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Omicron variant and the measures implemented in response to it

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PTR 444

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So, here we go again…
  • The World Health Organization designates the new highly mutated strain of Covid a "variant of concern" and gives it the Greek name Omicron
  • Health Secretary Sajid Javid says there is "huge international concern" over the variant - but there are no UK cases
  • The variant has been found in South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong - and one case has been confirmed in Europe, in Belgium
  • EU member states agree to halt travel to and from seven African nations
  • Countries including the UK, Germany, Italy, Israel, Japan, Kenya and Singapore have also restricted travel
  • The World Health Organization cautions against travel bans but has held a special meeting to discuss the variant
  • A top UK health official calls it "the most significant variant" to date, while an Oxford scientist tells the BBC: "It is bad news but it's not doomsday"
I’m sure the government have had plenty of time to learn from the handling of the last one…
 
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kristiang85

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Sorry I posted this earlier in the Austria thread, but it probably deserves to go here too, to keep some positivity:

If there is one thing I am going to tell you today it is to IGNORE the media and the clickbait headlines on this new variant. There is NO plausible scenario this will take us back to square one and there is a lot of misinformation currently circulating. Working on a thread now.
Just a friendly reminder. Despite what you might hear, there has yet to be a variant that isn’t susceptible to the vaccines.
Let’s talk about Nu (B.1.1.529) clear up some misconceptions, and talk about why it is unlikely it will evade vaccine-induced immunity.
Why are variants unlikely to FULLY evade vaccine-induced immunity?
•Vaccines are POLYCLONAL
•CD8+ T-cells covering 52 epitopes across the spike protein
•CD4+ T-cells covering 23 epitopes across the spike protein
For more on this see: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm0829

So, let’s get a couple of things straight NO ONE knows if it is more transmissible at this point. Seeing “Nu is 500% more transmissible” with no data and maybe a bad interpretation of a graph? Yeah, someone is yanking your chain. Also it is NOT a new virus, it is A VARIANT of the same SARS-COV-2 virus we have been dealing with for almost 2 years now. Stop that. Give me a break. To those saying it is “outcompeting” Delta. Important thing to keep in mind: there hasn’t been much Delta to displace or “outcompete.” Until last week, South Africa was at its lowest incidence rate since the beginning of the pandemic. In other words, the low incidence of Delta in South Africa kinda means that Nu becoming dominant is weaker evidence of it “outcompeting” it when there really wasn’t much to outcompete so to speak. You can see for yourself here. With relatively low cases, this may left a void which a new variant could spread into more easily- it likely hasn't had to compete with Delta and in other countries where Delta rages on, it very well may not be as fit: https://twitter.com/sailorrooscout/status/1464234992242937857

Secondly, we can’t predict virus behavior in its entirety from mutations. Yes, I know the number of mutations is off-putting BUT more mutations ≠ BAD. We have seen other alarming variants that have failed to spread as widely in the past. Next, I want everyone to know this now, we don’t know if there are other factors that may be helping this to spread. South Africa has a LOW VACCINATION RATE. We are talking about 24% FULLY VACCINATED and this DESPERATELY needs to be fixed. Vaccine equity is vital. Variants pop up out of low vaccinated areas. Immune evasion may not be needed to spread and fitness could EASILY differ in higher-vaccinated countries, and those dominated by Delta. I also recommend reading this thread here: https://twitter.com/CT_Bergstrom/status/1464058581502738435

In regards to those who were infected with Nu, some data has come out regarding the status of some individuals, specifically out of Hong Kong. Vaccinated fully with Pfizer back in May/June, the individual is currently ASYMPTOMATIC. You can read more here: https://twitter.com/sailorrooscout/status/1464013253898641420

These vaccines are polyclonal, there are non-neutralizing antibodies, and T-CELLS. Will the vaccines take a hit? Likely. as they do with ALL variants. Will it completely render these useless? Absolutely not. For those saying Nu decimates these vaccines to 30% efficacy? Stop that. It is also important to note that large antigenic change DOES NOT mean Nu will necessarily spread and outcompete other variants. That will also depend on its transmissibility, and no one has data on this just yet so, if you see that 500% more transmissible you are getting punked.

 

yorksrob

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Not sure what "Omicron" means.

Sounds like the name of a Mike Oldfield album to me.
 

kristiang85

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Not sure what "Omicron" means.

Sounds like the name of a Mike Oldfield album to me.

It's a continuation of WHO's greek alphabet system, so we don't name the variants over geographical locations and create stigmas.
 

Ediswan

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Not sure what "Omicron" means.

