What if it's not stupidity?
Has this variant been in Ireland for "quite some time"? Where are you getting this information?
The very preliminary data shows that it is more transmissible, evades the vaccine more than Delta and causes mild symptoms - according to the science. But you would never want to hide behind any dishonest talk, so i'm left wondering why you didn't mention that the science also says that it would take another few weeks for Omicron cases to show up in ICU or result in death. Funny that you didn't mention those details.
Yes. However since this variant is here for quite some time it is dishonest to hide behind "we do not know what will happen" kind of talk.
What we know so far is that is is far more transmissible than any other yet less deadly or worrisome since symptoms are mild if they develop.
Circumstances change and people change in response.
It's disappointing that the new variant arose but hardly surprising that Governments would react to it.
Craziness becoming worse by the minute.
Looks like Germany is going in full lockdown. Few more countries too. I cant see our lot not following the rest. That is what they always did. Usually a double of what others did anyway. This looks like competition in stupidity. Hyping fears without data supporting their hypothetical scenarios and models.
But then it already happened once so what...
Not sure how many they have. The report someone posted the other day showed how they had increased the ICU beds to 282 (I think) and the target for the end of the year was 312. Not sure if they reached that target or not.
Ha humour
You're right, they're closing the pubs in 2 days on the 31st.
They'll probably go back to last year's diary and see what they were proposing on this date and re-propose that.
And for all those who think that's rubbish and say we're now 12 months on, how many extra ICU beds have been provided in that 12 months?
You're asking as if you don't already suspect they will bring new restrictions and they wouldn't be warranted.
It appears like they will Introduce new restrictions as lots of other countries have done.
Are we going to bring in more restrictions just to be safe from this new scary variant ?
NPHET will spook the life out of the sub committee
Not as worrying though as say, a person not understanding the implications of both the degree of mutation and importance of the strength of the variation. Given the implications of both characteristics on policy, morbidity and travel, it does not take a lot of cleverness nor intelligence to know that the studies will be , super important.
There is a difference between intelligence and cleverness, I'll leave you guess which of the two the media are using when pumping "Super Mutant" wording in headlines. Some people revel in it, I find that sad and a real worrying trend.
I've a big head so not as much as you would think.
Perhaps some associated the term “super mutant” with strength when it the media it is being associated with the number of mutations in the spike protein, double previous variations. And yes, the early indications from Sth Afr are that it is more easily spread, but not as strong as Delta. So we await further studies, which infectious disease experts say will take at least two weeks.
It is encouraging that saabsaab had the “head space” to understand that, it is disconcerting to know not everyone does, and concerning that they mock that available headspace. There is still time to inform yourself.
Genuinely sad, this is going to sound patronizing alert: but I actually feel sorry for you.
How much of your headspace does this take up, I hope not as much as I suspect
Not saying I agree with the poster but why does every opposing viewpoint have to be a wind up in some peoples eyes?
We need to put our prejudices aside and get this fella on the case.
No it's not, it's a tabloid click bait headline. The term variant describes it perfectly.
It's a fair description. Has 30 mutations on the spike protein alone!
The people it puts into ICU are younger than 80, people in their 50s with other conditions and people in their 60s and 70s without.
And those are the stakes. The people that need ICU treatment to pull through.
The mortality rate in Ireland is a factor of ICU being there to treat those patients.
If we go back into lockdown, it'll be to do with the numbers there not if those too frail for ICU are passing away at home or in nursing homes.
You’ve got to be on a wind up “super mutant” would you give over.
No panic here. Just need to wait and see if the suoer mutant is as mild as some hope.
"Super mutant". For god's sake, would you listen to what you're saying.
We. Don't. Know. Yet. That's it. End of. What little we do know or what is in play at present is that so far the infected show few or no symptoms. This could be for any number of reasons: maybe these are mostly young and fit people who have overwhelmingly have mild(no need for hospital) or no symptoms anyway. It could also be that the same mutations that have increased transmissibilty also reduce severity. We. Don't. Know. Yet. Anyone claiming different is spouting conjecture. And usually this conjecture is based on their existing attitudes to the pandemic. The panicky see doom, the couldn't be arsed see no problem.
BTW so you have no issue with my breakdowns of the real world risks to the population and the demographics of that? So why the panic now?
Well, I don't remember the specifics but 2 of the reasons include that they proactively minimised contact from February 2020 for example.
Another reason mentioned was that attitudinally they were much better equipped to handle it than Europeans. They had recently deal with Ebola which frightened they shyte out of them and they learned to distance and take precautions. Europeans were much less prepared to make those changes for example. Public voluntary compliance was much higher, apparently.
They also have a younger population on average so that certainly helps.
There is also the fact that they don't have a well organised health service. They don't tend to have the luxury of complaining about government infringement on their right while knowing that they will get the best medical care in the world if they need it. You know the types who post on tiktok that covid is a conspiracy while they are in hospital getting the highest level of medical care.
I don't pretend to know where vaccinations fit in. I understand they have low single figure vaccination percentage. Maybe if we were able to distance and take the necessary precautions we would be better able to deal with it too. But we have much older population on average so it might not help us as much as it helps them.
Yeah, you certainly don't know specifics....one thing they have is much lower vaccine uptake rates, careful you don't tie yourself up in knots when you clearly haven't a clue
What will be the mortality arte for the super mutant Omicron?
Ok great, so basically what I thought initially. It's not that they're doing anything differently based on having gone through pandemics in the past. Rather, they're not testing and they have a young population. Not having winters like ours probably helps too.
It has twice the mortality rate(0.7% in Ireland) of the flu in the over 65's. In the under 30's the mortality risk in Ireland is 0.0004%. 40% of all deaths in Ireland from covid since this pox showed up here, many of them before the vaccine rollout were in people over 85. The average longevity for an Irish person is 80-81.
It had twice the mortality of the flu so it's not exactly like the flu.
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