Coronavirus

[TLS Guy]

As I mentioned yesterday, things are not going well in Europe. Below shows graphically what is going on.

This is absolutely catastrophic. Hospitals in Austria and Germany are overloaded. Austria has had to send critically ill patients to Italy.

Austria is going into full lockdown. I'm not sure what is going on here, but if this does prove to be the Delta plus variant, we are in for some serious trouble.

Here in Minnesota, we have the 10th highest positivity rate in the world, according to Dr. Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota and director of cidrap at UMN.

UMN streamed a conversation today between Dr. Osterholm, and Andy Slavitt, former senior advisor to the Biden administration's Covid-19 response team.

I watched the hour program, it was very interesting. It was recorded and I believe UMN will release it. When released I will link it here.

The military will assist the staff at Hennepin County Hospital in Minneapolis and Centrecare in St. Cloud MN starting next week. Our hospitals are full and a heart attack victim has died waiting for a bed to become available.

Dr. Osterholm is advising much wider use of vaccine mandates. I would urge all of you to advise anyone you know not vaccinated, to get vaccinated right away. Anyone not vaccinated now is running a terrible risk. Something is changing and the experts are not sure what. Get a flu vaccination as well. Getting flu and Covid-19 at the same time is catastrophically lethal.

Dr. Osterholm advised everyone to go back to using universal precautions, whether vaccinated or not, and for vaccinated people to not mix indoors with unvaccinated individuals.

On a more encouraging note, AstraZeneca say they will shortly release details of phase III trials of their novel passive antibody drug. This is derived from T-cell antibodies from recovered individuals, They have been modified to persists for six months. They claim 89% effectiveness for a period of six months. The aim is to provide immunity from Covid-19 in immune compromised individuals who can not respond to the vaccine. The claim high effectiveness in treating newly infected individuals if administered within 72 hours. These are all the details I know, and none of these claims are as yet peer reviewed.

The take home message of all of this to all of you, is to increase your precautions, especially mixing indoors over the holiday season. If you are not vaccinated, then you need to be vaccinated immediately. It is an absolute no brainer. The vaccines are safe, and catching Covid-19 is not, in fact it is downright dangerous and the hazard increasing. No one will escape exposure to Covid-19. When you catch it, unvaccinated you run a terrible risk, and that certainly appears to be getting greater over time. Urgency for vaccination applies to any individual over five years of age now.

 

[j_garcia]

Coworker and friend for many years passed away from complications from Covid yesterday.

 

[Danzilla31]

Okay so update on the booster other then a sore left arm and feeling very very tired it made me really sleepy for some reason nothing major going to pass out will let you all know if anything comes up tommorow so far so good

 

[Danzilla31]

Coworker and friend for many years passed away from complications from Covid yesterday.

Very sorry for your loss

 

[TLS Guy]

Coworker and friend for many years passed away from complications from Covid yesterday.

I'm very sorry to hear that. Unfortunately there are no shortage of these tragedies right now.

 

[Mikado463]

Okay so update on the booster other then a sore left arm

the two original shots and the booster, no arm/shoulder soreness at all. Kept the arm moving and drank 2 glasses of water about an hour before the shot.

 

[GO-NAD!]

the two original shots and the booster, no arm/shoulder soreness at all. Kept the arm moving and drank 2 glasses of water about an hour before the shot.

What's with you guys and your booster shots? Are you all older than dirt? They're only giving 3rd shots to over-80 year olds here right now. This will be followed by 70-80 year olds.

 

[NINaudio]

What's with you guys and your booster shots? Are you all older than dirt? They're only giving 3rd shots to over-80 year olds here right now. This will be followed by 70-80 year olds.

You can make dirt in a couple years easily, so I'd guess we're all older than that here.

At least in my neck of the woods, anyone with pre-existing conditions that put them at higher risk from Covid are also eligible to get boosters shots.

 

[GO-NAD!]

You can make dirt in a couple years easily, so I'd guess we're all older than that here.

At least in my neck of the woods, anyone with pre-existing conditions that put them at higher risk from Covid are also eligible to get boosters shots.

I should add, they're giving immunocompromised people 3rd doses here, as well.

 

[Danzilla31]

What's with you guys and your booster shots? Are you all older than dirt? They're only giving 3rd shots to over-80 year olds here right now. This will be followed by 70-80 year olds.

I'm in nursing and work around it so here in Texas they say we qualify. It was pretty efficient just walked into HEB and had to wait as a walk in but I was done in under an hour.

 

[Danzilla31]

Okay update I'm glad I took today off. Not as sick as when I took the second dose but still it knocked me on my butt pretty good. I have the worst headache and bone aches like when you have the flu kindoff aches. Running a mild fever

I'm going to get up and try moving around a little. See if that helps. The last time I only felt sick for one day so I'm thinking by tommorow I'll be fine

My Dad took his and was out mowing the lawn the next day it's not fair

 

[Mr._Clark]

I just got a Moderna booster (first two were Pfizer). No effects so far. I’ve never had a reaction to any vaccines or meds so I’m not expecting anything (I did have a little shoulder soreness after the two Pfizer jabs but it was very mild).

Attempting to predict the spread of this blasted virus seems to be nigh on impossible but I suspect that the latest wave might get a lot worse before it gets better, at least in the areas that are experiencing a rapid increase right now. I’m hoping I’m wrong. The human toll of this thing is draining

 

[j_garcia]

Booster just opened up to me, but haven't found any appointments near by. Will be checking and try to get it after the holiday.

