hmmmmm

 

I have heard nothing about Omicron on Chinese channels, because it never really loosened its border restrictions, though I've just seen that Taiwan and Hong Kong have mirrored what the US has been doing in that above picture.

 

Japan's just closed its borders to all foreigners though.

 

I hope this is just a precaution and the extra restrictions aren't up for too long, because the important thing to focus on is ensuring the vaccines are holding strong against it and are shipped out across the world.

Iz I also hope it it all precautionary. I think there is an element of panic everywhere. Imo if this new variant is more transmissible but less lethal, then this is what we have been waiting for as it will allow the pandemic to switch to an endemic. But it just looks like we don't know for now. Some of the media headlines are pure clickbait, it's been clear the variant will have already spread. It's just about giving everyone enough time to find out more about this new variant.

 

It is all a bit depressing though, but with anyone who is panicking and struggling a little, don't listen to the media right now, there is simply way too much we don't know.

Why on Earth did she shout ‘f*** sake’? Because yous bumped into each other? People are nuts like.

 

Can't obvs comment on the incident in question but rudeness and abuse (especially towards public facing staff) is endemic in society at the moment. Social media especially Facebook being used to embed divisions into people's psyche is a huge factor plus mental health issues caused by the pandemic generally. I was in a Tesco's Express the other week and the personal verbal abuse I witness against a staff member who didn't understand a customer's cigarette order was horrible (plus the reaction from the security staff was so wishywashy dealing against the abuse).

Well I didn't know Eswatini had been renamed as 'eSwatini' for starters. PSA: Can everyone stop changing their country names please? It's confusing enough as it is- North Macedonia pfft, looking at you Danæviia for starting this trend. :angry: It's a fair point Iz, it does seem pointless given the variant may well have spread already, have developed elsewhere etc. although any measures to limit/slow spread are sensible for a short period of time, it's just a shame that our government didn't move this quickly after Delta spread across India but nevermind..

 

I think the mask mandate is sensible in terms of acting fast for a worst case scenario, in truth I don't think anyone knows how serious this new variant is, but the pragmatic view is that although being much more transmissible it's likely to be less harmful with the virus heading towards entering its endemic state. This is what happened with the 1889-1890 pandemic although that did continue to cause issues until early 1895 - but given the very low travel rates of the time around the world that seems to have been the factor there for a slower burnout - that of course is now thought to be the coronavirus responsible for the common cold.

 

The high vaccine coverage means there is low chance of a lockdown - I think there are many other protections that could be invoked before moving to that such as encouraging more home working etc.

 

Anyway, if you're wondering how to pronounce Omicron, R Nigella is here to help ~

 

Slightly off topic but regarding eSwatini (Swaziland) The Simpsons actually joked about this phenomenon years back about Tanzania being renamed 'New Zanzibar' then 'Pepsi Presents New Zanzibar'

 

hmmmmm

 

I have heard nothing about Omicron on Chinese channels, because it never really loosened its border restrictions, though I've just seen that Taiwan and Hong Kong have mirrored what the US has been doing in that above picture.

 

Japan's just closed its borders to all foreigners though.

 

I hope this is just a precaution and the extra restrictions aren't up for too long, because the important thing to focus on is ensuring the vaccines are holding strong against it and are shipped out across the world.

I feel this graphic is misleading tho. Because in the majority of the countries that have reported cases they’re directly linked to returning travellers from South Africa. The Belgian case from Egypt and the Scottish cases with no links to travel aside, the rest to my knowledge are all directly linked to ZA. On that evidence, a travel ban with ZA looks justified.

 

In the context of move fast and try to stop it coming I think a red listing/travel ban is the right approach

 

 

Read today that the authorities in ZA have been looking again at samples from the region they first picked it up in and 90% of the samples had a S-Gene drop out which is the hallmark of this variant when you compare it vs Delta and alpha (I think it was also present in Beta too)

The travel bans are unjustified and unscientific. Really hurting our country more than anything.

I think the mask mandate is sensible in terms of acting fast for a worst case scenario, in truth I don't think anyone knows how serious this new variant is, but the pragmatic view is that although being much more transmissible it's likely to be less harmful with the virus heading towards entering its endemic state. This is what happened with the 1889-1890 pandemic although that did continue to cause issues until early 1895 - but given the very low travel rates of the time around the world that seems to have been the factor there for a slower burnout - that of course is now thought to be the coronavirus responsible for the common cold.

 

I remember steve201 mentioning that before on here about some past pandemics.

 

Many of the cases in South Africa of Omicron are described as being quite mild so far so that is perhaps a reason for some cautious optimism but until we find more about the Omicron variant for sure, temporary travel restrictions to southern Africa from UK and Europe are justified I think. In response to kath, I am glad we have someone from that part of the world on this thread to put across their opinions and I do have sympathy for Southern African nations , especially as South African scientists have done a great job in discovering this variant. Its another difficult time in the pandemic economically for that part of the world.

Edited November 29, 20213 yr by 30 Spells Snakey

Masks confirmed to be returning to classrooms in Wales until at least Christmas.

It’s ironic we have a prime minister who is trying to encourage us all to wear face masks but yet doesn’t wear one himself when filmed in public places such as on trains or in a hospital. You lead by example and not just what you say.

From todays Guardian:

 

Germany warned over intensive care capacity as Covid deaths at highest level since February

 

 

The Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s state infectious disease agency, reported 67,186 new cases on Wednesday, up 302 from a week ago, and 446 deaths. That deaths figure is the country’s highest daily figure since 18 February.

