New Covid variant *title edited by MNHQ at OP's request*

[Wingingthis]

Can anyone talk some sense about how dangerous this is or is it just the media over exaggerating?

There are mutations on the spikes of the virus, therefore making it more likely to infect vaccinated people and those with some immunity built from having been previously infected.
No one knows how quickly it will spread here but high percentage of infected people in South Africa have this new variant.

@MarshaBradyo

How old some of these fabric masks must be now

Are you concerned they don’t work anymore?

Probs not. Fabric masks are next to useless anyway and I'm pretty sure most people don't even wash them

I’m not particularly opposed to the new measures that have been announced but I would be strongly against any more restrictions.

As far as I’m concerned, everyone who wants to be has long been vaccinated, the boosters are being rolled out(although again I would extend these to all adults as fast as possible.

But we cannot have a return to restrictions that cause enormous damage to health, the economy and society. Sensible precautions like open windows, hand washing yes but I won’t be complying with anything further as far as I can help it.

@GreenLakes

I’m not particularly opposed to the new measures that have been announced but I would be strongly against any more restrictions.

As far as I’m concerned, everyone who wants to be has long been vaccinated, the boosters are being rolled out(although again I would extend these to all adults as fast as possible.

But we cannot have a return to restrictions that cause enormous damage to health, the economy and society. Sensible precautions like open windows, hand washing yes but I won’t be complying with anything further as far as I can help it.

I won’t be complying with anything further as far as I can help it

Even if it was clearly required, as in deaths were rising rapidly and people you knew might get ill? Surely we are all just going to have to see what happens - we all want to avoid restrictions, but also most people will respond rationally if there is a real increased risk.

We’re still waiting for the data to be available to know if it is more transmissible (but it looks as if it is) and resistant to existing vaccines (we should know that in a few weeks).

Gotta love all the I WILL NOT COMPLY lot. They probably never complied to begin with although they’ll always claim they did but not anymore 🙄

So foolish to not be able to understand how disastrous mass non compliance would be for everyone, so self centred they don’t care how their attitudes can damage other people’s lives, so narrow minded they can not fathom its an international issue.

Honestly, imagine being related or partnered to one of them. 😑

It will be tomorrow's fish and chip paper. I wouldn't worry about it, we've been here before haven't we.

@Thewiseoneincognito agree. They really don't give a s**t do they unless of course a loved one's surgery or treatment is disrupted. NHS staff have had to work with this almost 2 years, now they are confronted with yet something else. Rather than pulling together there's this vocal minority who are just so incredibly selfish.

[quote DerTrotzkopf]**@Thewiseoneincognito* agree. They really don't give a s*t do they unless of course a loved one's surgery or treatment is disrupted. NHS staff have had to work with this almost 2 years, now they are confronted with yet something else. Rather than pulling together there's this vocal minority who are just so incredibly selfish.[/quote]
Is it selfish tho, you are basically saying stopping COVID causing deaths (I don't think that is possible but that's another topic) with restrictions that harm aviation and the wider economy is essential.

I would argue that is selfish as the deaths are by and large only being kicked down the road by a few years, as a very realistic and rational person I can objectively look at that date and say that the cost to me far out weight the benefit considering it is our kids who will be paying it. Now that might be distasteful to some but it is an objective look at the data without allowing my heart to over rule my head.

His absence of shielding is also criminal.

There was always going to be fatigue even if some people feel differently and can carry on long term.

We’ve been incredible in U.K. as Whitty said, but still better to understand what is going on behaviourally than just insult / say you’re selfish type stuff.

Look at o/s and kick back to restrictions

@MarshaBradyo

There was always going to be fatigue even if some people feel differently and can carry on long term.

We’ve been incredible in U.K. as Whitty said, but still better to understand what is going on behaviourally than just insult / say you’re selfish type stuff.

Look at o/s and kick back to restrictions

Yeah but actually attempting to understand doesn't provide that same warm, self-righteous glow.

Makes no sense as reporting last week was that Africa is hardly vaccinated yet cases are low??

@Whu020

Makes no sense as reporting last week was that Africa is hardly vaccinated yet cases are low??

Agreed. This has come very much out of the blue, the growth in areas which have this variant has been rapid and is likely to spread further over the coming days/ weeks.

Only a few days ago we were ‘firmly in Plan A’.

The expectation of a new variant has always been there and was anticipated, how quickly it has appeared however was not on their radar.

“Makes no sense as reporting last week was that Africa is hardly vaccinated yet cases are low??”*

-* because no testing, no cases

@rrhuth

People I know will get ill, as happened this time 2 years ago. Illness and death are unfortunate parts of life that just have to be dealt with.

We cannot indefinitely continue with restrictions that themselves cause enormous harm. If you as an individual want to stay at home that’s up to you, but many of us want our lives back.

I will (reluctantly) wear a mask but I won’t be complying with rules on who I can see or have in my home again.

@vickyc90 Some people don’t have time to “delay their pregnancy” and shielding only works with other measures. Also clearly I became pregnant as vaccines were starting to take effect and things were looking better. Would happily shield if there was the financial support to do so - oh but then your “poor kids” would be “funding” that wouldn’t they? I’m sure however that you’ve never benefitted from being part of a society that supports other people. Perhaps people should also “delay” their chronic medical conditions too? One day, it will be you and yours who count as clinically vulnerable. Your attitude is very very far right…

@cushioncovers

Haven't even heard of it. Not helpful

Maybe you should watch/read the news.

@vickyc90 You also don’t seem to understand what an escape variant is and that this strain is very likely not to be covered well by the current vaccines. Hence the concern - so vaccine passports won’t help.

Would have been so much better if mandatory mask wearing hadn’t been made optional earlier.

[quote MumOfScience]@vickyc90 You also don’t seem to understand what an escape variant is and that this strain is very likely not to be covered well by the current vaccines. Hence the concern - so vaccine passports won’t help.[/quote]
Actually the evidence seems to suggest it will still be covered for severe disease just not cases. You seem to think everyone should suffer to protect you and others like you because you made a choice or are unlucky. My view is the measure should be specific to those at risk. We've had COVID plus the jab we are likely to have antibodies to a wide spectrum of the virus in addition to the spike protein. Yes we could get it again with the new varieties but the evidence out of SA if those infected are only mildly ill.

@afternamechangefail "Probs not. Fabric masks are next to useless anyway and I'm pretty sure most people don't even wash them"

I thought the latest review of data found masks cut 53% off transmission? I know it wasn't perfect research but they said it was significant.

@DinoRoar345

They haven’t said anything about whether this variant makes people more seriously ill. It might be weaker? I’d be perfectly happy with a more infectious virus that basically just causes a sniffle because it’s so weak.

Usually, as viruses mutate, they become weaker but more easily transmissible.

Usually, as viruses mutate, they become weaker but more easily transmissible

Only when there is evolutionary advantage for this.

For SARS-COV2, there is no such advantage because it transmits before symptoms. So it doesn't matter how ill it makes it's host (or how quickly it kills it) as it's already moved on to the next

Totally agree with you @GreenLakes

The Dr who first alerted the government to a possible new variant said patients were having milder symptoms, but were complaining of total exhaustion including young healthy people, and a child had a racing pulse.
If this is what a mild case is based on, then to compare it to a mild cold is wrong. Too early to tell, but even if it is less likely to kill people, it could still see schools and businesses close temporarily as staff are off ill.