How worrying is the Indian variant?

[Wingingthis]

Don’t know what’s being exaggerated by the media anymore. How worrying is this variant? A double mutation?

We shouldn’t get news telling us that it “might” be this or that until they know for certain.
If they wait for certainty before putting India on the red list they will have left it far too late if the fears of the virologists turn out to be justified.

@OliveTree75 - yup relentless indeed.

Imperial College's Danny Altmann said that as a result, those arriving into the country from India should be subject to a hotel quarantine if the UK is to shut out variants that could set back the Prime Minister's lockdown easing plans.

Prof Altmann said he suspected the Indian mutation would be escalated to a variant of concern as it holds properties that allow it to evade the vaccines currently on offer and was more transmissible.

"I think we should be terribly concerned about it," he told the BBC. "They (variants of concern) are things that can most scupper our escape plan at the moment and give us a third wave. They are a worry."

Danny Altman is a virologist from Imperial College. I would imagine he might know a little something. It isn't scaremongering, it's facts as they emerge. If you don't want to know, maybe don't watch the news and don't click on a thread asking how worrying the Indian variant is if you don't want to know the answer.

Search for Mac and Chise on Twitter, they are a molecular biologist and involved in vaccine research. Their analysis of the Indian variant is fairly reassuring.

mobile.twitter.com/sailorrooscout/status/1383046360035901440

There has been thousands of mutations since covid first was discovered.

@Scottishgirl85

There will be variants popping up forever more, just like seasonal flu. This is normal and expected with a virus, it's how it continues to survive. This virus will forever be in circulation, I'm amazed people don't understand this. I'd advise those with anxiety to stop reading about it and let the experts do their stuff.

Well said....people need to step away from the tabloids.

[quote springblossom2]@OliveTree75 - yup relentless indeed.

Imperial College's Danny Altmann said that as a result, those arriving into the country from India should be subject to a hotel quarantine if the UK is to shut out variants that could set back the Prime Minister's lockdown easing plans.

Prof Altmann said he suspected the Indian mutation would be escalated to a variant of concern as it holds properties that allow it to evade the vaccines currently on offer and was more transmissible.

"I think we should be terribly concerned about it," he told the BBC. "They (variants of concern) are things that can most scupper our escape plan at the moment and give us a third wave. They are a worry."

Danny Altman is a virologist from Imperial College. I would imagine he might know a little something. It isn't scaremongering, it's facts as they emerge. If you don't want to know, maybe don't watch the news and don't click on a thread asking how worrying the Indian variant is if you don't want to know the answer.[/quote]
Imperial College have spent this entire pandemic making dire predictions which turned out to be wrong, often spectacularly. I seriously wonder what their actual point is. If you want to know how things might pan out, my bet is to look at what they say ... and then assume the opposite 🤣🤣

The word "variants" now makes me smile.
It shouldnt, but we are all aware by now how the media and the government have invested in scare stories.

Having said that, who knows, this "variant" of 20,000 or whoever many, "might" be serious? But I doubt it.
And there might be a variant in the future which is serious, but who knows.

For me, for months I have been adapting to living with the virus. It isnt going anywhere, I dont intend to panic. I am careful, living within the rules, but being as free as I can be within that.
Life is short. I have no intention of "losing" parts of my life, either by being scared, over cautious, or spending too much time thinking about it.
I want to live as full a life as possible, with or without viruses and problems.

[quote springblossom2]@OliveTree75 - yup relentless indeed.

Imperial College's Danny Altmann said that as a result, those arriving into the country from India should be subject to a hotel quarantine if the UK is to shut out variants that could set back the Prime Minister's lockdown easing plans.

Prof Altmann said he suspected the Indian mutation would be escalated to a variant of concern as it holds properties that allow it to evade the vaccines currently on offer and was more transmissible.

"I think we should be terribly concerned about it," he told the BBC. "They (variants of concern) are things that can most scupper our escape plan at the moment and give us a third wave. They are a worry."

Danny Altman is a virologist from Imperial College. I would imagine he might know a little something. It isn't scaremongering, it's facts as they emerge. If you don't want to know, maybe don't watch the news and don't click on a thread asking how worrying the Indian variant is if you don't want to know the answer.[/quote]
If imperial college said it then it must be true.....

Hey @OliveTree75 - where was your science degree from that makes you such an authority?

Is being a virologist your job?

@springblossom2

Hey *@OliveTree75* - where was your science degree from that makes you such an authority?

Is being a virologist your job?

Erm, where did I claim any authority? I didn't, at all. Not the only person on here that takes what imperial college say with a pinch of salt these days. Equally @PrincessNutNuts is no virologist either but is on every thread giving worst case scenarios with absolutely no evidence whatsoever. But yeah continue to pick at me!

I @OliveTree75 isn't Neil Ferguson from imperial college ? I rest my case

@Lostinacloud

It’s as worrying as Boris, Whitty, Van Tam et al need it to be in order to scare the public into the acceptance of further restrictions or lockdowns Seriously, why is it even making the news before they know what it is or it isn’t? We shouldn’t get news telling us that it “might” be this or that until they know for certain. It’s irresponsible, scaremongering bollocks.

I completely agree. I don't listen to this shite in the news anymore. Mac 'n' Chise on Twitter is not a scaremonger.

@lightand

The word "variants" now makes me smile. It shouldnt, but we are all aware by now how the media and the government have invested in scare stories.

Having said that, who knows, this "variant" of 20,000 or whoever many, "might" be serious? But I doubt it.
And there might be a variant in the future which is serious, but who knows.

Seriously you can look at what is happening in India and Brazil and also at the deaths that were driven by our less contagious variant here and smile ?

OK then