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Original poster

If omicron symptoms are so mild

238 replies

Mistletoeandwhineing · 12/12/2021 22:38

To not understand what the panic is about?

Have been watching regular updates from Dr John Campbell, very level headed and knowledgeable. Current evidence seems to be looking very positive. I realise we need to wait a little longer to be sure, but overall it’s looking to be very mild and possibly actually a good thing for immunity. Or am I wrong?
Feel like I’m living in a parallel universe

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
HangingDitch · 12/12/2021 22:53

Because although it looks like omicron will be mild, no-one actually knows yet. Given that it is much more transmissible, it’s prudent to do something now to limit transmission until we have more data. Its definitely preferable to letting it spread and then finding out the assumption that it was milder was wrong.

There is literally not a single reason why it’s in the government’s interest to impose further restrictions, other than the reason they’ve already stated.

Original poster
Mistletoeandwhineing · 12/12/2021 22:54

@Thelnebriati What panic?? Do you watch the news/read the newspapers?

OP posts:
Sweetnhappy1 · 12/12/2021 22:55

It's spreading really really fast. Even if it's milder than previous variants, if a lot of people have it at the same time then we will really struggle day to day. If a lot of the postal workers get it at the same time, there goes our deliveries. If a lot of supermarket staff and lorry drivers get it, there goes our food. If a lot of our teachers get it, who will teach the kids? Similarly if a lot of NHS staff get it, who looks after the patients? It's not just about hospitalisations and deaths, there are huge economic implications if we have a lot of the population unwell.

BoudecaBains · 12/12/2021 22:55

Corroborative data is only just emerging of the alarming rise in hospital admissions in South Africa. Indications are that it takes a booster jab to secure acceptable level of protection against the new variant. I suspect the government and covid scientific research are privvy to this level of disclosure.

Mojoj · 12/12/2021 22:56

Even if it's mild, there are so many seriously unhealthy people in the UK, that it will no doubt overwhelm the NHS. But God forbid the Government should be encouraging people to boost their immune systems by eating well and exercising. Let's just keep pumping chemicals into ourselves.

FreeBritnee · 12/12/2021 22:56

[quote thepeopleversuswork]@FreeBritnee

Not sensationalist reporting. It was the UKHSA analysis covered by multiple reputable news organisations.

www.reuters.com/world/uk/boosters-give-70-75-protection-against-mild-disease-omicron-uk-health-security-2021-12-10/

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/10/two-jabs-give-less-protection-against-catching-omicron-than-delta-uk-data-shows[/quote]
Your first link said it wax very early findings with very early data. The media are already reporting this as fact. I don't think the scientists have had enough time yet to give conclusive findings. I think the booster drive is massively sensible.

sst1234 · 12/12/2021 22:58

To those saying we don’t know. We do know. Experts from South Africa are telling us it causes less severe disease. Or is it just that we like to listen to experts when they tell us we need more restrictions.

Original poster
Mistletoeandwhineing · 12/12/2021 22:58

@BoudecaBains I haven’t seen that, must look further, the info I’d seen suggested it was very current/up to date.

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Original poster
Mistletoeandwhineing · 12/12/2021 22:59

@sst1234 This is what I’m struggling with

OP posts:
Artus · 12/12/2021 23:00

It's not just hospitalisation and deaths. If large numbers of people are off work sick at the same time then the services we all rely will struggle to deliver.

And thats supermarkets, delivery drivers, teachers, nurses, carers, the people who fix things like gas boilers, the list goes on.

loantopil · 12/12/2021 23:02

I wouldn't trust the data coming out of South Africa. Cases will be significantly under reported. Similarly to the PP saying the experts over there saying it's a milder illness. It's not been around long enough to really know, think back to the first 4-6 weeks after hearing about the first COVID. Nobody knew anything reliable.

Lemonlady22 · 12/12/2021 23:02

Imagine NHS staff becoming infected.....doctors, nurses, anaethetists, ambulance staff....say no more...its not all about the general public!

RandomMess · 12/12/2021 23:03

Because it's so transmissible so many more people will catch and have it in a short period of time and even though I the %age of those people that will need hospital support is tiny that will be an awful lot of people for our NHS to cope with when they are at their busiest over winter.

