamone]

i only got my booster this day last week too

Would still recommend people get that

Im downing a bottle of champers if this test turns up negative but im not holding up much hope

My advice is down that bottle either way  . Good luck

[LFC when it suits]

Do we not have this sort of data from South Africa, where the vaccination rates are still only at 46%?

In theory, yes. however, don't South Africa also have high levels of natural infection immunity as well. So while the majority are unvaccinated, most have an immune response. Not sure how that compares to the UK though. What are the levels of natural infection immunity amongst the unvaccinated?


Either way, at the rate it seems Omicron is spreading at, once it's done running through the population, everyone will either be vaccinated, recovered or dead. It's about limiting those deaths and making sure healthcare systems don't get overwhelmed.

[TepidT2O]

In theory, yes. however, don't South Africa also have high levels of natural infection immunity as well. So while the majority are unvaccinated, most have an immune response. Not sure how that compares to the UK though. What are the levels of natural infection immunity amongst the unvaccinated?


Either way, at the rate it seems Omicron is spreading at, once it's done running through the population, everyone will either be vaccinated, recovered or dead. It's about limiting those deaths and making sure healthcare systems don't get overwhelmed.

You are assuming that an infection with omicron gives god protection against delta though. 

Is that the case? Immune escape works both ways surely?

[PaulF]

So, I’m reading a lot about omicron being milder.   But I don’t think we will know this for quite some time.

What’s happening at the moment. Well, omicron is giving the impression of being less severe than delta, but why?  Well, for delta infections were more in the unvaccinated, so, infection for them would have worse consequences. For omicron, infection is more in the vaccinated (due to immune escape), but they have more immunity to any serious infection despite getting infected again.
I'm assuming immune escape means the virus isn't stopped from infecting hosts by vaccine. Why would omicron infect more in the vaccinated (as a proportion) than the unvaccinated. Surely it would still be lower, even if only a tiny bit.

So we don’t really know if omicron is milder due to those confounding variables.  But we do know that it’s impact on vaccinated people or those with prior infection is certainly less severe, and something that might be significant as to how we exit this pandemic situation.
if it's impact is less severe in the vaccinated, then it's hard to argue it's not milder.  (Obviously it might not be milder in the unvaccinated by choice, but I'm running out of sympathy with them)

On the downside, we really have two pandemics at the moment.  One is delta and one is omicron. Omicron doesn’t look like it will last for long, but when it’s gone, it’s looking like we will still have significant delta case numbers rumbling on
Yes, but held in check for the vaccinated \ those that have recovered from omicron

Sorry to pull your post apart, I can't remember ever not totally agreeing with you. In fact I'm wondering if your account has been hacked, or you are claiming fever to get out of comms tonight?

[PaulF]

You are assuming that an infection with omicron gives god protection against delta though. 

Is that the case? Immune escape works both ways surely?

Not quite that good
Is it not a 'safe' or highly likely assumption?  Surely it's more or less how the vaccine works?

[LFC when it suits]

You are assuming that an infection with omicron gives god protection against delta though. 

Is that the case? Immune escape works both ways surely?

Not sure about delta. But would imagine if vaccine immunity for delta still provides decent protection from Omicron, then natural immunity from Delta would provide natural immunity to Omicron also. From what I understand, Delta already ran through South Africa earlier in the year so the levels of natural immunity + vaccinated immunity combined should be quite high. Plus the younger population making it milder today than it would have been if none of these factors were present.


The question is if it works in reverse. How much does natural immunity from Omicron protect against delta. I don't know.

One would have to hope that Omicron will outcompete delta.

[Commie Bobbie]

Are you taking the piss with the ISIS comparison?

Nope. How many dead so far? 170k in the UK - close to a million in the US and Brazil.

Blood On their hands.

People like Corbyn and Icke shouldn't be at liberty. They should be in jail.

[djahern]

Do we not have this sort of data from South Africa, where the vaccination rates are still only at 46%?