 

[Mr._Clark]

The following is anecdotal, I'm not a doctor, I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, etc. so take it with a grain of salt.

A friend has a sister who works in a hospital that has had a lot of COVID patients recently. His advice was (if one gets sick) to get the antibody treatment right away and keep pressing the hospital for it if need be.

Here's a redacted version of his description of the effectiveness of the antibody treatments based on his conversations with his sister: "It's like dropping a [bleep]ing nuclear bomb on the [bleep]ing virus! It [bleep]ing blows the [bleep]ing [bleep] out of it!" (perhaps abstracts of research papers would be more informative if written in layman's terms?) I'm sure he was exaggerating somewhat for effect, but the message was clear.

As I understand it, hospitals are apparently somewhat reluctant to administer the antibody treatment. This is apparently due, at least in part, to the time and bed space that is required to administer the antibodies and to monitor the patients afterwards to make sure they do not have a reaction. The hospitals are also apparently keeping some powder dry (yeah, that's a really weird metaphor in this case) in case things get really out of hand. I really don't know if this is correct, however. Please feel free to post better information if you have it.

 

[Mr._Clark]

What's with you guys and your booster shots? Are you all older than dirt? They're only giving 3rd shots to over-80 year olds here right now. This will be followed by 70-80 year olds.

I just look like dirt. When they asked about preexisting conditions, I pointed to the vultures circling overhead. That seems to be sufficient around here.

I've started getting spam emails trying to sell me "burial insurance." It's hard to put a positive spin on that product (I'm assuming "burial insurance" doesn't refer to landslides). "Life insurance" at least has a positive patina to disguise it's utility.

 

[panteragstk]

I just look like dirt. When they asked about preexisting conditions, I pointed to the vultures circling overhead. That seems to be sufficient around here.

I've started getting spam emails trying to sell me "burial insurance." It's hard to put a positive spin on that product (I'm assuming "burial insurance" doesn't refer to landslides). "Life insurance" at least has a positive patina to disguise it's utility.

I always thought "accidental death and dismemberment" had a nice ring to it...

 

[TLS Guy]

I have to say that my level of concern is up several points today.

Things are worsening in Europe. Austria is going to three weeks full lock down for everyone. Austria is to make vaccination compulsory for all. All eligible citizens must be fully vaccinated by February 1, 2022.

The UK feels that it may see the new wave blunted. There is much uncertainty. However I watch BBC news South East after the 6:00 PM news, as I come from Kent.

Kent and the SE are the closest to continental Europe, where most of the trade and travel to continental Europe take place.

Today, infections in all regions of the South East of England were up between 30 and 75 percent week on week. One area in the South East now has the second highest infection rate in the UK. This has not happened in months.

There is something serious occurring here, and I'm not all sure what is causing this.

I note that infection rates are now going up fast in 27 US states now.

I think it is time to be very careful again. I know this now well into the tiresome stage, but once again it is time to take precautions, at least until the reason for all this is better understood. It seems to me that once again this virus is not going by the book.

To GO-NAD I would say Canada should be rolling out vaccines to everyone over 12, six months after their last vaccination now, and do it with urgency. Also make sure everyone gets their influenza vaccine. We know that Covid-19 and influenza have a dreadful synergy. Last year was a low influenza year. This year we are unlikely to be so lucky.

 

[Dan]

" If you are not vaccinated, then you need to be vaccinated immediately. It is an absolute no brainer. "


Soooo, if the unvaccinated have no brains, then they are zombies. That would go a long way to explaining what's going on in the world right now.

 

[GO-NAD!]

I have to say that my level of concern is up several points today.

Things are worsening in Europe. Austria is going to three weeks full lock down for everyone. Austria is to make vaccination compulsory for all. All eligible citizens must be fully vaccinated by February 1, 2022.

The UK feels that it may see the new wave blunted. There is much uncertainty. However I watch BBC news South East after the 6:00 PM news, as I come from Kent.

Kent and the SE are the closest to continental Europe, where most of the trade and travel to continental Europe take place.

Today, infections in all regions of the South East of England were up between 30 and 75 percent week on week. One area in the South East now has the second highest infection rate in the UK. This has not happened in months.

There is something serious occurring here, and I'm not all sure what is causing this.

I note that infection rates are now going up fast in 27 US states now.

I think it is time to be very careful again. I know this now well into the tiresome stage, but once again it is time to take precautions, at least until the reason for all this is better understood. It seems to me that once again this virus is not going by the book.

To GO-NAD I would say Canada should be rolling out vaccines to everyone over 12, six months after their last vaccination now, and do it with urgency. Also make sure everyone gets their influenza vaccine. We know that Covid-19 and influenza have a dreadful synergy. Last year was a low influenza year. This year we are unlikely to be so lucky.

Thanks, Doc. Third doses are under way, but they are working their way down the age groups in stages. As the oldest were vaccinated first, they would be first due for the third dose, then on down the line.

There are some other categories of people who will be prioritized for 3rd does, including immunocompromised people, those whose first two doses were the AZ vaccine and front line health care workers whose first two doses were spaced less than 28 days apart.

The Pfizer vaccine was just approved today by Health Canada for 5-11 year olds.

 

[Mr._Clark]

" If you are not vaccinated, then you need to be vaccinated immediately. It is an absolute no brainer. "


Soooo, if the unvaccinated have no brains, then they are zombies. That would go a long way to explaining what's going on in the world right now.

That is a bit of a catch-22: How do explain a no brainer to someone who has no brain?