Covid-19 Omicron Variant

[Dannie Boy]

I normally try to take a balanced view of most things including Covid and the risks it poses. I have been critical of those who have posted comments about the new Omicron variant and the possible risk it poses worldwide. I have been taking the view that until we know otherwise, it is best to be cautious and take relevant precautions, however the attached article from a prominent doctor working in South Africa who has witnessed firsthand the impact (or lack of one) offers a powerful argument for not over-reacting, certainly not yet.

An interesting read(even though it is from the Daily Fail).
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... cting.html

[sateeb]

/\ which leads me to wonder how many shares in big pharma Boris and his buffoons have. I may be wrong but I'm not seeing this level of hysteria across Europe.

[joelle]

I gathered this information just to give an idea, but of course it changes daily.
Omicron cases reported on December 15th in Europe
UK: 10 017
  -Scotland: 561
  -NIreland: 151
  -Wales: 62
Denmark: 4225
Norway:  1 498
France: 170
Germany: 102
Belgium: 90
Netherlands: 80
Portugal: 69
Austria: 58
Spain/Sweden: 51
Switzerland: 32
Estonia: 26
Finland: 20
Iceland: 20  they had detected a case of the variant in the country in a person who hadn't travelled. Their conclusion was it was locally transmitted and therefore the variant had been in Icelandic society for a while already. The number of confirmed cases is now sitting at 20 as of December 15.
Ireland: 18
Russia: 16
Latvia: 14
Italy: 13
Romania: 11
Czech Rep: 9
Turkey: 6
Cyprus/Slovakia/Greece/Croatia: 3
Hungary/Lithuania: 2
Cyprus/Slovenia : 1

Source Link :
https://www.euronews.com/next/2021/12/1 ... id-variant

[Dannie Boy]

There must be a reason, but it’s very strange that the UK has so many more cases than nearly all other European countries?


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[m_right]

I normally try to take a balanced view of most things including Covid and the risks it poses. I have been critical of those who have posted comments about the new Omicron variant and the possible risk it poses worldwide. I have been taking the view that until we know otherwise, it is best to be cautious and take relevant precautions, however the attached article from a prominent doctor working in South Africa who has witnessed firsthand the impact (or lack of one) offers a powerful argument for not over-reacting, certainly not yet.

An interesting read(even though it is from the Daily Fail).
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... cting.html

The time for over-reacting was 2 years ago.

[HHTel]

Despite this massive rise in Omicron cases, there's still only one reported death and no details on that death.

Guarded optimism!

[pharvey]

There must be a reason, but it’s very strange that the UK has so many more cases than nearly all other European countries?


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London has more cases than most European countries.... Tells a story.

[Dannie Boy]

There must be a reason, but it’s very strange that the UK has so many more cases than nearly all other European countries?


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London has more cases than most European countries.... Tells a story.

But what story? Is it because people are so blaze? I have noticed that even in very recent video news clips that lots of people are not wearing masks - are other countries being a lot more vigilant?

[joelle]

Here after an explanation I read in a French newspaper but cannot find the link anymore
I quote :
《For Etienne Simon-Loriere, a researcher at the Institut Pasteur, the difference in the number of cases detected of the Omicron variant between France and the United Kingdom cannot be explained by a lack of sequencing in France.  "There are very intense sequencing and screening efforts which mean that we are already able to see the first cases" of the Omicron variant, assures the head of the Evolutionary Genomics of RNA Viruses group.
If Etienne Simon-Loriere recognizes the "clear shift in the circulation of Omicron" in France compared to the United Kingdom, he explains it above all by a purely epidemiological aspect.  "There is less contact historically between France and South Africa and South Africa and England for example. In the other direction, there is another variant which is called B-B640,  which circulates a lot in France and hardly in England or in Denmark, and which itself, comes from a country of French-speaking Africa ", underlines it.

However, this gap tends to catch up, notes the researcher.  "During the ten or so days that preceded, there were quite a few Omicron detections, but each time, there was a notion of travel among people, it was really individuals who were either directly in contact,  either returning from countries where there is Omicron. There, we enter the second phase, we will start to detect and we will witness this increase, most probably with the same rate as we can see in England or  in Denmark, which will be fast, "explains Etienne Simon-Loriere.

 An observation that joins the last opinion of the Scientific Council, made public on December 13.  He explained that the first information available on the Omicron variant suggested that it could "circulate in Europe more quickly than initially expected".  According to the instance, this new variant could therefore replace "gradually the Delta variant in the first weeks of 2022".》

[pharvey]

There must be a reason, but it’s very strange that the UK has so many more cases than nearly all other European countries?


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London has more cases than most European countries.... Tells a story.

But what story? Is it because people are so blaze? I have noticed that even in very recent video news clips that lots of people are not wearing masks - are other countries being a lot more vigilant?

A few sides to it IMO : -

London is the major hub for travel in the UK.
The UK Government (Westminster) have not been quick enough in their actions, beit travel, masks or implementation of rules.
"Blaze"/Ignorance/Arrogance? Completely and utterly with the muppets who ignore the rules, believe they are getting "one up" on the "authorities", whilst putting all others at risk. Fecking twunts! This is not limited to London, we have plenty in Wales!!

At least where I am (Chepstow), pretty much all wear masks wherever - by law in shops etc., but I've not seen any arguments - why so in the likes of London?

[HHTel]

Initial findings from South Africa, which are so far based on just three weeks of data, suggest that while omicron is more infectious than previous variants, people with it are around a third as likely to end up in hospital than those with delta.

This could mean that some of the effects of greater transmissibility are offset by a lower chance of severe illness.

The study – published by Discovery Health, a healthcare provider responsible for 3.7 million patients in South Africa – also shows that vaccines are not as effective against omicron, which poses a higher risk of “breakthrough infections”.

Epidemiologists have warned that data from a few more weeks is needed to corroborate these preliminary conclusions, especially considering the average age of people involved in the study is 34 – and younger people generally tend to have mild symptoms.

However, the report’s conclusions do appear to mirror that of real-life datasets in other regions. In the UK, for instance, just 10 people are known to have been admitted to hospital with omicron so far, despite the variant first being detected here almost three weeks ago.

He told reporters: “This is clearly a highly contagious variant, [but] what’s encouraging at this stage is a flatter trajectory of hospital admissions, indicating a likely lower severity of the illness.”

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/medica ... li=BBoPWjQ

Early days I know but just 10 out of 10,000+ in hospital!

[stretch]

Its a simple answer don't report no cases don't test no cases the only country panicing is dozy Boris asking 50 million people to test them selves every day.

[HHTel]

If they're not testing, then how come the UK has reported over 10,000 cases. Far more than anywhere in Europe.
Although the signs look good, as every report says - 'with only 3 weeks of data so far, it's very early days to be over optimistic.
Hopefully, these early reports are substantiated over the next few weeks.

[REEM]

The reason the UK reports more cases than other countries is because the UK has the highest rate of testing in the world. It also is a leader in genome sequencing, the technique used to identify variants.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/110 ... worldwide/


Compare the UK rates to that of other EU countries or Thailand or China and the reason for the UKs high rates become obvious.

[Dannie Boy]

The point being made by stretch was I believe, that if you don’t test you don’t report any problems and life can go on as normal - I doubt that everyone will agree with that principle?