D&D and the rising pandemic

[Thomas Shey]

So, let us be very clear. The article says it "could show immune evasion..." and that sounds scary. But in the next words it says, "it is too soon to tell". (emphasis mine)

That "could" does a huge amount of heavy lifting. It is not, "We have preliminary evidence that suggests this to be true". It is merely, "this is theoretically possible." It is a line intended to raise anxiety, likely worded that way to get you to keep coming back to the news source to learn more - in other words, clickbait.

Do note the "if" in my post.

The issue is that there's apparently a large number of mutations on the spike protein head, which is where you expect problems to come in. Doesn't mean they will--they've been looking at cases for less than a week now if I understand it--but with the numbers of such, this is the kind of variant you'd expect to be a problem, if you're going to get one, with immune responses.

Which could well end up meaning nothing, but its also absolutely the case where you don't want to wait around long enough to be sure to take precautions.

(To be clear, this is not me disagreeing with your point on your prior post that you have to have some line you reach before you start early reactions, but this does not, on the face of it, seem a routine variant).

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

And, interestingly, they are calling this one Omicron. If they've been naming sequentially, then, and the one we've generally hearing about has been Delta, that means there have been ten other variants named since Delta, but that turned out to not be a big deal.

I love it. Omicron.

I think we need to move away from the Greek and just go full-on Transformers. Next one should be Optimus Prime.

If COVID is going to kill me, at least I should be taken out by some kind of awesome variant. I'm holding out until the John Wick variant.

 

[Eltab]

I love it. Omicron.

I think we need to move away from the Greek and just go full-on Transformers. Next one should be Optimus Prime.

If COVID is going to kill me, at least I should be taken out by some kind of awesome variant. I'm holding out until the John Wick variant.

The variant that kills you* should be known as the Megatron variant.

The Optimus Prime variant will be the one that, once you get it, your antibodies fight off every other variant with no further ado.
Because, well, hero.

* generic you not you personally

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

The variant that kills you* should be known as the Megatron variant.

The Optimus Prime variant will be the one that, once you get it, your antibodies fight off every other variant with no further ado.
Because, well, hero.

* generic you not you personally

Oh … you assume I’m a hero.

That’s sweet!

 

[Mallus]

We're closing in on the Alpha-Omega variant, aren't we?

 

[Ryujin]

America should as well, but Fauci says we will be examining info on it first. The problem with that is that by the time we finish examining the information on it, if we need to shut down it will be too late. For new variants travel should be shut down immediately, and then study to see when we should reopen the travel.

I heard on the radio, this afternoon, that Canada has already blocked flights originating in several southern African nations.

 

[Maxperson]

We're closing in on the Alpha-Omega variant, aren't we?

I think Phi Beta Kappa is next.

 

[Hussar]

Well, of course, they'll shut down flights to Africa. They can do that without triggering all the political fallout that they would if they cancelled flights from wh... other nations.

Then again, Japan has closed its airports for two years now. We can fly out and return, but, no tourist visas have been approved since early 2001. Some student visas are now being processed, finally, but the backlog is insane. Same with work visas.

It utterly baffles me that other countries haven't had their airports closed.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Well, in some cases where you have seaports and land routes, its at least of questionable value unless done selectively. Airports allow the fastest transition, but they aren't the only way.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Also…my mistake, I thought the Diocese of Dallas’s personal attendance dispensation ended on December 28. Actually, it ends November 28. So we’re going to try to attend services tomorrow.

But besides my error on the timing, the decision not to attend during a spike remains unchanged.