The new strain

[Inpersuitofhappiness]

So, I've been thinking about this in the past few days,
We have a new strain, 70% more effective at being spread. I said to DD and DH earlier, but no ones advised how we would be better off protecting ourselves from catching it.

Are they assuming that people weren't socially distancing or were people not washing their hands and sanitising enough?

Or are the things we're doing not enough?

I ask this, as I've not seen any updates and I am seeing people are probably a bit more lax with their social distancing.

I'd just like to discuss it.

Is anyone here doing anything different to how they have for the rest of the pandemic?

It’s true people have become complacent

I’m in non food retail....essential so workers all the way through this

People don’t care. Been in tier 4 since before Christmas here. I’m back to putting up my hand when customers come close, flat palm like a ‘stop’ they look confused THEN realise!! The public think it’s all over

From what I’ve read, airborne spread is the kicker. I’m not going to go into shops anymore and I am considering getting more masks with an actual filter.

Are they assuming that people weren't socially distancing or were people not washing their hands and sanitising enough?
I’m sure I’ve seen a quote from Neil Ferguson which said he didn’t think the increased transmission was down to people’s behaviour - I think the PM touched on it today on Andrew Marr and said they don’t know yet if people’s behaviour is contributing to the rapid spread above and beyond the virulence of the new strain? I’ll try to find a link.

I used to be busy for ages topping up sanitizer stations around store..... non of them need refilling often anymore. It’s not being used.

Only 75% wearing masks and full families out browsing Holding a Costa And ignoring their kids!

My guess would be more cold like symptoms = more sneezing and snot to spread by projection/air and by fomites. So spread further distance and leaving a greater volume of surfaces contaminated after you've physically left the area.

But we are all supposed to be wearing masks....

Except for kids and those exempt.....are those groups spreading it then?

Oh and if there is more fomite involvement, that will be a disaster with all the mask touching. Mask toucher infecting themself and/or leaving covidy mask fomites all over the lift button.

@PicsInRed

Oh and if there is more fomite involvement, that will be a disaster with all the mask touching. Mask toucher infecting themself and/or leaving covidy mask fomites all over the lift button.

In other countries they all seem to wear the paper disposable ones. I just think although bad for the environment, they are much more hygienic and bend to fit the face unlike a flimsy bit of cloth so many wear here.

This is a good thread looking at airborne spread mobile.twitter.com/firefoxx66/status/1260905937910587392

This may matter more with the new variant, given higher viral loads and therefore more shedding.

@PicsInRed

Oh and if there is more fomite involvement, that will be a disaster with all the mask touching. Mask toucher infecting themself and/or leaving covidy mask fomites all over the lift button.

Yes, masks are a disaster, disposable or not.

How I’ve imagined it (not a scientist) is that if you’re standing talking to someone who has it outside, 2m apart, you’re going to get a little bit of virus on you. If you’re closer together, they’re not wearing a mask, or they cough, you’ll get more on you. The main strain would need quite a lot of it on you in order to infect you, but the new one only needs a little. So the precautions we’re taking (if actually followed) have a fair bit of protection against the old strain but not enough protection against the new one.

It’s certainly making me more aware of an actual 2m distance, and avoiding going indoors with other people wherever possible (ie not popping in to Costa for a takeout!).

Fomite involvement was looking to be less of an issue
mobile.twitter.com/NPR/status/1343911721216434179

We had nearly half our workforce get covid before Christmas. We begged for closure just as a firebreak but the company wouldn't have any of it and effectively blamed staff. I dont know what more we could have done, we cannot socially distance but wore visors, masks gloves and apron. The place was "deep cleaned" but we still had people contract it from those of us who were assymptomatic carriers. We were told we didnt need tests as we were wearing PPE.

We were told we didnt need tests as we were wearing PPE

So many employers seen to be saying that!! Makes me furious!

For those of you still popping into Costa, my best friend's sister works there. Just before Christmas, one of their employees tested positive. Costa tells its employees not to use the track and trace app while at work as there should be no need due to them socially distancing and wearing PPE. There were 5 Costa employees who had been in contact with the positive case all day the day before he tested positive. Yet they weren't allowed to self isolate.

4 of them got covid, quelle surprise.

Think about that next time you are queueing up for a latte!!

What kind of masks were you wearing?

Medical masks but not ones that offered any protection. We were told not to order tests via track and trace. I was still unwell at the end of my isolation period, but i was told i had to go back despite 119 recommendations.

I will be looking for a new job once things have settled

@TheoriginalLEM sorry you went through that it sounds extremely stressful and is terrible from your employer!

My guess is that for extended periods indoors, masks without filtration may not cut it with the new strain.

are the things we're doing not enough?

Correct, basically, sorry. I've had emails flying around with Proffs about this in last few days. Following the rules in Tier2/3 was enough to control spread with the other variants -- not now, though. :(

Wow, just as I'd feared. It doesn't seem to be enough even if people are doing everything right its still being caught.

I've also seen that people do seem to be getting quite comfortable in the situation, to the point where masks are being taken off as soon as they're in shops, and social distancing is a joke in our T4 town. We were one of the first batch to be put in T4 yet its almost like it isn't happening.

I've also seen no one seems to sanitise, I seem to be one of not many who heads toward the sanitiser on the way into tesco.

Good point about the colds going around, so maybe it is down to people sneezing a lot more etc.

@TheoriginalLEM I'm so sorry. What a shit situation to be in. I can't believe employers are treating their staff this way during a pandemic. Youd think people would have more heart right now.

I live in a block of flats. On a normal school run there's a minimum four adults and a few kids in the lift going up and down. How we've avoided it so far I don't know.
We'd be using the lifts like this all throughout this pandemic and people have been positive in this block.

I live in one of the major hotspots of the new strain. It really started to pick up here about a month or so ago. I can honestly say I hadn't seen any difference in the way people behaved. The vast majority of people have seemed to be very compliant with the guidelines. I sometimes saw groups larger than 6 meeting for walks etc, but generally no difference to how people had been behaving in previous months. Restaurants didn't seem particularly busy (when they were open).

The November lockdown was noticeably different to the first lockdown though - much more traffic on the roads, coffee shops etc open for takeaways and there generally seemed to be a lot of people about for walks etc.

I had to queue outside a supermarket the other day, everyone seems to have forgotten what 2m looks like. However, the markings that used to be in the pavement have worn away so maybe people don’t think they need to anymore. I still stand patiently waiting in the aisles 2m from people choosing items that I need to get to after them and the amount of people who push in front of me to get there first (at least I can swear quietly at them behind my mask)