Not really. Most of what we’ve heard in the media so far about it being mild in South Africa suffers from the variables Tepid has outlined.

It’s mostly a direct comparison of hospitalisation rates between delta wave time period to omicron wave time period. The confounding variables are that delta hit within a time period of very little vaccination (different to now) and was so widespread that it gave huge levels of infection immunity. So omicron is hitting at a time of far higher vaccination rates and far higher levels of some previous infection. We would expect a direct comparison of hospitalisation rates between the two waves without correcting for those variables to show us that omicron is milder. In fact if it didn’t show that without those corrections and it was the same - we would be really screwed.

It may be easier to pick apart those confounding variables in the UK data rather than the South African data. But it’s important to know too the contribution of those variables - it’s clear that the omicron wave having less disease burden in UK relies far more on vaccination immunity as opposed to South Africa which relies more of infection immunity.

The data is likely to show that for the vast majority of us - infection with omicron will be milder than an infection with delta - because we’ve had various combinations of vaccination, booster and infections - a lot more exposure. But it’s also likely to show that it’s pretty much the same for those who haven’t had vaccination and haven’t had a previous infection.

The real comparison to make is what are the outcomes of delta infections over the past 3 weeks compared to omicron infections. They’ve been occurring in the same population essentially - though as Tepid points out some correction would still be needed if they are infecting slightly different subsets of the population with regard to age/vaccination status etc. The answer to is omicron inherently milder will come from comparing like for like - what are the outcomes of delta/omicron in recent infections in those unvaccinated, what are the outcomes in recent infections of those vaccinated between the two.

[LFC when it suits]

Not really. Most of what we’ve heard in the media so far about it being mild in South Africa suffers from the variables Tepid has outlined.

It’s mostly a direct comparison of hospitalisation rates between delta wave time period to omicron wave time period. The confounding variables are that delta hit within a time period of very little vaccination (different to now) and was so widespread that it gave huge levels of infection immunity. So omicron is hitting at a time of far higher vaccination rates and far higher levels of some previous infection. We would expect a direct comparison of hospitalisation rates between the two waves without correcting for those variables to show us that omicron is milder. In fact if it didn’t show that without those corrections and it was the same - we would be really screwed.

It may be easier to pick apart those confounding variables in the UK data rather than the South African data. But it’s important to know too the contribution of those variables - it’s clear that the omicron wave having less disease burden in UK relies far more on vaccination immunity as opposed to South Africa which relies more of infection immunity.

The data is likely to show that for the vast majority of us - infection with omicron will be milder than an infection with delta - because we’ve had various combinations of vaccination, booster and infections - a lot more exposure. But it’s also likely to show that it’s pretty much the same for those who haven’t had vaccination and haven’t had a previous infection.

The real comparison to make is what are the outcomes of delta infections over the past 3 weeks compared to omicron infections. They’ve been occurring in the same population essentially - though as Tepid points out some correction would still be needed if they are infecting slightly different subsets of the population with regard to age/vaccination status etc. The answer to is omicron inherently milder will come from comparing like for like - what are the outcomes of delta/omicron in recent infections in those unvaccinated, what are the outcomes in recent infections of those vaccinated between the two.

This is my understanding. However, the question is, how many people like this are still left in the UK. Surely there can't be many left who are unvaxxed and have never been infected with COVID. One thing for sure is that once Omicron is done, virtually no one will be left in that category.

[PaulF]

Nope. How many dead so far? 170k in the UK - close to a million in the US and Brazil.

Blood On their hands.

People like Corbyn and Icke shouldn't be at liberty. They should be in jail.

Whilst I am totally with you in pointing out the potentially fatal consequences of their actions, you can't pin the 170K fatalties on them. 17 would be a push. Still enough in my mind to have them locked in a cell already.

--edit-- there must be a law we can use to take out the 'people' responsible for block booking vaccinations to prevent other people from taking them. Maybe even counter-terrorism?

