Coronavirus thread

[krummholz]

Hi Krummholz,

From what I understand, one can still get the flu after being vaccinated (even if it's for that strain), but hopefully the effects will be less severe.  This is from the CDC's website:

What protection does a flu vaccine provide if I do get sick with flu?

"Some people who get vaccinated may still get sick. However, flu vaccination has been shown in some studies to reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick. A 2017 study showed that flu vaccination reduced deaths, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, ICU length of stay, and overall duration of hospitalization among hospitalized adults with flu. Another study in 2018 showed that a vaccinated adult who was hospitalized with flu was 59 percent less likely to be admitted to the ICU than someone who had not been vaccinated. Among adults in the ICU with flu, vaccinated patients on average spent 4 fewer days in the hospital than those who were not vaccinated."

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm

PD

I'm well aware of that, but thanks. I mentioned my test result as a personal anecdote to make a side point that the vaccines do not give 100% protection against contracting influenza. As that link states, a vaccinated person is much less likely to have a severe case - and my case was so mild the only reason I went in to get tested is that there was a known epidemic on campus, several of my students had emailed in sick (saying that they had tested positive specifically for type A). Otherwise I would have chalked it up to a common cold virus, though it did leave me with a lasting case of laryngitis that dragged on for nearly a month.

[Karl Henning]

A Maine toilet paper factory slows down after busy year in pandemic — 11:37 a.m.
By Associated Press

A Maine toilet paper factory that opened months before panic buying ensued at the start of the pandemic has enjoyed a "banner" first year, its owner said.

But things are beginning to slow down and Tissue Plus is focusing on a delayed renovation of its building in Bangor, Marc Cooper told the Bangor Daily News.

[71 dB]

A Maine toilet paper factory slows down after busy year in pandemic — 11:37 a.m.
By Associated Press

A Maine toilet paper factory that opened months before panic buying ensued at the start of the pandemic has enjoyed a "banner" first year, its owner said.

But things are beginning to slow down and Tissue Plus is focusing on a delayed renovation of its building in Bangor, Marc Cooper told the Bangor Daily News.

They could close the factory for 10 years while people use all the toilet paper they hoarded last spring 

[Karl Henning]

South Africa imposes strict new rules as it surpasses 1 million covid-19 cases

[Pohjolas Daughter]

A Maine toilet paper factory slows down after busy year in pandemic — 11:37 a.m.
By Associated Press

A Maine toilet paper factory that opened months before panic buying ensued at the start of the pandemic has enjoyed a "banner" first year, its owner said.

But things are beginning to slow down and Tissue Plus is focusing on a delayed renovation of its building in Bangor, Marc Cooper told the Bangor Daily News.

Nice story about the company...not jacking up prices, hiring more people to meet the demand, and donating to a local homeless shelter. 

https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/bangor-toilet-paper-company-tissueplus-tries-to-keep-up-with-demand/97-023e2947-fb43-45a4-b92b-9996e8d3ccd1

PD

p.s. Hope that the renovations go well and that their business continues to prosper (though not due to Covid cases obviously!).

[Karl Henning]

Nice story about the company...not jacking up prices, hiring more people to meet the demand, and donating to a local homeless shelter. 

https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/bangor-toilet-paper-company-tissueplus-tries-to-keep-up-with-demand/97-023e2947-fb43-45a4-b92b-9996e8d3ccd1

PD

p.s. Hope that the renovations go well and that their business continues to prosper (though not due to Covid cases obviously!).

Hear, hear!

[MusicTurner]

- unexpected development here: for the first time in many years, more small, local food shops & groceries have been started up, than closed down; the virus outbreak  seems to benefit local quality, small-scale business somewhat.

- Christmas & New Year celebration effects are still somewhat unclear, but more hospitalizations and fatalities have meant that strict restrictions will be continued, so far with January 17th as the likely end date. A possible curfew for the New Year celebrations was given up, but still, only groups and parties of up to 10 persons are allowed.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

- unexpected development here: for the first time in many years, more small, local food shops & groceries have been started up, than closed down; the virus outbreak  seems to benefit local quality, small-scale business somewhat.

- Christmas & New Year celebration effects are still somewhat unclear, but more hospitalizations and fatalities have meant that strict restrictions will be continued, so far with January 17th as the likely end date. A possible curfew for the New Year celebrations was given up, but still, only groups and parties of up to 10 persons are allowed.

So, did the local food shops and grocery stores close for good due to lack of business?  Or due to further restrictions?  Sorry but a bit confused here.

They're really discouraging New Year's Eve celebrations here.  I normally don't attend any anyway, so no biggie here, but am worried about other folks getting together and then there being an even bigger surge in the near future.  This morning, I heard about the first case of that new strain reported in England had been found in a young man in Colorado--who hadn't recently been in the UK....no idea yet how he managed to contract it.

PD

[MusicTurner]

So, did the local food shops and grocery stores close for good due to lack of business?  Or due to further restrictions?  Sorry but a bit confused here.

They're really discouraging New Year's Eve celebrations here.  I normally don't attend any anyway, so no biggie here, but am worried about other folks getting together and then there being an even bigger surge in the near future.  This morning, I heard about the first case of that new strain reported in England had been found in a young man in Colorado--who hadn't recently been in the UK....no idea yet how he managed to contract it.

PD

Yes, it seems to be a little complicated regarding the smaller food shops, but their organization just told the glad tidings: that for the first time in many years, in 2020, the number of such small shops had grown; previously, they have been out-manoeuvered by malls and supermarket chains.

