COVID-19/Coronavirus Information and Support Thread (see OP for useful links)
- Thread starter baldgye
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- Grea'er Laandan
- UKMikeyA
- UKMikeyA
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- 31,117
- Hilversum
- Dennisch
Update. Speech is back to normal, 5g doesn't work, still can't communicate with Bill.
Everything does feel a bit slower today. And someone is poking his finger in my arm. The missus is going down the list of side effects. But not so bad that she needs to be in bed.
Everything does feel a bit slower today. And someone is poking his finger in my arm. The missus is going down the list of side effects. But not so bad that she needs to be in bed.
- 40,420
Kotaku wrote two articles yesterday where the main crux seems to be "even if you're vaccinated and wearing a mask if you go outside at all and see someone within 30 feet of you you'll get infected with a COVID variant and die;" and coupled with the alarmist articles Jalopnik kept writing about the Indy 500 having fans at this point I'm beginning to wonder how many of the "trust the science" people who were rightly demonizing the Trump idiots last year were only doing it because they were already socially inept shut in NEETs and were finally vindicated.
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- 2,255
- Michigan
- FuriousDemon
I looked at Kotaku (unless you meant something else) and I don't see anything like "you will die if you are within 30 feet of someone". I see one article questioning about PAX West being an in-person event with only 45% of people being fully vaccinated (and vaccination rates plummeting). I think its a reasonable question to ask, since by the fall things probably going to be picking up again now that delta and delta plus are starting to pick up steam in the US (and we see how that is working out for UK).
Now, I'm not saying it's PAX West's fault - the government said that you can do whatever you like, vaccinated or not, so of course businesses are going to try to make as much money as they can. So whether an article focusing specifically on this event is valuable or not is a good question to ask. I do think you're overstating the article's potency by a large margin though.
- 40,420
That's your prerogative.
- 13,881
- Ireland
- driftking18594
- CiaranGTR94
Welp, I started coming down with a sore throat at 10am this morning...while at work. My employer has a "better safe than sorry" approach, so I was told to head to the isolation room ASAP and book a test at a disused convention centre about 2km away. I showed up about 20 minutes early and was out of there in 10 minutes, but sweet jaysus did that swab sting.
I'm 50% sure it's just a cold as there's one doing the rounds at the moment, and I've still got my sense of taste and smell, but that's the insidious thing about COVID. Maybe, just maybe it's some commute-related stress deciding to manifest itself as COVID symptoms.
I'm 50% sure it's just a cold as there's one doing the rounds at the moment, and I've still got my sense of taste and smell, but that's the insidious thing about COVID. Maybe, just maybe it's some commute-related stress deciding to manifest itself as COVID symptoms.
- 28,414
- Glasgow
- GTP_Mars
Do you have access to Lateral Flow Tests?
We can order a free pack of 7 from NHS Inform and use them at home... you might be able to pick some up at a local pharmacy or testing centre if you don't already have them, but it is handy to act as a first line of defence if you are unsure.
I've been testing myself for the last couple of weeks as I've also had some slightly weird cold-like symptoms, but have tested negative three times and don't have any COVID symptoms per se.
The Delta variant, however, is apparently quite different in terms of the early symptoms presenting as more like a common cold, so it would be a good plan to get tested a few times in the week ahead just to be sure, but hopefully it is nothing major and I hope you are OK/don't have to isolate for too long.
- 13,881
- Ireland
- driftking18594
- CiaranGTR94
If you mean antigen tests, then yes, but they're not free (Lidl are the cheapest, where a 5-pack costs €24.99
), and civilian use is pretty much frowned upon by NPHET (the Irish equivalent of SAGE/Fauci & co.) because of issues around false positives and false negatives.
- 28,414
- Glasgow
- GTP_Mars
Ouchi.
LFTs are not nearly as reliable, but they are at least something that private citizens can use for their own information, and then follow up a positive result by booking a PCR test, but false negatives are also a problem, hence why having free tests is useful since you can, if you wanted to, test yourself every day. But at 5 Euro a pop, that's asking a bit much.
Whitestar
Premium
- 2,069
- Norway
- Whitestar127
Got my second dose yesterday. Very similar to the first one as in just a stiff/sore arm. Like it says here, using or exercising the arm helps a lot actually.
Also, I had some trouble falling asleep when I went to bed, and woke up too early. Has anyone else experienced this? I seem to recall it happening after the first dose as well.
Also, I had some trouble falling asleep when I went to bed, and woke up too early. Has anyone else experienced this? I seem to recall it happening after the first dose as well.
- 28,414
- Glasgow
- GTP_Mars
Scotland's coronavirus cases just skyrocketed to their highest ever level yesterday, at 2969 cases in the last 24 hours, that is some 12% higher than the previous highest ever daily toll.
