[Puck]

Tiste Simeon, on 07 February 2022 - 04:23 PM, said:

Puck, on 06 February 2022 - 12:36 PM, said:

Looks like my mom has Covid now. Doing okay so far, definitely feeling sick, and staying home and in bed with her unvaccinated ass. That's something. Not gonna lie, I'm glad I have my own place these days, but she dropped by on Tuesday shortly before developing symptoms.

Dang I hope she's ok and that she stays put while she has it.

Thank you for your concern. She's been a good girl (she seems to have developed a liking to being called such in her old age - she's 71 now) and has stayed put at home. I did the grocery shopping for her, though we now live an hour's bus ride apart, but oh well.

Fortunately (?)* her symptoms were comparatively mild: fever, fatigue and several days of severe headaches, but those run in the family, so we tend to be prepared and armed with painkillers with or without Covid.

She tested negative (home test) today, after eleven days. Official test tomorrow.

*question mark because it has reinforced her decision to stay unvaxxed, but actually fortunately because I just cannot deal with potential serious consequences atm

[Tsundoku]

Aptorian, on 12 February 2022 - 07:18 PM, said:

Here's hoping my taste and smell doesn't get fucked up.

Too late for your taste. And I was going to say something about the smell but, you know ...

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 15 February 2022 - 12:01 PM

[Aptorian]

I'd say you hurt my feelings but I lost all feeling of self worth years ago.

[Tsundoku]

That's the spirit!

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'New lab experiments from Japan show that BA.2 may have features that make it as capable of causing serious illness as [...] Delta.

And like Omicron, it appears to largely escape the immunity created by vaccines. [...]

BA.2 is also resistant to some treatments, including sotrovimab, the monoclonal antibody that's currently being used against Omicron.

[... "]we might be looking at a new Greek letter here," [...]


BA.2 can copy itself in cells more quickly than BA.1, the original version of Omicron. It's also more adept at causing cells to stick together. This allows the virus to create larger clumps of cells, called syncytia, than BA.1. That's concerning because these clumps then become factories for churning out more copies of the virus. Delta was also good at creating syncytia, which is thought to be one reason it was so destructive to the lungs.

[...] animals infected with BA.2 got sicker and had worse lung function. [...] lungs [...] had more damage than those infected by BA.1.


But there was a bright spot: Antibodies in the blood of people who'd recently had Omicron also seemed to have some protection against BA.2, especially if they'd also been vaccinated.

[...] "Taking off the masks now is not a good idea. It's just going to extend it."'

https://www.cnn.com/...rity/index.html

[Mezla PigDog]

UK eliminating all restrictions pretty soon. On the one hand I think it's a public health disaster for the clinically vulnerable and undermines our readiness for a worst strain. On the other hand I'm thinking I couldn't give a monkeys. If we are going to have to live with it, may as well rip off the band aid asap and reduce the wider damage restrictions cause. I'm tired of thinking about it.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'Heart-disease risk soars after COVID — even with a mild case

Massive study shows a long-term, substantial rise in risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, after a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

[...] risk was elevated even for those who were under 65 years of age and lacked risk factors, such as obesity or diabetes.

[...] 52% more likely to have had a stroke[...]

[...] risk of heart failure increased by 72%'

https://www.nature.c...586-022-00403-0



'Long Covid now major cause of long-term job absence, say quarter of UK employers

[...] research that suggests the debilitating condition could be exacerbating labour shortages that are plaguing many parts of the economy.''

https://www.ft.com/c...b5-c0b1f68d9653

Oh right, the 'real' plague....

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 21 February 2022 - 11:45 PM

[Macros]

Mezla PigDog, on 21 February 2022 - 11:34 PM, said:

UK eliminating all restrictions pretty soon. On the one hand I think it's a public health disaster for the clinically vulnerable and undermines our readiness for a worst strain. On the other hand I'm thinking I couldn't give a monkeys. If we are going to have to live with it, may as well rip off the band aid asap and reduce the wider damage restrictions cause. I'm tired of thinking about it.

