A deadlier Covid mutation in South Africa !

I am now completely totally convinced that there's a group of people who thrive on this situation, never wanting it to end. To them, bad news is the best news.

South Africa has both a low vaccination rate, and a seriously high HIV population. This needs to be borne in mind in case there are headlines of "massive" deaths there ahead.

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Really?

Really?

Really?

Scamdemic.

Because all Trump "Maga cunts" voted for Obama twice, Clinton and Biden...

Moreover, I thought those people were the ones who quote from The Daily Mail as you do?

[quote]I am now completely totally convinced that there's a group of people who thrive on this situation, never wanting it to end. To them, bad news is the best news.

There is it's called fear porn. Just like the fraus at Websleuths are into grief porn.

Get your shots and live your life. There will be times when cases are high and times when cases are low. It's time to go back to living your life. Some of you have taken this too far now.

“Where’s my next check??!!”

At this point I am Team Covid. Kill all humans, you spiky little bastard! Go all the way!

I certainly hope this is true!!

Dead deplorables and working from home, together, make me very happy

Now is a good time to send another stimulus check. I have Christmas shopping to do.

r10 r13

You no longer get a stimulus check but you can loot all you want and only get a misdemeanor

OP, you’re … kind of an idiot. This new strain does not appear to have the ability to spread. Read the fucking Daily Fail article and see what the scientists are saying.

R1 is absolutely correct. Some people live for this stuff and never want it to end.

And yeah, go ahead and call me “Boris” or “GQP”, even though I’m a born and raised true blue America Democrat who loathes Donald Trump and got fully vaccinated at my earliest opportunity and got the Moderna booster 2 days ago.

Not afraid anymore. Actually haven’t been since March or April of 2020. Not even wearing a mask anymore anywhere starting December 7th. Moving on with life.

I'm also done with masks, except where mandated, R15. Enough with this. The only people getting really sick are those fools who are not vaccinated.

Not wearing a mask inside public places is a sure sign of an asshole.

It's the sign of someone who is moving on, but you do continue to live in fear R17. If you want to continue to mask, then go for it.

I never minded wearing a mask. I have not had a cold in almost 2 years. Not wearing a mask indoors, with others around, is just selfish and idiotic. And most people look better with a mask on.

Once my nieces are fully vaccinated, I’m ditching the mask. Of course, if I hear of another strain making inroads, it’s going back on

"More stimulus! I need a bigger TV!"

It’s the rhinoplasty industry & the deplorables, of course, pushing for no masks

[quote] It's time to go back to living your life.

Unless you catch it and get ventilated, then it’s die your death.

R23, then get the goddamned vaccine.

R18, I don't live my life in fear, but out of politeness to others (like the staff in places) and because it's that much safer, I wear masks. Only assholes do not, and it has nothing to do with fear.

If they're wearing masks, then it doesn't matter if you're wearing a mask or not R25.

Only assholes DON’T get the booster and continue to wear CLOTH masks, which do nothing.

I, as a fully vaccinated + Moderna-boosted person, am safer to the community *without* a mask than someone who hasn’t gotten the booster and wears a cloth mask.

“Only assholes don’t wear masks indoors, with others around”… yeah, because it’s my job to give a *false* sense of security to people who are choosing to live in fear forever.

R25 is there some reason why you haven’t gotten the booster?

Ebola didn't spread like wildfire to the rest of the world, Botswaba covid will not either.

Fat ho OP can just drown in her own vomit now and die!

Good! "Botswana" is way more fun to say than "Delta"!

R28, I DID get the booster. I still put on a mask when I go into a public place.

[quote] [R28] I still put on a mask when I go into a public place.

Can you explain why?

Don't ask R32. It's always the same condescending I'm better than you answer.

Shocker! They "found" a worse strain... The UN Agenda-21 show must go on !!! How ? With fraudulent computer models and math you can fake every thing. They call it The Science™ so people still believe this crap. Just one minor problem... in the real world (!!) they NEVER ever have isolated Covid-19 and NEVER even proved it even exist. Not a government in the world has ever isolated a live copy of this alleged "virus."

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R34, the virus has been isolated many times. Unlike bacteria, viruses replicate using host cells. So they can't be cultured in the absence of host cells, unlike bacteria. Therefore they will never meet Koch's principles, which were written to describe bacterial growth, not viral growth.

South Africa was just added to the UK Red list and recently arrived (past week) passengers are being traced.

[Quote] Can you explain why?

Because we know, with the delta variant, fully vaccinated people can still carry it and give it to the unvaccinated and vulnerable. Since I interact frequently with my elderly parents and my still-not-fully-vaccinated nephews and nieces, that mask stays on for now in public.

Of course it matters R36, unbelievable how fucking stupid you are, you right-wing fuck.

Where do you live, R39? I’m just curious. Must be a deplorable stranglehold with low vaccination rates and a bunch of anti-maskers and high Covid spread currently.

R35, I read that the positive case in HK was detected while the person was in quarantine (he caught it on a trip, and it wasn’t detectable upon his return until he had already been in quarantine). I don’t think they’ve found it in anyone else there.

I don’t know why everyone is so sure this variant and its mutations are so much viable, virulent, and deadly compared to Delta.

R9 Agree, there's nothing we can do about it if people don't want to listen, take care of yourself and keep wearing masks etc.

Vaccinations don't fully protect you R40, wearing a mask indoors is common sense, people are still dying, cases are on the rise in Europe and the covid nightmare ISN'T over, the world as we knew in 2019 is not the same yet, Vaccines make you immune for a while, but they are 100% death proof and they don't make you 100% immune either, it is just a vaccine not a superpower, therefore keep your mask on.

And two people wearing masks are safer then only one of them being masked.

Incredible spread across South African provinces, so hope that overrepresentation from Gauteng (JNB/Pretoria) was misrepresenting true infectivity rates have been dashed.

Whether this means increased morbidity and mortality remains to be seen, but far more mutations present in Nu Variant vs. Delta.

*They are NOT 100% death proof

It bears repeating that South Africa has a low vaccination rate, along with a high incidence of HIV.

Good sign that the guy found in HK is asymptomatic. 36 yrs. He traveled from SA to HK on 11th Nov. He was negative on arrival and tested positive on 14th Nov. He received two pfizer doses in May.

Hopefully despite the mutation the vaccines will still be effective.

Africa. The continent that just keeps giving.

But seriously, the West us partly to blame for this by not providing the most impoverished people on the planet with the vaccines that needed to help keep to virus under control. But.....there is also a lot of vaccine hesitancy in Africa caused by a number of factors so this was probably bound to happen anyway.

Best case scenario - it is more infectious, overtakes Delta and becomes dominant but just gives people nothing more than a runny nose.

I don't even want to think about a worse case scenario.

All this chaos only means the call for a strong leader when strengthen. He’s rested, tan, fighting fit, and ready to make America the nation it was meant to be. The Second Coming is coming. You know it in your hearts. You can feel the drumbeats!

....

OP, where does it say the mutation is "deadlier"? All the information I've seen is that it might spread more easily and the vaccines might be less effective against it. I have not heard a thing about how serious the disease it brings is, and with numbers that small I'd be surprised if scientists know yet.

If it's virulent and it defies vaccines but it doesn't make you hospital-sick, as R48 said it's a non-event. Might even provide more immunity to the other strains. So let's not lose our shit till we know, OK? And stop using thread titles that are deliberately inflammatory.

[quote]OP, where does it say the mutation is "deadlier"?

I was just going to post that. It DOESN'T.

COVID MARY! don't care.

I read on Twitter that South Africa has enough vaccines on hand but low takers. Their own type of anti-vaxers.

Remember that South Africa has a lot of high-risk people and a low vaccination rate, so there's that about the number of death from this.

The big one is coming....The Daddy of all Covids...This virus has shown it mutates easily and the ultimate untreatable strain is inevitable. Once you see this strain in the UK you will know it is spreading and arrival in the US is imminent..

We’re fucked. This won’t change the anti Vax minds

So? There is also Ebola, Marburg, Yellow Fever, Malaria and Dengue Fever in Africa too.

People with those diseases don't tend to get on planes and spread them to the rest of the world, R57.

Fauci says he takes 6K units of vitamin D every day. A small but good extra layer of protection. Not promoted widely because its feared (correctly) that the masses would think it would replace vaccines and masks and they won't have to bother with those. I assume we're smarter here and can think of three things at the same time.

Well if true this is a bit of a dilemma for the Biden administration, isn’t it. Do they close our borders to Africa? That would elicit howls .

I take D3 and vitamin C daily. Not the strictest observer of protocols last year, nor wear a mask unless required. Never had anything resembling nasty knock-you-on-the-ass flu symptoms if asymptomatic infected. (Yes, both shots last spring, plus recent booster)

[quote]Well if true this is a bit of a dilemma for the Biden administration, isn’t it. Do they close our borders to Africa? That would elicit howls .

Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Malta and the Czech Republic have already announced travel restrictions to the region.

Damn, I had a fews weeks post vaccination when the delta hit. I just had my booster three weeks ago . This shit isn't going to end well is it?

