New heavily mutated variant B.1.1.529 in South Africa raises concern

[W2R]

Traveling is just to exhausting at the moment. I do not know why folks torture themselves just to get on a plane or not miss out on a vacation. Plenty to do at home that is way more fun and inviting than travel. Even though I do miss our Mexico trips.

+1000 I don't understand why they do this, either!! But then, I don't like to travel.

I sometimes do go to places via Google Streetview, which I prefer doing instead of actual travel. Still, I think actual travel, dragging oneself through crowded airports and sitting on planes for hours must be very important to some people. I probably just don't "get it".

 

[tulak]

Traveling is just to exhausting at the moment. I do not know why folks torture themselves just to get on a plane or not miss out on a vacation. Plenty to do at home that is way more fun and inviting than travel. Even though I do miss our Mexico trips.

I went to Mexico earlier in the year and had a great time!

Testing is a pain and adds a bit of uncertainty, but it’s the new norm for the foreseeable future. It’s not great, but worth it to me, and as long as things are open (relatively) to where I’m going, I’ll deal with the inconvenience.

Welcome to the new norm!

 

[Chuckanut]

+1000 I don't understand why they do this, either!! But then, I don't like to travel.

I sometimes do go to places via Google Streetview, which I prefer doing instead of actual travel. Still, I think actual travel, dragging oneself through crowded airports and sitting on planes for hours must be very important to some people. I probably just don't "get it".

With all due respect to our illustrious member W2R, "dragging oneself through crowded airports and sitting on planes for hours" is a means to an end.

Real travel is doing things like meeting a Buddhist monk in full robes who decided he was more comfortable leaving his new boots at the trailhead and hiking the trails of Mt. Rainier in his bare feet.

What bother me most about the variants is that they remind me we are not doing a good job overall of transitioning from a pandemic emergency to an endemic situation where we must deal with corona virus for many years in the future.

 

[Montecfo]

I still like to travel. Choose trips that are worth it.

 

[audreyh1]

OK - case in San Francisco, case in Minnesota someone who traveled to New York for a big conference, 5 cases in Metro NYC that all appear to be community spread, one case in Colorado…..

It’s all over the place in the US already! We’ll have way more cases coming out of the woodwork each day.

 

[Gumby]

OK - case in San Francisco, case in Minnesota someone who traveled to New York for a big conference, 5 cases in Metro NYC that all appear to be community spread, one case in Colorado…..

It’s all over the place in the US already! We’ll have way more cases coming out of the woodwork each day.

Like most things, by the time we find out about it, it already happened. We knew this news was coming.

 

[MuirWannabe]

Like most things, by the time we find out about it, it already happened. We knew this news was coming.

+1

No one’s been able to stop the spread at any point since this pandemic began. It was inevitable Omicron would arrive and quickly. What remains is to learn the major facts on transmission, severity, vaccine effectiveness, antibodies effectiveness, etc.

I am curious just how well we (governments) can adjust, if in fact this turns out to be largely different than the other Covid variants. For example, if it’s highly transmissible but not very severe then maybe all the current protocols should be under consideration for change. How fast can governments change in reaction? Are they willing? Will it be necessary? It will be interesting to watch.

 

[MissMolly]

The good news (if there is such a thing as good news with COVID) is that there have been no reported deaths or hospitalizations with the Omicron variant so far anywhere in the world. It appears, at this point, to have mutated into a much milder disease than previous variants.

 

[ejman]

The good news (if there is such a thing as good news with COVID) is that there have been no reported deaths or hospitalizations with the Omicron variant so far anywhere in the world. It appears, at this point, to have mutated into a much milder disease than previous variants.

Hope you are right but looking at stats for South Africa the number of cases is going straight up and the number of deaths is also increasing rapidly according to Worldmeter data. Considering there is usually a 2-4+ week lag between infection and hospitalization its worrisome.

 

[audreyh1]

Like most things, by the time we find out about it, it already happened. We knew this news was coming.

Yep!

It’s just funny hearing US official talk as if it isn’t here yet when it’s instead that our surveillance is behind!

 

[USGrant1962]

+1

No one’s been able to stop the spread at any point since this pandemic began. It was inevitable Omicron would arrive and quickly. What remains is to learn the major facts on transmission, severity, vaccine effectiveness, antibodies effectiveness, etc.

I am curious just how well we (governments) can adjust, if in fact this turns out to be largely different than the other Covid variants. For example, if it’s highly transmissible but not very severe then maybe all the current protocols should be under consideration for change. How fast can governments change in reaction? Are they willing? Will it be necessary? It will be interesting to watch.

As one wag said "experts recommend doing all the things that didn't work the first time".

 

[audreyh1]

No one’s been able to stop the spread at any point since this pandemic began. It was inevitable Omicron would arrive and quickly. What remains is to learn the major facts on transmission, severity, vaccine effectiveness, antibodies effectiveness, etc.

We don’t even know where Omicron originated! It was already in the US before South Africa identified it.

Health officials on Thursday reported the country’s second Covid-19 infection from the Omicron variant in a Minnesota resident who notably did not travel internationally recently, unlike the first case.

The case in Minnesota is an adult male who had been vaccinated and, in early November, received a booster shot. He lives in Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis, state health officials said. He developed mild symptoms on Nov. 22, was tested on Nov. 24, and no longer has symptoms.

