Here we go again, a new covid variant and it's got more mutations than delta

Compassionate Extinction Plan?

Fucking china ! If this isnt bio warface , then i am the queen of the universe.

Does anybody else think it’s weird that all these variants are stronger, not weaker? When has that ever happened before? And why now? Most really bad viruses get weaker after a few variants.

At this point virologists are probably waiting for the other shoe to drop - an airborne virus that is resistant to current vaccines and has a high fatality rate. Covid is a perfect storm, the first one in at least a hundred years.

Meanwhile, the media keeps optimistically stating that inevitably Covid will become like a cold or flu, we’ll all adjust. But in reality, on the ground, this isn’t like a cold or flu. A lot of people are dying or becoming disabled by it.

Fuck you, OP.

Whatever. Just more fear tactics. The death rate/percentage has remained the same throughout this media-driven hysteria.

[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.]

[quote]Does anybody else think it’s weird that all these variants are stronger, not weaker?

No moron it's only you who thinks that. Weaker variants don't make the news, because they don't kill as many people as I do.

- delta

r5 For USA: 1594 deaths reported by Worldometers for November 24 2021. 2313 deaths reported by NY Times for November 25, 2020. 75+% adult populace vaccinated one year later, Thirty-one percent reduction. I'd have expected a higher reduction rate of mortality, but only if I believed the CDC and WHO were telling us everything we needed to know.

It was always gonna happen. I read a tweet from a journalist who told how much she'd been attacked today just for reporting on this new variant. Apparently the media shouldn't be talking about it or scaring people.

I do wonder whether the people who bury their heads in the sand over Covid actually believe it's harmless, or do they just want to believe that because it's easier to cope with?

interesting thread with good perspective.

I, for one, am not enjoying the pandemic and have had sufficient.

Covid is not over by a long shot . China is evil. They kill our young with fentanyl

I love staying at home and not having to go into work

[quote] i am the queen of the universe.

I ain't bowing til I see the tiara.

In related news, don’t eat unripened bananas. You may get a bellyache.

How lovely.

What wave number are we on now?

I think it's officially number 5, the vaccines offer only 40 percent protection from this one though.

The UK has now banned flights from South Africa and is tracing recently arrived passengers.

Israel has now too.

To be COMPLETELY fair, SA scientists are saying it'll take 6-8 weeks to determine precisely how bad this one is.

Lambda, as you may recall, was a nasty variant that never took off globally (Delta variant took off instead).

Definitely more contagious; it remains to be seen how lethal and/or resistant to current vaccines it is.

Oh no'es, OP.

ScccrrrrrrEEEEEEE3EEE!!!

Looks like he is receiving communion.

Another thread where half the post are from Daily Fail trolls. Good job!

there are so many UNvaccinated people. This is going to hit hard. The unvaccinated is the cause of spread and rapid mutation. In some countries, it is the ir government's fault. IN the USA, it is the republican party and moron anti-vaxxer fault.

hospitals are just hiring anybody right now. They are about ready to be hit hard with more peopl right now. They mostly see the UNvaccinated.

I think the Republicans think that God and/or Jesus will not let them get Covid. I think it gives them some sort of psychological wall where they can’t see that we need to help ourselves and each other by taking the vaccine, masks, etc.

I'm not worried.

My understanding is that rMNA vaccines are adaptable relatively easily. I know that BioNTech (Pfizer) are already working on a Delta update. Should this variant actually be more dangerous, I'm sure they'll do another update as well.

This is kind of disturbing, but apparently this was planned way back in January 2019.

Check out this video...not sure how much of it is legit, but check out the meeting with virologists -- about 43 minutes into the clip.

[quote]Check out this video...not sure how much of it is legit

Uh, none of it. None of it is legit.

Ridiculous video. Why post that shit here?

OP, I said "scree."

Biden needs to shut down flights from South Africa IMMEDIATELY. Europe is already doing this. But the bumbling idiot Biden installed at the CDC won't even focus on this for another week or more

the South African variants is arriving soon to a town near you, soon

[quote]I'm not worried. My understanding is that rMNA vaccines are adaptable relatively easily. I know that BioNTech (Pfizer) are already working on a Delta update. Should this variant actually be more dangerous, I'm sure they'll do another update as well.

You should be. People don't want to get vaxed every 6 months or even a year. Even people who have been vaccinated. More variants will arise. And they may not be able to tweak the vaccine to work on those variants

It's endemic, like the flu. The sun still comes up in the east.

Pretty scary that it seems tests can't detect this one untill a week after you've caught it. The Spanish Flu had 4 waves, this one is getting scarier and scarier the longer the pandemic has been going on.

OP will probably die from hypochondriasis before the Ω variant ever gets to her.

R2: it most certainly is.

I just try to console myself with the thought that, fortunately this fucking ‘gain-of-function’ enhanced virus leaked out, due to the CCP lab workers’ incompetence, before the experiment was completed.

If not, ALL of us would have been fucking dead by now.

I just wonder why Boris can’t get Covid, suffer greatly and then die like his sock puppet whose name we need not mention.

Really?

Really?

Really?

It’s got more mutations than SYBIL

Dr Fauci was just on CNN and said he and other scientists in South Africa will be meeting today to get more info. He said they're rushing to get as many facts as they can. He wasn't smiling.

This is never gonna fucking end!

I know a lot of people are unvaccinated, but a lot more people are getting vaccinated. With more vaccinated people, doesn't that help weaken the virus...less hosts for mutations? I know...the unvaccinated aren't helping. I guess I answered my own question. If everyone would just get on board with vaccines. My sister is unvaccinated...never believed in vaccines, and I just lost my brother to covid. He wasn't vaccinated, overweight and had copd/asthma. I think you're right R44...this will ever end. It's part of our lives now.