[quote]Vaccinations don't fully protect you [R40], wearing a mask indoors is common sense, people are still dying, cases are on the rise in Europe and the covid nightmare ISN'T over, the world as we knew in 2019 is not the same yet, Vaccines make you immune for a while, but they are 100% death proof and they don't make you 100% immune either, it is just a vaccine not a superpower, therefore keep your mask on.

You are freaking insane. You are putting more importance on a stupid mask than you are the vaccine. You are the problem.

[quote]This shit isn't going to end well is it?

No.

It's called NU variant.

It's a whole NU world!!!

OP is click baiting- read reputable information. Not much yet know about the variants ability to evade vaccination but it is showing up mostly in unvaccinated young people in South Africa.

FF’d^.

I picture OP locked in his basement jacking off to disaster porn right now.

New strain detected in three fully vaccinated Israelis.

The new variant has spread to Europe - Belgium. The woman was unvaccinated and did not travel to any southern African countries. She came through Turkey and Egypt.

Stock market is freaking out about the new variant - Dow Jones was down over 900 points earlier this morning.

I am fully vaccinated, three shots, and I wear a mask everywhere except home as much for the flu as Covid and will at least until spring, it causes no harm.

This vaccine mutates. This has been known for a long time. Why freak out now? Did people just assume it would settle down and become tame and friendly?

R57 Those viruses all kill or incapacitate you before you can take your infectious ass on an international vacation, you cretin.

I wish Biden would ban travel today from those countries Israel banned. It will cost him nothing and make him look proactive. I'm sure that won't happen just wish it would. I can just imagine all progressive pushback about how banning travel from Africa is racist while Europe is just as bad. Yadda yadda.

Agree R76. Biden should ban travel from most African countries and revisit travel from other countries including so called safe European ones.

Fauci says No Travel Ban for now. I don’t agree with that.

I have been embarrassed at the way people have been acting about this virus going all the way back to the beginning. I used to roll my eyes at the republicans who were dismissing it and now I find myself doing the same thing at democrats with their constant, non stop, Covid hysteria. There seems to be glee every time there is some new news about a variant. I'm sorry that you want an excuse not to leave the house, but this is no longer it.

The New York Times sent this story out to people who have its "Breaking News Alerts" turned on yesterday, mostly right in the middle of people's Thanksgiving dinners.

I agree the travel ban could include some European nations as well. A temporary ban until more info comes out about the new variants. At least ban travel from South Africa.

This is very worrisome

[quote] This needs to be borne in mind

Oh, dear.

[quote]I'm sorry that you want an excuse not to leave the house, but this is no longer it.

This variant is 500 times more transmissible. If it is as deadly as delta then we are fucked.

Is NuVariant just a working title until they come up with a jazzier name? Otherwise it sounds like a skin care line.

Why would we be fucked, R84? Does the mRNA booster not work on this variant?

We were supposed to be fucked with original recipe Covid. We were supposed to be fucked with Delta Covid. Why does anyone think that South African Covid is going to fuck us. A bunch of chicken littles, the lot of you.

We're ALL going to DIE!!!!!

Dr. Jha speaks on this. New variant is concerning, not ‘alarming.’ Yet.

How many of us think people in eSwatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and Botswana take Vitamin D3?

How many of us think believe a cloth mask will mobilize the neutrophils, lymphocytes, and killer cells as well as Vitamin D3 does??

If you haven't been taking Vitamin D3 since August/September, then yeah, keep trusting in that cloth fabric and vaccine of dwindling efficacy as those are all you have.

In the October 2021 [italic]Nutrients[/italic] journal, an article recommends 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood serum level of 50 ng/mL for minimal probability of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome.

And remember that those gifted with melanin pigmentation, metabolic disorder, and avoirdupois are more likely to require hospitalization. If you are in any of these categories and in a 'cold climate' area, 10000IU/day right now (with magnesium and K2) won't hurt you.

2/6 He also says both fear mongers and skeptics/deniers should be ignored.

Oh, for God's sake, R90. Any voodoo you want to pimp too?

R84, can you please provide a link to your data?

last 2

Bring me... eye of newt!

I can't keep getting vaccinated with every new variant. My arm is sore two months after my second shot. I'm sure the incompetent and or MAGA bitch who jabbed me did it too deep, past the muscle, and gave me what they're calling Covid arm. I can raise my arm but not high. Is another shot gonna disable me for good??

I will wear a mask in public until I die, which is not far off at the rate I'm going.

^ Then jerk off lying on your back.

Problem solved.

R97 It's my left arm that's sore, I'm right-handed. If it had been my right arm I'd be suing the bastards.

There is no data showing that the mRNA booster/3rd shot (which brings VE back up to 96% against symptomatic disease) doesn’t work on this new thang. So until we get word that that’s the case—that even a 3rd-shot-boosted person will get very sick or die—I ain’t gonna worry. Sorry, fearmongers, I know this is fun for you, but the scant data so far does not justify your delirium.

OP There is NO data that this a “deadlier” variant, so stop with the fear mongering.

r86, they don't know for sure but at least two people who were double vaxed with pfizer have the Nu variant. The question is how sick do people get with the variant.

U.S. is restricting travel from South Africa and 7 other countries in Africa. Goes into effect on Monday.

EVERY bloody country should be restricting travel from countries who have this variant. The virus was already here weeks before the Trump government finally stopped travel to China. We were always playing catch up with the first strain and it was one step ahead of us. It's time to be PROACTIVE not REACTIVE. This is dangerous.

R102 Where did you read that. This isn’t true.

R104 MSNBC is reporting this as Breaking News.

Anyone know who Dr. Eric Ding is?

[quote]and hell yes it’s very airborne. The hotel guests were in different room across the hallway from each other. Environmental samples found the virus in 25 of 87 swab across both rooms.

Fauci doesn't want to be out of a job and like him, Big Pharma wants to keep this going.

So OF COURSE Biden isn't going to impose travel restrictions.

[quote] [R86], they don't know for sure but at least two people who were double vaxed with pfizer have the Nu variant. The question is how sick do people get with the variant.

The question is how does the BOOSTER hold up against this variant. We already know Pfizer’s immunity has waned past the 5 month mark.

I see very few masks here in Michigan. But you know, people do people.

[quote] OF COURSE Biden isn't going to impose travel restrictions.

He just did though. Starting Monday.

What do masks have to do with anything, R109. The best protection is VACCINATION (2 doses PLUS the BOOSTER.)

Okay.

r23 a lot of people were more fucked up by the fact they were ventilated. Not everyone required it but because they did not make any distinction they ended up ruining some people's lungs. Ever hear of pneumonia or asthma? There are steroid drugs used to treat those illnesses when people can't breathe. Ventilation should used only in specific cases, not on everyone.

I’m glad Biden put in the restrictions (even though I’ve now heard arguments they don’t work.)

That’s incredibly fascinating r113. So you’re blaming ventilators for the pandemic. How was thanksgiving at mar a lago?

If we do dodge the bullet this time by finding out the vaccine works against this strain, I hope someone invents a vaccine to combat any future strains that may defy the current one.

Just now from The NY Times:

“ There is no proof yet that the variant is more contagious or lethal, or could diminish the protective power of the vaccines, but uncertainty on those questions was one factor in the speed of countries’ move toward restrictions.”

They’re acting out of an abundance of caution, as they should.

R105 I stand corrected. Sorry!

R106, Feigl-Ding-Dong is a notorious fearmongering fraud. Almost anyone who takes Covid seriously is better than him.

Follow Dr. Jha, Eric Topol, Monica Ghandi, Zeynep Tufecki, or “Chise” instead.

R117 There is no proof YET because this variant has just been identified and it needs to be monitored for a few weeks to see what effect it will have on hospitalizations, severe disease, vaccine efficacy/ breakthrough infections etc. The concerning thing is that it has twice as many mutations as any other variant, and the mutations are on the spike protein which is how the virus gets into and infects cells. That’s why these travel shutdowns are happening so fast.

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[quote] There is no proof YET because this variant has just been identified and it needs to be monitored for a few weeks to see what effect it will have on hospitalizations, severe disease, vaccine efficacy/ breakthrough infections etc.

Exactly, but the nervous wrecks on here have already drawn their own conclusions.

[quote]U.S. is restricting travel from South Africa and 7 other countries in Africa. Goes into effect on Monday.

Thank goodness there's no chance of the variant slipping in to the country on the busiest travel days of the year.

Just the preliminary limited news we have was enough to spook the stock market to plunge this morning. Don't think this is the end of the world but just a depressing sign this is going to continue to drag on even longer than expected. Anti-vaxers are everywhere for many different reasons, not just in the US. Travel between countries is going on constantly everywhere, even with the travel bans. There are enough unvaccinated everywhere in the world to allow the virus to keep mutating into new threatening variations. Is it possible it could mutate into something milder, less harmful? Does it always have to be something worse?

That’s racist they are banning only from African countries.

R125 XENOPHOBIC!

The travel ban doesn't apply to American citizens and we don't require quarantine. Stupid.

R125 - you ban the countries where it's coming from . Nothing racist about it.

Hold me, David!!!!!

Nu is coming.

I personally believe this COVID variant is coming from The South Africa and everywhere like such as.

I support the ban, but the truth is, once it is discovered, it is probably already too late.

