Coronavirus Thread

[Jon the Hat]

9 hours ago, WigstonWanderer said:

The rest of Australia are pretty much past the peak of their Omicron wave, and now the virus is on the increase here in WA. We have an incredibly high 2 dose vaccination rate and about 50% over 18 boosted and rising. My extended family are all boosted including my 94 year old father.

 

It occurs to me that at some point we will all be exposed to the virus, and that this would be best while:

- It is no more than 3 months since the last vaccine shot

- Hospitals  are still empty (currently 2 in hospital)

 

With this in mind it does rather seem that going to extraordinary lengths to avoid getting infected would be counter productive.

Agreed, I think just go about life as normal is pretty much the way forward.  Things are pretty quiet in my West Perth office and on the bus and train into the City at the moment though, so I figure we might be in the minority thinking this so far!  We just got out 3rd jabs after our second back in May so would rather not get it for a few weeks, but after that I think it is pretty inevitable with two kids in school, me at work and my wife in college.

[Super_horns]

8 hours ago, WigstonWanderer said:

Think they ought to at least tell people who are displaying symptoms to stay at home. Don't need to test, as even if it's only a cold or flu it's better not to infect others. Ughhh.

I can see people still testing themselves and staying away to protect vulnerable family and friends .

[danny.]

16 minutes ago, Super_horns said:

I can see people still testing themselves and staying away to protect vulnerable family and friends .

I can see the cost putting people off, about £4/test isn't it?

 

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, pmcla26 said:

I think that's happened for far too long as people have been crippled mentally and financially to protect a portion of society. Returning to somewhat normality can only be seen as a good thing imo. I do agree though, let's hope the NHS won't suffer as a result. From what I've seen at work over the last few weeks following discussions, statistics and our own measures, early signs are pretty promising that it won't. 

Please bear in mind that "portion of society" includes anyone who has to use a hospital on a regular or semi-regular basis, as well as people who suddenly find stuff wrong with them and need urgent treatment but can't get it because Covid patients are taking all the beds and time. So it's rather a large portion.

 

But yes, here's hoping it won't.

[SpacedX]

Just now, pmcla26 said:

Returning to somewhat normality can only be seen as a good thing imo. 

It has to at some stage and given the lesser degree of severity of the omicron variant, this is probably the time to do it -  but isolation should be retained for the clinically vulnerable and support extended for that. 

 

What is extremely damaging however is this misleading rhetoric from the PM that celebrates 'freedom day' as some sort of national victory and conquest over Covid as though this government has repelled and despatched the invader and delivered us from its evil clutches. The world is still in the acute phase of a pandemic and this virus will continue to evolve to chip away at immunity. We were extraordinarily fortunate with the Omicron variant. The rate of infection has also put significantly more immunity onto the UK population and the world but this may lead us into a false sense of security. As immunity wanes, there could be a potential for bounce back...and perhaps somewhere in the world, right now, in the body of an HIV patient battling long term infection the Pi, or perhaps Omega variant is rolling the genetic dice. 

[leicsmac]

10 minutes ago, pmcla26 said:

Sorry if it wasn't obvious but I wasn't talking about those people, I was talking about those who are deemed clinically vulnerable when it comes to the risk of COVID infection. 

Thank you for the clarification, but those people should be included anyway as they are a key factor in the equation. Keeping Covid manageable enough to protect those people from second-hand harm, as well as the first-hand clinically vulnerable, should always have been a factor in dealing with all of this.

[filbertway]

Makes sense to do it now, I've just realised that I've barely given covid a thought in the past couple of months unless seeing this thread or someone mentioning it. 

 

Well aware there's a chance another variation could cause a set back, but I'm happy we're getting rid of mandatory isolation and testing whilst it seems the best time to do it. Feel especially sorry for people under the age of 20. The last few years will have been terrible for their development as people.

[WigstonWanderer]

4 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

Agreed, I think just go about life as normal is pretty much the way forward.  Things are pretty quiet in my West Perth office and on the bus and train into the City at the moment though, so I figure we might be in the minority thinking this so far!  We just got out 3rd jabs after our second back in May so would rather not get it for a few weeks, but after that I think it is pretty inevitable with two kids in school, me at work and my wife in college.