Basically in the same place

[Maark Abbott]

The only reason restrictions are to end is that it will financially benefit those in power. Lots of corporate rent revenue lost (which the cynic in me says is why our energy bills are about to go stupid). Unsurprised to see the Tories use Covid fatigue to get to the herd immunity phase that they've always wanted, where the virus will take care of the unprofitable elderly/social care / disability sectors.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'Today the Danish CDC announced:
* 30% ppl who caught covid have long covid 6-12 after
* 60% of Danes had omicron

18% of 🇩🇰 will have long covid 6+ months later w/those numbers.

Grim. For Danes, Denmark, and anyone following their trajectory.'

https://twitter.com/...808551698587651

'The study includes one of the largest groups yet of people who were not hospitalised with COVID, and followed them for longer than other major studies, the researchers from Denmark's State Serum Institute (SSI) said.

The questionnaire-based study suggested that the most commonly reported long-term symptoms were changes in sense of smell and taste, as well as fatigue.

[...] 29.6% of the respondents who had tested positive reported at least one ongoing physical symptom 6 to 12 months after infection, compared to 13% in the control group.

[...] Just over half (53.1%) of those with positive tests said they had experienced either mental or physical exhaustion, sleep problems or cognitive problems within the 6 to 12 months after infection. That compared to 11.5% in the control group.

[...] "It's something you should take into account when you are weighing up the risks and benefits of... the interventions you are making, and vaccinations," [...]

"If Omicron is causing long Covid at the same rate as these earlier variants, we could be looking at a major crisis over the next 12 months given the number of people who have been exposed to this virus,"'

Almost a third of people report lingering symptom 6-12 months after COVID-19 -study | Reuters

For those whose symptoms are limited to change in sense of smell / taste, that doesn't seem all so bad (unless you're a professional food critic, or live to eat---or smell...). But fatigue... and brain fog....

SSI skønner, at 59% af de voksne danskere har været smittet med covid-19 siden november

'Covid pandemic sparks steep rise in number of people in UK with long-term illness

Figures have soared by 1.2m in two years of pandemic as long Covid takes its toll

More than a third of working-age people in the UK now suffer from a long-term illness[...]

"These figures show the ongoing shock waves of the past two years continue to affect lives today. We're concerned things will continue to get worse as time goes on.[...]"

"It feels like we're ignoring long Covid, [...] People in the middle of their lives are getting robbed of their livelihoods, at risk of losing their homes. I can't fathom why we don't try to prevent it. But we're not."

[...] "We don't yet have data on how many infected during the huge Omicron wave will go on to experience prolonged symptoms, so [numbers] will almost certainly grow. Many, if not most of those with long Covid, are of working age and were previously fit and healthy – there is surely going to be a major effect on the workforce."'

Covid pandemic sparks steep rise in number of people in UK with long-term illness | Health | The Guardian

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'Even "Mild" COVID Is Linked to Significant Brain Changes, Large Study Reveals

[...] and loss of gray matter.

"To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal imaging study of SARS-CoV-2 where participants were initially scanned before any had been infected," [...] University of Oxford[...] peer reviewed and published in Nature.

[...] "significant, deleterious impact" [...]

The structural changes appeared to be persistent – on average, the scans were conducted 5 months [...] after the person was ill'

'those who had been infected had noticeable tissue damage in the piriform cortex, olfactory tubercle, and anterior olfactory nucleus – regions of the brain associated with smell and taste, as well as memory.

These people also had subtly lower scores in cognitive tests than they had before, and had atrophy in the cerebellum – an area of the brain associated with cognition.'

Even 'Mild' COVID Is Linked to Significant Brain Changes, Large Study Reveals (sciencealert.com)

[QuickTidal]

Last of our restrictions (masking mandates) in Ontario lifting on Mar 21st.

I'm not sure if this is too soon or anything, but my hope is that this is really the end and the pandemic is waning to a seasonal virus.

It will be nice to eventually put the final post into this thread that I made on a whim 2 years ago when I worried about this new virus...

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

QuickTidal, on 09 March 2022 - 03:24 PM, said:

Last of our restrictions (masking mandates) in Ontario lifting on Mar 21st.

I'm not sure if this is too soon or anything, but my hope is that this is really the end and the pandemic is waning to a seasonal virus.

It will be nice to eventually put the final post into this thread that I made on a whim 2 years ago when I worried about this new virus...