[TSC]

Latest reporting suggesting that while Omicron may be less severe than Delta, high transmissibility still overwhelming for health service.

https://www.politico.eu/article/omicron-variant-coronavirus-symptoms-milder-delta-uk-data/

[rafathegaffa83]

The worst thing about the "freedom"-talk is that the likes of the AfD and other Covidiots are responsible for the fact that our freedoms are as limited as they are for example during lockdowns. If they accepted that some measures are necessary (like getting vaccinated, wearing masks), they wouldn't have to endure some of the more severe restrictions to their freedoms like not being able to go out or closing restaurants and other public places. By doing what they're doing they're basically helping to keep things the way they are (i.e. dire) and they don't mind that, because it gets them support from some whackos who claim to be thinking for themselves, but are just following fake news and lies without seeing that they're the ones responsible for the situation we all are in...

Absolutely.

[El Lobo]

The worst thing about the "freedom"-talk is that the likes of the AfD and other Covidiots are responsible for the fact that our freedoms are as limited as they are for example during lockdowns. If they accepted that some measures are necessary (like getting vaccinated, wearing masks), they wouldn't have to endure some of the more severe restrictions to their freedoms like not being able to go out or closing restaurants and other public places. By doing what they're doing they're basically helping to keep things the way they are (i.e. dire) and they don't mind that, because it gets them support from some whackos who claim to be thinking for themselves, but are just following fake news and lies without seeing that they're the ones responsible for the situation we all are in...

 

[Linudden]

When someone unironically refers to themselves as a 'Commie' rather than more respectable things such as 'socialist', 'social democrat', or 'left-wing' it shouldn't come as a surprise that the particular individual might have some ideas which make people a bit creeped out. Comparing some idiots wasting everybody's time booking vaccine times for no-one to a cult that was mass murdering people while chopping off heads and cutting hearts out on video is just bafflingly stupid.

The best analogy for how stupid that statement actually is would be comparing a pick pocketing kid at a grocery store to an armed bank robber and saying they're the same.

[LFC when it suits]

When someone unironically refers to themselves as a 'Commie' rather than more respectable things such as 'socialist', 'social democrat', or 'left-wing' it shouldn't come as a surprise that the particular individual might have some ideas which makes people a bit creeped out. Comparing some idiots wasting everybody's time booking vaccine times for no-one to a cult that was mass murdering people while chopping off heads and cutting hearts out on video is just bafflingly stupid.

The best analogy for how stupid that statement actually is would be comparing a pick pocketing kid at a grocery store to an armed bank robber and saying they're the same.

This kind of rhetoric is becoming more and more common these days unfortunately. It's stupid and the reality is that most see it and won't call it out, because they at least partially agree with the sentiment but are not willing to come out and say it.

Even your analogy doesn't come close to summing up how far apart the two are.

[Statto Red]

When someone unironically refers to themselves as a 'Commie' rather than more respectable things such as 'socialist', 'social democrat', or 'left-wing' it shouldn't come as a surprise that the particular individual might have some ideas which makes people a bit creeped out. Comparing some idiots wasting everybody's time booking vaccine times for no-one to a cult that was mass murdering people while chopping off heads and cutting hearts out on video is just bafflingly stupid.

The best analogy for how stupid that statement actually is would be comparing a pick pocketing kid at a grocery store to an armed bank robber and saying they're the same.

You are a fuckin troll.

[Linudden]

Even your analogy doesn't come close to summing up how far apart the two are.

True. It's the best I could do but that's granting the premise halfway, in that it's a serious crime to book times you don't intend to use. In Sweden it's the equivalent of a £35 administrative fine if you don't show up to a time booked so raising that fine is the best deterrence to that mischief.

[LFC when it suits]

True. It's the best I could do but that's granting the premise halfway, in that it's a serious crime to book times you don't intend to use. In Sweden it's the equivalent a £35 administrative fine if you don't show up to a time booked so raising that fine is the best deterrence to that mischief.

Yeah, something definitely needs putting in place for that.