Omicron - should be worried?

The simple truth is that you can’t have ‘normal’ life without viruses being spread. But we also don’t have the health capacity to deal with new cases and all the rest.

There is some elements of this whole situation- eloquently summed up by Adams Kebab earlier- that are just stupid and erode any trust that may exist between public and government.

There’s also backdoor changes that were brought in and have stayed in that are ridiculous. Phone calls with GP’s for example. How many people end up wasting 2 weeks ‘diagnosis time’ as the GP says ‘yeah you’d better come and see me’. Of course I should. It’s ** obvious to me that I should and I’m NOT the doctor...

And I’m yet to be convinced that the death toll is a true reflection of deaths that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Hey ho. I’m wearing my mask and I’ve got my passport for tomorrow. And in either case it’s a minor (if that) inconvenience.
 
ElBurroSinNombre said:
The point is / was that nobody knows how serious or how bad Omicron is.
We have taken (for once) some pre-emptive action, but like everything with Johnson, he is trying to please everybody so we end up with these illogical half-measures. For instance, don't travel to work but do go to an xmas party - it is crazy. My workplace have just cancelled all xmas parties, this is the correct thing to do IMO.
As things move forward, more information will become available and policy and measures can be changed accordingly. I've always been fairly easy going and these small things that we have been asked to do are minor sacrifices (wear a mask, get vaccinated, social distance etc). This period will end one day and we will find a way of living with the virus. Omicron could be the beginning of the end of the pandemic but ATM it is too early to tell, hence the restrictions.
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Was going to write a reply but this covers it. Wishing it to be mild makes no difference, we will see in a few weeks time what the impact is. Let us all hope it is mild, but science trumps wishes.
 
Seasider3610 said:
JJ I’m giving you an example of two of the 25 to 27 age group that’s all.

Some of their friends have it as well with much the same symptoms that is just about none at all.

I’ve no idea about what happens with the older age groups yet.
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Yes I know, as said its yet more examples of the milder strain people seem to be experiencing.


"So far, the data and the anecdotes point to cautious — cautious — optimism on the most important question of disease severity. Some hospitals say a lot of the people who have been classified as hospitalized with Covid-19 were actually being admitted for something else. Fewer patients so far are ending up in the ICU on oxygen, compared to prior waves. Primary care doctors also say their patients seem to recover quicker.

“Of course, that’s anecdotal, but that’s the general feeling,” Malan told me in an interview over Zoom. “That line is pretty consistent across the country"

www.vox.com

What South Africa is seeing in its omicron outbreak

One of the country’s top health journalists on omicron, early case and hospitalization data, and the West’s travel bans.
www.vox.com www.vox.com

www.telegraph.co.uk

South Africa continues to report ‘mild disease’ as omicron surges

Doctors told the Telegraph that trends so far still indicate the country's fourth wave will trigger 'far less severe' Covid cases
www.telegraph.co.uk www.telegraph.co.uk
 
Lost Seasider said:
Hospital patients in SA are rising quite rapidly now, I think you're placing too much emphasis on early anecdotal reports out of SA that have yet to be confirmed by scientific evidence.

The truth is that we simply do not know at this stage how dangerous this new variant is.
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Data? See posts above. Also there will be people hospitalised, the evidence I've seen so far say less people ending up on oxygen and recovering quicker.
 
Adams Kebab said:
In what way? Of course you protect your family, but we’ve always done that haven’t we?

This idea we have to protect everyone else is madness. Nobody cared before.
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no problem, your own family always comes first. I just don't see a problem with following the basic rules/guidance.
 
poolseasider said:
I'm worried for our nation and what we have become as they have managed to scare the shit out everyone.

All my family and friends have either been double jabbed or triple so at what point do we crack on with life and those who want to lock themselves away can so as this virus ain't going anywhere,after Omicron there will be another variant come along is it lock up/mask wearing again?
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Thank god. At least there is someone on here with some common sense.
 
From the telegraph article...


"During the first three waves, 100 per cent of the 55,000 Covid-19 patients hospitalised in Netcare facilities needed oxygen. So far, during the new wave, only 10 per cent of 337 hospitalised patients need oxygen.