It's a numbers game.

cheeriobye · 12/12/2021 23:03

@Mistletoeandwhineing

To not understand what the panic is about?

Have been watching regular updates from Dr John Campbell, very level headed and knowledgeable. Current evidence seems to be looking very positive. I realise we need to wait a little longer to be sure, but overall it’s looking to be very mild and possibly actually a good thing for immunity. Or am I wrong?
Feel like I’m living in a parallel universe

This is what I can't understand. We didn't have this sense of urgency with the Delta variant so I can't work out how this one is so different.

The sceptic in me may be inclined to draw a conclusion based on one of the differences I can think of, whereby after the discovery of one variant the press had a field day about Christmas parties for a year ago.

Wizzbangfizz · 12/12/2021 23:05

It is a rebranding exercise to distract from the current shitshow of a government - I'd urge everyone to write to their MP to insist they go against the government on Tuesday

thepeopleversuswork · 12/12/2021 23:06

@cheeriobye

I think just because they've been caught out being very slow to respond several times before and can't afford to risk fucking it up again. The government has very little political capital left and doesn't feel it has any wiggle room to be cavalier about this. Plus also the NHS is on its knees.

sst1234 · 12/12/2021 23:08

@loantopil

I wouldn't trust the data coming out of South Africa. Cases will be significantly under reported. Similarly to the PP saying the experts over there saying it's a milder illness. It's not been around long enough to really know, think back to the first 4-6 weeks after hearing about the first COVID. Nobody knew anything reliable.
Sorry that just sounds like, ‘we don’t believe experts unless they tell us it’s bad’.
mausmausmaus · 12/12/2021 23:08

it's because they don't want everyone off isolating at the same time - which includes even the asymptomatic, and they're reluctant to put in any more restrictions...preparing for another blame game...

AThousandEyes · 12/12/2021 23:08

We don't have enough data to be sure it will be mild yet, but we do know it's extremely contagious and spreading quickly. We are also starting to see cases of people being hospitalised from it. Even in a best case scenario where it turns out it IS very mild and only a small percentage of people who get it become seriously ill from it, if millions of people have it at once the percentage of people who become very ill would still be enough to overwhelm hospitals. By putting in measures to try to slow the spread we can keep the number of people who get seriously ill to manageable levels.

loantopil · 12/12/2021 23:11

@sst1234 not at all, just exactly what I said, I don't think it's been long enough. If it had been identified in early October and they could evidence a lack of hospital admissions, deaths etc then it would be a lot more conclusive (give it a month and it would be completely convincing).

Feelingoktoday · 12/12/2021 23:12

I think Boris’ announcement tonight will have panicked people.

Lalliella · 12/12/2021 23:12

Omicron hospitalisations have started.

SwimSwim · 12/12/2021 23:13

This is exactly what I was just saying OP, I'm so confused why everything on going backwards when "the science " doesn't back up the panic measures.

Original poster
Mistletoeandwhineing · 12/12/2021 23:14

@Lalliella Could you possibly share a link? I’ve been looking but can’t find info

OP posts:
43leftfeet · 12/12/2021 23:18

@Mistletoeandwhineing

To not understand what the panic is about?

Have been watching regular updates from Dr John Campbell, very level headed and knowledgeable. Current evidence seems to be looking very positive. I realise we need to wait a little longer to be sure, but overall it’s looking to be very mild and possibly actually a good thing for immunity. Or am I wrong?
Feel like I’m living in a parallel universe

It's a numbers game. Omicron is much, much more transmissible, so many more people will get it.

So although a smaller proportion get dangerously sick, that could quickly become a larger number of actual people who are very sick.

They're worried about hospitals being so overrun they can't cope, and it looks like this is a credible risk with Omicron.

What's missing from this conversation, and I don't understand why Labour isn't hammering this point - the hospitals wouldn't be at such risk of being overwhelmed if the Tories hadn't been underfunding them and carving the NHS up for privatisation for the last however-long-it-is-now they've been in power. (Feels like decades).