Question is, is this something to actually he concerned about? Or is it like the Indian variant, which ended up not causing the havoc that was predicted.

R132 We don't know yet so don't get too relaxed at this time.

Who wants humanity's stuff?

I wonder how many infected with this strain slipped through our gates before the first sick person came forward.

[quote] Question is, is this something to actually he concerned about? Or is it like the Indian variant, which ended up not causing the havoc that was predicted.

I thought "the Indian variant" is/was Delta. They were calling it initially the Indian variant in the UK, but then it was changed to Delta. Maybe I have this wrong.

It seems like by the time it is discovered and travel restrictions are set in place, it is officially here.

The one good sign so far is that this new variant appears less contagious than the delta variant ....what is very worrying is it's believed that it likely mutated as a result of coming into contact with a person( or persons) who are HIV positive and untreated for that condition. That could mean this variant much more easily evades immune responses.

I believe the role that HIV infection plays in viral mutation is that the virus has more time to mutate and spontaneously generate mutations (variants) because that person's immune system is compromised and takes a lot longer to clear the infection. Vaccine distribution and take-up is also very low in sub-Saharan Africa. This is why Africa is fertile ground for new DARS-CoV-2 variants to be generated and for them to spread.

R137 No, it “appears” MORE contagious because it has more mutations than the other variants and they’re in areas of the virus (the spike protein) that are concerning. We have no data about how it ACTS in people yet- how sick they get etc. That will take several days or weeks of monitoring.

SARS-CoV-2, not DARS...

R139 the new variant's R0 is 2 (which means on average an infected person will go onto infect 2 others), that is compared to Delta with an R0 of 5 to 8 even with vaccines. So the new variant is less transmissible. The issue with the new variant is that the spike protein has mutated which means the vaccines may not be effective and could in the long run become the dominate strain due to the lack of vaccine protection. But for the moment, Delta variant is still much more transmissible.

R141 It’s way too early to say anything about transmissability. There are a tiny number of cases in SA (only 100 or so.) This thing was only identified literally hours ago. No one knows how transmissable it is, how sick it makes people or whether it evades our vaccines yet, just that it has a LOT of mutations and has become the dominant strain in SA very quickly. That’s all we know as of now.

Paging Elderlez for detailed analysis!!!!!!!!

So we basically know nothing about this - except that it’s different. This same drama happened with Delta - and as long as you’re vaccinated you didn’t get severe sickness. Good day to buy in the market.

No disrespect intended, but most of the posts on this thread are just rampant speculation about unknown risks, based on fear. The only way it's helpful is if it makes people better to post their fears, whether they are real or imagined. Only time will tell what is real.

In the meantime there is no point in paralyzing ourselves in fear and hanging on every questionable re-tweet of some person's speculation on what the risks or outcome may or may not be. It just becomes a vicious cycle of information of questionable validity that results in nothing good and instead just stirs up panic when we don't really even know much of anything factual yet.

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.

Vaccinations are the last thing anybody needs against this strain.

Anyone who's followed the fast data releases since yesterday knows that this new strain is totally vaccine resistant and that all the infections found are in the vaccinated. The report claiming the woman in Turkey who has it has was unvaccinated has been retracted. Only the vaccinated are getting it. The claim that it evades immune system antibodies is false. It only evades vax induced antibodies. One of the infected in Israel is fully vaccinated with 3 doses.

Alex Jones has entered the chat.

And guess who just arrived. Hi R146, lighting a bomb and tossing it online as usual and then quickly fleeing the scene to watch the drama that unfolds.

Bitchute videos incoming!

r132 The Indian variant. Charming.

It's getting more and more like the movie Contagion. Their outbreak happened Thanksgiving weekend and then it hit an HIV /AIDS population in South Africa and the R knot increased.

I’m more worried about the impact the looming healthcare staffing crisis will have on mortality rates than the new variant. Tending to the needs of the sick at the bedside is already an extremely taxing job and docs, nurses, and support staff have been put through the wringer over the past 2 years. It’s becoming a perfect storm with new variants, low vaccination rates, and the chronically ill who have foregone needed medical care because of COVID and are now coming to hospitals much sicker with much more demanding care needs.

Many HCWs see the writing on the wall and are understandably getting out to save their own mental and physical wellbeing. So what will happen when there aren’t enough caregivers to adequately care for all these sick people?

[quote]the R knot increased.

Did it eventually get big enough to use as a pillow?

How do some of you even leave the house?

I leave but wear a mask. People are acting as if nothing is happening. Do you think people having parties is a good idea?

[quote]Do you think people having parties is a good idea?

Yes, because it's time to get back to living.

The Dow is so swollen it could go down by half it doesn’t really mean anything.

[quote]You no longer get a stimulus check but you can loot all you want and only get a misdemeanor

Hell, you can shoot people dead and get off scot free!

R143 ElderLez started her own thread. Go there and skip the other 157 on this topic.

This chart explains some of the concern about this variant: it emerged 3weeks ago and now accounts for 90% of all sequenced cases. It took Delta 3 months to reach that level.

That’s why Europe is freaking out.

Maybe that's what is already going on in Europe.

R160, what is a “sequenced case?”

R161 Could be. I wonder how much sequencing Europe does? I suspect it’s like here: not much. SA is (understandably) angry that its close monitoring, testing and transparency got it penalized with travel bans all over Europe and the US.

[quote]Only the vaccinated are getting it. The claim that it evades immune system antibodies is false. It only evades vax induced antibodies.

Can you link to a scientific study that supports that statement?

Can you also please explain how the virus tells the difference between "immune system antibodies" and "vax induced antibodies?"

Could you also enlighten us by explaining what exactly creates the xax induced antibodies?

No she cannot R164 because that entire post was a steaming pile of bullshit, to stir up drama.

R162 It’s a virus sample that has its entire genome analyzed. They track mutations that way.

[quote]The SARS-CoV-2 genome, at more than 30,000 nucleotides, is long for an RNA virus, so while there were few changes initially, there is room for quite a lot of information about each strain’s history to accumulate.” He said that by the time the virus arrived in Australia, the different changes, or mutations, of Covid-19 “define branches on a tree”. Each branch of Covid-19 that exists in Australia could be linked back to China in the original instance, as well as via an outbreak in a foreign country.

R164 That poster is a disinformation troll.

According to the government of Botswana, the first four cases of the new variant were recorded in patients who had been fully vaccinated.

R165, a lot of anti vaxers are posting this on social media. They are hopeless

So now it appears we (US) are on the No Flights From Africa bandwagon

R168, yes, and they were detected through routine pre-travel testing, which means almost certainly asymptomatic. It hasn’t evolved into Ebola.

South Africans are enraged that they are apparently being blamed for this variant. They’re pushing back on social media, saying that their amazing biological research institutions were so keen they discovered it there first but that doesn’t mean it developed there first.

Antivaxxers = people who feel they are largely inconsequential and frequently looked down on by the world at large. But by "doing their research" and embracing these theories they now get to feel superior because They Know Things Other People Don't.

In this case it's that X is in collusion with the pharma companies to get us all to inject poison into our bodies so they can control us.

Or, that X is in collusion with the pharma companies so that they can keep selling us on new vaccines and new medications for a disease that does not exist so they can make billions.

X can be anything from Billionaires, to The Catholic Church to The Clintons to Jews and their Space Lasers to The British Royal Family. Or some combination of the aforementioned.

I think it’s simpler than thar r173. Most sntivaxxers are either terrified of things they don’t understand or too lazy and selfish to bother changing their behavior to help defend against the virus.

These two strain both love describing their refusal as a noble resistance to tyranny, as it’s a better look.

Selfish for sure!

The UK flight ban isn't permanent, as soon as quarantine facilities come back online they will be allowed again. Under Red list conditions.

The situation will remain under review until the analysis is this strain of the virus is complete. I don't think they are overreacting.

E168 “Breakthrough cases” in the fully vaxxed are not uncommon. The relevant questions are how sick were they and did they require hospitalization? If the answers are not very and no (as seems to be the case here) the vaccine is doing its job.

[quote] we (US) are on the No Flights From Africa bandwagon

Except US citizens who are exempt. Because the virus chooses only to infect non-citizens, you know.

I agree R177. Unfortunately the way the world works right now, that level of common sense doesn't create the sizzle headlines the media (and social media) likes to spew. If it doesn't scream "OH MY GAWD WE ARE ALL GONNA DIE BECAUSE THERE WAS A NEW CASE!!!!!!" they don't bother to "report" it. Makes me crazy.

Those are not "antivaxxers" R174, those are just people who are too stupid or too selfish but largely keep their opinions (and status) to themselves.

Antivaxxers are the ones who loudly proclaim their conspiracy theories on social media and to anyone unfortunate enough to engage them in conversation.

you are cray, because you really/none of us/ have any idea how this will all work out.

welcome to life.

thanks for that enlightening sentence fragment / runon R181 i really appreciate your insight lol but anyway what are you even on about i agree nobody knows so why worry about it it will turn out however it turnts out and nothing anyone can do so mask up lol n get ur vaxxx

R83, explain.

Why don't they just stop all international travel for three months? If they had done that a year ago, we wouldn't be having the issues now.

R185 Might be an issue getting 195 Countries to agree to that.