Dr Friedland said that 90 per cent of Covid-19 cases in the company’s 49 different hospitals were considered “incidental”, meaning that patients had come in for other problems and tested positive for Covid-19.

“Having personally seen many of our patients across our Gauteng hospitals, their symptoms are far milder than anything we experienced during the first three waves,” Dr Friedland said, referencing the South African region currently experiencing a dramatic surge of omicron variant infections.

“While we fully recognise that it is still early days, if this trend continues, it would appear that with a few exceptions of those requiring tertiary care, the fourth wave can be adequately treated at a primary care level,” he added."
 
Malced said:
That’s fine for you. There’s lives and livelihoods that hugely depend on people being economically active. Lots of folk get paid every month come what may. Eg civil servants and all public sector workers. However there’s many business owners and the staff they employ plus many self employed who will be in dire circumstances with these and/or further restrictions.
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Yep of course, I agree but it pretty much comes back to what some-one said earlier. Whatever decision is made by the govt you are never gonna please everybody. It's a no win whatever. The hard liners at either end of what's happening are never gonna be happy. Businesses need to get back on their feet again compared to this disease is a killer and we need to stop the spread of it by restricting what people can and can't do. So the PM just bumbles along trying to please as many as he can which ultimately pleases very few when it comes to the politics of it all.
 
Theatre and Cinema bookings already down.
Travel agents bookings down(actually in non existence).
Footfall in towns will be down with shops cafe's, bars & restaurants etc all suffering.
Hospitality with lost
party bookings and haven’t a clue as one manager told me yesterday what orders to put in for festive period.

But hey I'm all right Jack doesn't affect me and stop being a snowflake its only a paper mask. 👎

Just put us all out of our misery shut the country down and pay us 80% wage.
 
ElBurroSinNombre said:
I am awake but I am not going to whinge about a few minor inconveniences that hardly affect me. I know two people who have died of Covid, it's real, it's here and there is a new threat. If I can do anything (based on science) to help stop it's spread then I will do it.
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I'm assuming your a man of a certain age ? and you have had a good life ? and enjoyed all the freedoms and liberties living in a covid free environment provided for you ? and now your happy to comply. what about the young people ? not bothered about them ??
 
“The Omicron variant of the coronavirus appears to be spreading faster in the UK than in South Africa, according to two infectious diseases experts.”

“Covid-19 cases caused by Omicron are doubling every 2.2 days in the UK, compared with every 3 days in South Africa, Trevor Bedford, associate professor in biostatistics, bioinformatics, and epidemiology at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, said on Twitter”
 
poolseasider said:
Theatre and Cinema bookings already down.
Travel agents bookings down(actually in non existence).
Footfall in towns will be down with shops cafe's, bars & restaurants etc all suffering.
Hospitality with lost
party bookings and haven’t a clue as one manager told me yesterday what orders to put in for festive period.

But hey I'm all right Jack doesn't affect me and stop being a snowflake its only a paper mask. 👎

Just put us all out of our misery shut the country down and pay us 80% wage.
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My point is that we can carry on fairly normally within the current restrictions and I will be doing that. In that way I will be supporting my local economy as much as I can, I won't throw the towel in because of a few new rules like you seem to be suggesting we should. What is your point?

Scaramanga said:
I'm assuming your a man of a certain age ? and you have had a good life ? and enjoyed all the freedoms and liberties living in a covid free environment provided for you ? and now your happy to comply. what about the young people ? not bothered about them ??
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What else can you do apart from comply with the restrictions, which are in truth fairly minor? Of course I care about the younger generation but Covid is here, with us and is not going anywhere for now. I have three children who are part of the younger generation who will also be getting on with things, within the rules as far as I am aware - what is your point? Wishing things were different doesn't change the reality, just get on with your life.
 
Adams Kebab said:
In what way? Of course you protect your family, but we’ve always done that haven’t we?

This idea we have to protect everyone else is madness. Nobody cared before.
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Utter utter bollocks.

Society has only even worked because rules are in place to stop people putting others at risk, so many established laws designed so one individual can't do harm to others.
 
