Are they overreacting or being sensible? An R of 3 just sounds horrifically ominous.
Got my booster without any issues. Felt like I was the youngest there by a long shot.
has there been any reported deaths with omicron yet?
looking a lot like last christmas, plan C now under discussion….
Sky news saying...
rumours of a "Plan B Plus" have emerged, with suggestions these could be introduced in January.
The Mail claims ministers are drawing up proposals for further restrictions in the new year if the Omicron variant takes hold. According to the newspaper, these would include: "Having to 'check in' with the NHS COVID app again to go to a pub or restaurant, using face masks in all indoor spaces, and having to show a vaccine passport at even more venues."
The upcoming Plan B measures will be reviewed on 5 January, before their expiry date of 26 January.
The PM's official spokesman was asked whether there would be a published Plan C, if current measures did not work.
He said: "There's no plans to go beyond what we've set out already.
"Obviously we need to keep the characteristics of this variant under review, and we would act if necessary, but there's no plans to go beyond what we set out."
Just dropping comments with no info isnt helpful dude especially when people are clearly really worried.
Real story, rules reviewed 5th Jan maybe new measures after that.
has there been any reported deaths with omicron yet?
There hasn't been time yet - we get the report of deaths within 28 days of a positive test as that was when they would usually happen, but I don't think the variant has been known for much more than that, scarily.
And I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but it made me chuckle that in the waiting tent after my booster, I got 5G coverage on my phone for the first time ever…
rumours of a “Plan B Plus” have emerged, with suggestions these could be introduced in January.
While in Scotland Nicola made some moves today, with the prospect of more next week and a 'take care, we are very worried' message - and lots of the concern is that the isolation and numbers will torpedo NHS and other public services.
As has been pointed out already, this has a horrible feeling of March 2020 all over again
Figure 1 does not make great viewing does it
john burn murdoch is always worth a read..
https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1469338725658341381?s=20
Lower down in the thread there's the explanation that Omicron is not necessarily milder
So we can still calculate the fraction of cases that are severe, but this is now lower. It is not lower because there are fewer severe cases, but because there are more mild cases (re-infections).
https://twitter.com/nataliexdean/status/1468988174693289994
Johnson’s away, so it’s time to do some discussing and planning and coordination…
https://twitter.com/scotnational/status/1469291558579146754?s=21
…or on other words, governing rather than campaigning.
resulting in less severe disease and death than past waves
Fingers crossed, but a glance at that graph suggests it doesn’t show that. Assuming the same lag between cases, hospitalisations and deaths… that graph doesn’t show us anything yet. I’ll go and read the whole Twitter thread (and yes, he’s always worth a read)…
How long after receiving a booster should one expect to have maximum benefit from it?
2-3 weeks is the normal i think. May be quicker as it is a third
Tallpaul
Full Member
How long after receiving a booster should one expect to have maximum benefit from it?
Now,I can't remember where I read it but it was likely either on the Beeb or CNN but a single week was mentioned in seeing a significant antibody boost... from the erm, booster.
I’m certainly feeling the effects of my booster jab last night. Feel like I’ve aged 40 years!
In other news,I have an acquaintance who's take on the vaccine is this:
"Pure blood" what an arsehat.
Booster booked for Monday, currently double pfizer and an infection down so hoping protection levels will be high enough
I might be missing something fundamental on the left hand graph but it appears that having two AZ jabs actually increases your likelihood of getting omicron?
That graph can't have much data in it, as yes it looks like you actually get better protection as your antibodies wane over time.
Unless there is some weird super infection thing going on like dengue.
Can't see it personally
Given that omicron has been with us such a short time, splitting by weeks is unwise and the confidence intervals show that. Negative VE means you are more likely to catch omicron if you are vaccinated than if not. I don’t think that’s a real effect unless it’s behavioural. But also remember that vaccine efficacy is measured for symptomatic infection not hospital admission. The booster news is very welcome.
A publication from China has shown that all but one approved clinical antibodies have no activity against omicron. That’s quite depressing and could present challenges until orals are widespread. If omicron really does become predominant, a rethink of prophylaxis might also be needed.
The booster news is very welcome.
That's what in choosing to focus on at the moment.
A publication from China has shown that all but one approved clinical antibodies have no activity against omicron.
Could you clarify please? Is that most relevant in regard to immunosuppressed/ people already in ICU?
The paper suggests that Ronapreve (REGEN-COV), Bamlanivimab\Etesivimab and Evusheld (two AZ antibodies) do not neutralise omicron to any significant extent. People admitted without antibodies are given Ronapreve in the UK and this was shown to be effective in the RECOVERY trial. If they have omicron this may not work based on the results of that paper.
Ronapreve is authorised for prophylaxis of immunosuppressed. Evusheld from AZ was approved this week in the US. It likely will be approved here soon for those who cannot form a response by mRNA vaccination. A challenge will be whether any protection is afforded against omicron.
Thanks for the classification TiRed.👍
On another note, stumbled upon this.
No parties for me this year...