Sounds like the name of a Mike Oldfield album to me.
It's another letter from the Greek alphabet. Not obvious why the WHO skipped so far forward in the commonly accepted order.

Edit: "Omicron" as an album title would definitely suit Vangelis.
 

Markdvdman

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It is pathetic! They are spending big bucks LOOKING for variants! They know big bucks are involved for vaccines! They are trying to ensure it does not become endemic! The media need shooting! Look at Wales Online - Wales cases went down again today yet the headline - 500,000 cases of Covid is a NEGATIVE as opposed to the positive. I despise the media in the UK!
 

yorksrob

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It's a continuation of WHO's greek alphabet system, so we don't name the variants over geographical locations and create stigmas.

It's another letter from the Greek alphabet. Not obvious why the WHO skipped so far forward in the commonly accepted order.

Indeed. Perhaps after the Lambada variant, they didn't want one that sounded too cheerful !
 

Bayum

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It is pathetic! They are spending big bucks LOOKING for variants! They know big bucks are involved for vaccines! They are trying to ensure it does not become endemic! The media need shooting! Look at Wales Online - Wales cases went down again today yet the headline - 500,000 cases of Covid is a NEGATIVE as opposed to the positive. I despise the media in the UK!
Yes, that’s it. They’re spending money to purposely look for VOCs so that big pharma can make money… absolutely nothing to do with making sure those who need it have the maximum protection and to keep science abreast of any further variants that have potential to tip through various demographics.
 

Baxenden Bank

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Most concerning. Prior to walking to Tesco around 1800, they were talking about the Nu variant (the next Greek letter), by the time I got back, had something to eat and checked back on the news, nu has been and gone, xi has been completely bypassed and now were on omicron.

Here's the full Greek alphabet, so you can be ahead of the naming game. Thank heavens for my Greek lessons (or Wikipedia, you decide). Tom Whipple @whippletom on twitter gives a good list of what happened to each of the variants between Delta and Nu. If the next variant is pi, it is bound to be popular in Wigan, stick it in a barm.

alpha,
beta,
gamma,
delta,
epsilon,
zeta,
eta,
theta,
iota,
kappa,
la(m)bda,
mu,
nu,
xi,
omicron,
pi,
rho,
sigma,
tau,
upsilon,
phi,
chi,
psi,
omega
 

brad465

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If domestic restrictions return because of this and any future variants, then conspiracy theorists will declare they've won and get more supporters in the process. For as long as there is no endgame and/or any concerns for other health conditions, there is collective insanity and/or a hidden agenda.

The world governments and the WHO cannot understand that what they desire and what is realistic are two completely different things. The longer this drags on, the more people will lose interest, the more people who will have bigger risks than covid to worry about, and the more bankrupt the world will become, and that WILL kill people. While I would never end it all on my own choosing, I'm starting to think that if perpetual restrictions and hysteria over covid exist and its many future variants, I would welcome covid with open arms as an alternative to just existing. I don't want that to be the case, but if that's a shared view, people need to wake up and realise there comes a point where pursuing a strategy past a certain point suddenly becomes counterproductive to the strategy's original purpose.
 

adc82140

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Not sure what "Omicron" means.

Sounds like the name of a Mike Oldfield album to me.
"I am Lrrr, from the planet Omicron Perseii 8."

That's been going round in my head since they announced it.

Who gets the reference?
 

Kez

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Most concerning. Prior to walking to Tesco around 1800, they were talking about the Nu variant (the next Greek letter), by the time I got back, had something to eat and checked back on the news, nu has been and gone, xi has been completely bypassed and now were on omicron.

Here's the full Greek alphabet, so you can be ahead of the naming game. Thank heavens for my Greek lessons (or Wikipedia, you decide). Tom Whipple @whippletom on twitter gives a good list of what happened to each of the variants between Delta and Nu. If the next variant is pi, it is bound to be popular in Wigan, stick it in a barm.

alpha,
beta,
gamma,
delta,
epsilon,
zeta,
eta,
theta,
iota,
kappa,
la(m)bda,
mu,
nu,
xi,
omicron,
pi,
rho,
sigma,
tau,
upsilon,
phi,
chi,
psi,
omega

I knew / new / nu they would run into trouble when they started the greek naming ... it really was an elephant trap.

The 'nu variant' was always going to be confusing ; even more so when it was hot on the heels of the 'mu' variant.
 

kristiang85

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Most concerning. Prior to walking to Tesco around 1800, they were talking about the Nu variant (the next Greek letter), by the time I got back, had something to eat and checked back on the news, nu has been and gone, xi has been completely bypassed and now were on omicron.