There's a few reasons for this, firstly I guess surge testing in Glasgow, Edinburgh and other populous areas will certainly have contributed to such a high number. Secondly, the availability of lateral flow tests which means positive cases are also being counted from self-administered/home tests. But thirdly, it's obvious that schools still being fully open and the return of hospitality (namely pubs and restaurants) will be contributing to a genuine spike in cases.
Fortunately, the link between cases and hospitalisations/severe illness does appear to have been significantly disrupted by vaccinations, but there is still a danger of case numbers exploding in spite of the vaccine(s) and hospitalisations rising to unacceptable levels again within weeks.
Bearing in mind, this is all happening without the planned lifting of restrictions, but like the UK Government, the Scottish government have merely postponed their equivalent of 'Freedom Day' (
) until 9th August, just in time for the 3rd wave to be at it's peak. Frankly, however, if we already have a 10% positivity rate and 3000 cases a day now, then I'm not going to be putting much money on Scotland moving to (the ingeniously titled) "Level 0 restrictions" in 5 weeks' time.
There's a few reasons for this, firstly I guess surge testing in Glasgow, Edinburgh and other populous areas will certainly have contributed to such a high number. Secondly, the availability of lateral flow tests which means positive cases are also being counted from self-administered/home tests. But thirdly, it's obvious that schools still being fully open and the return of hospitality (namely pubs and restaurants) will be contributing to a genuine spike in cases.
Fortunately, the link between cases and hospitalisations/severe illness does appear to have been significantly disrupted by vaccinations, but there is still a danger of case numbers exploding in spite of the vaccine(s) and hospitalisations rising to unacceptable levels again within weeks.
Bearing in mind, this is all happening without the planned lifting of restrictions, but like the UK Government, the Scottish government have merely postponed their equivalent of 'Freedom Day' (
) until 9th August, just in time for the 3rd wave to be at it's peak. Frankly, however, if we already have a 10% positivity rate and 3000 cases a day now, then I'm not going to be putting much money on Scotland moving to (the ingeniously titled) "Level 0 restrictions" in 5 weeks' time.
- 2,677
- UK
- Outspacer
England had a similar jump up in yesterday's reported cases. However, for both nations, that was after a few days of roughly flat numbers so it won't be anything like as dramatic on the 7-day averaged data.
For England there's a 7-day positivity rate chart, currently sitting at 2.9% (as of 18th June), which correctly matches up tests to cases. (Dividing a single day's cases by tests could be wildly out). However, if Scotland's positivity rate really is as high as 10% then that's at about the point where I'd think cases start to be noticably under-reported.
The last ONS survey report showed the only notable increase was in 17 to 34 year olds for the week ending 12th June - obviously rather out of date now, new report tomorrow.
I'm still thinking that my biggest concern is whether AstraZeneca is protective enough for approx 40 to 65 year olds. And others, of course, but a high proportion of that group were given AZ and have social and work connections with each other (and a notable proportion of whom may be working from home now but will return to offices). Also, this is of course where the greatest risk of a vaccine-evading variant arising will be. However, what we can't know is how much exposure this group is already getting to the virus - clearly some, since the current admissions are still generally unvaccinated older people.
For England there's a 7-day positivity rate chart, currently sitting at 2.9% (as of 18th June), which correctly matches up tests to cases. (Dividing a single day's cases by tests could be wildly out). However, if Scotland's positivity rate really is as high as 10% then that's at about the point where I'd think cases start to be noticably under-reported.
The last ONS survey report showed the only notable increase was in 17 to 34 year olds for the week ending 12th June - obviously rather out of date now, new report tomorrow.
I'm still thinking that my biggest concern is whether AstraZeneca is protective enough for approx 40 to 65 year olds. And others, of course, but a high proportion of that group were given AZ and have social and work connections with each other (and a notable proportion of whom may be working from home now but will return to offices). Also, this is of course where the greatest risk of a vaccine-evading variant arising will be. However, what we can't know is how much exposure this group is already getting to the virus - clearly some, since the current admissions are still generally unvaccinated older people.
CodeRedR51
Premium
- 55,260
- United States
Got confirmation this morning that I can go without a mask at work. Took longer than I had hoped, website wouldn't recognize my login on Monday so had to get that fixed. Then for some reason the validation email never came. Was on the phone waiting for HR to answer this morning and decided to check the website again and saw the confirmation.
Joey D
Premium
- 46,710
- Boyne Falls, MI
- GTP_Joey
- GTP Joey
While this hasn't been officially confirmed, it could really throw a wrench into things if it's indeed true.
www.cnn.com
If you're keen on reading the pre-print from Jesse Bloom, you can do so here: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.449051v1.full.pdf
Scientist says early coronavirus samples were deleted from NIH database | CNN
Scientists investigating the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic might be working with the wrong samples, because some early samples of the virus submitted by a Chinese researcher were deleted from a shared database, an expert in the evolution of viruses says.