I declined my work Christmas Party (downgraded to a meal) last night, and read COVID papers instead.
The boss pulled our Christmas Meal today, postponed until February or March next year. In other news we had our boosters two days ago, Moderna on top of Astra Zeneca. Neither of us feel too bad so far.
Half the staff in my oh's lab are out for a meal next week...
Not arranged by the managers or anything, so not much they can do.
The half covering/ not wanting to go are not happy at all.
2 staff already off with Covid, another 2 awaiting their PCR result, in a lab that struggles in normal times with lack of staff/investment.
Tomorrow's newspapers hinting at further restrictions to come, potentially on the 18th...
Government getting England ready for further measures by leaking it to the newspapers first? Seems entirely to form.
No parties?
A great way to avoid the 'great british public'.
Result!
Wife is an ACP in ED. Her trust emailed everyone yesterday and ‘strongly recommend’ that any planned Christmas parties were cancelled and/or postponed.
Give that they have seen a fair rise in Covid admissions and now have confirmed Omicron cases alongside what she’s seeing in the form of pressure on their dept I’m not surprised.
It’s worse than the usual ‘winter pressures’- waits in ED now regularly breaching 12 hours, a couple on her shift on Thursday had been in dept for over 24hrs.
She says that the vast bulk of the Covid patients in ITU are unvaccinated but they are seeing more people coming into ED unwell with it who are double or triple vaccinated. Most of them aren’t as unwell as the unvaccinated but are of course still presenting to hospital, being admitted and therefore adding to the problem of limited inpatient capacity.
Worth pointing out that hospitals are at already at capacity* with non-covid patients, even a small increase in flu or less serious covid patients will break the system, or even lots of broken hips if people slip on ice etc.
*There was a lovely graph on the BBC page yesterday which of course I can't find now.
No parties for us this year. Last of the kids music concerts tonight. Have a feeling next weeks gymnastics shows will be cancelled. All schools closing next Friday 17th?
No parties?
A great way to avoid the ‘great british public’.
Result!
Agreed
I have in fact avoided all work social outings since 2015. Better safe than sorry.
We had a straight "work from home, all social events cancelled" email from our UK CEO at 8am Thursday morning. Probably 5000 people in our UK division.
Lots of praise internally for the lack of ambiguity.
BBC (TV) reporting Scottish Omicron cases just from 2% to 15% of reported cases in 7 days.
Mrs S was in Raigmore Hospital this week and ambulance s were having to wait outside with patients as there were so many folk arriving - but with normal, seasonal, issues like falls etc. There just isn't any slack in the system.
Aye, and the new isolation rules will have a huge effect on hospitals, although I did note a caveat of certain critical roles that were exempt.
Not seen any details on that one.
Johnson’s official spokesman has confirmed that No 10 and the Treasury have cancelled their Christmas parties but the public should go ahead with their festive plans.
Not sure what to make of that at all.
We need Matt Lucas…
“Don’t have Xmas parties, but do have Xmas parties…”
From reading comments in various places I see lots of skepticism about Omicron and the booster.
Lots of.. Omicron is mild just like a cold. Government are just scaring us / controling us. The booster won't stop you catching it so what's the point.
The general public don't seem to understand how vaccines work, that viruses mutate and that immunity wanes.
Another Dad stood on the sidelines at footy this morning loudly proclaiming that Omicron is a mild variant. He’d also had COVID ‘twice’ despite never having taken a PCR test. Ho hum.
Omicron is mild just like a cold.
People don’t get it. Still. It’s like concentrating on how most people walk away from road traffic accidents relatively unscathed… that isn’t an argument for not closing a lane on a motorway if debris has been spotted a bit further down the road. The worry about this new variant is that many people will get it in a relatively short time period if we don’t act. Now, do we act in advance to prevent that pile up? Or wait and see how many people that are caught up in it need hospital care, and then tut about it?
i think thats just down to the subtle difference between "less effective" and "ineffective".
if the vaccine stopped you catching it, prevents you spreading it, it would be a fix...its not.
what we actually have is more akin to holding your hand over the plug hole to prevent the water escaping..
it can work well, sometimes its useless, the water is going to escape, eventually, in most cases.... should you bother? if you think all the water draining out isnt an issue, then let go and fix it afterwards.... those in favour of trying to block the hole dont want to chuck baby out with the bathwater.
im seeing/hearing more people mentally approaching the edge, so much significance is placed on the coming weeks.... still feels like a long time till spring.
My thoughts, BJ et al will try to get us to xmas under current plan b
Plan b wont be enough. The amount of social gatherings in pubs, homes, offices and school nativity plys etc will accelerate omnicron infections massively
They will try to bluff it out then be forced imto tougher measures early jan.
The revenue from alcohol amd fuel from travelling plus vat will be welcome, and the feel good factor of getting xmss done is good for votes
Then you dont have to face any backlash for cancelling xmas twice, the ' im going to grans for Xmas and there is nothing you can do about it mister' brigade
Naff all happens from 03 jan anyway.
