Bleak Omnicron Prediction

[Gromit]

Hope this is wrong.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/11/omicron-covid-variant-could-cause-75000-deaths-in-england-by-end-of-april-say-scientists

Possible 75,000 deaths by April.

[anneasquith]

Ttt. Remember that statement if you should be unlucky enough to catch the new variant .

[ToraToraTora]

what statement?

[Gromit]

// Dr Nick Davies, one of the researchers, said Omicron was spreading "very fast", was "quite concerning" and was likely to be the dominant form of the virus in England by the end of the year.

The report says the number of people infected is currently doubling every 2.4 days in England. //

[Stickybottle]

naomi24
I watched a report of this on the lunchtime news which basically said they know very little about it but still those who know very little about it predicted enormous numbers could die and the NHS become overwhelmed.

Shameful, irresponsible scaremongering - in my opinion. If they don’t know they should shut up until they do.

Remember how everyone scoffed when they said tens of thousands will die ?
Everyone blamed the government for inaction
Now some are moaning because they are being very cautious
They cannot run can they ?
Does not matter who is in charge
Nobody has ever dealt with anything like this so any government could be accused of making it up as they go along

[Stickybottle]

*win not run

[naomi24]

We know it’s spreading fast but no one has died.

[naomi24]

Yes, I do remember sticky, and the estimates were wrong then too. They actually said hundreds of thousands would die initially. I’m happy for the government to be cautious - but I’m not happy with the way this has been reported. Listening to that news broadcast one could have been forgiven for thinking the end is nigh - and that is not conducive to positivity or morale.

[Stickybottle]

If you say so

[naomi24]

I did say so.

[Khandro]

It is very contagious (so is the common cold) but it doesn't have serious effects, certainly no deaths, according to the latest results from the US & elsewhere

[david small]

This reminds me of a stampede. Usually cattle, in this case humans. Fear feeds on fear. We sure must be hungry.

[Peter Pedant]

// Shameful, irresponsible stupid numbskull scaremongering. If they don’t know, they should shut up until they do.//
why?
AB does it all the time

The nobs have always said that the South African data is skewed by young mainly uni patients, presence of HIV and low vaccination rates. - The Beeb have finally taken this on board and dropped the so called savantes like Angelique Coetzee....

this pm, expert nob said - they usually start dying in the third week of the disease.... ( which we are entering so we should know within 5 days - -with that cohort that had 61 + out of 600)

[mushroom25]

// they usually start dying in the third week of the disease. //
a friend who works in an ITU somewhere in the south west says that (on average) from onset of symptoms to hospital bed takes about 10 days, and progresses to body bag 2 weeks after that.

[dave50]

Don't care. The economy and other illnesses are now more important.

[naomi24]

Mushroom, according to the WHO, of the 38 countries that have reported the presence of this variant none have reported any deaths.

[bobbinwales]

Don't undersell yourself and your family dave50- your lives are important. Being in intensive care is no fun. Take care

[dave50]

Yes well bobbin, just sick of it all, we will take our chances thanks. Life's a risk.

[jno]

I wouldn't say the estimate is "wrong", it's a worst-case scenario, and we can decide if we want to plan for it or just wing it, as has been the main procedure so far.

I also think it's pointless to say nobody's died of Omicron. It's been around for barely a month and the scientists are still working on it. It's simply too early to know if anyone's died of it. "Nobody" is what you might call a best-case scenario, but one that encourages us to do nothing rather than to do something.

[jourdain2]

I'm with dave 50.

[dave50]

Just get on with life for goodness sake. Yes some may die but hey that's life. Dont destroy the economy for the young ones