I'm not going to panic before we get more info today but it is troubling. If in fact the vaccine doesn't protect us against it, that will be a horrible situation. UK, German, Japan and other countries are already restricting travel from South Africa. The thing is, these days the way travel is makes it impossible for someone to not slip between the cracks. I'm absolutely staying tuned.

Thanks J(C)hiiinnaa...

I’m sorry to hear about your brother r45. Hopefully the loss will provide the incentive for your sister to vax.

[quote]hospitals are just hiring anybody right now. They are about ready to be hit hard with more peopl right now. They mostly see the UNvaccinated.

My local hospital network has more people in beds with covid today than at any point in the epidemic. The federal gov't is sending a medical team to help them cope with the surge.

Thank you, R48. I would be nice for my sister to get the incentive to get vaccinated, but she's very antivax. She doesn't even get the flu shot.

R45**

sorry for the typos..

I hope it never goes away. Wave after wave creating destruction, death and division.

It won’t go away as long as you evil assholes stay unvaccinated.

We could have been done with this pandemic months ago if you antivax scum weren’t so selfish and stupid.

Hopefully the variant hysteria reaches fever pitch by Monday and work from home is reinstated at my job so I dont have to return to the office after this long weekend

Rethug trash will also cheer for this to be true because they figure the longer the pandemic rages on, the worse it is politically for Biden. They couldn’t care less how many people get sick and die.

Had covid and was really sick, got double vaxxed and am waiting to get boosted… this needs to be over, already. I have some lingering effects from being sick, and sure as hell don’t want to get sick again.

Ekey scary. I think vaccine makers can modify the current shit to deal with new variations. So I’m guessing shot #4 will be coming soon. I don’t mind it being more contagious as long as it’s not as fatal. Has anyone sick with it died?

Shot not shit!

Are we going to have to live our lives getting boosters? If so, at what point are we going to have to pay for them ourselves?

[quote] If so, at what point are we going to have to pay for them ourselves?

When the Repugs take over power again. They can’t stand anything that’s not monetized.

[quote] Vaccination reduces the risk of delta variant infection and accelerates viral clearance. Nonetheless, fully vaccinated individuals with breakthrough infections have peak viral load similar to unvaccinated cases and can efficiently transmit infection in household settings, including to fully vaccinated contacts. Host–virus interactions early in infection may shape the entire viral trajectory.

What could possibly happen on the busiest travel week of the year? 😱

Identified in unvaccinated young woman who developed mild flu-like symptoms 11 days after traveling to Egypt via Turkey.

Did not report links with South Africa or other countries in southern Africa

Right, R? I mean, its NOT like over FIVE MILLION people have died from it or anything.

get MORE people vaccinated

I really do think this virus is nature’s way of picking off the weakest. The healthy and strong will survive. Darwinism at work.

or those who isolate? your logic is supremely flawed

This virus is targeting the stupid.

No^.

The number of cases in South Africa doubled in a day, it spreads like wildfire. I haven't heard yet of reports if any of the people who caught it were previously vaccinated.

It's been detected in three fully vaccinated Israelis. No word yet on whether they were symptomatic.

The markets are reacting to the new COVID variant.

I am uneasy about this but trying to stay cool until we see how the virus manifests in the vaccinated. If it's just mild breakthrough cases (bearing in mind mild to moderate means does not require hospitalization, not you won't have a period of suffering) then that's fortunate if troubling.

There's probably little data on that yet but the reporting seldom references it, which isn't helpful. I did read upthread one case described mild flu like symptoms. She was vaccinated. That is encouraging.

The unvaccinated are at higher risk than ever.

We have a luxury in the west of abundant vaccines. We show exactly what is wrong with us as citizens of the world when we turn our back on the vaccines and allow the virus the opportunity to spread and mutate because we're selfish. It's kinda shit.

[quote]The Spanish Flu had 4 waves, this one is getting scarier and scarier the longer the pandemic has been going on.

The Spanish flu didn't have the great good luck to benefit from international air travel.

[quote]Rethug trash will also cheer for this to be true because they figure the longer the pandemic rages on, the worse it is politically for Biden. They couldn’t care less how many people get sick and die.

So maybe - maybe - the flipside is some of the people polling Republican will decide they really don't want Trump in charge of things again, though 2024 is way off. But if the Republicans keep sowing damage, maybe there is an accidental upside for Dems?

[quote]I think vaccine makers can modify the current shit to deal with new variations.

I read last night adapting the mRNAs is achievable in a matter of weeks, though it will be weeks before the sequencing or whatever it is called is well enough understood for them to then take the weeks to adapt the vaccines. It was in a credible source... The Times (London) I think. Anyway, that's the one piece of good news on this, I thought.

While Asia and Europe have stopped flights from South Africa, America is still allowing them. It's like we never learn

America the Stupid

Add Australia to the stupid list...they are continuing flights from southern African countries as well.

It has been a while, so I'll say ...

scree.

We need to close all travel between all borders. Period.

It may be Trump supporters in the US that are vaccine resistant, but many South Africans are also refuse the vaccine which is one reason the virus has mutated and spread.

[quote]The healthy and strong will survive. Darwinism at work.

In the case of Covid, it has little to do with being healthy and strong, and more to do with being vaccinated, wearing a mask and social distancing. And that's not just okay, it's good news for those of us who are vaccinated, never stopped wearing masks, and largely avoided gatherings, i.e, Democrats.

I'd like to say I don't understand why Republicans largely refuse to do the ridiculously minimal acts that will end the pandemic, but I do; it's a party of man-babies who can't handle being told what to do. They're used to being the people in charge, telling everyone else what to do, and they really, really do not like the fact that the tables have turned and particularly since a global pandemic interrupted their life-long earning streak that came at the expense of everyone else. And it's not even that the earning streak has slowed; the world's richest have been enriched by the pandemic in ways that we have yet to see, let alone understand (we just sent two billionaires into space, FFS).