If you're keen on reading the pre-print from Jesse Bloom, you can do so here: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.449051v1.full.pdf
Danoff
Premium
- 33,000
- Mile High City
Had to test one of my kids for covid today. It's the first time I've gone through the process, luckily the saliva test was available. I haven't been completely lax about exposure, but clearly she picked up something, possibly at school. Hopefully it's not covid, but at least her parents are vaccinated at this point.
- 28,414
- Glasgow
- GTP_Mars
Oh dear...While this hasn't been officially confirmed, it could really throw a wrench into things if it's indeed true.
Scientist says early coronavirus samples were deleted from NIH database | CNN
Scientists investigating the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic might be working with the wrong samples, because some early samples of the virus submitted by a Chinese researcher were deleted from a shared database, an expert in the evolution of viruses says.
If you're keen on reading the pre-print from Jesse Bloom, you can do so here: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.449051v1.full.pdf
The pre-print does raise an interesting and somewhat obvious question about why, if the WIV was such a safe environment and one of the world's leading coronavirus researach facilities, were early case samples of SARS-CoV-2 from the original Wuhan outbreak destroyed 'for safety reasons'?
Sorry to hear that. There are reports today in the UK of a surge in non-COVID respiratory infections in young children already (i.e. not normally seen at this time of year). This was largely anticipated, but it is problematic given the strain on healthcare providers already due to the on-going COVID situation and a massive backlog of non-COVID medical care.
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- 28,414
- Glasgow
- GTP_Mars
Scottish health expert "baffled" by alarming rise in COVID cases among young Scottish men...
An estimated 20,000 mostly young males travelled from Scotland to London and back, mostly via bus or train, from 17th - 20th June, congregating and mixing for hours on end, singing, chanting, hugging etc., with zero social distancing, precious few masks, and practically no protection from vaccines (as under 40s are still only now receiving their 1st vaccine doses)...
6-7 days later, 23rd - 24th of June, Scotland records the most positive cases ever, with almost 3,000 positive cases on both days - a massive increase since last week - more than double the 7-day rolling average from just three days ago. Now that cannot just be down to surge testing...
An estimated 20,000 mostly young males travelled from Scotland to London and back, mostly via bus or train, from 17th - 20th June, congregating and mixing for hours on end, singing, chanting, hugging etc., with zero social distancing, precious few masks, and practically no protection from vaccines (as under 40s are still only now receiving their 1st vaccine doses)...
6-7 days later, 23rd - 24th of June, Scotland records the most positive cases ever, with almost 3,000 positive cases on both days - a massive increase since last week - more than double the 7-day rolling average from just three days ago. Now that cannot just be down to surge testing...
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- 19,960
- NJ/USA
- Blitzbay
- Blitzbay
Aliens. Only explanation.Scottish health expert "baffled" by alarming rise in COVID cases among young Scottish men...
An estimated 20,000 mostly young males travelled from Scotland to London and back, mostly via bus or train, from 17th - 20th June, congregating and mixing for hours on end, singing, chanting, hugging etc., with zero social distancing, precious few masks, and practically no protection from vaccines (as under 40s are still only now receiving their 1st vaccine doses)...
6-7 days later, 23rd - 24th of June, Scotland records the most positive cases ever, with almost 3,000 positive cases on both days - a massive increase since last week - more than double the 7-day rolling average from just three days ago. Now that cannot just be down to surge testing...
- 2,677
- UK
- Outspacer
Prof: I'm nay saying it's fitba but many people are asking that 😜Scottish health expert "baffled" by alarming rise in COVID cases among young Scottish men...
An estimated 20,000 mostly young males travelled from Scotland to London and back, mostly via bus or train, from 17th - 20th June, congregating and mixing for hours on end, singing, chanting, hugging etc., with zero social distancing, precious few masks, and practically no protection from vaccines (as under 40s are still only now receiving their 1st vaccine doses)...
6-7 days later, 23rd - 24th of June, Scotland records the most positive cases ever, with almost 3,000 positive cases on both days - a massive increase since last week - more than double the 7-day rolling average from just three days ago. Now that cannot just be down to surge testing...
It could contribute to explaining England's spike in cases too I guess.
- 31,117
- Hilversum
- Dennisch
Scottish health expert "baffled" by alarming rise in COVID cases among young Scottish men...
An estimated 20,000 mostly young males travelled from Scotland to London and back, mostly via bus or train, from 17th - 20th June, congregating and mixing for hours on end, singing, chanting, hugging etc., with zero social distancing, precious few masks, and practically no protection from vaccines (as under 40s are still only now receiving their 1st vaccine doses)...
6-7 days later, 23rd - 24th of June, Scotland records the most positive cases ever, with almost 3,000 positive cases on both days - a massive increase since last week - more than double the 7-day rolling average from just three days ago. Now that cannot just be down to surge testing...
Football is important, don't you know that?
