A new variant doesn't equal disaster

[chararara]

A new variant, more negative news.

Fact is, it is far too early to know anything concrete about this variant and already the news is contradicting itself. They are overly negative for views.

Some more positive points:

• South Africa has great genome testing and does a lot more advanced testing than neighbouring countries due to their expertise from HIV testing. It is no surprise they discovered it and very possible other countries missed it. The sequence of this variant points to being older than two weeks. Hence, it is likely it already existed and SA have been the first to pick it up. Why is this good? It means it has potentially been circulating for months, so if it has only just been noticed, it is less likely to be the extra transmissible nightmare as the media state.

• SA is not a good country to make predictions from. They have a low vaccine rate, yet had unusually low infections. Any strain would take a great hold, so it's impossible to say that its "ripping through," when the population is largely unvaccinated. Data cannot be extrapolated to majority vaccinated countries at this point in time.

• It has new spike protein additions. Concerning? Yes. Definitely a problem? No. They could just be changes that have barely any impact. It's just as feasible to assume the best, as well as the worst.

• Even if this is a more transmissible strain or resistant strain, it is highly unlikely it would completely evade vaccines or not offer defense against severe illness.

We are not back at the beginning. Be cautious and mindful with the media you consume. Get a booster vaccine.

Some less negative articles:

www.reddit.com/r/CoronavirusUK/comments/r2k067/new_variant_will_not_take_us_back_to_square_one/

@milkyaqua

Well, none of your posts indicate you are at all up to date with what is going on with the new VOC; you insist it will never be over, as we (the world) are in the midst of trying to understand and factor in a worrying new development. You seem unaware of the trajectory of previous pandemics, or their mitigations. Yet apparently you have your fingers on the pulse of true science! Do tell.

I am very much up to date with it all! Heard of omicron long before you had. As I said, there will always be mutations and setbacks. As I said, it will never be 'over'. There will come a point where the obsessive focus on covid will have to stop because of the now enormous amount of collateral damage. It won't stop because the virus has gone away or it's no longer killing people, it will be a political decision.

Heard of omicron long before you had.

PML! 🤪

The new variant will not be a disaster as long as everyone gets vaccinated (I mean everyone - we need to pour money into vaccinating the third world) and sticks with the rules.

If people ignore the rules and protest and think they are somehow not responsible for helping to keep their fellows safe then it will be disaster - or the next variant will.

There is no gain to governments to install unpopular restrictive measures; we have to accept that it is the virus we are fighting and not the government. It is unfortunate that we have bumbling Boris (that integrity-free zone) leading the country at this perilous time; but even he has no ulterior motive in bringing in regulations that no-one likes. In reality he has dragged his feet in taking control of the situation right from day one because he wants people to love him. Some hope!

@milkyaqua

Heard of omicron long before you had.

PML! 🤪

My partner's best friend works in sequencing and advises the government, and my partner himself is a scientist working in the field, so I'm PML laughing at some arrogant person on Mumsnet thinking they know it all. Funny. It's very cute how naive you are about how this all works.

@dabbydeedoo

I'm also sick to death of the scare mongering and the shaming of people who want to live their lives. For goodness sake, it's been nearly two years. I was happier than anyone to give up my own life to help others and barely left my flat in 2020, but I've now been TRIPLE vaccinated. At what point is this ever going to be 'over'?

First it was 'wait for the vaccines - it'll all be over then'. Waited for a year. Then it was 'wait for the most vulnerable to be vaccinated and we'll open up'. Vulnerable were vaccinated by March 2021, we didn't open up. Then it was 'if you get vaccinated, you'll be able to travel'. I was fully vaccinated by May 2021 but guess what...major restrictions on travel including a ten-day quarantine for almost everywhere, so I couldn't go away anywhere. This was all conveniently removed once the travel season was over. Then it's 'get the booster'. Got the booster, isolated myself for two weeks to make absolute sure I didn't get covid before it kicked in, booked myself a holiday as a treat, and now this. I'll either have to cancel the holiday or go and spend the entire time worrying about restrictions and problems.

We cannot go on like this. Where does it end? There will always be covid cases. There will always be variants. I thought the whole point of vaccination was to reduce the problem to a very manageable level?

Right... I shall just refer you back to your first learned post.

@milkyaqua what's your point? All of this supports what I know. The people going 'wait until this is over to travel' are just not getting that it will never be over. It's now a matter of living with it. And we're soon getting to the point where restrictions will no longer be economically possible, so you're going to be in for a bit of a nasty shock.

Don't get me wrong - this variant is genuinely a cause for concern. They're panicking for a reason. My point is that there will be another one just as concerning along later, and at some point, sooner than you probably realise, the knee jerk panic reactions will just not happen. We will have to deal with it and carry on. Really sorry to burst your bubble. There will still be lots of people getting infected and dying. You just won't hear about it.

Could we appeal for a bit of peace and love here, folks? We know everyone's a bit on edge right now but knocking lumps of each other isn't going to make anyone feel any better about it all.

@HebeMumsnet

Could we appeal for a bit of peace and love here, folks? We know everyone's a bit on edge right now but knocking lumps of each other isn't going to make anyone feel any better about it all.

Hear bloody hear.

It's ridiculous. Some of you really need to get off MN and go and get some fresh air. You'll feel better.

"It's ridiculous. Some of you really need to get off MN and go and get some fresh air. You'll feel better"

The irony of this post! It's like someone going to a shop complaining it's rammed with other people

@walksen

"It's ridiculous. Some of you really need to get off MN and go and get some fresh air. You'll feel better"

The irony of this post! It's like someone going to a shop complaining it's rammed with other people

Why? I've been out this afternoon. Came back feeling a whole lot less bleak but there are still the same names flinging the same insults, on several threads.