No, it's a trickle-down loss of control that people who never had much — or any, for that matter — that are feeling the loss most acutely (largely at the behest of those who have the control). And they're angry, resentful and hell-bent on making sure that everyone who's tried to make it through the pandemic by doing the smart things pay. To be blunt, they're waging war on everyone not white, Christian, straight and male. It's time we woke up and saw this for what it is.

And that's why I don't care if another variant strikes and takes the unvaccinated. One less unvaccinated voter means one less vote for Republicans.

The weather is colder, viruses thrive in cold..the holidays, people shopping, crowds and family gatherings...the unvaccinated, of course..all contribute to the rise in covid cases and the variants. This time of year is a natural for the higher cases. I would love to travel at some point, but now some countries are locking down again. We may be fine...vaccinated with a booster shot and wearing masks, isolating...but how is that a way to live? I'm a vaccine supporter who just got a booster...and wear masks in stores and crowded areas, inside or out.

[quote]but how is that a way to live?

Grim and tedious, but better than the alternative.

Fauci just gleefully said, "there will be no ban on South African travel - for now"

He ALWAYS says shit and then has to take it back. Why can't he keep his mouth shut until they know more? He's always got to go out and give as many interviews as possible

Well, Emirates Airlines ain't waiting for more data...

I don't understand the ban on travel from South Africa. It's only inviting trouble and bringing in the new variant. Why can the US use some common sense for a change...WTF?

I don't understand the *not banning travel...^^

why *can't the US... (holy cow..sorry..one of those days)

[quote] I think it's officially number 5, the vaccines offer only 40 percent protection from this one though.

Where are you getting “40 percent protection” from this variant?

The amount of misinformation and ignorant hysteria in this thread is really something.

Canada too... nobody saying anything today... not the feds, not the provinces, not Health Canada, not the media... half the provinces haven't even made any meaningful announcements re boosters.

Whistling past the graveyard.

[quote]You should be. People don't want to get vaxed every 6 months or even a year. Even people who have been vaccinated. More variants will arise. And they may not be able to tweak the vaccine to work on those variants

They may not like it but most people will get vaccinated regularly if the alternative is dying a slow and lonely death. I'm still not worried, we barely know anything.

In today's news, BioNTech was cited that they are planning to study the new variant from South Africa in the next 2 weeks and that, if necessary, a modified vaccine could be produced within 100 days.

Wasn’t there a big scare in April about the South African variant? Then Delta took center stage. It’s like Velma and Roxie Hart.

R92 - Doesn’t Canada have excellent immunity because they correctly spaced out the first two doses of the mRNA? Are boosters available there now as well?

Why would anyone freak out about this?

Dow down 1,000. Quite an overreaction to a variant that very little is known about yet.

They've got to crack down on the unvaccinated. If they won't make mandatory vaccination a requirement, failure to be vaccinated should exclude you from places vaccinated people can go.

I think the simplest thing is just to give them Texas or Florida. Why not both? Two birds, one stone.

R96 - interesting too that gold (the old favourite) is up but Bitcoin is down.

I don't mind getting vaccinated. I'll do what I can...but I just want to feel like it's safe enough to do the things I used to do at some point. I would like to travel. If I need a booster every six months...ok so be it.

R99, I thought we were so close - hopefully we still are - but it's like Lucy and the football with this damned thing.

R92, there are no direct flights to/from Canada and South Africa. We'll have to bring back quarantine hotels though, regardless of vaccination status. Luckily, we have one of the highest rates of vaccination, our immunity is rather good due to vaccine spacing, and there's a vaccine mandate for all international flights and domestic flights that cross provincial borders.

I think the new variant is already here though. If it's in one country it's almost a guarantee it's spread world wide.

The Conservatives are making fools of themselves in the HoC today. Demanding this and that when they can't even get their own MPs vaccinated.

The Israelis don't worry about offending Deplorables or other countries. They do what we should be doing here in the US

[quote] “All African countries… with the exception of North Africa are red-listed, and all Israelis returning from these countries must adhere to a scrupulous quarantine,” including those who arrived in the past two weeks, [Prime Minister Naftali] Bennett added.

[quote] Returning Israelis — including those who are fully vaccinated — from any of the countries now considered “red” will be required to isolate at a state-run quarantine hotel for a week and will be released after receiving two negative PCR virus tests, Bennett said. Returnees who refuse to be tested will be required to isolate for two weeks at a state-run quarantine hotel.

[quote] In a Channel 12 interview later on Friday, the government’s coronavirus czar Salman Zarka said he recommended expanding the no-fly list to additional countries outside of Africa. “We will look at other countries, especially countries that serve as connection hubs for passengers coming from Africa, such as Turkey, perhaps,” he said.

And then finally:

[quote] The government has instructed the Israel Defense Forces’ Home Front Command to locate all those who arrived from relevant African countries over the past week, and to instruct them to immediately self-isolate. Home Front Command soldiers will also conduct home virus tests, the prime minister said.

Can you imagine the joint MAGA and Progressive stroke-out if Biden sent National Guard troops to track down people who have been to South Africa recently, forced them to quarantine and gave them Covid tests?

As long as people travel to other countries COVID and its insidious strains will be around.

R101... thank you for those reminders. Good context. I have found all levels of senior government ambivalent - but I live in Ontario where we have it worst. I was thinking the Conservatives would raise this but really have no leg to stand on for the exact reason you cite. Even the alternatives - for lack of a better word - are no alternative.

Hopefully this variant represents a threat to the unvaccinated more than the vaccinated and does not cause much more serious illness. Eventually it will surely have to burn itself out in terms of the worst it can do, I hope.

I'm also laughing at the Conservatives, their lickspittle pundits who have slammed the Trudeau Liberals over the vaccine mandates and required PCR tests for travel. WTF is it that they want, exactly??

Same for much of the Canadian media who had one sob story after another of travelers who can't afford or don't want to pay for PCR screening - the morons who want to take their family to Disney, but don't want to pay for the mandatory PCR test before reentering the country.

