Deep Concern Over New Variant

[Stickybottle]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-59426277
A Covid variant that the vaccine is 40 percent less effective against
Along with what is happening in Europe and the cold snap we are about to endure over the weekend it is not looking too good
I hope I am wrong

[dannyk13]

ich, this is hard work. Final post re this matter.
//UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid sounded an alarm over the new 'worst-ever' super-mutant Covid variant that will make vaccines at least 40 per cent less effective,//

[Sqad]

Monitor the situation.
It could just fizzle out or it could be a real problem.
The reduced reaction to present vaccines has been assumed due to the different antigenic structure of the spike protein.

My thoughts based on the past 2 years.......more restrictions and a tough winter.

[naomi24]

If that's what's happening stressing over it won't change it.

[ichkeria]

“ ich, this is hard work ”

You’re not kidding!
Just to repeat: that quote is merely quoting the DM headline.
I haven’t seen any other reference to 40%. No one can possibly know that yet.

[Togo]

Two links here ... wonder if the illegal immigrants will carry it in for us.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/medical/new-covid-variant-spreading-in-south-africa-is-reason-for-concern/ar-AAR7wyH?li=BBoPWjQ

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/fears-grow-fourth-wave-covid-cases-quadruple-south-africa/

[Stickybottle]

danny I am sorry that you are having a bad day with the perpetually argumentative !

Maybe ichkeria has got the hump with me since I questioned them yesterday over the post on the migrant drowning thread to which they have not responded

[ichkeria]

Er I can assure you that no one has the "bump" (!)

I'm merely casting doubt on the assertion that vaccines will be 40% less effective against this "Nu" variant. No where that I can see does anyone say that: even the IMO rather irresponsble DM headline is only speculating.
That is at best a misunderstanding and at worst an unhelpful rumour verging on deliberate misinformation: not the fault of the OP, but as I said before, the headline, which has been picked up by an onther media outlet, is not backed up by the actual article, wehen you read it.
I have not seen your question about drowning migrants, btw.

[New Judge]

//I fear for the nhs over the next week//

The NHS has faced a "crisis" every winter for as long as I can remember. This one will be no different. It is already struggling, as the links on here attest. In the past it had nothing to do with Covid. Last winter it was obviously a severe problem - so much so that treatment for many other ailments and routine preventative measures ceased entirely. Currently the number of Covid patients in hospital is the lowest for about six weeks and they occupy about one in twenty NHS beds. But still patients are being treated in corridors and queuing in ambulances. This is because the NHS is unfit for purpose and will continue to be so until it is completely reformed. Politicians believe the answer is to throw money at it. It isn't. It sucks up money like a vacuum cleaner sucks up dust. The difference is the vacuum cleaner leaves your carpet cleaner. They announced a huge increase in funding a couple of months ago and the reaction from the NHS was to hire 42 new managers on £240k each (with no doubt the attendant support staff) to work out how to spend it.

It's a complete joke - and I'm not laughing.

[chelle7272]

Yes the 40% figure appears to be invented for the headline, no one is quoted as saying 40% just that it could be less effective.

[royfromaus]

dannyk13
ich, this is hard work. Final post re this matter.
_______________________

Good.
I agree with the stance of Ich and Clive Dunn.

[Stickybottle]

From the link

On Thursday Britain's health secretary, Sajid Javid sounded the alarm over what one senior scientific advisor in the UK termed the 'worst-ever' super-mutant COVID variant.

He said it could make vaccines at least 40 per cent less effective, and as a result he said they had banned flights from South Africa and five other regional countries.

So somebody has had a direct quote from him or the journalist is lying
Would not be the first time I guess
Curiouser and curiouser ?

[dannyk13]

One last attempt:-
//Experts have predicted “some reduced vaccine effect” but are not able to judge how bad it could be.

Some compared it to the Beta variant – which saw vaccine efficacy reduced by 30%-40%.//

[dannyk13]

Above quote is from:-
https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/19742915.deep-concern-worst-covid-variant-seen-far/

[lankeela]

Headlines sell newspapers! Although I don't know why, I can honestly say I have never bought a newspaper because I read a headline and wanted to know more.

[anneasquith]

This is a cause for concern for some not for others .

[Sqad]

Another Sqad thought:

The new South African variant is already in the U.K

[Khandro]

Meanwhile, the Chinese bar-stewards who started it ("nothing to do with us, longnoses") are using it, while everyone else is pre-occupied & panicking, to camouflage their political & military ambitions, amassing the largest forces ever seen in the South China Sea.
Whatever you do, don't buy Chinese products.

[dave50]

Here we go again, may, might, could, those were the words used but still pushing some into panic mode. I have become immune to all the hype, completely lost interest and I really don't care anymore whatever the headlines are about new varients, infections, hospitalisations, deaths, or how "our wonderful NHS" is struggling to cope. Im sure there are some that would relish another lock down, l don't think they can handle normality anymore, they need to get a grip.

[Bobbisox1]

Sqad it is what it is, all the headlines and scaremongering isn’t going to change that! are they?

[anneasquith]

Why would it not sqad? Restricted travel was only introduced yesterday . ( or Wednesday ) .