Official COVID-19 megathread

[al_bro]

The Russians are starting mass vaccinations in October. Probably from whatever they stole from the Oxford team. I won't be having this Russian stuff. I don't trust them (and neither does the WHO) to have tested it properly, in order to be first.

[Worcester Owl]

From an article by a BBC journalist who is a volunteer on the Oxford University programme which is trialling the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine:

 

"I will repeat this routine once a week for at least four months, as well as returning to the hospital regularly for blood tests over the next year.

It’s this necessary but long-term process that some people – many of them politicians – fail to understand about the coronavirus vaccine trials. You can’t throw money at the problem and hope results happen faster. While the Oxford vaccine trial has already shown promising safety results, and the tantalising possibility of a protective immune response, it was only in 1,000 people. To roll out a vaccine to millions (or the whole world), you need a level of confidence that can only come with patience and more data.

Public health officials will remember well the times that vaccine rollouts went wrong. In 1976, fears of a swine flu outbreak led the US government to accelerate vaccine development and inoculate tens of millions of Americans. The feared pandemic never arrived, but by some estimates, around 30 people died due to adverse vaccine reactions. Such mistakes may well have dented trust in public health advice and fuelled anti-vax fears too, which is the last thing you need in a pandemic."

[al_bro]

1 hour ago, Worcester Owl said:

From an article by a BBC journalist who is a volunteer on the Oxford University programme which is trialling the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine:

 

"I will repeat this routine once a week for at least four months, as well as returning to the hospital regularly for blood tests over the next year.

It’s this necessary but long-term process that some people – many of them politicians – fail to understand about the coronavirus vaccine trials. You can’t throw money at the problem and hope results happen faster. While the Oxford vaccine trial has already shown promising safety results, and the tantalising possibility of a protective immune response, it was only in 1,000 people. To roll out a vaccine to millions (or the whole world), you need a level of confidence that can only come with patience and more data.

Public health officials will remember well the times that vaccine rollouts went wrong. In 1976, fears of a swine flu outbreak led the US government to accelerate vaccine development and inoculate tens of millions of Americans. The feared pandemic never arrived, but by some estimates, around 30 people died due to adverse vaccine reactions. Such mistakes may well have dented trust in public health advice and fuelled anti-vax fears too, which is the last thing you need in a pandemic."

The BBC is really woeful. They talk down to people and sometimes, it seems, deliberately fail to mention positivity. That article says the trial was only 1000 people. That was months ago, and admittedly is still ongoing. I know someone who is also a volunteer. It fails to mention that there are now 8000 people in the UK on stage 3 trials, which includes older people. Another 10000 in Brazil, South Africa and the USA. 

 

However, no-one can say that any vaccine produced so quickly, (and this is all of them) may not at some time in the future cause problems. Unfortunately without herd immunity, we don't have the years needed, to do long term effect trials.

[singe]

I've  been selected to be tested for NHS/Imperial College/Ipsos Mori Covid testing resarch study. I get a kit sent, test myself, then a courier comes and picks it up. I've registed, and am waiting confirmation that I have been chosen. Don't like the sound of the throat swab though. Or how secure my data is.But if it helps.

[Worcester Owl]

5 hours ago, al_bro said:

The BBC is really woeful. They talk down to people and sometimes, it seems, deliberately fail to mention positivity. That article says the trial was only 1000 people. That was months ago, and admittedly is still ongoing. I know someone who is also a volunteer. It fails to mention that there are now 8000 people in the UK on stage 3 trials, which includes older people. Another 10000 in Brazil, South Africa and the USA. 

 

However, no-one can say that any vaccine produced so quickly, (and this is all of them) may not at some time in the future cause problems. Unfortunately without herd immunity, we don't have the years needed, to do long term effect trials.

He's talking in a personal capacity, not on behalf of the BBC. The reference to 1,000 people related to an earlier phase of the trial. He is now taking part in phase 3 trials, which, as he rightly says, will go on for many months.

 

If you prefer Putin's approach, you could always pop over to Moscow. But from your previous comment I suspect you wouldn't want to.

[drw1909]

I’ve already done this research study. The throat swab is awkward when doing it yourself but I found the nose swab the most uncomfortable. 
As you say, if it helps to get things back to normal, then great.

[LaticMark]

15 hours ago, singe said:

I've  been selected to be tested for NHS/Imperial College/Ipsos Mori Covid testing resarch study. I get a kit sent, test myself, then a courier comes and picks it up. I've registed, and am waiting confirmation that I have been chosen. Don't like the sound of the throat swab though. Or how secure my data is.But if it helps.

