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Original poster

So this new variant…

123 replies

Hairymclairy52 · 25/11/2021 22:29

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

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

OP posts:
Tealightsandd · 26/11/2021 21:08

we cannot sacrifice the younger generation....

.... to the long term disability that is Long COVID.

Tealightsandd · 26/11/2021 21:14

Oh and the 'we all have to die from something' crap.

Yes we do - including lack of access to hospital care due to hospitals full of COVID patients and HCP dead or off sick.

But we usually take precautions against avoidable premature deaths. Particularly unpleasant ones.

Why do we have seat belt laws?

Why are we not allowed to smoke on trains and in restaurants (despite, unlike COVID, the tax income it brings)?

Why are many drugs illegal?

Tealightsandd · 26/11/2021 21:19

We need to order more monoclonal antibodies (plus the Merck and Pfizer antivirals).

Worldwide demand hence short supply, and expensive. But let's at least get them on order. Because it's cheaper (and more tolerable) than full hospitals, more dead and sick HCP and other essential workers, repeated lengthy lockdowns, and long-term disability of Long COVID.

TrulyPistoff · 26/11/2021 21:33

Slightly off topic, but how many here actually have long covid? I have it, and my husband and teenage daughter. It really does suck. I am so sick of no smell or taste. Or rather things smell and taste like chemicals.

Tealightsandd · 26/11/2021 21:45

Sorry you all have it @TrulyPishoff

There was a Long COVID thread on here, I think. Hopefully you'll find some helpful tips and advice there (also some Facebook groups).

Not everyone has it very long term. Many have recovered even if it takes a bit of time. Fingers crossed for you that's the case for your family.

There's also lots of research going on into it including various treatments.

Tealightsandd · 26/11/2021 21:56

@Tealightsandd

Sorry you all have it *@TrulyPishoff*

There was a Long COVID thread on here, I think. Hopefully you'll find some helpful tips and advice there (also some Facebook groups).

Not everyone has it very long term. Many have recovered even if it takes a bit of time. Fingers crossed for you that's the case for your family.

There's also lots of research going on into it including various treatments.

@TrulyPistoff

Sorry for tagging the wrong name! Blush
(And although it's a Friday evening, I've not even got the excuse of being pissed
..or even pissed off).

TrulyPistoff · 26/11/2021 21:57

Thanks @Tealightsandd It’s been nearly a year but still very much hope for recovery. Can’t even eat cucumber, there is no logic to it. Would be terrible if younger children got it, at least I know how things are supposed to smell an taste.

TrulyPistoff · 26/11/2021 21:58

*and

RonaLisa · 26/11/2021 22:01

@VladmirsPoutine

'Scaremongering bollocks' is exactly why we had among the worst death rate in Europe, locked down too late, cocked up PPE and a host of other catastrophes. People genuinely thinking wearing masks was an infringement on their civil liberties. All I can say is heaven help us because we certainly can't help ourselves Hmm
No. Scaremongering bollocks is the reason we had lockdowns from which some people will never recover financially or psychologically.
Justnotsureaboutit2021 · 26/11/2021 22:04

@Acinaces

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.

This ^^
TrulyPistoff · 26/11/2021 22:07

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

If only it was just about Christmas.

Explosionsinthosedays · 26/11/2021 22:11

The reality is that we don't know very much yet.

We know there's reason to think the vaccines won't be as effective but we don't know yet. No point worrying until we know more.

We don't know if this variant is more or less severe and we probably won't see that data until the disease has progressed in the current patients. No point whatsoever worrying about that.

We know a new vaccine can be cooked up relatively quickly but obviously we're all exhausted and don't have the heart to face any delay. The fact remains that this is good news even if we can't grasp that today.

The one thing that seems certain is the increased transmissibility. However there's still the outside possibility that could be from a super spreader event. We can't know.

Going forward we need to vaccinate the world, not just our little developed fortress. For now, we wait and save our emotional energy.

