The Omicron variant

I don't believe long covid doesn't exist. But...the fact that we barely hear about it when the case numbers are high and when the case numbers drop it suddenly reappears is telling.

Well this is it folks, covid coming to an end with omicron, I know of about a handful of unvaccinated people with omicron and they wouldnt even think of taking time off work with the symptoms as they are so mild.

Should we not now be planning an exit strategy, or is it too early?

Omicron & The Endemic Phase of COVID | A Doctor Explains

An actual MD for a change, as some people where taking issue with an educated (PhD) retired Nurse?

Edit: -

Maybe you should take a break from posting, you seem too angry to have any reasonable discussion.

Anyway, ICU down to 84 this evening, 7 discharges 2 admissions. Once the legacy Delta patients are discharged this is over. Restrictions will no longer be justifiable. Normality will resume, can’t wait.

Oh yes no one disputes that. However vaccination can be a question of life and death in compromised or vulnerable individuals, even with Omicron.

Saying that Omicron Cov-2 is a cold is dangerous propaganda and nonsense... It appears on this thread regularly.

Cold doesn't kill people. Flu does, but in lesser numbers. Also, crucially, flu R0 is 1.3 whereas Omicron is >8, which is a huge difference.

TLDR - it's not cold, it's super spreadable flu if people want to simplify into "buzzwords".

Long covid is not caused by systemic inflammation post infection as you suggest.

ACE2 anti-type antibodies are implicated in long covid. Papers from prominent institutions are appearing.

If we check what ACE2 receptors do and where in the body they exist, then we understand why this is an issue.

Long covid is autoimmune mediated. This is NOT post-viral fatigue. It's directly linked to the spike protein, antibodies and anti-type antibodies attaching to ACE2 receptors and initiating inflammatory processes.

Thanks for your post. I do understand the function of ACE2 receptors. As far as i understand it the antibodies hook up to the virus spike proteins themselves to keep them from binding and not on the cells they try to invade via the ace2 receptors. The cytokine storm is the body going overboard with massive inflammation throughout the body to get rid of the antigens wherever they may be and i think a trigger to an evolving auto immune system just as i believe are post viral or post operative issues which are usually more than just chronic fatigue syndrom which can go on for years after the virus/antigen is gone. So, auto immune and inflammation goes hand in hand. Some of that is mast cell activation which i think i suffer from. All this a trigger mechanism without an antigen present. It is the body massively over reacting at first (cytokine storm) and then setting up a high sensitivity mechanism. Allergy is not a good word for it. Peanut allergy is just that, an allergy to a specific antigen. The rest is, as you stated, auto immune related and i include chronic fatigue syndrom etc in that. Now, here is where my knowledge ends. I think there is currently no evidence that Omicron will lead to long Covid because of the short time frame. If it continues not to we could conclude that long Covid must be linked to the effect of the first viral onslaught and huge inflammation by the immune system ( nose, throat and bronchi issues can be handled in the normal way like what happens in a cold).Antibodies and killer cells will clean up the antigens.Then it is up to mast and other cells in certain areas including deep in the bone marrow sensitive enough to get triggered.

Sorry for the long and winding road

It's not a cold. The mechanism of cell entry and pathology are completely different.

Only an amateur or a demagogue could call it a cold. It's a super flu at this stage - and a massively contagious one.

People are dying even with Omicron.

Reduced virulence is both due to the vaccination as well as the mutations and reduced ability of the virus to cause cell damage etc.

If we had less vaccinated we'd see loads of deaths. Look at Polish or Slovak or Bulgarian death rates per capita.

This is not a cold. And long term effects are worrying.

Also, decent immunity lasts 9 months max which is in line with HCov immunity and observed waning in vaccinated (see Israel) so unless we go boosters every year or twice a year or get infected every now and then (not recommended)... we won't get rid of this pathogen. And unvaccinated and/or people will die as the immunity wanes.

If someone thinks that omicron will just infect everyone within few months and then everyone will be immune to it and it will simply die out... Hmm not sure. Given most world is not vaccinated there'll be endemic areas which will keep spreading it to the whole world continously, month by month, year by year.

And that's before we get to variants or even Sars-Cov-3.

I don't worry but this is going to stay as moderately dangerous pathogen unlike cold. It won't be eradicated.

It's not puzzling at all.

There's a bunch of people here pushing the narrative that it actually is a cold. It happens page after page.

I'm certain you're aware of that so I don't know why you're pretending to be puzzled.

The "Omicron is just a cold" narrative is being pushed mainly by anti-lockdown types and Covid deniers i.e. the usual suspects.

Having said that, we do seem to be getting on top of it with our mass vaccination programme and signs that people are starting to develop resistance to the virus at last.

Myself & 2 work colleagues are currently Covid positive. Front line emergency services. All 3 of us quite strongly symptomatic as well.

2 of the 3 partners returned negative tests (1 was positive but may have been the source of the infection in that household) and all the kids in all 3 households have returned a negative test. 7 kids in total.

I know the reasons can be varied from prior immunity to inaccurate swabbing to false negatives etc. but for such a contagious variant and one that seems to re-infect those with prior infections, this all seems a little strange.

I would have been inches from my wife for 7/8 hours while sleeping and because my kids are young I'm constantly hugging & kissing them so I'm slightly baffled.

P.S. None of the 3 infected had a "mild" infection.

@SmithsFan On what tests? Antigen or PCR?

I Have Omicron - A Doctor's Experience And Perspective

^^^ That disclaimer should be on all youtube video's about covid?

I have it right now. Day 2. It is not a cold - a cold for me only affects my sinuses and nasal passages and gives me a lot of mucous and nasal drip. Sometimes mild headaches from the blocked sinuses.

Omicron has given me a sore/tight throat which is quite uncomfortable and stronger headaches. I also feel tired but I am not in bed. No other symptoms and I am fully operational and eating loads. I am double vaccinated since June and would compare it more to a bad hangover from my younger days (many pints and cigarettes and little sleep). I have only had the flu once but that nearly killed me altogether - I could not get out of bed for 3 days with the fever/sweats/chills/aches/exhaustion - horrible.

My daughter also got Omicron and had a sore throat and headache for 1-2 days but she was out cycling on Day 2. 100% on Day 3.

Quite high I’d say.

The cowards wouldn’t even allow indoor hospitality to reopen for the August BH weekend in case people enjoyed themselves.

Millions lost.

But nobody wants to talk about who foots the bill.