I'm often critical of Trudeau and his government, but thankfully, they stayed the course on this one - (aside from day trips to the US), NO ENTRY WITHOUT A PCR TEST. Fuck the Conservatives ginning up outrage on this one.

Fauci also said he doesn't know if the vaccines will be effective against the South African variant (the nu variant)

VOC... Omicron

The WHO has named it Omicron, which sounds appropriately sinister.

Now is that ah-mee-cron or the more Irish oh-meecron and the top of the mornin' as well?

A reminder that the WHO are using the Greek alphabet for new Covid variants.

Canada just announced a travel ban. Several southern African nations involved.

Hotel quarantines in effect for passengers who are already in transit from the region.

[quote]Can you imagine the joint MAGA and Progressive stroke-out if Biden sent National Guard troops to track down people who have been to South Africa recently, forced them to quarantine and gave them Covid tests?

How wonderful.

Kind of ironic for Doug Ford to be calling for travel bans when he can't get his shit together to announce a booster program for the rest of the province.

Mind you, he just has to bluster on the bans, he doesn't actually have to do anything himself.

Fauci says we must study variant further before a travel ban in the US. To err on the side of caution, a ban should be enforced right away. Study the virus, then lift the ban. Geez...while studying this, people will come and go from that country...bringing it in. Idiot. Fauci is disappointing.

Canada is having a rare really big balls moment. Those rules are hardcore.

[quote]Omicron, which sounds appropriately sinister.

It sounds like a word from Polari, the UK camp gay theatrical argot used from about 30s to 70s. Omicron, a notably elderly gay man.

They are, R118. Next, we'll have to reinstate bans on other countries that haven't placed bans on travel from the region.

Also, retroactive quarantine and testing for anyone who arrived from the region in the last 14 days.

[quote]Fauci says we must study variant further before a travel ban in the US. To err on the side of caution, a ban should be enforced right away. Study the virus, then lift the ban. Geez...while studying this, people will come and go from that country...bringing it in. Idiot. Fauci is disappointing.

Seriously. Maybe Americans should start staging protests at major airports all over the country.

just like Nostradamus, r111.

Novovax's pending vaccine has show very high effectiveness against all current known variants, including Delta, and they expect to work well against any others that emerge. Unclench.

Novovax = better than boosters from Pfizer or Moderna?

Travel bans are public health theater. No evidence that they are effective in the least

This comes from rich countries hoarding vaccine.

Unless the word is vaccinated, we’re still going to get new variants

Omnicronica is my new drag name hunny, yasssss!

Why didn’t we isolate and contact trace back when there was one person in the US with Covid? It would have been a non event.

It worked for every other outbreak. Too bad the President called it a hoax and ordered the cdc to stand down.

US joins the closed door ranks.

Good.^^

[quote]The Spanish flu didn't have the great good luck to benefit from international air travel.

Ships and troop movement during WWI did just fine.

- H1N1 influenza A virus.

Hold me, David!!!

Well that was fast. New super variant only discovered today and Pfizer are already performing tests in Germany on this variant, but it's not even in Germany yet. How so Pfizer? Oh and I bet you have a new Vax 2.0 already prepared, don't you?

Because scientists in Germany take the genomic sequencing provided by scientists in South Africa - which is probably sent to them through this mystery thing called the internet - and they work from that data.

So put your tinhat away.

[R76], you type very stupid. Keep your fucking sweeping generalizations to yourself. And shut the fuck up already.

[quote]Keep your fucking sweeping generalizations to yourself.

How do you see with those blocks of wood in your eyes?

R136.

What triggered you so, Semen Warbucks? Unvaxxed?

R29, R30...TYPICAL replies. Neither of you bothered to watch the section 43 minutes in at R28, but yet, know for certain that it's not legit.

Sheesh.

...a drastic INCREASE in deaths amongst vaccinated 60-69 year olds.

R140 R141

/ / Yikes!

/ / Yikes!

[quote][R140] [R141]

STOP IT. NOW.

That link at R141 is from a crackpot anti-vaxxer. She has a PhD in history. She’s not a medical doctor or scientist.

Nothinh to worry about, folks.......

We're already working on boosters #4, #5, & #6.

“Angelique Coetzee, chairperson of the South African Medical Association: “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.” “

Well, that doesn’t meet my irrational expectations at all.

Let's hope it stay extremely mild. It would be a good thing. It would say the virus is figuring out how to spread without killing the hosts... which means it becomes endemic and an inconvenience.

😷 Nobody Knows Nothin'Bout The Corona

If we're going to run with speculative content, lets run with stuff like this...

Of course it's extremely mild.

That's because Christmas is coming.

And Merk says their new Covid Pill isn't as effective as they originally thought.

the people who need boosters for this new variant will have to wait and wait. Same deal: healthcare workers get it first, followed by immunocompromised persons, then finally months later Joe Blow can get it. By that time though, Joe has passed it on to hundreds, of not already succumbed himself.

Joe Blow’s already dead^.

unka joe ass-puttet got a new hand inserted last week!

From CNN: US announces travel restrictions over new Covid-19 variant

The new travel restrictions announced by President Biden today will buy the US federal government more time to investigate the new Omicron variant that has emerged in South Africa, officials say. But not much.

Earlier today, the Biden administration announced it will restrict travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi, starting Monday. The administration stressed it was acting on advice from Dr. Anthony Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after the World Health Organization labeled the newly discovered strain as a "variant of concern."

Inside the government, it is seen as inevitable that the new variant will appear in the US at some point, but the new restrictions should give federal health agencies and their global counterparts more time to learn about the variant, including the severity of the disease it causes. Officials do not believe, based on current thinking, that the variant is in the US yet.

Officials acted quickly to implement the new restrictions. While the emergency of the variant had been flagged in the last several weeks, it was only in recent days that they learned how serious it was.