The man had been in New York City in the days leading up to feeling sick and attended the Anime NYC 2021 convention at the Javits Center from Nov. 19 to Nov. 21. Minnesota health officials are collaborating with New York City authorities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on their case investigation.

https://t.co/XlKMSt95tC

 

[Sunset]

Traveling is just to exhausting at the moment. I do not know why folks torture themselves just to get on a plane or not miss out on a vacation. Plenty to do at home that is way more fun and inviting than travel. Even though I do miss our Mexico trips.

I guess if I lived in FL, rather than up here, I'd say the same thing.

Just go walk on the beach each day, oh wait, I don't have one..

 

[Sunset]

+1

No one’s been able to stop the spread at any point since this pandemic began. It was inevitable Omicron would arrive and quickly. What remains is to learn the major facts on transmission, severity, vaccine effectiveness, antibodies effectiveness, etc.

I am curious just how well we (governments) can adjust, if in fact this turns out to be largely different than the other Covid variants. For example, if it’s highly transmissible but not very severe then maybe all the current protocols should be under consideration for change. How fast can governments change in reaction? Are they willing? Will it be necessary? It will be interesting to watch.

Just because we have a new variant, does not mean Delta variant is gone, we have both.
So nothing will change in terms of lessening protocols as we still need to control the Delta variant.

So it's not the appearance of a new variant that will change protocols, it's the absence of the one we currently are fighting.

 

[tulak]

Interesting article about how Omicron may have originated.

In other words, while scientists can tell that this variant evolved from a strain that was circulating in mid-2020, in the intervening months there has been no trace of all the intermediate versions that scientists would have expected to find as it morphed into its current form.

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsa...of-where-omicron-came-from-and-why-it-matters

 

[Scuba]

PCR only when landing in the UK now. Quarantine until negative result.

What I don’t understand is that you are allowed to travel from the airport to your designated address where are you will take your mail in test. There will be thousands of people on public transport traveling from the airport before being tested.

It isn’t logical, we are just told what to do and expected not to question it. I think I need to reread 1984.

 

[Christine]

I found this short video of a man from South Africa describing his Omicron infection quite interesting. Only anecdotal of course and may not necessarily be representative for others infected with Omicron.

 

[JoeWras]

I found this short video of a man from South Africa describing his Omicron infection quite interesting. Only anecdotal of course and may not necessarily be representative for others infected with Omicron.

Didn't watch it all since he seemed to want to talk, but landed on the part I think is important. I'll summarize.

- Slight cough
- Next day, slight temperature
- Then, aches. Described as "A bad hangover"
- Self treated with a hot toddy, including whiskey
- Felt better next day
- Continued progress

Treating a feeling of bad hangover with lemon drink and whiskey. Yep, makes sense!

 

[Alan]

Didn't watch it all since he seemed to want to talk, but landed on the part I think is important. I'll summarize.

- Slight cough
- Next day, slight temperature
- Then, aches. Described as "A bad hangover"
- Self treated with a hot toddy, including whiskey
- Felt better next day
- Continued progress

Treating a feeling of bad hangover with lemon drink and whiskey. Yep, makes sense!

Thank you, thank you. I rarely watch posted videos so appreciate this summary

 

[Hamlet]

Treating a feeling of bad hangover with lemon drink and whiskey. Yep, makes sense!

A hair of the dog!

 

[JoeWras]

A hair of the dog!

I watched that segment again and he actually said "A good shot of whiskey". Dog hair must have been thick.

Also of note is that he was not going to get tested. I skipped the first 2:30 minutes of blather, but from context, I think the case count was low and he figured it is just flu. But since his partner/wife/person who lives with him is a school teacher, she got tested just in case. She came back positive, and then he went and got a test and was subsequently positive.

Basically, he was going to blow it off. I'm not saying that's wrong, it just shows how easy it can be to spread this virus no matter the variant.

 

[audreyh1]

Thank you, thank you. I rarely watch posted videos so appreciate this summary

+1

Muscle aches and (sometimes extreme) fatigue were described as the main symptoms of Omicron by that SA doctor which is why she notified health authorities about possible new variant. Head cold symptoms - typical of Delta.

 

[Alan]

Muscle aches and (sometimes extreme) fatigue were described as the main symptoms of Omicron by that SA doctor which is why she notified health authorities about possible new variant. Head cold symptoms - typical of Delta.

My wife has had head cold symptoms this last 3 days including a very sore throat, cough but no fever.

She tested 4 days ago prior to a trip we were taking, and again this morning after we got back. Negative both times, as was I. She reckons it has been over 2 years since she last had a cold (wonder why?)

Just can't take chances these days once you get cold or flu symptoms.

 

[audreyh1]

Yep.

 

[disneysteve]

Just can't take chances these days once you get cold or flu symptoms.

This is exactly why we are so overwhelmed in Urgent Care, coupled with the fact that PCPs no longer see any sick patients. They send them all to Urgent Care.



Pre-COVID, if someone had "a cold" they would take some OTC remedy and go about their business. Not today. Now, they need to be seen and get a COVID test.


You can do a home test but jobs and schools don't typically accept those for clearance. You need a PCR. You can go to a drive up site, but that doesn't help if you also want to be checked for flu or strep or want to have someone actually examine you. So everyone is flooding into the urgent cares. We're actually so swamped that we routinely turn people away.


Even if Omicron only causes mild symptoms, that won't change any of the above.