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?

@HeddaGarbled

Don’t worry about the hospitalisation of the Hong Kong patients:

“all confirmed positive cases of covid-19 in Hong Kong are hospitalised for observation, symptomatic treatment, and prevention of onward transmission”

BMJ

That is good to know. But it still doesn't say how ill they really were.

@DottyHarmer

I don’t understand the endowing the virus with the ability to think - surely it’s just a mutating thing. It has no capacity to decide whether to infect widely, what constitutes the most favourable incubation period or how to seek the most hosts. It is not sentient; it has no brain (at least I hope not!).

Slight fear - and please someone tell me this is wrong - if patient zero had HIV, could this mix with covid to make an airborne- transmissible HIV-virus? And this is what is freaking out those in the know?

No. They are two separate viruses. You can mix a poodle and cooker spaniel as they both of the same species.

You can not mix a elephant and a poodle. But both are mammals, they are two far removed to mix

@TheReluctantPhoenix

The South African Medical Authority have said that. to date, all cases have been mild.

Yes because they have been in young people. But mild has included exhaustion and in a 6-year-old a racing pulse. It's not just a mild cold. Hopefully any hospitalisations will be low. But I still think it is too early to call.

@julieca

The two people in Hong Kong who tested positive with this were both hospitalised.

Everyone who tests positive for covid in HK goes to hospital for at least 10 days, then spends a further 14 days in a government quarantine facility. So there is no point reading anything at all into it happening in these cases.

(See under hospital isolation).

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/hong-kong/coronavirus

I had no idea everyone in HK goes to hospital. Sounds lovely. I would rather have had that than still have to manage at home pretty ill.

Wow! I assume their case numbers are considerably lower than ours 🙈

@julieca,

It is too early to call, but early indications are hopeful that it is a milder variant.

All cases have not just been in the young and, to date, S.A hospitalisations have not spiked.

Of course, we should be cautious, but no reason not to be cautiously optimistic.

@TheReluctantPhoenix where have you seen all the cases have not just been in young adults? Because that is what I have read in the mainstream press.

@julieca

I had no idea everyone in HK goes to hospital. Sounds lovely. I would rather have had that than still have to manage at home pretty ill.

I think it sounds hideous. The uk gov link I posted says that you may be separated from your child if one of you tests positive. I assume there’s a lower age limit for this with parents allowed to go in with covid positive young children, but I’m not sure what that age is. This says it’s a case by case basis with parents allowed in with “infants”

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/16/hong-kong-leader-seeks-to-allay-concerns-about-child-separations-in-covid-quarantine

Okay sounds awful with kids going into hospital. I would have appreciated the rest though by being in hospital.

I think here Hong Kong is part of China - has more autonomy etc but you can definitely see the influence here

@julieca

Okay sounds awful with kids going into hospital. I would have appreciated the rest though by being in hospital.

I'm guessing you've never had an English hospital stay. Restful, it is not!

@TheVampiresWife

I wonder how long it'll be before those who are exempt are once again vilified and abused?

Let's hope everyone can be a little bit kinder and more understanding this time around, both on here and in 'real life'.

Already happening on social media. I had to tell one person they had absolutely no right to ask why someone is exempt. They them went on about "anxiety" and if wearing a mask makes you anxious you should stay at home. It was like March all over again.

@julieca

'@TheReluctantPhoenix where have you seen all the cases have not just been in young adults? Because that is what I have read in the mainstream press.'

I don't need to read about it. It is a virus. It is highly unlikely to only target the young. And, in this unlikely event, it is still not dangerous.

What they have seen in South Africa is the wealthy presenting at GP's surgeries with headaches and fatigue. Those in less fortunate circumstances (90% of SA) will just carry on with those symptoms. I am sure it is absolutely rife in the high density settlements already.

We also don't even know whether it even originated in SA. It is just that they genotyped it first.

Some new number-crunching from a few hours ago posted here:

twitter.com/C_Althaus/status/1464922681585897478

The South African Medical Authority have said that, to date, all cases have been mild

A factor that could also be affecting how mild/severe the symptoms being seen in SA is genetics. Studies have found genetic links to how people are affected by SARS-CoV-2. This is the most recent one:

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-11-05-researchers-uncover-gene-doubles-risk-death-covid-19

They identified a gene that doubles the risk of death from COVID that is found in 60% of people with South Asian heritage, 15% of people with European heritage but only 2% of people with black African heritage. Although I appreciate there are many South Africans with South Asian or European heritage.

@chesirecat99

The South African Medical Authority have said that, to date, all cases have been mild

A factor that could also be affecting how mild/severe the symptoms being seen in SA is genetics. Studies have found genetic links to how people are affected by SARS-CoV-2. This is the most recent one:

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-11-05-researchers-uncover-gene-doubles-risk-death-covid-19

They identified a gene that doubles the risk of death from COVID that is found in 60% of people with South Asian heritage, 15% of people with European heritage but only 2% of people with black African heritage. Although I appreciate there are many South Africans with South Asian or European heritage.

The age profile in SA is a factor too presumably? Their population is much younger than here.

Yes, @rrhuth, but previous posters have already pointed that out.

@chesirecat99

Yes, *@rrhuth*, but previous posters have already pointed that out.

I can't square what the SA health lead is saying with what the UK government is saying, so the UK must be thinking their view is not applicable to us for some reason.

manolantern interesting - but he seemed to suggest that all of South Africa's excess mortality is down to Covid so that all of them were Covid deaths hence everyone had it - and then worked it out from there.

Which may not be true - the pandemic has many reasons for excess deaths not just from Covid. That is a staggering number of cases missed considering officially it has had 3 million cases

@JesusInTheCabbageVan I've decided your theory is correct. hooray!

It's too attractive not to be true!

Just hearing the news lead with one more case is too much. I know we have to care about this variant but lead story about 3rd, gngng

Omicron just found in Canada in travellers that landed from Nigeria. Which is interesting as hadn't heard of it being in Nigeria yet either.

Source:

www.cbc.ca/news/politics/omicron-variant-canada-travellers-1.6265927