NWR new zero tolerance covid thread

For sure there is massive underreporting. Here, very few people are getting an 'official' positive test, just isolating at home using LFTs.

You cant be part of the statistics without a test by a third party.
Do they have any randomised population testing there similar to the REACT programme carried out by Imperial College here?
I note that China and Hong Kong are looking down the barrel of Omicron now. Seems that nobody can escape it, and they both have low vaccination rates among the elderly.
 
Latest Covid deaths toll in UK reported by Guardian were 200 yesterday and over 150 today (within 28 days and many now keep on surviving more than 4 weeks...) quite significant even compared to conflicts. But now a habit.
 
Yes has been rising for a number of weeks and I’ve seen that BA2 Omicron has been taking up dominance. Yet more transmissible but no worse than BA1 and having either version will protect against the other for some time.
Certainly is more prevelant and heard of so many people catching it, including at work which can cause some issues.
I imagine it will rip across pretty quickly as yet another wave.
It will be interesting to see how things go over summer and then what happens towards winter with both newer versions and possibly revamped vaccines.
 
I think (in Europe) covid will go into abeyance over the summer and come back with a bang in - say - November. That's what happened last year
 
Worth a read…

The most pertinent point this raises is our need to seperate with Covid from because of Covid.
Until we get that fundamental change in data we are potentially wasting loads of time and resource.
 
The most pertinent point this raises is our need to seperate with Covid from because of Covid.
Until we get that fundamental change in data we are potentially wasting loads of time and resource.
For sure.
I think my biggest worry with Covid right now is what's happening outside of Europe, where vaccination rates are so low. China's zero-tolerance policy has led to low vaccine take-up rates, and if they can't contain Omicron (or other future variants) there will be plenty of deaths "because of" Covid. Increased numbers of lockdowns (eg in Shenzhen) could also cause havoc in terms of products from China, that could mess up global supply chains/economy.
 
The most pertinent point this raises is our need to seperate with Covid from because of Covid.
Until we get that fundamental change in data we are potentially wasting loads of time and resource.
I see what you are saying, but I don't think there is always a clear distinction. For someone admitted for a broken leg, fine. But how about someone with chronic asthma, admitted because they were having breathing difficulties? Those are perhaps extreme cases, but there must be more grey areas.

But even with the current data it should be possible to get a handle on those being admiited BECAUSE of Covid. You could compare the percentage of positive Covid tests on hospital admission with that in the general population. Still not perfect, as you would need to adjust for the profile of population that typically goes into hospital, but it would nevertheless be a useful analysys. I can't believe researchers are not doing this, even if the results do not get broad publicity.
 
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A grim topic, but death certificates have an explicit area for conditions that were not a direct cause of death but likely hastened it. We already record that type of data in the most serious cases. No idea if it’s analysed at scale though.
It really should be. We have 3 indicators of inflation, so why not several measures of covid deaths (maybe "with", "hastened by" and "excess deaths"). I wonder if there's a fear of politicisation among doctors, or something weird like that?
 
I can attest to how widespread it is at the moment having just tested positive and with over half my team having had it over the last 3 weeks.. Nothing more than an annoying flu/head cold so far.
Yep, I have finally been struck down too as has my partner. Pretty light symptoms so far. Almost my entire social circle has had it in the last 6-8 weeks.
 
I don't think cases are generally reported any more, which makes the figures somewhat meaningless, but it interesting that while hospital admissions are now increasing quite fast admissions to intensive care are not.
I was disturbed to read that a variant combining Delta and Omicron is here already.
To my surprise I haven't got it so far. Though I avoid them when possible I've been in quite a few high risk situations recently.
 
I see what you are saying, but I don't think there is always a clear distinction. For someone admitted for a broken leg, fine. But how about someone with chronic asthma, admitted because they were having breathing difficulties? Those are perhaps extreme cases, but there must be more grey areas.

But even with the current data it should be possible to get a handle on those being admiited BECAUSE of Covid. You could compare the percentage of positive Covid tests on hospital admission with that in the general population. Still not perfect, as you would need to adjust for the profile of population that typically goes into hospital, but it would nevertheless be a useful analysys. I can't believe researchers are not doing this, even if the results do not get broad publicity.
You can see that data here under "Covid-19: incidental admissions". It is currently at 56% compared to 25% pre Omnicron.
 
Not Covid, but there seems to be quite a nasty cold showing that "traditional" coronaviruses are feeling left out. Bouncing around our family at the moment, and more annoying than Covid itself. Anyone else had something similar?

Well I'm still coughing, hoarse and a bit chesty. two weeks after ending isolation, but have no idea whether it is a longer term effect of Covid or something else. Interestingly, a friend's daughter who had covid in January recently had an inhaler presecribed as a temporary measure by her GP, because of a persistant cough ever since.
 
A couple of middle-aged people of my acquaintance who had long Covid in 2020 and are fully-vaxed have recently had unexplained fortnights of fatigue and slight chestiness as if Covid-light, yet not showing up on LFTs. Maybe insufficient shedding to generate a positive test or maybe some other virus.
 
Well I'm still coughing, hoarse and a bit chesty. two weeks after ending isolation, but have no idea whether it is a longer term effect of Covid or something else. Interestingly, a friend's daughter who had covid in January recently had an inhaler presecribed as a temporary measure by her GP, because of a persistant cough ever since.
Did you have a period of feeling normal?
I had 3-4 weeks of feeling fine, then must have picked this bug up on the ski trip - one or two others had non-Covid coughs/colds. Just hope it goes away soon.
 
Not Covid, but there seems to be quite a nasty cold showing that "traditional" coronaviruses are feeling left out. Bouncing around our family at the moment, and more annoying than Covid itself. Anyone else had something similar?
I haven't, but not having had a cold since 2018 I would rather expect not to have an easy time next time I get one.
 
Did you have a period of feeling normal?
I had 3-4 weeks of feeling fine, then must have picked this bug up on the ski trip - one or two others had non-Covid coughs/colds. Just hope it goes away soon.

No, it has more or less continued from the covid symptoms
 
Can report that the trend of over 70s picking up the current active variant is certainly observed up the north west, hitting a number of my foodbank volunteers and running through local church congregations apparently. All triple jabbed and no previous infection, and so far symptoms have not required hospitalisation.
 
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