And this, also from CNN:

Vaccine maker Moderna says the new Omicron variant represents a "significant potential risk" to the efficacy of its Covid-19 vaccine as well as immunity reached naturally.

"The recently described Omicron variant includes mutations seen in the Delta variant that are believed to increase transmissibility and mutations seen in the Beta and Delta variants that are believed to promote immune escape," Moderna said Friday in a news release.

"The combination of mutations represents a significant potential risk to accelerate the waning of natural and vaccine-induced immunity," the company said. The company said it is working rapidly to test the ability of its vaccine to neutralize the new variant and data is expected in the coming weeks.

If the current vaccine and the current booster dose of the vaccine are insufficient against the variant, one possible solution is boosting people with a larger dose, which Moderna said it is testing.

The company is also evaluating two multi-valent booster candidates to see if they provide superior protection against Omicron. Both candidates include some of the viral mutations present in the new variant.

“We have three lines of defense that we are advancing in parallel,” Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in the release. "The mutations in the Omicron variant are concerning and for several days, we have been moving as fast as possible to execute our strategy to address this variant."

Just in time for holiday travel season

Don't blame me, bitches.

Just doing my job.

Sooo much information....many different from each other. I'm sooo confused!😖😕

[quote]How so Pfizer? Oh and I bet you have a new Vax 2.0 already prepared, don't you?

If you knew anything about mRNA technology, you'd know that the whole idea is that once you know the DNA makeup of a new virus (which, these days, we can identify very quickly), you can customize the vaccine accordingly, to shut down specific cells in the virus and render it less effective.

People want to see conspiracies, but when you learn about the science you realize it's pretty straight-forward and the "eek! eek!" reaction (like on this thread) seems a little ridiculous.

r160 since you seem to be so knowledgable about mRNA technology, what are the longterm effects of these mRNA jabs?

💉 Nobody Knows Nothin'Bout The Corona Vaccines

Cancel the festivities and stay the fuck home for Christmas.

This variant is going to turn out to be a big dud.

I hope so r164. 🙏

Why don't we call it Malawi-Five-O

LOL, R166.

R161 oh your limbs will stretch slowly and morph into wings, yes bat alike!

12 W&Ws for the anti-vax’d sentiment at R161 seems highly suspect.

Again, only 0.3 percent of the US population has died from Covid.

The sky isn't falling.

I'm not going to worry about it until we know how deadly it is. What's the point? I'm vaxxed, i still wear the mask - there's not much else I can do.

Here we go again, indeed. This time imma make it count.

everyone is freaking out. This Motherfucking virus is mutating too rapidily.

This fucking new varriant has mutations that could effect antibody ressistance and infectiousness. This fucking virus is mutating to rapidly. IF not this variant, the nexr ones.

are you all scared about this one?

“Even if you’re vaccinated, continue to take precautions to prevent becoming infected yourself, and to infecting someone else who could die,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

[quote]12 W&Ws for the anti-vax’d sentiment at [R161] seems highly suspect.

It's learned how to game the system.

First UK cases found in Chelmsford and Nottingham.

And not just here on DL, R177. But that's because the people who like to scream "do your research!" don't bother to, you know, read the actual research (which shows that mRNA vaccines are safe, reliable and effective), instead just making shit up and throwing it at the wall to see what sticks.

To wit, quick question for R161: How long have mRNA vaccines been under study? We'll wait. Do your research, dear.

In the meantime, I'm sure all of the Fauci haters and buffoons screeching about not closing down travel from Africa are frustrated this morning with the news that the US is prohibiting flights from the affected countries, but thrilled with the thought that because Fauci was shoved in front of the cameras yesterday morning without the latest briefing on travel status, he looked foolish (in their eyes) for stating the cautious, time-tested approach to handling these problems, or as the rest of the people with two brain cells to rub together call it, doing research. Funny how the people who do the [italic]actual[/italic] research are vilified, while those who sit on their toilets conjuring conspiracy theories are exalted.

Coronavirus demonstrates the success of conservatives' war on education begun more than 50 years ago. The recent thread on what you wanted to be when you grow up reminded me of career day my school tried when I was in the third grade, in which we all had to write an essay and present our goals to the class. More than half of my peers wanted to be a scientist (or as many professed, an astronaut, doctor and other child's-eyes version of same). Today, I doubt they do anything like this in elementary schools, mostly because the most common answer would be Instagram influencer.

One wonders if the vaccine itself might be helping to cause these mutations. The large number of breakthrough cases leads me to ponder this question.

r179 the mRNA being used for this vaccine, and the effect it will have is not 100% known.

Why do we need to wait for 80 years to see the data?

Something for the science nerds and r179

Some good news about Omicron and bad news for people who wanted it to be “deadly” (like the OP of the “deadly” thread)…

[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.

Again I recommend people follow @sailorrooscout (Chise) on Twitter. She worked on one of the mRNA vaccines last year and is one of the best and most accurate and measured “Covid Twitter” people. Delete Dr Eric Feigl-Ding, maybe even ignore Eric Topol. Chise is the one.

r181, how long have the people been infected?

R181, poo pooed original Covid too

Did I, R183? Where?

R182, they were first infected at the beginning of this month. The variant was first *sequenced* ~five days ago.

Oh wow, and this new variant affects children, just as they're making a big push to vaccinate children.

How convenient.

How has someone like Defact0 not been suspended yet?

She has. Many, many times.

And, like clockwork...

[quote]One wonders if the vaccine itself might be helping to cause these mutations.

No, the vaccine is not helping to cause these mutations. What is causing the mutations is that not enough people are vaccinated, which combined with breakthrough infections, is preventing the world from eradicating Coronavirus, and giving the virus enough hosts to remain a threat.

[quote]...is not 100% known.

