The COVID-2019 Thread

[harrybarracuda]

The old chinkies are now rushing to get their mRNA knock off finished.

China rushes to develop an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine as doubts grow over local jabs | The Straits Times

[beachbound]

Depressing news about Omicron, and the vaccines.


Omicron Makes Biden’s Vaccine Mandates Obsolete - WSJ

[harrybarracuda]

Also, Healthline deduces from current papers (also preprints):

• A two-shot course of mRNA vaccines or the one-shot J&J vaccine seem to be less effective against the Omicron variant, especially for infection.
• Data so far indicates that mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) offer the most promising protection against both infection and hospitalization, in line with the CDC’s recommendations.
• Current figures suggest that vaccines offer 30 to 40 percent protection against infection and around 70 percent protection against hospitalization without boosters.
• Newer data is confirming that a third dose increases antibody production and boosts effectiveness against infection to around 75 percent, and 88 percent for severe disease.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/by-the-numbers-covid-19-vaccines-and-omicron

[misskit]

Record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in US

Nearly two years into the pandemic, 1,800 COVID-19 patients are being admitted to hospitals a day. Also, staffing shortages are forcing schools to return to remote learning as pediatric cases rise.

Record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in US

[misskit]

China locks down 3rd city, raising affected to 20 million

BEIJING (AP) — A third Chinese city has locked down its residents because of a COVID-19 outbreak, raising the number confined to their homes in China to about 20 million people.


The lockdown of Anyang, home to 5.5 million people, was announced late Monday after two cases of the omicron variant were reported. Residents are not allowed to go out and stores have been ordered shut except those selling necessities.


Another 13 million people have been locked down in Xi’an for nearly three weeks, and 1.1 million more in Yuzhou for more than a week. It wasn't clear how long the lockdown of Anyang would last, as it was announced as a measure to facilitate mass testing of residents, which is standard procedure in China's strategy of identifying and isolating infected people as quickly as possible.

MORE China locks down 3rd city, raising affected to 20 million | Taiwan News | 2022-01-11 1914

[OhOh]

WHO gives grim prediction on Omicron spread

The prevalence of the highly contagious Omicron variant has doubled since late December

11 Jan, 2022 12:04

"The World Health Organization has said current modelling suggests that more than half of the population of Europe will be infected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in the next six to eight weeks.
Speaking on Tuesday, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Europe director, Hans Kluge, gave a stark warning about the spread of coronavirus.

“At this rate, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation forecasts that more than 50% of the population in the region will be infected with Omicron in the next 6-8 weeks,” Kluge told a news briefing.

The WHO’s top Europe official said that there were 7 million newly reported Covid-19 cases on the continent in the first week of 2022. The figure suggests that the Omicron variant’s prevalence has doubled over a two-week period.

The highly contagious variant has caused a huge surge in infection rates across the continent already. Last week, France recorded more than 300,000 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours.

Omicron has also caused record Covid rates in the UK where some hospitals are being pushed to the limit with unvaccinated Britons taking up a large proportion of hospital beds."

WHO gives grim prediction on Omicron spread — RT World News

[harrybarracuda]

Darwin at work.

[harrybarracuda]

JERUSALEM, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Israel on Tuesday cut the isolation time for asymptomatic COVID-19 cases from 10 days to seven, hoping to keep schools and the economy open as Omicron infections sweep the country.

People infected with the coronavirus and not suffering symptoms for three days can be out of isolation after seven days, the Health Ministry said in a statement. Those showing symptoms were required to continue to isolate for 10 days.

The decision came after a ministry study of 80 COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant of the virus. Lab tests showed that the likelihood of virus growth after seven days of illness was 6%, the Health Ministry said.

"The study conducted by Health Ministry experts shows that the chance that an Omicron patient will be contagious after this period of time is very low. We will not impose isolation beyond what is required, in order to maintain health, keep the economy, education system and culture going and to maintain routine life alongside the coronavirus," Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said.

Israel shortens COVID-19 isolation for asymptomatic cases | Reuters

[S Landreth]

Why we need to wear better masks

How switching to an N95 mask gives a 75x boost in COVID protection

The big picture: Fitted particle-filtering masks like N95s are up to 75 times more effective at preventing infection with COVID-19 than surgical masks, according to a study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

It will take 25 hours for an infectious dose of COVID-19 to transmit between people wearing non-fit-tested N95 respirators but if they're wearing a tightly sealed N95, they'll have 2,500 hours of protection, per a study reported by the WSJ.

[russellsimpson]

I'm wondering why there is such a lack of finer grade masks in the shops?

The cheap shit they've been flogging, is retrospect, criminal.

[baldrick]

the basic masks were for the public as the n95 ones were needed for the medical workers who were going to be in close contact with the infected

now that production has ramped up , n95 is for everyone

[beam8]

The plastic face shields are still available and can help too.
The USA's secretary of defense. Lloyde Austin. pictured.