 

Gernot Marx, the president of the DIVI association for intensive care medicine, warned that the country could still have 6,000 people in intensive care by Christmas regardless of what measures are now decided by politicians.

 

That compares with a previous high of 5,745 coronavirus patients in intensive care on 3 January. Germany also has fewer beds available now due to a shortage of nursing staff.

 

 

“The situation is really becoming increasingly tight,” Marx told ZDF television, calling for the government to consider a temporary lockdown. “We need to save the clinics from collapse.”

 

 

Associated Press report that four people in southern Germany have tested positive for the Omicron Covid-19 variant even though they were fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, the public health office in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg said.

 

It’s ironic we have a prime minister who is trying to encourage us all to wear face masks but yet doesn’t wear one himself when filmed in public places such as on trains or in a hospital. You lead by example and not just what you say.

 

You would think so - although the Tories have made leading in a "Do as I say don't do as I do" way over a gullible public with a sycophantic media into an art form. Got to hand it to them.

The travel bans are unjustified and unscientific. Really hurting our country more than anything.

 

I disagree. We have a new variant which has already been found in a number of countries and could be more transmissible and possibly evade vaccines so until further research has been done, I think the measures are required. They will hurt business but peoples health and well being has to come first.

I disagree. We have a new variant which has already been found in a number of countries and could be more transmissible and possibly evade vaccines so until further research has been done, I think the measures are required. They will hurt business but peoples health and well being has to come first.

There is no sufficient evidence yet if the variant it as horrible as what the media is making out. European countries had the variant a week before SA, why are travel bans not imposed on them? Why travel bans only on these African countries?

 

I haven't met a single SA citizen or foreign tourist who agrees with what's happened. Boris has taken away the single most important source of income for a lot these countries at the most vital time they needed it. He totally jumped the gun. Cases have increased here (4k yesterday) but they have been increasing so much more in Europe than they are here. I don't get why people are panicking and descriminating like this yet.

There is no sufficient evidence yet if the variant it as horrible as what the media is making out. European countries had the variant a week before SA, why are travel bans not imposed on them? Why travel bans only on these African countries?

 

I haven't met a single SA citizen or foreign tourist who agrees with what's happened. Boris has taken away the single most important source of income for a lot these countries at the most vital time they needed it. He totally jumped the gun. Cases have increased here (4k yesterday) but they have been increasing so much more in Europe than they are here. I don't get why people are panicking and descriminating like this yet.

Indeed. Europe is already struggling with the Delta variant that we have known about for months, and while we don't know what Omicron becoming dominant will actually do yet, it's not the reason why hospitals here are struggling. It's easier to use new variants as a scapegoat for current problems (see the UK government last year when it got itself into a bind with closed borders and freight across the world with the Alpha/Kent variant), especially when they're deemed to come from the other side of the world.

The issue is we're in the beginning of winter and at a time when social interactions are at their highest. All it's gonna take is an extra 20,000 cases and we're in severe trouble. Think the issue is we just do not know enough about Omicron. It looks like it is more transmissable, but when you have an older population in winter that makes it hard. The best thing we can do is speed down the spread for now until we know a little bit more otherwise this could spread like wildfire through us all, so while it's harmless to many, it's lethal to the elderly.

Has there even been a single confirmed death by Omicron yet? Also if everyone is so insistent that it came from the least vaccinated continent then it's not like it's ripped through it with thousands of daily deaths like with Delta in India.

There is no sufficient evidence yet if the variant it as horrible as what the media is making out. European countries had the variant a week before SA, why are travel bans not imposed on them? Why travel bans only on these African countries?

 

I haven't met a single SA citizen or foreign tourist who agrees with what's happened. Boris has taken away the single most important source of income for a lot these countries at the most vital time they needed it. He totally jumped the gun. Cases have increased here (4k yesterday) but they have been increasing so much more in Europe than they are here. I don't get why people are panicking and descriminating like this yet.

Johnson has, rightly, been criticised for dithering before introducing any restrictions in the past. If he waited for further evidence about the new variant, he would risk making the same mistake yet again. it is, of course, unfortunate for the South African tourist industry but, realistically, the government had no option. If evidence emerges over the next few weeks that governments have over-reacted, the new travel rules can be dropped. If not, the restrictions will be introduced anyway with almost the same consequences for SA tourism.

Has there even been a single confirmed death by Omicron yet? Also if everyone is so insistent that it came from the least vaccinated continent then it's not like it's ripped through it with thousands of daily deaths like with Delta in India.

 

This is how it starts though, it spreads around people who socialise regularly who are msotly fit and healthy. I think the issue with Omicron is that is it going to be way more transmissable, and the likelihood is we're all gonna catch it soon. The good news is, this could be the variant to *end* the pandemic, but even so, it's going to be deadly to some. So in places where you have an ageing population (e.g. Western Europe), it's not going to be good if it rips through to the older population with lower immunity.

So far all the reports I've seen on Omicron are that it can easily hospitalise the unvaccinated but has limited effects with the current vaccines, which is good news. So far, of course.

 

But yes, the selective travel bans are hurting poor countries who were transparent with their data. And coming from the most unvaccinated continent no less. Countries that have shut their borders for now have the right idea and the important thing is getting the vaccination numbers up so that the borders can be opened again as soon as possible.