Lost Seasider said:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-n...reacting-may-early-panic-real-impact-omicron/

“Currently, there is no strong evidence that omicron infections are either more or less severe than delta infections,” said Britain’s leading scientists.
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It says sage warned ....

“Currently, there is no strong evidence that omicron infections are either more or less severe than delta infections,” said Britain’s leading scientists.

Sage are also full of doomsday scientists it seems.

We have had evidence, as I posted in my prior articles, it may only be preliminary and based off the number who have caught it so far but its there, what else can we go off but the data so far.

Thar initial data from SA showed only 10% hospitalised needed oxygen compared to 100% before.

These are worst case scenario scientists, they will always go for restrictions just in case and economic impact and the health impact from lockdows etc aren't factored into their equations, only covid risk.

Even in articles like this on sky it says there is mounting evidence its mild but according to sage 'no strong evidence'.

Which is it mounting evidence or none.....

Plus seemingly good vaccine news.

news.sky.com

COVID-19: Omicron cases surge by up to 400% in South Africa - but vaccine effectiveness 'encouraging'

The virus is spreading in the country faster than at any point during the pandemic, but officials say the effectiveness of vaccines is "encouraging".
news.sky.com news.sky.com

"Omicron coronavirus cases have surged by as much as 400% in some parts of South Africa - although the country's health ministry has said there is mounting evidence the variant causes milder infection."



"Glenda Gray, president of the South African Medical Research Council, said: "We are seeing this vaccine is maintaining effectiveness.

"It may be slightly reduced, but we are seeing effectiveness being maintained for hospital admissions and that is very encouraging."


www.economist.com

Early data on Omicron show surging cases but milder symptoms

The variant’s capacity for reinfection appears unprecedented
www.economist.com www.economist.com
 
Adams Kebab said:
In what way? Of course you protect your family, but we’ve always done that haven’t we?

This idea we have to protect everyone else is madness. Nobody cared before.
Click to expand...

Surely we have laws around drink driving, gun ownership etc to protect 'everyone else'. If you had an STD would you knowingly carry it around, not get it treated and try and have lots of bareback? Is it that much different? (Yes it is, but you know what i'm getting at...)
 
Lytham_fy8 said:
Utter utter bollocks.

Society has only even worked because rules are in place to stop people putting others at risk, so many established laws designed so one individual can't do harm to others.
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About health? Spreading the flu? Sickness ans diarrhoea bugs? Obesity?

People weren’t arsed about any of the above? It’s took till 2020 to decide that masks (available from Poundland) prevent deadly viruses.

So it’s not really bollocks is it when it comes to protecting your own health not others. We’re not talking about “established laws”… I’m talking about personal responsibility.

Someone who is morbidly obese, smokes, drinks and is a consistent burden on the health system, is deemed by the gov to be less of a concern if double jabbed than a physically fit, in-shape and incredibly healthy unjabbed individual.

Make that make sense 🤣🤣
 
straightatthewall said:
Surely we have laws around drink driving, gun ownership etc to protect 'everyone else'. If you had an STD would you knowingly carry it around, not get it treated and try and have lots of bareback? Is it that much different? (Yes it is, but you know what i'm getting at...)
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Of course we have laws, but not regarding peoples health, which was always personal responsibility. Many people might have played bareback roulette, but I don’t think if we’re honest you’ve whacked a Johnny on to protect others, it was to protect yourself ☺
 
Adams Kebab said:
About health? Spreading the flu? Sickness ans diarrhoea bugs? Obesity?

People weren’t arsed about any of the above? It’s took till 2020 to decide that masks (available from Poundland) prevent deadly viruses.

So it’s not really bollocks is it when it comes to protecting your own health not others. We’re not talking about “established laws”… I’m talking about personal responsibility.

Someone who is morbidly obese, smokes, drinks and is a consistent burden on the health system, is deemed by the gov to be less of a concern if double jabbed than a physically fit, in-shape and incredibly healthy unjabbed individual.

