The Coronavirus Discussion Thread.

I’ve very out of the loop regarding strains, but I think I read XEC is the one causing most concern for coming months.

Is it known how effective JN.1 based vaccines are against XEC yet?

No. Based on last year’s studies, the XBB vaccines were about 50% effective (NEJM: “During this period, the dominant circulating variants changed from EG.5 and XBB.1.16 to HV.1 and then to JN.1, and the prevalence of the XBB.1.5 subvariant decreased from 10% to less than 1%”). This was backed up in another healthcare provider setting study. So not ineffective if you are one or two steps behind the emergent strain. Of course evolutionarily, it is possible that the vaccination pushed the emergence of newer strains, all back in the original BA.2 fold (scroll down to see tree). But I’d expect broadly similar results.

Utter madness – and then you think back to those days and it’s probably true as well.

Favourite comment “A Fridge too Far”

I don’t think we’ve turned anyone down who’s asked for it TBH regardless of their age. or whether they’re in one of the vulnerable groups or not.

That’s interesting. Trying to get a sane response from my GP  is like squeezing blood out of a stone. The missus uses ongoing immuno-suppressive medication and the last thing I want to do is infect her, but the actual process of being vaccinated round here seems almost deliberately hard to navigate – a lot of ‘it’s not our problem you’ll need to contact xyz stuff’.

it’s so weird.  My best mate is a touring DJ.  Spends his life on planes and in sweaty nightclubs full of kids on drugs. Has never had COVID!

I vaguely recall reading an article which suggested some people have a very high natural resistance to covid.

Is it known how effective JN.1 based vaccines are against XEC yet?

No numbers, but, “The campaign for autumn booster in the UK will start in October with an updated vaccine targeting the JN.1 variant, which XEC derives from, assuring a good level of protection against severe illness.” https://theconversation.com/xec-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-covid-variant-239125

Utter madness – and then you think back to those days and it’s probably true as well.

True that more people will buy the book…

Utter madness – and then you think back to those days and it’s probably true as well.

It’s absolute nonsense.

Made up nonsense to sell his shitty book.

He wants to appear all Churchillian, thinking outside the box to save the UK.

If it came up at all, it was an idea suggested in a meeting and dismissed out of hand.

He’s a fraud.

Well our work (NHS) COVID policy backfired this week. The policy is “if you have COVID but feel well enough to work, come to work, wear mask etc”

One such colleague did as per the advice, had tested positive, came to work……for 3hrs then felt more unwell and went home….over the next 3 days 4 other colleagues are now off with covid, we are already 4 members of staff down so the backlog will now get significantly bigger.

Madness

I got a text Thursday to book for a Covid booster and got an appointment in 2 weeks for it. Was offered if I needed a flu vaccine at the time but I had already booked that for next week.

If it came up at all, it was an idea suggested in a meeting and dismissed out of hand then they all partied, got pissed together and forgot about it

He’s a fraud ****

FTFY

Mrs_oab is waiting on the call…

I was able to book for both simultaneously online on Monday, I did that off my own bat but in any case got an invite to apply on Wednesday. I’m in England though, I guess Scotland could be different.

@rOcKeTdOg That’s one for HSE under the Health part of the employer’s duties. Ask for the risk assessment, senior managers like that sort of reminder!

our work (NHS) COVID policy

JFC.

Has a post been removed? What book are people talking about?

Oh, I see, it’s in the Boris Johnson thread. Who knows what nutty plans he had people working on when they had a million more important things to be doing at the time.

Yes, apparently the link had a naughty word in it

Has never had COVID!

Has never had symptomatic Covid.

Well, there’s three of us in this house of five who have/had something this week. 19 year old son complained of feeling at bit off for three days before cheerfully saying whatever it was, it had gone. 17 year old daughter who is 70 days into pertussis recovery and still having random coughing fits got another phlegmy cough and two days off school, having also had temperature, nausea and dizziness. I woke up yesterday feeling really dizzy /vertigo – almost toppling over; never had anything like it. A bit better today but not good. No cough or temperature but have read that vertigo can be an early symptom. Got daughter and me LFT’d but both negative. Although purchased today, the LFTs have an October 24 expiry. So I suspect false negative. Do latest strains still show up on older tests?