[News] Coronavirus

A place to discuss the now-global coronavirus outbreak.

UK study finds evidence of waning antibody immunity to COVID-19 over time

Antibodies against the novel coronavirus declined rapidly in the British population during the summer, a study found on Tuesday, suggesting protection after infection may not be long lasting and raising the prospect of waning immunity in the community.

Scientists at Imperial College London have tracked antibody levels in the British population following the first wave of COVID-19 infections in March and April.

Their study found that antibody prevalence fell by a quarter, from 6% of the population around the end of June to just 4.4% in September. That raises the prospect of decreasing population immunity ahead of a second wave of infections in recent weeks that has forced local lockdowns and restrictions.

I am currently in quarantine awaiting test results. One of my colleagues apparently went on a camping trip with other people 13 people, 8 of whom are now all positive - including my colleague, who came back to the office after his weekend away and was in my office. Our time together was less than the cdc guidelines would consider exposure, so I am fairly confident I am ok. We were both masked, but I did I take a covid test on Sunday out of an abundance of caution. It doesn't help that the temperature dropped 50 degrees over the weekend and we now have 2 inches of snow, so I am sure that sore throat I have is just weather related - but the brain weasels are running at full speed. I am very annoyed at my colleague, and very anxious to get my test back.

Grrr. Why are people so freaking stupid?
Keep us informed SallyNasty, I hope you get good news.

I know right?
It is one thing to assume risk yourself. But to then go back to work like no big deal is absolutely disgusting!

SallyNasty, that sucks. I was in the same boat when I had my test two months ago. I'm confident that both of us being masked saved me from getting it. I hope it's the same for you! Hoping for quick results, too.

SallyNasty wrote:

I am currently in quarantine awaiting test results. One of my colleagues apparently went on a camping trip with other people 13 people, 8 of whom are now all positive - including my colleague, who came back to the office after his weekend away and was in my office. Our time together was less than the cdc guidelines would consider exposure, so I am fairly confident I am ok. We were both masked, but I did I take a covid test on Sunday out of an abundance of caution. It doesn't help that the temperature dropped 50 degrees over the weekend and we now have 2 inches of snow, so I am sure that sore throat I have is just weather related - but the brain weasels are running at full speed. I am very annoyed at my colleague, and very anxious to get my test back.

Update - test came back negative. Phew.

SallyNasty wrote:
SallyNasty wrote:

I am currently in quarantine awaiting test results. One of my colleagues apparently went on a camping trip with other people 13 people, 8 of whom are now all positive - including my colleague, who came back to the office after his weekend away and was in my office. Our time together was less than the cdc guidelines would consider exposure, so I am fairly confident I am ok. We were both masked, but I did I take a covid test on Sunday out of an abundance of caution. It doesn't help that the temperature dropped 50 degrees over the weekend and we now have 2 inches of snow, so I am sure that sore throat I have is just weather related - but the brain weasels are running at full speed. I am very annoyed at my colleague, and very anxious to get my test back.

Update - test came back negative. Phew.

fantastic news!!

Seriously....

(CNN)The White House included ending the coronavirus pandemic on a list of the Trump administration's science and technology accomplishments, despite nearly half a million Americans tested positive for Covid-19 in just the last week.
"Highlights include: ENDING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC," the news release sent to reporters read. "From the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Administration has taken decisive actions to engage scientists and health professionals in academia, industry, and government to understand, treat, and defeat the disease."

Victoria has made 'enormous' improvements to its coronavirus contact tracing system, Australia's Chief Scientist says

Dr Alan Finkel has been advising the State Government since August on modernising and digitising its processes.

"Improvements have been manifest across all of the system," the Chief Scientist told Senate Estimates.

He said efficiencies and improvements had been made in workforce training and a shift from paper-based forms to fully digital processes.

Dr Finkel indicated that Victoria was achieving his target of notifying close contacts within 48 hours.

"I'm very comfortable with the performance of Victoria against that target," he said.

It really is shocking to me that they would declare the pandemic over with numbers like we have currently.

It is all the more depressing because Fox cult members will now not wear masks, they will scream about restrictions on occupancy, push to put kids back in school etc.

I suppose it is all about the election and having numb nuts be able to say "mission accomplished"

farley3k wrote:

It really is shocking to me that they would declare the pandemic over with numbers like we have currently.

Is it really shocking though?

Why haven't you come to expect "the ocean is completely dry" level of honesty from the Trump administration by now?

Shocking because I did think that somewhere in the government there were people still dedicated to the American people. Sure he has driven many of them out but still.

farley3k wrote:

Shocking because I did think that somewhere in the government there were people still dedicated to the American people. Sure he has driven many of them out but still.

The Office of Science and Technology Policy was created to advise the White House on, well, science and technology.

Trump got rid of two-thirds of the staff the department had under Obama and left it without a head until last year. The folks that Trump did hire aren't actually scientists and are clearly willing to say anything to justify Trump's policies.

The vast majority of people who work for the government are still dedicated to the American people. It's just that Trump doesn't like reality intruding on his policies and is pursuing a very aggressive strategy to weed out anyone who clearly sees that the emperor has no clothes.

farley3k wrote:

Shocking because I did think that somewhere in the government there were people still dedicated to the American people. Sure he has driven many of them out but still.

Right now I suspect those people are keeping their heads down and waiting for whatever the result is in your election.

We have a similar situation in the UK at the moment and our civil service - those who have made a stand against the glaring incompetence of the current government and power behind the throne Dominic Cummings have either gone of their own volition, or been effectively forced out. The rest are basically not sticking their heads above the parapet and waiting to see what happens (I have a direct family source on this, the feelings in the critical parts of the Civil Service here right now borders on mutinous) - apart from making very sure if the worst does happen it falls on Boris, Cummings & the cabinet, not them.

