Coronavirus discussion thread

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fuzzyduck79 Jul 2021 11:53am, 7 Jul 2021 384 posts	0 fuzzyduck79 Two more deaths in the 0-19 year old age category yesterday. In the UK, a total of 61 (aged 0-19) to date have died within 28 days of positive test. For comparison, by end of April there were 41 deaths linked to blood clots from AZ jab. That caused quite a lot of concern, where roughly one in a million at risk died. The concern over the blood clots seemed briefly justified while we didn't understand the rates, although it quickly became clear that the benefits of vaccination massively outweighed the risks. But even then we switched to a different vaccine for under 40s to further minimise a miniscule risk (and probably avoid large % opting to have no vaccine) I'm struggling to see why not much alarm over the risk/benefit ratio of inviting almost everyone under 18 to get infected here. It just doesn't look a good idea from any angle, when the alternative is to start vaccinating, since approval has been given and millions are already done in other countries? Is it just that we can't lay our hands on enough vaccine, so we're sacrificing some children's lives to go back to "normal" rather than wait a few weeks to get more doses?
Fellrunning Jul 2021 11:57am, 7 Jul 2021 3,127 posts	0 Fellrunning You can mitigate against colds and flu because the historical data is available, so you can take decisions about your behaviour accordingly. The only data available on Covid is essentially real time. How can you expect people to mitigate responsibly of you suppress that data? It's in the public domain anyway so someone will report it. Otherwise it smacks of the authoritarian stance the antis claimed over mask wearing. I wish we could get away from this post Brexit antagonist style of debate. There's no winners only losers. The virus doesn't give a shit who does what it'll do what it does. The science doesn't lie. (I mean the above in general not in relation to this thread or any individual contributions.)
Carpathius Jul 2021 12:29pm, 7 Jul 2021 20,902 posts	0 Carpathius This is obviously anecdotal, unscientific, and possibly a case of "one outlying case proves the rule" but T2 (20 years old, not vaccinated yet) has been very unwell with covid and a piggyback bacterial infection this week. Not to hospitalisation levels of ill, but I was actually quite concerned a few days ago. It's knocked him for six and he's been in bed for a week. I suppose my point is that it isn't a given that young people will be OK.
UltraDunc Jul 2021 1:09pm, 7 Jul 2021 12,889 posts	0 UltraDunc I’m sure this has been discussed to exhaustion but why are the media and government implying that voluntary wearing of masks will protect you if you are concerned when in confined spaces. I am of the understanding that mask wearing was to protect others from yourself. Even a so-called expert on morning tv earlier talked of mask wearing to protect yourself if you feel vulnerable? They don’t mention that to protect yourself you’ll need a higher grade mask. Or am I now in the depths of COVID disinformation exhaustion.
Hanneke Jul 2021 1:11pm, 7 Jul 2021 76,242 posts	0 Hanneke No, I nearly died from the flu, aged 12. In bed for a month, back to school part time for many months after... These things do happen and always have done...
Rosehip Jul 2021 1:21pm, 7 Jul 2021 21,676 posts	0 Rosehip There is a fir amount of research now that even a thin layer of fabric gives a small reduction in the amount of virus containing aerosols inhaled. That % protection goes up with the better types of masks. If a mask reduces the risk of catching by even 10% (and for the FFP3 it's demonstrably more than that) then I'd wear one. cdc.gov
ThorntonRunner Jul 2021 1:23pm, 7 Jul 2021 5,060 posts	0 ThorntonRunner EP - Hospital admissions seems to only be updated once a week, but total in hospital is updated more regularly - currently up to 4th July
EvilPixie Jul 2021 1:33pm, 7 Jul 2021 26,268 posts	0 EvilPixie why has that changed TR? Any idea? After all according to those making decisions that figure is more important than number of cases?
Ultracat Jul 2021 1:34pm, 7 Jul 2021 13,598 posts	0 Ultracat I remember getting pleurisy as a child, was in bed nearly 3 weeks. As a child you tended to get most things as vaccinations weren’t around.
ThorntonRunner Jul 2021 1:38pm, 7 Jul 2021 5,062 posts	0 ThorntonRunner Don't know EP - I guess the data comes from different sources, and is easier to get daily for total numbers