Here's the full Greek alphabet, so you can be ahead of the naming game. Thank heavens for my Greek lessons (or Wikipedia, you decide). Tom Whipple @whippletom on twitter gives a good list of what happened to each of the variants between Delta and Nu. If the next variant is pi, it is bound to be popular in Wigan, stick it in a barm.

alpha,
beta,
gamma,
delta,
epsilon,
zeta,
eta,
theta,
iota,
kappa,
la(m)bda,
mu,
nu,
xi,
omicron,
pi,
rho,
sigma,
tau,
upsilon,
phi,
chi,
psi,
omega

I guess they can't call it Xi as it might offend the Chinese President...
 

kristiang85

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By the way, I've just seen that "Omicron" is an anagram of "moronic", which pretty much describes the fuss over it :D
 

bramling

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If domestic restrictions return because of this and any future variants, then conspiracy theorists will declare they've won and get more supporters in the process. For as long as there is no endgame and/or any concerns for other health conditions, there is collective insanity and/or a hidden agenda.

The world governments and the WHO cannot understand that what they desire and what is realistic are two completely different things. The longer this drags on, the more people will lose interest, the more people who will have bigger risks than covid to worry about, and the more bankrupt the world will become, and that WILL kill people. While I would never end it all on my own choosing, I'm starting to think that if perpetual restrictions and hysteria over covid exist and its many future variants, I would welcome covid with open arms as an alternative to just existing. I don't want that to be the case, but if that's a shared view, people need to wake up and realise there comes a point where pursuing a strategy past a certain point suddenly becomes counterproductive to the strategy's original purpose.

For now I think it's a case of keep fingers crossed this doesn't kick off. There doesn't seem to be that much of substance to suggest it's *that* much more of a threat than anything we've seen thusfar. Let's hope it stays that way. One way or another, we simply can't have a repeat of 2020 & 2021.

That's the next one on the list.

We'll see if they have the balls.

Was it not already the case the term SARS has been avoided, in order to distance association from China? (or did I mishear something?).
 

yorksrob

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For now I think it's a case of keep fingers crossed this doesn't kick off. There doesn't seem to be that much of substance to suggest it's *that* much more of a threat than anything we've seen thusfar. Let's hope it stays that way. One way or another, we simply can't have a repeat of 2020 & 2021.



Was it not already the case the term SARS has been avoided, in order to distance association from China? (or did I mishear something?).

Quite, good point well made.

We'll be waiting a while for the xi variant then :lol:
 

Busaholic

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If domestic restrictions return because of this and any future variants, then conspiracy theorists will declare they've won and get more supporters in the process. For as long as there is no endgame and/or any concerns for other health conditions, there is collective insanity and/or a hidden agenda.

The world governments and the WHO cannot understand that what they desire and what is realistic are two completely different things. The longer this drags on, the more people will lose interest, the more people who will have bigger risks than covid to worry about, and the more bankrupt the world will become, and that WILL kill people. While I would never end it all on my own choosing, I'm starting to think that if perpetual restrictions and hysteria over covid exist and its many future variants, I would welcome covid with open arms as an alternative to just existing. I don't want that to be the case, but if that's a shared view, people need to wake up and realise there comes a point where pursuing a strategy past a certain point suddenly becomes counterproductive to the strategy's original purpose.
Chris Whitty is expressing doubts that the public as a whole will obey further restrictions if they were to be introduced. We're in a strange, possibly unique, situation in this country. For all sorts of reasons, enforcement of anti-covid laws and regulations for the individual is and has been almost non-existent, beyond well-publicised bits of stupidity by certain police forces in the early days, whereas council and other busybodies have stalked towns and cities making sure their nonsensical strictures as to which shop or other business can open, and what they can sell, is enforced with an iron rod, with huge penalties on any transgressing business.
 

Reliablebeam

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I had a nice days rec leave planned today. You can't even have that can you with this shower in charge? It was almost ruined but for the company.

I will not follow any future lockdown. I've got very good at it but clearly you can force the private sector.....
 
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duncanp

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The main headline in the Telegraph this morning is

NEW VARIANT IS LESS WORRYING THAN DELTA, SAYS PROF CHRIS WHITTY

This is significant, not just because of what he is saying, but who is saying it.

He advises the government, and if this is his opinion, you may find that the government waits for further evidence before imposing any more restrictions.