If BA.2 and subsequent variants continue rendering a large percentage of the working-age population disabled or (at least) mentally impaired... at least it might accelerate the adoption of automation?

The transition from BA.1 to BA.2---more contagious *and* (ceteris paribus, most likely) more severe---does not bode well for future variants.... Wonder if BA.2 (or an even more contagious version of it) will surge as antibodies from omicron infection fade, especially since the apparently longer-lasting defenses against severe illness take so long to kick in that BA.2 will probably have ample time to spread.

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 09 March 2022 - 04:20 PM

[QuickTidal]

Azath Vitr (D, on 09 March 2022 - 04:19 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 09 March 2022 - 03:24 PM, said:

Last of our restrictions (masking mandates) in Ontario lifting on Mar 21st.

I'm not sure if this is too soon or anything, but my hope is that this is really the end and the pandemic is waning to a seasonal virus.

It will be nice to eventually put the final post into this thread that I made on a whim 2 years ago when I worried about this new virus...

If BA.2 and subsequent variants continue rendering a large percentage of the working-age population disabled or (at least) mentally impaired... at least it might accelerate the adoption of automation?

The transition from BA.1 to BA.2---more contagious *and* (ceteris paribus, most likely) more severe---does not bode well for future variants.... Wonder if BA.2 (or an even more contagious version of it) will surge as antibodies from omicron infection fade, especially since the apparently longer-lasting defenses against severe illness take so long to kick in that BA.2 will probably have ample time to spread.

I read it was more transmissible, but not more severe?

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

QuickTidal, on 09 March 2022 - 04:26 PM, said:

Azath Vitr (D, on 09 March 2022 - 04:19 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 09 March 2022 - 03:24 PM, said:

Last of our restrictions (masking mandates) in Ontario lifting on Mar 21st.

I'm not sure if this is too soon or anything, but my hope is that this is really the end and the pandemic is waning to a seasonal virus.

It will be nice to eventually put the final post into this thread that I made on a whim 2 years ago when I worried about this new virus...

If BA.2 and subsequent variants continue rendering a large percentage of the working-age population disabled or (at least) mentally impaired... at least it might accelerate the adoption of automation?

The transition from BA.1 to BA.2---more contagious *and* (ceteris paribus, most likely) more severe---does not bode well for future variants.... Wonder if BA.2 (or an even more contagious version of it) will surge as antibodies from omicron infection fade, especially since the apparently longer-lasting defenses against severe illness take so long to kick in that BA.2 will probably have ample time to spread.

I read it was more transmissible, but not more severe?

'lab experiments from Japan show that BA.2 may have features that make it as capable of causing serious illness as older variants of Covid-19, including Delta.' But prior omicron infection provides protection against BA.2, skewing the statistics on severity. These large-scale statistics also generally can't determine whether someone had an asymptomatic prior omicron infection. Of course it's possible that it's not actually more severe. But people who didn't contract omicron because they were taking precautions, and are now no longer taking those precautions, may end up having more severe disease... we'll see.

Coronavirus: As BA.2 subvariant of Omicron rises, lab studies point to signs of severity | CNN

[Malankazooie]

Two years ago (730 days) on this exact date the worldwide pandemic went Super Saiyan. Four days later the state enacted shelter in place orders. I remember it ruined St. Patrick's Day plans. Was going to enjoy a couple of pints, chipped beef / corned beef + cabbage and tatoes (and soda bread) with colleagues. What bizarre couple of years. Pandemic, now Pooter boy acting up. What's next?

[Macros]

We were getting ready to travel up to Norway for a long weekend, spend a few day with Morgoth and his lady then up to Tromso to see the northern lights, where I was going to pop the question and home on Paddys day. Norway went into quarantining any arrivals the day before we were due to travel.
We, and I think most people, assumed the proposed few months lock down would sort it all out.

I don't think anyone foresaw what all has come since.

I type this as we are preparing to go to Norway for Paddys weekend to spend a few days with Morgy and his lady, 2 years later, lets hope this trip happens!

[James Hutton]

Remember when half of Oz was on fire early 2020 and we thought it couldn't possibly get worse?

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Race against the graph?... race against the surging waves again?

[Garak]

My country lifted mask restrictions. I expect the numbers will go up in a few weeks. Again. This pandemic is like a yo-yo.