And again, here we have authoritarian thinking at work. [italic]Must. Have. Certainty. [/italic] Because we'd much rather have millions of dead than use a proven, safe vaccine that has been in development for ____ (not gonna tell R161 because we're still waiting for him to do his "research") years.

Here's the bottom line: we don't know anything with 100% certainty. Sure, we know the sun is going to rise tomorrow morning... until a billion years from now, our sun goes supernova and there goes that 100% certainty. If we wait until we are 100% certain that mRNA vaccines are safe, we will never beat this virus or any other before it kills millions. What we can do is proceed with caution after substantial [italic]scientific[/italic] and actual research such that we're confident that potential side effects are worth the risk. I know, I know... statistics baffle the simple-minded.

I feel so much better that r179 knows everything.

Hey r179 you left out the part where we wait 80 years to get the real story.

Brownstone Institute, r190?

Really?

r185, please cite your source that they were infected at the beginning of the month. I have nor read that anywhere.

So you didn't read the article.

You can always refute what's written if you read it and give a link that supports your points.

I love r179

I love r179 sooo much

Do your research

From r192:

[quote]During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tucker has blogged in opposition to social distancing measures and face masks, framing them as subservience to "arbitrary and ignorant authority".[23] In 2021 he founded the nonprofit Brownstone Institute for Social and Economic Research to support "freedom and fundamental human rights... even in times of crisis

Help me, Omicron Kenobi, you're my only hope.

r197, here is where my research led me. Your doctor is a nutcase.

R197 is apparently off suspension and back spreading the same misinformation.

It appears from these charts he might be right r200

You don't believe this nutcase? I will link to another nutcase that agrees with him, that will convince you!

Cases are up in many countries despite a majority of the population being vaxxed.

What would be your first guess as to why?

[quote] ...a drastic INCREASE in deaths amongst vaccinated 60-69 year olds.

Whew.

I’m 70, so I’m okay.

To put it simply, when it comes to stopping transmission, even a very good vaccination rate isn't always good enough.

"Vaccinations help," said Ralf Reintjes, professor of epidemiology and public health surveillance at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany. "They're one stone in the process of stopping the virus. But it's not strong enough alone."

Waning immunity from only having two shots (or just one from J&J), R204.

We know this. There’s no mystery.

Is this anti-vax troll day on DL or something? Jesus fuck, moderators please suspend these clowns.

[quote]Cases are up in many countries despite a majority of the population being vaxxed. What would be your first guess as to why?

My guess as to why is that vaccines alone never claimed to protect against infection, they do however lessen the severity of the illness. If more people were vaccinated, wore masks and respected the social distancing guidelines we would have fewer infections.

And certainly fewer hospitalizations and deaths.

More info

r208 We are talking between 60 to 90% of populations being vaxxed (depending on the country) yet cases continue to rise. Those infecting others aren't just the unvaxxed.

Something is wrong with this whole concept of what these vaccines were supposed to do.

[quote]Something is wrong with this whole concept of what these vaccines were supposed to do.

No, something is wrong with your conception of what these vaccines are supposed to do.

They were never preventative, though they can. They were designed to reduce severe illness and death.

The politicians, as a rule, fucked up public expectations.

And with a high transmissible, novel virus, 60% of a population vaccinated isn't an impenetrable wall.

r212 when they rolled out these vaccines they were supposed to stop the spread of covid and protect the individual from getting covid.

They do not do either of these things.

The vaccinated still contract covid and the vaccinated can still spread covid even if they show no symptoms.

F&F R211 if you have any F&Fs left.

[quote]when they rolled out these vaccines they were supposed to stop the spread of covid and protect the individual from getting covid.

When they rolled out these vaccines there was no Delta variant and an assumption that people would actually take advantage of the life-saving miracle they represent.

I know it's difficult to deal with change, especially when one has a conservative mentality, but just because something is true one day does not mean it will be eternally true.

r214, overall, what group of people are dying from covid? Vaxed or unvaxed? When you get a flu shot, does that mean you won't get the flu?

How can we be two years into this and you not understand the basics?

Dude in OP's picture is hot!

It's interesting, in the Nature.com article they talk about the journey of mRNA but never mention anything about using it for cancer treatment. Many uses are mentioned and path to what we have today is mapped but they don't talk about using it to stop the body form over replicating cells that make tumors, cancerous and otherwise.

r216 this applies to booster as well that are supposed to work against the Delta variant.

No I think many people thought they would be protected when the vaccines were first rolled out. And many people also think boosters will protect them against Delta and and stop the spread, but no.

[quote] And many people also think boosters will protect them against Delta and and stop the spread, but no.

Gonna need a link for the “but no” on the boosters, you psycho.

People have been getting boosters and it's still spreading you moron.

Lots of links in this thread. Go look at them 221

[quote] People have been getting boosters and it's still spreading you moron.

Of course it’s still spreading. But it’s not spreading from boosted people.

And hardly anyone has gotten the booster.

The booster’s VE against symptomatic illness is 95-96%. There are no links in this thread to any reputable studies showing otherwise.

Get a life, you fucking anti-vaxxer loon.

Is it time to SCREEEEEEEEEE yet?

Oh, I hope so! I love to screeee.

You just let me know when, r225, and we’ll do it together like that Diana kid.

I have a close relative who's a biogeneticist and he got the vaccine as soon as he could.

OK R226, let's go!

One ... two ... three ...

SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[quote]Something is wrong with this whole concept of what these vaccines were supposed to do.

The vaccines were "supposed" to do exactly what they are doing: prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death. Stupid fuck.

[quote][R212] when they rolled out these vaccines they were supposed to stop the spread of covid and protect the individual from getting covid.

No health authority ever said this. You're delusional.

the problem is this virus is mutating in the UNvaccinated. ANtivaxxers, who are braggng that they do not end up in the ICU and dead, are the cause of the mutation that will eventual KILL US ALL. You need to vaccinate EVERYONE to stop this. We cannot even do this in the USA. Governments have lost control over the people, even sane, common sense laws are a thing of the past.

who the f*ck cares?? maybe it 'll take Biden down...