You could try the Australia/ New Zealand approach but it's probably much too late in this case.

Because there is no "they" R185. There is no entity that has that kind of authority over the population of the entire earth.

When you already have cases in The Middle East (Israel), Northern Africa, Asia (Hong Kong) and Europe (Belgium) I'd say the genie is out of the bottle.

Yes r115 that's exactly what I wrote.

Rudo Mathivha, head of clinical dpt, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital:

1. Bara = seeing a change in the democratic [sic] profile of #COVID patients

2. More young people with moderate/severe #COVID = hospitalised

[bold]3. 65% of admissions = unvaccinated; 35% = partially vaccinated[/bold]

R190 So 0% of hospitalized are fully vaccinated.

All this hysteria before there is even any factual meaningful information available is ridic. Just stop. And posting a link to some rando tweet is not evidence of anything. Most of twitter content is complete fakery bullshit.

"2 other returnees from Malawi also suspected to have contagious B.1.1.529 variant; all 3 were vaccinated.."

[quote] suspected to have

This is meaningless. Suspected, not confirmed? Are they sick? Are they hospitalized? If they were, that info likely would have been in the article.

Having a virus is meaningless if it doesn't even make you sick. You could probably test positive for 100s of viruses on any given day, and never even know you have them an never get sick.

So this hysteria needs to stop until there's something to report. Case count with NO information about how many cases result in serious illness is meaningless.

So much irresponsible reporting going on, and people on here spreading it around.

Think before you post, unless your goal is to spread fear and potential misinformation.

I know this is an unpopular opinion here, but perhaps Dr Fauci should step aside at this point. He’s led the charge thus far and I thank him for his service but it has been almost two years. And this complicated issue continues.

Maybe some new blood and new aggressive leadership is in order. I had it before it was a “thing” in January 2020. Six weeks of severe sickness. I still have no sense of smell or taste and lingering fatigue. There have been +700,000 American deaths and vax development since. But this virus continues to steam ahead. This, like climate change will not end well for the world and drastic action must come now. Just my humble opinion.

Case #s mean NOTHING. It’s #s of serious illness requiring hospitalization that we should be worrying about.

I have heard that most cases are mild so far . Perhaps it won’t be a big deal in the end

[quote]When you already have cases in The Middle East (Israel), Northern Africa, Asia (Hong Kong) and Europe (Belgium) I'd say the genie is out of the bottle.

Yep.

Cautious sort-of-optimism from Dr. Peter Hotez

Dr. Hotez looks like a loon

He isn’t, though, R200. He’s completely normal.

Is this the colored COVID ?

I get the worry and the early suggestions are this new variant is vaccine resistant. That being said, as yet there is no indication that this new variant is any more lethal than other variants. Viruses mutate generally becoming more transmissible, but numerous mutations isn't always a sign of increased virulence. Viruses often mutate to something less heavily symptomatic in order to increase it's own viability.

The fact that there's a confirmed case in Belgium likely means it's already in circulation throughout Europe and likely in North America as well.

So annoying that Biden isn't shutting down air traffic from the region until Monday when Europe did it today.

A reporter asked him why. He said that that was what his medical advisors told him to do.

Come on MAN!!

Jesus Christ, some of you are never happy. You were bitching because you were certain that the President wasn't going to shut down air travel. Now he's shut down air travel and you're unhappy because it's not when you want it. The guy just can't win.

There is no sign that this variant is vaccine resistant. The vaccinated people who’ve tested positive for it are either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms.

cunts!

R206 That is not factually correct. The spike protein has heavily mutated and scientists are "very concerned" that the mutations may significantly reduce (or eliminate) the vaccines efficacy. The vaccines currently in circulation were all design around genetic material from the alpha variant's spike protein. The vaccines are currently being tested with this new strain but early indications are that they are not nearly as effective, which is why the "Red alert" has gone up around the world. Also we do not know the full state of vaccinated people who have since tested positive. It may be the vaccines are still effective or it could also be the new variant is actually less virulent.

why let a whole weekend's worth of people fly in r205?

I’m sorry, R208, but what I posted is factually correct.

[quote]So annoying that Biden isn't shutting down air traffic from the region until Monday when Europe did it today.

The cat's out of the bag. It's been circulating. The Belgian case is an unvaccinated woman who returned to Belgium on 11/11 (the same day it was identified in Botswana) after traveling in Egypt and Turkey. She has no connection to sub-Saharan Africa.

r210 posting factually correct statements, or statements easily substantiated with three search keywords seems to trigger some DLers today. Ignore them.

All of those people at airports traveling home this weekend- stay away from them.

I also detect some typical anti-vaxxer “the vaccine probably doesn’t work on this” misinformation in R208’s reply to me. That’s the central thrust of his post.

What doesn't make sense, in addition to waiting to shutdown flights from S. Africa, is not requiring Americans to quarantine when returning from S. Africa. It's a half assed plan.

So putting aside the people who are acting like this is the end and those who are saying the vaccines are fully effective got over it. Here is the actual situation:

1) We do not know yet what effect the mutations will have with vaccines. Currently there is "concern" from early data out of South Africa suggests the vaccines efficacy has been reduced, but further tests are now being undertaken and we'll likely know more within 10 to 14 days.

2) Early sequencing suggests the mutations make the virus more transmissible.

3) So far, no determination if the new variant is any more concerning than delta in terms of how severe the illness could be.

4) WHO has listed this new variant as one of "concern" as there is worry about vaccine efficacy.

Basically we don't know much other than the new variant is likely more transmissible.

LOL at everyone posting the same googled bullshit, which is basically we don't know anything for real yet, but this variant MAY be bla bla bla or do bla bla bla. And so many self righteous pricks pretending only THEY know the truth (which is not yet known by anyone) and that THEY are so superior to other posters. You are all talking out of your asses and pasting shit from the internet. Just stop it already. You sound like hysterical hypochondriacs who find the worst case scenario in every little remote possibility.

Because people need a couple days to get home and change plans so they don’t get stranded you stupid Biden basher. Get a life.

This is a big nothing. Delta seems like it’s still the biggest concern.

Most viruses tend to become more infectious and less deadly.

Correct R220. Thank you. They spread more easily as they "mutate" resulting in higher case count but lower incidence of anything serious. But that story doesn't create sizzling headlines or generate "clicks" so usually the headlines are "DEADLY MUTANT STRAIN OF COVID NOW RUNNING RAMPANT IN SOUTH AFRICA AND SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE!!!!"

Plan is to lock us down till 2025

Pearl clutchers of DL keep wearing your mask and hiding behind your couch!

Oh and get more boosters....

4 a year sounds but right!

The pearl clutchers can't have any pearls left to clutch. They must have been ground to dust by now.

I am a Democrat. And I am an ElderGay who knew who Fauci was for his AIDS work, long before Covid came along. But I have learned that Fauci loves the cameras. He loves talking when he has absolutely nothing new to say (which might account for 56 percent vaccinated in some states)..So of course Fauci will be on every single Sunday Show to jibber jabber about how this could be bad or could be nothing. Even having zero answers will have Fauci drooling for Sunday. Wait and see.

it looks like the mutations in this new varriant effect antibody resistance and infectiousness (more easily transmissable). They are doing more studies now. Though, this virus is mutating too rapidiily, and it will jump where vaccines will not be as effective. We have to vaccate the world.

[quote] We have to vaccate the world.

Where else can we go?

R225 Problem is there is so much vaccine resistance in so many places in the world for a whole variety of reasons. The average human IQ is very low.

I can't decide if r225 meant to type "vacate" or "vaccinate"

CALLED IT.....R224 here...Fauci couldn't wait until Sunday so he is jibber jabbering on Today Show Saturday!!....And as I predicted he is basically saying Omnicron could be bad...Or Not!!....Can anyone else talk out of both sides of their mouths like Dr. Attention Whore?...35 years on AIDS and did nothing for AIDS...

I thought the Fauci troll had moved on

Breaking News Alert!!!.....FAUCI has announced on the Today Show that people should get Vaccinated!!!...wow!!!....(((((applause))))).....Spoiler Alert---->>Expect this clown to work any Sunday Show who invites him tomorrow!!....Gosh I hope he talks more about vaccinations!!!

Fauci Issues Urgent Warning to Vaccinated: “They are seeing a waning of immunity not only against infection but against hospitalization & to some extent death which is starting to now involve all age groups (not) just the elderly..ppl (are) getting breakthrough infections (&) winding up in hospital"

Somebody should really seek professional help for their Fauci obsession.

Authorities in the Czech Republic reported the first suspected case of the Omicron variant has been identified in a passenger who arrived from Africa.

A German state minister has warned that the Omicron variant has “very likely already arrived” in Germany, as mutations typical of the variant were detected in a traveller returning from South Africa.

It's everywhere.

Early reports often tend to be wrong or misinterpreted, but from The Guardian:

South Africa's hospitals see rise in younger Covid patients

The number of confirmed Omicron Covid cases in South Africa is still relatively low, with 2,828 new confirmed cases recorded on Friday, but its speed in infecting young people in the country has alarmed health professionals.

“We’re seeing a marked change in the demographic profile of patients with Covid-19,” Rudo Mathivha, head of the intensive care unit at Soweto’s Baragwanath hospital, told an online press briefing.