The North of England current has an R rate thought to be somewhere between 1.5 - 2. In the South of England it's currently thought to be above 2, or even 3 in parts of London. We are heading to another national lockdown (the Welsh did this last Friday) here, whether the current government want it or not.

What we can learn from 1918's deadly second wave

Health experts expect Covid-19 infections to increase this winter because the virus that causes Covid-19 is a coronavirus, and other coronaviruses spread more during winter. In wintry, less-humid air, virus-carrying particles can linger in the air longer. Additionally, our nasal membranes are drier and more vulnerable to infection in winter. And as the weather gets colder, we spend more time indoors without sufficient ventilation, which means the virus has a higher likelihood of spreading.

Covid-19 hasn't "claimed as many lives yet as did influenza. Basically, around 675,000 people died in the US by the end of the 1918 pandemic," said Dr. Jeremy Brown, an emergency care physician and author of "Influenza: The Hundred-Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History." "That would, today, be around 3 million people in the US. The good news is that we haven't seen those numbers — of course, the numbers are really quite appalling.

"But, of course, the story that we're talking about isn't over yet," Brown said.

Though Covid-19 cases are increasing and could spike this winter, there are things we can do to stem the spread. Precautions such as physical distancing, avoiding gatherings and unnecessary travel, hand-washing and mask wearing are still important.

Stocking up on grocery, medical and emergency preparedness items — responsibly and in a manner that's considerate of others — can help limit trips to stores, thus decreasing chances of spread.

In 1918, there wasn't an approved and regulated vaccine. This time around with coronavirus, Operation Warp Speed and other programs are testing vaccines to be able to inoculate the public potentially by spring 2021.

What's also still of utmost value is heeding the updates and guidance of your local public health authorities, and the scientific knowledge of researchers and organizations like the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

If we live to see a second wave, that would be useful info.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/6UUKXye.png)

F this guy. He got his Supreme Court justice and that’s all he cares about.

(CNN)Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday a new coronavirus stimulus bill should be considered at the beginning of 2021, not in a post-election lame duck session of Congress as some lawmakers had hoped would happen after pre-election talks failed.
JC wrote:

F this guy. He got his Supreme Court justice and that’s all he cares about.

(CNN)Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday a new coronavirus stimulus bill should be considered at the beginning of 2021, not in a post-election lame duck session of Congress as some lawmakers had hoped would happen after pre-election talks failed.

HEY HEY HEY! STOP THAT!

He also cares about tax cuts for the rich.

And his cup ten gallon jug full of lib tears!

Trump said COVID would disappear after Nov 3, so that should be fine, right?

Internal Documents Reveal COVID-19 Hospitalization Data The Government Keeps Hidden

NPR wrote:

As coronavirus cases rise swiftly around the country, surpassing both the spring and summer surges, health officials brace for a coming wave of hospitalizations and deaths. Knowing which hospitals in which communities are reaching capacity could be key to an effective response to the growing crisis. That information is gathered by the federal government — but not shared openly with the public.

NPR has obtained documents that give a snapshot of data the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services collects and analyzes daily. The documents — reports sent to agency staffers — highlight trends in hospitalizations and pinpoint cities nearing full hospital capacity and facilities under stress. They paint a granular picture of the strain on hospitals across the country that could help local citizens decide when to take extra precautions against COVID-19.

Withholding this information from the public and the research community is a missed opportunity to help prevent outbreaks and even save lives, say public health and data experts who reviewed the documents for NPR.

"At this point, I think it's reckless. It's endangering people," says Ryan Panchadsaram, co-founder of the website COVID Exit Strategy and a former data official in the Obama administration. "We're now in the third wave, and I think our only way out is really open, transparent and actionable information."

The documents show that detailed information hospitals report to HHS every day is reviewed and analyzed — but circulation seems to be limited to a few dozen government staffers from HHS and its agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health, according to distribution lists reviewed by NPR. Only one member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, Adm. Brett Giroir, appears to receive the documents directly.

Looks like stripping the CDC of COVID-19 reporting is going exactly the way the Trump admin wanted it to...

EDIT: 97motherhumpingthousand new cases today.

Damn, Belgium had 24,000 new cases today. That is wild, 7x cases per capita compared to US. France had 545 deaths and likewise a huge amount of new cases. Daily cases worldwide seem to be going up by 10% each day right now. Next 6-8 months will be incredibly long.

Looks like we're headed to a second national lockdown here in the UK as well by the end of next week. This is about 3 weeks too late and will have the added bonus of seriously annoying all the Welsh people already in a national lockdown - they'll be exiting theirs just as the national one starts. More lockdown for them then!

Well that's at least 700 less votes in swing states for him. It's like he wants to lose.

Stele wrote:

Well that's at least 700 less votes in swing states for him. It's like he wants to lose.

That's a callous, sh*tty way to look at it. It's also incorrect. Those 700 deaths weren't necessarily attendees to his rallies. They were also family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and clients of attendees. They were people multiple degrees removed from Trump's most faithful.

One really tragic thing about events like these or Sturgis is that they don't affect only the people who attended them. People who defend these things will say that people who went understood the risks and were willing to face the consequences. But they're not the only ones who bear those risks and consequences because chains of transmission don't stop with them. They get other people sick who get other people sick, and it's those people who die.

Trump's events are so irresponsible and morally indefensible because they affect entire communities and transmit the virus to people who didn't carelessly put themselves in its path.