Yes, I mean I don’t really want to get it or any of my friends or family, especially my father, but judging by what happened over east I can’t see we’re going to be able to avoid it. Had a good run here in WA though, didn’t have much of the original Wuhan strain, and avoided Alpha and Delta altogether.

Edited 22 February 2022 by WigstonWanderer

[BKLFox]

12 hours ago, WigstonWanderer said:

Think they ought to at least tell people who are displaying symptoms to stay at home. Don't need to test, as even if it's only a cold or flu it's better not to infect others. Ughhh.

They have

 

On 21 February, the Government announced changes to the COVID-19 restrictions. 

From Thursday, 24 February, the legal requirement to self-isolate ends. However anyone who has symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19 is advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people.  After five days they can choose to take a lateral flow test followed by one the next day, if both are negative and they do not have a high temperature, they can safely return to their normal routine.  Anyone who tests positive should avoid contact with anyone in an at risk group, including if they live in the same household.

Anyone who has been a close contact of someone with COVID-19 will no longer be required to self-isolate whether they have been vaccinated or not.  Those who have not be vaccinated do not need to isolate, but should take extra precautions when mixing with others such as wearing a face covering, keeping rooms well ventilated and avoiding meeting people at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19.

The self-isolation support payment will no longer be available.

[Super_horns]

4 hours ago, danny. said:

I can see the cost putting people off, about £4/test isn't it?

 

True - guess you will have to be really desperate.

 

I cannot see people doing more than 1 a week and that is if they are going out. 

[steve555]

5 hours ago, danny. said:

I can see the cost putting people off, about £4/test isn't it?

 

As a postman delivering these tests, we have certainly seen an increase in the number we are delivering since rumours of the end of the free tests began a couple of weeks ago. Iv'e no doubt that they'll increase even more between now & April the first, which is understandable, but some people are just taking advantage. I deliver tests to the same addresses 3 or 4 times a week, one address i deliver to has 4 tests( 1 each for parent & 1 for the 2 kids) every other day , with 7 tests in each pack that's about 80 tests a week, for a family of 4!, this has been ongoing for about 6 weeks. I've no doubt these will end up on Ebay after April 1st. Would it not make more sense for the government to say you can only order 1 pack ( 7 tests ) a week , instead of being able to order a pack each day.

[Leicester_Loyal]

38 minutes ago, steve555 said:

As a postman delivering these tests, we have certainly seen an increase in the number we are delivering since rumours of the end of the free tests began a couple of weeks ago. Iv'e no doubt that they'll increase even more between now & April the first, which is understandable, but some people are just taking advantage. I deliver tests to the same addresses 3 or 4 times a week, one address i deliver to has 4 tests( 1 each for parent & 1 for the 2 kids) every other day , with 7 tests in each pack that's about 80 tests a week, for a family of 4!, this has been ongoing for about 6 weeks. I've no doubt these will end up on Ebay after April 1st. Would it not make more sense for the government to say you can only order 1 pack ( 7 tests ) a week , instead of being able to order a pack each day.

Mental illness!

 

Anyone caught selling them needs a heavy fine btw, scumbags.

[The Quick Brown Fox]

I can't see many people taking tests after the first of March. Still having to go to work, no need to isolate, most people have had the illness now, the only reason I can see is if you are going to see someone who is extremely vulnerable (and even then not all will bother). 

 

 

Edited 23 February 2022 by browniefox
Date added

[steve555]

Saw in the news today, government have said you can only order a test every 3 days now, as opposed to every day, after concerns over people stockpiling them. 

[dsr-burnley]

55 minutes ago, steve555 said:

Saw in the news today, government have said you can only order a test every 3 days now, as opposed to every day, after concerns over people stockpiling them. 

I think it's a box of 7 every three days.

[steve555]

2 hours ago, dsr-burnley said:

I think it's a box of 7 every three days.

Yes, sorry that's what i meant , only I  didn't word it very well. Should have said 1 box, instead of 1 test.