“Young people, in their 20s to just over their late 30s, are coming in with moderate to severe disease, some needing intensive care. About 65% are not vaccinated and most of the rest are only half-vaccinated,” said Mathivha.

“I’m worried that as the numbers go up, the public health care facilities will become overwhelmed.”

Exactly Fauci - our concern now is more waning immunity than Omnicron. That’s a main driver of Europe’s issues. I do t care about the unvaccinated. But we should be hammering home the need for vaccinated to get a booster - especially elderly.

[quote]“Young people, in their 20s to just over their late 30s, are coming in with moderate to severe disease, some needing intensive care. About 65% are not vaccinated and most of the rest are only half-vaccinated,” said Mathivha.

Assuming the unvaxxed in the US are still mainly Republicans -- of every age -- I'm okay with this.

You'd think at some point Republican "leadership" would realize this virus is killing their base, and they're actively hastening their own decline by pooh-poohing vaccines and masking.

[quote] The vaccines are currently being tested with this new strain but early indications are that they are not nearly as effective

R208, do you have a link to some data about “early indications”? And what does “not nearly as effective” mean quantitatively?

First UK cases found in Nottingham and Chelmsford.

MARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I like Fauci, but he doesn't like a camera. Both things can be true. In fact, a lot of these "Covid specialists" especially the ones on Twitter are just clout chasing. The worst people in all of this have been the media with the way they blow these stories up. They're using fear for clicks and ad revenue. Not cool.

[quote] “The new Omicron variant of the Coronavirus results in MILD disease, WITHOUT prominent symptoms.” -Angelique Coetzee, the chairwoman of the South African Medical Association.

[quote]"It presents mild disease with symptoms being sore muscles and tiredness for a day or two not feeling well. So far, we have detected that those infected do not suffer loss of taste or smell. They might have a slight cough. There are no prominent symptoms. Of those infected some are currently being treated at home.” Hospitals have NOT been overburdened by Omicron patients and the new strain has not been detected in vaccinated individuals there. We know those vaccinated from other countries infected have been mild or asymptomatic.

The OP of this thread is a lying fraud.

r242. Wasn't this variant discovered about 5 days ago? There is no way what that article is saying could be known to be true except for a snaphot in time of the newly infected.

Here is another article.

R242, is a Covid denying anti VAXXer

R243, The variant may have only been sequenced 5 days ago, but the patients and their symptoms were identified weeks ago—at the beginning of the month.

R245, why are you lying about me? I have been 100% pro-vaccine from the start. I got my two shots of Pfizer in April/May and got the booster 5 days ago. There is nothing in my post history to indicate anti-vax sentiment or Covid denialism. You’re pulling shit out of your ass because you don’t even understand what you’re reading here in this thread.

Sorry that Omicron isn’t going to be “the big one” that you want it to be. The vaccines are also clearly highly effective against it, so I guess that’s triggering for you, too.

r246, In the two articles posted at r242 and r244, nowhere does it say the people were infected at the beginning of the month. They were all very recently infected.

It’s possible that the new variant is milder as far as symptoms go but it’s more transmissible which is not good for compromised individuals.

Being vaccinated is the key to keeping this pandemic under control. The unvaccinated were what caused this years woes with hospitals being overwhelmed by antivaxxers.

The anti vaxxers are elated that this is targeting the vaccinated in their minds

[quote] [R246], In the two articles posted at [R242] and [R244], nowhere does it say the people were infected at the beginning of the month. They were all very recently infected.

It says earlier this month, which — correct me if I’m wrong — means probably at least sometime in the first 10 days of November? No? Contracting the variant, a little incubation time, presenting symptoms, getting tested, sequencing the variant which was completed 5 days ago. What exactly is so hard to believe about that?

Not sure if you’re a bit thick or if you have a pointed, anti-vax agenda. You think Angelique Coetzee is mistaken? Or that those infected with this variant will be taking a sudden turn for the worse in the coming days?

[quote] The anti vaxxers are elated that this is targeting the vaccinated in their minds

It isn’t targeting the vaccinated any more than any other variant, though.

So it’s “mild” and not “deadly”?

The Covid deniers would love this thread . DL has a legion of Covid dismissers

I don’t know if they’ve reported any deaths from it yet, R252. But the OP was certainly lying at the time when he called it “deadly.”

R253, what the hell is wrong with you?

I bet it’s already here, international travel started up recently and a few states have been reporting increased daily cases.

I wonder which state will be first to confirm a case.

In response to omicron, Britain:

• Mandates masks on public transport and in shops

• Requires all international arrivals to take a day 2 PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result

• Require all suspected contacts of omicron cases to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status

[quote] Requires all international arrivals to take a day 2 PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result • Require all suspected contacts of omicron cases to self-isolate for 10 days

And how exactly will these “requirements” be enforced? What a joke.

r250, the doctor has a very small sample size to work with on a new variant that was very recently discovered. I hope she is right, that this new strain causes very mild symptoms in those that are vaccinated. The jury is still out though.

Interesting that it won't let me copy and paste from the article.

[quote]I hope she is right, that this new strain causes very mild symptoms in those that are vaccinated. The jury is still out though.

Yes, I sure hope she's right, but I'm not taking her experience as conclusive any more than I'm accepting the doom-and-gloomers' take on omicron. It's too early to know anything for sure.

UK announces new measures:

Summary

Anyone arriving in the UK will be asked to take a PCR test

They would then have to self isolate until they provide a negative test

Wearing face coverings in shops and on public transport will become compulsory

PM "confident" this Christmas "will be considerably better" than last year's

PM tells a press conference: "We don't know how effective our vaccines will be" against the new variant

The new measures follow two cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant being identified in the UK

The cases - in Nottingham and Chelmsford - are linked and both people had recently been to southern Africa

South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini were added to the UK's travel red list on Friday

The red list has now been expanded again and will, from 04:00 GMT on Sunday, also include Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia

Yes I obviousiy hope she is right too, R259. But I think we can all agree that there is nothing that’s been reported so far that supports the OP’s framing of the situation.

detalails ^:

[quote] So it’s “mild” and not “deadly”?

Like my farts.

Whoever smelt it, Deltad it!

Wait there have now been 15 variants of this fucking virus out there already? Don't they tend to get less deadly as time goes on? Why isn't this one getting any weaker. So in essence I have to wait until March for the next vaccine and maybe it'll not exhaust the Greek alphabet.

This one so far seems to be weaker, r266

r266, my guess is that it takes time for the variants to become less deadly. This sucker in only in its second year. I have no doubt we will exhaust the Greek alphabet.

R266 Viruses *often* become less virulent over time, though not always. They can become more deadly, however, the issue with an increase in virulence is that eventually the virus will burn itself out because it would have killed too many hosts (e.g. humans) and enough survivors would be immune that it would have no where left to go. This may have been what happened to the Spanish Flu in 1918 to 1920. The second wave of that pandemic was its deadliest and may have been the result of a mutation(s) that made the virus more deadly. After the second wave, the virus then effectively "disappeared" (though it is believed that two additional, but far more isolated, waves of the Spanish Flu occurred in early 1919 and again in early 1920). Basically Spanish Flu appears to have ramped up and then effectively burnt itself out.

As others have said on this thread, an increased number of mutations doesn't necessarily mean that this new variant is more deadly. In fact, there are some suggestions that the opposite might be true. Too many mutation might actually make the virus less "viable." Very early indications do suggest that this variant while more transmissible might produce milder symptoms particularly in vaccinated people. But so far the infected sample size is very small. So we are going to have to wait a bit longer to see if this is the case.

It's likely, as R268 says, it's going to take several generations of this virus to become less symptomatic and in real terms that is like a year or two down the road. Remember many common colds are actually coronaviruses that probably at one point in time were like far more serve.

COVID is out of the box and we can't stop it. The best thing we can do is try and slow the spread. To date the best defences we have are getting vaccinated, wearing masks in public spaces and social distancing. We should also be aware that in countries entering their winter months, cases are going to go up just as with happens with colds and flus. As more of us spend time indoors, the easier it will be for covid to spread. We are now at the point where we are going to have to "learn to live with it" but learning to live with COVID doesn't (as many anti-vaxxers suggest) means ignoring it. It means certain adjustments to our day-to-day lives may have to continue for some time to come e.g. masks.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Remember the horrible videos leaked from India during the initial delta outbreaks in India ? People dropped dead on the streets. It happened to Wuhan as well. So far I haven’t heard anything like that happening in SA

[quote]Like my farts.

YAS KWEEN YAAAAAS!

There is a severe lack of critical thinking skills demonstrated recently. Reading through this thread provides ample examples.

r273 I could not agree with you more. Cognitive dissonance is indeed a mental disorder affecting so, so many.

the mutations that the Omicron varriant has can cause wanning antibody resistance and increase transmission. This is why everyone is freaking out. Covid is mutating beyond vaccine protection. Meaning we need another vaccine. Unvaxxers are causing this.

Too many squawking parrots on here just repeating something they read online or on Twitter where someone speculated something that may or may not be true and what could maybe happen.

Of all the vaccines I have taken in my life like tetanus, measles, mumps, polio, meningitis, TB shots, etc...

