Coronavirus update - NO MORE RESTRICTIONS

[goats]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

You get the feeling this virus doesn’t just want to fade away……I’d also hope those scientists that developed the current old vaccines have developed new improved ones already for the coming year

[lisvaneblue]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

From: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59424269

"BBC Africa correspondent Andrew Harding said scientists in South Africa were trying to understand the mutations of the new variant but the one thing they did know was that it was far more transmissible.

He said there was unhappiness at the new red listing by other countries, with scientists saying the country needed more support and more reward for spotting the new variant.

At the moment around 500 and 700 people are travelling to the UK from South Africa each day, but this figure was likely to have increased as the festive period began".

Pretty scary stuff. Immediate travel ban required this time please.

Looks like a travel ban is on from today. Cardiff rugby team plus fans are in South Africa and trying to find an immediate way home

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

You get the feeling this virus doesn’t just want to fade away……I’d also hope those scientists that developed the current old vaccines have developed new improved ones already for the coming year

I remember the times when "experts" would be interviewed saying that the existing vaccines would only need to tweaked a little to be able to cope with new variants when they arose and that this process should only take something like six weeks to a couple of months. That's certainly not been the case with the Delta variant and so I'm sure that it'll be the same for this new variant - it'll reach the UK eventually and I think all we can do is hope that it doesn't turn out to be as bad as feared because I don't see us being given vaccines next year which will make us completely safe from it.

[Des Parrot]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

Was on the London Underground last evening, packed like sardines, 1 in 3 not wearing masks, people coughing, grab handles & poles shared. I’ll be taking a taxi today!

[goats]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

I remember the times when "experts" would be interviewed saying that the existing vaccines would only need to tweaked a little to be able to cope with new variants when they arose and that this process should only take something like six weeks to a couple of months. That's certainly not been the case with the Delta variant and so I'm sure that it'll be the same for this new variant - it'll reach the UK eventually and I think all we can do is hope that it doesn't turn out to be as bad as feared because I don't see us being given vaccines next year which will make us completely safe from it.

How do you know they haven’t been tweaking and testing them over the last year? I bet you they have, let’s face it they sorted the initial one out pretty quickly. No doubt using up stocks of what we already have as they still work.

[lardy]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

I remember the times when "experts" would be interviewed saying that the existing vaccines would only need to tweaked a little to be able to cope with new variants when they arose and that this process should only take something like six weeks to a couple of months. That's certainly not been the case with the Delta variant and so I'm sure that it'll be the same for this new variant - it'll reach the UK eventually and I think all we can do is hope that it doesn't turn out to be as bad as feared because I don't see us being given vaccines next year which will make us completely safe from it.

In defence of the "experts"

The current vaccines are dealing with the Delta variant. If you look at the graphs of cases/hospitalisations/deaths, they go up and down together - until the vaccine rollout. UK daily cases are as high as they've ever been with the Delta, but hospitalisations and deaths are low.

I don't know what the six weeks to a couple of months refers to, but I can't imagine it's research+development+manufacture+rollout+complete replacement of previous vaccine stocks all in that time.

If anyone is holding their breath for a vaccine to make us completely safe, then I'd advise against it.

[blue matt]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

How do you know they haven’t been tweaking and testing them over the last year? I bet you they have, let’s face it they sorted the initial one out pretty quickly. No doubt using up stocks of what we already have as they still work.

one of Pfizers people ( chief scientist or something ) said that they could tweak the vaccine and it would be in production in a few hours

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

How do you know they haven’t been tweaking and testing them over the last year? I bet you they have, let’s face it they sorted the initial one out pretty quickly. No doubt using up stocks of what we already have as they still work.

I'm not saying they haven't been, but, based on the Delta variant, it's not as simple as it was made to sound early in the year. Around this time last year, news broke that the Pfizer vaccine had been approved and I can remembered a virologist being interviewed on the day saying that things should be back to normal in the summer. Many people will say that they are, but how is it normal when, at current rates, there are a thousand people a week dying of Covid in the UK and the new cases figures are heading up again? I can remember 20,000 people dying in a year with flu and that was considered to be a very bad epidemic. Despite vaccines being available for nearly a year now, Covid will kill more than double that number if current rates are maintained and yet people some people talk of the pandemic in the past tense!

[blue matt]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/passengers-south-africa-face-wait-covid-19-testing-amsterdam-2021-11-26/

61 people tested positive on 2 flights to Schiphol from SA on Friday, so just over 10% of the passengers of the 2 flights were positive

[az city]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

The more variants that appear now the better so we can find improved vaccine, better that than seeing vaccination improvements scaled back .

For the love of god, please tell me you work nowhere near virology.

[az city]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

How do you know they haven’t been tweaking and testing them over the last year? I bet you they have, let’s face it they sorted the initial one out pretty quickly. No doubt using up stocks of what we already have as they still work.

I'll bet you "they" haven't been tweaking and testing vaccines for new variants. Do you have any idea the time and cost associated with testing?

[xsnaggle]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

I'll bet you "they" haven't been tweaking and testing vaccines for new variants. Do you have any idea the time and cost associated with testing?

I've certainly got no idea, but as you clearly have, could you tell us? Then we won't make such silly statements again. How much does it cost, and what is the breakdown of the cost? I'd love to know.

[lardy]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

For the love of god, please tell me you work nowhere near virology.

I think we're on safe ground there.

[blue matt]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

I'll bet you "they" haven't been tweaking and testing vaccines for new variants. Do you have any idea the time and cost associated with testing?

they can tweak it though I said above I saw a interview with one of Pfizers people ( chief scientist I think ) he said that they could tweak the vaccine as needed and it would be on the production line within hours ( this was early this year though, things could have changed )

[az city]

Re: Coronavirus update - ALERT LEVEL ZERO

they can tweak it though I said above I saw a interview with one of Pfizers people ( chief scientist I think ) he said that they could tweak the vaccine as needed and it would be on the production line within hours ( this was early this year though, things could have changed )

"Tweaking" mRNA vaccines is "simple" and quick. However, testing them is not.

http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-...ines/mrna.html