[st albans fox]

On 22/02/2022 at 18:52, steve555 said:

As a postman delivering these tests, we have certainly seen an increase in the number we are delivering since rumours of the end of the free tests began a couple of weeks ago. Iv'e no doubt that they'll increase even more between now & April the first, which is understandable, but some people are just taking advantage. I deliver tests to the same addresses 3 or 4 times a week, one address i deliver to has 4 tests( 1 each for parent & 1 for the 2 kids) every other day , with 7 tests in each pack that's about 80 tests a week, for a family of 4!, this has been ongoing for about 6 weeks. I've no doubt these will end up on Ebay after April 1st. Would it not make more sense for the government to say you can only order 1 pack ( 7 tests ) a week , instead of being able to order a pack each day.

that would make way too much sense to check stuff like that - I suspect the systems they have aren’t sophisticated enough to do that 

[DennisNedry]

I'd kinda checked out of this thread for a month or so, then came back and was surprised at how few posts there'd been since I'd been away, then it clicked that maybe everybody else had done the same as me. Remember spending at least 5 minutes a day on this thread going back a bit.

 

Anyway, I've finally managed to pick up Covid now. Symptoms are very much that of a cold - runny nose, headache, temperature, tiredness. First tested positive on Friday so am almost a week in, hoping it's cleared so I can get out this weekend but not banking on it.

 

Broadly support opening up, removing legal restrictions etc.

 

[SpacedX]

There's enough doom in the world without resurrecting this thread, but I'll do it anyway. 

 

In the first major study to compare brain scans of people before and after they catch Covid, research from Oxford University has found strong evidence that the virus can result in decreased brain function which would explain reports of brain fog and cognitive difficulty associated with long covid. A comparison of MRI scans showed up to a 2% shrinkage and tissue damage related to regions linked to smell and mental capacities months after subjects tested positive. Since the brain to some extent has the capacity to heal itself further study is required to assess whether these effects are temporary or permanent. 

 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04569-5

 

Remember, "it's just the flu" folks. 

[Parafox]

I can't believe, given almost minute by minute posts that this thread generated, that the last one before the above was Feb 23rd!

[SpacedX]

39 minutes ago, Parafox said:

I can't believe, given almost minute by minute posts that this thread generated, that the last one before the above was Feb 23rd!

Trust me to bump it. 

[Trumpet]

46 minutes ago, Line-X said:

There's enough doom in the world without resurrecting this thread, but I'll do it anyway. 

 

In the first major study to compare brain scans of people before and after they catch Covid, research from Oxford University has found strong evidence that the virus can result in decreased brain function which would explain reports of brain fog and cognitive difficulty associated with long covid. A comparison of MRI scans showed up to a 2% shrinkage and tissue damage related to regions linked to smell and mental capacities months after subjects tested positive. Since the brain to some extent has the capacity to heal itself further study is required to assess whether these effects are temporary or permanent. 

 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04569-5

 

Remember, "it's just the flu" folks. 

I caught covid in March 2020 (Cheltenham gold cup victim) so I’d guess I had the original strain. I was always remiss of long covid, but looking back it all seems to add up now. From the time I had covid and all through 2021, my memory was that bad at times i thought I had early symptoms of Alzheimer’s or something. I’ve had what feels like arthritis in my hands since having covid too.

 

My memory seems to be improved now, but the arthritis in my hands is just as bad, in fact I can feel it in my thumbs as I type this.

 

 

[dsr-burnley]

52 minutes ago, Line-X said:

There's enough doom in the world without resurrecting this thread, but I'll do it anyway. 

 

In the first major study to compare brain scans of people before and after they catch Covid, research from Oxford University has found strong evidence that the virus can result in decreased brain function which would explain reports of brain fog and cognitive difficulty associated with long covid. A comparison of MRI scans showed up to a 2% shrinkage and tissue damage related to regions linked to smell and mental capacities months after subjects tested positive. Since the brain to some extent has the capacity to heal itself further study is required to assess whether these effects are temporary or permanent. 