Never have I heard so many lies and deceptions over a vaccine that says I have to wear a mask and socially distance even when fully vaccinated, and that I could still contract or spread the virus even after being fully vaccinated.

Never before had to get tested when I was perfectly healthy without any symptoms whatsoever.

Never been bribed by the establishments to take the vaccine in order to win a holiday and/or cash prizes or earn frequent flyer points.

I never had to worry about cardiac issues, neurological disorders, blood clots and sadly more! Didn't have to worry about death.

Never was I ever THREATENED by the use of FORCE by the Government, Employers, Police force, and Military for a vaccine, as seen overseas.

I was never judged by my friends or relatives if I didn't take it.

I was never discriminated against for travel or other regular services to the point where I could not buy or sell without it.

The vaccines I listed earlier never told me I was a bad person for not taking them, or for even taking them for that matter.

I have never seen a vaccine that threatened the relationship between my family members and/or close friends to the point of destroying my relationships with them.

Never have I seen them used for political gain.

I have never seen a vaccine needing 24/7 mass media advertising and promotion on every media outlet known to man.

Then there’s mixing and matching different vaccine brands and being told it's okay to do it one day and then told the next day not to do it (overseas). I have never seen a vaccine threaten someone's livelihood, as well as wipe out their job.

I have never seen a vaccine that allows a 12-year-old child's consent to supersede their parent's consent (that one alone blows me away).

Finally, after all the vaccines I listed above, I have never seen a vaccine like this one, that discriminates, divides, and judges a society.

So much information about it is censored, deleted, and removed from the internet and mainstream media.

So many doctors, health care professionals, police and scientists are censored and forbidden to speak out or ask legitimate questions when what is being allowed or not allowed does not make sense! Particularly when it comes from mainstream media.

I have never known a vaccine that has made all the Pharmaceutical companies that manufacture it exempt from liability if it kills, where no life insurance will cover it.

This is one powerful vaccine! It does all these things, and yet, it does NOT do the one thing it is supposed to do, which is... FIGHT OFF THIS PLANDEMIC!

Republicans are spreading harmful misinformation about COVID and the Vaccine. They are undermining government and public health. This is in the USA. Imagine, what is happening in resource poor nations? We are fucked. Is CHINA even vaccinating their population? It seems like they developed this as a Bio-weapon to use against their own people, then it got out.

This is freaking me out.

2629 new cases in Gauteng today New admissions per week

Very notable uptick for GP last week and the current week is already much higher than last week. No big changes for the rest with some slightly up and some slightly down.

Hospital deaths per week

Deaths remained low last week with virtually no change from the previous week. It takes maybe a week or two after admissions start going up before we see deaths rising so by next week we'll know if deaths in GP are following the same trend as admissions.

Why, R279? Get the booster and relax. There is nothing about this new variant that justifies freaking out.

Just booked the booster.

It takes a few weeks to see whether anyone drops dead on the street in SA .If that happens again, we are doomed

Considering they have a very low vaccine uptake there (35%?), at least a few deaths among vulnerable people (elderly, immunocompromised) are inevitable, I would think.

[quote]Republicans are spreading harmful misinformation about COVID and the Vaccine.

I actually think a lot of it is coming from Russia, trying as always to sow chaos and division and weaken our country (and the EU.) They were caught doing it in 2016, why would they stop after Trump was elected? They’re still at it all over SM.

R277 If they'd just made it compulsory like the Smallpox Vaccine it would have saved you months of 'navel-gazing' (self-indulgent or excessive contemplation of oneself or a single issue, at the expense of a wider view)

You're really overthinking this.

R277, it is customary to credit whichever Facebook loon actually compiled that drivel when you copy and paste.

AP: The Italian news agency LaPresse says an Italian who traveled to Mozambique has tested positive for the omicron variant.

The business traveler landed in Rome on Nov. 11 and returned to his home near Naples. Five family members, including two school-age children, have also tested positive.

All are isolating in the Naples suburb of Caserta in good condition with light symptoms.

MARIA!!!!!!!! r288

Russia and China maybe behind the vaccine misinformation but you cannot assume all liberals are pro vax.

I have liberal friends that are 100% anti vax and republican friends who went out and got vaccinated right away, it really comes down to what you want believe.

Look at the statistics broken down by sex and race.

Some context: that 9.2% positivity rate is less than half what Michigan has been at this week.

Omicron tracker

R269 put it very succinctly.

There is a glass half-full/glass half-empty aspect to Omicron: if it is indeed more transmissible but less deadly it could in fact be the perfect "natural vaccine" that will out-compete deadlier variants (such as Delta). After recovery, it may confer immunity against all strains of SARS-CoV-2.

Imagine that! We would still need to use "proper" vaccines (because the elderly and those with co-morbidities may still be at greater risk) but Africa may vaccinate itself, in a manner of speaking, with this apparently more infectious but milder variant.

Ban r277

Italy has found cases in Naples and Israel have totally closed their borders for 14 days.

Yea, it doesn’t matter to the arrogant assholes , they will never admit that this virus is serious.

You never hear about China vaccinating.

you are all arrogant, know it all cunts who will all die.

happens to the best of us!

Jfc with the trolls.

R297 You do if you don't live in the US.

China have administered around 2.5Bn doses of vaccine to date.

with microchips! duh!

R96, the same thing happened to my dad. I hesitate to call the moron who did his shot a nurse or even a pharmacist. Just an idiot at Kroger who went way too high on his booster. He's in agony and has been for 2 months as well. I canceled my kid's appointment at Walgreens and got his shots done by a pediatric nurse. I think they "trained" a bunch of new people to deliver the vaccines

Some of you are just too delicate for this world.

i smell cunt. begone, r302!

R277 deserves to be heard.

Gov Of NYS says “It’s coming here!”

Whatever r302, I've been here since the WTC was an insatiable bottom

R96, That sounds like what happened to me a month ago, but with my flu shot! Hurt like a bugger going in, a unique experience for me. Very sore arm for weeks afterwards, reaching, sleeping, being. Doctor found no infection last week, and gave me a script for an X-ray (didn't go).

As often occurs, my arm no longer is painful!

But it is my reason for not getting the Covid-19 booster shot.

Excellent summary by a doc about why omicron is so worrisome. He’s predicting southern states and Europe about to have big spikes

[Quote] Very sore arm for weeks afterwards,

Stick ice on your arm at the shot the day of the shot to prevent soreness

Do some of you just troll YouTube and Twitter to find things to scare you? Because R309 certainly looks reputable.

I have diabetes . I got my Moderna booster. What upsets me is the thought of being in a hospital. If I have to go rather go peacefully at home. I am only 47. I know of a colleague who was about 56 that passed away due to Covid before the vaccines. Really tragic. I just hope that the researchers keep coming up with vaccines to fight new variants of the virus.

R312, are you a great big fat person?

Banned R313

i think the big issue here is:

Covid is mutating very rapidily. Pretty soon, vaccines will not be as effective. We have to vaccinate EVERYONE. This is like small pox and polio.

WE HAVE TO VACCINATE EVERYONE.

Everytime a crazy antivaxxer dies of covid, Covid mutates. It is evolving to survive, to be more infectious, to evade antibody immunity.

We have to VACCINATE EVERYONE. This shit has go to end.

Good luck r315, 316

I am getting my booster sometime in December. But I remember Fauci saying the original vaccine was going to last thru 2022....I don't trust Fauci anymore. I really don't . Biden needs to find someone else.

Here’s the thing, R318. It’s a novel virus. Its name is the Novel Corona Virus, as in never seen before. Meaning no one, including Dr. Fauci, can predict how it will act, what it will do, how the vaccines will perform, etc.

Got it?

Kween^—he appears definitive in his answers, though. With him, he speaks as if this is not a novel virus.

R319 = Then why is Fauci going on television?. By your own account he cannot predict anything and yet he runs to every camera to satisfy his desperate crave for fame. Does Fauci have Attention Whore Syndrome? Sure seems like it.

My mother who has a compromised immune system just tested positive for COVID. Since she has pneumonia they placed her on a vent right away. I’m so sick of this pandemic.

It's not so much from South Africa add it was identified there. It's already in several countries. South Africa has good epidemiologists.

r322, I'm sorry. I hope the best for you and your family,

The Covid virus will still mutate even if everyone is vaccinated, right?

[quote]Everytime a crazy antivaxxer dies of covid, Covid mutates. It is evolving to survive, to be more infectious, to evade antibody immunity.

Not even 3% of the world is vaccinated.

And even so, vaccinated people can still spread the virus.

4500 plus a day new cases in Ohio. Trust me--these hillbilly rednecks won't even wear masks in stores. Columbus has a city wide mask mandate and they walk around Wal-Mart and Kroger with nothing on their faces. There is zero enforcement.

R326 Fuck you and your lies, you ignorant piece of shit.

At least 55% of the world's population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. China alone has 77% of its people fully vaccinated.

Clearly not enough Americans have died for us to collectively take vaccination seriously.

[quote] Everytime a crazy antivaxxer dies of covid, Covid mutates.

Everytime a crazy antivaxxer dies of Covid, an angel gets her wings.

and covid mutates.

