Coronavirus

[Carth]

Here's an example of the Media scaremongering/clickbait:

Covid: First people in UK hospitals with Omicron variant

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59627188

Great headline isn't it, rather eye catching if I may say so.

However, once on the page itself, the only mention of it - on a rather large page of writing - is this:

The first people in the UK are in hospital with Omicron infections, Nadhim Zahawi has said.

and halfway down the page:

It is not clear if those people who are in hospital with Omicron are there because of the virus or for other reasons.

Nothing else . . no details of where, how many, how serious, age, ethnicity, background illnesses . . nothing, nada, zilch.

The rest of the article is simply repeating what we've already been told over the past week.

I can't think of any reason for that headline with no follow up, not at all.

[mrmistoffelees]

Originally Posted by Carth

Here's an example of the Media scaremongering/clickbait:

Covid: First people in UK hospitals with Omicron variant

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59627188

Great headline isn't it, rather eye catching if I may say so.

However, once on the page itself, the only mention of it - on a rather large page of writing - is this:



and halfway down the page:



Nothing else . . no details of where, how many, how serious, age, ethnicity, background illnesses . . nothing, nada, zilch.

The rest of the article is simply repeating what we've already been told over the past week.

I can't think of any reason for that headline with no follow up, not at all.

They’ve reported exactly what the vaccine minister said on sky news this morning.

Now….

Should they have tried to get more details prior to publishing? Probably

Should the vaccine minister opened his mouth without providing clarification? Probably

Would the vaccine minister know how the media would take his statement? Absolutely

[nffc]

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

You have no idea if c,d,e and whatever else are in planning stages.

Surely it makes sense to governments to have options in place for differing future potential scenarios? Unless you would rather they just make stuff up as they go along.

Oh, hang on….


Boosters are only going to be unfortunately a part of the solution, vaccines whilst highly effective are not the silver bullet that was promised.


The biggest issue we have is we have possibly the worst ever government in charge at the worst possible time.

Not sure Labour would have been much better. At least Boris is doing his best to keep things open and keep supporting people where this can't be permitted. We may well have been locked down for longer and with no furlough scheme under others.


Admittedly the ideal vaccines now would be more than just producers of original spike proteins, but there's evidence now, that the 3rd mRNA vaccine does make a huge difference on symptomatic infection, and even without does reduce hospital admissions.



And yes they do need a plan, but it's unhelpful for the media to speculate what this may involve. Most of it is rehashing stuff which they have introduced before, such as QR codes/taking details of people going to pubs (but why not shops), banning indoor mixing, table/outdoor service only. They can't really go much further with masks because anywhere else it's silly to put one on (for example the previous rule in pubs), they can't ask anyone else to WFH because doing that would then shut businesses. Banning or limiting indoor socialising is logical from the virus perspective but is difficult to police or enforce, and may now get little compliance.


I think it's quite bad that everyone is being treated as though they have the virus. Yes you can infect others whilst being asymptomatic, but that's not as common as having symptoms. Encouraging asymptomatic people to do LFTs before higher risk activities or things where you're in a crowded place and can't distance is probably more useful than masks or vaccine passports, if you don't have the virus on a (properly done) LFT then you're not going to infect others, and if you have had 3 doses, you're not as likely to have the virus anyway. Most people here have some immunity, whether that's from a vaccine or having covid, or both, and how much use that is against Omicron is open to debate, but it will help.


On a positive note, it does appear the outbreak in Gauteng is at or past the peak...

---------- Post added at 13:57 ---------- Previous post was at 13:55 ----------

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

They’ve reported exactly what the vaccine minister said on sky news this morning.

Now….

Should they have tried to get more details prior to publishing? Probably

Should the vaccine minister opened his mouth without providing clarification? Probably

Would the vaccine minister know how the media would take his statement? Absolutely

He's not the vaccine minister any more, he took over education from Williamson.


Without context, it isn't a particularly useful statement.


Did these people contract Omicron in the community, get covid, symptoms severe enough for them to go to hospital? (That's what most people would assume).

Did they get Omicron but aren't ill with it and went into hospital for something non Covid related and then test positive as part of the admissions checks?


Did they get admitted whilst not positive for Covid and get Omicron off someone else (if not another patient, a staff member or visitor for example)?


All of these count as a "hospital admission" on the stats and as a "person in hospital with covid".

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

They’ve reported exactly what the vaccine minister said on sky news this morning.

Now….

Should they have tried to get more details prior to publishing? Probably

Should the vaccine minister opened his mouth without providing clarification? Probably

Would the vaccine minister know how the media would take his statement? Absolutely

Steve Baker MP.

The state, as a machine, has deliberately set out to terrify people.

[mrmistoffelees]

Originally Posted by pip08456

Steve Baker MP.

Deliberate or incompetence ?

