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Original poster

Oh look, another variant to be scared of..

107 replies

HopelessBlue192 · 22/03/2021 21:18

How predictable.

Enter stage left, New York variant. Couldn't be more obvious if they'd tried. Just couldn't have the numbers going down positively could we?

Viruses mutate, we all bloody know! Now give over.

OP posts:
User133847 · 22/03/2021 21:42

@ChristinaYang10

Boris and the government would not be bigging this up if it wasn't serious. I'm really worried now. I feel really afraid again.

Are Boris and co bigging this up? I’ve not heard it. All I’ve heard is that the variant has been found here.

He was bigging up the prospect of a third wave earlier but that was from Europe. I haven't heard him mention the New York variant yet.
MaxNormal · 22/03/2021 21:42

@User133847 I can for the life of me not working out if you're being satirical or not.
If so, bravo, you're not overcooking it.

CoffeeWithCheese · 22/03/2021 21:42

They are bigging it up as the renewal of the Coronavirus Act is due and they want to ensure the pressure is on from the public to stop any MPs rebelling and not voting it through once again. They're also trying to ramp up the perception of threat prior to the Easter break and the relaxation of being able to stand outside with people again in order to make sure people are too scared to even do that. There's a constant pattern of doomy news before any possible break in terms of weekends with nice weather, bank holidays etc.

Fridacaninelo · 22/03/2021 21:42

Being cynical about government messaging and the timing doesn’t make one a “conspiracy theorist”.

Only if you think that no other countries are doing the same thing. They are.

Unless you believe governments the world over have a secret WhatsApp group entitled "keeping the masses compliant".

There is a new variant. It is here. Whether that scares you or not is up to you.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 22/03/2021 21:43

@Fridacaninelo

Boris is doing his best. He's put a roadmap in place and has to try and make it work and has now been hit by this New York variant which looks like it may scupper everything. He can't seem to catch a break.

I think he's a knob but I don't think they are inventing things to keep us complacent. I think it's a pandemic.

I understand why people prefer to go down the conspiracy, "we're being played" route though.

Again, nowhere did I say that he is "inventing" anything or that I don't believe there are variants. Stop reading things that aren't there.

What I believe in is media manipulation to get the general public to behave a certain way. Reminders that we have scary variants to make sure we stay home just as the Easter holidays are about to start.

Fridacaninelo · 22/03/2021 21:44

Reminders that we have scary variants to make sure we stay home just as the Easter holidays are about to start

Which are where? What reports of "scary" variants? All I have seen is reports saying the NY variant has been found here. Which is factual. Not "scary" (unless you choose to be scared by it).

Unless you'd rather they just didn't report new variants at all?

BonnieDundee · 22/03/2021 21:45

Boris is doing his best.

GrinGrinGrin

LolaSmiles · 22/03/2021 21:45

I can stand Boris and want an end to restrictions, but I wish he'd be a bit more blunt with his messages instead of talking up new variants, which will continue to happen.
Something like "we have a road map, most of the population have done their best, so if you're planning on being an arsehole in the Easter holidays by doing your own thing then don't... just don't be a dickhead."

LolaSmiles · 22/03/2021 21:45

*CAN'T stand Boris

Blush Definitely can't stand the man.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 22/03/2021 21:47

@Fridacaninelo

Reminders that we have scary variants to make sure we stay home just as the Easter holidays are about to start

Which are where? What reports of "scary" variants? All I have seen is reports saying the NY variant has been found here. Which is factual. Not "scary" (unless you choose to be scared by it).

Unless you'd rather they just didn't report new variants at all?

Plenty of people will be scared by it. I'm not, but plenty will. Someone on this thread has said they are scared by it.
Fridacaninelo · 22/03/2021 21:47

I increasingly think that actually what people object to is being told anything they don't want to hear.

Almost all epidemiologists and public health experts said right from the beginning this would be a long haul thing. And no that doesn't mean lockdown forever before anyone jumps on me.

Fridacaninelo · 22/03/2021 21:47

Plenty of people will be scared by it. I'm not, but plenty will. Someone on this thread has said they are scared by it

So? The media shouldn't report anything factual if it might scare people? Confused

Hidden3 · 22/03/2021 22:03

I haven't read the news about any MY variant as quite frankly I'm sick of it all.

What is the solution then? Keep us locked up indefinitely? Viruses mutate and always will do. There's nothing we can do about it. The MSM needs to fuck off.

To echo a PP on an earlier thread, the next pandemic will be suicide.

Hidden3 · 22/03/2021 22:03

NY*

Fridacaninelo · 22/03/2021 22:03

The MSM needs to fuck off.