Predictably, Susan Michie and all the other locktivist bores are calling for immediate restrictions, with compulsory face nappies and working from home. <(
 

WestRiding

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It's a continuation of WHO's greek alphabet system, so we don't name the variants over geographical locations and create stigmas.
What a pathetic world we live in.

The main headline in the Telegraph this morning is

NEW VARIANT IS LESS WORRYING THAN DELTA, SAYS PROF CHRIS WHITTY

This is significant, not just because of what he is saying, but who is saying it.

He advises the government, and if this is his opinion, you may find that the government waits for further evidence before imposing any more restrictions.

Predictably, Susan Michie and all the other locktivist bores are calling for immediate restrictions, with compulsory face nappies and working from home. <(
Hopefully there is some truth to his words. Sick of the threat or more resrictions and travel bans again. Didn't think I had mental problems until covid struck :lol: (tongue in cheek, sort of)
 

Yew

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"I am Lrrr, from the planet Omicron Perseii 8."

That's been going round in my head since they announced it.

Who gets the reference?
it's true what they say, women are from Omicron Persii 7, men are from Omicron Perseii 9..
 

SJL2020

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I recall that in Anthony Trollope's Barchester novels, Sir Omicron Pie was one of the leading London doctors.
 

Kez

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The main headline in the Telegraph this morning is

NEW VARIANT IS LESS WORRYING THAN DELTA, SAYS PROF CHRIS WHITTY

This is significant, not just because of what he is saying, but who is saying it.

He advises the government, and if this is his opinion, you may find that the government waits for further evidence before imposing any more restrictions.

Predictably, Susan Michie and all the other locktivist bores are calling for immediate restrictions, with compulsory face nappies and working from home. <(

It is a sign of the scientific illiteracy of the Great British Public that people associate mutation with bad.

All virii mutate because they are not very good at copying their genetic code faithfully (which is the mechanism for mutation - at least for virii).

Some mutations are good for the virus ; others are bad. Yesterday, it was trumpeted that the virus had 50 mutations compared to the Wuhan original. However, the virus is actually pretty good as it is / was with the delta variant looking pretty efficient. The virus incubates and spreads before a small percentage of its hosts die (which is actually bad for the virus since it halts transmission). If you consider ebola, it is not a very good virus because it kills its host before it is transmitted to the next and so outbreaks become contained relatively easily.

Any new reported 'mutation' should be put into this context.
 

brad465

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The main headline in the Telegraph this morning is

NEW VARIANT IS LESS WORRYING THAN DELTA, SAYS PROF CHRIS WHITTY

This is significant, not just because of what he is saying, but who is saying it.

He advises the government, and if this is his opinion, you may find that the government waits for further evidence before imposing any more restrictions.

Predictably, Susan Michie and all the other locktivist bores are calling for immediate restrictions, with compulsory face nappies and working from home. <(
On top of this, another scientist in SAGE has spoken out about Omicron not being a "disaster" and that some are "overstating the situation", which is surprising but welcoming rhetoric from someone in SAGE:


The Omicron Covid variant is "not a disaster" and some people may be "hugely overstating the situation", a scientist advising the government says.

Omicron has been labelled "of concern" by the World Health Organization, and is causing alarm among some scientists.

But microbiologist Prof Calum Semple says vaccines are "still likely to protect you from severe disease".

Prof Semple does, however, support the new UK travel restrictions, saying they will allow more people to get jabbed.

Asked whether people should be fearful of the new variant, Prof Semple - who sits on the UK government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies - told BBC Breakfast: "This is not a disaster, and the headlines from some of my colleagues saying 'this is horrendous' I think are hugely overstating the situation.

"Immunity from the vaccination is still likely to protect you from severe disease. You might get a snuffle or a headache or a filthy cold but your chance of coming into hospital or intensive care or sadly dying are greatly diminished by the vaccine and still will be going into the future."

So far, more than 50 million people in the UK have had at least one dose of a Covid vaccine. More than 42 million have had two doses while almost 17 million have had a third or booster jab.
 

adc82140

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On top of this, another scientist in SAGE has spoken out about Omicron not being a "disaster" and that some are "overstating the situation", which is surprising but welcoming rhetoric from someone in SAGE:

And that's arch pessimist Calum Semple as well. I think some of the "scientists" who were quoted by Sky News et al yesterday should be ashamed of themselves. Proper scientists do not do their business via Twitter. They write papers for peer reviewed journals.
 

liam456

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Some clever virus, this is! Given the way we handled Christmas was going to be seen as the high water mark of our winter response to COVID-19, how thoughtful of it to mutate and spread at just the right time to mess it all up!
 
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