Mink mutation

[Lilybet1980]

Anyone know how worried we should be about the mink outbreaks in Denmark?

Yeah we slag china off for the wild meat industry causing virus jumps, but this has got to be on the same level.

Denmark is Scandi. I do think British people forget that there are really really cold places in the world. The Scandinavians, First Nations Canadians, Russians and others still wear fur because it is light, warm and sloughs water. I don't like idiots wandering around Southern Europe in fur coats that have to be refrigerated to get through summer. But a Norwegian wearing fur? Who am I to judge?

@MrsTerryPratchett

Denmark is Scandi. I do think British people forget that there are really really cold places in the world. The Scandinavians, First Nations Canadians, Russians and others still wear fur because it is light, warm and sloughs water. I don't like idiots wandering around Southern Europe in fur coats that have to be refrigerated to get through summer. But a Norwegian wearing fur? Who am I to judge?

Hmmm good point , I was thinking it was fashion fur

They ought to keep the animals in better conditions though, even if fur is necessary (which I somewhat doubt).

It does make me wonder about the potential for further mutations in lots of different countries with animal welfare issues.

According to the bbc news report the main purchaser of Denmark's mink fur is China and Hong Kong for fashion.

We should honestly close the border. If this strain isn't responding to anti bodies I honestly can't comprehend the trouble we'd be in.
Hopefully the (horrible) cull will bring it under control.

Main purchaser of danish mink fur is china...thriving fur/fashion trade in italy where a hotspot of covid popped up involving chinese workers.... we blamed wuhan and bats but it looks more likely to me this came from mink and is mink flu same as swine and avian flu.

If it was from mink originally, would its mutation be antibody resistant though?
It feels like the start of a much bigger story :(

Am I right in thinking that mink are used to make fake eyelashes that people stick on?

I'm surprised they'd have the dexterity for such delicate work, amazing what you learn!

I'm certain this is fight back from the animal kingdom. This disease originated from the barbaric treatment of animals, now these minks.
Mother Nature is telling us something but no one is listening.

Didn’t the Spanish mutation that holidaymakers brought back originate in mink farms?

Denmark isn’t really cold. Climate is similar to northern England or Scotland. I doubt the mink is for domestic use.

@Beebityboo

If it was from mink originally, would its mutation be antibody resistant though? It feels like the start of a much bigger story :(

I'm thinking that too, this could be the start of a bigger story!

If it was from mink originally, would its mutation be antibody resistant though?

It does not matter where it comes from. It matters where in the genome of the virus it is.

If people develop antibodies to a region A of the proteins made by the virus, mutations in that region A may mean that the antibodies won't recognise it anymore.
But mutations in region B, for which antibodies are not produced, then won't have an impact on immunity.

@Lweji it’s probably your use of A and B but it’s got me wondering if we could end up with a virus like hepatitis - so multiple strains with only a few of them we can vaccinate against.

(Not that I know anything about hepatitis on a biological level!)

@Lweji

If it was from mink originally, would its mutation be antibody resistant though?

It does not matter where it comes from. It matters where in the genome of the virus it is.

If people develop antibodies to a region A of the proteins made by the virus, mutations in that region A may mean that the antibodies won't recognise it anymore.
But mutations in region B, for which antibodies are not produced, then won't have an impact on immunity.

Thank you for explaining! Hopefully it won't create issues with the vaccine or we could be back at square one .

@sirfredfredgeorge

@sirfredfredgeorge

Am I right in thinking that mink are used to make fake eyelashes that people stick on?

I'm surprised they'd have the dexterity for such delicate work, amazing what you learn!

I didn't realise they even had opposable thumbs! :o

@sirfredfredgeorge

What are you talking about?

They have teeny tiny hands. Perfect for the job

Sorry I know this is a serious thread but dp has caused me much confusion this morning and if it wasn’t for this thread I definitely would have made a complete tit of myself later mentioning it to other people!

He announced this morning how terrible it was reading in the news about the outbreak in Denmark caused my milk!

and there I am replying oh that is so weird dp how can milk carry Covid?
how do they not sterilise the milk?
is it coming from infected cows or are infected farmers not isolating?

Only disgusting people would be seen in mink. Consumerism spoils the planet. Stop it.
Natural fabrics are more eco friendly than fakes, which shed contaminating particles on every wash, then don't biodegrade in landfill. Therefore, there are good ethical arguments in favour of using parts of animals which have died for other reasons than merely being factory farmed for skin.
For example, wool is taken from sheep without harming them, in fact for their own benefit. When they are killed for meat, or even culled because of some other reason, it does no good to the dead sheep if people refuse to wear a sheepskin coat.
But farmed mink is a different matter. I thought that argument was over long ago, in U.K. at least, when models refused to wear fur, and it was regarded with contempt. However, that was over-simplistic.
People didn't realise, then, that the artificial fibres were poisoning the planet. Now, fake fur and every other manmade fabric and filling are known to be the villains.

*Course the irony is vaccines will have been tested on lab monkeys.

What you gonna do? A tricky moral dilemma?*

Not really, one is for purposes of frivolous vanity the other is for lifesaving healthcare.

Until this story broke I had no idea that real fashion fur was even being produced in the EU.

I'm certain this is fight back from the animal kingdom. This disease originated from the barbaric treatment of animals, now these minks.
Mother Nature is telling us something but no one is listening.

Agree^^

A local farmer put up a video this morning burning 800 fleeces, the world has gone mad. A pure wool sweater if £100 plus