Covid 19 Part XXXV-956,720 ROI (5,952 deaths) 452,946 NI (3,002 deaths) (08/01) Read OP

So much of our COVID data is statistical or based on identified and known risks. Yet, our understanding of SARS-COV-2 is still extremely limited and some further work on unlocking those mysteries is essential. We do need a much better understanding of why one obese person is in ICU while another is happily sipping pints without a bother. IMO we can be less concerned about the vaccine only approach with anti-virals on their way and who knows what other treatments we will have come next winter.

Hong Kong to cull hamsters after Covid outbreak

First they came for the hamsters and I was like "Wait, are these hamsters unvaccinated?"

Just 2 more months..

Oh its almost March 31st? Yeah, well, incase a new variant comes along, we should review in another 2 months..

Great news! Roll on Thursday.

So, NPHET meeting Thursday, then a leaders meeting, "emergency" cabinet meeting Friday and MM wandering down the stairs to tell us at 6 what we already knew at 3.

Sounds about right.

Media now reporting both PCR and antigen tests together at just under 11.7K, of which 5,767 are PCR with nearly 6K in uploaded antigen tests.

I just can’t see them letting them go when they have proven such a great coercion tool, I think they should be dropped for International travel and everyone travelling should be tested regardless of vax status.

If someone gets a positive antigen, uploads the data and then goes for a confirmatory PCR are we not then double counting cases?

Or if I do two antigen tests on consecutive days and upload both, is that possible?

The only metric we should be looking at now is the hospital numbers. Forget daily case numbers now, do them weekly if needs be.

Fantastic stuff

Get rid of it for international travel within Europe next hopefully in time for summer

So in your view a positive antigen result is of little value and should not count in the daily figures?

I was under the impression that under 40s are being encouraged to do antigen only in order to free up PCR capacity

I'm almost afraid to hope that the Government will actually do what they're kite flying about this week, it would be fantastic. If Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Greens lift the Covid Cert requirement domestically as they should due to what's happened with the arrival of Omicron, they'll get my vote and many others votes back. March 31st a long time to wait, and if there's one thing we've all learned from Covid is to make hay while the sun shines. We'll be ok now until Autumn, time to maximise that and organise a proper health strategy for the vulnerable next winter.

Keep in mind that it was only two weeks ago that MM told the press that boosters would be required for the domestic covid passport “in the fullness of time.” Trusting these people after two years of being jerked around should be nearly impossible. Voting for them again… I can’t really understand how the same parties who implemented divisive legislation removing said legislation makes them suddenly electable again. It’s like trusting a feral dog whose already spent quite a while gnawing on your leg.

5,916* *

Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team - Tuesday 18 January

And they even tweet that in the thread reporting the cases

You get more microphones in your face with drip feeding.

As you said it's a game for them