[OhOh]

Vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection with the Omicron or Delta variants following a two-dose or booster BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccination series: A Danish cohort study

View ORCID ProfileChristian Holm Hansen, Astrid Blicher Schelde, Ida Rask Moustsen-Helm, Hanne-Dorthe Emborg, Tyra Grove Krause, Kåre Mølbak, Palle Valentiner-Branth
doi: Vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection with the Omicron or Delta variants following a two-dose or booster BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccination series: A Danish cohort study | medRxiv This article is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed [what does this mean?]. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.

ABSTRACT

In this brief communication we are showing original research results with early estimates from Danish nationwide databases of vaccine effectiveness (VE) against the novel SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) up to five months after a primary vaccination series with the BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccines.

Our study provides evidence of protection against infection with the Omicron variant after completion of a primary vaccination series with the BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccines; in particular, we found a VE against the Omicron variant of 55.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 23.5 to 73.7%) and 36.7% (95% CI: -69.9 to 76.4%) for the BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccines, respectively, in the first month after primary vaccination.

However, the VE is significantly lower than that against Delta infection and declines rapidly over just a few months. The VE is re-established upon revaccination with the BNT162b2 vaccine (54.6%, 95% CI: 30.4 to 70.4%).

INTRODUCTION

On 26 November, 2021, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant B.1.1.529, named Omicron, was classified as a variant of concern by the WHO and is currently spreading rapidly across the globe including in Denmark.^1,2 Here, we estimate COVID-19 vaccine protection against infection with Omicron or Delta up to five months after primary vaccination using Danish nationwide data.

RESULTS

By December 12, 2021, there were 5,767 identified Omicron cases in Denmark with a median age of 28 years (93% <60 years).

Among those who had most recently completed primary vaccination, VE against Omicron was 55.2% (95% confidence interval: 23.5 to 73.7%) and 36.7% (−69.9 to 76.4%) for the BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccines, respectively, but with evidence of rapid waning over the course of five months.

By comparison, VE against Delta was significantly higher and better preserved over the same period (see Figure and Table).

[harrybarracuda]

Yeah we get it Hoohoo. How many times do you have to read that Omicron is the most transmissible variant so far until you fucking understand it?

[misskit]

WHO: COVID-19 cases rose by more than 50%, deaths stable

GENEVA (AP) — The number of new coronavirus infections in the last week jumped by about 55%, although the number of deaths remained stable, the World Health Organization said in its latest pandemic report.


In the weekly report issued Tuesday night, the U.N. health agency said there were about 15 million new COVID-19 cases last week and more than 43,000 deaths. Every world region reported a rise in COVID-19 cases except for Africa, where officials saw an 11% drop.


Last week, WHO noted a pandemic record high of 9.5 million new infections in a single week, calling it a “tsunami” of disease.


WHO said the extremely contagious omicron variant continues to define the pandemic globally and is now crowding out the previously dominant delta variant. It said omicron, which was first detected in southern Africa in late November, accounts for nearly 59% of all sequences shared with the largest publicly available global database of viruses. WHO said omicron had now proven to have a shorter doubling time, with increasing evidence it was able to “evade immunity.” It also noted there were numerous studies that it is less severe compared to previous variants.


After a steep rise in omicron cases in South Africa after the variant was first detected, the epidemic quickly dropped and experts believe the wave has now passed. WHO said this week that after a continuous rise of COVID-19 across Africa, cases fell this week for the first time.


Scientists in Britain and the U.S. say there are early signs the crush of omicron may have peaked, but they are still uncertain how the next phase of the pandemic might unfold. WHO noted the Americas reported the highest-ever number of COVID-19 cases this week, with a 78% spike, mainly driven by the U.S.


The number of new cases in Europe rose by 31%, while there was a 10% drop in deaths.


The biggest jump in COVID-19 infections was noted in Southeast Asia, where cases increased by more than 400%, with the largest numbers reported in India, Timor-Leste, Thailand and Bangladesh. The numbers of deaths in the region fell by 6%.


The omicron variant spreads even more easily than other coronavirus strains, and has already become dominant in many countries. It also more easily infects those who have been vaccinated or had previously been infected by prior versions of the virus. However, early studies show omicron is less likely to cause severe illness than the previous delta variant, and vaccination and a booster still offer strong protection from serious illness, hospitalization and death.

WHO: COVID-19 cases rose by more than 50%, deaths stable | Taiwan News | 2022-01-12 18:21:24

[misskit]

China's Tianjin orders more testing of 14 million residents

BEIJING (AP) — The northern Chinese city of Tianjin ordered a second round of COVID-19 testing of all 14 million residents Wednesday following the discovery of 97 cases of the omicron variant during initial screenings that began Sunday.


