Omicron found in the UK [title edited by MNHQ]

[manolantern]

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

FFS. Make masks in shops a rule and leave it there.

As long as there are planes flying these things will spread like wildfire.

@Sally090807

How did they have the tests for that variant already?

Sally090807, apparently one good thing is that this new variant can be identified just using the standard PCR test.

Of course.

Is there a press conference today then or are people just speculating? I’m confused…

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-boris-johnson-hold-number-25560891

There IS a press conference today at 5pm. Source: Downing Street Twitter feed.

Chelmsford & Nottingham - GET THE ARMY IN NOW & LOCK THEM DOWN!!!

To be fair I’d still be saying that, virus or no virus.

@Sally090807

How did they have the tests for that variant already?

Any PCR test can be sent for follow up genomic sequencing

It's time intensive so only done for a sample of those collected

Oh well hope no ITU staff read your lame comments. If you’re all done with it what are you sitting on COVID threads for. Go and live it up.

Inevitable.

It may be very infectious but the important thing is the degree of illness. Hopefully Covid will evolve to be like the common cold. Annoying but trivial for most people.

@Sparklingbrook

Boris can set out whatever measures he likes but I'm not sure anyone is listening any more. I'll catch a summary of it later put of interest but I don't care enough to watch him wittering on live.

Unfortunately you’re right, people don’t listen as much as they did. The only way measures will be taken legitimately by a large portion of the population is if the severe illness and deaths start to rise quickly. By that point it may be too late and we’ll be left licking our wounds.

Talk about the dangers and risks won’t be taken seriously without evidence, the proactive approach is seen as an inconvenience now, particularly this time of year.

Given this, we’d be placing most of our bets on it being less severe, let’s hope it pays off.

@Thewiseoneincognito

Boris at 5pm ‘setting out new measures’

Waffle waffle waffle

If it's even more transmissible than previous variants then hopefully that means it's less potent.

I can’t really understand why some people refuse to take small measures such as getting a booster ASAP, wearing a decent mask when inside, testing if they have symptoms and following travel rules. It’s really not that arduous and might stop the rest of us facing much larger restrictions.

@Theturnofthepoo

Oh well hope no ITU staff read your lame comments. If you’re all done with it what are you sitting on COVID threads for. Go and live it up.

Don't worry. Just chilling before heading into town for dinner and a show.

Of course it has. Not at all surprising.

54manolantern

No, they wouldn't be able to identify the specific strain that way. It just tests positive, which is a good thing. Genomic sequencing identifies the strain.

OP
I apologise for being pedantic but it is omicron not omnicron

But yeah, worrying.

That would be because they've scrapped mandatory testing at UK airports.

@Fairisfoul @vinoandbrie thank you. I see!

Problem is, people are not going to comply with new restrictions after the UK has been so “relaxed”. I say that as someone who does follow restrictions as I think that doing things like wearing face masks isn’t that hard.

Oh great - just what we need in the run up to Christmas. I truly despair of ever having a normal worry-free life again.

What's plan B?

sorry.

I think the only way to have stopped the new(est) variant is to have stopped it ebfore we even knew it existed. In other words- not possible.

Just reading this thread and I'm struck by the attitude in some of the comments.

Melodramatic eye rolling and aggrieved 'don't you dare take my Christmas' responses seem such an odd way to respond to a public health matter that affects everyone. One poster has even said 'People die. Life goes on' when it clearly doesn't and won't if his or her relative requires Covid or cancer treatment and there is none to be had. Our lives are not so resilient. He or she must realise this. Why pretend otherwise? It's one thing to protest that they think we should ignore the variant and take the consequences... But why pretend there won't be any consequences beyond 'people die'? There is rather a lot of carnage implied there and the laconic style seems puerile as a way of dealing with it.