R170, you say only .3 percent; so that's 1 in every 333 people. That's not a small number, especially when you're talking only about fatalities, and not people getting seriously sick/hospitalized.

zzzz r233

Here we go again.. in the UK masks have become mandated again on public transport and in shops, restrictions on travel from abroad. It's funny because the papers were talking about how we were supposedly out of the pandemic only a few days ago.

I don't think this thing will ever go away. I think that like flu we'll eventually learn to live with it.

Cancer is a business, R219, much like other illnesses.

R129, too late

And DeSantis in FL pushed through a law that says that schools cannot mandate either masks or contact tracing of infected kids.

R239 and that’s why he is evil.

We have known for a long time that coronavirus immunity doesn’t last very long (like 6 months). As predicted, vaccine immunity seems to be lasting 4-6 months. The vaccines still seem to be protecting most against severe disease thankfully.

The booster ramps up the immunity again—but likely for just months. We’ll see.

[Quote] Again, only 0.3 percent of the US population has died from Covid. The sky isn't falling.

Nearly 1 million people have died. Millions more with long term problems. While there are patterns (elderly, obese), there are numerous with no preexisting conditions that would predict death.

We just don’t know who will and who won’t die.

Anyone hearing of NYC delaying return to office? Gov. Hochul already declared a state of emergency!

State of emergency in NY?? Really?

NYC will be hit first as will Atlanta.

The state of emergency is so the governor can order nonessential procedures to be halted. She’s not calling out the national guard.

R245, why Atlanta?

R247, because Delta has a direct flight to and from Johannesburg.

Because it’s the white ghetto, Rose/R247.

Here I go again on my own. Going down the only road I’ve ever known.

Travel bans don’t do shit but they are nice public health theatre

What does the state of emergency even mean?

R251 At best flight bans slow things down and make it easier to trace people who are possibly infected. I don't think anyone regards them as a permanent option.

In one of the original Coronavirus Freakout threads in early 2020, there was a smug, condescending poster who said something like "This is pretty much a nothing burger, folks." I wonder where that stupid fuck is today.

Exactly r254!!

He dayd. COVID got him.

[quote] What does the state of emergency even mean?

That the ice cream stores can stay open later now that colder weather is here, Rose.

You’re slipping, Dorothy.

Weak, R257.

Not everyone has what it takes to beat the dead “Rose” horse farther into the ground.

If we're lucky this new variant won't turn out as bad as Delta.

Or it could be extremely contagious but less deadly.

We should know soon enough.

again, the point here is this:

Covid is MUTATING rapidily. It will mutate to evade immunity and spread more quickly. It is just a rate ratio now. We are not doing anything to vaccinate the world. And in the US a major political party, the republicans, are undermining the vaccine program. We have to vaccinate the world. This is the only why to stop the spread, which is the factor in mutation. We are fucked.

Everytime covid feasts on a batshit antivaxxer, it evolves to evade immunity and spread more rapidily. It is mutating rapidily.

Maybe start with vaccinating your own country, R261.

r261 get some professional help. It's OK. I send you a big hug!

HILARIOUS and SAD how anyone who happens to question the effectiveness -- the obvious WANING effectiveness -- of covid vaccines is automatically called an 'antivaxer' or a 'nutcase' and worse, wants them to be banned or blocked or whatever.

Why can't most people simply say, hey -- I disagree, because this study shows this, that study shows that, instead of parroting childish insults at each other. You guys sound like Trump.

You're wrong R261.

Check this out:

"Recent evidence has confirmed that 0.5% povidone iodine (PVP-I) mouthrinse/gargle for 30 s can reduce SARS-CoV-2 virus infectivity to below detectable levels." "Although the efficacy of PVP-I against SARS-CoV-2 is proven, no review articles have yet discussed the evidence and mechanisms of PVP-I against the SARS-CoV-2. Thus, this paper highlights the rationale, safety, recommendations, and dosage of PVP-I gargle/mouthrinse as an effective method to decrease the viral loads during the pressing times of COVID-19. "

Povidone iodine. You can get it on Amazon for like $10.

While not news to anyone not in medical, nursing or other professions that have studied sciences such as bacteriology, Virology or microbiology, for everyone else bacteria and viruses mutate all the time.

Syphilis originally was a rather mild disease. Over hundreds of years it gradually became the menace seen in Europe by 15th and 16th centuries.

There are mutations of influenza, HIV, and hundreds of other viruses. Everyone knew and expected covid-19 to follow same course, question was when, where, how and what would be the manifestations.

To what another poster stated upthread. yes, the world will be dealing with covid-19 for foreseeable future. This is not going away totally because the virus is out their all over world doing what viruses do.....

Only way to keep on top of things is same as health organizations world over have dealt with previous such issues; constantly being vigilant and urging populations to take proper health and sanitation measures. Rather like the warnings and public health messages we see every year during flu season.

Larger question is if these mutations keep occurring and producing moderate to highly virulent strains, at what point does permanent changes to societies take place.

[quote]Covid is MUTATING rapidily. It will mutate to evade immunity and spread more quickly. It is just a rate ratio now. We are not doing anything to vaccinate the world.

NYT: More than 4.25 billion people worldwide have received a dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, equal to about 55.4 percent of the world population.

South Africa has all the vaccines it needs to vaccinate every resident. The problem is not supply for them, it's resistance -- they have an even greater percentage of paranoid nutters than the U.S. does.

The ban in the US will be in affect tomorrow...Monday. Why wasn't this ban done immediately? Still a couple of days of people coming and going from that region. I'm watching local NYC news...the reporter at the airport, saying that a flight from Johannesburg is landing within a half hour...will be one of the last flights. Ok...it only takes one carrier of this variant to be unleased into a city with millions of people.

r269, US citizens are still allowed in and aren't forced to isolate upon arrival.

