When will this shit end?

[xxialac]

What a coincidence that the only place in the entire world to suffer from this new 'mutant strain' happens to be the place where the government has jumped the gun and announced relaxed measures and are now facing having to perform an embarrassing and anger-provoking U-turn.

Edited December 18, 2020 by xxialac

[northernringo]

9 minutes ago, Fuzzy Afro said:

Got a link to any of these rumours? Wondering how careful I should be

I originally searched 'new strain' on Twitter just and read a few comments under articles, etc. I was in the 'latest' section of Twitter so wouldn't be able to find them too quickly but it was essentially just people talking about the news in South Africa and linking it to here.

[xxialac]

2 minutes ago, xxialac said:

What a coincidence that the only place in the entire world to suffer from this new 'mutant strain' happens to be the place where the government has jumped the gun and announced relaxed measures and are now facing having to perform an embarrassing and anger-provoking U-turn.

And in an amazing second coincidence, the 'journalist' pushing this narrative the most happens to be the ex-boyfriend of Carrie Symonds.

I normally hate conspiracy theories but I'll make an exception here. 

[Ozanne]

They have to take some action now don’t they?

[Punksnotdead]

28 minutes ago, northernringo said:

Few 'rumours' on twitter that the new strain affects young people fairly badly too but nothing close to conclusive on that yet it seems.

Certainly seems to be a worrying development either way though.

Yeah, fuck Twitter! Until I hear it from respected scientists, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it!

 

[zahidf]

14 minutes ago, tigger123 said:

Am i being too cynical by thinking that the importance of this new strain could be being blown out of proportion by the government, so that they can blame this for a need to u-turn and introduce stricter measures over Xmas? The timing just seems too perfect to me. 

I think its a mix. Its probably a new infectious strain, but as said above, scientists people think its over now a vaccine is here.

[zahidf]

14 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

maybe a reason why more of a problem in schools in London and the SE than elsewhere?

I mean an increase in young people in hospitals. 

[zahidf]

https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4857

 

“Nick Loman, professor of microbial genomics and bioinformation at the University of Birmingham, told a briefing by the Science Media Centre on 15 December that the variant was first spotted in late September and now accounts for 20% of viruses sequenced in Norfolk, 10% in Essex, and 3% in Suffolk. “There are no data to suggest it had been imported from abroad, so it is likely to have evolved in the UK,” he said.”

[northernringo]

1 minute ago, zahidf said:

https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4857

 

“Nick Loman, professor of microbial genomics and bioinformation at the University of Birmingham, told a briefing by the Science Media Centre on 15 December that the variant was first spotted in late September and now accounts for 20% of viruses sequenced in Norfolk, 10% in Essex, and 3% in Suffolk. “There are no data to suggest it had been imported from abroad, so it is likely to have evolved in the UK,” he said.”

I may be being blindly optimistic but if it was first spotted nearly 3 months ago, it doesn't seem to be terrifyingly bad in terms of increased spread then? Of course, any increase in infectiousness is not good, but it doesn't appear to be 'horror movie' level anyway.

And as you say, we'd likely have evidence now of it affecting younger people in a bad way if that were the case.

[xxialac]

Just now, northernringo said:

I may be being blindly optimistic but if it was first spotted nearly 3 months ago, it doesn't seem to be terrifyingly bad in terms of increased spread then? Of course, any increase in infectiousness is not good, but it doesn't appear to be 'horror movie' level anyway.

And as you say, we'd likely have evidence now of it affecting younger people in a bad way if that were the case.

Absolutely.

There's nothing in that BMJ article to suggest it's any cause for concern.

As it states "Mutations are expected and are a natural part of evolution. Many thousands of mutations have already arisen, and the vast majority have no effect on the virus but can be useful as a barcode to monitor outbreaks.”"

[Leyrulion]

39 minutes ago, northernringo said:

I originally searched 'new strain' on Twitter just and read a few comments under articles, etc. I was in the 'latest' section of Twitter so wouldn't be able to find them too quickly but it was essentially just people talking about the news in South Africa and linking it to here.

We all have a responsibility to be a bit more cautious with the messages we're repeating. Some messages on twitter in relation to a new strain causing serious illness in young people is not a good source. 

You should either not post it in the first place or at least link to the source in the post. 

I'm being harsh because this is how rumours that cause panic start.

 

 

 

 

[zahidf]

9 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

We all have a responsibility to be a bit more cautious with the messages we're repeating. Some messages on twitter in relation to a new strain causing serious illness in young people is not a good source. 

You should either not post it in the first place or at least link to the source in the post. 

I'm being harsh because this is how rumours that cause panic start.

 

 

 

 

Tbf the SA health authority said it. So its not just a twitter source.

[Leyrulion]

15 minutes ago, zahidf said:

Tbf the SA health authority said it. So its not just a twitter source.

See this is fine. (And slightly terrifying)

We need to take the extra 5 minutes to go back to the source of Information.

[Waterdeep]

Is the mutation in the spike protein?

[stuartbert two hats]

Just now, Waterdeep said:

Is the mutation in the spike protein?

They're saying it doesn't affect the vaccine, so probably not. Also, I believe that the spike protein is particularly genetically stable.

[MrBarry465]

 

Total negligence by the government letting it get this bad again, literally as a vaccine is now in play. Why allow so much collateral damage?

[Fuzzy Afro]

Anecdotally I know of one person in London who’s tested positive this week despite literally not meeting anyone outside her household and only leaving to go food shopping or for a walk. She must have literally caught it from a tiny amount of contact in Tesco.

 

The good news is that she just has a mild cough and loss of taste. Doesn’t sound any nastier than the OG strain. 

[Ozanne]

I don’t see how they can let the Christmas relaxation happen now.

[Fuzzy Afro]

5 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

I don’t see how they can let the Christmas relaxation happen now.

It’s going to be binned, where legally or whether they just change the guidance to a very strong “stay at home” message that isn’t legally enforceable (doesn’t matter either way, the police can’t enforce it even if it is legal)

 

The question is whether people follow it. I think I’m going to talk to my other half over the weekend about whether we should just stay here over Christmas. Just starting to get cold feet about seeing the in laws even though they are healthy, because I know they’ve been seeing their own parents a lot and we definitely don’t want anything passing on to my girlfriend’s grandparents. 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

6 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

I don’t see how they can let the Christmas relaxation happen now.

No way this spineless bunch of cretins are reversing out of it now. Most likely they'll offer is an immediate lockdown, maybe as early as 28/12? And I could see that going into February

[Fuzzy Afro]

Anyone know the best place in east London to get a Christmas turkey? 🤔

[Ozanne]

1 minute ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

No way this spineless bunch of cretins are reversing out of it now. Most likely they'll offer is an immediate lockdown, maybe as early as 28/12? And I could see that going into February

You are probably right but that’s crazy now we know there’s a more transmissible strain of the virus around. It’s so negligent. 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

Just now, Fuzzy Afro said:

Anyone know the best place in east London to get a Christmas turkey? 🤔

Downing Street

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

Just now, Ozanne said:

It’s so negligent. 

See from February 2020 onwards 

[eFestivals]

9 hours ago, steviewevie said:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/glastonbury-festival-fans-fear-2021-23191244

just a repeat of the sun story. It doesn't bring anything new.