What IS the fuss about omicron?

[GingerHouse]

In all seriousness, data shows that not a single person has died from omicron and that’s in countries that have low vaccine uptake too.

The virus is going to mutate all the time and as things are showing this variant is very contagious and the vaccine doesn’t work as well against it, but it’s mild to almost everybody.

I feel like this is mass panic and for what reason?! I understand wearing a mask where applicable to help reduce the spread but I just don’t get it! Is this going to happen every winter forevermore?

To be honest England just cannot continue with such high case numbers, even if Omicron hadn’t struck. Over a 100 deaths per day is way, way too high.

Well what do you know. How handy- how do we convince people to have another jab? Ooh I know. Tell them there two jabs they did want but were convinced to have earlier this year are now worth fuck all and they need to have another just to get back to where they started.
Repeat ad Infinium.
4th jab will be up in April with a new scare

@CherryBlossomAutumn

To be honest England just cannot continue with such high case numbers, even if Omicron hadn’t struck. Over a 100 deaths per day is way, way too high.

Yeah. I think that about obesity and solving that doesn’t involve shutting the country down and banning people from seeing their family members.

Aren’t cancer deaths a day 450? It’s not the deaths at around current level that’s the issue. It’s more the fact that our health service is fucked (and our schools but no one gives a shit about that).

We are not really comparable with South Africa which is 5 x the size of the UK with 10 million less people and a much younger population- much less seriously affected by Covid - they ate saying no deaths but their actual death rate has doubled since omicron arrived (what's that about?)
In addition, because so many younger people have been ignoring rules here about social distancing, hand-washing, masks, our Covid rates are already high and omicron is much more transmissable so we can expect much higher case numbers. Once is transmits to more vulnerable people - other health conditions, disabled, elderly -the worry is how ill will they become and how this will impact on the NHS. There is no other response really - the NHS needs more staff, more resources, more facilities and you can't provide these overnight. They need to be planned for over years to ensure stability and investment needs to be made. The Conservative party are not interested in this investment in public services- they prefer to privatise them and allow businesses to strip profits from the public funds given to run them.So we are forced into trying to protect the NHS by trying to reduce transmissions.

[quote Wizzbangfizz]@rrhuth I can indeed read a graph although hope it makes you feel good trying to belittle people who don't hole your catastrophic views.

I've not seen any data that persuades me an omicron wave (which does now seem likely to happen) is especially likely to create any bad problem. Such evidence might emerge, but it hasn't done so why throw away our freedoms again? [/quote]
I don't have catastrophic views

I just think the people saying 'oh i think it's nothing to worry about' are basing that on hope.

The data is pretty concerning, which is why those with relevant expertise are concerned.

But I feel greatly reassured now you've decided they're all wrong. Because I'm sure you're more experienced.

I'm totally confused as to what all this 'control' is and what all these 'restrictions' are people seem to think they're under?

We've been told to take completely sensible measures like WFH and wear masks as a wave of a new variant is about to take off. Who could possibly think this is anything but common sense? You don't wait until people start dying. That's too late.

@Yellowarmy

Pretty sure delta came along once schools were open etc

Delta came along last December (remember, France closed its borders to those in the UK including the poor lorry drivers trying to get back to Europe for Christmas). That was a good couple of months before schools went back if memory serves.

@megustalacerveza

I'm totally confused as to what all this 'control' is and what all these 'restrictions' are people seem to think they're under?

We've been told to take completely sensible measures like WFH and wear masks as a wave of a new variant is about to take off. Who could possibly think this is anything but common sense? You don't wait until people start dying. That's too late.

I totally agree @megustalacerveza

@Silverswirl

Well what do you know. How handy- how do we convince people to have another jab? Ooh I know. Tell them there two jabs they did want but were convinced to have earlier this year are now worth fuck all and they need to have another just to get back to where they started. Repeat ad Infinium. 4th jab will be up in April with a new scare

You do realise how many billions this vaccination programme has cost, directly and in effects of redeployment and holding up other services to deliver it? Do you honestly believe it's just a conspiracy to inject people? For what purpose?