Israel has banned all foreigners from entering the country. It already has one confirmed and seven suspected omicron cases.

The South African ban along with the other African countries is just plain racist. Does the Biden administration have no shame?

Trolling is more effective when it's not so obvious, R272.

Hardly R273.

R266, sure, gargle and then 5 minutes later, virus qualities are back to where they were. Are you supposed to gargle continuously forever?

NY’s State of Emergency just means hospitals can start to prepare for an expected influx of new Covid cases—as in accessing emergency stockpiles of PPE, ventilators, etc

R274, Trump’s ban was before COVID. It was based to “stopping terrorism,” not stopping any pandemic.

Travel bans are useless when Americans can still get in from those countries

R272 It's not a South Africa ban it's a Southern Africa ban.

Switzerland have also added The UK, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Egypt and Malawi to their travel ban. That's Klosters out for this winter then.

[Quote] The South African ban along with the other African countries is just plain racist.

There are actually many white people in South Africa too

There's no winning over the anti-vaxxer crowd. A friend who I thought knew better (and who works in the customs department) challenged one of my critical comments on Facebook about anti-vaxxers and anti maskers being to blame for this variant. He brought up Gibraltar (apparently its population is 140% vaccinated yet still there are rising breakthrough infections). It totally flew over his head that it's the anti-vaxxers fault for causing all these mutations and he tried to make it seem that it's the vaccinated who are spreading it and vaccines don't work. SMH

R281, yes, seeing crazy comments of conservative Twitter show a lack of understanding about how the vaccine works.

Stuff like: Vaccines don’t work as seen by the rising cases so any are they pushing a booster???!!

There’s so much wrong in that one statement but to refute all that takes more than can fit in a tweet

Pfizer promising to crank out a brand new booster for the brand new variant within 100 days !

Strange this variant arrived as the world is about to prep for Christmas. Perfect timing to further push the vaxx narrative.

Strange also how this variant was so quickly discovered in multiple countries and announced simultaneously. A planned co ordinated assault on the world population no doubt from paid public health officials on the payroll of big pharma.

That is the most absurd statement I've ever heard. He is going to prepare us for the new virus. Clearly this man is a psychopath, who thinks that he matters. He does not, he zero credibility. There is nothing to prepare for. A virus which a variant is very weak and no threat to anyone, yet this dunce wants to prepare us for what ? Please, stop smoking crack, put the pipe down Fraudci.

[quote] Clearly this man is a psychopath, who thinks that he matters. He does not, he zero credibility. There is nothing to prepare for. A virus which a variant is very weak and no threat to anyone, yet this dunce wants to prepare us for what ?

Well, you certainly sound very well versed in virology and English! Let’s listen to you instead.

Dr. Fauci tortures animals. And loves being on TeeVee.

Yes, yes. Everyone’s Boris.

[quote]There is nothing to prepare for. A virus which a variant is very weak and no threat to anyone, yet this dunce wants to prepare us for what ?

Well, clearly you have data on this new variant that no one else in the world has yet. I will be sure to take whatever advice you give.

Of course he does. He wouldn’t come here of all places, say a virus is weak and not a danger to [bold]anyone[/bold] without links to support his claims, silly.

I mean no one is that stupid.

Now detected in Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands and South Africa. And a new case just identified in London.

Surely the travel ban will put a stop to all of that, R290!

Two cases in Canada. One in Ottawa, one in the Niagara region.

We need lots more cases of this variant everywhere so we can collect clinical data on it. Come on, Omicron! Speed it up!

Call me ‘Cron, bro.

Dutch police arrest COVID-positive couple who fled quarantine

The current fine in the UK for breaking quarantine is £10,000 ($14,000) per person and a possible 10 year jail sentence.

Work is ongoing on a vaccine that will protect against all covid variants but it will take time.There will come a point when we dont need to worry if new mutations are vaccine resistant and all we have to do is have a top up of the same vaccine every year to top up falling immunity .Scientists are working on this right now but it wont be instant.

A coronavirus vaccine that would protect against all variants is unlikely as it would be the holy grail 'cure for the common cold'. Theoretically they could use pills in the same way that HIV is treated, but the cost manage it in that way wouldn't be economic.

It's more likely to be nearer to a flu shot that protects against the years predicted viruses.

r298 It has been discussed by serious scientists since spring.Your sceptical mind might be right but they seem credible and they are not promising quick fixes.One discussion I heard between a scientist researching this and a journalist on a podcast said whilst one sooner is very possible they thought on average we were talking about 3 years(this is from march 2021 so spring 2024?) but maybe up to 5 years.

[quote] [R185], please cite your source that they were infected at the beginning of the month. I have nor read that anywhere. —Did you make that up?

R193, I surmised that they were infected at the beginning of the month based on the time it takes to get tested and send samples to the lab for sequencing. Here is some confirmation that infection happened at the beginning of the month—

[quote] Samples for the first 3 Omicron cases were from Nov 11 in Botswana, the sample in Hong Kong (ex-SA) was from Nov 13. Cases have now been detected in many European countries. It is very likely that the variant is in the US. I am actually surprised nobody reported one yet today.

So obviously infection happened at least in the first third of the month, probably the first week. I don’t know why this is such a contentious point for you anyway.

R300 You are correct, It was being mentioned on several sites in early November.

The announcement by South Africa this week shouldn't have taken any Country by surprise.

One bright side is that reports of of South Africa are that symptoms seem much milder than Delta’s

Still wondering why R193 was so skeptical this variant wasn’t around at the beginning of the month. I can’t imagine why anyone would be resistant to the idea.

[quote] The omicron variant likely arose much earlier than when it came to our notice, probably in early October. Genomic analyses suggest an emergence of the variant on a median date of October 7 (range: September 19 to October 21)