Make that make sense 🤣🤣
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wall-murals-surprised-fat-man.jpg.jpg


This jabbed man above is healthier than this unjabbed runner below.

healthy-athlete-runner-man-urban-city-lifestyle-young-sports-male-running-grunge-fence-background-outdoors-summer-wearing-blue-155546276.jpg
 
Adams Kebab said:
About health? Spreading the flu? Sickness ans diarrhoea bugs? Obesity?

People weren’t arsed about any of the above? It’s took till 2020 to decide that masks (available from Poundland) prevent deadly viruses.

So it’s not really bollocks is it when it comes to protecting your own health not others. We’re not talking about “established laws”… I’m talking about personal responsibility.

Someone who is morbidly obese, smokes, drinks and is a consistent burden on the health system, is deemed by the gov to be less of a concern if double jabbed than a physically fit, in-shape and incredibly healthy unjabbed individual.

Make that make sense 🤣🤣
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No.

You've ignored the whole 'risk to others' part.
 
Booster jab 75% effective to omicron symptoms. What’s everyone worry for. Triple jabbed, ram your virus.
 
Sounds like a real surge in cases, mostly Omicron is on the way.
Two jabs not likely to stop infection to it, and it could be several weeks before they find out for sure if two jabs will prevent serious disease.
The World really needs this variant to be much less dangerous. Let’s just hope it is.
 
Scaramanga said:
Booster jab 75% effective to omicron symptoms. What’s everyone worry for. Triple jabbed, ram your virus.
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Thing is, isn't the booster just the same Pfizer jab many of us all had. So anyone who's had their 2nd jab recently should have the same protection no?
 
Hertsseasider said:
Plan c incoming. Buckle up.
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Why? Vaccines showing signs they work against severe disease plus infection to varying levels.

Milder disease.

Yet we go mad in this country, impose vaccine passports and damage the economy meaning Xmas parties etc cancelled out of fear when the liklihood is there's not a lot to fear.

Pisstake.
 
This now seems to be little more than the common cold - but nowadays we are not allowed such common ailments it HAS to be a life threatening disease otherwise we seem to be unable to recognise it.

Flu takes lives every year and it has done for many decades - how many have died from flu in the last 2 years? Spanish flu took many many millions of lives early in the 20th century, we had no "vaccine" but the world continued (without worldwide media coverage)

We seem to be far too reliant on the media telling us we are all wrong in just living our lives, they want us to live in fear that is how they now control us.

I am a 3 jabbed conformist, but now I can honestly say my health has deteriated massively and I feel terrible. Never before have I had so many aches and pains, fatigue and general illness for no reason whatsoever - I truly wish I had taken my chances without these "vaccines" and this is from a type 1 diabetic for over 40 years.

Take that whatever way you wish, I can only say how I feel at this present moment, I am not a conspiracy believer but I am worried that maybe something else is going on here and that is something we will never be privy to.
 
glasshalffull said:
Sounds like a real surge in cases, mostly Omicron is on the way.
Two jabs not likely to stop infection to it, and it could be several weeks before they find out for sure if two jabs will prevent serious disease.
The World really needs this variant to be much less dangerous. Let’s just hope it is.
Click to expand...
*Changes name to ‘glass fully empty’…
 
Bennys_was_a_mob said:
This now seems to be little more than the common cold - but nowadays we are not allowed such common ailments it HAS to be a life threatening disease otherwise we seem to be unable to recognise it.

Flu takes lives every year and it has done for many decades - how many have died from flu in the last 2 years? Spanish flu took many many millions of lives early in the 20th century, we had no "vaccine" but the world continued (without worldwide media coverage)

We seem to be far too reliant on the media telling us we are all wrong in just living our lives, they want us to live in fear that is how they now control us.

I am a 3 jabbed conformist, but now I can honestly say my health has deteriated massively and I feel terrible. Never before have I had so many aches and pains, fatigue and general illness for no reason whatsoever - I truly wish I had taken my chances without these "vaccines" and this is from a type 1 diabetic for over 40 years.

Take that whatever way you wish, I can only say how I feel at this present moment, I am not a conspiracy believer but I am worried that maybe something else is going on here and that is something we will never be privy to.
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When has your health deteriorated?

Since your first vaccine or since the booster?

