New variant has emerged in Africa, should we be worried?

In some ways I’d like to turn off all news, never read Gransnet threads unless they’re about knitting, and wear ear plugs all the time, then I’d know nothing about it. But of course I won’t, because I need to know what’s happening. I’m getting extremely edgy about this.
I agree with others who have said that masks should be obligatory in all indoor settings, and social distancing should be practiced in shops etc but this is in conflict with the complete opening up in England, which I didn’t agree with at the time and I still don’t agree with it.

I don't think we'll have vaccine passports in the UK. I think politicians fear the backlash too much. Although my personal opinion is that everybody who can should be vaccinated, there will always be some who won't. My preference would be for proof of testing for mass gatherings and more emphasis on masks and distancing, etc.

Alegrias I'm no expert, but (as you know) I know somebody who is. I'll ask him what he thinks, but as far as I know, there just isn't enough information yet to know whether the new mutations will escape vaccines. We could very well find that it behaves differently in a vaccinated population from southern Africa, where only a minority of people are vaccinated. On the other hand, transmission is likely to follow different patterns during winter in the northern hemisphere from countries where people spend more time outdoors. Who knows?

Lucca

Time for my usual rant. Bring back compulsory mask wearing for goodness sake. Plus don’t hand out exemption lanyards to every other person …….be stricter! Why, please somebody explain , England so stubborn about this ?..

I’d like to know that too Lucca.

I know there is vaccine hesitancy all over the world, and particularly in South Africa where this mutation probably emerged, but what is it about British (or is it just English) people that makes them so stubborn? We had a good example yesterday, now thankfully taken down, but the sheer ignorance and stupidity is quite unbelievable.

Lucca

Time for my usual rant. Bring back compulsory mask wearing for goodness sake. Plus don’t hand out exemption lanyards to every other person …….be stricter! Why, please somebody explain , England so stubborn about this ?..

I wear a mask and masks are compulsory in Wales in shops, hospitals, surgeries etc.

However, cases are increasing here again.

It does make me think that, whatever we do, however hard we try, the virus is always a few steps ahead and will be around for a long time. I may be wrong, that may be a depressing thought and I am not normally a pessimist.

One big factor in South Africa is poverty and inequality- and townships with very poor infrastucture- even in the most afluent parts, like Cape Town where we have so much family- including doctors.

Just go news now that SIL, in another household, also has Covid. Very worrying as he had a strong and nasty reaction to second jab. So 3 in the family in different households at the moment

It's reported that 61 passengers arriving yesterday in Amsterdam from South Africa tested positive for Covid (which strain they don't yet know).

How did that come about? One or two passengers could well have been incubating when taking the pre-flight tests, but 61?

Do you have a link to that? Who is reporting it?

I think that is what happens when people realise flights will be stopped to a country- then they all rush in to somewhere close before they are stopped!!! Seriously worrying.

I’m so sorry Kali I all your family recover well. And are good for Christmas.

Oh Kali2 what a worry for you with yet another family member confirmed positive. Hopefully all will be recovered and over the other side of it by Christmas.

Kali2

One big factor in South Africa is poverty and inequality- and townships with very poor infrastucture- even in the most afluent parts, like Cape Town where we have so much family- including doctors.

Just go news now that SIL, in another household, also has Covid. Very worrying as he had a strong and nasty reaction to second jab. So 3 in the family in different households at the moment

That is worrying for you Kali2 - wishing your SIL and the other family members well.

Such a valid point abut South Africa- the inequality makes it even worse to contemplate

Here is a report
They don't yet know if it is the Omicron variant.

www.reuters.com/world/europe/passengers-south-africa-face-wait-covid-19-testing-amsterdam-2021-11-26/

Kali2

Do you have a link to that? Who is reporting it?

I think that is what happens when people realise flights will be stopped to a country- then they all rush in to somewhere close before they are stopped!!! Seriously worrying.

It's all over the media.

Independent

I'm sorry to hear that Kali2 and hope they recover well.

Very worrying as he had a strong and nasty reaction to second jab.

Someone said the other day that she had been told by our practice nurse (yes, vague, I know) that if someone had a strong reaction to the vaccine it meant they had developed more antibodies.
Does anyone know if that is true or not?

DH didn't have any reaction apart from a sore arm but he had the flu jab at the same time.

Alegrias1

^But it seems the UK is currently in the grips of a new variant- as Sajid Javid explained in the HofC just now. Vax resistant, drugs resistant and very transmisible.^

That is not the case.

There are no confirmed cases in the UK right now.

There is no evidence to show it is vax resistant.

There is no evidence to show it is drug resistant.

There is no confirmation that it is more transmissible.

The last thing we need is misinformation and loose words.

Thank goodness you are on here posting sensible comments Alegrias1!

According to what I heard on the news this morning, the one case in Belgium is a woman who was already in quarantine, is asymptomatic and not in hospital. She was also unvaccinated.

I was thinking though about the comments made by Astra Zeneca about the work they are already doing to create a new vaccine for this particular variant. If it does prove to be as bad as some scientists think, are we all going to have to be vaccinated again, for the forth time for those of us who have already had our boosters? I’m not sure what I think about that.

Yes, found the Reuters report.

Seems crazy that they are only isolating and quarantining those that tested positive! It is a loooong flight (have done it many times) - and surely all passengers should be quarantining and tested regularly for next 10 days - or they will get 'lost', cross borders, in the UK perhaps, or elsewhere in Europe, and spread. Sheer Madness.

Calistemon, Prof Tim Spector has said that reaction to the vaccine has no correlation to how robust a response your body mounts. He says a bad reaction just means your body is making a fuss while no reaction means your immune system is quietly going about its business.

Just heard on radio not just Belgium but Germany also have suspects. They arrived at Frankfurt Airport.

I don't think we should refer to them as "suspects".

maddyone

Lucca

Time for my usual rant. Bring back compulsory mask wearing for goodness sake. Plus don’t hand out exemption lanyards to every other person …….be stricter! Why, please somebody explain , England so stubborn about this ?..

I’d like to know that too Lucca.

I am boggled by some of the people on my facebook wearing those lanyards. My own daughter who has a severe learning disability (amongst other complex needs) manages to wear one and I'm not suggesting everyone with SLD can or indeed those with other needs can't wear one but I'm pretty sure a lot of people are being quite ridiculous and attention seeking about it I don't normally rant and feel the backlash coming already....but REALLY!

SueDonim

*Calistemon*, Prof Tim Spector has said that reaction to the vaccine has no correlation to how robust a response your body mounts. He says a bad reaction just means your body is making a fuss while no reaction means your immune system is quietly going about its business.

... thanks for that. It's an interesting, and reassuring, piece of information.

Having just booked a granddaughter's birthday party for February - I'm now wondering if we'll be back in lockdown by then - nobody knows.

SueDonim

*Calistemon*, Prof Tim Spector has said that reaction to the vaccine has no correlation to how robust a response your body mounts. He says a bad reaction just means your body is making a fuss while no reaction means your immune system is quietly going about its business.

Thank you SueDonim

Mine made a fuss.

Personally I think covid is a defence issue - we spend trillions on weapons of war, when our main fight for the foreseeable future is with covid. Maybe some of the trillions that is spent on nuclear weapons, warships and fighter planes might better be diverted to getting the world vaccinated - that is our main enemy at the moment. Many vaccines are needed and personnel to administer them and to lead a publicity push to help people all round the world to be willing to accept them.

Breaking BBC News

Two cases of new variant of Covid-19 detected in UK