Coronavirus - COVID-19

[sketchymagpie]

if there's a strain varient in England, chances are, it's already in USA and other places too.

it's also possible that the current vaccines may not work on the strain varient.

if that's the case, we're fucked for a few more years.

They say this one has 70% greater ability to transmit, so it will become obvious fairly quickly if it has arrived any particular area, I would think.

All talk I've heard from scientists over the last few days has been confident the vaccine will still have the desired effect on this strain but we'll have to see.

One thing is for sure... Things feel fucking bleak right now, particularly for those in London and other places locked down over Christmas. I never imagined things would be worse at this point than in April.

[sketchymagpie]

Although a doctor friend has just informed me that it's incorrect to refer to it as "a new strain" as its actually a new variant, the difference being that the dna is the same and thus the vaccine should still work. Apparently it's a new strain only if the dna is different.

They said that variants like this may also be weakened, so easier to catch but less hard hitting.

[Magnetic]

From what I've read, there are multiple mutations in the spike protein of the new variant. We have no way of knowing whether or not the vaccine would be increased or decreased in its efficiency.

The basis of the vaccine is that we give the mRNA to our cells, which then generate a copy of the spike protein. This is discarded as waste, as the cells can't use it. Then, our adaptive immune response cells take up the protein and generate antibodies against the shape of that protein. Our cells will take a couple of passes at this, so there's different angles it'll "capture."

So if a mutation on one side of the protein is there, it doesn't mean that our immune cells won't recognize it:
1. the mutation could be buried in the protein and not on the surface where the cells would develop antibodies,
2. the mutation could be mute = it won't sterically hinder the antibodies,
3. It could inhibit the antibody, but there's the likelihood that a different antibody will recognize a different area that isn't mutated.

[allegate]

there's a lovely image I've seen going around where it's all the months that they've said it's a hoax and then as soon as there's a vaccine they're first in line. How convenient.

[ickyvicky]

I just got off the phone this morning with a customer complaining to me about how we can't register her daughter in her art class because it's full. The mom goes, "My daughter has taken multiple classes with the same teacher, why can't you fit her in the class?" I say, "Because of covid, we're limiting the number of students we allow in the classrooms." And the mom responds back, "Even though my daughter is one of her regular students?!"

I wanted to be like, "Fine! Get yo' kid sick - I don't give a fuck!" smh

[Magnetic]

My Governor is an Idiot Face Masks.

Perfect for Florida.

[WorzelG]

Whenever I read that another country has blocked the UK from travelling there, all I can think is ‘who the fuck is even travelling overseas now’?

[allegate]

Virginia state Sen. Chafin dies after catching coronavirus

I don't know how to say something about this without sounding snarky about Republicans, so I'll just say my condolences to his family.

[ickyvicky]

Larry King has Covid now

[allegate]

Official: Republican Pa. Rep. Mike Reese dies following apparent brain aneurysm, after testing positive for COVID-19

[Magnetic]

There's been quite a bit of evidence of COVID19 being a vascular disease...which leads to blood clots and aneurysms.
He's also my age...and when people say I'm too young to have complications, I'm going to tell people to go f--- themselves.

[WorzelG]

I wish the UK government would bump up school staff to vaccine priority if schools are going to reopen. It does seem like schools are the bigger spreader of the virus.

[scorpiusdiamond]

I wish the UK government would bump up school staff to vaccine priority if schools are going to reopen. It does seem like schools are the bigger spreader of the virus.

I think another issue is that it’s spreading to more households via the kids.

Imagine if a family has two different children in one school and one class has a positive case, does that then spread to the other child in the family in that class? You take out two classes then ... and so on and so forth.

I understand that studies are saying it’s worse for the children’s mental health to be out of school, but their mental health is going to be catastrophically affected if their teachers/family members die.

[WorzelG]

I think another issue is that it’s spreading to more households via the kids.

Imagine if a family has two different children in one school and one class has a positive case, does that then spread to the other child in the family in that class? You take out two classes then ... and so on and so forth.

