Omicron found in the UK [title edited by MNHQ]

[manolantern]

Health Secretary has just said two cases have been found here. That was quick!

Many countries do not require tests from fully vaccinated, how many of the 61 are fully vaccinated?

@sunnymoo - and what research would that be? Please do guide us, oh wise one.

Otherwise, if you don’t have anything meaningful to add then just bog off.

It’s getting really, really boring with the number of posts like this - I swear some people envisage themselves as cool revolutionary types battling their way through a sodding computer game.

For the more level-headed out there - carry on being sensible as far as you can for you and those around you. Try not to stress, it’s not going to help. I’ll continue to let the experts work away in the background.

@Karmdenswitme

Many countries do not require tests from fully vaccinated, how many of the 61 are fully vaccinated?

All of them. We cannot fly without being fully vaccinated.

MIL is flying in to U.K. on Tuesday. When do new rules start re PCR? I haven’t heard yet.

@sunnymoo have you heard yourself?

Wake up and do some research people

If watching YouTube videos and following shady Twitter accounts doing 'some research' means I'll end up sounding like you, I'd rather be asleep, thanks.

Australia confirmed two cases on Sunday, joining Britain, Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic among others that have declared cases.

PCR wef 4am Tuesday 30/11. BBC just clarified.

@Furries spot on!

Wake up and do some research people

Bingo! 😁

An anagram of omicron is moronic, look at all the morons getting scared again.

Brilliant!

@DontWantTheRivalry

An anagram of omicron is moronic, look at all the morons getting scared again.

Brilliant!

Oh very clever. Hardly original.

@DontWantTheRivalry

An anagram of omicron is moronic, look at all the morons getting scared again.

Brilliant!

How lovely that you use a nasty ableist slur against those who may be vulnerable and deeply concerned, or those who may be struggling with their mental health at the prospect of more restrictions.

You should be ashamed.

What have anagrams got to do with anything? @sunnymoo wins weird post of the thread.

How lovely that you use a nasty ableist slur against those who may be vulnerable and deeply concerned, or those who may be struggling with their mental health at the prospect of more restrictions.

A) I didn’t use it.

B) It made me laugh - that’s all.

I don’t think people with genuine fears about Covid or restrictions are morons at all, I was just laughing at the anagram.

Neil Ferguson on R4 just now saying even if there are already 100 cases of Omicron in the UK, it would take till January to spread to be as dominant as Delta currently is (40k cases of Delta a day).

I dont think the anagram is at all funny, I am surprised a nurse laughs at this.

@manolantern

Neil Ferguson on R4 just now saying even if there are already 100 cases of Omicron in the UK, it would take till January to spread to be as dominant as Delta currently is (40k cases of Delta a day).

Imm not sure how that is reassuring. So in six weeks delta (whilst not great we do understand) could be effectively be replaced by omicron which we might have little immunity against

Personally I was hoping that with such high numbers ill with delta coupled with high vaccination, it could be several months before omicron becomes dominant here. If ever.

@manolantern

Neil Ferguson on R4 just now saying even if there are already 100 cases of Omicron in the UK, it would take till January to spread to be as dominant as Delta currently is (40k cases of Delta a day).

I might need to listen to this as I’m not sure how he’s working it out

What is the assumption on R here?

As the conditions seem quite different

It’s been confirmed that 13 of the 61 Covid positives on the KLM flight to the Netherlands have the Omicron variant.

Back in May, we had an average of around 2,000 daily cases with alpha. We're now just barely able to live with and contain delta, i.e. 43,000+ daily cases.

If omicron is more transmissible and dominant by January, it will also mean far higher numbers of daily cases and hospital admissions in January when NHS is least likely to cope with an additional burden.

And I suspect the government would have no choice but to put us in lockdown.

"UKHSA confirm one more case of Omicron variant in the UK. Person had been to South Africa, stayed in Westminster, is now no longer in the UK but all contacts are being traced"

• the I paper

Neil Ferguson's comments from R4 earlier are quoted here too:

inews.co.uk/news/politics/expect-substantially-more-uk-cases-omicron-variant-next-few-days-covid-scientist-says-1323701

A third case has just been found - in London.

It'll be everywhere before we know it.