Pawprintpaper · 26/11/2021 22:24

Omicrom sounds like a marvel baddie (or a brand of eye drop)

KrispyKale · 26/11/2021 22:29

I'm calling it the Omigod variant.

Pawprintpaper · 26/11/2021 22:33

@KrispyKale

I'm calling it the Omigod variant.
Grin
Puzzledandpissedoff · 26/11/2021 22:48

Not only identified 2 days ago. A virologist I know to was talking about it days ago. Talked about in document dated 1 Oct 2021

Thanks for the link, lljKK - I hadn't realised this had been identified nearly 2 months ago
Of course it can take a while for transmission to get going, but I'd have thought there'd be more cases by now if it's so much more transmissible

So since it doesn't appear to have spread massively (at least not yet) I'm wondering why it's suddenly become such a thing. Is it because the media have only just got hold of it, or something else?

ChequerBoard · 26/11/2021 23:00

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Not only identified 2 days ago. A virologist I know to was talking about it days ago. Talked about in document dated 1 Oct 2021

Thanks for the link, lljKK - I hadn't realised this had been identified nearly 2 months ago
Of course it can take a while for transmission to get going, but I'd have thought there'd be more cases by now if it's so much more transmissible

So since it doesn't appear to have spread massively (at least not yet) I'm wondering why it's suddenly become such a thing. Is it because the media have only just got hold of it, or something else?

Gosh you super Internet sleuths had better tell the WHO what you know.

Their website very clearly states the variant now known as Omicron was first identified on 9th November.

https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern

It's not hard to find the actual facts of you look in the right places Hmm

worriedatthemoment · 26/11/2021 23:07

@VladmirsPoutine really we have no idea if this will be a concern yet or not the media have twisted so much about this

Pootle40 · 26/11/2021 23:09

Haven't given it a second thought.

worriedatthemoment · 26/11/2021 23:10

Well im putting it here , I will be going to my parents for xmas regardless unless one of us is ill
We have followed all the rules , still wear a mask and test etc but enoughs enough and my breaking point is reached
When headline after headline is looking for doom and gloom i no longer choose to participate in following all the rules

Madhairday · 26/11/2021 23:13

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Not only identified 2 days ago. A virologist I know to was talking about it days ago. Talked about in document dated 1 Oct 2021

Thanks for the link, lljKK - I hadn't realised this had been identified nearly 2 months ago
Of course it can take a while for transmission to get going, but I'd have thought there'd be more cases by now if it's so much more transmissible

So since it doesn't appear to have spread massively (at least not yet) I'm wondering why it's suddenly become such a thing. Is it because the media have only just got hold of it, or something else?

It wasn't found 2 months ago. That article was updated yesterday with the news about Omicron. Really doesn't take much reading to see that.
Puzzledandpissedoff · 26/11/2021 23:19

(The WHO) website very clearly states the variant now known as Omicron was first identified on 9th November

I know it does, ChequerBoard, but lljKK's piece was from our own government's site; you have to click on links within the link, but though there have been updates since it's definitely there on the 1 October briefing (only it was called Mu then)

Puzzledandpissedoff · 26/11/2021 23:23

Edit: please ignore me, I've just seen that the piece is headed with "Published 1 October", but the small print on the actual briefing notes is 26 November ...

ChequerBoard · 26/11/2021 23:24

@Puzzledandpissedoff

(The WHO) website very clearly states the variant now known as Omicron was first identified on 9th November

I know it does, ChequerBoard, but lljKK's piece was from our own government's site; you have to click on links within the link, but though there have been updates since it's definitely there on the 1 October briefing (only it was called Mu then)

Nope MU is a different variant that has indeed been around for a while. Mu's classification is B.1.621 and it was first detected in Jan 2021 in Columbia.

This is a different one, with the classification B.1.1.529 hence it's been named Omicron (would have been Nu but that would have been a bit odd, talking about the new variant Nu).