Coronavirus - The Thread :(

[ClassicFiat500]

PLAN B!
Regarding the new plan B, with Boris in such a quagmire re- his lot having party’s during lockdown, it is quite obvious he needed something to take the heat off his cock-ups, he needed something to look good ! So what has he done? Bring in a new plan B which has not been thought out properly. The one thing its done is to make the public talk about his new unthought out plan B. This is just a political way of moving the media into taking the heat of him. I will still continue wearing my mask & stay away from large crowded places & enjoy my little 500 away from the crowds

 

[ben]

My parents are worried their xmas dinner will be cancelled now They are having the house refurbished at the moment so were relying on being able to celebrate at a restaurant..

Taiwan is now reporting on the Omicron and everyone starting to panic again - it will be interesting to see if it affects the Chinese New Year returnees.

 

[A3jeroen]

Don't want to get political, but Boris seems to be haunted by the ghost of christmas past...

gr J

 

[pooroldcodger]

The whole charade is beyond parody now.

 

[09 johno]

Who actually cares, its all political positioning, I had a few xmas drinks at work with colleagues last year,as we have been working all through the pandemic, so what? and you cant tell me nobody else did.............

 

[pooroldcodger]

The key difference is that these were the very people who were making up rules and mis-using emergency legislation whilst totally ignoring the rules they had made.

 

[vexorg]

Who actually cares, its all political positioning, I had a few xmas drinks at work with colleagues last year,as we have been working all through the pandemic, so what? and you cant tell me nobody else did.............

Many did, someone has to balance the selfishness of those who flaunt the rules

 

[ben]

Moved this to the leisure lounge now as part of my forum tidy-up

 

[DaveMcT]

All viruses evolve into being more infectious but less harmful survival of the fittest. Omicron is a great example as almost all its efforts have gone into making it infectious at the expense of veracity/harm to the host. It's now little more than a bad cold. The issue is that being so much more infectious the numbers who do get ill could also be high.

The problem is that mass testing exposes the false positive issue. A patient with symptoms can be tested to get the best evidence of what is causing their illness. 5% false positive is adequate to make a reliable diagnosis. But test 1 million and a 5% false positive rate means you have 50,000 "cases" who don't have the virus. Public Health bodies understand this all too well but seem to have been steamrollered by global reaction to this virus.

 

[Cinq999]

Just thought I'd post an update as it's been a long time now.

Recap:

I had Covid early 2020, before it was "officially" in UK (blood tests confirmed).

2020 I was on Astrazeneca vaccine trial, had 2 doses.

2021 had 2 "regular" doses Pfizer, and then Moderna booster November 2021.

February 2022 I joined the Moderna Omicron vaccine trial and had a dose of the updated bivalent vaccine (just been approved by MHRA today).

May 2022 I spent several hours in a van with a workmate who was coughing away, and looked fairly ill. He tested positive that evening. I never caught it.

July 2022, my better half caught Covid. Confirmed by PCR as BA.5. I spent the week at home with her, still never caught it.

Probably taken 30+ international flights in past 6 months as well, and haven't worn a mask since Jan 22 at least.

Just had blood tests done last week, and antibody levels are still "off the charts".

Doctors are hoping it turns out like several childhood vaccinations that require 4-5 doses (Polio, tetanus, diphtheria etc), and my body has now developed a long term immune response.....potentially a booster every 10 years like Tetanus.

Who knows.....just have to wait and see.....but after feeling like I was going to die with original Covid, I certainly don't want to ever catch it again.

 

[varesecrazy]

Thanks for the update... thats certainly reassuring

As a sidenote.. I was on the volunteers register for the trials..
It is now being wound.up.

Smaller trials are being planned for effectiveness of combination treatments.

All good news from my perspective

 

[Rocinante]

....haven't worn a mask since Jan 22 at least....


.... after feeling like I was going to die with original Covid, I certainly don't want to ever catch it again.

