Good News Part 6 - we're gonna need a bigger boat. Yeah Science!

[InterfectoremVulpes]

Good news and vibes only please

I found it reassuring to check my personal risk of dying from covid 19 here: qcovid.org/Calculation

I know this sounds a bit morbid but when the result is 1 in 100,000 it puts things in perspective. I'm mid 40s with no (other) risk factors.

My message would be that although we may read about all the deaths, for the vast majority the risk is really VERY small.

So glad I’ve found this thread!

I’m honestly staggered at how hard the government and news outlets are driving the fear message. I’m in Wales and our local news site types up what is said in the briefings without much spin, I’ve taken to flipping over to BBC News Wales to see their weird take on it and it’s always hilariously pessimistic.

Going to try and ignore the other threads and focus on the positives!

That's a lovely story Dobby. Not in the least bit silly!

Currently watching Dr Chris Smith on BBC 1. Oh he's a delight. Dr Sensible.

From Furries nan to Dobby's toddler, via Fuzzy's village - all lovely stories and news. I might get out of bed this morning.

[quote MarcelineMissouri]@Blerg it’s from this guy Eran Segal, an Israeli scientist.

twitter.com/segal_eran/status/1352696337477890049?s=21[/quote]
He is also very easy on the eyes as well as being a corona expert :-)

Current r numbers are coming down in all regions! Good news...

Here's the link:-

www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-preprint-reporting-that-the-south-african-sars-cov-2-variant-501y-v2-escapes-neutralisation-by-covid-19-donor-plasma/

[quote MarcelineMissouri]@Blerg it’s from this guy Eran Segal, an Israeli scientist.

twitter.com/segal_eran/status/1352696337477890049?s=21[/quote]
Thanks @MarcelineMissouri but I was looking for link mentioned by @tobee about the new variants (SA and maybe Brazil). I’m not sure this covers that, but I’m sleep deprived so I might be missing the connection.

Cross posted! Thanks @tobee

I’d really recommend following @sailorrooscout on Twitter. They are a scientist working on the Moderna vaccine. Seem to know what they are talking about and are very reassuring with lots of info on the variants. Don’t be put off by the profile pic!

Thanks for the tip @chri55ie.

Be interested to know what others think of the link I posted re South Africa variant.

The head of the Rosalind Franklin Institute knows about more than just viruses:
‘ . It’s human nature to enjoy frightening ourselves.’

He goes on to say
‘but we must not panic. The real world human immune response is more than serum based neutralisation (antibodies).’

(From Tobee’s link)

Placemarking as I lost you!

A piece of good news from our local vax hub, which happens to be my GP practice. They have been very good at updating their progress on Facebook, which is really heartening. Yesterday they said they had an unexpected 8 spare doses and so as not to waste any they called in at short notice some local dentists and police. They have not wasted a single dose so far in the campaign, which I know has been reported elsewhere.

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

The head of the Rosalind Franklin Institute knows about more than just viruses: ‘ . It’s human nature to enjoy frightening ourselves.’

He goes on to say
‘but we must not panic. The real world human immune response is more than serum based neutralisation (antibodies).’

I thought that about human nature scaring ourselves was great too!

I feel quite are assured by the link @tobee There are so many things about this that lay people don’t understand that it is easy to freak out when one paper is focused on without the context. The media also latch onto this.

I sounds like real life studies are more useful to see what will really happen. And there is cause for hope that other types of antibodies and T cells are also part of the picture. It seems like a sliding scale picture of immunity and vaccines are unlikely to be just pointless, so process on the vaccines we have is still vital.

Is that what you took from it?

Hopefully the tweet has pasted....

@chri55ie. thank you, excellent account to flag.

I heard an interview on the radio a day or two ago which essentially said similar @Blerg. The impression i got is that our immune systems really are quite amazing and adaptive, and you can't get a full picture of what will happen in people from what you do in the lab.

I had a thought about the choice to have a 12 wk gap between the 2 doses and the - potential - need for alterations in the vaccines to deal with the sa/brazil variants. Perhaps it will turn out to be fortuitous because many of our 2nd doses could be the updated vaccines, rather than needing to re-vax people?

She/he/they are basically saying they study is focusing on monoclonal antibodies in treatments whilst our vaccines generate polyclonal antibodies- target the spike in different areas. That’s my understanding- my caveat is I’m not a scientist!

@fadingfast

A piece of good news from our local vax hub, which happens to be my GP practice. They have been very good at updating their progress on Facebook, which is really heartening. Yesterday they said they had an unexpected 8 spare doses and so as not to waste any they called in at short notice some local dentists and police. They have not wasted a single dose so far in the campaign, which I know has been reported elsewhere.

This is fab that they are managing not to waste a drop. I joined in a thread yday where a couple of Steward Volunteers had got theirs after volunteering for the day as they had spares as well.

I think others (on the doom & gloom threads) would probably see this as “jumping the queue” but I’d rather anybody gets it regardless of queue position, that it getting chucked in the bin.