 

I recently got selected for their at-home antibody test, which involved a do it yourself finger-prick blood test.

[singe]

11 minutes ago, LaticMark said:

 

I recently got selected for their at-home antibody test, which involved a do it yourself finger-prick blood test.

Wish it was that for me!

[al_bro]

On 8/14/2020 at 11:01 PM, Worcester Owl said:

He's talking in a personal capacity, not on behalf of the BBC. The reference to 1,000 people related to an earlier phase of the trial. He is now taking part in phase 3 trials, which, as he rightly says, will go on for many months.

 

If you prefer Putin's approach, you could always pop over to Moscow. But from your previous comment I suspect you wouldn't want to.

Sorry. I didn't mean to disrespect your post. I realise that you were just sharing some information you had seen with us.

 

A Russian scientist (I think it was the one in charge of the trials) said that there was no way they would start vaccinating 10m people in October, as Putin suggested. They are only just about to start phase 3 trials and they will ramp them up in October. Putin probably thought the Russian people had been hearing all these stories about vaccines progressing in other countries, so he would tell them that their own country was n the lead, when it clearly isn't.

 

Anyone in Greater Manchester interested in joining a drugs trial may be interested in this article from 'The Chron.'

https://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/139/main-news/136006/nhs-researchers-seek-participants-for-covid19-drugs-trial

[Ackey]

On 8/14/2020 at 6:56 PM, singe said:

I've  been selected to be tested for NHS/Imperial College/Ipsos Mori Covid testing resarch study. I get a kit sent, test myself, then a courier comes and picks it up. I've registed, and am waiting confirmation that I have been chosen. Don't like the sound of the throat swab though. Or how secure my data is.But if it helps.

I did one last week (drive through testing centre) and it is... OK. It's not fun, and I gagged a lot (make your own jokes) but it's 15 seconds in a lifetime - well worth it to know what I had wasn't it.  There's no real advice I can give you beyond that.

[Worcester Owl]

1 hour ago, al_bro said:

Sorry. I didn't mean to disrespect your post. I realise that you were just sharing some information you had seen with us.

 

A Russian scientist (I think it was the one in charge of the trials) said that there was no way they would start vaccinating 10m people in October, as Putin suggested. They are only just about to start phase 3 trials and they will ramp them up in October. Putin probably thought the Russian people had been hearing all these stories about vaccines progressing in other countries, so he would tell them that their own country was n the lead, when it clearly isn't.

 

Anyone in Greater Manchester interested in joining a drugs trial may be interested in this article from 'The Chron.'

https://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/139/main-news/136006/nhs-researchers-seek-participants-for-covid19-drugs-trial

No need to apologise, I'm as ready as anyone to slam the BBC, I agree with you that its news coverage is often mired in negativity and doom and gloom. I just thought I should make it clear this journalist was speaking in a personal capacity, in fairness to him.

[al_bro]

1 hour ago, Ackey said:

I did one last week (drive through testing centre) and it is... OK. It's not fun, and I gagged a lot (make your own jokes) but it's 15 seconds in a lifetime - well worth it to know what I had wasn't it.  There's no real advice I can give you beyond that.

That's why the test you had is only around 70% accurate. 

[Bobledgersheart]

One thing I've noticed about tests shown on TV is the huge discrepancy in the actual penetration of the swabs both oral and nasal. Some being tested look really uncomfortable whilst some totally at ease.

 

If the "professionals" taking the samples vary so much in  their execution it follows that people self-testing are less likely to penetrate to the required extent with the obvious discomfort that's apparent when they do. 

 

This must throw doubts as to the accuracy of all tests and the self administered ones especially.

 

[al_bro]

A Hong Kong man in his 30s has become the first documented person to be re-infected by the virus. He originally had Covid back in April, but has tested positive again this month. His symptoms this time however are very minor.

[oafcmetty]

24 minutes ago, al_bro said:

A Hong Kong man in his 30s has become the first documented person to be re-infected by the virus. He originally had Covid back in April, but has tested positive again this month. His symptoms this time however are very minor.

Dutchie and a Belgian too

[TheBigDog]

26 minutes ago, oafcmetty said:

Dutchie and a Belgian too

So that’s 3 out of a world population of 7.8 billion then...

[al_bro]

17 minutes ago, TheBigDog said:

So that’s 3 out of a world population of 7.8 billion then...

So far.