Perhaps customers like to support such small, local dealers, or they feel safer or more welcomed there, or they want specialty items to feel a little coziness these days, or there have been more customers in vacation areas with these small groceries ... some of them also deliver to customers ... in the very big picture, it might be a sign of a general, societal movement inwards, to the local scene, rather than outwards, due to the virus ... but we'll see, and it might be of less importance.

Regarding New Year's Eve, I think most people have generally become more aware these last days, due to the news, but there'll always be some careless people. I'm not aware of any news saying that the new mutations are vaccine-resistant.

[Irons]

Hospitals are becoming overwhelmed in Essex, UK. I am convinced it will become worse, much worse, in the coming ten days as the rules set over the Christmas period to isolate and not meet up with family members has been ignored by a large section of the population. There is a tragic price for this selfishness.

A neighbour contracted Covid in October. She has recovered, but my wife was shocked by her appearance when meeting by chance yesterday. 

[Biffo]

Hospitals are becoming overwhelmed in Essex, UK. I am convinced it will become worse, much worse, in the coming ten days as the rules set over the Christmas period to isolate and not meet up with family members has been ignored by a large section of the population. There is a tragic price for this selfishness.

A neighbour contracted Covid in October. She has recovered, but my wife was shocked by her appearance when meeting by chance yesterday.

Yesterday groups of young men were arriving from London at Bournemouth railway station 'because the pubs are still open'. From midnight that will no longer be the case as Bournemouth jumps from Tier 2 to Tier 4. One avenue of stupidity closed but plenty more opportunities to ignore the restrictions available.

[Iota]

I am pleased to see that *finally* the start of the UK secondary schools spring term has been delayed. It seemed crazy with the new variant spiralling out of control in some areas, that the government were still insisting they wanted it to go ahead as usual.
The plan now is to send them back once mass testing is in place in schools, the administering of which is being left to the long-suffering teachers, alongside military help, which doesn't seem to have yet materialised for some.

But this government is keen on airily announcing schemes they say will resolve problems, that turn out to be poorly thought out, poorly implemented, and fall short of intended targets. I very much hope this one fares better.

[Karl Henning]

Stay safe, mate!

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I am pleased to see that *finally* the start of the UK secondary schools spring term has been delayed. It seemed crazy with the new variant spiralling out of control in some areas, that the government were still insisting they wanted it to go ahead as usual.
The plan now is to send them back once mass testing is in place in schools, the administering of which is being left to the long-suffering teachers, alongside military help, which doesn't seem to have yet materialised for some.

But this government is keen on airily announcing schemes they say will resolve problems, that turn out to be poorly thought out, poorly implemented, and fall short of intended targets. I very much hope this one fares better.

So, who is supposed to administer the tests?? 

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Hospitals are becoming overwhelmed in Essex, UK. I am convinced it will become worse, much worse, in the coming ten days as the rules set over the Christmas period to isolate and not meet up with family members has been ignored by a large section of the population. There is a tragic price for this selfishness.

A neighbour contracted Covid in October. She has recovered, but my wife was shocked by her appearance when meeting by chance yesterday.

Wow!  Did she look particularly tired or??? 

PD

[Iota]

So, who is supposed to administer the tests?? 

PD

The two ideas I've heard are that teachers would be trained by military personnel, and that schools would receive funding to hire staff from employment agencies to carry out the testing.

But see e.g -

'Her Labour colleague, Yvette Cooper, said schools in her constituency had received no support or allocation of funding, and no contact from the military, which has been organising testing in some schools.

She added: "They all want to do this mass testing but the support they are getting is always too late, too chaotic." '

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-55487641

[Iota]

Stay safe, mate!

Thank you!

[Irons]

Wow!  Did she look particularly tired or??? 

PD

Big weight loss. Feel uncomfortable being too descriptive but she looked ten years older. My wife said she would never have recognised her without our neighbour standing next to her husband. She has no idea where she caught the virus.

My daughter had the jab today - she visits a care home once a week to attend the residents hair. Instructed by email to be at the home 2.30. A doctor turned up to administer the injection at 6pm!


I am expecting all football to be stopped until vaccine on stream. Fulham v Spurs cancelled this evening. My team are due to play at Everton on New Year's Day I am fully expecting this to be called off.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Big weight loss. Feel uncomfortable being too descriptive but she looked ten years older. My wife said she would never have recognised her without our neighbour standing next to her husband. She has no idea where she caught the virus.

My daughter had the jab today - she visits a care home once a week to attend the residents hair. Instructed by email to be at the home 2.30. A doctor turned up to administer the injection at 6pm!


I am expecting all football to be stopped until vaccine on stream. Fulham v Spurs cancelled this evening. My team are due to play at Everton on New Year's Day I am fully expecting this to be called off.

So sorry to hear that about your neighbor; I hope that she regains her strength and energy soon.

Glad that your daughter received her shot though concerning as to why it took so long for the doctor to get there?

Here, I've heard about various sports teams not being able to play anymore as some of the players weren't being good about staying in their bubble and made others sick too!

PD

[Que]

I think in the mind of the general public there is way too much focus on the mortality rate, which is very low if you are under 70, and too little attention for the possible long term side effects.

If you recover from the flu, you're generally fine and as before.
If you recover from COVID, even if you didn't need to be admitted to hospital, you might suffer from chronic fatigue, significantly diminished lung capacity and all kinds of neurological issues. And suddenly you are in a risk category for getting a stroke at some point... even if you weren't before.

Q