[quote]Because there is no "they" [R185]. There is no entity that has that kind of authority over the population of the entire earth.

If all the sane countries in the world restricted their airspace to commercial flights, it would end international travel unless the airlines all want to fly over the poles for every trip. Profits are why they won't do it. Nothing but profits.

No R64, don't be slow.

Being fully vaccinated (like I am btw) doesn't truly give you an excuse to stop wearing , people have to keep them on.

Just like cinemas should be operating only at a 50% or 60% capacity, instead of full capacity.

I'm not saying that people should not get vaccinated so they can keep wearing masks.

I'm telling people to go get their boosters (or 1st shot in case they're republicans) and to keep wearing their masks even after that.

It’s in Sydney , Australia now

It's visiting more cities than Elton's next tour.

I hope this is not accurate

i got my moderna booster tonight. It has been about 6 hours ago and i feel fine. My previous two vaccines were with pfizer, but the doctor said it didn't matter. I'm glad i got it with this new variant around.

[quote]Everytime a crazy antivaxxer dies of covid, Covid mutates.

When a crazy anti-vaxxer dies, the virus infecting him/her does....nothing at all. It has failed at the only job it had.

Viruses make copying errors when they replicate. Most are neutral or detrimental. When a beneficial error, i.e., one that makes transmission easier, pops up and the virus containing it infects a new person, you can be sure that it will propagate. Viruses have no interest in killing; they need living hosts in order to survive.

That's why when someone says, "If you're vaccinated, why do you care that I'm not? What I do doesn't affect you." they need to called out on their idiocy and shut down immediately.

The period of activity is much longer in the unvaccinated, which means more time to replicate. The more replication, the greater the chances for one of these happy accidents (for the virus, that is) to take off and dominate.

More stimulus, Red Lobster and Nintendos for everybody!!

A statement put out by the South African government says the vast majority of cases diagnosed so far are unvaccinated. I guess it depends whether you trust them.

It also states the "cases" involved mild illness for a few days, not some near-death experience in the hospital. But apparently the hysterical "OH MY GOD THERE ARE CASES SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE AROUND THE WORLD AND IT'S ALREADY EVERYWHERE AND WE ARE DOOMED!!!!" type of headlines generates more clicks. So that's what the headlines are. Stop being so stupid.

I thought the South Africans are downplaying it in an attempt to save their tourist industry.

Who knows WHAT the hell is going on.

Veep Kamala is on the case!!..She has been briefed!!..Thank goodness we have her...Maybe she can go over to the Transportation Dept and show them how to get things done!!...LINK

[quote]Thank goodness we have her...

She's a goddess.

NYPOST is on it.......LINK...

R340 The SA government is relying on anecdotal information, not clinical evidence in stating that the cases are "mild".

R336 Don't read or listen to anything Eric Feigl-Ding says. He's an alarmist drama queen.

From The Guardian:

Dr Angelique Coetzee, chair of the South African Medical Association, told The Andrew Marr Show she first encountered the omicron variant in a man in his early 30s who presented with tiredness and a mild headache, but none of the usual coronavirus symptoms.

She said: “What we are seeing clinically in south Africa, and remember I’m at the epicentre - that’s where I’m practising - it’s extremely mild. For us, that’s mild cases.”

When asked if the UK was “panicking unnecessarily”, she said: “I think you already have it there in your country and you’re not knowing it, and I would say, yes, at this stage I would say definitely.

“Two weeks from now maybe we will say something different.”

I can't help but think we'd have already eradicated COVID if it had hit before the advent of social media.

This variant is no joke . Don’t buy into the initial reports of “Mild”. Symptoms. S Africa feels like they are being punished , so they may be downplaying

I'm surprised we haven't heard more about Africa, in general, over these last two years.

R350 Are you a South African doctor? Didn't think so.

Not even one case detected in the US and SA gets banned? SA has been very transparent. It was first detected in Botswana but for some reason it’s the South African variant. That would be like calling a Mexican variant, the US variant. I’m sure that wouldn’t go down well. Fuck the UK for blaming Africa, they never stop.

All the South Africans did was discover the variant and sequence it. People and governments are soooooo stupid. The variant was already in Europe, Israel and Hong Kong.

The ban in the US is ineffective anyway since we allow Americans in without enforcing quarantine.

R353/54 is posting from the South Africa Tourist Board.

Relax, it will soon be discovered that omicron is already spreading on every continent, and travel will resume.

R356 then I hope the standard going forward is that the country who discovered it gets blamed/banner immediately for it. Because that’s is what is going on here. It’s only fair.

R357, the UK was blamed for one of the early variants due to discovering and announcing it. It's a trend.

Since most or all omicron cases so far discovered outside Africa seem to have some connection to Africa, it makes sense to exercise caution with travelers from there. That's not "blaming" a country for a virus.

R358 the UK wasn’t immediately turned into a global pariah overnight because of that. It was discovered in BOTSWANA. Would the UK like to take the blame for a French variant? Thought not.

R313, that link is utter bull shit. It admonishes Fauci, for example, for interrupting a Press conference to say hydrochloroquine may not be highly effective and then says he was wrong because HCQ is apparently the “most highly effective treatment”!

Again, BULL SHIT

Sorry, the post above was for R318

India went through this when when Delta was called the "Indian variant" by the media for a long time.

R318, wow, that link, from early 2020, doesn’t hold up very well, does it.

[Quote] I am getting my booster sometime in December. But I remember Fauci saying the original vaccine was going to last thru 2022....I don't trust Fauci anymore. I really don't . Biden needs to find someone else.

Very very doubtful Fauci would have said that considered it is very well known that coronavirus natural immunity doesn’t last very long (6 months or so)—so it’s highly doubtful that vaccine immunity would somehow last much longer. And this is exactly what we’re seeing now.

But Fauci is not the one to blame. This is a new disease and everyone is just making predictions. It’s idiotic to claim that someone is terrible because they’re predictions might not come exactly true.

The guidance that no one has waivered on is wear a mask in public and get the vaccine. THAT’S IT.

Plus the link at R318 is pathetically wrong

Gurls, GURLS! Don't fear. After reading several twitter posts and watching five youtube analysis, I can officially say that I am a Omicron expert by night and a retail associate by day. You have nothing to fear! The symptoms are mild but they might not be tomorrow, so be on high alert and panic.

r365, actually there was wavering on wearing a mask in the beginning.

#don’tcomply is number 5 trending on Twitter. This will not end well

If my understanding is correct, r367, they were afraid people would panic purchase N-95s, and they needed to conserve PPE for medical personnel

[quote]Most viruses tend to become more infectious and less deadly.

"Most" and "tend to" are meaningless. Some become more deadly and some become weaker.

Do you have a credible source for this assertion?

He has MSNBC.

[quote]Gurls, GURLS! Don't fear.

You're wonderfully reassuring. I name you MOTHER of this thread due to your natural nurturing qualities.

[Quote] [R365], actually there was wavering on wearing a mask in the beginning.

Sorry that everyone didn’t have the exact right answers at the start of a novel epidemic.

That said, we knew the minute Trump said it that we shouldn’t drink bleach and stick light up our asses

[Quote] [R365], actually there was wavering on wearing a mask in the beginning.

So will the GOP get rid of DeSantis and Abbott? They’re STILL waivering on masks

R347, that is my impression as well. I follow a number of non-theatrical physicians on Twitter and there's not a lot of regard to him. I think it takes a lot for one doctor to diss another, and God knows his posts aren't exactly subtle.

Is Fauci basically Oz or Phil?

He's Dr. Anthony Fauci, asshole at R376.

Catch something.

Oh my. ^ 🤭

I’m surprised Fauci isn’t connected to Oprah.

I think you bitches obsessed with hating Fauci secretly want him to fuck you.

R375, absolute Bull shit.

Doctors are very supportive of Fauci. Plus, he never says anything particularly dramatic or histrionic. He always qualifies his statements, as he should, because no one can say anything with certainty when it comes to Covid.

Any doctor who, for some reason doesn’t like Fauci, has to say exactly why. Does the doctor know better? Does he have all the world’s epidemiological data?

If not,STFU

R375 = conservative troll who basically uses the “Ive heard people say” excuse

I was referring to Eric Feigl-Ding, not Dr. Fauci, who I trust implicitly.

I love when they eat their own! ^^^

R384.

I doubt an apology will be forthcoming.

No^.

This is an excellent, real world language explanation of vaccines et al.

Tell me if it is paywalled.

R328 Only 42.7% of the world is fully vaccinated.

And considering how the vaccines lose effectiveness over time, that number is even less reassuring.

The virus has plenty of opportunity to spread and mutate.

People might get vaccinated now but they won’t a year from now.

R381? R382? Anything?

[quote]the vaccines lose effectiveness over time

They don't actually, at least not where it counts. Yes, antibodies wane. They always do because that is just your immune system in a state of high alert. It's not possible (or healthy) for your immune system to remain in that state - enduring immunity to disease is controlled by your T-cell and Memory B-cells (among other arms of the immune system).

It's like the difference between a firewall and a fire extinguisher. Most vaccines can only suppress infection, not prevent it entirely (the measles vaccine is one of the few that actually prevents any infection for life, and the anti-vaxxers hate that one!). A good vaccine prevents DISEASE and all the evidence so far is that all the current COVID vaccines remain incredibly effective at preventing hospitalisation and death (as well as preventing "Long-COVID").