@Silverswirl I didn't realise obesity was contagious.

4th jab will be up in April with a new scare

I'm pretty sure the CEV are already in line for four jabs - doesn't the original booster count as a third "initial" course for them, with another one to follow?

Then there's Pfizer's comment (I'll try to find the link) that their revised new jab is likely to involve a course of three, which means a total of either six or seven and that's before the next variant puts in an appearance

Under the circumstances what's happening to Pfizer's share price is probably no surprise at all ...

Covid is a preventable disease.

Yeah @Silverswirl you are so wise. There are literally NO countries on this earth who have managed to exist, live openly and freely, whilst having very little deaths from Covid. Absolutely none. We really, really just have to accept the deaths, it’s just, well, bound to happen unless we literally chained ourselves inside our houses whilst the world around us grew vines and became a wilderness again. Because there is absolutely NO WAY that sensible precautions like better ventilation systems, mask wearing, contact tracing and vaccines could prevent any deaths. Ha! Silly people. Wearing a little mask and it could prevent deaths? How dare you tell me I can’t drink my white wine on the 5.45 commuter train and have a laugh with my colleagues. How dare you say that my workplace needs a better ventilation. It infringes my human rights and you are just a load of moaning, hysterical covid lovers.

Peace on earth

What we REALLY REALLY need is members of the public to come forward and train to be carers / HCAs / rehab assistants / porters etc - things that can help quickly without a degree required and make a massive different to the entire population. The staff shortages can only be solved by the public at large.

They maybe shouldn’t have fired a bunch of these people for not being vaccinated seeing as we already have a shortage.

What we REALLY REALLY need is members of the public to come forward and train to be carers / HCAs / rehab assistants / porters etc - things that can help quickly without a degree required and make a massive different to the entire population. The staff shortages can only be solved by the public at large

All those jobs are shitty conditions and shitty pay. No thank you. I can get similar money at a supermarket without being talked to like I'm a thick piece of shit by qualified staff and patients. (I've done one of them, and it really was awful)

Are all of the cancer patients and obese patients in ITU at once?

2 years in this is embarrassing.

@titchy iirc it was alpha/beta last winter. Delta was spring.

@AnotherOneWithNoGoodName Humm. A little look into Pfizer money and the connections they have with power should tell you all you need to know.
It’s all about money. As everything always is.

They maybe shouldn’t have fired a bunch of these people for not being vaccinated seeing as we already have a shortage.

Or maybe the people should have agreed to be vaccinated? People who won't be vaccinated should NOT be working with very vulnerable people! It's like employing known arsonists as firefighters! Even if you have a shortage of people in the fire service, you wouldn't do that!

Or maybe (in fact definitely!) they could pay people more for being carers/ HCAs/ etc.! Then these jobs would be more attractive and there wouldn't be a shortage and one wouldn't have to accept 'arsonists'. Considering how underpaid and undervalued these jobs are, it's remarkable that we get so many good people for them; but there are a few unsuitable ones.

I think the answer to this is increase capacity in hospitals

Sure. So better get building new facilities and training more healthcare professionals. We can get that done no bother before omicron kicks in…..

[quote megustalacerveza]@Silverswirl I didn't realise obesity was contagious.[/quote]
No but the food that we are being served in this county is horrendously addictive and causes obesity extremely easily so it may as well be with the amount of hospitalisations and deaths it causes. Far far more than covid ever has or ever will.

I think that about obesity and solving that doesn’t involve shutting the country down and banning people from seeing their family members.

What has obesity got to do with it? Obesity may endanger the obese person's own health, but it's not contagious.

And who is shutting the country down? Nobody is planning a lockdown at the moment!

@Sowhatifiam

I think the answer to this is increase capacity in hospitals

Sure. So better get building new facilities and training more healthcare professionals. We can get that done no bother before omicron kicks in…..

#Shoulda woulda coulda are the last words of a fool#

And I'm concerned that we are killing off livelihoods on the basis of no evidence but to "be safe" is also not a good idea.

Last time I looked no one served me anything… must get a new chef.