I understand that studies are saying it’s worse for the children’s mental health to be out of school, but their mental health is going to be catastrophically affected if their teachers/family members die.

This is true too, but I guess I’m being selfish in that the lockdown had a terrible effect on my youngest, he’s got better to be fair but the first lockdown had him just not sleeping all night, wetting the bed, going backwards in communication. They’re both autistic and school is just so important to them for more than just educational purposes, it’s about routine, social skills. They go to a special school.

actually I think the UK is probably going to go into full lockdown including schools till February - I wish they’d just say what they’re going to do and just bloody do it rather than all the going back and forth shite, honestly this pandemic has been handled so badly by the UK government!

[allegate]

in the "well that was a dumb idea" news:

[allegate]

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/arti...pe-theory.html

That's a very long and well-researched article that drives a line between theory and conspiracy theory pretty well. I'm not done reading it yet - it's pretty long - but I'm on part X and it's really good at what it's trying to do.

[NotoriousTIMP]

Jesus Christ, South Carolina has hit an all-time high of new cases with nearly 5,000 registered for today.

[versusreality]

we hit a all time here in NJ yesterday, over 6,000.

[allegate]

[chuckrh]

Prayers up for 1 of my best friends. He lives in Bristol, UK & is in the hospital with COVID-19. Zero good as he has some very serious underlying health issues.

[Demogorgon]

The new UK strain has been reported here in Ohio.

[MrLobster]

A thread on variants...

[richardp]

I exhausted my unemployment benefits in early December, so I've been pretty much penny-less since then, and was really hoping for that $300 extension to hit today, which it did not. Anyone know if there is some bullshit loophole that you don't get the extension if your benefits ran out? God this fucking sucks.

[allegro]

I exhausted my unemployment benefits in early December, so I've been pretty much penny-less since then, and was really hoping for that $300 extension to hit today, which it did not. Anyone know if there is some bullshit loophole that you don't get the extension if your benefits ran out? God this fucking sucks.

I found this: https://www.newstribune.com/news/mis...nefits/854278/

https://www.news-leader.com/story/ne...us/4129627001/

It appears that Trump totally dropped the ball on ALL of this.

We found out THIS BULLSHIT, too, meaning that Trump has been dedicating 100% of his energy to "stopping the steal."

[richardp]

I found this: https://www.newstribune.com/news/mis...nefits/854278/

https://www.news-leader.com/story/ne...us/4129627001/

It appears that Trump totally dropped the ball on ALL of this.

We found out THIS BULLSHIT, too, meaning that Trump has been dedicating 100% of his energy to "stopping the steal."

Jesus fucking christ Biden's inaug cannot come quick enough. I haven't seen a CENT of money from the government since Dec 3. I need these stupid fucks to figure it out like a month ago.

[Erneuert]

Allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines can happen but they're rare, data shows


Severe allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines are "exceedingly rare" according to health authorities in the US, where more than 11 million people have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.


According to a report published last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 21 people developed anaphylaxis after getting a COVID-19 jab in the first week and a half of the country's vaccine rollout.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2...demic/13061850

[Magnetic]

And further reading in that link:
At that point, 1.9 million people had been vaccinated, putting the rate of severe allergic reactions at 11.1 cases per 1 million doses of vaccine used.

My mother is considered "at risk" for an allergic reaction because she's had anaphylaxis twice. She's still going to get the damn vaccine.

[kdrcraig]

PA lowered the age for the first phase of vaccine recipients so both my parents are eligible now! They're going to try and get appointments on the books today. They live in a pretty sparsely populated county so I'm hoping they can get an appointment in the near future for their first shots. I'm so freaking excited!

[versusreality]

my dad got his first dose on Monday. in a couple weeks, he goes back for his second dose. no side effects, just a bit of soreness in the arm the next day.

[allegate]

My shoulder after the first shot was sore, but it was flu-shot sore so no biggie. The second one? Wow, now I get why she asked if I was right- or left-handed because holy cow. It's a tough ache. Not terrible but you definitely feel it, even when you're not moving. But when you move it?

I have an exercise band that is going to get some use today to keep it from getting too stiff.