Omicron - feeling so upset

[purplerainnn]

I’m feeling really down after the recent news of this Omicron variant. DH has been very ill with Covid (presumably the Delta variant) despite being double jabbed, and is finally on the mend after several weeks of bed rest. I dread to think what could happen to him if he catches this new variant. The thought of it is really frightening.

The possibility of another lockdown is also really worrying me. I have young DC and don’t think I could cope with another lockdown for weeks on end, or another Christmas on our own without seeing family. How likely is it that Christmas won’t go ahead?

Another lockdown will also be a hammer blow to my job, which relies on things being open. The thought of trying to navigate and survive another lockdown is beyond exhausting.

I don’t know what the point of this post is really - I’m just feeling so low this morning and needed to rant.

Another lockdown isn't imminent. They're trying to buy some time at the moment to research and get a greater understanding of the new variant, rather than being necessarily concerned about its impact. Early reports from SA seem to suggest its mild in most people, so could be good news that the mutations are behaving as we would expect with a virus, and tipping from pandemic to endemic is edging closer.

Your DH will now have Covid immunity for a time, so I wouldn't worry about him catching the new variant.

There's no point worrying about further lockdowns, we have no idea if they'll even be needed yet.

Christmas will go ahead for me regardless of any rules, I'll be seeing family no matter what.

Your DH will now have Covid immunity for a time, so I wouldn't worry about him catching the new variant.

@Waxonwaxoff0 will he have immunity against the Omicron variant though, or just the Delta one?

I feel the same. We are travelling over Christmas and I am worried how the new variant will impact us. We have already done 2 weeks hotel quarantine with kids. I really don’t want us to have to do that again.

I guess we’ll know more soon, but it is possible it’s not as bad as Delta. Here’s hoping.

I don't think we will lockdown like before as I don't think the government will fund furlough and I don't think they have the stomach for it.

@purplerainnn

Your DH will now have Covid immunity for a time, so I wouldn't worry about him catching the new variant.

@Waxonwaxoff0 will he have immunity against the Omicron variant though, or just the Delta one?

I don't think it matters which variant it is when it comes to natural immunity?

@Waxonwaxoff0 ah ok - I hope so!

Yes I feel upset too. No offence to non vaxx but I feel like if more had been vaccinated the Covid would finally be an endemic. Doesn’t look that way. Just hoping the vaccine can best this one.

If it helps, the doctor who first discovered it has said she started investigating because her covid patients were experiencing very mild illness for only a couple of days. It really might be good news.

www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/south-african-doctor-raised-alarm-omicron-variant-says-symptoms/

The worry is that the new variant has so many changes that it may evade vaccines and immunity from past infections because it’s so different. Time is needed to look at it properly. I can’t give it any more headspace until we have concrete info on it. Doctors in SA are reporting mild illness but it’s so early who knows.

I can’t see a lockdown happening tbh. No money to furlough. How many would comply? More restrictions maybe like the use of passports and masks/distancing etc. It would have to be causing lots of serious illness/death ( which we already have) to cause a lockdown. At a push a short firebreak but doubtful with this government.

It could affect travel though as different countries will have different rules as we are seeing already.

@purplerainnn

Yes policy about giving vaccines to poorer countries
Anti vaccine idiots
And the Uk governments stupid freedom day

They have all helps to cause this.

They won't lock down or shut things down but masks and WTF will return.

We should never had got rid of masks.
They was an utter political choice.

But I didn't vote for these fools.

@purplerainnn

Also they should have done vaccine passports.

Please God let it be mild illness.

Another lockdown, schools closing etc will finish me off, and so many others.

@Redrosesandsunsets

Yes I feel upset too. No offence to non vaxx but I feel like if more had been vaccinated the Covid would finally be an endemic. Doesn’t look that way. Just hoping the vaccine can best this one.

Actually the vaccinations are what causes variations. The virus mutates to find a way to survive against immunity. That's not to say I'm against vaccines, I am not. However this is how we get it to manageable levels. Is it mutates and eventually it becomes less deadly (in theory) as the mutations don't thrive.

[quote Cascascascas]@purplerainnn

Yes policy about giving vaccines to poorer countries
Anti vaccine idiots
And the Uk governments stupid freedom day

They have all helps to cause this.

They won't lock down or shut things down but masks and WTF will return.

We should never had got rid of masks.
They was an utter political choice.

But I didn't vote for these fools.[/quote]
What would you have done instead, as well as presumably keeping masks compulsory? Interested to know what people’s solutions would have been, especially those who say they ‘didn’t vote these fools in’ (I’m not a Tory, by the way).

[quote Cascascascas]@purplerainnn

Yes policy about giving vaccines to poorer countries
Anti vaccine idiots
And the Uk governments stupid freedom day

They have all helps to cause this.

They won't lock down or shut things down but masks and WTF will return.

We should never had got rid of masks.
They was an utter political choice.

But I didn't vote for these fools.[/quote]
What policy to giving vaccines to poorer countries are you referring to?

I’m trying to remain calm. Trying!

Hopefully this will be the mutation that makes it a really stupid virus and it is very mild so it’s more like a cold. Professor Sarah Gilbert said this was the most likely end result of covid.

Let’s hope it becomes a stupid virus and mutates so much that it becomes a non virus and like the common cold.

It is not exactly fantastic news BUT we are in a good position to deal with this - we are so vaccinated as a country, so that has to help.

Secondly there is no way we will go into any lockdown before Christmas, so why not plan to make this one really special?

The good news is that your dh has got covid antibodies now, so he is in a better position now than he was.

This variant may be nothing to worry about, but even if it is the scientists said they can have a vaccine prepared in a 100 days, so it is nothing like the scenario of the first wave.

Try and do something lovely today!

Oh darling I feel the same ..... try not to watch the news on come on here (everyone is so dramatic) but a few sensible heads

Big hugs

[quote Cascascascas]@purplerainnn

Also they should have done vaccine passports.[/quote]
Seriously ?!!!

Actually, the unvaccinated and immunosuppressed for whom vaccines don’t work are what’s causing mutations. If governments had ensured globally that the vaccine was available to all equally at the same time, the opportunity for mutations would have been far less.

All the bloody scientists are on the news and in the papers saying this. Away with your antivax bullshit.

That was meant for @peboh

@peboh
“ Actually the vaccinations are what causes variations. The virus mutates to find a way to survive against immunity. That's not to say I'm against vaccines, I am not. However this is how we get it to manageable levels. Is it mutates and eventually it becomes less deadly (in theory) as the mutations don't thrive.”

I thought mutations have pretty much a 50:50 of being more or less virulent (likely to kill). So long as they can transmit before they kill the host then a more deadly one can still become successful.

No point worrying about it unless you are in charge of Covid policy or a vaccine scientist. Bugger all we can do about it other than follow guidance.

I thought the mutations are primarily caused by lots of cases. More cases, more chance of mutations. It’s just a numbers game.

That’s not arguing with Stinky just saying how that’s the case, I think. And also to add that we could have done with keeping some restrictions in longer.