So this new variant…

[Hairymclairy52]

AIBU to hope that we can contain this and Christmas will continue as normal?

(please please please I just can’t take another lockdown….)

I’ve just read the bbc article and felt the fear rise, and I normally try to downplay and avoid panicking as much as possible.

Please just let things continue as they are, get this contained. Life is so much better than this time last year.

Extremely concerning, this could lead to a change of rules. Xmas is the least of people’s worries if this virus takes off in England

The fear is rising here too…

I know it’s too early to know the extent of this one but the speed at which they’ve closed acted this evening concerns me.

What the hell will happen if it’s escapes the vaccines? Although does it mean it could still bring a less severe disease?

They are just going to discuss on radio. At least Gov seems got ass in gear and going bring in red countries again while they only know about 50 so cases.

Switch the news off. You wont know any better then.

I think you have to look at the bigger picture. It probably won't happen but if it does it will be because it's uncontrollable and hospitals are overwhelmed. I'm just getting over Covid now and I can honestly say it's the sickest I've been in years. I'm young, fit and double vaccinated as well so I dread to imagine what it could have been like.

Only identified two days ago and they are acting super swiftly thankGod this time unlike with Delta. Fingers crossed. It will get here eventually but they will be acting on a new vaccine already.

Although does it mean it could still bring a less severe disease?

There’s no reason to think that. It’s really a case of wait and see what happens in South Africa.

Terrifying stuff.I'm in Northern Ireland where the covid rate is already very high and this is even more worrying.

Oh suspended 7 countries not just on red quarantine list. Though not going stop you just travelling through another country first.

Yes but at least travellers have to quarantine due to country of origin. Anyway it’s out there already so just a matter of time now.Need to stave it off until new vaccine made.

(Two threads already on covid board if anyone wants more detail about the variant)

I do actually agree there’s more to this than Christmas. My mum is scheduled to be going into hospital next month, this is such terrible timing for her, this is a lifesaving operation she needs and it cannot be delayed. Also she will be immunocompromised so cannot get sick.

It's probably here already. Lots of people travelled to SA and back - perfect time of year.

We know it's more transmissable but we don't yet know whether it results in more - or even less - severe illness.

Let's wait and see how severe the disease is.

This is precisely why mask wearing in enclosed public places should still be mandatory. Too many people have got used to not bothering and we will be on the back foot (again) if / when this variant arrives and it could spread like wild fire. Now would be a good time to get vaccinated if you haven't already.

I don't care how many variants are headed my way; Christmas will run along just as planned.

If I catch COVID, I'll deal with it then. I am not going to spend time predicting ill health and my demise.

You know there is a Coronavirus topic right?

Maybe get this post moved there.

"If there is one thing I am going to tell you today it is to IGNORE the media and the clickbait headlines on this new variant. There is NO plausible scenario this will take us back to square one and there is a lot of misinformation currently circulating. Working on a thread now."

twitter.com/sailorrooscout/status/1464222680731820043

I can’t live like this. This state of fear is not good.

I felt the anxiety rise when I saw the news because it feels like Groundhog Day. But at least the government do seem to have acted fast this time.

That said, it’s peak tourist season for South Africa (I know someone who’s on holiday there right now) so I’d be surprised if it hasn’t already made its way here/doesn’t arrive pretty soon.

Very concerned

@Icewiththat

The fear is rising here too…

I know it’s too early to know the extent of this one but the speed at which they’ve closed acted this evening concerns me.

What the hell will happen if it’s escapes the vaccines? Although does it mean it could still bring a less severe disease?

Just because the government has actually taken some sort of precaution this time and acted in a timely manner doesn't mean its more concerning than before. It means now we understand so much more about covid-19 than we did when it was a new and novel virus, and incredible science means there's already the information about this variant; it buys some time to try and learn more about it. I'm sure I read that hospitalizations didn't seem to be spiralling in places it has been seen already, so hopefully it won't be as bad.

As usual sloppy reporting by the media. In my opinion anyway.

My understanding after reading in more detail than is gone into on the news is that cases in SA are currently very low and there's very little delta variant there so it's not true to say that the Nu variant is out competing delta or more transmissible there. There's also a low level of vaccinations in SA so the Nu variant will have much more free rein to spread there.

So called experts (sometimes calling themselves 'epidemiologists' which is not the same as being a virologist) are talking about the unusually high number of mutations the Nu variant has but that doesn't mean it won't be recognised by the vaccines. Wait and someone is sure to say that in lab tests the new variant isn't neutralised by vaccine induced antibodies but that still doesn't mean that it will evade immunity as our memory cells will kick in to prevent serious illness.

After being criticised for being too slow to react several other times, when Matt Hancock was health minister the government will want to be seen to be acting quickly. Then they'll be sure to say how they've 'saved' Christmas thanks to their actions.

@Hairymclairy52

I do actually agree there’s more to this than Christmas. My mum is scheduled to be going into hospital next month, this is such terrible timing for her, this is a lifesaving operation she needs and it cannot be delayed. Also she will be immunocompromised so cannot get sick.

I'm so sorry to read this, I hope her surgery is not cancelled. Thank you for sharing this, it is a reminder I needed that there are people with serious reasons for fearing another lockdown. I'm here worrying about a holiday I've booked in February being cancelled, yet there are people like your Mum who are facing much more serious cancellations.