Wuhan Wheeze

[fed up]

??
Genuine lol ?

 

[thegillabbeygowl]

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid to deliver statement on new coronavirus variant at 11 a.m. (6 a.m. ET)

This is escalating fast.

 

[Swanforthelough]

This NU variant is a concern if it travels as quickly as delta did...

True.. it is more of a concern to the rest of the world than to the Africans as they have a lower mortality rate with Covid. I guess if we were still a nation of farmers our immunity would be a lot higher.

Where I am at the moment the next meal is a more pressing concern.

 

[markyboy]

Omicron: How worried should we be?

Scientists are closely watching a new variant - but there are few clear answers.

www.bbc.com

 

[jams]

This what the virologists were saying about the dangers of mostly vaccinating the 1st world only.

 

[thegillabbeygowl]

BREAKING: Belgium reports first confirmed case of new coronavirus variant, 1st in Europe

Shut it down!

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Ireland’s Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said the emergence of the new Covid-19 variant may prompt decisions on fresh restrictions in the country.

He also said the Government would be making a decision “imminently” on whether to impose travel restrictions in response to the emergence of the variant in southern Africa.

Mr Donohoe said Cabinet may need to meet on Friday to make a decision on travel issues.

Asked if hotel quarantine arrangements may be reintroduced in the country, Mr Donohoe told RTÉ Radio One: “If it is needed I believe it will be of a very different scope and scale to where we were the last time it was in place.”

He said he did anticipate Ireland would need to make changes in respect of quarantine but he expressed hope it would only cover a limited number of countries.

 

[sigourney's knickers]

BREAKING: Belgium reports first confirmed case of new coronavirus variant, 1st in Europe

Shut it down!

IF it's true then its already too late. Whatever about flights, the busy ferry ports will do the rest.

 

[HappyAl]

BREAKING: Belgium reports first confirmed case of new coronavirus variant, 1st in Europe

Shut it down!

Shut down Belgium? That's impossible m8. You've more chance of a nuke being dropped on molenbeek.

Which in all fairness might not be such a bad idea.

 

[wat_boy]

From September, I hope sarah is right

Reminder: “A change in the spike protein- which allows the coronavirus to enter and infect human cells- that is radical enough to make our vaccine completely ineffective would also, almost certainly, be so extreme as to make the virus non-functional.” -Sarah Gilbert, Oxford Team

In other words, the virus cannot completely mutate as there are only so many changes the spike protein can have before it compromises its functionality and therefore its ability to bind to the ACE2 receptor on the surface of our cells and evade our antibodies at the same time.

“There aren’t very many places for the virus to go to have something that will evade immunity but still be a really infectious virus,” and therefore is unlikely to mutate into a much deadlier variant. Gilbert stated that viruses tend to become less virulent over time as theyspread through a population which is becoming more immune. While some genetic drift IS to be expected, Gilbert, along with a lot of other scientists (myself included) agree that COVID-19 will eventually become like other seasonal coronaviruses which cause the common cold andrespiratory infections. You can read more here: https://t.co/Fbb8ftZYFi