---------- Post added at 17:09 ---------- Previous post was at 15:20 ----------

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59629916

Boris due to give press conference regarding booster scheme later.

Interestingly according to the article level 4 implies social distancing continues, but apparently no new restrictions are to be introduced.

I wonder if that scale was developed prior to vaccines and hasn’t been updated ?

[Mad Max]

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

Deliberate or incompetence ?

---------- Post added at 17:09 ---------- Previous post was at 15:20 ----------

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59629916

Boris due to give press conference regarding booster scheme later.

Interestingly according to the article level 4 implies social distancing continues, but apparently no new restrictions are to be introduced.

I wonder if that scale was developed prior to vaccines and hasn’t been updated ?

Good point, you may well be correct.

[nffc]

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

Deliberate or incompetence ?

---------- Post added at 17:09 ---------- Previous post was at 15:20 ----------

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59629916

Boris due to give press conference regarding booster scheme later.

Interestingly according to the article level 4 implies social distancing continues, but apparently no new restrictions are to be introduced.

I wonder if that scale was developed prior to vaccines and hasn’t been updated ?

We already increased the restrictions on level 3, not by much but we still did. At present, considering reports from SA senior medics are still saying it's generally mild (though still not enough data here) and that we do really still need to keep as much open as possible (people will risk assess themselves naturally) and not jump in too hard for it to be a false alarm (whilst at the same time not presuming it's too mild to matter).


The vaccines do still protect, and yes it was developed prior to vaccines, but it's about the circulation of the virus and certainly there are signs Omicron can take over from Delta and is rising quite quickly even though the overall numbers aren't.


Key point here is the scale is just the CMOs' assessment of the situation in the UK and that it doesn't bear any resemblance necessarily to the actual situation with restrictions. In fact I'd suggest we should already have been on 4 since May.


Boris is apparently going to tell us nothing new. Those of us in the 30-39 group who just keep trying the NHS site to book our boosters have already done so...

[mrmistoffelees]

So, 40m jabs delivered in three weeks ?
A tidal wave of omicron is coming

But restrictions……

[Mad Max]

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

So, 40m jabs delivered in three weeks ?
A tidal wave of omicron is coming

But restrictions……

That is the scaremongering bit, we also don't know how severe or otherwise this strain is, and by all accounts, it seems to be less serious than the Delta, according to South African reports.

[Sephiroth]

It's the hospitalisations they're worried about. As said before, a low percentage of a very much higher number than for Delta becomes a problem for the hospitals.

[mrmistoffelees]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

That is the scaremongering bit, we also don't know how severe or otherwise this strain is, and by all accounts, it seems to be less serious than the Delta, according to South African reports.

three things

1. Boris whilst brushing his hair with a balloon looked petrified making that statement

2. South Africa has vastly different population demographics to us. And as they said this morning that’s still just a thesis

3. A very large quantity of cases even where the majority are mild, could lead to sustained severe pressure on the NHS

I get the feeling Boris as per was hiding something (yes it was prerecorded)

---------- Post added at 20:37 ---------- Previous post was at 20:36 ----------

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

It's the hospitalisations they're worried about. As said before, a low percentage of a very much higher number than for Delta becomes a problem for the hospitals.

This….

Cheers Sephi me dear x

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

A tidal wave of omicron is coming

I predict a rise in infections.

But no real discernible rise in deaths or hospitalisation above levels in we saw in late Aug / late Oct.

Infections will of course be the metric we terrify everyone with, although with vaccines it’s the least important.

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

It's the hospitalisations they're worried about. As said before, a low percentage of a very much higher number than for Delta becomes a problem for the hospitals.

Reports (I have read) from various places all seem to say its no more severe than delta, and seems mild.

However, as you say, its too many cases at the same time could present a problem.
Once again however, they are using fear statements "A tidal wave of omicron is coming", they may as well have just added "all hope is lost".

The isolation rules are actually being relaxed next week.

In England, the rules are changing from Tuesday, 14 December. People who are double-vaccinated and come into contact with a person with Covid (all variants) should take daily lateral flow tests for seven days, rather than immediately self-isolating.

For Omicron however ...

... anyone who lives with - or is identified as a contact of a suspected or confirmed Omicron case - must self-isolate for 10 days.

(Doesnt this contradict the above )

Suspected or confirmed Omicron cases are identified through PCR tests. Although confirming Omicron can take a couple of weeks, the initial positive test result will indicate if you are suspected of having it.

All the recent media hysteria reminds me of the children's story,Chicken Little..The Sky is Falling.

[mrmistoffelees]

Just a thought (perhaps somewhat cynically)

Is the end game here to blame the public for the reintroduction of further restrictions?

40m Jabs to be administered in twenty days my half asleep fag packet maths says 2m jabs a day (ish)

That would be four times todays booster doses issued

Is that even remotely achievable ?