Out of curiosity, if you were so worried about potentially catching it again, why did you discontinue mask wearing in January 2022 ?
Did you believe at this point you had built up immunity, or have you have discounted the effectiveness of the masks, or something else ?

 

[Cinq999]

Out of curiosity, if you were so worried about potentially catching it again, why did you discontinue mask wearing in January 2022 ?
Did you believe at this point you had built up immunity, or have you have discounted the effectiveness of the masks, or something else ?

After having 5 doses of vaccine in less than 2 years (dose 6 in Feb 22), and actually having Covid itself, I felt (and backed up by antibody testing) that it was time I got back to normal.

I personally do not intend to wear a mask in an enclosed space for my entire life.....and Covid will be around for my lifetime, so it seemed as good a time as any.

Masks do provide some protection, but the generic mask most people wear is only really effective when everyone wears them.....sit in a plane with 300 maskless people, the only thing that will really work is a FFP3 or higher.

I'm of the opinion each individual must evaluate their own risk and live their life accordingly.

I took a calculated risk joining the vaccine trials.....but for me personally it's paid off, as I'm still perfectly healthy (as confirmed by the CT scans, blood tests, ecg's and every other test they can think of they run on the vaccine trials), and it appears I'm immune to the latest strain of Covid, and potentially many others.

Like I say, each person has to decide what's best for themselves and their family.

 

[vexorg]

Masks do provide some protection, but the generic mask most people wear is only really effective when everyone wears them

You missed the point, it wasn't for your benefit, it was for the people around you, kind of to stop the wearer spreading it. But as many people are very inconsiderate, that probably didn't cross your mind

 

[Cinq999]

You missed the point, it wasn't for your benefit, it was for the people around you, kind of to stop the wearer spreading it. But as many people are very inconsiderate, that probably didn't cross your mind

Which then begs the question, do you expect every person in the country/world to wear a mask for ever more?

Covid is now with us forever.....within reason, unless we develop sterilising immunity.

I am in complete agreement that if someone has any cough/cold/flu/Covid symptoms, a mask would be a very good idea.

However, to expect perfectly healthy people to wear a mask I personally feel is an imposition too far.

I made the decision, due to the fact that

a) I had had 5 (shortly after 6 doses) of vaccine, and my results were "off the charts" according to the doctor. I was told that according to the results, they felt there was less than a 2% chance I would contract the Delta variant at that time. (7 months later my results are still "off the charts", and although I spent a whole week with a BA.5 positive case, there is not a single trace of it in my system......it would appear my immune system worked better than even the doctors hoped, thanks to the vaccines.
b) At no time have I had symptoms of Covid, or anything else, not even a sore throat.
c) I had to take a lateral flow test virtually every day, and a PCR once a week, and upload the result to a special app that sent the info to the hospital. So I knew 99.99% certain I was Covid free.

So yes, it did cross my mind, but I felt on balance, the mitigating factors outweighed a risk of virtually zero.

I fully understand that some people feel extremely worried about catching Covid. I understand more than most....I volunteered to work in ICU during the first and second wave, so I saw the devastating effects.......I had a family member die of Covid.

However, we must reach a point where there is an equilibrium.

Some would have us locked down, masks worn 24/7, and never leave the house. While others, would do absolutely nothing, and just carry on completely as normal whatever happens.

As a society, we must find an equilibrium, while also realising that every person has freedom of choice.

So myself personally. I will get vaccinated every year, I will stay at home if I'm ill (regardless if its Covid/Flu/Cold), if I must leave the house and I have symptoms of some form, I will wear an FFP3 mask.

I know not everyone may agree......but I know myself the risk ratio for me personally.......and as such, I will make decisions based on that.....which is what every individual should do. If they actually do it or not is an entirely different matter.

As a side note, I've been asked to have a "booster" of the Omicron vaccine in October......the BA4/5 specific version which will probably be released in Spring next year......to see what happens when its combined with the BA.1 version they're giving out shortly. So, I will proba;y be one of the best protected people in the country if not the world

 

[vexorg]

Which then begs the question, do you expect every person in the country/world to wear a mask for ever more?

