| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... 08:07 - Oct 31 with 3447 views | homer_123 |
uurrggghhh |  |
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| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 20:34 - Nov 8 with 744 views | Ryorry |
| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 18:59 - Oct 31 by Oldsmoker |
I still wear one when I go to the supermarket.
I'm 99% certain my first bout of Covid was caught at the supermarket.
I still haven't thought of a witty response that won't get my nose broken when some neandrathal asks " Whatch you wearin' that 4" |
Richest of all was courier with baffled look on his face saying "Eh? shielding from what?" when I asked him to stand back 2m from the door last week ...
I'd also like to be able to visit an optician for an eye-test in a room that's both ventilated & has everyone in it wearing masks. The optometrist is prepared to, but receptionists & members of public are not required to. Thanks (not) bloody B. Johnson  |  |
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| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 20:42 - Nov 8 with 730 views | Churchman |
| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 23:18 - Nov 1 by jeera |
"By all of us".
Speak for yourself!
I've never taken those germ ridden things for granted and use the back of my knuckle to tap the screen, giving it a good wipe afterwards.
I trust no one else when it comes to hygiene! |
Same here. I take care not to touch my face, use the hand gel I keep in the car (ok, it’s probably only a placebo, but hey, it’s better than nothing) and wash my hands when I get home. |  | | |
| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 20:47 - Nov 8 with 726 views | NthQldITFC |
| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 21:01 - Nov 1 by StokieBlue |
Everyone has slightly weaker immune responses to the viruses that usually go round due to the pandemic and things like social distancing and mask wearing which heavily restricted the transmission of various respiratory infections.
Most things have a fairly low R (flu for instance is around 1.3) whereas covid was about 3, then 5 and now something like 12. If you take steps to reduce the transmission of something like covid then viruses with a smaller R are going to have their chances of transmission hugely reduced. During the pandemic measures there was barely any flu in the US or the UK, it was virtually nil because anything that stopped covid would definitely stop flu.
In a few years we will be back to normal on immune responses but we could do so much more, mask wearing in winter on public transport or in confined spaces (something I've been shouted at repeatedly on here for suggesting and someone has also suggested in this thread) would make a massive difference to everyone.
Wearing a small piece of cloth when on public transport is hugely offensive to some though, more so than having a corrupt PM or a pathetic and constantly changing government for instance.
SB [Post edited 1 Nov 2022 21:03]
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Wow, I hadn't realised R had gone up to 12 for Covid, that's mainly due to lack of prophylactic measures I presume, i.e sort of its natural rate in an essentially non-mask wearing environment? Is the figure for flu at 1.3 for now as well?
As to people being offended by others wearing a mask, I can't say I've come across it much, but those offended must be the most insecure or frightened of people imaginable! |  |
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| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 21:27 - Nov 8 with 692 views | Ryorry |
| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 20:47 - Nov 8 by NthQldITFC |
Wow, I hadn't realised R had gone up to 12 for Covid, that's mainly due to lack of prophylactic measures I presume, i.e sort of its natural rate in an essentially non-mask wearing environment? Is the figure for flu at 1.3 for now as well?
As to people being offended by others wearing a mask, I can't say I've come across it much, but those offended must be the most insecure or frightened of people imaginable! |
I thought I must have misread the 12 tbh, or that an error had been made; or maybe it was the shock of seeing it written out that made me pass it over. Gobsmacking. | |
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| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 22:09 - Nov 8 with 681 views | StokieBlue |
| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 20:47 - Nov 8 by NthQldITFC |
Wow, I hadn't realised R had gone up to 12 for Covid, that's mainly due to lack of prophylactic measures I presume, i.e sort of its natural rate in an essentially non-mask wearing environment? Is the figure for flu at 1.3 for now as well?
As to people being offended by others wearing a mask, I can't say I've come across it much, but those offended must be the most insecure or frightened of people imaginable! |
So its not a straightforward as it used to be.
The original Wuhan strain was an R of ~3. The subsequent variants were higher with Delta being ~6. Now we are in a situation where BA.5 is hard to calculate the R because it might not be significantly higher in transmissibility but it is quicker to spread amongst the population because it is highly immune evasive.
So whilst the underlying R is probably a lot less than 13 (but higher than Delta) it effective R or transmission rate is far higher because it is far more successful at evading the bodies defences even with prior infection or vaccination.
The virus with the highest baseline R0 is measles at between 12 and 18 but once someone is vaccinated it's unable to achieve the immune evasion that covid can achieve through fast mutation.
Interestingly (or not for some) there are now many competing covid strains based around the Omicron and subsequently BA.2 variants that they are starting to show convergent evolution is their solutions to achieving infection. This could be because the protection offered by the vaccines means that some mutations are far more effective than others at attacking cells in vaccinated individuals.
Convergent evolution itself is quite interesting, a generally used case is that of the Dolphin and the Ichthyosaur, two species separated by 200,000,000 years but who arrived at basically the same shape for swimming quickly in the ocean.
SB |  | | |
| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 22:16 - Nov 8 with 662 views | Ryorry |
| Over two weeks and still cannot shift whatever this is.... on 22:09 - Nov 8 by StokieBlue |
So its not a straightforward as it used to be.
The original Wuhan strain was an R of ~3. The subsequent variants were higher with Delta being ~6. Now we are in a situation where BA.5 is hard to calculate the R because it might not be significantly higher in transmissibility but it is quicker to spread amongst the population because it is highly immune evasive.
So whilst the underlying R is probably a lot less than 13 (but higher than Delta) it effective R or transmission rate is far higher because it is far more successful at evading the bodies defences even with prior infection or vaccination.
The virus with the highest baseline R0 is measles at between 12 and 18 but once someone is vaccinated it's unable to achieve the immune evasion that covid can achieve through fast mutation.
Interestingly (or not for some) there are now many competing covid strains based around the Omicron and subsequently BA.2 variants that they are starting to show convergent evolution is their solutions to achieving infection. This could be because the protection offered by the vaccines means that some mutations are far more effective than others at attacking cells in vaccinated individuals.
Convergent evolution itself is quite interesting, a generally used case is that of the Dolphin and the Ichthyosaur, two species separated by 200,000,000 years but who arrived at basically the same shape for swimming quickly in the ocean.
SB |
Thanks for the explan Stokie - tho I have to say it's not filling me with confidence re my visit to optician later this month! | |
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