 

There are probably far more who have had mild symptoms and thought nothing of it. It's most likely nothing to worry about.

[frizzell54]

People get flu when they have had it before, but we don't shut the world down.

[Matt]

30 minutes ago, frizzell54 said:

People get flu when they have had it before, but we don't shut the world down.

Because vaccines.

[Ackey]

14 hours ago, frizzell54 said:

People get flu when they have had it before, but we don't shut the world down.

That's because they are not remotely the same beast: 

[Magic Mikey]

15 hours ago, frizzell54 said:

People get flu when they have had it before, but we don't shut the world down.

Not the same strain. Vulnerable people are vaccinated against what is predicted to be the new season's strain based on what is currently going around the world. If the scientists get that prediction wrong, sadly the death rate is higher. 

[singe]

16 hours ago, frizzell54 said:

People get flu when they have had it before, but we don't shut the world down.

Yeah, all those flu deaths. Fine. 

Entirely preventable deaths, and we have a vaccine, and we just shrug our shoulders.

You can tell how softened up we've become. 

 

Also, there'd have been a hell of a lot more Covid deaths without the drastic action, surely that's not in dispute?

 

[laticsrblue]

On 8/17/2020 at 12:19 PM, Bobledgersheart said:

One thing I've noticed about tests shown on TV is the huge discrepancy in the actual penetration of the swabs both oral and nasal. Some being tested look really uncomfortable whilst some totally at ease.

 

If the "professionals" taking the samples vary so much in  their execution it follows that people self-testing are less likely to penetrate to the required extent with the obvious discomfort that's apparent when they do. 

 

This must throw doubts as to the accuracy of all tests and the self administered ones especially.

 

Roll-on the rapid saliva test becoming more widely available.

[rudemedic]

8 hours ago, Magic Mikey said:

Not the same strain. Vulnerable people are vaccinated against what is predicted to be the new season's strain(s) based on what is currently going around the world. If the scientists get that prediction wrong, sadly the death rate is higher. 

They vaccinate against more than one type of flu virus each year. It is usually based on the flu viruses from SE Asia / Australia their previous "winter" following mathematical modelling. 

 

In 2014, (the year (not so) Wiseowl was going on about at the beginning of the thread) when the flu deaths were high this was because the viruses in the vaccine were wrong and Europe got a flu virus that wasn't covered as part of the vaccine. 

 

Someone being reinfected with COVID and from what I've read they think there's at least 2 different strains is not good news. However, the process for incorporating different strains of the virus into a vaccine will almost certainly have been factored into the development / manufacturing process. So it is not catastrophic news. 

 

Unfortunately I think this will mean several things.

--being allergic to egg will be an absolute contra-indication for the COVID vaccine (due to the manufacturing process required). 

-- you may need numerous vaccines over time (akin to what happens with flu now). 

-----Or you'll need booster(s) akin to what is required for MMR / tetanus. 

--there is an increased risk that vaccines won't be fully effective because of the combinations of strains possibly needed. 

--it is very likely that any optimistic estimations as to when a vaccine will be ready won't be realistic. 

 

There is potentially some upside though as if the COVID vaccine is more complicated due to more than 1 strain needing to be vaccinated against, there is likely to be an increased chance of a COVID vaccine being effective against other coronaviruses. 

[Ackey]

14 hours ago, laticsrblue said:

Roll-on the rapid saliva test becoming more widely available.

To be honest - what's there today works.

 

I booked and had my test in under 45 minutes, and had the results less than 24 hours after that.  The roll out of testing is a crime that needs to be punished in the due course of time, but what's now in place seems to be reasonably effective. 

 

1. Visit the NHS website here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/get-a-test-to-check-if-you-have-coronavirus/
2. Request a home kit (arrives next day) or a drive through (many places within the next 24 hours - in my case I booked a slot 30 minutes later and that was only because it was a 20 min drive away)
3. Compete test (and post it back if needed)
4. Wait 24-48 hours (home kit's take a little longer due to their delivery time)
5. Result - which are reasonably accurate at this point, though no guarantee 

 

If in any doubt whatsoever about either a symptom or possible contamination event (know someone who's confirmed to have it) you should get a test done. You can have many tests and whilst the swab is a discomfort it's not difficult to do and doesn't hurt. 

 

People can dismiss the virus all they want, but if we'd nationally taken it more serious from the outset we'd be in a significantly better position socially and thousands of people wouldn't be dead. As seems to be the increasing fashion, people are more concerned about making noise and being pissed off than actually thinking about cause-and-effect.