Has anything else changed in your life since the pandemic started.... Dietary changes, drinking, exercise patterns etc..?
 
JJpool said:
Thing is, isn't the booster just the same Pfizer jab many of us all had. So anyone who's had their 2nd jab recently should have the same protection no?
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It's Moderna near me unless you specifically ask for Pfizer. Moderna has been the best performer so far.
 
Adams Kebab said:
*Changes name to ‘glass fully empty’…
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Well yes indeed and at least to glasshalfempty anyway, and not before time probably. I was a bit younger and more optimistic back then.
No harm in wishing for a less harmful virus though surely? Still a hell of a lot of unvaccinated people around the globe.
The rest just reports from the latest news in answer to the OP, and I think the jump in cases is probably a given now though?
 
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Sage are still mentally scarred from the first two waves so it’s not surprising they’ve erred towards caution.

They totally over-egged the third wave and the release of lockdown in the summer. Predictions of 200k daily cases and mass deaths / hospitalisations never occurred.

This fourth wave might turn out to be worse, the same or an overreaction again but it will set the National psyche for wave 5.

I’m unhappy to have my life restricted again of course but hoping this is the start of the decline of this virus as it follows other historic viruses
 
We don't yet know with any confidence whether this new wave is going to be majorly serious, so caution is sensible. Masks or no masks is debatable, LFT tests may help a little, but I've just found out it's harder to get them from the chemist's, as you now have to ring 119 to get a code first, which I find astonishing, when we are supposed to be encouraging the non believers to get tested. 🙄
 
Masks here since the start, entry tests for a year now, but you know what we are no better or worse than England for all of that, so i have no clue really, but the news coming out of South Africa is that while is is easier to transmit, the symptoms compared to other variants isn't as bad. Flu mutates every year but we do not make such a fuss over it, one thing is for sure we cannot keep reacting to every new strain on the block.
 
Sooty59 said:
We don't yet know with any confidence whether this new wave is going to be majorly serious, so caution is sensible. Masks or no masks is debatable, LFT tests may help a little, but I've just found out it's harder to get them from the chemist's, as you now have to ring 119 to get a code first, which I find astonishing, when we are supposed to be encouraging the non believers to get tested. 🙄
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You can order them free online and they'll get delivered in a couple of days.
 
Been out and about today and majority not wearing masks and why should we. I wouldn’t trust Boris and his clown show with the steam off my sh1t!
 
Time and time again people say it's scaremongering. I heard there won't be a 2nd wave, then there won't be a 3rd wave. Now there are posters on here telling us this variant is nothing to be concerned about, like they are specialists on the subject. Let's take a leaf out of Michael Gove's book by declaring "who needs experts".
We seem to have an increasing proportion of our population who pour scorn on things as though everything is some conspiracy theory or plan devised by bilderberger new world order. Don't forget the earth is flat, the moon is cheese, covid is fake, omicron is nowt....meanwhile the scientists are concerned and view some restrictions as essential whilst they fully assess.
 
Shandypants said:
Time and time again people say it's scaremongering. I heard there won't be a 2nd wave, then there won't be a 3rd wave. Now there are posters on here telling us this variant is nothing to be concerned about, like they are specialists on the subject. Let's take a leaf out of Michael Gove's book by declaring "who needs experts".
We seem to have an increasing proportion of our population who pour scorn on things as though everything is some conspiracy theory or plan devised by bilderberger new world order. Don't forget the earth is flat, the moon is cheese, covid is fake, omicron is nowt....meanwhile the scientists are concerned and view some restrictions as essential whilst they fully assess.
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That's because it is scaremongering. Also, it's about incentives for the government. They will be blamed for every death attributed to COVID by a hysterical media but they will not be blamed for the devastation caused by restrictions.
 
Bamber said:
That's because it is scaremongering. Also, it's about incentives for the government. They will be blamed for every death attributed to COVID by a hysterical media but they will not be blamed for the devastation caused by restrictions.
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The 1st role of a govt is to protect its citizens. I'm ** sick of this word scaremongering, whether it be aimed at brexit or covid, its childish deflection from adult issues, it's the perfect phrase for a dumbed down society.
 
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