Residents were asked to remain where they are until the results of all the nucleic acid tests are received, the official Xinhua News Agency said.


Xinhua said authorities have carried out almost 12 million tests so far, with 7.8 million samples returned. Infections were first reported on Saturday in the city that is only about an hour from Beijing, which is to host the Winter Olympics from Feb. 4.


High-speed rail service and other forms of transportation between the cities have been suspended, leading to some disruptions in supply chains, including for packaged food items sold in convenience stores.

MORE China's Tianjin orders more testing of 14 million residents | Taiwan News | 2022-01-12 18:19:27

[harrybarracuda]

Federal health authorities in America have said the Omicron Covid-19 variant is so contagious it is likely most people in the US will be infected, and compared the pandemic to a “natural disaster”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/12/omicron-covid-contagious-janet-woodcock-fauci

[misskit]

Omicron Appears to Have Peaked in U.K., Offering Hope the Wave Is Receding

Cases decline in U.K. and hospital admissions are starting to fall in England

LONDON—The U.K. appears to have passed the peak of the latest wave of Covid-19 caused by Omicron, a promising sign that the highly transmissible variant’s impact may be brief, if intense, and fueling optimism that the pandemic may be waning.


Scientists say British data offer encouraging signs for countries behind the U.K. in the Omicron wave—such as the U.S.—that the variant is echoing the pattern it followed in South Africa, where cases rose rapidly over the course of just over a month, before falling back. The wave of Omicron infections in the U.S. is expected to peak over the weeks ahead, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said.


The seven-day average of new daily cases of Covid-19 in the U.K. has been falling for more than a week and on Tuesday dropped below the 14-day average for the first time since November, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of official data. Both are signs that caseloads are diminishing.


The rate of increase in the number of new Covid-19 hospitalizations has also slowed and in England—and especially London, which experienced the Omicron wave sooner than other regions—new hospital admissions with Covid-19 are falling. The first cases of Omicron were detected in the U.K. on Nov. 27.

MORE

Omicron Appears to Have Peaked in U.K., Offering Hope the Wave Is Receding - WSJ

[Joe 90]

Its over now thank fook.

[Switch]

Its over now thank fook.

Maybe, maybe not ….. wait and see ……

[harrybarracuda]

Its over now thank fook.

Way to go yet. The US alone expects another 60-70,000 deaths in the near term.

[hallelujah]

WHO advises against Covid parties.

Don’t have Covid-19 parties – WHO

The warning not to have so-called Covid-19 parties comes after reports of people trying to get infected on purpose.

People should not try and get infected at so-called Covid parties, global health leaders have warned.
It comes after images and videos appeared on social media, purportedly of people purposefully trying to catch Covid at a time convenient to them.

The World Health Organisation (WHO)’s technical lead for Covid-19, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, warned of the threat of long Covid and the possibility of passing the virus on to the vulnerable.


Don’t have Covid-19 parties – WHO | The Independent

[hallelujah]

U.S. COVID deaths rising but likely due to Delta, not Omicron, says CDC chief | Reuters

[misskit]

Thailand concerned over increasing COVID-19 infections among medics

The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has expressed its concern over rising infections among Thai medical personnel and has urged them to receive a fourth dose of vaccine to boost protection.


CCSA Assistant Spokesperson Dr. Sumanee Wacharasint said that, in recent days, about 30 medics have been infected with COVID-19 each day adding, however, that while the numbers are low, the implications are of greater concern, because there will be a reducing number of medical personnel to take care of patients.


She cited the case of Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital in Bangkok, where some medics were found to be infected, but the emergency ward still had to be closed temporarily.


She also said that 16 medics in Chon Buri were found to be infected in a single day, adding that such infections are on the rise, prompting the need for frontline health workers to get 4th vaccine shots.


More than 500,000 people in high-risk groups and frontline health workers have already received their fourth dose. For other groups, there is no decision yet on whether or when they will be given the extra booster shots.


The CCSA has instructed the Education Ministry to develop contingency plans, in preparation for the resumption of on-site learning at many schools, most of which are ready to resume classes.


The CCSA also expressed concern over the rising trend in infections in “sandbox” provinces, including Bangkok, where new infections have risen markedly since the New Year. In the rest of the country, new infections are stabilising at between 7,000 and 8,000 cases.


According to infection statistics for January 7th, 1,048 out of 7,526 cases are people aged under 19, representing 13.9% of new cases.


Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that he is optimistic that actual Omicron variant infections will be fewer than 30,000 cases, as was previously forecast.

Thailand concerned over increasing COVID-19 infections among medics | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

[hallelujah]

Maybe, maybe not ….. wait and see ……

Omicron may be up to nearly 100 TIMES less deadly than Delta, scientists believe | Daily Mail Online