So they should report no new variants, correct?

Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady · 22/03/2021 22:07

I saw an article about the NY variant.

It said that 3 cases have been found in the UK

It had quotes from one scientist that said it MAY have certain aspects that MAY mean it is more likely to make the vaccines LESS effective (not that it would render them useless)

It also had a quite from another scientist that said there was no evidence in the cases found here of the change that MAY make make the vaccines LESS effective.

So no, I'm not worried about the variant.

I am slightly worried about what this news will do to the roadmap

KatherineOfGaunt · 22/03/2021 22:12

I hope it comes in from stage left singing "New York, New York" complete with all the "dah na dah-na-nah" bits. Or it's a real anticlimax

And accompanied by a load of gremlins!

Hidden3 · 22/03/2021 22:12

@Fridacaninelo

The MSM needs to fuck off.

So they should report no new variants, correct?

There are probably too many variants to count so no, I don't think the MSM needs to keep reporting on new variants. Mutation is inevitable and newspapers jumping on every other notable one serves no purpose.

Christmas time.. Kent variant. Panic
Easter coming up.. NY variant. Panic

It is tedious.

RedcurrantPuff · 22/03/2021 22:13

@Fridacaninelo

Being cynical about government messaging and the timing doesn’t make one a “conspiracy theorist”.

Only if you think that no other countries are doing the same thing. They are.

Unless you believe governments the world over have a secret WhatsApp group entitled "keeping the masses compliant".

There is a new variant. It is here. Whether that scares you or not is up to you.

It must be nice to have blind unwaivering trust in the government always to be honest and deliver honest messaging without any ulterior motive. But I’m afraid I just don’t. You know that SAGE the government advisory group have behavioural scientists in their number. That’s what their job is, to ensure that messaging is put out in such a way as to secure compliance with measures. This was all widely publicised last year, I’m sure you’d find it if you looked if you wanted to.

I’m not saying there are no variants. Apparently variants have always happened. But the news being full of them and doom laden stories has only been bigged up at times when it looks like people might be pissed off and stop following rules.

Fridacaninelo · 22/03/2021 22:13

Mutation is inevitable and newspapers jumping on every other notable one serves no purpose.

They haven't though have they. I haven't even seen a headline about the NY variant today.

Tbh what happens is most people don't actually read the articles properly before they start a) spouting hysterical bollocks that we're all doomed or b) spouting tedious shite that the "man" just wants us all to be compliant.

Hidden3 · 22/03/2021 22:22

They haven't though have they. I haven't even seen a headline about the NY variant today

To be honest I haven't looked, my post is based on this thread and comments on another one, I've long since given up reading about covid.

Hidden3 · 22/03/2021 22:23

In the media*

MRex · 22/03/2021 22:24

B.1.536 from New York is not the worst variant we've seen, there's some mutationd of that which miss E484k and is therefore no different than SA, Brazil and the (quickly shut down) Kent mutations that each have that same gap. But in many cases it doesn't have that gap, including all cases found so far in the UK. I've seen nothing in the UK about anyone "bigging it up", but it'll be of interest in New York, so if your news is USA based then you'll read more about it.

People are frustrated at home and getting over-invested in conspiracy crap they find online. It's fine if you're having fun with it, but if it worries you then just remind yourself every doctor and nurse in the world can't be in on it, so it's bollocks and you can safely step away. Get a vaccine, boosters if recommended, and just get on with life.

Original poster
HopelessBlue192 · 22/03/2021 22:24

Absolutely tedious.

Of course the media doesn't need to report on every single bloody variant. We know it mutates. We know every virus mutates. We know some mutations can be more / less deadly / resistant to vaccines / help you grow another limb and develop antlers.

If there is a variant that is actually SHOWN to be more deadly / needs to induce more panic in people, then they should go ahead and write their headlines. But in the meantime, damaging an untold number of people's mental health and economic confidence, should NOT be done for something that may or may not have three cases that have appeared in millions of tests conducted.

Not a conspiracy theorist here btw. I'm just not blind to the idea that the government has their best interests at heart, and literally could not give a flying pig about us.

OP posts:
Fridacaninelo · 22/03/2021 22:27

If there is a variant that is actually SHOWN to be more deadly / needs to induce more panic in people, then they should go ahead and write their headlines. But in the meantime, damaging an untold number of people's mental health and economic confidence, should NOT be done for something that may or may not have three cases that have appeared in millions of tests conducted

Yes but again, they haven't done that have they. What headlines are you talking about?

And actually those of us with an interest in science and public health DO want these things reported.