[quote]They don't actually, at least not where it counts.

Oh, then we don't need boosters after all.

The South African doctor who first identified the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is speaking out and emphasizing that more time is necessary to truly understand it.

Dr. Angelique Coetzee, chairwoman of the South African Medical Association, spoke to multiple media outlets over the weekend about the unusual symptoms she spotted in patients diagnosed with the Omicron variant. In describing the symptoms that were exhibited in lieu of more common ones like loss of taste or smell, Coetzee categorized the effects as “mild” to The Telegraph, and stressed that “currently there’s no reason for panicking as we don’t see severely ill patients.”

Coetzee elaborated that the symptoms of Omicron patients appear to be fatigue, body aches, and a recurring dry cough. She said many of the patients managed to recover on their own, though she had concerns about how the variant might affect the elderly or people with underlying health issues.

“What we have to worry about now is that when older, unvaccinated people are infected with the new variant, and if they are not vaccinated, we are going to see many people with a severe [form of the] disease,” said Coetzee.

“It’s all speculation at this stage. It may be it’s highly transmissible, but so far the cases we are seeing are extremely mild,” said Coatzee. “Maybe two weeks from now I will have a different opinion, but this is what we are seeing. So are we seriously worried? No. We are concerned and we watch what’s happening. But for now we’re saying, ‘OK: there’s a whole hype out there. [We’re] not sure why.”

^Damage control. The south African economy depends a lot of tourism. Can't blame her, she is probably being more accurate in her statements than most.

Frankly, the virus is all over the planet. I think the better way to handle this is to force testing and quarantine on anyone travelling overseas or crossing international borders. What we have in place is ineffective. American citizens can return from S. Africa but will not be forced to quarantine.

What if we just consistently wear a mask in all public spaces and wash our hands? Won’t that keep us safe until this new variant situation is all sorted out? Am I missing something?

I would think more people would be open to wearing a mask in colder months. I was more than happy to wear from November-March last year and will again this year.

[quote] Dr. Angelique Coetzee

Daughter of J.M.?

Wait. Angelique is WHITE?!??

I thought I was getting advice from a COLORED WOMAN!!

This changes EVERYTHING.

Germany: Dozens get unauthorized home-brewed vaccine before police intervene

[quote]I would think more people would be open to wearing a mask in colder months. I was more than happy to wear from November-March last year and will again this year.

Funny how some people love them so much. American gays especially.

R381 and R382, your silent shame speaks for itself. Let this be a lesson to you.

Two cases confirmed in Canada.

R396 OMG TYRANNY OMG!!!

[quote]Oh, then we don't need boosters after all.

That's what some virologists think. What a booster will do is give your antibodies a boost so they will ward off infection completely for a while (no one knows for how long) but they will eventually wane, as they naturally should. Ultimately, it is the T-Cells and Memory B-Cells that will provide enduring protection against getting very sick (or dying) from COVID-19 (in all its variants).

A booster shot is DEFINITELY needed if you only had a single shot of the J&J vaccine. The evidence is clear that a second shoot enhances that vaccine's ability to give you a strong, long-lasting immune response.

The other good thing about boosters is that it will buy us all some more time to develop therapeutics to fight the disease. Boosting our antibodies will help dampen the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection amongst the population at large, protecting the vulnerable such as immune-compromised people and those who have co-morbidities (old age, diabetes etc.). It will also be helping to protect the vaccine hesitant.

The fact is this: EVERYONE will eventually get COVID`19. The only choice you have is to decide whether you'd rather get the protection of a vaccine before you are confronted by this insidious virus. The vulnerable (who cannot have a vaccine due to medical conditions) need to hope for effective anti-virals, which are just becoming available right now.

Anti-vaxxers? You're on your own.

(Okay, You anti-vaxxers can have the anti-virals, even though you don't deserve them you stupid, selfish bastards!)

Confirmed in Canada

R406, see R403.

MONDAY MORNING = Fauci is working the Morning Shows like any Attention Whore would do.......Can we please get someone new?.....At what point will it take to realize this guy has nothing new to say....30 YEARS on AIDS and accomplished nothing.

Try turning off your TV, R408. I've heard Fauci magically disappears from your screen.

Eric Feigl-Ding is popular on Twitter and has hustled to make the most of his COVID-driven Internet fame, but his background in epidemiology concerns nutrition. He was never an infectious disease expert (and is not a physician) but is comfortable playing one on TV. I'm not saying everything he posts is wrong (or right), just observing that there's a very low barrier to entry to becoming a leading Internet authority on anything. (See: Nate Silver and his stream of ludicrous COVID takes.)

Great post R405.

[quote]So are we seriously worried? No. We are concerned and we watch what’s happening. But for now we’re saying, ‘OK: there’s a whole hype out there. [We’re] not sure why.”

Really? You don’t know why?

The new mutation is very mild.

That’s what they initially said about original Covid r413 . Time will tell

Reading all the insanity here, I think I'll stick with Fauci for my Covid info.

I’ll stick with Oz, Phil, and Fauci.

A few mnutes ago a doctor in South Africa said one of the patients with Omnicron was vaccinated in August. Uh, oh.

Which vaccine R417? Age of the patient? Symptoms? Hospitalized?

Yikes

R413, there is no proof that it's mild. None. The truth is they know very little, so fuck off with your pronouncement.

Don't know if this has already been posted, but this from The Atlantic is informative.

Bloomberg: Children under 2 make up 10% of hospitalized COVID patients in South Africa's Omicron hotspot

R419, you *do know* that Eric Feigl-Ding is a hysterical alarmist who just likes attention and has gotten many, many, many things wrong. No serious epidemiologist or virologist on Twitter takes him seriously. He’s a nutritionist.

He gets debunked DAILY—and not by Covid denialists or anti vaxxers, but by SERIOUS people who know more than he does and aren’t attention whores.

[quote] At what point will it take to realize this guy has nothing new to say....30 YEARS on AIDS and accomplished nothing.

Actually, in response to the ActUp protests, it was Fauci who advocated within the system to fast track HIV meds.

Heartbreaking.

MOst of those infected by omicron are below 40, I assume, mainly because older people tend to be vaccinated

Y'all do realize that Fauci is the Director of NIAID, and oversees research to prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious diseases, immune-related illnesses, and allergies. It's his job to go on TV and talk to the public, irrespective of whether you like him or not. Also, read R423.

The reason the right hates Fauci is because he contradicted Trump's idiotic covid pronouncements.

Second paragraph of the article at R421:

"More kids are being admitted than during the early stages of the country entering the current fourth wave of infections, although a similar trend occurred during the third wave when delta was dominant, said Waasila Jassat, public health specialist at the institute."

A lot of anti vaxxers/ masks are agreeing with a lot of you assholes .

[quote]The reason the right hates Fauci is because he contradicted Trump's idiotic covid pronouncements.

Exactly. He wouldn't lie for the Orange Shitstain, so they've been out to discredit him ever since.

South Africa Population- 59 million New Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hour period- 2273 Daily deaths- 25

United States Population 333 million New Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hour period-69 498 Daily deaths-422

United Kingdom Population 67 million New Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hour period- 42 144 Daily deaths- 35

Nice numbers R431. One would suppose you're trying to make a point of some kind? Care to enlighten us?

The point is that the hysteria is overblown. The UK has a disproportionately higher number of cases than either the US or South Africa but they media is hyping the percentage of omicron cases in South Africa as if their Covid-19 infection numbers are higher than anyone else. The fourth wave is expected to peak over the festive season in South Africa, but omicron has not yet taken over the country as whatever variant is moving around the UK.

R431 Those numbers are not reliable. I take it they are from World Meters. Most US states have not been reported on that site for days which I think probably has to do with Thanksgiving Day.

Also, given the past history of COVID variants people don't start dying for a few weeks after infection so it is a wait and see situation.

Patient Zero of the Omicron variant was fully vaxxed. Don't let them move the goalpost.

If Australia has "5 omicron cases" and no-one but vaccinated can enter, what does that mean?

The Omicron variant has spread to the UK and Germany, but what is even more interesting is the media's challenge to blame this on the unvaccinated as they have been barred from international travel for some time now. This variant has spread overseas through the vaccinated.

I don’t know what happens to the sheeple who are owned by the narrative when it eventually collapses, but it won’t be good. There aren’t enough certified mental health workers that could repair the brainwashing damage done over the last two years.

R435 You like everybody else knows that being vaccinated reduces the risk of catching the virus, transmitting the virus, developing severe illness and death.

REDUCES being the key word. Vaccines have reduced the spread and severity of illness but these current vaccines are not able to stop it altogether. Vaccines that can be hopefully be developed sooner or later but in the meantime these are the best we have got and unless somebody has a medical reason, everyone should get themselves vaccinated to REDUCE the various risks.

No worries, it's milder than Gonorrhea

Omicron COVID variant was in Europe before South African scientists detected and flagged it to the world:

Well they better figure out what to do about the travel restrictions because otherwise this is all gonna get bogged down in a side show about discrimination and racism and equity.

This guy is pissed.