What would you do for a booster?

[Nirish guy]

Cases of Covid have risen in the UK at an alarming rate this week. People are really concerned and cancelling Social meetings themselves.

Yep just as you say it "feels' different this time round as many on social media in the UK now are reporting exactly the same wave of infection washing over them and their friends at an alarming and shocking rate in comparison to the Delta variant. I guess we shouldn't be surprised as that IS exactly what we were told was going to happen, but to see it taking effect so fast is I think what's surprising.

I think people have ( had) perhaps become to normalised with regards to Delta and after being doubled jabbed had fallen into the belief "it wont happen to us now" whereas it seems Omicron now has very different ideas.

My guy and I are meant to be heading out out in Belfast this weekend with a crowd of friends both to a house party and a full on christmas bar crawl weekend and I have to say I'm starting to wonder if that's such a good idea now.

My only saving grace is that where I live is about 2 weeks behind the rest of the UK infection wise so I think i'm going to risk it as one last hurrah for 2021 / Christmas as the way things are shaping up I can see another lockdown, either official or by another name coming in early January (if not before).

in fact just on that I see this morning that both Wales and Southern Ireland governments are meeting to discuss various new measures, they've actually already going ahead in some parts to close nightclubs and theatres again and Ireland are meeting today to discuss closing all bars from 5pm this Monday - the week BEFORE Christmas in ireland ! so that tells you where things are going perhaps here now too :-(

Im guessing all governments would happily have closed everything but decided to give us all the christmas week for a good blow out but even they now are realising that they may not even have the wiggle room to do that re causing infection spread now hence the discussions for more urgent closures.

So all you guys in Thailand talking about bar reopenings and booking flights and what not should perhaps take note of all that and enjoy your time there while you can too as just like before as whatever we're getting now in the UK Thailand is sure to be get shortly again behind us and if Omicron is spreading as many are reporting the numbers infected ( albeit not dying this time hopefully) could still be eye watering :-(

[goji]

People are really concerned and cancelling Social meetings themselves.

I think this is how the UK government intended it to be when relaxing restrictions. People now make their own decisions.

As for Thailand, well Omicron is either here already or soon will be.
In the meantime, two responses seem appropriate:
1 Get a booster. Everyone who has had Astra Zeneca can get an mRNA booster 3 months after the second dose, after revisions to Thai policy. People who had mRNA vaccines have to wait 6 months. Having read a UK PHE report on vaccine performance back in September, this policy makes perfect sense.

2 Enjoy the nightlife when it is open. Even Boyztown appears to have opened today.

[Nirish guy]

I think this is how the UK government intended it to be when relaxing restrictions. People now make their own decisions..

Re delta I think you're right, but their latest messaging about "well we're not closing the bars but perhaps think do you REALLY need to go out and if you go out will it ruin your christmas" is a bit of a cop out as in effect they're (scaring ) suggesting to the Country that whilst the pubs and restaurants are open is it REALLY a good idea to be visiting them !?

The knock on effect of that of course is that half the places are not full and many / all restaurants are reporting massive cancellations of bookings and no shows, both by individuals and more importantly large groups of works christmas parties, leaving businesses that were already on their knees how in an even more precarious position than before !

But all while the government haven't implemented any form of business or furlough support for those businesses again !! So they're playing a cute game in my view - "oh we didn't tell you you have to close so we're not liable" but at the same time doing everything they can to suggest people dont visit those establishments ! I

t'll be interesting just how long they can keep that game up until people / businesses bite back. Also interesting to see that Boris's party lost a by election seat that they had held for over 200 year last night ( so surprisingly after some of their shennanigans of late perhaps) so events like that just might might start to eat into policy decisions too shortly perhaps.

[arsenal]

Chris Whitty, my go to bod for all things virus related days this could go on for another 18 months but each 6 months will be better than the last. I think he's probably right. In my head I've got 4 years in total for this to come to a pretty final end.

[DoubleDutch]

Yep just as you say it "feels' different this time round as many on social media in the UK now are reporting exactly the same wave of infection washing over them and their friends at an alarming and shocking rate in comparison to the Delta variant. I guess we shouldn't be surprised as that IS exactly what we were told was going to happen, but to see it taking effect so fast is I think what's surprising.

Wait a second, are you guys not vaccinated? Are you not getting booster shots? Because if you are vaccinated, what has changed? I tell you what has changed, recent news coverage. it is media's business, their livelihood, their sole purpose to keep you glued to the news, terrified 24/7. And you fall for it, every time. Have we learned nothing in past 2 years?

Media driven fear and our politicians freaking out, rushing into new restrictions, border closures, in order to make it seem they are doing something, that is the only thing that has changed. You guys still refuse to accept that we will all have this virus at one point, very likely had it already and not even knowing, 99 percent of us not even realizing we had it, that's how 'dangerous' it is. Don't be obese to the point of developing diabetes, and chances are overwhelming that you'll be fine. But you are eagerly swallowing this message of fear, as if is spring 2020 again, back when we did not know anything about the virus, and had no vaccines.