 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04569-5

 

Remember, "it's just the flu" folks. 

Presumably by your last comment, you're suggesting that flu does not cause similar effects?

 

It'll be interesting to see the full report.  I don't know how long it'll take to get a usefully large picture, because obviously as well as waiting for long term effects, there is the need to split the results between the four main variants of covid, between whether the subjects have been vaccinated or not, the severity of the disease, and so forth.  And for that they would need a much larger sample.  But unless they find evidence that omicron variant is likely to badly affect people who have been vaccinated, I'll control my worries.

 

Certainly the news that sense of smell is affected, won't come as a surprise.  It was one of the commoner, longer lasting symptoms - but I think it often comes back, doesn't it?

Edited 7 March 2022 by dsr-burnley

[SpacedX]

3 minutes ago, dsr-burnley said:

Presumably by your last comment, you're suggesting that flu does not cause similar effects?

 

It'll be interesting to see the full report.  I don't know how long it'll take to get a usefully large picture, because obviously as well as waiting for long term effects, there is the need to split the results between the four main variants of covid, between whether the subjects have been vaccinated or not, the severity of the disease, and so forth.  And for that they would need a much larger sample.  But unless they find evidence that omicron variant is likely to badly affect people who have been vaccinated, I'll control my worries.

 

Certainly the news that sense of smell is affected, won't come as a surprise.  It was one of the commoner, longer lasting symptoms - but I think it often comes back, doesn't it?

It wasn't intended to be alarmist or create worries at all. My comment at the end was facetious and in response to the popular misconception that SARS-CoV-19 was the same as a cold/bout of flu.

 

The most acute forms of influenza may be associated with cognitive impairment, yes. I'm not aware of brain shrinkage though - and certainly not at such a high rate of incidence as these findings suggest. I'm sure that there are comparative studies - perhaps even with similar or larger sample sizes. The research is fascinating, I suggest reading the paper in full if you haven't already. 

 

Smell and taste can be similarly compromised - the question is, to what extent and what duration. Like I said, the brain does have some capacity to heal itself. 

 

How is life up there? Is your Mother able to get out more and reestablish the old routine? 

[dsr-burnley]

1 minute ago, Line-X said:

It wasn't intended to be alarmist or create worries at all. My comment at the end was facetious and in response to the popular misconception that SARS-CoV-19 was the same as a cold/bout of flu.

 

The most acute forms of influenza may be associated with cognitive impairment, yes. I'm not aware of brain shrinkage though - and certainly not at such a high rate of incidence as these findings suggest. I'm sure that there are comparative studies - perhaps even with similar or larger sample sizes. The research is fascinating, I suggest reading the paper in full if you haven't already. 

 

Smell and taste can be similarly compromised - the question is, to what extent and what duration. Like I said, the brain does have some capacity to heal itself. 

 

How is life up there? Is your Mother able to get out more and reestablish the old routine? 

Not bad at all, thanks.  Some of her social activities have resumed, but others have stopped - quite a lot of people who have pent years working and working to help other people have realised that they need to stop, and not all have been replaced.  So a couple of community lunches have stopped and so forth. 

 

The report's interesting, but it entirely relates to pre-omicron and mostly to pre-vaccine.  This IMO makes it a historical document rather than something we need to take care about in future.  Obviously further research is needed, and presumably will be done, but that's the reason I'm not worrying.  I have read a lot of the paper - am I reading it right that half the samples are from people with dementia?  I'm not sure (and I don't think the authors are either, to be fair) that the sample is large enough to eliminate small-sample skewed data.  For example, many of the graphs (which are way over my head) show a significant drop at age 75, clearly lower than 74 or 76, in several of the graphs in the supplementary information.  A consistent V-shape over several graphs suggests a small number of cases that don't fit the pattern are enough to throw the results partly out.  Not to denigrate the conclusions in any way, but it's a sign that more work is needed.  Again, as the authors confirm.

 

So interesting, but for me, not presently relevant.  I'll watch this space.  I think the popular conception or misconception that SARS omicron variant for the vaccinated, is little different from flu, is still probably true,