Only when required, in january it was still mandatory

I fully understand that some people feel extremely worried about catching Covid. I understand more than most....I volunteered to work in ICU during the first and second wave, so I saw the devastating effects.......I had a family member die of Covid.

Likewise, my wife was assigned to the ICU wards as a full ICU nurse since her unit was shut down for 2 years due to covid. It's more staggering that you had first hand experience yet felt very blasé about it, enough to not wear a mask, or that people 'like' the idea of doing that

 

[Cinq999]

Only when required, in january it was still mandatory


Likewise, my wife was assigned to the ICU wards as a full ICU nurse since her unit was shut down for 2 years due to covid. It's more staggering that you had first hand experience yet felt very blasé about it, enough to not wear a mask, or that people 'like' the idea of doing that

Mask mandate was dropped 27th January.

You say blasé.....I say there is no scientific or clinical reason why a perfectly healthy person should wear a mask to protect others.

If you physically don't have a virus, then a mask won't physically stop anything spreading.

And I point you to points a-c) above.....that neither is being "blasé".

As I stated before, if someone is ill, or has any symptoms, a mask is a good idea.

But to expect the world population of healthy individuals to wear a mask when it physically does nothing, that I'm afraid is completely counterproductive. That will only result in even less people wearing masks.....even when they are required.

Zero Covid is now an impossibility.

Covid will exist forever more, just hopefully go the way of the Spanish flu.

Masks are a useful tool.....but only when required.....just as a seatbelt is only useful when you're actually sat in a car.

If you try and overuse it, then people will only push back, which will ultimately make the situation worse.

 

[vexorg]

Mask mandate was dropped 27th January.

Not the case in the non-Boris loving countries

You say blasé.....I say there is no scientific or clinical reason why a perfectly healthy person should wear a mask to protect others.

I suggest you search the meaning of asymptomatic, but why let medical professional say what's right when we have plenty of inept internet experts.

 

[Rocinante]

Mask mandate was dropped 27th January.

You say blasé.....I say there is no scientific or clinical reason why a perfectly healthy person should wear a mask to protect others.

If you physically don't have a virus, then a mask won't physically stop anything spreading.

And I point you to points a-c) above.....that neither is being "blasé".

As I stated before, if someone is ill, or has any symptoms, a mask is a good idea.

But to expect the world population of healthy individuals to wear a mask when it physically does nothing, that I'm afraid is completely counterproductive. That will only result in even less people wearing masks.....even when they are required.

Zero Covid is now an impossibility.

Covid will exist forever more, just hopefully go the way of the Spanish flu.

Masks are a useful tool.....but only when required.....just as a seatbelt is only useful when you're actually sat in a car.

If you try and overuse it, then people will only push back, which will ultimately make the situation worse.

While there is always a balance to be had when deciding control measures, especially now, when as you say the virus appears to be endemic, so I’m not going to advocate for or against mask wearing, but there flaws with your description on mask wearing.

You say masks are only useful when you are showing symptoms, unfortunately you can have the virus and be spreading it before showing symptoms, so your analogy on the seatbelt, is more like only putting on your seatbelt as you are crashing your car, it’s a bit late at that point.

 

[Cinq999]

Not the case in the non-Boris loving countries


I suggest you search the meaning of asymptomatic, but why let medical professional say what's right when we have plenty of inept internet experts.

I live in the UK, so follow UK rules....funnily enough......I suppose other countries drive on the right, so I could to......but I don't think it'd be a good idea

And I'm guessing you don't think the tests work?

I'm guessing the hundreds of negative results I've had are all wrong, including weekly PCR

I'd suggest you concentrate on your own health, and let everyone else worry about theirs.

Just like flu, there'll be a Covid booster once a year, and life will go on. Those who feel vulnerable will wear masks, while the majority will not.

If you don't like it, I'd suggest you move to China.....I hear the Zero Covid approach is working really well over there

I can see from your past posts you are the argumentative sort, so I'll say good day, and I hope you stay well in the coming years.