What exactly has happened with new strain? Massive deaths in hospitals, otherwise healthy, not obese people dropping like flies? I must have missed it, I have somehow missed news about hordes of fully vaccinated people dying. I though hospitalization rates is what matters, so why are we counting infection numbers? Infection numbers are impressive, no doubt, they are 'exploding', is the term, I believe. Feels like end of the world, except most people with positive Covid tests had no idea that they were ill at all, because guess what, they are not ill.

We act as if it's spring 2020, when we had no vaccines, death rate speculated to be up to 3 percent or even higher. We now know that if you are otherwise healthy, you won't even realize you may be Covid positive. But this new Omoronic strain has whipped people into frenzy, again. This is almost masochistic desire to feel scared. Media blitz, 24/7 bombardment of 'scary' infection numbers, and we are back to spring 2020. Fact that we are all now fully vaccinated is forgotten.

If you haven't been ill with Covid by now, and you are vaccinated, nothing has changed for you. Turn off news, go out!

[DoubleDutch]

So all you guys in Thailand talking about bar reopenings and booking flights and what not should perhaps take note of all that and enjoy your time there while you can too as just like before as whatever we're getting now in the UK Thailand is sure to be get shortly again behind us and if Omicron is spreading as many are reporting the numbers infected ( albeit not dying this time hopefully) could still be eye watering :-(

I have several choices for spending winter, stay in Estonia, fly to Mexico, Malaga Spain, Canary Isles, or spend winter in Thailand. Do you really believe there is even slightest bit of difference where I'll be?

You say we will be "getting it" in Thailand, something that you are now getting in UK. Can I ask, what is it that you are getting in UK now, besides scary "exploding" infection numbers? Are people in UK dying en masse compared to 6 months ago? Yourself, are you expecting to be hospitalized, or worse? I'm really curious what it is, that is going to hit us in Thailand?

Your "enjoy your time there while you can" is next level fearmongering, are you expecting alien attack, wiping us all out in Thailand?

The worst thing that can hit us in Thailand is border closures, typical overreaction by clueless politicians and even more clueless generals. Inconvenience, sure, but certainly not extinction level event. No one gives a fuck about Covid here, we are in more danger crossing the street .

[gerefan2]

Thank you for that post DD. I enjoyed reading it and it describes the Thai Authorities to a T. It’s only a matter of time before they strike again...as others have already implied.

Arsenal: your reference to Chris Witty saying this could go on for a further 18 months is interesting.
Today’s figure is 93045 new infections.
The number of people in the UK who have NOT had Covid is 57,214,932. (Population minus those already infected)

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Assuming a continued daily infection rate similar to today’s figure, as implied by Witty, then everyone in the UK will have had Covid within 20 months!

How likely is that?!!

[Nirish guy]

DD - I actually dont disagree with much of what you say.

But based on the little info that we all have about Omicron just now IF it turns out to be more aggressive than previous versions then that WOULD be a problem for us all once you factor its apparent faster spread rate, that's just simple maths and we can't or shouldn't just casually ignore that point ( just yet) until we know for sure what we're dealing with.

As of today when they seem to be telling us that if you're triple jabbed that you've something like an 80% chance of not getting seriously ill then thats GREAT and that's exactly the news we all hoped to hear - and is one of the reasons I myself AM heading out on the lash this weekend.

And my "enjoy your time there while you can" isn't fear mongering as you put it but more a reflection of whats' likely to happen lock down wise there just like here perhaps once the governments do their thing - as to whether that's the right thing to do or not is a whole other conversation but for now I'll happily stand by those remarks in the spirit they were made.

You do seem though to be missing the main issue in that even if vaccinated ( and a large group of people still aren't of course) the issue seems to be that if say as using totally random made up numbers that 1 million vaccinated and unvaccinated people got covid before and say even just 5% of that number needed treatment ( i.e say 50,000 people) the governments worry is that IF omnicorn IS as spreadable as it seems then that new possible number of 2, 3,4 million group of people could all pick it up almost immediately, thus leading to that same 5% / 100,000, 200,000, 300,000, 400,000 people all needing treatment NOW too and THAT WOULD overwhelm most health services in most Countries.

So I think THAT is the bigger issue that they're concerned about perhaps when issuing closure orders of bars etc until they can ACTUALLY see what they're dealing with with the new variant - and only time can tell that of course so you sort of cant blame them for being cautious.

The current view that it's 'less' aggressive could of course be EXACTLY as more people are now vaccinated, meaning those that aren't are at MUCH more risk ( personally my view there is fuck them at this stage but THAT is a whole other topic for another thread too I guess)

[Moses]

So far Sputnik Light is best buster: 4-8 times more effective against omicron in comparation with Moderna and 4 times in comparation with Pfizer

Numbers are officially announced yesterday by Gamaleya Institute https://sputnikvaccine.com/newsroom/...ther-strength/

[cdnmatt]

Russia has yet to release the data regarding Sputnik to allow it to be peer reviewed, so you can say whatever you wish about Sputnik, nobody outside of Russia cares. Let the scientific community review the data, then people in the international community will start taking it seriously.